Sermon for Advent 2: "Advent Redirection"

 + Advent 2 – December 10^th, 2023 +

Series B: Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church

Milton, WA

 

 

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

 

Between 1997 and 2008, the Detroit Red Wings hockey team won four Stanley Cup championships. One of the keys to their offense was a well-known play in hockey, the redirection. Centerman Tomas Holmstrom, would park himself in front of the opposing goalie and wait for a rocket of a slap shot from Defenseman Niklas Lidstrom. The puck would be deflected by the guy in front of the goalie, and with skilled redirection from the shaft or blade of the stick, the puck ended up in the back of the net.

 

Now, you’re probably thinking, great story, but what does hockey have to do with Advent and John the Baptist? In a word, redirection. 

 

Notice how Mark’s Gospel begins. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

 

It’s not really Mark’s gospel, it’s Jesus’ gospel; it’s about him. Mark is simply the messenger. He redirects us right away to Jesus, the Son of God and the good news he brings. 

 

So too with John. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets and the first of the New Testament preachers. He is the herald and messenger that Isaiah and Malachi and the prophets would arrive on the scene to announce the arrival of the Messiah. John is the one sent to preach to all who came to be baptized by him and redirect their hearts and minds and ears to Jesus. John is the warmup act preparing us for the headlining band at the show. 

 

John is the arm and hand stretched out to announce that Jesus the Advent king and savior is here.

John is the finger pointing you to Jesus who has come with good news

John is the voice proclaiming a message of preparation, of confession of sin and forgiveness of sin.

 

And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 

 

John’s first words in Mark reveal that John is a master at redirection. He deflects the attention; he takes our eyes and ears off of him and onto Christ. Even though all of Judea and Jerusalem were going out to see and hear John in the wilderness, John redirects all who hear him away from himself and back to Jesus.

 

This is why we hear from John the Baptist so much in Advent. John’s preaching is a reminder that we focus on ourselves far too often. John redirects us away from our self, away from our selfishness, and away from our sin. Christ must increase; I must decrease. 

 

John also redirects another way. The people went out into the wilderness confessing their sin. So do we. To confess our sin is say what God says about our sin is true; to say the same thing God says. To say Amen. It’s true. I have sinned in thought, word, and deed. I have not loved the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind…I have not loved my neighbor as myself. 

 

But then, like a blazing slap shot from the blue line, John breaks into the play and redirects us. Through John’s preaching God turns our ears, eyes, hearts and minds to Jesus. And when John turns, redirects us towards Jesus we see that he has not come to judge but to be judged in your place. Jesus has not come to punish, but to pardon you. Jesus has not come to rub your face in all your sin and guilt, but to redeem you from it. To redirect you forever away from sin, selfishness, and death, and points you to Jesus who is your savior, who set you free, liberates you, and forgives you in his death and resurrection. He is the one who is mightier than John and you and I. But he is also merciful.

How does he do it? In an ordinary, yet extraordinary gift. God’s Word and water and the Holy Spirit. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

 

John’s baptism in the wilderness was good. It forgave sin, the gospels tell us. But it was only a preparation for something greater, just like John himself. The Baptism Jesus gives not only forgives sin; he does more. He dies, rises, ascends, and then pours out the Holy Spirit as he promised. Again, by word and water. He gives the Holy Spirit. He makes you a child of God. He adopts you by grace. Baptism is your promise from God himself that you are already prepared for Christ’s coming because you are washed, baptized, cleansed, forgiven. 

 

And when you do sin, our Lord redirects you back to the promises he gave you by his Word, water, and the Holy Spirit. You are his new creation. You belong to him. You are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is he who, this Advent and every day until Christ returns, continually redirects you back to your forgiveness and life in Jesus. 

 

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