Sermon 981 Mark 1:4-11 Proclaim The Baptizer s Message To All 1) Calling people to repentance (vv.4-6) 2) Pointing people to Christ (vv.

Transcription

1 Sermon 981 Mark 1:4-11 Proclaim The Baptizer s Message To All 1) Calling people to repentance (vv.4-6) 2) Pointing people to Christ (vv.7-11) Epiphany 1 The Baptism of our Lord - January 11, , 89, 28 (5-6), 343, 577 St. John Lutheran Church - Frankenmuth, Michigan 4And so, John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothing made of camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And this was his message: After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the 1

2 water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Introduction: Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down! Perhaps we remember that song made popular by the classic Disney movie Mary Poppins. Is Mary s Poppin s advice true? I recall how our third child, Caleb, disliked the taste of medicine. But when he was ill, he needed that antibiotic. So, I would cover the bitter taste by mixing it with the sweet taste of fruit juice. Similarly, John the Baptizer had a bitter/sweet message for his hearers. He thundered God s law, which cut his hearers hearts like a surgeon s scalpel. The writer to the Hebrews says: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). But John also assured God had covered their sins. To repentant hearts, John applied the soothing suave of the gospel to that wound of the law 2

3 reminding them in Isaiah s words: Though your sins are [red] like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). Certainly, John the Baptizer s zeal for faithful preaching of law & gospel moves us to: Proclaim the Baptizer s Message to All 1) Calling people to repentance (vv.4-6) A. John the Baptizer came fulfilling God s promise to send a forerunner to Jesus. 1. Malachi 3:1 I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple. And so, John came (v.4). 2. God s message through John: John wore clothing made of camel s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wile honey (v.4) clothing and lifestyle reflected humility and spiritual priority; it s not John s ministry, about John or any man; John came baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (v.4). B. John prepared the people for the Savior by showing and telling their need for a Savior. 3

4 1. John didn t mince any words with the hypocritical religious leaders or anyone for that matter portraying God as some feeble, absent-minded, weak natured person, who, despite those naughty, spoiled, sinful people would overlook their sins. John told the impenitent Pharisees and Sadducees who came to check out his baptizing: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:7-8). 2. John didn t discriminate toward the rich and famous either. He directly told King Herod, who lived in an adulterous relationship with his brother Philip s wife, It s not lawful for you to have her (Matthew 14:4) even though Herod had the power to execute him, which later happened (Matthew 14:1-12). Appropriation: Dearly loved by God: Hide and seek : Are there times we act like the Pharisees and Sadducees and fail to produce fruit in keeping with repentance? (Op. Cit.) We attend church on Sunday, wearing the veneer of Christianity. But how do we live when we exit the building? Do we live our 4

5 Christian faith in the real world? Or, do the words of Jesus prove true: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me (Matthew 15:8). God gave us His Ten Commandments not ten suggestions to show us our sins; the impossibility of being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Truly, the law is a bitter pill to swallow! Like Adam & Eve plagued with a guilty conscience, when we sin do we want to hide from God, run away from taking personal responsibility and make excuses for our actions that it s always somebody else s fault? Show and tell : But John the Baptizer s message to us is repent: to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus for forgiveness. When Adam & Eve tried to hide from God, God sought them announcing His rescue plan in Jesus (Genesis 3:10ff). John proclaimed that same message, calling people to repent, turn to Jesus, who took on flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14) to live perfectly, die sacrificially and rise victoriously for us! Transition: Like John the Baptizer, the apostle Paul proclaimed repentance and forgiveness 5

6 through Jesus. Luke related in Acts (second lesson this morning) how the Jewish officials imprisoned Paul and Silas for preaching this message. What would we do if imprisoned for Jesus and His word? Hide or water down This is what the Lord says? Would we continue to seek and tell? Paul and Silas sang hymns and witnessed the faith from prison. And what was the result? When God miraculously intervened with an earthquake and the jailer thought the prisoners escaped, he wanted to sinfully commit suicide. But Paul called out to him not to harm himself; no one escaped. Recognizing his sinfulness, the jailer came trembling, fell at Paul s feet asking, What must I DO to be saved (Acts 16:31). Paul s response: Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:32). It s not WHAT WE DO FOR GOD to earn salvation; rather, salvation is WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US IN JESUS. Proclaim Paul s and the Baptizer s message to all 2) Pointing people to Christ (vv.7-11) A. God s gift of baptism applies to sinners the redemptive accomplishment of Jesus. 6

7 1. John emphasized that truth: After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie (v.7) 2. Then Mark adds: At that time Jesus was baptized by John (v.9). Why? B. Jesus came as the LAW-FULFILLER (Matthew 5:17-18 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished ; God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) Trading Places movie with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. 1. John says, I baptize you with water, but he [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (v.8). John and Jesus baptisms are the same. But John had no divine, humanely humanly inherent power to make baptism faith creating or 7

8 power forgiving. Jesus instituted it and the Holy Spirit transmits Jesus redemptive benefit. 2. In fact, Mark records how our triune God gave approval to Jesus inauguration to carry out His redemptive work: And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased (v.11) as the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Appropriation: Dearly loved in Jesus: How can we be confident of St. Paul s promise: Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58)? Courage in Christ is never wasted when divine intervention remains in control. Faithfully proclaim God s law and gospel: Afflict the comfortable, but comfort the afflicted! We can have the confidence that God s law cuts to the heart, but the gospel soothes the conscience, erases guilt and motivates to live those Ten Commandments in love for Jesus. Conclusion: Dear fellow redeemed: It may often prove true that Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down! But when it comes to 8

9 preaching God s law and gospel, it s more than a promise from a cute song sung by Mary Poppins. It s God s absolute promise! God will grant us motivated by His word and sacrament the courage and zeal to faithfully administer His sacraments, to faithfully proclaim the Baptizer's message to all, calling people to repentance and pointing them to Christ. Amen. 9