Sermon - Rorate Coeli 2018 - John 1:19-28

St. John the Baptist, “he confessed, and did not deny, but confessed.” One of the greatest confessors in the history of the church, John, when confronted with the most elite aristocracy of his time did not shake like a reed in the wind, but he confessed, not denied, but confessed Jesus to be the Christ. 

It would have been tempting for him to simply say yes to the questions asked of him. Yes, he’s the Christ; yes, he’s Elijah; yes, he’s the Prophet. He could have said yes and been worshipped by the multitudes, placed high upon a throne for all of Israel to bow down towards. But he confessed the truth; he said no. 

Instead of baptizing with a baptism of repentance, instead of preparing hearts, instead of making straight the way of the Lord, he could have been nice. He could have affirmed the people in their sins, he could have said the pharisees had no need of the Messiah, he could have spoken flattering words to all. But he confessed the truth; he called all people to repentance.

St. John the Baptist was a great confessor of the Christian church. When we compare ourselves to him we often don’t measure up. Instead of making the bold confession when it matters most, we shake like petal in the breeze. To our great shame, we often deny Jesus, yet like St. John the Baptist we should confess Him before man, and on the last day, Christ will confess us before the Father.

How is it that John the Baptist could be such a great confessor and not waver? Was it because he was stronger and of greater resolve than we are? Well, he probably was, but that’s not what did it. John, like the other great old testament prophets, proclaimed God’s Word so boldly because of the faith instilled in his heart. Like Jeremiah said, “If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.”

You see faith is like a fire kindled in the heart of man by God Himself. This fire is not like the sunday school song this little light of mine I’m gonna let it shine, put it under a bushel, no, I’m gonna let it shine. No, this faith is a raging fire, not a little candle, which could be contained by a mere bushel basket. Should this fire of faith be covered by something so petty it would burst forth from our lips in ardent zealous confession! 

The history of the church proves this point that the Christian faith is a powerful raging fire which cannot be contained. The apostles themselves faced fierce opposition and persecution from even rulers and yet their faith couldn’t be contained, it had to be confessed. The early church when faced with the lion’s jaw, the coliseum, cruel execution, still let forth the fire of their confession from their lips. Not even little children seeing their parents gruesomely killed before them could be hindered from making the good confession. Even as late as a few hundred years ago in the time of the reformation, the zeal of faith was kindled in the hearts of Christians who, when faced with punishment of death, still could not contain the joy of their faith. The Lutherans would rather lose their heads than lose the sacraments.

When we compare ourselves to those Christians and the frightful persecutions they faced, we can’t help but cry out “Alas! Where has the fire gone? What’s happened to our resolve?” So many of us deny Jesus, often unwittingly even, our faith really is as weak as a candle which can so quickly be snuffed out by a light breeze. 

So today, if I may be so frank, permit me to speak of that which appears as the great weakness of the church today. Namely, our many failures to confess Jesus, and our shameful denial of Christ when we face even the slightest confrontation. Because we can be numbered among those bold confessors who have gone before us. The same faith imparted to Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Paul, the early church martyrs, the Lutheran reformers, is given to you as well. The same raging fire of faith is planted in your hearts today. 

But I suppose firstly you’re wondering how you’re denying Jesus and failing to confess Him. We don’t feel like we’re denying Jesus, or at least we’re not meaning to, so how can I say we’re denying Jesus? Denying Jesus happens in a few different ways. 

There are those who consider themselves Christians and yet deny that Jesus is true God. Quite clearly that is denying Jesus. Slightly more subtle, there are those who consider themselves Christians and yet deny that Jesus died in order to forgive the sins of the world. They either refuse to believe that Jesus died at all, or they refuse to believe that Jesus died to take away sins and is their Savior. Again, they’re denying Jesus by denying what He came to accomplish. 

Clearly, those two ways of denying Jesus are obvious to us. But, what about us? We’re not denying Jesus’ divinity or the power of His crucifixion to forgive our sins; so how are we denying Jesus? The most frequent and common way we deny Jesus is also the most subtle way: silence and apathy. Like the Lord says in Revelation: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

St. John was rather vocal about God’s Word because this is what the fire of faith does to a Christian. He couldn’t just hide in the wilderness, but He was a voice crying out in the wilderness! He couldn’t be silent, it was an impossibility for him! Even knowing that he would surely face mockery, persecution, imprisonment, and a cruel execution, he confessed and did not deny, but confessed with zeal.

When we are silent about God’s Word, when we keep our mouths shut, we are denying Jesus. When the opportunity to confess Christ presents itself, and yet we remain quiet because we don’t want to be mocked we’re denying Jesus. Oh, you might say that John could have been more successful if he’d kept his mouth shut a little more, afterall, if he’d been a little more quiet he might not have been arrested and killed. Maybe if he wouldn’t have spoken so loudly, called so many people to repentance, then he could have continued to preach. But doing so would’ve denied Christ.

You have a job dear Christians to be zealous for the Gospel! This apathy is painful, this silence among us is deafening, this lukewarmness is going to get us spit out. The church isn’t going to grow by being silent apathetic nice milktoast people. Jesus didn’t call us to be neutral lukewarm people, but zealous! If our confession to the world is that our church is neutral and silent, that we’re not going to stand up for the truth unless it’s popular, everyone is just going to assume we’re apathetic, because we may just be apathetic. 

Consider how we impart the faith to our children. We send them to Sunday School or confirmation class, play little to no role in their faith formation, and then we’re shocked when they don’t want to go to church.

Do we do this for America’s favorite past time? Do we send our children to to an NFL or MLB teacher to train them how to cheer and watch sports? NO! Of course not! We buy them the right sports clothes when they’re still babies. We set them in front of the TV, or take them on pilgrimages to sporting events. We religiously watch every game and talk about the game with our friends and family every chance we get. Our passion for the game teaches our children to be passionate for it as well.

Now I’m not saying that sports are evil and they shouldn’t be watched. Nor are sports the only thing we’re passionate about in life. But look at the things your passionate about in your life. Are you more passionate about those things than the truth of the gospel and confessing Christ? If anything outweighs your passion for Jesus, then you’re denying Him. So perhaps a little more zeal is in order, a little more passion for church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you don’t make it evident that you believe you have the greatest church, the greatest treasure, and the greatest and purest Gospel truth around, then why would anyone else (including your kids) want to go here if all we have is some boring thing we’re too ashamed to talk about?

It may not make us many friends to confess the truth, but Jesus says that “the truth will set you free.” Indeed it will! For Christ has made the good confession for you. When He was confronted by Pontius Pilate and sure death, and He was offered a way out, He still confessed the truth even though it cost Him His life. 

For all of our denial and failings to confess Jesus as boldly, zealously, and fearlessly as we ought, Christ confessed you in order to die for you and forgive even our apathy and silence. But let us no more be silent! Let Jesus’ words not be said of us: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

But instead, when Christ shall come again, and we stand before the judgement seat of the almighty God, Christ will confess us and His death will have covered our many sins. Jesus says, “Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” So if we deny Christ, we may have glory in this life, but everlasting shame and dishonor in the life to come. But if like John the Baptist we confess Christ, losing our earthly glory and honor, perhaps even our blood and our head, we shall eternally be glorified with Christ who shed His blood for us and confesses us before the Father.

May Jesus Christ Himself, the author and finisher of our faith, help us for the sake of making a good confession. Amen! Amen!