Christmas Eve Candlelight Sermon

Christmas Eve December 24, 2011

“A Love Story”

Luke 2:1-11

Merry Christmas!

Atheists are no longer ignoring Christmas - now they are attacking it. Not just in that they don’t want folks to say “Merry Christmas” anymore - that movement’s been going on for a while, and has pretty much run its course, I think. No, this year they tried a new tactic: they have begun to call the Nativity scene hate speech, and therefore the displaying of it should be a hate crime. For, say the atheists, it is hateful that Christians are saying with their Nativity scene that unless you believe in and accept this baby as your Savior, then you are condemned to hell.

Well, the atheists got the meaning of the nativity scene exactly right. That is exactly what Christmas is all about. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. The message of Christmas is not just that a baby is born, but that God is born a man, come to save us from sin, death, the devil, and yes, from hell itself. And without Him, we have no hope. Without Him, we are the people walking in the deep darkness of the sin and death in our world. Without Him, the sins which separate us from our holy Father will do so forever.

And so that is the reason for our joy this night, that the grace of God has appeared. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. The Son of God is incarnate as the baby Jesus to defeat our enemies, and to reconcile us to His Father. To strip Satan of His power and provide the forgiveness of our sins. To overcome death and the grave, and give us the gift of eternal life. His weapon: His blood. His guard: shepherds and fishermen. His fortress: a manger, some straw, and swaddling clothes. And against these, Satan stands no chance. With these, we are saved.

But while the atheists are exactly right about the meaning of the Nativity, the are exactly wrong about the motive for it - for it is not hate speech, but a demonstration of the deepest love. For as John proclaimed to us: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation - or the atonement, the sacrifice - for our sins. And so tonight we see that when God said He loves you, He meant it. He meant it not just in words, but in deed. From throne, to manger, to cross, to throne again, that we might be with Him and live with Him forever.

And so tonight there is no hate speech, but a love story. Not between a man and a woman, or a virgin and her child - but between God and men. And not just some men, but all men. For this was the message of the angel, this good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. That God made our human nature His own. In God the Son, the two became one flesh, that we might be His own. Not to be a God we can live with, but one we can’t live without.

And that’s really the crux of the issue right there. If Jesus is just a God we can live with (or not), then He’s okay. He’s just an option, and optional. You can take Him, leave Him, choose another, or none of the above. And people are comfortable with that kind of Jesus - including atheists.

But if Jesus is the God we cannot live without, then we are making a very important statement: that we need Him. That we need what only He can provide. We need His forgiveness for our sin. We need His life for our death. . . . The thing is: we don’t want to be needy, we don’t want to be sinners, we don’t want to be told there’s anything wrong with us or what we do - but that doesn’t change the reality. And so what is hateful is not to point out our neediness and sin - but to ignore it. To pretend as if everything is okay and allow people to die with no hope or a false hope. But love speaks - both of our neediness and sin, and of the true hope and remedy we have in this newborn baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and named Jesus.

That’s why Christmas is so loud! Christmas is what the prophets like Isaiah and Micah proclaimed for thousands of years. It is when the multitude of angels broke out in a great symphony of song to proclaim this birth to the shepherds. And today in words and hymns and carols, the church announces this good news in churches, in cards, on street corners, metro stations, and even in shopping malls. Because this is not hate speech, but the love story around which the history of the world has been built. That God so loved the world that He gave his only-begotten Son. To be born for us, to die on the cross for us, to rise from the dead for us. To give us hope and joy.

And so tonight we are joyous with a joy the devil knows not, for the devil knows no joy. He knows only hate, and cannot stand it when any of us have any peace or love or joy. And so this night when our peace, love, and joy was born for us, Satan is miserable. Especially because we do not deserve such a gift - that makes it even worse! But this love of God cannot be stopped. This love of God not just for the world, but for you. And so it was not in spite of, but because of, our unworthiness, that God sent His Son this night. That the grace of God which appeared to all men - to peasants, shepherds, and kings - might also appear to you and me and all people, that all see in this child named Jesus their Savior, their life, and their hope. That we see in this child not just the God we cannot live without, but the God who didn’t want to live without us. And so who came, in love, this night.

