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 4 aka Good Shepherd Sunday

After these things I saw, and look a great crowd, which no one was able to count, out of every ethnicity and tribes and peoples and languages, standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and palms in their hands, and they cried in great voice, saying; "the salvation in our God, in the One sitting upon the throne and in the Lamb." And all the angels were standing around the throne and the presbyters and the four living ones, and they fell before the throne and knelt in worship before God saying "Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength in our God into the ages of the ages. Amen." And answered, one out of the presbyters saying to me, "These the ones dressed in the white robes, who are they and from where have they come?" And I say to him, "My master, you know," and He said to me, "these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb. Through this, they are in front of the throne of God and serve Him in worship day and night in His sanctuary; and the One sitting upon the throne tabernacles upon them. They will not hunger still, nor will they thirst still, no, the sun will not fall upon them nor all heat; for the Lamb, the One in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and will lead their way upon springs of the waters of life, and "God will wipe every tear out of their eyes."  

Today we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, as God directs our attention to the work of Jesus who leads us to green pastures and still waters. He is our Shepherd, and as such He takes care of us as His beloved lambs. But Jesus is no ordinary Shepherd. He's no guy who watches over sheep just because somebody is paying Him to do it. He's no hireling. In fact, Jesus is the very opposite of a money grubber. As your Good Shepherd, Jesus cares for you as His Own no matter what it costs Him 

Just what did it cost Jesus? A whole lot! The price Jesus paid to be your Good Shepherd was enormous! First, to be the best shepherd for you, Jesus begins by humbling Himself to be exactly the same as you. You are a lamb in need of care, so Jesus becomes a lamb like you. Although He was God in heaven above, He didn't consider His God-ness something to hold on to, so He humbled Himself to come down to this world to be born as a human person, in every way just like you.

But understand, this was just the very beginning of Jesus' humiliation for you. Things only got worse for Him from there. Because you have failed so miserably in loving God with your whole heart, and in loving your neighbor as you love yourself, Jesus came to live under God's Law in your place. Where you failed to keep the commandments, your Savior lived under the burden of God's Law perfectly, obedient in every thought, word and act. He alone was righteous before God the Father in heaven.

Yet Jesus didn't just take your place in life here on earth. He went one step further. Jesus made Himself to be a perfect sacrifice for your sin. He offered Himself up as the sacrificial Lamb killed in your place. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, became a Lamb like you to lay down His life unto death for you. He takes the punishment you deserved at Calvary. He lays down His life embracing your sin and death as His Own, in order to take it up again to bring life and immortality to light for you.

Jesus does not remain a dead Lamb, but raises Himself to life again to continue being your Good Shepherd. For you daily sin much. You need your filthy garments cleansed in the waters of your baptism, made white in those waters of life. The robe you wear in front of your heavenly Father's throne is the robe of Jesus' Own righteousness, exchanged with you for your sin which He bore in His body on the tree of Calvary. Jesus' holiness, His goodness, Christ's pure righteousness is yours–a gift

You aren't just washed with the water which flowed from Jesus' pierced side, but also you are cleansed by His blood shed for you at Golgotha. The Good Shepherd laid down His body in death at the cross so that you may eat it in the Lord's Supper. He shed His cleansing blood for you there so that you now drink it in the cup of salvation which is in the Lamb. With this blessed food of Holy Communion, you know that you will neither hunger nor thirst any more before God's throne in heaven.

So you see, this is precisely how Jesus, the Lamb of God, has become your shepherd, using under-shepherds like your pastor to wash you in Holy Baptism, lead you to the green pastures of the Lord's Table, and proclaim the Good Shepherd's voice to you, which by the gift of faith, you recognize. You are those whom Jesus will shepherd through the great tribulation, wiping every tear from your eyes. Jesus shepherds you here, until you stand in front of the throne of God in the sanctuary of heaven.

Amen

Hymns for today from LSB:
#710  The Lord's My Shepherd I'll Not Want
#709  The King of Love My Shepherd Is
#740  I am Jesus' Little Lamb
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