Advent 3 - Sermon: Are You The One?

St. Stephen Lutheran Church	Pastor Debora Stein
Matthew 11:2-11                      Are you the one?		December 14, 2013

      “When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" ⁴ Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶ And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." ⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Today’s reading made me think of a children’s story by P. D. Eastman, called, “Are You My Mother?”  The story is about a baby bird that hatches while his mother is off getting food.  He falls out of his nest and then wanders around looking for his mother.  First he comes upon a kitten, and asks, “Are you my mother?” but the kitten doesn’t reply.  Then he comes up to a mother hen, and asks, “Are you my mother?” But the hen only said, “No”.  Then he approached a dog and asks, “Are you my mother?” but the dog says, “I’m not your mother.  I’m a dog.” 

This continues for a while, as the baby bird confuses his mother with different animals, and even a boat and a plane, until he finally comes up to an old bucket loader, that scoops him up, scaring him half to death.  When the bucket releases him, however, he finds himself landing right into his very own nest.  “Just then the mother bird came back to their tree.  ‘Do you know who I am?’ she said to her baby.  ‘Yes, I know who you are,’ said the baby bird.  ‘You’re not a kitten… You’re not a hen… You’re not a dog… You’re not a cow… You’re not a boat or a plane…  You are a bird, and you are my mother.’” 

Like the little bird, we often seem to be looking for love, for answers, and even for God in all the wrong places.  The people in Jesus time were waiting for a messiah… a savior, and they were sure that he’d be born a king… someone powerful… someone with vast armies… someone who’d take down their enemies with force and return them to their rightful place in the world.  But, they were looking for a king in all the wrong places, with all the wrong expectations.

Even John the Baptist seems to searching, with uncertainty and anxiety…  While imprisoned, he sends some of his disciples to question Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”  Jesus didn’t seem to be who they were expecting.  He wasn’t born in a palace; he was born in a kind of barn… he wasn’t born with power and wealth; he was born to simple parents, a young girl and her husband, a carpenter.  John’s disicples probably wondered how this itinerant preacher could possibly bring an army to take their enemies down.  How could he save them?  They were looking for salvation in all the wrong places.

As a church, we often look for ways to grow… to increase the number of worshippers, wondering how we can bring more people in.  But, I believe that when we think that way, we, too, are looking for answers in all the wrong places.  Being a Christian is not about preserving a church building or congregation… it’s about BEING the church in the world… it’s about bringing comfort to those who are sick… it’s about feeding those who are hungry… it’s about bringing good news to the poor… and helping them stand on their own.  It’s about sharing the love of Christ with the world.

When Jesus was questioned about whether or not he was the one they were waiting for, he told them to go and tell John what it is that they heard and saw.  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.  Jesus is pointing them to the right place.  What did you go out into the wilderness to find… to see?  Perhaps they were looking for someone who bends with the wind, wearing soft and fine clothes, but they’d been looking for all the wrong things.

How often have we heard of someone who has been in one bad relationship after another?  There’s even a country song written about it, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.”  We often seem bent on looking for happiness, for an easier way, or for something that will make us feel loved and special.   Many folks think that they’ll find what their looking for in a bottle or with drugs.  Other folks try winning love with money, thinking that they can buy their way into someone’s heart.  For some, it’s a never-ending search; they never seem to find or perhaps recognize what it is that they’re looking for… seeking some way to fill that empty place in their hearts.

John points to Jesus, who came to change the world… to give us a different understanding about who and what the Messiah is all about.  Jesus came to make us think differently about those who are sick, those who are imprisoned, and those who are needy.  He came to show us the love of God and to teach us about forgiveness and grace.  He came to save us in a way that most people of his time could not imagine.  Through his actions of healing, cleansing, and raising, Jesus tells his disciples and us, to love one another as he loves us… as God loves us… to love our neighbors… to comfort and care for those in need… to share the good news with those who are poor in any way… in health, assets or in spirit.

John the Baptist wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the one that he, himself, came to proclaim… the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  What are you looking for? --- Are you my mother?  Are you my father?  Are you the one who can help me?  Are you the one that we’re waiting for?  Are you my savior?  Jesus responds to each of us… Go and tell others what you hear and see.   

Look around – Jesus is here – with each of us in our daily lives, loving us, caring for us, comforting us and those we encounter every day.   Jesus is preparing us, to continue his mission of love and his ministry of grace, to share the good news with the poor of every kind.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life… he fills that empty place in our hearts… he feeds us and makes us whole… he is exactly who we’ve been looking for, even though we may not have realized it.  He is found in many of the places that we expect… and in many unexpected places as well…  in a dying man hanging on a cross…  in a meal of bread and wine… in a loving presence in our lives… in a tiny – fragile baby, laying on a bed of straw…

John points to the coming of Emmanuel, God with us... Jesus, our Savior, who is all that we’ve been looking for and more.  The good news is that we don’t have to look at all.  Jesus comes to us in every place of our lives.   

Happy are we whose hope is in the Lord our God.  Amen.