The Third Sunday in Advent – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. Matthew 11:2-10 “More Than a Prophet”
December 15, 2024 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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Lord God, heavenly Father, You gave Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to become Man and to come into the world that He might destroy the works of the devil, deliver us poor offenders from sin and death, and give us everlasting life: We beseech You so to rule and govern our hearts by Your Holy Spirit that we may seek no other refuge than His Word, and thus avoid the sin to which we are by nature inclined, in order that we may always be found among the faithful followers of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him obtain eternal salvation; through the same, Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen. (Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, by Veit Dietrich, p. 147)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 11th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’”
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who sends out workers into the harvest field, so they would prepare the people for His coming, the coming and turning of their hearts, dear fellow redeemed:
As little children, there are adults in our lives that mean more to us than anything in the world. For many it is our parents. When you hear those words of “I love you” when you are little, there is no greater feeling. For some this could be a guardian. For others, maybe it was a trusted teacher or another adult. They were different than any other adult you knew in your life. This is because they went above and beyond what a normal adult would do. They took care of you, clothed you, and always had your best interests in mind. Like these adults but worth even more, our Savior has our best interests in mind. For His people, that meant the sending of someone special to prepare the way. God had a special prophet and in fact, Jesus said, he is “more than a prophet.” As John is a special messenger, he has one job, and that is to prepare the way for the most special person we can have in our lives!
As John prepared the way and Jesus did come, like anyone who has time to sit around and contemplate life, John thought he better double check if Jesus was the guy. “Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” It seems like it. Since His arrival people are excited like the psalmist wrote, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! (Psalm 118:26a) But, John had preached how Jesus would be more than a nice guy. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:10-12). So, is this the guy?
Now even though John was wondering about Jesus, after sending an answer, Jesus would then address the crowd and the expectations they had about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.” There were many who went and heard the message of John out in the wilderness and understood what he was saying. They heard that message of repentance and knew he was speaking to them. Some went out to see him with a bad frame of mind. The religious leaders had a mold that they wanted followed. As they drove a wedge between their group and the common people, it would only make sense for them to go see if John is matching the doctrines they teach. John, however, does not look like them. He is not dressed in proper attire, and he isn’t up in a castle. He is in the wilderness, and he preaches directly to them.
Now while this is the Sunday of rejoicing in this penitential season, hearing about the stern preaching of John does not seem joyful. John would be very harsh against the religious leaders. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7-8). They were disguising their teachings as the teachings of Scripture and even when he looked at what they preached, they were doing the exact opposite. Their branches were not bearing good fruit. The fruit that comes from us is noticeable by all. If it doesn’t fit what we “preach”, then obviously there is something wrong. How do you fix something wrong? You must preach a message of repentance. When that correction comes, there are many who turn the other way.
If many are quick to run from the law, then what makes John so special? Why is this a topic to rejoice about? This is a topic to rejoice about because as we look at the coming of the Savior, God in His love sent these men to preach the truth. This is the work of God. He is the one convicting and changing hearts. If God did not go to be with and send any of the fathers or prophets, then His creation would be lost. There would be no correction and only rejection and then damnation. So, God would send these special messengers to go out to His rebellious people. We pray that God would continue to send men into the harvest field, so a message of repentance is still heard. And as our sinful nature hates that this message will continue, it is because of those who preaches this message that makes it so necessary. Jesus explains why. “A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.” He is more than a prophet because he is the headliner of the One who comes with healing and forgiveness.
For John to be there, is to truly see the love of God for His people. Jesus would quote the Old Testament, “This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’” For God to send a messenger to prepare the way means He is keeping His promise. For John to prepare the way, He must prepare the hearts of the people. Their hearts were prepared because they heard how they had sinned against God’s law. The law was very stern, because it pointed out the damnation deserved, but John didn’t just end his message with the law. He would then baptize for the forgiveness of sins. The law does not go out without the Gospel. As the Gospel is preached, which is a message about the coming One, here is the message coming from John who is more than a prophet. He points his finger at the riverbank and there is Jesus for all to see. God’s promise is kept and in the flesh for the salvation of His people.
Since this is the work of God, no one or group is going to be able to stop Him from carrying out His plan. While God is at work to save His people, His enemy is at work trying to stop Him. The messenger and the One who was to come were met with fiercest resistance. Yet
God’s Word continues to carry on, because “the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:25). John was attacked for His appearance. He didn’t look or fit the part of a prophet according to the religious leaders. John was more than a prophet. He ushered in the truth of God’s Word, truth that can’t be stopped as the coming One approaches. As John would prepare hearts, Jesus would come and fill them with hope. They would see His work and know that He would do all that was needed for them to survive. They couldn’t do anything. Jesus sends John’s disciples away so they could report that Jesus is the right guy.
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” This is clearly the right guy. There is no one who could do anything close to what Jesus was doing in His work of the public ministry, the work of the Savior. John has no need to worry. He successfully prepared the way for the One who all the Old Testament fathers and prophets were waiting for. John is set apart as he is witnessing it all unfold. The blind, lame, lepers, deaf, poor, and dead are all receiving help because their hearts were open to the relief that was coming. John had warned them. With their hearts renewed, Jesus is telling them the way of salvation. As the kingdom of God is near, they will have access to it through the work of the Savior.
This is the access you have because of the work of the Savior. John made it very clear who Jesus was going to be and what He was going to do. He made it so clear that He wondered if it really was Him. The message that John preached is the message Jesus brings to life. John preached about the Man who would come and be judge to His people. Jesus will do just that. As He judges, He judges not based on what you can accomplish because the answer to that is nothing. He judges based on the work He has done. This is why you can rejoice in the coming of your Lord. After sending a man who was more than a prophet to prepare the way, you are here because the way was prepared. In His mercy, God has sent your families pastors who have shared the Word in its truth and purity. The law comes and convicts only for repentance and forgiveness to lift you up again. As Jesus does all things well for the people He loves, you then see what John was not able to. You see Jesus’ full mission as He comes in the name of the Lord all the way to the cross.
While you rejoice that God has sent men into your life to preach Jesus’ saving work on the cross, the world can’t get over the hurdle you have also struggled with at times. Shouldn’t the prophet fit the mold that gets him the most likes? As He speaks His message of repentance, the truth points out that it isn’t about the mold of the prophet. It is only about the message he reveals. John had someone special that he was looking forward to seeing in all His glory. As He runs ahead with the news, there will be some who will try to shut it down. As you hear the parts of his message that cut to your heart, you understand he is looking out for you. You search out that repentance and in it you find your Savior taking care of you with His body and blood. In your joy, you see and hear that you are prepared. You are prepared with repentance and Jesus enters with forgiveness, preparing your way through life forever. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
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