Loving God, you call us to new beginnings, renewing us by your Spirit.  Speak to our minds and hearts this day, making us aware of your mercy and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            For those who prefer things to be short and sweet and to the point, Mark is the gospel for you!  Mark doesn’t waste any time with a birth narrative, or really, any introduction at all.  The gospel starts and ends abruptly, and is “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mk. 1:1).  From there, a couple of quotations from the prophets lead us straight to John the Baptist, who has simply “appeared” in the wilderness.  Stay alert, however, for every detail is of importance.

         For one thing, in only a few, short verses, John is placed squarely within the prophetic tradition of the Jewish people.  His clothing and his food would have reminded people of Elijah, and both Malachi and Isaiah point towards John and his mission.  In fact, those who are familiar with Malachi would have known that Elijah’s appearance was promised before “the day of the Lord” comes, in order to bring about repentance and reconciliation (Mal. 4:5-6).

         These details might help to explain why so many people were going to John in order to confess their sins and be baptized in the river Jordan.  According to Mark, there were “people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem” who were going to John (Mk. 1:5), and Luke mentions crowds of people (Lk. 3:7).  We might be forgiven for asking what would make people so eager to confess their sins to John and be baptized.  What would make you eager for confession and cleansing?

         One possibility would be a guilty conscience.  If you have a sin or sins that are weighing you down, you might seek out an opportunity to confess, repent, and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing.  In fact, in some cases, you might seek out somebody you have never met before, because you are too ashamed to talk to somebody who knows you.

         Another possibility would be the belief that the end is near – either the end of your own life on this earth, or the end of the world as we know it.  If you thought that you would soon be standing in the presence of God or before the judgement seat, it might make sense to seek out an opportunity for confession and cleansing.

         As for those who first saw or heard about John the Baptist, they may well have expected that the end was near.  Those who knew about Malachi’s prophecy may have believed that Judgment Day was not that far away.  And, prior to judgment day, they would have expected the Messiah to come.  After all, there was an entire community of people at Qumran who were trying to hasten the coming of the Messiah by purifying themselves, praying, and following the Torah.  Surely, an expectation of meeting the Messiah might prompt people to confess their sins and be baptized.

         Still, there is another group of people that comes to mind – those who were struggling, and living under oppression, and poor, and outcast.  It is likely that these people went to see John in the hope that somehow, they would be saved from their misery.  There would also be those who were simply looking for something more – not satisfied with their lives as they were, and searching for something better.

         It is interesting to contemplate whether John would get many customers these days.  The things that seem to draw crowds include sporting events, protests, spectacles, and Taylor Swift concerts.  Were somebody to stand by the Red River and proclaim that people should repent and be baptized, it is hard to say what might happen.

         John, for his part, had a mission that was very specific, and that was to point people to Jesus.  Certainly, he did proclaim “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mk. 1:4).  However, his second proclamation was about the one who would be coming after him. John points to the one who is more powerful than he is, more important than he is, and who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:7-8).  

         In spite of the fact that we live in a different time and place, pointing to Jesus is still a valid mission.  At the same time, sometimes “return, repentance, and rededication” are needed both in our lives and in the lives of others (workingpreacher.org).  Among other things, the season of Advent, and the readings that we have heard today, invite us to ponder new beginnings.  

         Sometimes this does mean repenting, confessing our sins, and receiving God’s forgiveness through Jesus.  Sometimes this means taking time to center ourselves on the things that really matter and are eternal.  Sometimes this means renewing our commitment to Jesus, opening ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and discerning where God is leading us in the days and weeks ahead.

         The need in our world continues to be great, but God’s provision and abundance are even greater.  At the same time, there continue to be people who are looking for more – in fact, looking for Jesus, even though they don’t know it.  Let us, then, continually point to Jesus, sharing God’s love with as many as possible by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Advent 2(B)                                       Mark 1:1-8

December 10, 2023

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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