St. Matthew 11:2-15
Dearly beloved, John the Baptist and Jesus had a connection from the time that Elizabeth and Mary greet one another. Mary greets Elizabeth, both bearing these offspring, and John leaps in his mother’s womb at the hearing of Mary’s greeting. More than this, the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus had been spoken of in the Old Testament. John the Baptist was the Elijah to come, while Jesus was the Messiah to come. Both part of the same plan--John to be the herald proclaiming the coming of the Lord in the flesh, and Jesus the Redeemer to die for the life of the world. As you know, many themes run throughout the scriptures. One such theme is the contrast between desert living versus living in a land flowing with milk, honey and all things good. When God’s people reside in deserts and amidst famines, we see God’s judgment being levied in exchange for unrepentant sin. One such example from the Old Testament was the exchange between God and King Ahab. Ahab was from the North and was the worst of all kings. Ahab killed God’s prophets. He was ruthless and he was married to Jezebel, one even more ruthless than he. In response to Ahab’s evil ways, Elijah told him that there would be no dew nor rain until God decided otherwise. As a result, the land dried up. Animals died, crops wouldn’t grow, and the people began to suffer and die. God sustained Elijah and a widow from Zarephath. The woman’s jar of meal never ran out. In the third year of the drought God told Elijah to go to King Ahab and rain would come forth. It happened that Elijah had a duel of sorts with the prophets of Baal over whose god would burn up the sacrifice. The Lord, the God of Elijah, consumed both sacrifices with fire, which ended the famine. Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel, put his face between his knees as he bowed on the ground and a small cloud came out of the sea, like a man’s hand. This led to more clouds and a great rain that ended the famine. The Lord God prevailed and in His victory, creation was ransomed from the deadly peril in the famine. When the Lord blesses, the desert wasteland turns into a fruitful vineyard. The prophet Isaiah speaks similarly in the Old Testament lection for this morning (Isaiah 35). “The wilderness and the desert shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose”(Isaiah 35:1). “And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where each shall lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes”(Isaiah 35:7). “And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness...”(Isaiah 35:8). Just as the Lord shows His strength and victory over the prophets of Baal in front of King Ahab and all in attendance, thereby giving them rain and refreshment from the oppressive famine, so in like manner do we see that changeover between John the Baptist and Jesus. John spent his time in the desert. Jesus travels on the way or road of holiness bringing refreshment to souls--how desperately we need this! Our lives are clogged with difficulty. Hardship, sadness, anger, lust, frustration, idolatry of the things of this world--these and many other things make our lives feel arid and desert-like. Our souls long for better things, and yet our sin leads us away from God. Even Elijah despaired. While King Ahab and the wicked Jezebel were killing the prophets and sin was in abundance, Elijah in his woeful sadness, cries out to God in despair. The Lord responded that, while Elijah thought he was the only one left, there were others who had not bowed the knee to Baal. When it seems as though all hope is lost, God brings His merciful hand into our midst like a cloud of refreshing rain. Jesus was incarnate and took on flesh in order to bring this same refreshment to your souls. You look around at the world and watch it go the way of a different kind of Baal worship and you look at your own sins and conclude that you are more a part of the world than of Christ and the church. Do not despair. The holy prophet Isaiah says in chapter 35, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert”(Isaiah 35:4-6). Is not this the very proof that Jesus gives to John as evidence that Jesus is the coming One: “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them”(St. Matthew 11:5). This last piece of evidence is the eternal gift given to the church. God, who at many times and in various ways spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.....(Hebrews 1:1-2). Jesus came into this world which had become a desert wasteland of sin and brings the refreshing flow of water where there was none through Holy Baptism. This spiritual desert, filled only with briers and thorns, has become a fruitful land with grapevines. The blood of Christ is the true vine poured into the chalice for all to drink. Jesus is the One Who came to pave the way of holiness. Jesus came to redeem the world from sin and the vengeance for sin was inflicted upon Jesus Himself. Jesus bore your sins on the cross. Advent leads us to rejoice today because like Elijah we are refreshed by God’s hand. God’s hand comes to refresh the souls of the faithful, not by a cloud of rain, but by the poor having the gospel preached to them. You are these poor who have the gospel preached to you. Jesus comes and makes His residence with you. God’s word is enough for His children. The sacrament is the gift that sustains us. Therefore, let us seek the refreshing rains of the gospel as Jesus showers His mercy, love, and forgiveness upon His church and upon all who would listen. For God loves you and has a place for you in the fruitful land of paradise. Amen. -- Rev. Chad Kendall Trinity Lutheran Church Lowell, Indiana www.trinitylowell.org
