Second Sunday after the Epiphany John 1:29-42

On the next day, he (John) sees Jesus coming to him and says,"Look, the Lamb of God, the One taking away the sin of the world. This is on behalf of Whom I myself said, `After me comes a man Who before me is come to be, because before me, He was'. And I, myself didn't understand Him, but in order that He be shown to Israel, through this I myself came in water baptizing." And John testified, saying that, "I saw the Spirit coming down like a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. And I, myself didn't understand Him, but the One Who sent me to baptize in water, That One said to me, `Upon whomever you see the Spirit coming down & remaining upon Him, This is the One baptizing in the Holy Spirit.' And I, myself have seen & have testified that This is the Son of God!"  On the next day again John was standing and two of his disciples and he looked at Jesus walking; he says, "Look, the Lamb of God!" And his two disciples heard him speaking and they followed Jesus. And having turned, Jesus also seeing them following says to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to Him, "My Great One, (which is to say, when interpreted, `Teacher') where are you staying?" He says to them,"Come and you will see." Then they came and saw where He stayed and alongside Him they stayed that day; the hour was about the 10th. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter was one of the two hearing from John and following Him; This one found first His own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah, (which is interpreted `Christ')."  He brought him to Jesus.

Why aren't more people Christians? Why are there so many empty pews here today? How can we get more people as members, involved in our church? These are all really questions about "evangelism". But the answers vary throughout Christendom. Some place the burden on the shoulders of those who should be seeking for Jesus. Others answer that it's a burden on the ones who are already church members. But in today's Gospel, the answers to evangelism center on the gospel-giver–Christ Jesus!

People aren't church-going Christians because they don't know Jesus. Oh, they probably know the basics about Him. But they don't know Him, just like John the Baptized didn't know Him at first. They don't understand Who Jesus is for them. They don't comprehend just what Jesus does for them, Even you would remain ignorant of the saving knowledge of the Christ if God didn't do something to help.

So God sends proclaimers like John to testify about Jesus and Who He is. He sends preachers like John to witness to the things Christ accomplishes. Once John comprehended just Who Jesus was, he told people! Every week God gathers you all here to here this testimony about Jesus, your Messiah, anointed to be your Savior. You hear the witness, week in and week out, of Jesus the Christ and all that He does to save you by giving His life as forfeit on the cross, so that by His death you now have life!

People aren't yet church-going believers because, they are looking for love in all the wrong places. They are searching, but not finding. Some look to be comforted in human relationships, others by a bottle, and still others search for answers within themselves, but never find them. They need help! Without God's direction, even U2 would be saying, "We still haven't found what we are looking for." .

But God has helped you! He has given you that gospel invitation, "Come and see!" God used someone to bring you to Jesus for the first time. For most of you, He was revealed to you as the Christ, showing Himself as your anointed Savior when you were baptized. Just like John baptized in water to reveal Jesus to people, so too have you been baptized so Jesus could reveal His saving love to you. You are baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection, by His Holy Spirit to make you His Own!

People aren't yet church-attending Christians because, quite frankly, they haven't really looked at Jesus as they should. Oh, perhaps they have considered Him once or twice, but they really haven't looked *to* Him for what He truly is for them. Maybe they prefer to look to themselves, or trust in the temporary things of this world, rather than looking to Jesus. But nothing else is as reliable as He is.
 
This is why John says, not once, but twice here, "Look, the Lamb of God!" Jesus is that Lamb of God Who was sacrificed for all people. Like the Lamb butchered on the day of Atonement in the Old Testament whose shed blood freed the people from their sins each year, Jesus has taken away the sins of the world! His body given to death on the cross and His blood shed for you at Calvary forgive you your sins, replacing them with His Own righteousness. You eat this body and drink His blood today in His Supper!

Amen.

