Third Sunday in Advent - Gaudete

Third Sunday in Advent (B)

December 13, 2020

Text: John 1:6-8, 19-28

            St. John the Baptist was a man sent by God to be a martyr for Christ.  That word, “witness,” or “testimony,” which occurs again and again in our Holy Gospel (and I do wish they had translated it consistently), comes from the Greek word, “martyr.”  Now, we, of course, associate the word “martyr” with someone who sheds his blood for a belief or a cause, particularly the Christian martyrs who are faithful unto death, and so receive the crown of eternal life (Rev. 2:10).  That certainly describes John.  In Greek, however, the word strictly means “one who bears witness, or gives testimony.”  And that is the special Office of John as prophet and forerunner, the voice crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23; ESV).  And the two meanings are not unrelated, martyrdom as testimony and as death for a cause, as we see in the life and death of St. John himself.  What gets him killed?  His testimony to the Truth.  His preaching of God’s Word.  His calling to repentance.  His pointing to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  And specifically, his fearless calling upon Herod and Herodias to repent of their adulterous sexual union.

            And all in great humility.  This is what marks the life and ministry, and death, of St. John the Baptist.  Jesus says that among those born of women, none is greater than St. John – except the One who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 11:11; Luke 7:28), and that is Jesus Himself, Almighty God in the flesh, crucified for sinners to save us.  This teaches us that John’s greatness is the same as that of Jesus: Humility.  Humility is the true greatness.  Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave (Matt. 20:26-27).  John confesses… he does not deny, but confesses, in great humility, that he is not the Christ.  He is not in it to bring glory to himself, as he so easily could have done.  But he is sent only to bring glory to Christ, only to testify of Christ, to be a martyr for Christ.  And so even when they ask him if he is Elijah who was to come, he denies it (John 1:21), though Christ tells us John is Elijah who was to come (Matt. 11:14), as the one sent in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17).  He dresses like Elijah.  He eats like Elijah.  He appears in the place where Elijah dropped his mantel as he was taken up into heaven, the far side of the Jordan (2 Kings 2).  But the Jews thought Elijah himself would come back in the flesh before the arrival of Messiah, and John doesn’t want them thinking that… because it isn’t true, and because that would deflect the honor due Christ to John, who is always pointing away from himself, and to Christ.  This, by the way, is why so many of the icons of St. John show him pointing… to Christ!  Behold, the Lamb of God!  Nor will John accept designation as the Prophet who was to come.  This is a reference to Moses’ prophecy that a Prophet like Moses would arise in Israel, and to Him the people should listen (Deut. 18:18-19).  That Prophet is not John.  It is Christ!  So with great humility, John testifies concerning the Christ.  I am nobody.  I am nothing.  I am simply the voice, sent by Another… sent by God.  As a matter of fact, I am not even worthy to do for Christ a service that would usually be considered beneath the dignity of slaves… I am not even worthy to untie the strap of His sandal (John 1:27).  So don’t look at me.  Look at Him.  I am nothing.  He is everything.

            In fact, everything I do, John is saying, is in preparation for Him.  It all points to Him.  It is all fulfilled in Him.  John’s whole life and ministry is a martyrdom, a testimony of Christ.  He goes before the Lord to prepare His way.  This is uniquely illustrated in a concept I find particularly helpful called “step-parallelism.”  It sounds more complicated than it is.  It is simply to say, all that John is and does as forerunner is stepped up in parallel as it is fulfilled in Christ.  So John is miraculously born to an old barren woman.  Jesus is miraculously born of a virgin.  In his humility, John is the greatest born of woman.  But as the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus is the One greater than John.  John baptizes with water.  Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  John’s Baptism is in preparation.  Jesus’ Baptism fulfills all righteousness.  John preaches the coming of the Lord.  Jesus is the Lord who comes.  And so it goes, all through John’s and Jesus’ parallel lives and ministries.  John is a martyr, a witness, in all that happens to him, in all that he says and does.  And this includes even his death.  John dies a martyr’s death, executed by the state for his faithfulness to God’s Word.  Jesus, the Word made flesh, dies the accursed death of the cross, executed by the state for His faithfulness to God His heavenly Father, to redeem sinners, to redeem you.  John’s life points to Jesus’ life.  John’s death points to Jesus’ death.  And then the whole things is turned on its head.  For Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and He will raise John, and so He will raise you. 

