The sermon for December 21 was based on John 1:19-28.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Preaching" these days has become a hated word to many, perhaps because people don't know what preaching is supposed to be. The popular understanding of preaching is the "giving of moral advice, especially in a tiresome manner." But no matter what kind of negative impression people might have about preaching, many of the problems churches experience these days stem from this fact: Many who populate the pews no longer have any desire to listen to a preacher "preaching."

But the people in the pew are not entirely to blame. Today many preachers would much prefer to take the path of least resistance in their preaching. This means they aren't going to ruffle too many feathers, they're going to make every attempt to maintain the "status quo," they aren't going speak specifically about the sins of the people, and they're never going do anything to upset the voters' assembly or the synodical hierarchy.

Preachers have been too slow in taking up the itchy, camel hair vestments of St. John the Baptist. They have failed to be prophetic preachers. They have fallen short of their calling from God to speak His Word clearly and forcefully-out of fear that they might make their people unhappy. How many modern, "growth-minded", "purpose driven" congregations would put up with a pastor who's not afraid to classify the "religious" among them as a brood of vipers and who has courage enough to rebuke even the leadership for their sins, exhorting them to bear fruits of repentance? If John the Baptist were called to preach in many congregations today, they'd soon send him packing-camel's hair, leather belt, locusts, wild honey and all.

In spite of the opposition from both the world and so-called Christians, God's means of grace remain the same as they've always been. He sends prophets, apostles, evangelists and pastors to preach the Word. He sends them to bind up the saints through the work of the Ministry, and to build up the Church so She can grow into full maturity in Christ. He does not send preachers to be blown around by every tantalizing wind of doctrine that whispers "sweet nothings" in Her ear [Eph 4:11-14]. When God's preachers have finished their preaching, the people of God will not only know that the mouth of the Lord has spoken, but also will know that in that Word they have received life and salvation.

However, sometimes God seems to be talking out of both sides of His mouth. This is difficult for many to understand, because they like things tidy, orderly and logical. You often have trouble when God speaks to you with Law and Gospel, with wrath and mercy, with hell and heaven, with damnation and salvation-and all of it in one breath, by the same Spirit, in the same Bible, and sometimes even in the same verse. John both preaches baptism & the arrival of Christ, and he warns the people of their ignorance and need for repentance.

When you confess in the general confession that you are a poor, miserable sinner, what are you really confessing? Think about it. Why, exactly, would you say that about yourself? You see, the problem with a general confession is that it has a tendency to make you think you are a "generic" sinner. When you say these words your sinfulness is being lumped together not only with everyone here in this room, but also with the rest of the world's six billion or so people! Therefore, when you make this confession, consider also what you actually have done. Are you a blasphemer of God's name or a despiser of God's Word, neglecting Bible study? Are you a child, disrespectful of your parents? Are you a murderer, hating your neighbor? Or are you an adulterer, a cheat, or a liar? Are you greedy and envious of those who have what you don't have? God's Law says that you are indeed guilty of all those things, whether openly or secretly, by word, deed, thought, or desire.

That is why the Word of comfort God brings you through the spoken Word of Absolution is, for you, a comforting and precious Word. Absolution is spoken to you as a certain cure for all of your sins, for all of your rebellion, and all of your turning away from God. In Christ's words you are receiving double from the Lord's hand for all of your sins. Of this you can be sure, because the voice of the Lord has spoken.

In Isaiah's prophecy, the identity of the voice remains anonymous. But whether it is the voice of an angel, a prophet, a pastor, or St. John, doesn't really matter a bit. The only thing that matters is that it is the Word of the Lord. That's why the Church covers Her pastors with vestments: so that they all look alike. The only time it matters whether John, Elijah, Isaiah, Varsogea or Trouten is preaching, is when you're playing personality games and following the person rather than the Lord. When the Pharisees sent a delegation to investigate John, they asked him who he was, and he replied, "The voice!" Therein was John's prophetic greatness. Of himself he knew he wasn't worthy to untie Jesus' sandals. And indeed, anything more than that comes not from God, but from men.

The voice preaches so that people will realize their need to have their hearts prepared for the way for the Lord. The terrain of your heart isn't going to be the same after the bulldozer of God's Law has plowed its path. Every low place will be raised up, and every high place laid low. If you're proud, high and mighty, you'll be brought down. If you've made a mountain of self-righteousness out of your good works and Commandment-keeping, the Law will soon come to push that mountain over as if it were nothing. If you think you've repented sufficiently, that you're "sorry enough" for your sins, that you've tried "your best" to amend your life, that you've lowered yourself as low as you possibly can go, the Law will soon plow over your repentance and remind you that you haven't repented enough, that you aren't contrite enough, and that no matter how hard you think your trying, it will never be hard enough. God's Law has its leveling way with you and so you confess to be a poor, miserable sinner because the mouth of the Lord has so spoken.

God has spoken so that the road to your heart might be paved and prepared for the coming of Christ. God is the One who prepares you, for repentance is His work. Through preaching and baptizing, God-even now-is preparing His people for His coming. That is how St. John prepared Israel, and that is how God prepares you today. To those who refuse to believe He comes in the judgment of the Law. But to you who have faith, He comes in the comfort of the Gospel. For you who trust in Him, there is nothing to fear-for His coming means salvation and life.

"Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. "Speak tenderly and lovingly to My Bride. Preach kind words to Her. Comfort Her. Tell her She is forgiven." [Isa 40:1-2] With these words, God is wooing you, His Bride Jerusalem, back to Himself in the knowledge that your time of hard service has come to an end, that your exile is nearly over, that the Day of the Lord will soon be arriving, that your sin has been paid for, that the Law no longer condemns you, and that you have received from the Lord's hand double for all your sins. All this is true because Christ has died and received even more punishment than your sins deserve. That's how it is with the Gospel: there is always more forgiveness than you have sins to forgive, which also means that there is no one so wretched that God has not redeemed him.

The voice speaks again, "There stands One among you." This is the Good News about Jesus Christ. When the voice cries out, "There stands One among you," it is announcing the Good News that "God is here!" God is here in the hearing of His Word. He is here in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. He is here in the water of Baptism, and in His Word of Absolution. Jesus stands among you, and though the Pharisees did not know Him, you do, because His preachers have proclaimed Him in your midst. And all this is so, that you might thus be prepared for the Day of His coming-now, as He raises you from the death of your sin through His own life and merit, and later on the Last Day, when He will raise your body from the grave to be reunited with your soul in heaven to live with Him there forever and ever.

This is the Good News which the voice is crying in the wilderness of this world: There stands One among you in the Person of the Babe of Bethlehem, in the Man of Calvary, the crucified, risen, and reigning King of kings and Lord of lords. Your God is Jesus, God incarnate, God for you. And here is where He is to be found-here, where He has promised to be: In Baptism, in His Word, and in His Supper, in His very own Body and Blood, given and shed for you. And this is certain, for the voice of the Lord has spoken. Amen.

The Peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Last Updated: 7/15/2008