Advent in June: Lessons from John -- Mark 4:35–41
Grace, mercy, and peace…
Tomorrow it will be 6 months since Christmas 2017, and six months until Christmas 2018. As it turns out, at this halfway mark, we’re having Advent in June.
Looking at our insert we see that today is celebrated as the Nativity of John the Baptist, and the lessons correspond with that.
Our Old Testament from Isaiah is the prophecy about the sending of John the Baptist as the prophet who would prepare the people for the Messiah. A voice cries, “In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
John did that in the area of the Jordan River, as he called people to repent of their sin, and to be baptized; and most of all, as he baptized the Messiah himself to mark the beginning of his ministry.
Our second reading from Acts contains a reference to John. Paul was on his first missionary journey, in what is modern day Turkey, the town of Antioch.
On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue, as he usually did, and after reading from the Old Testament, he preceded to tell the people about how God had been at work through their forefathers, especially King David, a man after God’s own heart, to bring the Messiah into the world.
To identify Jesus as the Messiah, Paul identified John the Baptist as the prophet God had promised to send just before the Messiah.
Paul said, Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
Paul was referring to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who all record these words from John, that John said he was not worthy to untie the sandal straps of the Messiah. In other words that the Messiah would be infinitely greater than him; he would be the very Son of God.
Today’s Gospel is the account of the birth of John the Baptist. Before he had been born, an angel had appeared to his father, Zachariah, and promised that his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to this special child, who would become a great prophet.
Zechariah doubted the promise, so as a sign to him, God took away his voice until the baby would be born. When the time came to circumcise and name the baby, everyone assumed he would be named Zechariah for his father, but his mother said no, we’ll name him “John”.
When they went to Zechariah to ask him about it, since he couldn’t speak, he wrote, “His name is John.”.
The reason they named him John was because that’s what the angel told him to do: Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John, the angel had said.
Like Jesus, John was given not a Hebrew name but a Greek or Gentile name, indicating that when the Messiah would come, it would be for the salvation of the world.
So Zechariah obeyed God, and named the child, John, and just like that, he could talk again. And everyone was amazed. They knew God was doing something special here.
The first thing Zechariah did once he could talk again was praise God: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed His people.
Contained within his words of praise, was a prophecy: 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.
And that’s just what John would grow up to do. Luke says in chapter 3, The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Then Luke refers to today’s Old Testament reading from Isaiah to prove that John was indeed the prophet before the Messiah: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’
The one John was preparing the way for, the man named Jesus who he baptized, was “the Lord”; the Son of God who came to save the world.
John would proclaim the forgiveness of sins, but Jesus would win that forgiveness.
So notice in all this story of John, the emphasis is always on the One who would follow him, Jesus.
Verse 80 says that John grew and became strong in spirit. He must have known at a young age that he had been chosen by God for a special purpose, to announce the coming of the Messiah.
What’s more, John was probably taught, even as a child, that he was not the Messiah, that he was a sinner like everyone else, except the One he was preparing the way for, the One whose sandals he was worthy to untie. This was a way of saying that the One John was preparing the way for would be the Holy One who would have no sin but would die for the sin of the world.
So what can we learn from this Advent story in June? Three things.
- The Advent message of repentance and forgiveness, is not just a seasonal message; it’s a truth for us to live by every day.
It’s kind of like trying to be extra good during Advent, so that Santa will bring you what you want for Christmas.
Being good isn’t just something for those weeks and days before Christmas; it’s a way of life.
And it’s not just for little kids and older people; it’s for people of all ages; it’s always timely to strive to be good and loving.
Being sincere, repenting of our sins, embracing God’s gift of forgiveness; and along with His forgiveness, embracing His power to become more godly like Jesus, is not just something for certain times of the year, or certain days of the week, like Sunday, but for every day and every season of this life.
Forgiveness, and godliness: God gives us both every day; forgiveness for a lifetime, and godliness for eternity.
- A second thing we learn from these Advent lessons in June: it’s all about Jesus, no matter what time of year it is; no matter what’s happening in our lives; no matter the struggles or blessings, Jesus is the answer to them all.
From the very get-go, John pointed not to himself, but to Jesus; as did John’s father, Zechariah, and his mother, Elizabeth. It must have been tempting for them to glorify their only child, but instead they pointed their child to the Messiah, which is the best thing we can do for our children.
John learned to look to the Messiah. He always said that someone greater was to come. And in doing that, he pointed the world to Jesus.
Likewise, our calling is to point the world to Jesus.
When we sinfully and selfishly point to ourselves, and that’s what sin does, sin is all about me, then we’re being a distraction in this world.
But when we proclaim and reveal and show Christ to the world, his death and resurrection, his love and salvation, his truth and grace for all, then we’re helping the world see where godly love and abundant life are found.
- Finally, today’s Gospel teaches us to praise God in all things.
The first word Zechariah said when he could talk again was, “blessed!”.
Now that’s a great word. Can you think of a better word to have roll off your lips after not having spoken for months?
Let us bless God, and thank Him for His blessings every day -- in challenging times, like when Zechariah couldn’t speak, and in joyful times, like when his dear baby, John, was born.
Advent and Christmas are wonderful times of praise, with favorite hymns to sing and uplifting services. But so is June. And so is every day a good day to praise God and say good things about Him.
And to say good and respectful things about others and to others.
Your words can be an honor to God and a blessing to others, or they can be godless noise and darkness in the world.
Speaks words that honor God, and are a blessing to others.
The best words are the words of the Gospel. Make them a part of your daily vocabulary, and then your words will be more of a blessing to others, and will bring more of God’s love and light into this world.
So in summary, a little Advent is good all throughout the year.
Besides repentance, and forgiveness, and praise, another timely theme of Advent is peace.
May this Advent peace, the peace that passes understanding, guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.