So sing out in joy this night, and confess in joy all the year through! For beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Merry Christmas!

Daily Bible Readings for December 18-25

CALENDAR

Saturday     December 17         5:30 pm                                     Worship Service

Sunday       December 18          9:00 am Children and Youth Christmas Practice

                                            9:00 am                                            Bible Class

                                            10:00 am                                     Worship Service

                                      2:00-5:00 pm                        Open House at Parsonage

Wednesday December 21         5:00 pm                                         Confirmation

                                             7:00 pm                      Advent Lessons and Carols

                                             7:30 pm                                                       AA

Thursday    December 22 1:00 – 3:00 pm                                Girard Food Pantry                 

Saturday     December 24        5:30 pm                   Children’s Christmas Service

                                            11:00 pm           Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Sunday       December 25          8:00 am                            Christmas Day Service

December 24^th is Chris Ray’s 90^th Birthday. 

Please send her a Birthday and Christmas Card to celebrate this very special day.

Daily Lectionary For December 18-25, 2011

December 18      The Nativity of Our Lord—Luke 2:1-7, Isaiah 40:1-11

December 19             The Birth of Christ Is Announced to Shepherds—

                                                                       Luke 2:8-14, Malachi 3:1-7

December 20                 The Shepherds Visit Bethlehem—Luke 2:15-20

                                                                                            Malachi 4:1-6

December 21                         The Genealogy of Jesus—Matthew 1:1-17

                                                                                         Isaiah 28:14-19

December 22                         The Birth of Jesus Is Foretold to Joseph—

                                                                Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 7:1-17

December 23           The Word Became Flesh—John 1:1-1, Micah 5:1-5

December 24              Isaiah 7:10–14, 1 John 4:7–16, Matthew 1:18–25

December 25           Exodus 40:17–21; 34–38, Titus 3:4–7, John 1:1–14

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

CHRISTMAS DAY

Exodus 40:17–21; 34–38, Titus 3:4–7, John 1:1–14

The Living and Life-Giving Word of God Dwells among Us in the Flesh

In the beginning God created all things through His Word, His Son.  But man fell into sin, and with man all creation was cursed. Therefore, God spoke His Word again, this time into the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary. The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle of our human nature (Ex. 40:17–21,34–38). “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1–14).  The Son of God took on our flesh and blood and died on the cross in order that we might receive the right to become the children of God through faith. Baptized into Christ’s body, we are made partakers of a new Genesis, “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4–7). In Christ, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man has truly appeared.

Advent 4 December 18, 2011 Sermon

Advent 4         December 17-18, 2011

 “Who Are You?” John 1:19-28

In the Name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John the Baptist just doesn’t fit the mold. We heard last week of his unusual diet: locusts and wild honey, and his unusual clothes: a camel’s hair shirt with a leather belt. His preaching is also a bit unusual: he is out in the wilderness instead of in the city (where the people are) or the temple (where they go to get religion), and he doesn’t preach what people want to hear - that they’re okay, and, keep up the good work! No, he cries: You’re not okay! You’re not good! Repent! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2). There was nothing usual about John.

And that continues in today’s Gospel. For in response to those who came to him to find out who he was and what he was doing and why he was doing what he was doing, John defines himself and his work not by who he is, but by another - by Jesus. Everything John is is in relation to Jesus. Without Jesus, John is nothing. Without Jesus, John’s work is in vain. For John, Jesus must increase and he must decrease (John 3:30).

Now, John did have a lineage. He was the son of Zechariah the priest and so he was a descendant of Aaron in the priestly line of Israel - that was no small thing. But instead of telling the folks who came to question him who he was, he tells them who he is not - he is not the Christ nor Elijah nor the promised prophet greater than Moses. John is the great NOT, so that he can point to the one who IS; to the one who is everything.

And that, I think, is what makes John so unusual - even more than his diet and his clothes. For I think it is part and parcel of the sin that has curved us in on ourselves that we define ourselves by what we do, or who we want to be. For example, when we meet someone, one of our first questions is: What do you do? That defines a person. And there are so many things we want to do, to make something out of ourselves. We want to be successful, we want to be beautiful, we want to be smart, or popular, of powerful, or educated, or about a million other things people tell us we should be, and we therefore try to be.

