"Are You Running To or From the Coming Judgment?"

Text: Matthew 3:1-10

Grace, mercy and peace be yours in the Savior God, who is, was, and will come again. Amen.

Dear Fellow Christians:

Man did I see a strange guy the other day when I was down by the river. He was one of those gloom and doom preachers who didn't really have a church or congregation; he just preached. And did he preach. He fairly blistered those who bothered to listen to him with warnings of impending doom and destruction if they failed to repent. As with all such social nonconformists, this guy seemed to attract a following of sorts as several other ragtag misfits seemed to think that he was something special. The guy was dressed in some strange, primitive get-up and apparently is on some all-natural diet of some sort – maybe a new fad or something. I didn't let him know that I was a pastor because he is apparently really hard on other preachers. Anyway, I found the guy (how shall I describe it?) memorably and strangely disturbing.

Have you ever heard of this guy? The answer is yes, you have. While these words could well apply to some rather misguided zealot making noise down by the Missouri River south of Bismarck, they could also have been spoken a couple thousand years ago by a citizen of Israel describing the man in our text for this morning. That text is found in the Third Chapter of Matthew's Gospel:

^NKJ Matthew 3:1-10 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' " ⁴ And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁷ ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

These are the verbally inspired words of our God – words that were recorded a couple thousand years ago, and then preserved by God for you and me today. If God went to the trouble of preserving these words for so many centuries, then there certainly must have been a good reason for doing so. That reason, of course, is that man might be converted and then sustained through the power of these words. That God would do just that among us this morning through the study of these holy words, so we pray: “Sanctify us through your truth, O Lord. Your word is truth.” Amen.

Face it. In the eyes of the world, John the Baptist was one rather strange fellow. Try to look at him for just a moment as the world must have seen him. Here was a social misfit, an oddball, living out in the wild and preaching gloom and doom to any and all who would listen. His diet was all natural, but it was all natural grasshoppers and wild honey. He drank no alcohol, and living out in the wilderness undoubtedly gave him something of a wild, unkempt appearance.

Do you suppose, had you lived at the time, that you would have looked at this man and thought to yourself, "Now there goes probably the greatest man ever born to women!"? Probably not. You would very likely think exactly what the Pharisees and Sadducees thought: "Who is this guy?"

The Christian religion is like that, isn't it? Remember Paul's observations in his First Letter to the Corinthians? "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Christianity was never promoted by God as either logical or fashionable. It was, and is, therefore a matter of faith – from first to last: faith in a promise, faith in a God-man who had a human mother but no human father, faith in a pronouncement of forgiveness that can in no way be corroborated or verified by any outside source. In perfect harmony with this general theme, God himself also raised up John the Baptist to be the great Forerunner of the Promised Messiah. Despite his dour message and his wild, forbidding appearance, Jesus himself said of this man that "among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11)

If nothing else did, this ought to teach us that the one true faith is, and always will be, very different. Certain elements of our faith might even make us uncomfortable – might even seem a bit repulsive to our normal, flesh and blood sensibilities.

Do you remember, for example, when the crowds turned away from Jesus and followed him no longer? It was when he began to talk about "eating his flesh" and other such hard sayings. Obviously these words carried a whole deeper level of meaning that completely escaped the vast majority of those who first heard them, but the point is that on the surface these words sounded very odd and repulsive.

Prophecies are most often like that – before the fact. They almost always sound kooky, radical, and unlikely in the extreme when they foretell an event that has not yet (by definition) come to pass. Want proof? Try to imagine what you would have thought had someone walked up to you on September 10, 2001 and told you that terrorists were going to level the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center with two commercial jetliners on the morrow. Who here wouldn't have dismissed such prophecy as ravings of just another nut-job?

Until the next day.

We today are not burdened by the image of the strange-looking John the Baptist. Our hind-sight is also now 20/20 perfect. Of course John the Baptist was a great man; of course John the Baptist spoke the truth; of course he was sent by God himself and was indeed the Great Forerunner of the Savior himself. But that's probably not what it looked like then, it is?

