Sermon Index
December 7, 2008
Isaiah 40:1-5
Mark 1:1-8
Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The 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. 6 John wore clothing made of camelfs hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And 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. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORDfs hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.
I believe in prophecy. I believe that God speaks to us in the Bible. Whether the prophecy speaks about the future, the present, or the past, I believe that it is God speaking to me and to you today. I believe that there are layers to a prophecy, one on top of the other. I think that a prophecy in the Bible can have more than one meaning, depending on the situation. Todayfs Bible lessons show this, first in the Old Testament Isaiah passage and then in the Gospel passage about John the Baptist.
Isaiah said to make a highway for God in the desert. It was the historical situation that the Exile of the Jews in Babylon was over and that they would soon be returning to the Promised Land. It would be a long trip for them, they had to travel through the desert, so, Isaiah told them that God would be with them on their journey home and protect them, and so it would be like walking through a beautiful garden, it was beautiful because they were going home!
John the Baptist took the words of Isaiah and applied them to his own work. John was in the wilderness, and there he was preparing a highway for the Messiah to come to the Jews. Whereas Isaiah told of the forgiveness of God, John was telling the people to repent of their sin and be baptized. In the Book of Isaiah, because God had forgiven the Jews, they could return home to the Promised Land from exile in Babylon. For John the Baptist, if the Jews again repented of their sins and turned to God, then the Messiah would lead them to salvation. And Jesus did come. He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He was the road to salvation.
And today, we hear the words of Isaiah and John. It is time for us to repent and believe in the Gospel. It is time for us to travel the road prepared for us. It is prepared by those who preach and teach the Gospel. We are led by the Holy Spirit. We take up our crosses and follow Jesus to the cross, to the grave, to the resurrection.
Both Isaiah and John were prophets. They speak to us. When we hear these words, perhaps God is telling us also to prepare the road for the Messiah. Soon Christmas will be here, and so we need to prepare for his coming. Maybe we too should build a highway for the Lord in the wilderness. Taken literally, we might build a chapel in the desert or in the jungle or on a deserted island. But when you think about it, sometimes the place where we are right now seems like a wilderness. I am not talking about the economic situation of our homes. I am talking about the desert-like conditions of our society as a whole. People wander around in spiritual darkness and fear. Hearts and eyes are dry from crying and pain and worry. And so the place to build a chapel is right here. This is where it is needed. And this is where the Messiah comes. That is the Christmas Story. Christ was born in this sinful wilderness of a world. He came to where we are. Here he suffered like we do and then, even more, he suffered and was crucified for our sin. Then he arose on the third day. Then he promised our resurrection and eternal life in the Promised Land. That prophecy of Jesus is the prophecy that I believe and trust in the most.
God prophesied the birth of Christ, and he was born. Jesus prophesied his death and resurrection, and it was so. And so, I know that there is a highway prepared for me, for me to walk on in this life with Christ by my side. Let's walk with Christ together!
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church