Now, let me be clear - it’s good and not wrong to have goals and try to achieve and use the gifts and talents God has given you. The problem is when that defines you; when that’s all there is for you. For not only does God get inevitably squeezed out of the picture, but defining yourself this way can so easily rob you of joy. The joy of living. The joy your Lord designed for you. Because very few attain these things we are told we should be, and even if they do, they get some and not others, or the standards change, or conditions change, and so there’s always more to get, more to do, more to achieve, and your life ends up being an exhausting, never-ending chase for this more, leaving little time or room for anything else.

So maybe John had it right. Don’t define yourself by who you are and what you do - look at who you are by another, by Jesus. And that not only in the world, but also who you are spiritually. For spiritually, who you are on your own is a sinner and what you do is sin. We do those things we’re not supposed to do, and we don’t do those things we are supposed to do - maybe because we’re so busy chasing after all that stuff I was just talking about! All that stuff we’re told we’re supposed to be and supposed to do and supposed to have. All that stuff that winds up consuming us - both physically and spiritually.

But being defined by Jesus shines a whole new light on things. For then you’re not just who you say you are or who others say you are - you are who Jesus says you are. You are His child. You are forgiven. You are dearly loved. You are well pleasing to Him. And you are all these things not because of anything in you, or anything you have done, but because of what Jesus has come to do for you; because you are baptized. Which is, by the way, what John was all about.

That’s the good news John lived and proclaimed, fulfilling Isaiah’s words as the forerunner of Christ. And so as we heard from Isaiah earlier today, John brings good news to the poor - to you who cannot live up to all the “supposed to be’s.” He binds up the brokenhearted - you whose hearts have been broken and stomped on. He proclaims liberty to the captives - to you held captive to the expectations and demands of others. He comforts all who mourn - you who mourn over your sins and failures. John is proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance for our God - notice how much greater is His favor than His vengeance! That’s the lifetime of favor won for you when He poured out His vengeance against sin upon Jesus that day on the cross. There all that you are supposed to be and should be is swallowed up by the one who IS - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Who takes away your sin and sets you free. Free in His love, free in His forgiveness, free to live.

That’s why John loved His job! It wasn’t easy, and . . . well . . . the food and clothes and living conditions definitely weren’t the perks that made it all worth it! What did make it worth it was the one who was coming. The one who had come six months after him, born of the virgin Mary and laid in the manger. The one coming to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world on the cross. The one coming to fulfill the promise of God to firmly and finally place His heel upon the serpent’s head, that Satan have no more dominion over us and be defeated once and for all. That’s why John was filled with joy. That’s why John was like a little kid at Christmas when Jesus came out to him to be baptized. For though I don’t know for sure, I’ll bet he was jumping up and down and couldn’t contain himself as he cried out: There He is! The Lamb of God! The promised Savior!

That joy is why we light the rose color candle today, for our Advent preparation makes a turn today - turning now to the joy of the coming one. That John’s joy be our joy. A joy that enables us to live as St. Paul is describing in his letter to the Thessalonians. If you’re consumed with all the “supposed to be’s,” the things that Paul writes of will all fade into the background, get lost in the shuffle, and pale in importance. But if you’re consumed by “what Jesus has done for you,” or rather, if you consume all that Jesus has done for you when you come and consume Him, His Body and Blood, given to you to eat and drink here, and consume His Word as you read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest it, then all these things are your joy, just like for John. Rejoicing, praying, giving thanks in all circumstances, holding fast to what is good. For Jesus is working in you, sanctifying you and keeping your whole spirit and soul and body blameless until He comes again. He is faithful. He is surely doing it.

