What'cha Lookin' 4

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. … through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Coming of Jesus Enables Us to Rejoice

The Third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called by the Latin word Gaudete (gow-DAY-tay), meaning “Rejoice!” For as you are called to repentance, so also are you urged to rejoice in the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. By His own cross, He has accomplished salvation for you;

The king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee:

Thou shalt not see evil any more.

King James Version Chapter 3

The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy:

The king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee:

Thou shalt not see evil any more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not:

And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;

He will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy;

He will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing

Zephaniah 3:15–17 ESV

15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not:

And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;

Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to “rejoice in the Lord always,” knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (, ). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptist. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even “the dead are raised up” (). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (; ).

He will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy;

He will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing

()! Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to “rejoice in the Lord always,” knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (, ). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptist. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even “the dead are raised up” (). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (; ).

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), . ()! Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to “rejoice in the Lord always,” knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (, ). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptist. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even “the dead are raised up” (). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (; ).

Luke 7:18–23 ESV

18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Martin Luther understood, after struggling arduously to obtain it by rigorous obedience to his bishop and uncompromising devotion his work as a priest, that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (). He tried everything that the church had to offer, but until the pure Gospel struck his ears, and entered his heart, he struggled in vain.

John the Baptist, like the German pastor over 1500 years later, was committed to his calling as Israel’s last prophet under the Old Covenant, the Messenger declared by Malachi who had come to prepare the way for the Coming One. He fearlessly declared to those who were descendants of Abraham through the son of the promise, that bloodline was not enough, knowledge about the Torah was not enough. Only submission to God’s Law would enable one to show his readiness for the coming of the Messiah.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), .

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John was faithful, declaring the message that had been given him. John was also human. As Paul would say later, “for we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is Perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (). John believed that Jesus, his Kinsman, was also Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of David and True King of Israel. John knew what the prophets had declared regarding the coming of the Messiah, that He would come and establish righteousness in the earth. He knew that the Messiah, as the lamb of God, would take away the sin of the world, and would make everything right.

As he sat in Herod’s jail cell, John found himself in a fierce struggle, fiercer that that of the German Reformer. John thought that he knew what was going to take place, but things had not gone the way that he had thought. Instead of seeing Herod being removed from David’s throne, John now sat in darkness, wondering what was going to happen to him next., while Herod continued with his sinful and shameful relationship with Herodias, his brother Phillip’s wife.

Meanwhile, his Cousin, Jesus of Nazareth, had neither moved to expose Herod, preached God’s judgment against Herod or Rome, or even took the throne and delivered him from prison. Had John been wrong? Had he misunderstood the word that had been given to him by the Spirit?

The walls and bars mocked him, he who had been wholly committed to the mission that God had assigned him. Neither wine nor strong drink had ever passed his lips, yet now it seemed that God was punishing him as one of the sinners. What was happening?

John knew that if there was to be an answer, it would come from Jesus, so John did the only thing that he could.

Luke 7:19 ESV

19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Breaking up is hard to do. Not only with the relationships that we have with other people. The hardest relationships to end is the one that we have with our expectations. Lot’s wife just had to take one more look back. Samson just had to play with Delilah one more time. The losing gambler just has to make one last play.

You know how it goes. You have your expectations of what is going to happen. Maybe you have what seem to be good and credible evidence to support your expectations. Maybe what seems clear to you looks crazy to everyone else. Regardless, there you are, stuck in the middle with you.

John was stuck, in a jail and with his preconceived notions of what Jesus was going to do. he was stuck, more to the point, with what he wanted Jesus to do. In terms of the jail, John was alone. In terms of is crisis of faith, John had a lot of company. at one time or another, we’ve all been there. For some of us, it was the expectation that Jesus would not allow our hearts to be broken - again. For others, it was the idea that Jesus will open promotion doors that our lack of academic preparation or experience tell everyone else are legitimately closed - except for us because we really are sold out for Jesus!

For others, it could be the thought that, now that they have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, they will never have to struggle against the world, the flesh or the devil again. Unfortunately, neither the world, the flesh, nor the devil play by our rules.

Luke 7:21–23 ESV

21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It wasn’t what they saw, it was what John heard that gave him comfort. It isn’t what you experience, but what God’s Word declares, that strengthens your faith. It’s God’s Word that makes Communion more than a light meal. It’s God’s Word that makes baptism a baptism rather than a bath. It’s God’s Word that brings us to the Throne of Grace, and brings God into the valley of the shadow of death.

When Dr. Luther read the words, “the just shall live by faith,” he was made alive in Christ. In that instant, he understood that the Gospel of Christ truly is “the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believeth.” It is there - those exceeding great and precious promises - where you will find everything that pertains to life and godliness.

Today, if you’ve never heard it before, know today, that Christ is for you. He died for you. He rose again for you. There is nothing that can separate you from His love for you. The sins that separate you from Him can be washed away, for “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”(). He made you a promise to save you when you were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore,

Hebrews 13:5–6 ESV

5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

And let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your heart an mind, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), .

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

And let the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your heart an mind, through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

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