THE NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
24 June Anno + Domini 2009
"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Handâ€
Luke 1:57-80
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He had been mute for nine months, ever since he refused to believe the angel Gabriel's proclamation that Elizabeth would bear a son. But, now, on the eighth day of his son's life, he speaks. His mouth is opened. And, what does he say? Not what we would expect, for we would expect him to use his opened mouth to curse God, or, at the very least, to complain about having to go so long without being able to utter a word. But, none of that from Zechariah. Instead, he uses his mouth to bless the Lord and to prophesy about his son.
Would that we would learn from Zechariah's faithful example. He was afflicted by the Lord for his unbelief, for his doubts. But, he accepted that affliction as the Fatherly chastisement it was. He learned from it. He grew in faith because of it. And, he emerged from it stronger in the faith than he was before.
As I said, would that we would learn from Zechariah's faithful example, for, truth be told, when affliction comes our way, we are more prone to cry out, "Why me?†than to accept it and learn from it. Instead of embracing the suffering we endure in this vale of tears as an incredible opportunity to rely more and more upon the love, grace, and mercy of our Lord, we far too often spend our time grumbling and complaining, throwing a "Woe is me†pity part for ourselves.
So it is that the son born to Zechariah and Elizabeth, the one who was born to prepare the way for the Lord, has an enduring message that our ears still desperately need to hear: Repent! That is the message of the eccentric, end times prophet known as John. He is sent to preach the truth to us about who we really are and how desperate our condition is. He is sent to tell sinners the truth about themselves, that they are sinful and wretched human beings, who deserve God's temporal and eternal punishment. He is sent to deliver the Law in its full sternness, leaving no possibility of escape for those who hear him. "Repent!†he says, and he means it, for his goal is not to cater to people's "felt needs†or to get people to like him and follow him. Not at all. John could not care less about winning a popularity contest. He knows nothing of political correctness. His singular goal is to kill people with the Law of God, that they would be made ready for the Gospel of the Savior, whose way he prepares.
Whether people listened to John or not was not his concern. He was not called to change their hearts - only the Holy Spirit could do that. He was called to proclaim the Word. Period. And, proclaim the Word, he did, right up to the point when he lost his head for doing so. St. John the Baptist remained steadfast in the Word. He preached the Law in its full sternness and when the time came for the One whose way he was preparing to begin His public ministry, John pointed his accusatory finger away from the people and directed it toward Jesus, declaring, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.â€
St. John the Baptist has been dead for nearly two thousand years now, but his ministry continues to this day. His call to repentance still sounds forth from pulpits the world over. And, his bony little finger continues to point people to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Do not consider John's message old-fashioned and worn out. It will never be out of style and will continue to be delivered from the mouths of faithful men of God until that same Lamb of God, who comes to be with us now through His Holy Word and Sacraments, will appear in great glory on the Last Day.
The popular opinion held by many who claim to be Christian today that they can move beyond the preaching of John the Baptist and focus only on the preaching of Jesus is blatantly false. I wonder if the false prophets out there today (and there are many!), who spend all of their time tickling the ears of their hearers, go out of their way to avoid talking about sin like the plague, and never exhort people to repent, have ever actually read the Holy Gospels. It is not as though Jesus came along after John and changed the message. In fact, Jesus' preaching is summarized in the Gospels with the same message that summarizes John's preaching: "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.†Jesus preached the Law every bit as sternly, and in many cases, even more sternly, than did John. The Jesus presented by so many false prophets today - the Jesus who wouldn't harm a fly; the Jesus who wants you to believe you are not a sinner, but a good person; the Jesus who just wants to put His arm around you and be your "life-coachâ€; the "good buddy†Jesus - is not the Jesus revealed to us in Holy Scripture. That Jesus - the real Jesus - is just as consumed as John was in proclaiming the Law to sinners. The only difference between John the Baptist and Jesus is that John points people to Jesus, while Jesus points people to Himself, as the One who has come to save His people from their sins. John says, "There He isâ€; Jesus says, "I Am.â€
So, what do you want to hear, dear friends in Christ? You know what, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you hear the truth: You are sinners! Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. That Kingdom is here, for though you deserve nothing but God's temporal and eternal punishment for your sins, the Lamb of God Jesus Christ lived the perfect life you can't live and died on the cross for every one of your sins, and He delivers the forgiveness, life, and salvation He won for you here from font, pulpit, and altar. Believe in Him. Cling to Him. Lay your sins upon Him. Feast on Him in the Holy Sacrament. No matter your suffering and pain, abide in Him, for He will never let you down. And, go in peace, renewed and refreshed, forgiven and free, to live for Him and neighbor. In His Holy and Precious Name. Amen.
Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, unto life everlasting. Amen.