And so that is who you are. A dearly loved and forgiven child of God. Sanctified, or made holy by Him. Being kept by Him. A bride of the Bridegroom. No longer a slave to sin, but set free to live in Christ. To answer with John’s joy those who ask you who you are and what you are doing. And to see at Christmas not just the birth of someone who lived very long ago and very far away, but to see your own new birth. For the Son of God was born a son of man, that we sons of men might be born as sons of God. And you are, in Him. For you are who Jesus says you are, and in Holy Baptism, and through His Word, and in His Supper, He has called you by that name that is above every name, and given you an identity second to none: Christian.

In the Name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Advent Midweek 3 December 14, 2011

Luke 1:46-56

“Mary’s Song is our Song”

Advent Midweek 3 2011

In the Name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

One of the great things about Christmas programs in the church is that we get to sing our favorite Christian Christmas carols.  And even though we’re still technically in the Advent season, it’s been wonderful to hear our children singing the great songs of our dear Savior’s birth.  Most of these songs we sang when we were in Christmas programs, as did our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.  The classic hymns have been around a long time and I pray that generations of children to come will likewise be able to sing these great songs.  But as long as these hymns have been around, there’s one Christmas hymn that’s even older.  It’s so old in fact that it was sung before Jesus was even born.  The hymn is the Magnificat, and in this hymn of praise the Virgin Mary glorifies God for choosing her to be the mother of His Son.  Unfortunately, we’re not going to sing the Magnificat today, but it is fitting that today we remember this ancient hymn of Mary, because what we’ll learn is that Mary’s song is our song.

If you’ve ever watched a musical, you’ve probably noticed that characters will often just burst into song, it’s what makes them musicals.  Well, Mary today, also just bursts into song.  As she thinks about the baby in her womb, as she contemplates the coming Savior, she’s overcome by the need to praise God for all His blessings to her.  Not only was she blessed to be chosen as the mother of the Son of God, she was blessed because that same baby would one day save her from her sins.  And as she absorbs this whole experience she can’t help but sing.

The first thing that amazes Mary is that God chose her to be the mother of His Son.  Kings are born of kings and royalty are born in castles attended by servants, but not the King of Kings.  This King would be born to a humble girl who called herself a servant, a girl who lived in a small town in a small country, a girl who could probably go through life without attracting too much attention.  And yet, in spite of her position in the world, God chose her and by doing so He showed that He often works in ways that don’t make sense.  He blessed a young girl who sang of Him, “For He has looked on the humble estate of His servant” and He did so simply because He wanted to.  He didn’t have to bless her, but He did, and her life was never the same again.

Now Mary isn’t much different than any of us.  We have nothing to offer God, so we are also of “humble estate.”  Like Mary, many of us come from small communities in our small state of Iowa, most of us won’t impact our nation in some amazing way, we’re not rich and powerful.  But, you know, God didn’t choose us because we’re special in some way, nor has He chosen us because we’re rich or famous or smart.  We’re like Mary, we’re just us, but we’ve been chosen by God for no apparent reason.  And really, what could possibly explain why God chose us to be His servants and children?

Mary sings, “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.  And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.”  Well, there’s the explanation!  God chose you because He wanted to.  He’s holy, His name is holy and because He’s holy, He can pick anyone He wants, and He picked you.  He comes to us, on His own, with His mercy, and in His mercy He bestows blessings on us that we can’t earn nor ever deserve. 

Mercy is God sending His Son to heal us of our sin, free us from our prisons, grant us sight to see His presence in this world, restore our hearing so that we might listen to His voice in the Bible, and to give us eternal life in the midst of death.  Everything that Jesus did during His earthly ministry He continues to do for us today through the Bible, through our Baptisms, and through the Body and Blood He gives us in the Lord’s Supper.  Now do we always have physical healing or perfect eyes and ears?  Sadly no, but Christ gives you the spiritual healing you have now as He has come into your lives in unexpected ways with unexpected mercy.

God is really the God of the unexpected, and we see this in the second part of the Magnificat.  Mary sings, “He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.”  This sure doesn’t sound like the way it usually works though, does it?  In Mary’s day, just like in ours, it’s almost always the proud, the powerful, the wealthy, the lofty, and the high-ranking that control what happens in our town, our states, our nation, and our world.  Might makes right and we see this over and over as the powerful exploit the weak and the arrogant manipulate the meek.  This is the way it’s always been, and probably will always be.  Well, that’s not entirely true, because in Christ’s birth to a young virgin girl we see that God has always worked in unexpected ways.

