Sermon - Rorate Coeli 2019 - John 1:19-28

When you wake up in the middle of the night there are few things more jarring than turning on the glaring bright lights. So in order to annoy my younger siblings as a child I would wake them in the morning by shouting at them and turning on their lights. My mother on the other hand wouldn’t wake us up in such a jarring fashion. Before resorting to yelling at us to get out of bed, she’d first sit down on the edge of the bed, kiss you on your forehead, rub your hair and calmly speak to you. 

Likewise, before Jesus, the bright Light of the world, began His earthly ministry to the world enshrouded in darkness, He sent forth His lamp to prepare His way. He sent forth John the Baptist, whose father Zechariah prophesied of him: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Before the true light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ could enter the world, John was called to prepare the way of the Lord. The world without Jesus is dark and in the shadow of death. To prepare our hearts, to prevent the Gospel from jarring our sleepy eyes, John went forward preaching repentance. He is “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

John’s preparation for the Christ took place in Bethany. Bethany is a Hebrew word meaning ‘house of despair, house of affliction.’ Yet when the Christ child is born, as we shall celebrate on Wednesday, we will hear that He is born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is another Hebrew word meaning ‘house of bread.’ So how fitting it is that the house of affliction comes before and makes way for the house of bread.

John the baptist is the lamp who illuminates the dark house, segueing the people from the long night of waiting before the sun of righteousness rises. In order to prepare the way of the Lord, John was tasked with calling sinners to repentance. “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… And all the country… were going out to him… confessing their sins.” John instructed the people: “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” 

Before the light of the Gospel can shine, before we can feast in the house of bread, we must first visit the house of affliction. Namely, we must first be afflicted with the law of God, examine our hearts and minds, repent of and confess our sins, and bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Before we celebrate the Christ Mass, when we shall feast upon the bread of life, we must deny ourselves and take up our crosses. 

Just as John called sinners to repentance before Jesus began His ministry, so does John call us to repentance today. This day and every day we are called to repent until the last day when Christ returns. Before Christ can come to dwell in your hearts, you must first bear fruits of repentance. Don’t wait another day, but this day go out and apologize to those you’ve sinned against. The sins you struggle with, take the bold step today to put an end to them. 

Behave as though this were your last day on earth. If you were told you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today? You’d get your affairs in order! You’d call everyone up and tell them you love them, you’d say your apologies for past wrongs! You’d confess your sins to God and you wouldn’t immediately run back to your old sins! As Christians we are to live every day as if it were our last day. So before Christ can come into the wilderness of your heart, first prepare the way by means of repentance.

This does mean that you will spend some time in the house of affliction and despair. It’s not necessarily a happy time, but rather a time of affliction when you give up those sinful pleasures you really rather enjoy. You my friends have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have been baptized with the water and the word, you have been baptized with fire. You have been drowned, along with all of your sins and temptations. So daily return to the font of baptism and daily drown those sinful desires. It is painful and means affliction for you, yes, but once you pass through this house of despair you get to dwell in the house of bread forever.

Just as John takes us through the house of affliction, he also gladly points to the house of bread: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This Lamb of God is the one who is greater than John the Baptist, because what Jesus brings is far greater than anything that’s ever come before Him. Jesus brings with Him forgiveness for all the world! 

The way of repentance is only the beginning! You living a holy life, bearing the fruits of repentance, confessing your sins to others, avoiding your sin, is all good. But none of that compares to the forgives Jesus comes to bring! All of the sacrifices, all of the animals slain on the altar in the Old Testament, all of them are fulfilled and completed when Jesus the true Lamb of God made the final Sacrifice in Jerusalem, another Hebrew word meaning ‘city of peace!’

Jesus’ sacrifice does bring us peace because it takes away the sins of all people! When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t just die for a few people, but for all people for all time. The reason Adam and Eve, Noah, and Moses, and Elijah, and all of the Old Testament patriarchs are in Heaven, is because Jesus the Lamb of God made the final sacrifice by dying for them on the cross. The reason you and I and all Christians this day will be in heaven, is because Jesus the Lamb of God died for us. 

Jesus’ forgiveness is for all people, for all the world. And yet, if the world is not prepared, if the world’s heart is not yet made ready, then like the bright light in the darkness they’ll close their eyes tighter and pull the sheets up over their heads, and reject the forgiveness Jesus gives to them. Before the light of the Gospel can shine in the eyes of all the world, the lamp of John the Baptist must be lit, the preaching of repentance must first be heard. Before you can dwell in the house of bread, you must visit visit the house of affliction.

Because when you reach the house of bread, how glorious that day will be! In this house of bread lays the Christ child in the manger. He, the bread of life, lays there not as a baby, but as the God Man who was crucified for you! On Christmas we don’t celebrate the birth of some random Jewish baby being successfully born in a stable. On Christmas we celebrate that Jesus, true God and true Man, was born as the Lamb of God, and died on the cross, so that we could feast upon Him, the Bread of Life, and receive the forgiveness of our sins. 

This bread of life is given on this altar in this sanctuary, not only on Christmas, but throughout the year on Sunday mornings! Bethlehem, the house of bread, isn’t some far off middle eastern town, it’s right here! This is the house of bread! The altar here is the manger, not a dusty feeding trough, but the table where we feast upon the bread of life! Because this is no mere bread and wine, but it’s the true body and blood of Jesus, our Lamb of God, who at this meal takes away our sins.

Before you come to church on Wednesday for Christmas Day, visit the house of affliction and repent of your sins as John continues to prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts. Then on Wednesday, joyfully gather in this house of bread and feast upon the bread of life! Then do the same thing the next Sunday, and the next Sunday, and the next Sunday, and every Sunday because this place will always be the house of bread, this place is always Bethlehem. In here it’s always Christmas and the feast is always prepared. In this house of bread the Lamb of God always takes away the sin of the world, takes away your sin. See you on Wednesday!