WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.525 --> 00:00:02.825 In the name of Jesus. 2 00:00:03.525 --> 00:00:04.025 Amen. 3 00:00:05.325 --> 00:00:09.725 The text for the message this morning, is the scripture lesson read 4 00:00:09.725 --> 00:00:10.525 just a minute ago. 5 00:00:13.425 --> 00:00:16.125 It's the end of the semester here at Concordia Seminary 6 00:00:17.525 --> 00:00:19.525 and so, let me start with this. 7 00:00:20.925 --> 00:00:25.325 Imagine you walk into class, you students and Professor begins to talk 8 00:00:25.325 --> 00:00:30.425 about the topic, you'll take up next week and he'll be wondering 9 00:00:31.525 --> 00:00:34.725 whether you'll have your assignment in then. 10 00:00:36.125 --> 00:00:37.525 You might think to yourself. 11 00:00:38.425 --> 00:00:39.825 What kind of question is that? 12 00:00:40.325 --> 00:00:42.525 Does he know that the semester ends this week? 13 00:00:44.325 --> 00:00:45.525 And then you might get afraid. 14 00:00:48.825 --> 00:00:49.425 Or 15 00:00:51.625 --> 00:00:52.525 imagine this. 16 00:00:53.625 --> 00:00:57.625 A student walks into the class this week raises his or her hand 17 00:00:57.625 --> 00:01:00.625 and ask is the final exam, optional. 18 00:01:03.625 --> 00:01:05.025 What kind of question is that? 19 00:01:08.925 --> 00:01:11.025 John the Baptist has a question. 20 00:01:12.325 --> 00:01:13.925 He has a question of Jesus. 21 00:01:13.925 --> 00:01:14.625 He's in prison. 22 00:01:14.625 --> 00:01:17.325 So he has to send a couple disciples to ask Jesus 23 00:01:17.325 --> 00:01:18.425 but he has a question. 24 00:01:19.125 --> 00:01:22.525 Are you the one to come or should we expect somebody else? 25 00:01:24.325 --> 00:01:25.725 What kind of question is that? 26 00:01:28.425 --> 00:01:31.725 John the Baptist of all people should have known. 27 00:01:32.825 --> 00:01:34.225 He was the one who fulfilled 28 00:01:34.225 --> 00:01:35.625 the scripture. Behold 29 00:01:35.625 --> 00:01:40.225 I send my messenger before your face before the Lord prepare your way. 30 00:01:41.625 --> 00:01:42.925 And that's what John did. 31 00:01:43.625 --> 00:01:47.725 He went out into the Wilderness and preached that the rule and reign 32 00:01:47.725 --> 00:01:49.225 of the heavens was coming. 33 00:01:50.325 --> 00:01:53.925 John went out into the Wilderness and he baptized those who would 34 00:01:53.925 --> 00:01:54.625 repent. 35 00:01:55.125 --> 00:01:57.825 John went out into the Wilderness and people followed him. 36 00:01:58.625 --> 00:02:02.225 And when the Pharisees and the Sadducees happen to come out to, he 37 00:02:02.225 --> 00:02:05.325 identified them, you brood of vipers who warned you to flee, the Wrath 38 00:02:05.325 --> 00:02:08.825 to come produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 39 00:02:11.325 --> 00:02:17.525 And then, when Jesus showed up at the Jordan River, John knew who he 40 00:02:17.525 --> 00:02:18.025 was. 41 00:02:19.125 --> 00:02:23.825 When Jesus asked to be baptized John tells him, I should be baptized 42 00:02:23.825 --> 00:02:25.825 by you and you want me to baptize you. 43 00:02:28.225 --> 00:02:32.625 If anyone would know that Jesus was supposed to be the one to come, 44 00:02:32.625 --> 00:02:34.625 you would think it would be John. 45 00:02:36.125 --> 00:02:37.725 And yet, he has this question. 46 00:02:38.225 --> 00:02:41.525 Are you really the one or is there somebody else coming later? 47 00:02:44.325 --> 00:02:44.625 Now, 48 00:02:46.425 --> 00:02:52.125 preachers teachers, pastors hearers and readers of the Gospel have 49 00:02:52.125 --> 00:02:53.925 wondered this for a long time. 50 00:02:54.125 --> 00:02:58.225 In the early church, many of those who wrote about this and preached 51 00:02:58.225 --> 00:03:01.925 about this said John really wasn't asking for himself. 