When God works in these unexpected ways, we call it the “Great Reversal”.   The Great Reversal is the Lord taking the events and the expected things of this world and turning them on their ear.   In her song Mary sang, “He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy” and in this short phrase Mary remembered all the times that God saved His people when all hope seemed lost.  A baby pulled from the Nile River eventually leads the people of Israel to freedom after four hundred years of slavery in Egypt.  An unknown Persian king lets the Israelites return home after seventy years of exile.  A young man of maybe twenty is chosen to be one of God’s greatest prophets.  A shepherd from the dinky town of Bethlehem becomes the greatest king in Israel’s history.   God worked in these strange ways because He had made a promise to Abraham that was centered purely on His mercy.  And to keep His promises He worked in ways that went contrary to human reasoning.

Take, for example, the birth of Jesus.  Our children sing Away in a Manger and if you think about it, isn’t the fact that the Son of God was born in a cattle stall, a truly Great Reversal?  The Messiah should’ve been born in a palace.  He should’ve been born to royalty.  But He wasn’t because the Savior of the world came as one of those whom He was saving.  Only by being one of His creatures could Jesus do what must be done to save His people and that was to die.  Talk about a Great Reversal!  We were supposed to die and we were supposed to suffer the punishment of Hell.  But Jesus came down as a baby who would grow up to be a man who would turn all of creation on its ear.  Jesus took our place under God’s wrath, He gave up His royalty in order to be mocked as He wore a crown of thorns instead of a crown of gold.  This is a reversal to end all reversals.  What should’ve been ours became His and what was His, His holiness and righteousness, became ours.  What He didn’t deserve, death and punishment, He got and what we didn’t deserve, forgiveness and eternal life, we got.   What wonderful news! 

And what’s even more amazing is that as Jesus hung on the cross, as He hung there seemingly powerless, He was more powerful than anyone could possibly have imagined.  His power couldn’t be seen, but on the cross Jesus was overthrowing Satan by enduring His Father’s anger.  By suffering in the dark and alone, Christ assured that we will never be alone.  By not being forgiven, Jesus earned us forgiveness, and by dying He showed that death had no power over Him and it has no power over us.  This is the greatest of the Great Reversals - where there was once death there is now only life, life for you, life for me, and life for all those who have been blessed by the baby borne by the humble servant Mary.

I think that most of us really enjoy Christmas Carols and it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without them.  But of all the great hymns, Mary’s Song, the Magnificat, stands out as the most perfect and beautiful expression of God’s love and works in our lives.  But the Magnificat is not just a Christmas hymn, it’s applicable no matter what time of the year it is.  It’s applicable for all of us at all times for these words of a humble young girl were inspired by the Holy Spirit who bids you to know the great things He has done for you.  And knowing those great things God has done, especially the Great Reversal, that brought you salvation, you can, with Mary, also proclaim “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” Amen.

Daily Readings December 11-17, 2011

Daily Lectionary For December 11-17, 2011

December 11           Amos 4:1-6:14, Revelation 2:18-3:6, Psalms 130:1-8

December 12              Amos 7:1-9:15, Revelation 3:7-22, Psalms 131:1-3

December 13           Obadiah 1:1-21, Revelation 4:1-11, Psalms 132:1-18

December 14                 Jon 1:1-4:11, Revelation 5:1-14, Psalms 133:1-3

December 15             Micah 1:1-4:13, Revelation 6:1-17, Psalms 134:1-3

December 16           Micah 5:1-7:20, Revelation 7:1-17, Psalms 135:1-21

December 17                                                  Looking ahead to Advent 4      

                           Deuteronomy 18:15–19, Philippians 4:4–7, John 1:19–28

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT (Rorate Coeli)

Deuteronomy 18:15–19, Philippians 4:4–7, John 1:19–28

John the Baptizer Points Everyone to the Messiah

The coming of God in all His unveiled power at Mount Sinai was terrifying to the people of Israel. The thundering voice of the Lord puts sinners in fear of death (Deuteronomy 18:15–19). God, therefore, raised up a prophet like Moses—the Messiah, the Christ. God came to His people veiled in human flesh. The skies poured down the Righteous One from heaven; the earth opened her womb and brought forth Salvation (Introit) through the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord (Luke 1:39–56). The fruit of her womb is the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the One whose sandal strap John was not worthy to loose (John 1:19–28). In Jesus we are delivered from fear and anxiety. In Him alone we have the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:4–7).

