*SERMON for Rorate Coeli--Advent 4:* December 19, 2010 *“Among You Stands One You Know”*
*TEXT**:* *19This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”* * 24(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.* *John 1:19-28** * Dear people of the God who is coming, indeed who is already here, Among you stands One *you* know—Jesus the Christ, the very Son and Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In fact that is what John the Baptizer proclaims in the verses immediately following our Gospel text: *The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' John 1:29-30*** It seems rather odd that we spend so much time on hearing about John the Baptizer at this time of year doesn’t it? It seems like we’re getting ready for Christmas in every other facet of life except for in the readings we hear at church during Advent. But John the Baptizer is *“the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” *And that is precisely what we need at this time of year—and always. You see, John is the prototype for all pastors and preachers in that he points to the Christ who is the living Word of God that has taken on flesh to dwell among His people [*John 1:14*]. So John answers the question as to his purpose by saying, “*I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know.” * * * This very preaching about Christ is that which is to continue in the church until the Second visible Advent, i.e. coming, of Christ at the end of the world. Jesus says so Himself just before He ascends into heaven and out of sight: *“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-21* Do you hear that? This Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; who rose again from the dead on the third day and 40 days later ascended into heaven is “*with you always, to the end of the age"* in the baptizing and teaching of everything commanded by Christ, the living Word of God—in other words, in the proclamation and pouring out of the forgiveness of sins in Baptism, preaching, Confession & Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. Among you in these things stands One you know, Jesus the Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—and of *you*. In our text today, John the Baptizer was speaking to the hardened hearts of unbelievers, so he said, “*among you stands one you do not know.” *These men are the same ones to whom Jesus would later say, *“"You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also. . . . If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. . . .If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." John 8:19, 42-44, 46-47* * * Luther says about these self righteous teachers of the Law: “They listen all right. But they stand and look at John just like a cow looks at a new gate . . . as though they had not heard a single word he was saying. Thus they stand there and with hearing ears they do not hear.” Neither John nor the Christ to whom he points them measure up to what they think the Messiah should be. They expect a conquering champion come to fight for them against all those other evil folks. They expect to be commended for their superior lifestyles and spectacular preaching of the Law to the people so that they will become more like them. Sound familiar? There are still religions and religious leaders today like the Pharisees of John the Baptizer and Jesus time, who rule their churches by frightening and shaming their people into obedience lest they be found unworthy and come short of earning their way into the kingdom of heaven. But even more, there are also fast talking religious entrepreneurs. These are the ones you see filling up football stadiums and churning out books and programs. They hide the same Law-based salvation by the obedience of men, but sell it as a Gospel of prosperity, success, and your best life now. Yet the problem doesn’t reside, and the blame doesn’t rest on such self righteous and self promoting religious teachers and preachers of the Law, is it? After all, if there weren’t people buying, they wouldn’t be selling. Wherever there are ears that itch for praise there will be someone willing to give them a scratch; wherever there are hearts that yearn for glory, there will be someone to set them on fire—for a price. These guys—and gals—don’t drive Chevy Cavaliers, and they don’t buy their clothes and accessories at K-Mart. And isn’t it ironic how eager masses of folks, who are turned off by the politics of the institutional church and complain that all the church want is their money, how these same folks have no problem supporting the campaigns and padding the bank accounts of these sweet talking peddlers. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be tempted. Don’t be envious. Repent of your own sinful ears that itch to hear praise for how wonderful and deserving you are, rather than long to hear the forgiveness of sins. Stop following your own hardened hearts that yearn for the glory of success in this world that is passing away, rather than rejoice in the victory of the cross that opens the kingdom of heaven to you for eternity. For here *Among You Stands One You Know* as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world—and the sins of you. Here *Among You Stands One You Know, *even Jesus Christ your Lord. Though you can’t see Him is indeed here in the water of Baptism, in the preaching of the Word, in the forgiving of sins, in bread and wine. All that from the hands and mouths of men no more pleasing to the eye or splendid in status than John the Baptizer—that wearer of camel hair and eater of locusts—who the Holy Spirit sends to point you to the Christ you cannot see. To quote Pastor Luther once again as he follows in the footsteps of John the Baptizer, “We see this everywhere among the smart professionals. . . . They would be happy to have a Christ . . . according to their liking. Yes, but what the Lord God has in mind is this: Man, you ought to accept Christ just as God sends him, no it as you want him to be. . . . If you will receive John with his testimony, then you will have Christ at your door; therefore receive John and His witness.” By the grace of God, once again today, all your pastor can do is echo the words of John the Baptizer, the forerunner of Christ--as well as Christ’s apostle, Paul, who preached “*nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” [1 Corinthians 2:2].* Such things might not fill the pews to the rafters like the preachers that would have you believe there is no glory like the glory you can have today if you only have enough faith and let your light shine among men. But such are the things by which the Holy Spirit keeps you in faith with Christ Jesus at the right hand of His Father in heaven. * “Among you stands one you know.” *And more importantly, among you stands the One who knows you, sinner--the One who came on Christmas Day as a lowly infant; the One who will come again on the Last Day in all His glory; the One who always was coming even before the foundations of the world as the eternal Son of God; and always is coming even today in all the things He has commanded and given to forgive you all your sins and give you eternal life—in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