But then why do we read what we do in our text? Why do we there learn that also the Pharisees and the Sadducees went out not only to see and hear John, but our text says that John "saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism"? Why? Is it possible that they really did want to be baptized by John, even though it seems clear that they doubted both his message and his office?

I once read that sugar cane farmers in Central and South America always burn off the remnants of their cane fields at the end of the growing season to drive out the snakes that routinely hide there. (Knowing as most of you do how I feel about snakes, this seems reasonable and appropriate to me.) So too at the time of Jesus, the enemies of Jesus seemed to have almost an animal awareness of the coming battle for mankind. Jesus and Satan were about to engage in mortal combat for the eternity of mankind. John seems to have recognized something like this, since he lashes out at these men by saying: "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"

As a Christian pastor I can tell you that this is not exactly the textbook manner of greeting visitors to our worship services. The great John the Baptist therefore knew these men for what they were. He also here foretold "the wrath to come" which was undoubtedly a reference to the struggle that was about to take place between the Son of God and the devil.

It is also interesting that John here ties the coming of Christ with the first gospel promise in the Garden of Eden by referring to these men (the same groups that later crucified the Lord Jesus) as "a brood of vipers." You remember that first promise, where God foretold that the offspring of the serpent (brood of vipers) would do damage to the Offspring of the woman (Jesus) but that that Offspring of the woman would also thereby crush the devil and destroy his power. John correctly identifies these enemies of Jesus as the offspring of the Serpent.

We aren't told exactly why those Pharisees and Sadducees came to John. I have little doubt that they were very religious men who, like all work-righteous men, felt a constant void in their soul. Honest men recognize that they haven't paid to their God the ransom required for their sin-debt. Most probably recognize that nothing they could provide could ever pay such a debt. The result is that they spend their lives trying to take part in whatever religious activity is out there – anything at all that seems like it might score them some points with their God and thereby avoid the Day of Judgment that they so fear. So also there was a religious movement afoot in Israel, and the Pharisees and Sadducees probably just wanted whatever benefit they could get out of this new sort of "revival."

We see much the same thing all around us today. Human beings struggle mightily to make their peace with their God. In so doing they seem instantly willing to glom onto anything and everything that seems in the least bit religious – revivals, public prayers, semi-religious organizations – whatever they perceive to be "religious." Yet nothing really seems to help, since none of these externals deal with what is on the inside of man. John addressed this in our text when he told that brood of vipers to "bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' " Going through the motions could not save them. Associating with "good guys" could not save them. Their Jewish heritage could not save them, nor could taking part in the latest greatest religious movement of the day. That which alone could save them was faith in Jesus Christ – which would, in turn, certainly produce fruits of faith. As offspring of the devil, this is the one bit of "religion" that the enemies of Jesus steadfastly refused, and in that refusal they sealed their own eternal fate.

You and I, here and now, are also faced with the coming of the great and terrible Day of the Lord; a certain event that is rapidly approaching. Are we running from it, as were the Pharisees and Sadducees in our text, or are we running toward it? We run from it whenever we grabb onto this life so tightly – whenever we love it so much – that we find ourselves hoping that God postpones the end of all that we have accumulated, or we look forward to that day with a sense of dread. Our Lord has repeatedly warned us about loving this world and the things contained therein.

It is for this reason that we need to be reminded of the relative value of heaven over against earth, and to live each moment of our time of grace here on earth as those who are just passing through to a much more magnificent existence. You and I need never fear that Day of Judgment, for there is no one left to condemn us. The God that created us will not now condemn us since he has declared us not guilty because of what his own Son did as our substitute. No sin can condemn us, since the debt for all sin was paid in full by Jesus. Nor will Jesus condemn us, since it was he who came to this earth to do just the opposite for us. The one who came to save us will never then condemn those who trust in him.

Do not then fear the end of this life and the beginning of the next. Run your race here on earth with that as your goal – eternity with your Lord in paradise. Amen.