52 00:03:02.925 --> 00:03:07.925 John knew he was asking for instance, for his disciples that they 53 00:03:07.925 --> 00:03:12.425 would see Jesus for themselves that they would hear him, and they 54 00:03:12.425 --> 00:03:13.625 would come to believe. 55 00:03:16.325 --> 00:03:19.825 But the way that Matthew tells this, there's no reason to take that 56 00:03:19.825 --> 00:03:20.425 position. 57 00:03:21.225 --> 00:03:24.425 Just ask Jesus, how to see him of the question. 58 00:03:25.425 --> 00:03:26.425 Like, John wants to know. 59 00:03:27.725 --> 00:03:30.325 Go back and tell John what you hear and see. 60 00:03:34.225 --> 00:03:35.525 Now, it is understandable 61 00:03:37.225 --> 00:03:39.025 that John might wonder. 62 00:03:40.225 --> 00:03:45.325 After all, according to the gospel, Jesus does not start to preach. 63 00:03:45.625 --> 00:03:49.625 Jesus does not start to do wonders until John is arrested. 64 00:03:50.525 --> 00:03:54.225 According to Matthew Jesus was still up in Nazareth when John was 65 00:03:54.225 --> 00:03:55.525 arrested and put in prison. 66 00:03:56.025 --> 00:04:00.725 It was only after that that Jesus moves to Capernaum by the Sea. 67 00:04:01.325 --> 00:04:05.925 And from that time on, he begins to proclaim saying repent for the 68 00:04:05.925 --> 00:04:08.225 rule and reign of the heavens is at hand. 69 00:04:10.125 --> 00:04:12.825 It was only after John was arrested and put in prison 70 00:04:12.825 --> 00:04:16.825 that Jesus started to go around all of Galilee throughout their towns 71 00:04:17.025 --> 00:04:20.125 and their villages going into synagogues and teaching. 72 00:04:21.425 --> 00:04:23.825 Walking around and healing. 73 00:04:24.625 --> 00:04:27.625 Proclaiming the coming of God's Rule and reign. 74 00:04:30.025 --> 00:04:35.625 The crowd started to come from all over Galilee and Decapolis from 75 00:04:35.625 --> 00:04:40.925 Jerusalem and Judea from places on the other side of the Jordan crowds 76 00:04:40.925 --> 00:04:42.225 start to follow. 77 00:04:43.725 --> 00:04:44.725 Seeing them one day 78 00:04:44.725 --> 00:04:49.025 Jesus sits down on a mountain and opens his mouth and starts to say, 79 00:04:49.825 --> 00:04:55.425 blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the rule and reign of the 80 00:04:55.425 --> 00:04:56.125 heavens. 81 00:04:58.325 --> 00:05:01.625 And the crowds still came. Jesus preached. 82 00:05:01.925 --> 00:05:06.125 Jesus talked. Jesus cast out, evil spirits. 83 00:05:07.225 --> 00:05:08.625 Jesus cleansed lepers. 84 00:05:09.825 --> 00:05:13.725 Jesus healed, all kinds of diseases and infirmities. 85 00:05:15.225 --> 00:05:17.525 It happens, and it happens, and it happens. 86 00:05:18.025 --> 00:05:19.525 And Jesus looks out 87 00:05:20.225 --> 00:05:24.725 and he sees that these people are like sheep without a shepherd. 88 00:05:26.325 --> 00:05:30.125 He tells the disciples to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out 89 00:05:30.125 --> 00:05:32.025 workers into the Harvest. 90 00:05:32.925 --> 00:05:37.025 And then he sends the 12 disciples out with power, over unclean, 91 00:05:37.025 --> 00:05:40.925 spirits and tells them to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of heaven 92 00:05:41.725 --> 00:05:43.625 and to cast out demons 93 00:05:45.025 --> 00:05:46.025 and heal the sick. 94 00:05:47.825 --> 00:05:49.525 And then Jesus goes on his way. 95 00:05:49.525 --> 00:05:53.525 Now, all this has been happening while John has been in prison. 96 00:05:55.125 --> 00:06:01.625 And when John proclaimed Jesus, he proclaimed him as a mighty one. 97 00:06:02.525 --> 00:06:05.925 He proclaimed him as the one who had baptized who would wash with the 98 00:06:05.925 --> 00:06:07.625 Holy Spirit and with fire. 99 00:06:08.625 --> 00:06:09.725 Oh there would be fire. 100 00:06:10.525 --> 00:06:13.425 He would gather his wheat into his barn, but the rest, he would burn 101 00:06:13.425 --> 00:06:15.125 with unquenchable fire. 102 00:06:18.225 --> 00:06:21.425 John apparently did not see, did not smell any smoke. 