Sermon Tone Analysis

Preaching has been described this way: “A mild-mannered man standing up before mild-mannered people and exhorting them to be more mild mannered.”

The true function of preaching is to disturb the comfortable and to comfort the disturbed.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed.

Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith.

May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets (; ), and his perspective was that of the Old Testament.

He thought that God’s salvation and judgment would come at the same time.

When he announced the coming of Jesus Christ to fulfill the prophecies, he probably thought that God’s judgment would come immediately ().

[1]

[1]

[1] Sigurd Grindheim, Introducing Biblical Theology (London; New Delhi; New York; Sydney: Bloomsbury, 2013), 93.

Since the sin at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, people have looked for ways to defend themselves against the consequences of disobeying God.

repeatedly, people trade in the security of being at peace with God for the thrill of trying to satisfy ourselves without Him.

That is, in essence, what sin is.

We justify ourselves in various ways, including by claiming that God somehow gave us permission to play fast and loose with His Commandments.

In today’s Gospel text, the people who came to John to be baptized argued that their connection to God through Abraham should have been sufficient to protect them from the consequence of their transgressions.

Today, some have argued that the grace of God is their shield, while others simply reject God’s claim to their obedience out of hand hoping to drown out both the work of the Law in their hearts, and their consciences’ witness against them.

15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

From my side of the sacred desk, there is an additional temptation - a temptation to “cushion the blow.”

I feel the pressure of those who warn against legalism and pietism, telling me that I must, at all cost, avoid saying anything that will cause anyone to feel pangs of guilt when they should be rejoicing in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

At the same time I feel the pressure to defend the church against accusations of sloth and self-indulgence by those who feel that we are standing on the sidelines while our fellow citizens suffer from the hands of those who have possibly abused their government privileges for the sake of dishonest gain.

In the end, what does John counsel those who want to live God’s way?

“GARY — The city's request that the Gary Police Department cut its budget by $1 million next year poses a detriment to a force already understaffed and dealing with outdated equipment and high crime rates, Fraternal Order of Police President Terry Peck said.

“The city is already not hiring enough to replace the officers we lose,” Peck said Friday.

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson’s administration is proposing across-the-board budget cuts for most departments in 2019 — including decreases to public safety — as part of a long-term plan toward stable, financial footing.

Many departments face cuts, she said.

She hopes city government can match spending levels with revenue in due time through a combination of aggressive permit and licensing fee collections, department consolidation, revenue generators and economic development.”

(https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/gary-fop-president-admin-s-proposed-million-cut-to-police/article_5ac757aa-beef-5bbe-a004-b7c2f9dddc74.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share).

In the end, what does John counsel those who want to live God’s way?

Basically, John tells them to Love their neighbor, and walk in integrity as regards their vocations.

1500 years later, Dr. Luther echoed those same ideas in his teachings, and faithful pastors teach and model those same teachings today, as do parents, those in civil authority, and others.

The [Small] Catechism concludes with the Table of Duties—a listing of Bible passages addressing the very down-to-earth and yet high and holy callings of Christians in their daily lives.

It is modeled after the listing of household responsibilities in and .

It is Luther’s way of applying the catechism to daily life.

The list of Bible passages can be arranged under three general headings: (1) life in the congregation; (2) life in the civic community; and (3) life in the household.

Luther says these passages of Scripture are “for various holy orders and positions, admonishing them about their duties and responsibilities.”

Luther, Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2017), 349.

This is helpful for us, but it does not rest upon its own foundation.

In truth, even at our best, we still have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

We still need the cleansing that comes from the precious blood of Jesus.

Paul’s prayer for the saints in Philippi are also applicable to us today:

Luther, Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2017), 349.

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but apart from Him, we can do nothing.

As long as we keep these truths in mind, we are safe, but when we forget, we become proud, taking credit for the work of God and losing our first love.

Then God must correct us for our good

We have a choice.

We can be corrected by the Father, and receive life from the Son through the Spirit, or destroyed by Satan:

I don’t know why people aren’t breaking down our doors, other than they have been deceived by the devil.

People flocked to John in the wilderness, but they resist coming into this beautiful place.

John didn’t have to chase them down, nor did Jesus.

It feels like we do, however.

What does God’s Word say about this?

God’s Word says that God does desire for all to be saved.

The Holy Spirit gave Paul our instructions, instructions that we might not be following as diligently as we ought, however.

Are we praying for all people?

Even for government authorities with whom we might disagree?

Are we praying for those who have made themselves our enemies?

Are we praying at all?

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy!

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy!

The King is coming.

We are His witnesses, testifying to the truth of His Word to the world.