The Mightier One Comes
“Now John was clothed with
camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild
honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier than I, the
strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized
you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:6-8).
Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Most of you here are
old enough to remember Ed McMahon—the rest of you can Google it later. For thirty
years, Ed was Johnny Carson’s sidekick on The Tonight Show. A very talented comedian,
actor, singer, and announcer in his own right, Ed’s main job on The Tonight
Show was to make Johnny Carson look good, to laugh at Johnny’s jokes, to play
the straight man in their sketches, and to introduce the talk show host each
night with his trademark “Heeeere’s Johnny!”
Like Ed McMahon, everything
John said and did was an effort to direct everyone to look to the mightier One
to come. John’s mission was simple: point everyone to Jesus Christ. He does
this in our text by comparing the Lord with himself. In each instance, John
shows that even though he is a profound prophet, the messenger sent to prepare
the way foretold by Malachi, the voice of one calling in the desert prophesied
by Isaiah, he cannot compare to the mightier One to come.
John the Baptist was a
physically, mentally, and spiritually strong man. He stood in the shoes of the
prophets of old. In fact, he wore the same kind of clothes as Elijah and many
of the other prophets—a rough camel’s hair robe, with a leather belt around his
waist. Until the time of his ministry, John lived like a hermit in the desert. He
ate locusts and honey. John lived as a Nazirite, one set aside from birth for
special service to God. He never drank fermented drink or wine. His hair was
never cut. And he was filled with the Holy Spirit from before birth.
John could have done
well on the television series Survivor. He would eat whatever there was, not
worry about his hair or clothing, and not care where he slept. He probably
would have been the first one voted off the island, though. Even though
multitudes came out to see him, he didn’t have much guile. John could never be
accused of being “politically correct.”
John challenged the
religious powers of his time, calling the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of
vipers” and warning them of God’s coming wrath and their need for repentance. He
also tackled the political powers, daring to rebuke Herod for divorcing his
wife to marry his own niece who happened to already be his brother’s wife. John
spoke directly and clearly. He was unafraid of the religious and political
powers of the time.
But as interesting a
character as John the Baptist is, he is not the focus of our text today. The
focus is on Jesus Christ, the One of whom John said, “After me comes He who is
mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and
untie.” As mighty and as powerful as John was, he refused the fame and acclaim
that came his way. He remained humble and focused on his relatively minor role
in God’s plan of salvation. Instead of tooting his own horn, John pointed the
way to the mightier One—Jesus Christ.
Jesus is mightier than
John in His Spirit. John knew who Jesus is. After all, he is the one who leaped
in his mother’s womb when his embryonic cousin entered the room some three
months before his own miraculous birth. Perhaps John heard his mother talk
about Jesus’ mother and the circumstances of His conception and birth. John
certainly knew that an angel announced his own birth to his father in the
temple, but that a host of angels announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds as they
watched their sheep on the hills near Bethlehem! By God’s grace, John received
the Holy Spirit before His birth by hearing the spoken Word. Jesus was conceived
by the Holy Spirit, and as true God is the Holy Spirit!
Jesus is mightier than
John in His miracles. John did not do any miracles. He was a preacher, a
prophet, a baptizer. John’s job was to be the forerunner, to prepare the way of
the Lord. He preached repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus
began to do His miracles shortly after His baptism, and by His works proved
that He is the mightier One. His miraculous signs showed that He is true God. And
they pointed the way to the greater miracle that He would bring about—His own bodily
resurrection from the dead.
Jesus is mightier than
John in His teaching. John’s message was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near” (Matthew 3:1). John simply stated that the kingdom is coming. He pointed
to Jesus. Jesus’ message is “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). Jesus
proclaimed that the kingdom is here now in His person and work. Jesus not only
brought the message, He is the message! He is God’s kingdom come in human flesh
and blood!
To drive home the point
that Jesus is mightier, John compared the thing for which he was famous,
baptism. John baptized for repentance. Christ would wash with the Holy Spirit. Both
baptisms were similar. They required the use of water. They required repentance.
They were for the forgiveness of sins. They were received by faith in the
Messiah. Jesus even received John’s baptism Himself. Holy and righteous, Jesus
did not need this Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. But rather, in being
baptized by John, Jesus identified Himself as one of us, a true man. In the
water of the Jordan River, Jesus took on the burden of all our sins that He
would carry with Him throughout His ministry.
The Baptism of Jesus is
mightier in many ways. First of all, it is commanded by God. In the Great
Commission Jesus told His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew
28:19-20). Jesus Himself gave us His Baptism.
Christian baptism is a
means of grace that takes away our sins. It was given to the church to wash
away our sins and mark us as adopted children of God. It imparts the gift of
the Holy Spirit that brings us to faith and equips us for lives of discipleship.
St. Paul tells us Baptism puts the old Adam to death. Our old sinful nature is
nailed to the cross with Christ in our Baptism, and there Jesus gives
resurrection power for new living (Romans 6:3-4).
But the greatest
difference between John and Jesus is found in their mission. John was a herald
announcing the arrival of the Messiah. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks
before me, because He was before me’” (John 1:29-30).
In calling Him the Lamb
of God, John was saying that Jesus would be the once-for-all sacrifice that
would atone for the sin of the world. Literally and figuratively He would bear
the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God, the Lamb that fulfilled the
sacrifices of all lambs for the payment for sin. As He went about His whole
ministry, Jesus carried the weight of the sins of the whole world with Him. As
He suffered and died on the cross, Jesus sacrificed His holy, perfect life for
the sin of the world, my sin, your sin, the sin of every man, woman, and child
who lives, and all who have ever lived, the sin of all future people.
It is the blood of this
Lamb of God that has paid the price for all sin. It is the sacrifice of the
blood of this precious Lamb of God that cleanses all who are brought to faith
in Him and takes away our guilt. It is the blood of this Lamb of God that
brings us new life in our Baptism. It is the body and blood of this Lamb of God
that is given to us in the Lord’s Supper, bringing us forgiveness of sin and
strengthening our faith. It is the blood of the Lamb of God that makes it
possible to hear those sweet words of absolution: “I forgive you all of your
sins, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” It is the
Gospel of the Lamb of God that sustains and grows our faith as we go through
this sin-filled world.
It is this Lamb of God
before whom we, and all who believe, will one day bow as He is seated on His
heavenly throne and sing: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its
seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood you ransomed people for God from
every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a
kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth…Worthy is the
Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor
and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:9-12).
As we wait for that Great
Day, let us prepare the way in our hearts and minds. Let us always remember the
mightier One, the One who is greater than us all. Let us daily repent of our
sin and produce the fruits of repentance. Let us always remember that we have
been washed in the blood of the Lamb. By His death on the cross, our sin has
been exchanged for Christ’s righteousness. In God’s eyes, we are as spotless
and pure as His Son.
Secure in that
knowledge, let us live in the power of our Baptism, repenting daily, putting to
death our old sinful nature, that our new man may arise to live before God in
righteousness, innocence, and blessedness forever. Let us continue to be fed
with God’s Word in regular worship attendance and daily devotions. Let us bring
our prayers before the heavenly Father who hears us for the sake of the Lamb. And
let us love our neighbor according to our current station in life.
In this season of
Advent, let us also help prepare the way for the Lamb of God to come into the
hearts and lives of those around us. Let us warn them of sin’s dangers and
consequences. Let us tell them of the forgiveness won for all by the Lamb on
His cross. Let us share the Good News of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and
resurrection with all our friends, family, and neighbors, that they may they
come to know the mightier One, as well. May God grant this to us all. Amen.
The peace of God that
passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life
everlasting. Amen.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English
Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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