Advent 2-St. Nicholas Day-Luke 3:1-6

‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.’ (Ps. 19:14) Amen.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A proverb given to us from the unbelieving Greeks insists, “The feet of the avenging deities are shod with wool!” A terrifying thought to contemplate. Who wants a vengeful god especially if you are an unbeliever, to sneak up on you like that! A truly terrifying judgement to be subject to.

However, the feet of your God are not thus shod. When Christ came to save us, there was no deceiving noiselessness in His approach. His coming was heralded with all the fanfare that a king of that era would arrive with[1].

‘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.’ (Vv. 2, 3)

Think about these words again, ‘the word of God came to John’. Remarkable once you think about it for a moment. What do we confess about Jesus? Well, first of all, we confess that He created all things and that He is in the entire universe sustaining it and causing all of its actions that take place. Second, we confess that Jesus came as a tiny baby, the first born child of the Virgin Mary.

These two things are not exclusive of each other. In other words, Jesus did not cease to be the creator and sustainer of the universe and all that is in this world simply because He became incarnate on Christmas Day.[2]

Even as Jesus' Spirit came and spoke His word to John, telling Him that it was time, He was also standing as the incarnate One, as part of the audience for John’s preaching of repentance. John really was a voice crying in the wilderness as Isaiah had foretold. He really was the one who would prepare the way for the coming of the King.

Even as John stood preaching what Jesus would preach, Jesus stood listening waiting for the proper time. He waited on His Father’s timing. As Luke tells us in his Gospel, John came proclaiming a baptism of repentance. As Mark tells us, Jesus came a short time later, proclaiming, ‘ “Repent! For the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!”’ (St. Mk. 1:14, 15) The very preaching of this forerunner really told the people whom to look for. It was in the wilderness that the gospel was first proclaimed. It is even now the same.

Even today, no matter the physical surroundings, the church still proclaims that gospel in a spiritual wilderness. It is in this way that the words of Isaiah bear fruit. ‘Sing, O barren one,’ and ‘break forth together into singing, you waste places’ (Is. 54:1; 52:9)[3]. Where the gospel is preached, fruit springs forth, even in the heart no man would expect.

‘‘“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”’’ (V. 4).

In this way, the evangelist Luke shows us in what way John will prepare things for Jesus. John will prepare hearts to receive the Christ. John will prepare hearts to receive the gospel of forgiveness of sins. John is calling you and me to abandon those foolish notions that we have about the gospel. He is telling us to prepare for the Father’s promised Savior. Jesus did not come as any expected.

To use today's terminology, Jesus did not come as an alternate presidential candidate to run in opposition to that president with whom we disagree. Jesus did not come and provide a new law or amendment to protect this or that practice. Jesus came to bring what all humanity truly needs.

Jesus came to give you forgiveness that you cannot earn. He came to give me forgiveness that I cannot earn. Jesus came to give forgiveness to every man woman and child who had ever lived, was living then in the first century and will ever live. Jesus came so that He could repair the destroyed communion our first parents had with Him. Jesus came to give those who take Him at His word forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.

This is what the prophet meant when he proclaimed that the promised voice would make paths straight for the King.

‘‘“Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways”’’ (V. 5).

When Isaiah prophesied this, his hearers did not take this for colorful language. They did not take this as a picture of what would happen. Instead, they would have understood the words of the prophet literally. We have record of this happening. In 1845 when the Sultan visited Brusa, the inhabitants were called out to clear the roads of rocks and to fill up the hollows[4]. This would have been a very vivid example of this prophecy for those who first heard of such things at that time.

At the same time, a royal courier would go ahead to issue the call. So the Messiah does this same sort of thing. He sends his herald, John, before Him to prepare the way. Isaiah describes this triumphal march and John used it with great force.

This preparation is ongoing. John is still preparing the way of the Savior. He is preparing the way for all hearts who hear this message for the coming of the Messiah and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. John’s work as forerunner did not end simply because he was beheaded by Herod. No! John’s work continues even today and will not end until the Messiah comes again in great glory and judgement.

He will not come silently then either. Jesus will then come for all to see. Until then, wherever the gospel is preached, John is preparing hearts to receive the gospel of repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

‘‘“All flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”’’ (V. 6)

This puts you and I in mind of Simeon’s song, the Nunc Dimittis (LSB p. 165), that song we sing following our receiving of Christ’s body and blood in the Holy Communion. Luke’s first hearers also would have thought of this. In the case of John's first hearers, it would have been one of the many other Scripture texts, which show this to be truth. It is easy then to read this statement as “All flesh shall see the Christ of God”. It amounts to saying the same thing. If you have seen the Christ of God you have seen His salvation.

John was at this point preparing the way for the salvation of God to appear and make Himself known to all of John’s listeners. Soon, Jesus would step forth and preach a gospel of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Once more, here in Luke we see the salvation of God. We can again, depart in peace[6]. You have again seen that most needful thing, your forgiveness and salvation from sin death and the devil.

Praise God for His great mercy! ‘Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!’ (Ps. 80:3) Your sins are forgiven. Your salvation is sure.

In Jesus’+ Name. Amen.

[1] Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations, CPH, p. 184.
[2] NPNF 2nd Series, vol. 4 St. Athanasius On the Incarnation, section 17, p. 45.
[3] ACCS NT vol. III p. 59. Ambrose Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 2.67.
[4] Word Pictures of the New Testament, Robertson vol. II, p. 38.
[6] ACCS NT vol. III pp. 60-61. St. Augustine City of God 22.29.