Third Sunday in Advent (2024)

Matt 11:2-11

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, see the Apostle John and his great love for sharing the Good News, and pointing people to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John the Baptist has been locked away in prison, but this doesn’t stop him from pointing people to Christ for them to see that this is the Savior the one who has come into the world to redeem mankind from their sins, and bring about the Kingdom of God. It is a good encouragement for us to never give up proclaiming the Gospel and sharing the good news with all people, even when it seems that all hope is lost, we want people to know who JEsus is.

John’s Imprisonment

John had been arrested by herod.

John being a prophet would speak the truth, and proclaim God’s righteousness. So when Herod took his brother’s wife, John condemned him for it. This is what landed him in Jail for even though what He proclaimed was right, the world doesn’t always want to hear the truth.

The disciples of Jesus are warned about this.

They knew that the ruler of this world, Satan, did not want the Word of God, and the truth to be shared. So that meant that even though we come speaking the truth, about who God is and what God has done, that there are those who will seek to stop the sharing of the Gospel.

Christians are being arrested in the world.

We are blessed here in the states to not have to deal with the persecutions that our brothers and sisters do around the globe, but there are nations where it is illegal, where you taxed additionally if you are not christian, and that you can be jailed for teaching the faith to your children.

Why Risk So Much?

Couldn’t John have just been quiet?

Wasn’t his ministry enough that he was correcting the Pharisees preparing the way of the Lord and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins? If John had been silent,

What would people miss ?

He was the forerunner of Christ, He came to point people to the messiah, and so as he sends his disciples to see him. John knows that must diminish and Christ must increase, and so John pointed these mean to Christ, to witness that Jesus is the messiah as they could see that Jesus

Jesus performed countless miracles.

When you read the Scriptures you find that miracles are not widespread amongst the general population, but only a few people have them, and a few witness them in abundance. It shows God’s favor and blessing, and that these are people that we ought to pay attention to, and listen to, and Jesus was a font of miracles that poured forth to bless people. There is the Messiah, there is God in the flesh, how could John keep from speaking the Word when the Son of God was there in the flesh.

Evangelism in Our Lives

What danger is there for us?

We live in a country that has granted us not only freedom of religion, but also freedom of speech. We enjoy a freedom that Christians throughout the ages have yearned to have. An individual might get upset with us or try to stop us from speaking the truth, but they cannot stop us. They speak as well.

Society has said to not talk about religion.

It’s not polite, it’s improper, it’s inconsiderate, it’s uncomfortable, etc. There’s a long list of the reasons why we should not talk about religion and share it with people. It will offend, or upset people, and we wouldn’t dare be impolite, but then you look at a man like John the Baptist, and all the prophets, who spoke God’s Word faithful even to folks who didn’t want to hear it. But why do it?

What has Jesus entrusted to us?

Jesus tells us He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him, that’s why when John the Baptist saw Jesus he declared behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. So why do we lack that same boldness, that same conviction.

What often stops us is fear.

That fear can take one of many forms, what if I don’t know my faith as well as I should, what if they write me off as some crazy Christian, what if they won’t be my friend, haven’t they been hurt by religion before, and what if I so mess it up that they don’t want to hear about Jesus ever again? Some fear takes hold of our hearts, and we hesitate to share with them

The Joy of Salvation

Our world is in need of enduring joy.

I don’t mean the fleeting happiness that lifts us up for a moment, or maybe a day or even a week if we are lucky. I mean enduring joy a lifting up of our spirits that comes from the truth. Now there are times that the truth is hard for us to hear, that we are sinners, that the things we loved were actually wrong, and causing us harm, and that we weren’t as good as we thought. Those words are needed that we might lay aside the fleeting pleasures that are of no benefit. Rather ...

We can point them to the victory of Jesus.

Jesus overcame the powers of sin, death, and the devil himself. This child that is born in Bethlehem is the child that was promised to Adam and Eve, because God looked down at His creation and saw the dire situation that all of us were in, that we weren’t just living in a broken world, that we ourselves are broken, and there is no way that we could be perfect. Which meant the Creation that He loved would perish because no matter how hard, we tried to overcome and free ourselves from sin, and death, and the devil we are too weak, and we failed again, and again, but then Jesus,

Jesus was fighting for you and the world.

That’s why the hymn Abide With Me talks about having the cross before my closing eyes. For there is someone who is fighting for me, not just to free you from being a slave to sin, but so that He can call you His brother, His sister and secure for you a place in His father’s house. That’s love, and that love brings forth joy in our hearts, and that joy is also meant for the world.

What Motivates Evangelism?

It’s Christ’s love that drives us.

For what if you went through this life, full of uncertainty, doubt, and fear of death, for the only thing you knew was that you should be doing better, but could never measure up? No wonder our world is full of anxiety, and worries, for they do not know of God who cares for them.

So who can you point to Jesus.

You don’t have to be skilled or well versed in answering every question that they might ask, if you don’t know admit it, and tell them its a great question, and you would like them to ask it to their pastor so you can both learn the answer, but

If they say “What has God ever done for me?”

Or why should i think God cares for me, or loves me, or God would never want or accept someone like me, then tell them the good news, the Gospel. God sent His Son to fight for you, to atone for you, because He loves you. He paid the debt that you owed to God, and He canceled it by going to the Cross. So come join with others who are just like you who need to receive those gifts regularly, and sing the praises of Jesus who is our savior.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I know that evangelism is a difficult matter, but we are called to share the Gospel with all people until the end of this age. Let us not fear the judgments of men, nor be silenced by the unbelieving world, for the one who sits behind those phrases is that crafty serpent, for He knows that if the truth of salvation is shared with others, the devil will lose his grip on them as the Son of Man, Jesus Christ our Lord rescues them by His Word. In Jesus name. Amen.