Advent 4

Scripture Lessons

Micah 5:2-5a                       Out of you, Bethlehem, will come a ruler of Israel.

Psalm 80:1-7                         “Restore us, O God; let Your face shine.”

Hebrews 10:5-10                 We have been made holy through Jesus.

Luke 1:39-56                         Mary visits Elizabeth.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us pray.

Lord, please grant all who would hear this message the ability to discern sarcasm. For we know and confess that you are God of the impossible. We submit to your word, your creative power, and your absolute love for the least of those among us. Amen.

You all know that John the Baptist was an eccentric figure. He “wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4. He preached repentance and criticized the immorality of Herod who had taken his sister-in-law, Herodias, as his wife. For this, John the Baptist was imprisoned and then beheaded. As you heard in the gospel lesson today, John’s rebellion against convention started at a very early age. In fact, he was not yet born. While still in the womb he had the audacity to possess faith, something that is entirely reserved for those who can express that faith. Now, I know what you’re thinking. The text says that he had faith and that he expressed that faith with a jump, a kick perhaps. Elizabeth said, “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” But leaping for joy doesn’t count. When I said that faith is reserved for those who can express it, I meant those who can explain the faith, you know, using words and articulating exactly what they believe and why. Now, since babies cannot do that, they necessarily cannot have faith. In this case, John was in utero. He certainly could not speak to articulate his faith. Even if he could form words and sentences, he was surrounded by amniotic fluid. So, we must regard John as an absolute renegade from the start. He was the improbable child of an elderly couple who cast off logical restraints and as a pre-born infant expressed faith in Christ… Christ Himself who was not yet born, being in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary.

In all seriousness, I realize that this sounds absurd to you. But there are a minority of Christians who deny the plain meaning of Saint Peter’s words, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” That was Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38-39). Also, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:21. Peter says in no uncertain terms, “Baptism saves you.” He likens baptism to being placed in the ark in which Noah and seven others were saved from the worldwide flood. You who are baptized have been placed in the ark of the Church and will be saved from the coming flood of judgment.

As I said, there are a minority of Christians who profess an impossibility that a child can possess faith. It may seem like a majority because of our context in Southeastern Virginia, but it is a minority of Christians around the world today and is certainly a minority opinion in the history of the church. But John, infant still in the womb, demonstrates that a child can indeed possess faith. And yet that is not all, there is much more.

Think of the mode in which faith is conveyed and received. “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Faith entered through the ear canal. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Elizabeth pronounced Mary to be blessed for believing what God the Holy Spirit bore witness to her.

Now you may say that Elizabeth heard Mary’s words. Or that Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, not God Himself. Yes, but God speaks His word through intermediaries. Remember that “angel” means messenger. Gabriel was a messenger who brought God’s word to Mary’s ears. Mary believed the word of God and is blessed.

Now I hear another rebuttal. Was it Mary’s word of greeting that caused faith? Wasn’t it really the presence of the incarnate God, Jesus Christ in the womb, that brought faith? John leaped for joy just at His presence just as the lame would leap for joy in the earthly ministry of Jesus. It was the presence of Jesus that elicited faith. Yes, it was His presence. Whenever and wherever Jesus is present, He calls the Church to faith, He calls the faithful to hear and believe His word of promise.

Jesus is still present and is still calling you to hear His word of promise and believe it. He has come to you through the washing of regeneration, Holy Baptism. He has come to Louisa Jean and blessed her with a promise, that in Christ her sins are put away, that she is buried with Christ in His crucifixion, so that she will also be raised with Christ in newness of life. In the sacrament of the altar Christ is present, very body and very blood of Christ, present and received in your mouth, to forgive you of your sins and to strengthen you in faith toward Him, and in love toward one another. This isn’t mumbo-jumbo. This is hearing the word of God and believing it. The same type of word that spoke the world into existence, has spoken faith into you. Blessed are you who believe that word of forgiveness.

Blessed are you who rejoice in God your Savior. He has looked on your need and supplied it. His mercy extends from generation to generation and, in Jesus Christ, He has brought this mercy to you as He promised to Abraham and his offspring forever.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.