Scripture Readings and Sunday Bulletin for December 9, 2007

^NKJ Isaiah 11:1-5, 10 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. ² The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. ³ His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; ⁴ but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. ⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist. ¹⁰ ¶ " And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious."

^NKJ Romans 15:4-13 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ⁵ Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ ¶ Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. ⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁹ and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: "For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name." ¹⁰ And again he says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!" ¹¹ And again: "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!" ¹² And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope." ¹³ ¶ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

^NKJ Matthew 3:1-10 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" ³ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' " ⁴ And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁷ ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, ⁹ "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

ST. PAUL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

2510 E. Divide Ave.

Bismarck, ND 58501 (701) 223-4885 Cell: (701) 226-8510

www.bismarcklutheran.org

Mr. Mark Johnson, President (222-1855) Mrs. Eileen McEnroe, Organist

Michael J. Roehl, Pastor mjroehl@bis.midco.net

The Second Sunday in Advent – December 9, 2007

The Opening Prayer by the Pastor

The Opening Hymn ‑#702- (Brown Hymnal)

"As Angels Joyed with One Accord"

The Order of Morning Service – Red Hymnal page 15.

The Scripture Lessons: (Printed on the bulletin insert)

The Old Testament Lesson: (Isaiah 11:1-5, 10) Note both the law and the gospel so clearly evident in the Old Testament lesson. So also it will be at the coming of the Lord on the Last Day. Christians will greet that Day with unbridled joy and unimaginable relief; not so those who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Therefore while we seek to feed our souls and anticipate his coming, we also work tirelessly that others may join us in the joy of that great day.

The Epistle Lesson: (Romans 15:4-13) Throughout the New Testament it is made plain to us that Jesus died to pay not just for the sins of some (like the Jews) but for the sum total of the sins of the entire world. All are invited to the "wedding feast" of the Lamb of God. The Bible also stresses unity of faith and doctrine in all that we teach and believe. Our infallible guide, as always, is the Holy Word of God.

The Confession of Faith ‑

The Nicene Creed (Red Hymnal page 22)

The Pre‑Sermon Hymn ‑#72- (Red Hymnal)

"Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers"

The Sermon – Text: Matthew 3:1-10 (Printed on the back page)

"Are You Running To or From the Coming Judgment?"

"Create In Me" (The Offertory) – Red Hymnal page 22

The Offering, followed by the Prayers

The Pre-Communion Hymn -#317- (Verses 1-3) (Red Hymnal)

"Alas, My God, My Sins Are Great"

The Preparation for Holy Communion (Red Hymnal page 24)

The Distribution -Hymn #315- (Red Hymnal)

"I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table"

The Nunc Dimittis (Red Hymnal page 29)

The Benediction

The Closing Hymn ‑#659- (Red Hymnal)

"Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy"

Silent Prayer

Attendance ‑ Last Sunday (56) 2007 Average (56) Wednesday (27)

This Week at St. Paul:

Today -10:00 a.m. – Worship Service w/ Holy Communion

-11:15 a.m. – Fellowship Hour

Tuesday -7:00 p.m. – Church Council and Women's Group

Wednesday -5:45 p.m. – Confirmation & Bible History

-7:00 p.m. – Midweek Advent Service

Next Sunday -8:45 a.m. – Sunday School and Bible Class

-10:00 a.m. – Worship Service

-11:00 a.m. – Fellowship Hour

Thank You! – A hearty thank you to all those who worked hard to make our annual Christmas party so enjoyable. We appreciate your work. To those not able to attend, please think about attending next year!

Church Council and Women's Fellowship – Please note that both the Church Council and Women's Fellowship are scheduled to meet this Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Annual Voters' Meeting – The Voters Assembly is scheduled to meet for our Annual Meeting next Sunday. A fellowship meal is also scheduled for that day. Voters please consider it your duty to attend, since it is at this meeting that the budget is set and the new Church Council elected.

Midweek Advent Services – Relatively few were able to attend the first of our three Advent Services last Wednesday. Two more services remain. Try to schedule your time to make use of these opportunities. It is a good time to refocus and rededicate during this very distracting season.