Advent
3
December
14, 2014
John
1:6-8. 19-28
The
witness that Jesus is the Christ
Before a
witness is to give his testimony in a court, for example, he is asked to swear
to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. John the Baptist
was one who told the truth concerning Jesus. Likewise, a Christian is a
witness. The need for more witnessing is demonstrated by the facts of a
declining church membership in many parts of our country.
While our
congregation has been blessed with new members in many places across our great
country this is not happening. It is estimated that close to a third of the
adult population in the U S remain un-churched.
[1] This has prompted our own Missouri Synod to
declare the United States
Yet, by
the grace of God, opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ are all
around us. You do not have to travel overseas to be a part of the Lord’s
mission, the very fact that you are a follower of Jesus Christ makes you His
witness. Martin Luther has been credited to have said, “We are not asked to be
successful. We are only asked to witness and be faithful.” What does it mean to
be a witness for Jesus Christ? That is the question that we will try to address
ourselves today.
1. To be a witness for Christ means that we accept the call
to witness. Recall the words of our text for
today. John tells us, “A man came – God
sent him- his name was John. He came to tell the truth about the Light to help
everyone believe. He was not the Light but came to tell the truth about the
Light.” [John 1:6-8 Wm. Beck
translation]
Each of us
really is just like John the Baptist. We are not called to be God but to be a
witnessed for God. We are called simply to tell others what we have seen and
heard. Some might say, “But I don’t know everything that is in the Bible, how
can I possibly be a witness?” That may be true, that you don’t know everything
in the Bible but you do know Him who has saved you and Him who has called you
to faith. All we are called to do is share with others what we have come to
know as truth. We are called to witness of what you have heard and seen. In
fact, the early followers of Jesus Christ would have only one message, “we cannot stop talking about what we have
seen and heard.” [2]
2. As a witness we are simply to confess the truth. “John confessed; ‘I am not the promised Savior.” (Vs.
20) We are called to simply tell the
truth. That is what we are to confess. John did not claim to be God, nor did he
claim to be superior to others but instead he told people around him the truth
of what he knew that Jesus was the promised Savior, the one who was coming into
the world.
In this
season of Advent at no other time in the year is our witness and our confession
of the truth so clear. Everywhere you go you can hear carols sung and the word
Jesus is on everyone’s lips. He’s the reason for this season. As we speak of
the birth of the one that we celebrate this year, we have an excellent
opportunity to tell others about the Savior who has come to set us free from
sin, death and the power of the devil.
3. Because you are a Christian you really are a witness. This is John’s point.
To be a witness for Christ means only to know Christ personally. Listen
again to John’s words. “I baptize with
water John answered them. There is standing before you someone you don’t know,
the One who is coming after me. I’m not good enough to untie His shoe strap.”
Vv.26-27 [Beck translation]
Jesus
tells us that when we are to speak for Him at that very hour the Holy Spirit
will give you the very words you are to speak. Because you know Christ
personally, you have a relationship with Him. As we confess and witness for Him
we speak of a relationship which is our by faith. We speak of Him who loves us.
We speak of Him whose birth we celebrate ten days from now.
The voice
of the earth Christians, “we cannot stop
talking about what we have seen and heard” is good advice. These are our
marching orders. May that be our confession as we wait the days before the
celebration of Christmas. Rejoice for Christ has come. In Him we have life. In
Him we make a good confession. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Words
– 885
Passive
Sentences –
Reading
Ease – 82%
Reading Level – 5.3
[1]
A new survey released by The
Barna Group, which has been tracking America’s religious behavior and beliefs
since 1984, reveals that one out of every three adults (33%) is classified as
unchurched - meaning they have not attended a religious service of any type
during the past six months
[2]
Acts 4:20
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