CALENDAR

Saturday     December 10         5:30 pm                                     Worship Service

Sunday       December 11          9:00 am Children and Youth Christmas Practice

                                            9:00 am                                            Bible Class

                                            10:00 am                                     Worship Service

Tuesday      December 13         2:00 pm                                Virden Food Pantry

Wednesday December 14          8:00 am                                   Concordia Chapel

                                             5:00 pm                                         Confirmation

                                             7:00 pm                        Advent Midweek Vespers

                                             7:30 pm                                                       AA

Thursday    December 15        11:30 am                                                  LWML                          Thanksgiving

Friday        December 16         5:30 pm                                                   Elders

Saturday     December 17        5:30 pm                                     Worship Service

Coffee Break Bible Study

Coffee Break Bible Study meets on Sunday mornings at 9:00 for a lively discussion. We are currently studying, the book of “The Revelation of John.”

            2012 LUTHERAN WITNESS – Renewal rate for 2012 will be $15.75.  If you plan to renew your subscription, please advise Jane Jones as soon as possible.

         LWML will have its annual Christmas gathering on December 15. We will meet at Doc’s Soda Fountain in Girard at 11:30 to eat and play games. At 1:30 we will visit Shut-ins.

         OPEN HOUSE: Pastor and Valerie will once again host an open house for the members of Trinity. It will be on Sunday, December 18th from 2:00 – 5:00 pm.

            ADVENT MIDWEEK SERVICES: Services will be held on Wednesday, December 14, and 21, will begin at 7:00 p.m. Dessert will be provided after the service. This weeks Theme: “Mary’s Song.”

            CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM PRACTICE: The Children’s Christmas program practice will be held each Sunday at 9:00 am. Dress rehearsal is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December 22, from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm. A pizza party will follow dress rehearsal.

            CHRISTMAS EVE: Christmas Eve Children’s Service will be at 5:30pm. The Christmas Eve Candlelight Service will be at 11:00 pm.

            CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE will be at 8:00 a.m.

            Food Pantry Assistance                               

Assist at Virden Food Pantry December  13 2-3 pm.

Assist at Girard Food Pantry December  22 1-3 pm.

Advent 3 Sermon December 10-11, 2011

Advent 3

Matthew 11:2-11

December 10-11, 2011

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Here we are: overweight, in debt over our heads, and depressed. He we are: divorced, lonely, afraid, worried about the future, addicted, and lonely. Here we are: self-righteous, hypocrites, liars.

And there is John the Baptist, that contrary, extreme figure of yore, in camel's hair coat, with locusts and honey upon his breath, a wild man with a wild look in his eye and a pointing finger. Mama's rules don't apply to prophets.

And here we are. What good is John? His scathing rebukes don't help. They just hurt. Who does he think that he is? He is no better than us! Oh, greatest of those born of women, fine! But he still had a mother, he still inherited from her the corruption and death of sin that infects us all. Here we are: running, hiding, evading, covering, attacking.

And there is John, born into a priestly family from a dead, barren womb, the last of the prophets, the Voice crying in the wilderness, the usher and baptizer of Christ. His Office is as simple as it is impossible: prepare the hearts of men for the Messiah. He is to comfort them by destroying them, tearing down the mountains of pride, building up the debased and dejected, calling them on their warfare with God and their guilt. All this that He might level that accusing finger at Mary's Son and give the Church a new song: “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” In Him, by Him, your warfare is ended, your guilt removed. He does not wither and fade. His promises do not go unfulfilled. His Word is true. He will feed, gather, carry, and lead you.

