Sermon for Advent 3

Third Sunday in Advent
Dec. 12, 2010
Matthew 11:2-15
Before your face

In the name of our adventing Lord Jesus, amen. For the most part, we prefer to be non-confrontational, but there are times when it is necessary for us to be in the face of someone else. It is certainly uncomfortable, it is a time when the situation could spiral out of control, but you know that you are often put into a position where you have to say the uncomfortable thing, when you have to do something that draws attention to you.

It seems that John the Baptist spent his life being an ‘in your face’ kind of prophet. And look where it got him- prison. And he would stay in prison until his head was separated from the rest of his body. Being an ‘in your face’ kind of prophet did not turn out very well for him. A prophet recruiter would have a hard time pointing to John the Baptist as the example and getting young folks to sign up.

I think we could make a reasonable guess that John was depressed. After being a famous rock star of a prophet, John was now left alone in prison. He was in a tough jam and he wanted to know if all of his work had been in vain. Was I right or was I wrong? Disciples of John took that question to Jesus, and Jesus responded.

John, your eyesight is fine. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. Use your eyes and look around you. There are people walking around today who used to be crippled. There are former lepers who are enjoying their place at the dinner table. The deaf hear the sound of birds and the whining of little children…and they delight in it all. The blind see the good and the bad. And they rejoice. All those that were down and out are now the up and in. Open your eyes. Look around. See, observe, pay attention.

The people went out to see a prophet, and they saw one. They heard one. They experienced one, as John baptized all those who came, who repented for the forgiveness of their sins. The people received what they needed to hear, not what they wanted to hear.

But John may have had some difficulty seeing clearly. It’s sometimes hard to see what is right in front of you. I want to see the forest but I can’t because there are too many darn trees in the way. When you are in a tough jam, and prison counts as one, it’s hard to see anything positive. Your vision is blurry because when you open your eyes, they are filled with angry tears, rejected tears, lonely tears, tears of disappointment, sadness, hopelessness, despair, gloom, doom, fear. It is hard to see what is right in front of your face. John couldn’t see what, or who, was in front of him. John needed to be reminded of the work he had done. John needed to remember the One he prophesied about, the One he himself had baptized in the Jordan River.

John had received his marching orders from the Lord, and he spoke- prepare the royal highway, the king is drawing near. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. You brood of vipers- who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? John was given the task of calling people out on their sins, announcing that the long-expected Jesus was here, and John received in return words of hate- Who are you to tell us we’re doing something wrong!

John did what he was supposed to do- “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.”

The messenger is sent to be an ‘in your face’ character, to get you ready. John did his work. Pastors and people have been doing it ever since. They, our parents who taught us the Lord’s Prayer even though we didn’t know what was going on, our Sunday School teachers who worked with us in our elementary years, that coach who was so instrumental in our lives, the professor who took the time to challenge us and teach us and guide us, they have been in our face because we needed it.

Parents correct and guide, chasten and discipline, and they rarely get thanked at the time. If any thanks comes their way, it is when the child is grown. That’s okay. It’s not the parent’s job to be liked. It’s the parent’s job to parent the children that have been given to them.

There is a lot before our faces. Are we willing to see, observe, what is before our face? Rising gasoline and fuel oil prices make us nervous. Jobs are available, but they pay $7 or $8 an hour and with a mortgage and a family and all the typical expenses, a person would need to work 27 hours a day to live on that wage. You see the miles increase on your vehicle and repairs are becoming more frequent and more costly. Do we see the warning signs? Your children are scattered by miles and across time zones and it’s hard to be away, especially now in the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year’s extravaganza. Your body…well, let’s just say, the old gray mare ain't what she used to be. What we see with our eyes, and what we hear with our ears, there is a lot that is distressing and depressing.

What is before the face of God’s Church? A community surrounds us that needs God’s call to repentance for the forgiveness of their sins, but do we know how to engage them? People who are hurting across all levels are in need of the healing that comes through life with God. Abusers need to be confronted. The greedy must be reined in. The powerful must be told not to trample on the weak. The hypocrites must have a mirror held in front of their faces.

But there are so many people to help, so many people in need, so many people who need to hear the Word of God and be held accountable. We’re a tiny group, small group, with little influence, clout, or power. How can we get anyone to open their eyes and see what is before their face?

We cannot do any of it if we trust and rely only on our own devices. John the Baptist didn’t preach to the crowds about salvation based on works, based on being good, based on buying off God. John pointed the people to the Messiah, who was before their face, and said, “The Messiah is coming.” John would very soon say, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Your sins. Yours too. Mine. All of them. The Lamb takes your sins, takes your punishment, and your death. Sin is nothing more than death in disguise. And the Lamb gives you His life. He gives mercy, forgiveness, hope that is real, not hope in nothing but hope in something- hope in the Trinity, hope in the Name of God that is placed upon you and sealed through Baptism. All of that is before our face. All of that is what we take into our lives as we engage the world around us that is such great need of life and light and love.

John the Baptist was an ‘in your face’ prophet. He was making us ready for an ‘in your face’ Messiah. What is more ‘in your face’ than God on the cross? What is more ‘in your face’ than the true body and blood of Jesus on the altar? What is more ‘in your face’ than honestly acknowledging your sins and screw ups and then being told that you are forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ!

We are confronted today with the good news of Jesus Christ. Rejoice! Be jubilant. Open your eyes and see what is before your face- the living Lord who is coming to be with you. Jesus is before your face. Rejoice. SDG