Hymns from LSB:

734  I Trust Oh Lord your Holy Name   (Listen through the prelude. The hymn with stanzas will follow)
402  The Only Son of Heaven     (same again)
404  Jesus, Once with Sinners Numbered
534  Lord Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor  stanzas  music 

Easter 2 John 20:19-31

John: to the 7 churches the ones in Asia; grace to you and peace from the One Who was, and the One Who is, and the One coming, and from the 7 spirits which face His throne, and from Jesus Christ, The Witness, the Faithful, The Firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To the One loving us and freeing us out of our sins in His blood, And He made us a kingdom, priests to God and His Father, to Him the glory and the power into the ages of the ages. Amen. Look He comes with the clouds, and all eyes will see Him also the ones piercing Him, and all the tribes of the earth will grieve upon him. Yes, Amen. I Myself am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, the One Who was, the One Who is, and the One coming, the Ruler of all. I, John, your brother and sharer in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island, the one called Patmos on account of the Word of God and the witness of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day and I heard behind me a great sound as a trumpet saying, “What you see, you write into a book and send to the 7 churches...And I turned to look at the sound which spoke with me, and having turned I saw 7 lamps of gold, and in the midst of the lamps one like a Son of Man dressed in a long robe and belted across His chest with a golden belt. And his head and hair white as wool, white as snow and His eyes as a flame of fire and His feet like bronze as it glows in a furnace and His voice as a sound of much water, and having in His right hand 7 stars and out of His mouth a sharp double-edged sword, and His outward appearance as the sun shining in its power. And when I saw Him, I fell to his feet as a dead person, and He placed His right hand upon me saying, “Stop being afraid; I Myself am the First and the Last and the Living one, and I was dead and look, alive I am into the ages of the ages and I–the keys of the death and of the Hades.      

   

  

Jesus is still Risen! Yes, the One who was dead now lives. Just as He lived to show Himself to unbelieving Thomas on earth, He also lives now in heaven above as He revealed Himself to John. But even more importantly to you, Jesus is still Risen for you. He still lives for the sake of the churches where His gospel love is preached, and where His actions of love are received in the sacraments. Jesus is, for you, the Firstborn from the dead, so that with Him, though you die, you live!

  

There is little doubt, of course, that Jesus was. Even the worst of historians will concede that a man named Jesus lived 2000 years ago in Palestine. But the fact that Jesus still is? This is difficult to accept. He died, after all. How can He make Himself alive when He’s dead? Thomas wouldn’t believe it. Many today doubt that Jesus still lives after death. You, yourself may have doubts at times too.

  

But the evidence that Jesus lives is all around you. He Who rules now over this world’s kings has made you to be a kingdom, to be priests with access to all of God’s blessings! Instead of you making sacrifices to try to please God as the priests of old, you are freed from your sins already by Jesus blood shed for you, and by His body given up as an offering for you. You taste and see that He is good!

  

There is also much doubt about Jesus’ return. The early church expected Him to come back quickly, and here it is 2000 years now and Jesus hasn’t reappeared yet. Many skeptics will wrongly assume that Jesus is never coming back. John himself may have had his own doubts as the sole surviving Apostle imprisoned on the isle of Patmos. Perhaps you have doubts about Jesus returning to earth.

  

So Jesus appears to John to show him that there is no reason for doubting, since the Son of Man is clearly alive. John is told to write this down to the 7 churches, meaning all the churches of God’s divine judgment, which includes our congregation. As He speaks, His voice is like the sound of much water, to remind you of your Baptism, washed by water and word, you are raised in Jesus to new life!

  

Even if you have no doubts about Jesus, you may have doubts about yourself. It’s already been a long while awaiting Jesus’ return, and it could be a long time yet. Like John, you live in the age of tribulation, with all sorts of temptations, trials and troubles abounding just because you are a Christian. You may be so overwhelmed that you faint dead away like John did before the appearance of Jesus.

  

But Jesus word of gospel love encourages you. He says to you, as He did to John, “Stop being afraid!” He tells you that He has won the victory over sin, death and hell, and now holds the Keys in His hand. Those keys lock up death and hades forever, and open the door of heaven for you! He Who now lives forever gives to you life everlasting in paradise with Him, into the ages of the ages! Amen.