And thus John winds up in prison. He was no more successful or popular than the prophets before him. His stern, unbending message had cost him. The powers that be would not tolerate his demand for repentance. They balked at his damnation of their impurity. They thought they were above doctrinal review and rebuke. So they resorted to violence. They imprisoned him and they would kill him. From that dungeon, from death row, cries the Voice of Faith. He asks: “Are You the Coming One, or do we await another?”

Was John, that icon of conviction, that stern desert preacher, that demander of true repentance, doubting? Perhaps. Perhaps this reed not swayed by the opinions and pressures of men, this uncompromising prophet, this greatest of those born of women, was having a moment of weakness, a nagging doubt about what was happening and why he had been forced to give up his duties for a prison cell. Or maybe the wait itself had finally gotten to him. Exactly why was his Divine Cousin waiting so long? The Kingdom of God is at hand - get at it! It is not hard to see that between the prison food and the precarious guillotine over his head, John had plenty to bring him down. Worst of all scenarios, though, is the thought that might have plagued him that he had  somehow made a mistake, that the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and the Father's booming Voice out of heaven, were but a drunken dream, that Jesus wasn't the Messiah, the One coming to make atonement for the sins of the world.

Here we are. There is John. And perhaps we aren't so different after all. John had his problems, too. I don't know what they were. Maybe his parents were fought. Maybe his girlfriend left him. Maybe he had a habit that he couldn't break. His flesh, like ours, was no more durable than the grass of the fields and his heart, too, was blackened by lust, greed, and hate. And yet, still, in the midst of trouble, from inside Herod's prison, with his own personal package of weaknesses and sins, he had faith. He, who leaped in his mother's womb for the joy of God in Mary's womb, believed that Jesus had the answers. He does not sit back in his prison cell and think on Jesus. Instead, he seeks a Word from Jesus. That is what faith always does. It does not turn in on itself, that is the way of despair. Faith goes to where God promises to be.

Feeling depressed? Read the Bible. Lonely? Read the Bible. Afraid? Worried? Uncertain? Struggling with temptation? Angry? Read the Bible! I went to college to learn this. It isn't that difficult, but still I haven't really learned it. None of us have. Well, John. But he had to have his head separated from his shoulders first. Now he knows it perfectly.

So how and where is the Bible read? In the middle of the night, it is read in your bed. In the middle of the day, it is read at your kitchen table or the couch. But that is not all. For faith goes where God promises to be, where the Bible itself directs us: to confession and absolution, to the Divine liturgy, to the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, to the community of saints and the common prayer.

Sometimes people say to me, “But pastor, I didn't get anything out of Church. I wasn't fed.” Is that so? Well, I've heard this before. I have a 10 year old girl with frostbitten ears who stands in front of a full refrigerator for hours at a time complaining that there is nothing to eat! Imagine thinking that only sugary snacks, empty calories full of chemicals can satisfy you while despising the glory of God's bounty in vitamin packed fruits and vegetables. I don't have to imagine it. I've done it. I bet you have, too. Well, you know what comes next, what always comes next, the preaching of John: Repent!

And listen to how Our Lord responds to John's query. He sends those disciples back to him to comfort that prophet with prophecy fulfilled. Tell him that the darkness is being dispelled by the Light, that creation is being brought back into order, that the fall is being reversed: the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the lonely have company, the fearful courage, sinners are forgiven. That is to say, the poor are having Good News, the News of God's self-sacrifice to ransom men back to the Father, preached to them. “You, too, John,” says Our Lord, “I will not forget you. I will not leave you in prison. I love even you. Father knows best. Soon, it will be complete. And I will relieve you of your burdens and give you rest. Your warfare, O greatest of my warriors, is also ended.”

There is John: strengthened by the Word of Christ in prison to face death and the life to come, a prophet of the highest, an example of living faith.

Here we are: forgiven, renewed, restored, in fellowship with John and all the saints before us and with us. Here we are: with the Spirit of Baptism in our hearts, a confession of thanks and joy upon our lips, commended to the Father by Grace, and about to receive the very Body and Blood of Christ into our dying flesh as the seal of the resurrection and life to come.

In + Jesus' Name. Amen.