A Witness to the Light

 

Jesu Juva

St. John 1:6-8, 19-28                                             

December 17, 2023

Advent 3B                             

Dear saints of our Savior~

          There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  That’s a rather simple introduction for a fairly complex man.  For there’s no one else in the Bible quite like John the Baptizer.  He’s one of a kind.  He comes “from God.”  And he comes “as a witness—a witness to the light.” 

          In theory we understand what it means to be a witness—to testify—to promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.  But in the original language of the New Testament, the word for “witness” is marturia—from which we get the English word martyr.  A martyr bears witness not only in the courtroom—not only in life, but also in death.  And that’s what John did.  He bore witness to Jesus, the light of the world.  John was like the moon; and Jesus the sun.  All John could do was bear witness about the light; he himself was not the light.

          What makes John’s witness so wonderful—the magnificence of this martyr—is that he never claimed the spotlight for himself.  When a delegation of stuffed shirts from the corporate office in Jerusalem made their way into the wilderness to launch an investigation concerning John, John would have none of it.  To say he stymied their investigation would be putting it mildly. 

          The bureaucrats from Jerusalem demanded to know, “Who are you?”  Or, perhaps we might paraphrase that question:  Who do you think you are?  Just think of how John could have used that opening to boost his own star power—to take his ministry to the next level.  This was John’s chance for greatness.  But all John could manage to say was, “This is who I am not.  I am not the Christ.  I am not Elijah.  I am not the Prophet like Moses. 

          John divulges no details about his divine destiny—says nothing about his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth—of how he was conceived when they were senior citizens—of how the archangel Gabriel appeared to his dad and rendered him speechless for nine months.  John refuses to tell his story.  All he can manage to say about himself is to quote from the prophet Isaiah:  I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.”

          Today John teaches us what it means to be a witness for Jesus—a witness to the light.  A witness tells of what he saw and heard.  He doesn’t talk about himself.  If you are called to be a courtroom witness, you aren’t called to talk about yourself, but about the facts.  Feelings don’t count.  John didn’t seek the spotlight or to be centerstage.  He didn’t give a honey-coated grasshopper whether people even knew his name.  All he wanted to do was point his finger at Jesus and say, “There He is—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  Jesus had to increase; John had to decrease.

          John is the professor and we are all his students in a class called “Witnessing 101.”  John teaches that what matters is the message, not the messengers.  We live in an age when personality matters most—where people just want to share their journey, their truth, their perspective, and their feelings.  It’s easy for us witness-wannabes to fall into that same quicksand.  Let me give you my story—my testimony.  Let me tell you about my journey with Jesus.  But Professor John shows us that there’s a slight but significant difference between telling people about my faith in Jesus, and telling people about Jesus.

          John teaches us that to be a witness for Jesus is simply to talk about Jesus with our mouths and point to Him with our fingers.  There’s nothing wrong with telling people what Jesus means to you—or telling them about what a great church we have here.  But better than talking about our church, or how religious we are—better by far is to tell them about Jesus Christ.

          Tell them how Jesus kept the whole law of God perfectly and how His perfect and sinless record counts for all who believe.  Tell them that Jesus’ death on the cross was for their sins—and that even their most despicable words and deeds have been paid for by the blood of the Lamb.  Tell them that this life isn’t all there is—that Jesus’ resurrection is the irrevocable promise that those who trust in Him will not perish, but have eternal life with Jesus.  Tell them—bear witness—about the Light of this dark world.

          This is what we in the church are called to do.  Not just “we” collectively, as a group, but also “we” individually—you!  Like John, you are a witness to the light of the world.  Your voice can be a witness in today’s wilderness of sin and death.  Your finger can point others to Jesus:  There’s the one for you.  In Him is hope.  In Him is your forgiveness, life, and salvation.

          Your homework assignment for these final days of the year is to think and pray about who needs your witness.  Who do you know who needs to be nudged and budged in the Savior’s direction?  Who can you direct to Jesus?  Our congregation has been selected to be part of a new, intentional way of witnessing.  We are going to be the Guinea pigs.  We’ve been given 100 copies of Luther’s Small Catechism, not to keep, but to give away—to use this rich resource  to bear witness about the light—to provide an answer for the hope that we have—so that others might come to share our hope and the faith we confess.  More details will be coming your way in 2024.  But for now be thinking—be praying.  Which co-worker, which neighbor, which classmate, which friend or family member has God placed in your path, who could benefit from your wonderful witness and your clear confession concerning Jesus the Christ?

          “There is Jesus!” That’s our witness!  There He is in the waters of Holy Baptism.  There is Jesus speaking through the mouth of your preacher, declaring that you are absolved, forgiven, and free.  There is Jesus in the bread and wine of His Holy Supper. 

          When we join with John in pointing people to Jesus, then, together with John, we decrease.  We decrease and Jesus increases.  And that’s the way it should be.  John’s greatness was Jesus.  And Jesus is our greatness too.  We too are not worthy to stoop down and untie His sandal straps; and yet Jesus stooped down low to save us.  Jesus stooped down into our death, like a sacrificial lamb—bearing your sins away and cleansing you with His blood.  He died a horrific death so that you might know life that lasts forever.  And today! He comes to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all who mourn, to set free all those held captive by the power of sin and death.

          Joy is always the theme for this third Sunday of Advent.  That’s why the pink candle was lit this morning.  Today’s epistle from 1 Thessalonians set the table for us:  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.  In Jesus there is always joy.  Let your life and your witness center on Him.  For it’s all—always—about Jesus.  He’s the one.  Jesus is coming soon.

          In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.