Continuing with the Beginning
Second Sunday in Advent
December 7, 2008
Mark 1:1-8
We know the way it begins: In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth. You'd expect the beginning to begin with the beginning.
You'd also expect the story to move on from there until it gets to the
end. But this story has no end. The story continues; it moves on from
the beginning. But what it moves on to is other beginnings. Such as
the one we have today in the Gospel reading. Mark tells us that what
he is going to tell us is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We might have expected talk about beginnings last Sunday when we
actually began the new Church Year. But here on the second Sunday in
the Church Year what is appointed is talk about beginnings. That's
because the story didn't begin only at Genesis 1:1. The story doesn't
just continue, it continues with beginnings. That's what this story
is, a story of beginnings. There was never supposed to be an end.
There was the threat of an end, if Adam and Eve decided they didn't
like the whole idea God set up of living forever in perfection and
glory under God's gracious hand. But even then, when they decided to
bring it all to an end, God loved them too much to bring their
blessedness to an end. So He created a new beginning.
That new beginning He brought about immediately upon their fall into
sin. The beginning of the Gospel Mark is talking about in our Gospel
reading was brought about way back there in the Garden of Eden. God
promised to save them. He promised to send a Savior. Even though they
wouldn't die then and there, they were condemned in their sin and all
their offspring would be born in sin. For the Gospel to be the Gospel,
for it to be effective, it had to begin right then and there. When all
their hope was lost God brought about hope from the beginning.
You can imagine that with this second chance there was relief on the
part of Adam and Eve. Their children and grandchildren and many
descendents were grateful that God didn't bring it all to a halt right
then and there when Adam and Eve chose the path of death. You can also
imagine that there was much struggling with God and with each other,
having inherited the sinful nature Adam and Eve chose for themselves.
You can imagine what it was like to wake up each day and still be
bound to that Old Adam you were born with. You can imagine what it was
like to long for hope even as God gave hope to Adam and Eve when they
were in utter despair.
You can see the need for a new beginning. And you can see that it's
needed every day. You can imagine all this and know the need for God's
hope because you live this existence every day, as all who have gone
before you have. You know very well how deep it is as you see it on a
daily basis in others and as you catch yourself doing things wondering
what might have possessed you to do them. You know very well what it
is like to hope for a second chance.
This is how the story goes in the Old Testament. God always going back
to the promise—the promise of salvation, the promise of the Savior.
The story progressing by going back to the promise, which brings about
new beginnings. The people of God, just like us today, choosing that
path that Adam and Eve chose, and God giving them hope, a new
beginning. There are countless examples in the Old Testament, today's
Old Testament reading is one of them. The people of God are the people
of God, but they need to be constantly given that hope, constantly
given new beginnings.
So Mark begins his Gospel account in that way. He says the Gospel
began this way: Centuries before, Isaiah prophesied the messenger to
pave the way for Christ. John was preparing the people for a new
beginning, he himself the product of the promise of a new
beginning—that the Messenger would come. What does the Messenger do?
He baptizes. Baptism is all about new beginnings. In Baptism you are
given new life. So the way to prepare for the coming of the Savior was
to show the people that this was all about new beginnings. Without
repentance they would be left in their sins. They would be left for
dead spiritually, so they needed a new beginning.
John came preaching. He came baptizing. He came talking about
repentance and the forgiveness of sins. The messenger God sent to
usher in the Messiah baptized with water. The new beginning would come
shortly with the Messiah bringing a Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This
is Baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. This is God's continuing act of creation in you. It doesn't
take us long for us to mess things up. Adam and Eve managed to take
care of that shortly after creation. Our daily lives as Christians are
new beginnings. Daily in repentance you are created anew. As He gave
you a new beginning in Baptism, He continues to create in you new life
daily in repentance and recalling your Baptism.
The Gospel is what saves you. The Gospel is what gives you new life
daily. When the breath of our Lord expired on the cross the Holy
Spirit took it to breathe it into you in your Baptism. The death of
our Lord wasn't the end, but a beginning. Your Baptism is the
beginning for you. Each day in repentance you die to sin and rise to
new life, to a new beginning. This is the story. You are very much a
part of it because Jesus died for you. He died to give new life to the
fallen world. It is the same hope He gave to Adam and Eve. The same
salvation. The same joy that has no end. It is ever new and continues
forever. Amen.
SDG
--
Pastor Paul L. Willweber
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church [LCMS]
San Diego, California
princeofpeacesd.net
three-taverns.blogspot.com
It is the spirit and genius of Lutheranism to be liberal in everything
except where the marks of the Church are concerned.
[Henry Hamann, On Being a Christian]
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