“THE WAY OF THE LORD”
Saint John 1. 19-28
Rorate Coeli - Fourth Sunday of Advent: 18 December Anno Domini 2005
Fr Watson
Like John, you are sinners. Like John, the wages of your sin will be earthly death. But, also like the Baptizer, you are now Jesus' kinsman. You are part of the Lord's Holy Family. You have an identity; a name!
When a little lost boy or girl is picked up by the policeman, the first thing the officer does is to ask "what's your name; who is your Mom and Dad?" Whether one is lost in the stench of Herod's prison, or the daily desperation of wrecked world and sinful self, one must be what one is; one testifies to what is! "John confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.'"
Like you, John's "old Adam" would have liked to have taken some of the glory and praise. During John's life he had daily occasion to be filled with pride, envy and covetousness. He had already confessed his sins, now, by the power of the Holy Ghost he confessed the Christ. He truthfully denied being someone famous in Israel's past religious history. He was not Elijah or the Prophet, that is, the one Whom Moses said would be raised up, "like unto himself." John would not be translated into heaven by a fiery chariot in a whirlwind, but by the strike of an axe in a locked room. John did not see God's glory on Sinai's thundering summit or in the blazing glare of the Lord tabernacling over the Ark. John saw God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, Immanuel. John would shortly see and hear this Lamb of God at the Jordan. But even now, here in our text, John already had the Word of God in him, for him, with him. John "martyred," i.e. witnessed with his lips: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord." John's words were not "ex corde" prayer, that is, "from the heart." Out of the heart come all evils as Jesus said on a later occasion. No, John testified by speaking to the priests and Levites, the Holy Scriptures of God. John spoke Jesus. John had preached, and would go on preaching until his execution, the Law of God: "Repent, be turned, be made straight by He Who is The Way." But John was also the voice to herald the "Good News" that the Messiah, the rescuer and healer of Israel was here!
John's own physical martyrdom would also preach the Gospel of Christ. John's blood would point to the precious blood of the Paschal Lamb; John's be-heading would point to He Who is the Church's Head.
A fish must swim; it's a fish. A dog must bark; it's a dog. A Christian must be a "little Christ." John had been made a voice by the Lord's Grace, and by God, he would use that voice as long as the Lord permitted him breath and Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave the Baptizer breath: "I baptize with water." John's hand may have cupped the Jordan's liquid, but it was Messiah "to come" that guided and stood in John's actions and words; even as today when a pastor baptizes it is Jesus Who actually does the cleaning, restoring and life-giving. Baptism is Gospel. The washing of repentance for the forgiveness of sins is every bit as good-news-filled with Jesus' merit as is the spoken word of absolution. Every holy-sprinkling + IS the very Word of Jesus proclaiming His love, forgiveness and adoption. John was cleaning dirty sinners with water, yes, but in reality, John was washing on to the Judean crowds the Blood of Jesus; the Blood that the Savior would shed on Calvary's font.
Through the "means" of those humble hands of the man in camel fur, came the pierced and bloody hands of God Incarnate.
Saint John was right when he said that "he" as "himself" was not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of Jesus' sandals. But like you, John was no longer "of himself." He was in a new family; he was "In Christ." Because of the Lord's perfect life of Law-Keeping on your behalf; because of His perfect Sacrificial Death on the Cross to atone for your Sin; John, and all of you are no longer of "yourself." You are "In Christ." You are new creations by Water and the Word.
No, the world does not know Him. The Pharisees and Scribes did not know him. But John knew the Lord. You know the Lord. The One who Himself stooped to clean the filthy feet of His very own.
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost