Proclamation of John The Baptist

Series - Prepare the Way

First Reading

Isaiah. Ministry in the 6th BC. Jews in exile in Babylon. Shame and guilt. Seemingly hopeless that they would ever be forgiven or restored to their homeland. Isaiah promises redemption. God does forgive. He grieves over their suffering, the consequences of their sins. Promise to lead them back home. (Which God did).

Isaiah 40:1–11 NRSV

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Second Reading

Mark 1:1-8.

The beginning of Mark’s gospel. Mark begins not with an infancy story. No Bethlehem, shepherds, or angels. Rather, he begins his story with the proclamation of John the Baptist. He describes John as the one whom the ancient prophets had foretold would come to prepare the people for the coming of Messiah — Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Mark 1:1–8 NRSV

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Illumination

Mighty God, send your Holy Spirit to speak peace, that the good news of this age may be proclaimed through your word, which stands forever. Amen.

Introduction

Holiday season, getting ready. Cleaning up rooms. Hanging lights. Putting up trees. Power-wash the entry way. Set up the grill. Getting ready to welcome family.

That is part of getting ready for Christmas. Yet isn’t there also something more? Christmas is about the coming of Christ.

Are we getting ready to welcome…Christ?

Not about putting up lights, decorations, but about something deeper.

John the Baptist has a word for us from God about preparing for Christ.

Exegesis

The John we are talking about is not the disciple John. The disciple John, son of Zebedee, will be called by Jesus later.

John the Baptist was a relative of Jesus’. He was the son of Mary’s older kinswoman, Elizabeth. Elizabeth had been barren, yet the angel Gabriel promised her and her husband, Zechariah, a son. This son, said the angel, would be strong in the spirit of God, would go before the Messiah, and make the people ready for him. (Luke 1:17) In due time, John was born.

The greatest passion in John’s life was to be ready and to make ready the people for the Messiah. (Even as a fetus, he kicked in joy!)

John spent his adult years in and out the wilderness in prayer and watchfulness.

People throughout the region knew that he was full of the spirit of God and was destined to reveal something to them. They too had to wait.

When the time was right — the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God—he appeared and preached his message.

His message — Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.

Repent: turn from one way of life to another.

soldiers — don’t extort or use excessive force—

tax collectors — don’t collect more—

religious leaders — don’t put on a show, really serve God and people—

to the crowds — turn from your sins— sloth, pride, envy, lust, gluttony..

Be baptized in the water. Baptized means to dunk or immerse in water. To symbolize being cleanse of sin and ready for God.

Repent, be baptized and forgiven because there is one more powerful than I coming.

quite something since John was full of spiritual power and challenged even the violent king Herod for his adultery.

So great is this one that I am not even worthy to stoop to untie his sandals.

not even worthy to be his slave. (For slaves washed the feet of others)

Great impact on the people who considered John holy and had his own disciples.

Repent, so that he can give you what you deeply desire: The Holy Spirit. A portion of God’s presence in your life.

His message sparked reaction in all who heard him because he tapped into the deepest desires of God’s people: to be right with God.

That is always the message of the prophets.

Isaiah preached to God’s people in exile in Babylon — prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight! Repent of despair and trust that God will lead you back home. They repented and God did!

John says, now prepare the way into your hearts!

what is exalted, put it down. What is down, lift it up. What is crooked, make is straight.

Not that you are going to God…but that he is coming to you!…

And the people did. They became the crowd that walked with Jesus.

Elijah wore camel hair and lived on the land and was radically committed to the Lord — preached to Jews lost in idolatry. If the LORD is god worship him! He proved the LORD and the people repented and worship was renewed.

John dressed that same way, and with the same powerful conviction said: turn away from the lure of Rome and its pagan gods and systems, remember you belong to the LORD.

I offer you not fire, but water!

the people were baptized, claimed identity. They later recieved the baptism of Jesus’ spirit.

All the prophets preached repentance. Turn back to God. Why? Because God wants to forgive.

Confess — because God wants to forgive

Repent because Gods wants to restore

John, according to Jesus later, is the greatest of the prophets.

Repent and get ready of the Son of God himself.

Not Elijah, not Isaiah, not even John himself.

The Son of God, Jesus Christ, wants to take away sin, restore your love for God, and fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Interpretation

Odd that the beginning of the good news is repent.

But it must start here because of what the good news is.

Good News is that God wants to effect change in us through his Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ ministry was one of preaching repentance.

Like John, he said Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.””

So how can we be ready for him, if we do not own our sin?

He said, I have come not to call the righteous, but the sinners. The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do!

Example of an illness caught early. Friend discovered prostate cancer. Sad to know the diagnosis. Good news, that caught early it can be treated.

Sin is a terminal disease.

Beginning of the Good News is a diagnosis: There is sin. Good news: There is a care plan: Repent! The Lord is ready to forgive and save, repent and make the way ready!

During Advent: We repent not so that God will forgive. But because God has determined to forgive us, we repent.

HE HAS SENT HIS SON, SO WE REPENT.

Good news begins with repentance because there is this offer of forgiveness.

Freedom from God’s condemnation. Opening up of God’s favor.

Current Solution: we should repent

Advent means prepare.

Do you want to get right with God. Jesus makes that possible.

It begins with repentance. Turning to him.

Like the people of old, so we repent NOW.

Not tomorrow, not some other time. Now.

Resist the idea, ah nothing ever changes, Jesus won’t come.

2 Peter 3:8–9 “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”

Need to come out and HEAR the message. They came out and listened at Jordan and sunlight. As long as we stay in the town, sin just blends in. We want to hear, we come to Jesus.

Jesus said, If you have ears to hear, use them!

Confess sin

Denying sin will never help.

Those who deny their sins, lie only to themselves. But those who confess it, God forgives.

As long as I kept it hidden it festered within. But when I confessed you forgave my guilt.

Example of camper with cheeseburger hidden in his cot. It stank. I found it and removed it. It may have been good once, but no longer. Sins may have seemed good once, but no longer.

Confessing frees.

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

You can talk withe me, friend, a spouse, a journal.

Confess your sins and you will feel a space begin to open up. Jesus comes in.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Enables us to start being who we are in Christ.

This is the whole of the gospel: to repent, be forgiven, and to receive the Holy Spirit. The beginning, the middle, and the end.

Conclusion

The beginning of the good news. News is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is coming

As we look around the season: Straightening, decorating, let us also prepare for HIM!

Prayer of Intercession

Let us lift up our voices with strength this day praying to the One who comforts, restores, and heals.

Let us pray for all leaders and people of the world. You have created one human family to live in righteousness and peace. Give us the wisdom to order our common life according to your loving purposes, that your glory may be revealed and all people shall see it together. Isa. 40:5

Let us pray for your church. You have given us the gift of the Messiah so that your church may be steadfast and true. Give us strength to follow your Son until all have come to repentance and are reconciled by his love.

Let us pray for those who are sick, who suffer need, who are exiled or in danger. You have made us for a holy purpose, to comfort and care for each other. Give us compassion to love our neighbor and patience to care for those in need.

Let us pray for your creation. Your faithfulness springs up from the ground, Ps. 85:11 and your goodness looks down from the sky. Rid us of the laziness and greed that diminish life as you teach us to care for your creation together.

Let us remember those who have died. Ever-living God, one day in your presence is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 2 Pet. 3:8 Make us one with the saints, who have found their eternal home in you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

— —Long, Kimberly Bracken. Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 1 (pp. 8-9). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition.

Call to confession

example, driving the wrong way with the GPS. The GPS voice taking me the wrong way. Need to listen to my own inner voice. The wrong voice of sin. The right voice of conscience.