Bible Text: St. John 1:19–28 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Christian Preus
It’s four days before Christmas. Why are we hearing about John the Baptist? He doesn’t seem like the man to inspire Christmas cheer. There was a satirical Christmas card making its rounds the last few years with a wild-eyed John the Baptist with crazy hair, in camel skins, and the caption: Merry Christmas. Now Repent you brood of vipers. The obvious point is that John the Baptist and Christmas don’t mesh.
But in fact John the Baptist is the one who introduces Christmas in the Gospel of John. Very literally. When the Gospel of John talks about the birth of Jesus, those famous beautiful words, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” both before and after those words, it’s John the Baptist he talks about. “There was a man sent by God whose name was John. He came to bear witness to the Light.” And so since the Holy Spirit decided to introduce Christmas with John the Baptist, we should ask the question why and allow the Holy Spirit to answer.
First, John bears witness to reality. And as we approach Christmas, that is what we are celebrating, the reality, that there stood one among mortals whose sandal straps no man is worthy to touch, the one who comes after John and yet was before him, because He is before all things, because He made all things. He became flesh and dwelt among us and real men saw His glory, the glory of the only God, and they told the world about it. And John the Baptist saw it, he was the first to see it, and he pointed his finger to that reality. This is why the Holy Spirit stresses that John confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” You confess reality, truth.
Christmas has been taken over by consumerism in our day. Your bill goes up on Christmas. Santa gives gifts and so you have to buy them. He’s used to sell things, from Coke to Macey’s, to everything – one of the most ingenious marketing ploys in history. You have the fantastic alongside the real. No one knows how God can become a man, how the eternal, almighty, Creator can be at the same time a little babe, learning to move his little fingers. No one knows either how a pleasantly plump man in a red suit can shove his body down my chimney, and countless chimneys, across the world. But far more people will tell their children about the fantastic than the real this Christmas in America.
Why? Because Santa comes not for the naughty but for the nice, and everyone wants to think they’re nice and that their children are nice. Especially at Christmas. They want to find the goodwill of Christmas and the peace of Christmas in themselves. They want to pretend for the moment that all is right in the world. A break from reality.
It’s exactly the same as in John’s day. The Pharisees send to John because they’re furious at him. He is baptizing with a baptism of repentance. He is calling them and everyone else broods of vipers. He is accusing them of sin. He is being very specific about it. They’re naughty, not nice. The tax collectors are greedy, the soldiers are bullies, the religious leaders are arrogant and self-righteous. Before John points the finger to Jesus, he points it straight at you and says, “You are the man.” More fantastic by far than a fat man descending your chimney is the thought that you can ascend to God by your goodwill.
John prepares the way for Jesus, for your celebration of Christmas, first by pointing out your sin. It doesn’t seem very Christmasy, but it is the only way to celebrate the reality of Christmas. “O Lord how shall I meet Thee?” That’s what we sing so often during Advent. John tells you. Confess your sin. Don’t pretend this Christmas. See John’s finger pointed at you and see the truth. St. Paul says, be anxious for nothing, but instead pray and give it to God, but you have been anxious and you have worried and doubted and wanted things to be in your control instead of God’s. St. Paul says Rejoice always and you have instead wallowed in self-pity. St. Paul says the Lord is at hand, and you have too often lived as if He can’t see or hear what you do and say in secret. Repent. Prepare the way of the Lord.
Because the Lord wasn’t born for the nice. God became a little baby for sinners, and that’s you. That’s John’s message. The verse after our Gospel lesson ends contains the greatest sermon John ever preached, as he points to Jesus, the Son of God walking on this sinful earth, in Bethany across the Jordan, and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” You hear on Christmas not of your goodwill, not of the peace that you make with each other or with God, not of some fantastical dream, you hear the reality, the glad tidings of great joy which are for all people, that a real Savior is born in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord. And you need Him this Christmas. You need Him always. The angels preach Peace, Goodwill toward men. And you see it. God’s peace. He is not angry with you. The Lord is near, not to punish you or cast you aside. He is near, wearing your flesh and blood. He bears your misery, your mortality, your anxiety, your sadness, your sin. He moves from the poverty of a manger to the curse of the cross, and He establishes peace with God and He gives it to you. Your sin is not on you, because it was on Jesus, and death is not your worry because Jesus made it His worry, and the future is not bleak, because Jesus lives and you live in Him.
Did you know that the days after Christmas are the most depressing time of the year for people? They are. By far. Do you know why? Because people treat Christmas as a break from reality, an escape for a day, a day with family, but then the family goes away, a day with gifts, but then it’s over, a day of relaxing, but then the anxiety comes again on the twenty-sixth. But that is not how you celebrate Christmas. You’re a Christian. Christmas doesn’t end. Rejoice in the Lord always. You celebrate reality on Christmas. It is isn’t a break from reality. It is reality. It is the truth that stays with you because the incarnate God stays with you. When the presents are cleared and family goes home and work begins again, the Lord is near. He remains Immanuel. God is with us.
You confess with John, confess, and do not deny, I am not the Christ, I can’t determine the future, I can’t take away my sin, I can’t conquer my death, but you know the One who stands among you, whose sandal strap you are unworthy to touch, and He has the future in His hands, and those hands were pierced for you, and He bore all those sins aways, and He has annihilated death and hell and the devil. Thou Christian heart, whoe’re thou art, be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee. For God’s own Child in mercy mild, joins thee to Him, how dearly God must love thee. Amen.