            And that is important, too.  Just as there is a parallel between John and Jesus, so there is a parallel between John and Jesus and you.  You are a martyr for Christ.  Yes, you.  Which is to say, you are a witness.  You are one who gives testimony about Him.  Now, this is the part of the sermon where you probably expect a guilt trip about how you should awkwardly bring up Jesus at work and every time you meet a stranger, and go knocking door to door to ask people what would happen to them if they died tonight.  Well, you certainly may do that, though I’m not sure it’s all that effective.  The Mormons knocked on my door right at dinner time the other night, and I have to confess, it was all I could do to be patient and winsome.  Thank God, biblically speaking, that is not what it means to be a witness, a martyr. 

            The biblical way isn’t any easier.  In fact, it may be harder, but it is more natural.  Take your cue from St. John.  In humility, be always pointing away from yourself and to Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  While you are not called to be a prophet, you are sent out into the wilderness of this world to prepare the Lord’s way by faithfully confessing Him and His Word.  And that simply means living your life and going about your daily tasks as a Christian… as one baptized into Christ.  There are some people to whom it is your responsibility to confess Christ directly.  So do that.  You should teach your kids the faith and raise them in the Church.  You should encourage and admonish your fellow Christians.  You should speak with Christian love and concern to your family members and friends who are separated from Christ by unbelief, and you should invite them to Church.  And of course, if God gives you an opportunity to speak… to anyone… speak!  But it doesn’t have to be awkward.  It doesn’t mean wedging Jesus into every interaction.  It means that as a Christ-bearer, baptized into Christ, covered by His blood, His resurrection life and His Spirit in you, Christ is already present in your interactions.  And people will notice this.  They’ll wonder why you don’t laugh at the crude joke that demeans other human beings for whom Christ died.  They’ll wonder why you don’t despair in the midst of tragedy, how you can be joyful even in the midst of great sadness, why you don’t hold a grudge, but forgive those who do you wrong.  They’ll wonder why you spend such a significant part of your weekend at Church, and how it is you aren’t here out of some sense of guilt or moral obligation, but because you love to be here with your Lord and your fellow Christians.  They’ll wonder at your language, when you hear bad news and say “Christ have mercy,” or when you hear good news and say “Thanks be to God.”  They’ll wonder when you tell them you are praying for them.  And they may even ask you about it, and this is where you will have to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you, with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).  And you already know what to say.  Because you know the Creed.  We say it nearly every time we’re together.  The Spirit has provided you the words.  You don’t have to be eloquent.  Just say the truth as it has been given to you.

            This is really just what St. Paul is bidding us do in the Epistle (1 Thess. 5:16-24).  Live your life in Christ as God’s redeemed child, always rejoicing; always praying, in constant conversation with God ("Lord, have mercy"... "Praise be to Christ”… “Jesus, help me”…); giving thanks in all circumstances (yes, even when bad things happen); gladly hearing and learning God’s Word; holding fast to all that is good; and abstaining from every form of evil.  The God of peace will accomplish this in you.  He is faithful.  He will do it.  This is simply your way of life in Him.  And as He does this in you, you are a living witness, a living martyr, to Him.  You are ever and always pointing to Him.

            And this is the hard part: Even when the world points and laughs and mocks you for it.  Even when the world reviles you and persecutes you and utters all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of it (Matt. 5:11).  Even when Herod demands your head on a platter.  Even when Pilate washes his hands of you and crucifies you.  Now we come to the specialized meaning of the word “martyr.”  Even if the world demands your death.  You bear it.  In faith.  You rejoice and pray and give thanks.  And you point to Him.  They can only kill your body for a time.  Your Christian life is parallel to John’s and Jesus’.  Your faithful death is parallel to John’s and Jesus’.  Now Jesus is risen from the dead.  He will raise John.  He will raise you.  In life and in death, it is good to be a martyr for Christ, one who bears witness to Him.  For unworthy though you are, even to loose the strap of His sandal, He gives you so much more.  He gives you to live for Him, and die for Him, and live with Him eternally. 

            Beloved, we are halfway through Advent.  It is almost Christmas.  Christ is coming.  Your sins are forgiven.  Gaudete!  Rejoice!  Rejoice always!  You have eternal life.  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son X, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.