103 00:06:21.525 --> 00:06:26.525 Do not see any fire and perhaps he was wondering, you see really the 104 00:06:26.525 --> 00:06:29.225 one to come or is there somebody else? 105 00:06:31.625 --> 00:06:35.525 What Jesus answer is in what he did. 106 00:06:36.125 --> 00:06:41.625 Go back and tell John what you hear and see the blind receive sight. 107 00:06:42.125 --> 00:06:43.825 The lame walk. 108 00:06:45.225 --> 00:06:51.025 Lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the 109 00:06:51.025 --> 00:06:54.425 poor have good news preached to them. 110 00:06:56.925 --> 00:06:59.325 No, he was indeed the one to come. 111 00:07:01.725 --> 00:07:05.425 Before Jesus was born, when Mary was found to be with child and Joseph 112 00:07:05.425 --> 00:07:09.025 wanted to put her aside an angel of the Lord came to Joseph and said 113 00:07:09.025 --> 00:07:09.725 don't do that. 114 00:07:12.625 --> 00:07:16.525 Alright, the child that Mary will bear is from the Holy Spirit. 115 00:07:17.125 --> 00:07:20.225 No you give him this name, Jesus 116 00:07:21.125 --> 00:07:24.425 because he will save his people from their sins. 117 00:07:26.725 --> 00:07:28.325 And that's what Jesus was doing. 118 00:07:30.525 --> 00:07:34.825 Saving his people from their sins and from all of its effects. 119 00:07:36.125 --> 00:07:42.125 Saving his people, the people of Israel from all their sins and 120 00:07:42.125 --> 00:07:43.425 everything that would bring 121 00:07:44.625 --> 00:07:46.725 illness, infirmity, 122 00:07:47.125 --> 00:07:50.525 uncleanness, evil, death. 123 00:07:54.625 --> 00:07:59.325 Now, Jesus in responding to John adds this blessed it is 124 00:07:59.325 --> 00:08:03.225 everyone blessed are those who are not offended by me. 125 00:08:05.725 --> 00:08:09.625 And Jesus knew and Jesus begins to speak about this right after that. 126 00:08:10.925 --> 00:08:12.725 There were plenty who were offended by him. 127 00:08:14.725 --> 00:08:18.725 John came as a prophet and more than a prophet, but how was he 128 00:08:18.725 --> 00:08:19.425 treated? 129 00:08:20.325 --> 00:08:22.025 He has an evil spirit. 130 00:08:23.225 --> 00:08:27.025 The son of man comes, Jesus said, and he eats and drinks, and would 131 00:08:27.025 --> 00:08:31.225 have people say, he's a glutton, a drunkard, a friend of tax 132 00:08:31.225 --> 00:08:32.825 collectors, and sinners. 133 00:08:34.325 --> 00:08:38.825 And then he pronounces denunciation condemnation to the towns and 134 00:08:38.825 --> 00:08:42.025 Villages Chorazin, Bethsaida. 135 00:08:42.925 --> 00:08:47.125 The things that I have done were done in say Tyre and Sidon up with 136 00:08:47.125 --> 00:08:50.625 the Gentiles with the pagans, or they would have repented. 137 00:08:52.425 --> 00:08:53.225 Capernaum. 138 00:08:55.525 --> 00:08:59.625 If the mighty works, I had done been done in Sodom, Sodom would be here 139 00:08:59.625 --> 00:09:00.425 to this day. 140 00:09:02.725 --> 00:09:06.325 No, people were taking offence at Jesus. 141 00:09:07.325 --> 00:09:11.725 They were taking offense at who he was and what he was doing. 142 00:09:13.325 --> 00:09:17.525 And on them, there would indeed be judgment. 143 00:09:18.525 --> 00:09:19.625 There would be fire. 144 00:09:21.025 --> 00:09:22.325 There will be damnation. 145 00:09:25.825 --> 00:09:27.625 But people still offended at Jesus 146 00:09:28.125 --> 00:09:30.625 he was rejected and he was crucified. 