The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Third Sunday in Advent is widely known as the Sunday of joy. The Advent wreath itself reflects this with the rose-colored candle which is lighted this day. And the Introit also exhorts us to joy, as we heard the Apostle’s famous words from Philippians 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

But these words of joy ring empty for so many as the world around us gears up for Christmas. Some of us are mourning a loved one, whose absence leaves us feeling empty and incomplete. Some of us are feeling the burden of financial strain and are unable to indulge in the Christmas spirit as much as we would like. Some of us are weighed down by the struggles of life and don’t quite feel the Christmas joy like when we were younger. Alone. Confused. Anxious. Hopeless. Depressed. These words describe how many of us feel as Christmas approaches.

And so, we come to church with these and so many other burdens and stresses. And we hear of Christ’s first coming, which seems so long ago and maybe even a bit irrelevant. We heard last week about preparation for Christ’s second coming which seems so far away. We hear of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life, but we might still wonder how this helps with the loss of my loved one, with my financial strain, with the struggles and stresses of life. In short, we might wonder: Is Christ really able to help me in the ways that I need?

To this, the apostle responds: “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Philippians 4:5a). Why? Because “the Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5b). Dear friends in Christ, our Lord Jesus Christ does not typically fix our earthly problems by taking them away—at least not yet. But He does give us strength to face the challenges and difficulties of life knowing that He is with us. This is the lesson that our Gospel text would have us learn as we consider it further: Christ does not save us from our problems and struggles, He leads us through them.

In our Gospel text, we encounter St. John the Baptizer for the first time in the Sunday morning lectionary. To be sure, he has been the subject of our Gospel readings the last two Wednesdays. But in the chief service on Sunday mornings, he has made only brief appearances to this point in the Proper Preface and in the Gradual. And now we encounter the great prophet at the end of his life. He is imprisoned. His untimely death draws near. But as a faithful preacher, John remains committed to the work he has been given to do. He will not renounce the faith. He will not leave his disciples directionless. And he will not cease pointing to Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Though John appears weak to our eyes, our Lord affirms the Baptizer’s great strength and prophetic zeal in the words immediately following today’s text: “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11a). And our Lord praises the great prophet and demonstrates that he is the prophet foretold in the book of the prophet Malachi.

This is why, until the last 80 years or so, virtually every preacher and biblical commentator in the history of the church has come to this same conclusion about this text. The question that John’s disciples are sent to ask of our Lord is not asked primarily for the Baptizer’s benefit. John is continuing his pattern of prophetic work which points all men to Christ. His pattern of raising up disciples who would leave him to follow Christ is well-known and includes apostles like Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, and John, the son of Zebedee (cf. John 1:37). But now, John the Baptizer’s life is coming to an end. He still had a few disciples who were evidently more reluctant to leave their teacher to follow the Christ than were Andrew and John. The time of John’s decrease was at hand (cf. John 3:30). And so, more forcefully now than ever before, John points to Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (cf. John 1:29). The doubts that these disciples evidently had about the Christ could only be quelled by an encounter with Him. And so, John sends his disciples to hear and see Him:

“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matt. 11:5-6).

Dear friends in Christ, the great lie of our age is that joy and contentment can be found apart from an encounter with Christ. And so, we look for joy and fulfillment in relationships, in money, in things, in experiences. And when we do so, we always come up empty. As long as your happiness and contentment is dependent upon the people and the things of this world, you will always be left empty and in doubt. But Christ does not promise you happiness. He does not promise you ease. He does not promise you comfort. He promises a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). He promises you a mysterious contentment and joy because He is at hand (Philippians 4:5).

This is what John wanted for his disciples. And this is what Christ wants for you too. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ has not left His flock without a shepherd. Though He has ascended to the right hand of the Father, He has not left you alone. Though He does not typically deliver you from your struggles by removing them entirely, He does promise to be with you (cf. Matthew 28:20).

So that we might have certainty of where our Lord can be found, and so that we might tangibly experience Him, He appoints men to stand in His stead and by His command, to be stewards of His mysteries, and to follow in the steps of John the Baptizer in pointing to Christ. For Christ does not come to be with His people through subjective feelings or experiences. He gives us far better—concrete and tangible encounters with Him. Just as John’s disciples encountered Christ through their sight and hearing, so too does Christ allow us to encounter Him in ways that can be seen and heard.

This is why Christians come week after week to the Divine Service—because here we encounter Christ. Here He serves us in Word and Sacrament. Here He touches us in His Body and in His Blood. Therefore, it is right that this place be treated as unique—for it is heaven on earth. Therefore it is right that our ancestors adorned this place with stunning images and beautiful architecture. It is right that we fall upon our knees when we approach the altar. It is right that we lift up our voices in song in this place—not primarily using ordinary speech but making a joyful noise unto the Lord as we join the choirs of heaven in singing praises to our God. For how could we not burst out into songs of joy? Our King comes to us here. He gives us His Word and promises. He strengthens us with His Body and Blood, offering us forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Dear friends in Christ, when the sorrows and stresses of life weigh us down, Satan tempts us to believe that we need something more “practical” and “helpful” than Christ’s Word and Sacraments. But the truth is, when we are lonely, when we are anxious, when we are stressed, when we are weighed down by the struggles of life, there is no greater place to be than in the presence of Christ. To doubt and struggle is to be human. But where do you turn in these times of doubt and struggle? To whom do you go when you are in need? Let us run to Christ. For His Word and Sacraments alone can quell our doubts and anxieties. His presence alone can give us strength to face the problems and struggles of life. His Church alone offers us an unquenchable joy that is grounded in His very presence.

This, dear friends in Christ, is the source of our Advent joy. The same Christ who was born in Bethlehem and who will come again on the Last Day comes to us now. His presence with us is not dependent on our life circumstances or on how we feel. He comes to you today to give you forgiveness and strength. No matter what may come your way, Christ is here; He is for you; and here He offers you a joy and a strength which can be found nowhere else. Thanks be to God!

In Jesus’ name. Amen.