Daniel Slaughter

Advent-3

12-13-202

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Give ‘Em Jesus!

What is the best gift you have ever given? If you were to narrow it down to one thing, what would that one gift be? Was it something that you made? Something that you said? Something that you saved up your money for? What is the best gift you have ever given?

Now what made that the best gift you have ever given? Was it something that they needed? Was it their reaction? Was it something that they appreciated which has lasted to this very day? What made that the best gift you have ever give?

What if I told you that you could give a gift that is even greater? A gift that can last for all eternity? A gift that could be the most important thing that you could ever give to someone? Now, would you give it to them, or would you keep it for yourself?  You would give it to them! If it is truly the greatest gift that you could possibly give, you would want to give it! I will let you in on a little secret…you already have that gift. So why wouldn’t you then want to share that gift with others? Today we will be encouraged to give the greatest gift. Today we will be reminded to Give ‘Em Jesus!

The apostle John, in the opening chapter of his book, gives to us a witness. A man by the name of John the Baptist who was giving people the greatest gift. He was giving them Jesus! God sent John to point people to Jesus, that light that came into the world. He was showing people their sins. He was calling them to repentance to turn from their sins. He was pointing them to the Messiah, the Christ, who takes away their sins.

John had this very important message to give to people. He was testifying about this light that was coming into the Word. The Apostle John writes, “There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light, so that everyone would believe through him.” John was giving people Jesus by telling people about Jesus, by testifying to the light that no darkness can overcome.

All kinds of people came to John to hear what John was proclaiming. I am sure they were confessing their sins to him because in the other gospels he was giving fruits of repentance like the tax collectors when John said to them don’t collect more then you are required or the soldiers when he told them not to extort money from anyone by force or false claims (Luke 3:12-14). Look at the ones the Bible mentions that came to the wildness to hear John and listened to he pointed them to the light. The outcast in the society. The greedy, the tax collectors, the soldiers. People who felt the burned of their sin. People who felt the darkness of sin enveloping them. People who need to hear about the light.

Have you experienced that before? Where you become so fixated on your sins that it feels like the darkness is enveloping you? When you think about that recurring sin that is so hard to overcome and the guilt that just consumes you. Maybe you felt or feel overwhelmed by your sin because someone told you that you had to make up for your sin by what you do. But no matter what you do, you feel like you can never do enough to make up for it. We need to hear about that light in our own lives.

And look at the world around us. So many people are hurting. So many people are feeling lonely right now. People are afraid. Afraid of sickness. Afraid of getting someone else sick. That fear is compounded to people who haven’t heard about the light of Jesus. Just think about what that means for them! The fear that is associated with the uncertainty about what happens after you die, and the guilt that piles up from sins. So many people are living in the darkness of their sins and they need to hear about the light that has come into the World!

We need that light revealed to us. The World needs that light revealed to them. Jesus is coming and when he comes he will come in grace and judgment. Grace to those who believe in him and judgment to those who reject him. The fear that associated with our sins, the fear that is associated with things like death, many times stem from not remembering that light, or never hearing about that light.

The apostle John said before our lesson began, “The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5). That is what we celebrate on Christmas! That light being born into this world. That light that overcame the darkness of our sin by dying on a cross. That light that overcomes the guilt of our sins by saying your sins are truly forgiven. That light which overcame death through the resurrection.

That light was revealed to you in a very similar way to what John the Baptist was doing in that wilderness. John was giving em’ Jesus. He was testifying to the light. He was sharing the forgiveness of sins that the Christ would bring. He was baptizing them. There was someone at some point who shared the gospel with you. Either through the waters of baptism or through the spoken Word. Someone revealed that light to you. Someone gave you Jesus.

We recognize our own need for that gift of Jesus. We recognize the need for that gift of Jesus to be shared in the world around us. When we think about advent, there is an urgency to the testimony about Jesus, about that light.

John felt that urgency and he was givin’ people Jesus. And people were coming out to John. People were being baptized. Word about him spread. He was becoming a popular kind of guy. Enough so that the Pharisees sent priest and Levites to John.

Who is this guy pointing ahead to the light? Who is this guy baptizing, who is this guy calling people out on their sin. Who is this guy calling them to repentance? Instead they should have been asking who is this light that he is testifying about? Who is this person that he is pointing to? Instead they were focusing on the messenger instead of the message.  The one giving the gift and not on the gift itself.

John the Baptist kept turning the focus off of himself and pointing to Jesus. Are you the Christ? No… Are you Elijah? No… Are you a Prophet? No… Who was John? “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’ just as Isaiah the prophet said.” John came to prepare the hearts of people for the king to come. Just like how the roads were not always well kept and maintained and they had someone go head of the king to make sure they cleared the way for the king, John was preparing people spiritually by helping people to recognize their sin and a need for this Savior.

But the Levites and the priests sent from the Pharisees, question John’s authority to do and say the things he did, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” Essentially saying, what gives you the rite? What gives you the authority to do or say these things?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? We have been given the most precious gift, Christ. What gives me the right to testify about Jesus? What gives me the right to give em’ Jesus? I haven’t gone to school for it. It’s not like I am eloquent with my words. I don’t know what to say, or how to say it. What gives me the authority to give em’ Jesus?

What happens? We become so focused and fixated on ourselves that we forget the urgency that advent reminds us of. That urgency to tell our friends, family, strangers about the light that breaks the darkness of sins and gives them the sure hope of eternal life. When we become so focused and fixated on ourselves, we forget the one who changes hearts, the Holy Spirit.

What was John’s view of himself? “I baptize with water,” John answered, “Among you stands one you do not know. He is the one coming after me, whose sandals straps I am not worthy to untie.” What is John’s view of himself? He is unworthy. He is unworthy even to do a slave’s job of stooping down and untying Jesus shoes. If he feels unworthy of doing a slave’s job, can you imagine how he unworthy he feels to make straight the way of the Lord? Unworthy to tell others about Jesus. Yet what does he do? He simply gives them Jesus.

You don’t need to be the best with words. You don’t need to get into a debate with everyone you see. You just need to give them Jesus and keep giving them Jesus and let the Holy Spirit do his job! Why? Because Jesus is coming back. People need to hear about his grace and mercy, his forgiveness and love. That same message that saved you! Simply give em Jesus because that is the best give you can every give.

You have an amazing opportunity to do that today and during this advent season. Today you have an opportunity to take invitations to our worship services and give them to someone. Think about it. Each one reach one. A very non-threatening way to share your faith. “Hey, I am excited to hear about Jesus coming into the world to give me a hope that last for all eternity. I would love it if you come with me to hear about that hope.” You did two things there. You shared the gospel and you invited them to hear about the gospel again. And do us pastors a favor just in case we miss them in the back of church…(and let’s face it I am still struggling figuring out who is a member and a visitor). Give us their contact info so we as congregation can follow up and say thank you for coming.