147 00:09:31.025 --> 00:09:33.625 Was he the one to come hanging on the cross 148 00:09:33.625 --> 00:09:38.525 it did not look that way but on the third day God raised him from the dead. 149 00:09:39.425 --> 00:09:40.325 On the third day 150 00:09:40.325 --> 00:09:42.225 God brought Jesus back. 151 00:09:45.625 --> 00:09:49.325 Jesus really was the one to come. 152 00:09:50.725 --> 00:09:54.825 And as the Risen Lord, he commanded his disciples to make disciples, 153 00:09:54.825 --> 00:09:57.325 not just of the lost sheep of the House of Israel 154 00:09:57.525 --> 00:10:00.525 but of all nations, of all kinds of people. 155 00:10:00.725 --> 00:10:03.925 And that includes you make disciples baptizing 156 00:10:03.925 --> 00:10:06.425 and for all of you who have been baptized in the name of the Father 157 00:10:06.425 --> 00:10:10.325 and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, the one to come 158 00:10:10.325 --> 00:10:13.825 to bring life and salvation is your Lord. 159 00:10:14.625 --> 00:10:20.825 And the promise of healing in a wholeness and of life, and of 160 00:10:20.925 --> 00:10:24.425 righteousness, that is yours, too. 161 00:10:27.625 --> 00:10:30.525 Now is Jesus the one to come or should we expect somebody else's 162 00:10:30.525 --> 00:10:32.025 actually still a relevant question? 163 00:10:32.025 --> 00:10:34.325 Because Jesus is not finished what he started. 164 00:10:37.225 --> 00:10:41.825 Just look at the prayer list at your church there's sickness. 165 00:10:42.925 --> 00:10:43.925 there's infirmity. 166 00:10:45.225 --> 00:10:46.325 There's uncleanness. 167 00:10:46.325 --> 00:10:47.225 There's evil. 168 00:10:47.325 --> 00:10:48.125 There's death. 169 00:10:51.425 --> 00:10:56.525 I looked this morning at the statistics about covid-19 infection rates 170 00:10:56.525 --> 00:10:57.625 are up the United States. 171 00:10:59.625 --> 00:11:00.725 The current rate of death 172 00:11:00.725 --> 00:11:01.525 according the website 173 00:11:01.525 --> 00:11:03.925 I looked at it's about one American one. 174 00:11:03.925 --> 00:11:04.225 U.S. 175 00:11:04.225 --> 00:11:06.425 person U.S. dying every minute. 176 00:11:07.725 --> 00:11:09.725 And that's just from covid-19. 177 00:11:09.725 --> 00:11:13.925 There have been pandemics before, there will be pandemics to come. 178 00:11:15.925 --> 00:11:19.125 In India, the other diseases, and the injuries. 179 00:11:20.525 --> 00:11:22.425 And the evil and the uncleanness. 180 00:11:23.525 --> 00:11:24.725 There's still a lot of dying. 181 00:11:25.225 --> 00:11:26.425 There's still a lot of death. 182 00:11:30.425 --> 00:11:32.225 And you're not immune from that, you know, it. 183 00:11:35.525 --> 00:11:36.925 So, the good news is 184 00:11:39.025 --> 00:11:42.625 Jesus is the one who will come again. 185 00:11:44.425 --> 00:11:49.725 I have no explanation for why their remains illness and injury 186 00:11:49.925 --> 00:11:51.825 infirmity, dying, 187 00:11:52.025 --> 00:11:56.025 death along with evil, violence, uncleanness, 188 00:11:56.125 --> 00:11:57.525 oppression, injustice. 189 00:11:57.925 --> 00:11:59.225 I have no answer for that. 190 00:11:59.225 --> 00:12:01.925 I have no explanation, but I do have a promise that I make it in the 191 00:12:01.925 --> 00:12:02.925 name of Jesus. 192 00:12:03.225 --> 00:12:04.525 He will come again. 193 00:12:06.025 --> 00:12:09.325 And when he comes again, there will be life. 194 00:12:10.125 --> 00:12:11.325 There will be peace. 195 00:12:11.625 --> 00:12:13.025 There will be wholeness. 196 00:12:13.525 --> 00:12:18.725 There will be righteousness, and it will be yours forever and ever. 197 00:12:20.525 --> 00:12:25.625 And so in this season of Advent, when we contemplate reflect on let 198 00:12:25.625 --> 00:12:26.925 us also rejoice. 199 00:12:27.625 --> 00:12:33.225 Not only that Christ came once with that Christ is coming again for 200 00:12:33.225 --> 00:12:37.925 you for your life, for your eternal life. 201 00:12:39.625 --> 00:12:41.925 That I tell you in the name of Jesus. Amen. 202 00:12:45.425 --> 00:12:46.625 We rise to pray.