Summary: People hurt themselves and others through their own selfish sinfulness; and it is not uncommon for a minister to condemn a congregation with fire and brimstone not realising that this condemnation promotes them to do the same to others. Read on …
This sermon was delivered to the congregation in St Oswald’s, in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 4th December 2011. (A Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow & Dumfries)
Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8
Prayer: Merciful Father, you sent your messengers, the prophets, to prepare the way for our salvation: give us grace to heed their warnings that we too may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Our reading this morning is from the book of Mark chapter 1, verses 1 to 8. “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Introduction
Many years ago I saw this cartoon of a preacher who was about too enter the worship service. He was wearing a black robe and he stood with a sneer on his face as he looked at the congregation waiting for the service to begin. In his hand the preacher was holding a file that says "Sermons on Hell", and as he stood there before the service, his hand was on the heating thermostat as he was turning it up to over the 100 degree mark.
The cartoon tried to depict in a humorous way, the torments of hell, an approach that has been all too common, full of fire, brimstone and condemnation.
This approach begins with a correct observation however that people do hurt themselves and others through their own selfish sinfulness; and it has been common for a minister with such a sermon to tell the congregation that their sins will send them to hell.
Then; taking this approach sincerely, the congregation then minister these self same hurts onto others. They actually condemn others for sins they themselves have committed only a few days, or few weeks prior.
You know the type I refer, ok it is not as bad as it was, but somehow, these people forget the beatitude where Jesus says, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
And the sad part is that these people think they are doing the Lord’s work by forcing people through condemnation, to change their sinful, hurtful ways.
I will give you an example, when I lived in Edinburgh many years ago I remember street preachers who would go out in public places and preach fire and brimstone; and while there is a place for street preaching, their brand of it was troublesome.
They would point their fingers at people passing by and tell them they were going to Hell for their sins; and when the passers by would try to defend themselves, the preachers would yell at them and try and convict them with every kind of sin they have committed in an attempt to draw self pity and remorse; and sins probably committed by the preacher himself and that is how he could quote them quickly.
In one sense these preachers were right, as there are a lot of people who live lives of Hell because of their sin; but this approach depends on scaring people into changing their ways, by threatening them with Hell fire and damnation unless they did something about it like repenting, and changing their ways.
You may ask, what is wrong with this, well, these preachers only turn up the heat, and in doing so, they ignored the core of the Gospel message that God is love, and that he loves us all and will forgive us all; and in doing so God himself will change our ways whether we want it or not. The onus in the New Testament is on God changing us, and not us making the change as so many new age thinkers, and scientologists try.
God in the New Testament does not punish; he is not in the punishing business. I know you may think he does, but it is actual we ourselves who are in the punishing business, because we actually punish our own sins through our guilty consciences, and trying to keep the law.
Our Heavenly Father does not tell us to do certain things to make life hard for us; God commands us to do or not to do certain things because they are not in our best interest.
So when we sin we injure ourselves and we also injure others more than we realise, and through sin, we separate ourselves from God Almighty, the only true source of life; as well as separating ourselves from one another.
Evidence for God's punishment is available all through the Old Testament but not the New and I will give you an example: God gave the children of Israel everything they needed in the “land flowing with milk and honey”.
God had protected them from those who would have killed them; and brought their nation into existence; and rescued them from slavery; and yet, how did they repay God; with disobedience and rebelliousness.
First it was the golden calf, and then they complained about the manna from heaven. They then refused to accept the land God was giving them for being afraid to take it; however they eventually did, and once they possessed it, they began worshipping heathen gods.
When God had made them wealthy, they did not care for the poor and needy, nor did they care for the justice of their Lord. They even got to a stage where they just did not trust God to save them, so they tried to save themselves and in doing so God punished them.
It is clear from the Bible that God allowed them to be destroyed as a nation, and they were carried off into captivity. They became separated from the land they loved, because of their sin.
God punished Israel all right, and there was not much left of that great nation. Its temples were destroyed, and its people were scattered.
It would then have been so easy for God to finish them off; but no, God administered grace; in the form of the prophet Isaiah whom he instructed to "Comfort, comfort my people." God could have given them a final oracle of doom; but instead, God tells the prophet Isaiah to comfort and not condemn them.
He told Isaiah to, "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem." "And announce to them that their warfare is ended." "Because, you see, I have pardoned their sins."
But that's not all, he also told Isaiah to tell them that I, (God) “was coming to them to minister to them, and to make a path in the wilderness for his arrival”. He told them to “even out the crooked places and make them straight,” “so that I can lead my people back to the Promised Land”.
God had every right to destroy and to condemn, but instead of condemnation God gave grace, comfort, hope & joy. That is the kind of God we serve and worship: a just God who is merciful, a God who sends comfort and salvation.
This after all is the message of Christmas, that God has every right to destroy the world, but instead sends his own beloved son.
Just like today, at the time of Jesus' birth, the human race was wallowing in its own sin; having flagrant disregard for their fellow human beings, and God's love.
The Roman's persecuted the Jews, and everyone else they could conquer; and the Jews ignored the laws of God. And God would have been justified in putting everyone out of their sinful misery.
But God rained down grace and love in the form of his son, our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, not just to forgive our sins, but to receive that forgiveness that would enable us to look God in the eye, and commune with him for ever.
Instead of coming in a fire blaze that would consume all in its path, God came as a tiny baby, a new life in the world; a new life that would bring new life to all, that is for those who would accept him.
This is what Christmas is all about: Comfort, Hope, Grace and Joy; and not the condemnation as we deserve.
Isaiah then on to announce “the good news of comfort to the people of God”, and says, “Lift up your voice, O Jerusalem, and say to all the cities of Israel”, "Look upon your God who comes with might, and who will feed the flock like a gentle shepherd”.
We live in a sinful world, and it deserves condemnation; but we Christians have a special message. At Christmas time we behold our God who was dressed in swaddling clothes; a God who came to save us.
Like John the Baptist and Isaiah, we can be voices in a wilderness telling people to repent, as they are reaping condemnation from sin; but God also tells us to proclaim a message of forgiveness, comfort and joy and He will “baptize those who repent with the Holy Spirit, and with fire."
In this sinful world, there is enough condemnation to go around; we do not need to condemn anybody. …
There are so many people with so many broken spirits that need a little comfort, from themselves at least. …
They need to hear the true message of Christmas the message of Comfort, Hope, Grace and Joy. …
Amen,
Let us pray,
Father, we thanks you for Jesus,
We thank you that you came to us in the form of an infant so that we could get to know you, and understand you.
Jesus is our role model, and we are grateful that he allows us to follow him into the ways of righteousness.
Father, we pray for others who are not so fortunate. Others who do not understand you and want to, and others who just do not want you.
We pray this morning that their eyes may be open this festive season. We pray that we maybe able to open some eyes, but we pray that we do so with your motives, of bringing comfort, hope, grace and joy to there lives.
Father we too need your blessings this season; we need your blessings as life is getting increasingly more difficult; and we too need refreshed.
I pray that you bless each and every one of us here this morning that we can boldly walk confidently to bring you praise and glory.
We ask in Jesus name, Amen.
