A Sermon for the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Six months is all that separates the Baptist and Jesus at least by earthly age. And so on June 24^th the Church celebrates and remembers the birth of the Baptist. For with his coming into the world, the Sun of Righteousness also would arrive.

If we read the earlier verses of St. Luke’s Gospel, we learn that the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she would bear the Son of the Most High, and in that conversation Gabriel tells Mary that its not just her who has been visited and remembered by the Lord, for Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, the one who had been called barren was now in her sixth month. And upon receiving the blessed news from Gabriel, Mary quickly went to visit Elizabeth. Luke does not say explicitly in his Gospel, but he leaves the reader to ponder if Mary was actually there for the birth of St. John the Baptist. Luke throws out this line about Mary’s stay: “And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.” Doing the math, it is very possible perhaps even plausible that Mary assisted with the delivery. It leads me to at least consider the possibility she was there, meaning also that Jesus, the one for whom John would prepare a people was there watching and working, as this was the plan from of Old as Zechariah would joyfully sing. And if Mary was there carrying the Lord Jesus in her womb, the song Zechariah sings takes on quite a bit more theological weight.

Zechariah when he was confronted by Gabriel, was confused and a bit unbelieving of the news that he and Elizabeth would have a son. As part of the sign that Elizabeth would have a son, Zechariah would be mute until the child was born. And when he named the child John, in accordance with what the Angel told him, Zecahriah’s mouth was loosed. He could speak. And the people were filled with awe and asked the question: What then will this child be?

Being filled with the Holy Spirit Zechariah prophesied the song that we commonly call the Benedictus, Latin for Blessed… What is interesting to me Zechariah’s song does not answer the question of the people right away. He first prophesies of the one that his own son would point to as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Think of this: Mary still there and Zechariah breaks out in song: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up for us a horn of salvation for us in the house of the servant David. That is not about John, but about Jesus. And He had actually been in Zechariah’s house for the past 3 months via the womb of Mary. And redemption of God’s people was the plan from of old as far back as Adam’s fall. It’s not his son that Zechariah is ooing and ahhing over when he starts singing. No it’s Jesus that Zechariah sings about. Jesus is the oath sworn to Father Abraham, that we would be delivered from the hand of our enemies and serve him (the Lord God) without fear in holiness and righteousness. Jesus would do that as the one who would do the work of our redemption by his cross, by being the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and grants us His holiness and His righteousness.

Its not until verse 76 that Zechariah’s attention turns to his own son. You my child will be the prophet of the Most High, going before him to prepare his ways, giving knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins. Bringing comfort to a people burdened by their sin, giving light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, guiding our feet into the way of peace.

Who then will this child be? The preacher of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the preacher proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Preparing the hearts of those who listen for the coming of the One whose sandals John himself is not worthy to even untie. John never preaches of himself, and Zechariah’s song even shows this too. Zechariah does not answer the question directly but first goes to Jesus, who comes after John but ranks before John because He was before John and there in the beginning. To this Jesus John would bear witness as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

John still proclaims that message into your very ears every Advent season, preparing us for the coming of our Lord, the Sun of Righteousness. Some think John’s preaching is fire and brimstone, and it might be on that side, but how else to rattle and crack the hearts of stone of a dead people? The preaching of repentance, puts you to death but not only that: it raises you to life. John’s preaching causes the Light of the Lord’s mercy to shine upon you. It gives you the new birth of the Holy Spirit, and gives to you the Name of God by his Grace, granting you peace that passes all human understanding. John preaches not his own word but the Word of the Lord, in order that they might be made alive by the Gospel and Comfort of the coming of the Lord Jesus who would die for the sin of the world and be raised from the dead on the 3^rd day and would then lead the way unto everlasting life with the Father in Heaven.

John’ preaching of repentance is the preaching of the forgiveness of sins. But John’s preaching is really the preaching of Christ! And thus by John’s preaching you are not just prepared for Jesus’ coming but it is by this way and means that Christ comes to you in love and visits you with tender compassion.

Christ did not just visit Zechariah or the people of Judea and Galilee, but He has come and visits you with tender care and mercy this day. He has redeemed you just as we swore he would do, giving you the forgiveness of sins which He won for you by his cross, now by giving you His body and blood in the Sacrament, the Covenant/Testament of His body and blood. That you may be led in the way of peace forever.

John was the forerunner, the preacher who pointed Jesus without fail. May the preachers of our day follow on coattails of John and continue to preach repentance for the forgiveness of sins, that your ears and heart are prepared to receive Christ now and always. For it is Christ who has released you from all sins, and has removed from us all fear of death and hell and now guides our feet into the way of Peace.

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

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO