Advent:Pointing to Jesus

Advent, which means coming, is a traditional observance among more liturgical Christian bodies. It is spread over several weeks leading up to Christmas; each Sunday of Advent offers us a look into the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent actually begins a segment of the liturgical calendar which extends into January with the Epiphany . Advent may be described as "progressive retrogression", that is it begins in the future and moves into the past.

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the First Installment in the  Advent Series

Advent: Second Sunday: 12/8/2013 : Pointing to Jesus.

When  John the Baptist came into the Wilderness of Judea, he stood on the banks of Jordan and he called out to the people of Israel preparing them to meet the very Messiah that they had so long awaited.

 John Baptist  came and they came to John. John was different then the religious establishment not just in zeal and appearance but in purpose, John came not on his own but by the authority of God solely to point others to that long awaited Messiah.  

John's mission was not self serving,  he saw himself as only a voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Messiah.

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which shall prepare your way before you.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Mark:1:1-3

A voice simply speaks what the heart tells it to. John did not seek his own glory,  but only the glory of that One to come.

"And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There comes one mightier than I after me, the lace of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit."(6-8)

When questioned about himself by the representative of religious establishment , he did not in any way attempt to uses the opportunity to appropriate glory to himself in any way.

"And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." John:1:19-23

This is the One 

John was wholly given over to mission of God, that of preparing the way for the Advent of the Messiah and His ministry among the people, that is pointing to that One.

 It is then, when Jesus comes to the banks of that Jordan  where John powerful lifted his voice,   and is baptized by John ,  that  God the Father announces to John  that Jesus is the One, the long awaited Messiah is come; Heaven is opened above  and Jesus is identified by the voice from Heaven and the descending of the Spirit manifest as a dove.

"And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending on him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. " Mark:1:9-11

 The baptism of Jesus is the Public Ceremony that points Jesus out,  and God's  anointing of Him, and revealing that there has been a transition to a new relationship  has been made available between God and man.  

The Messiah is come. The Heavens are opened, the Spirit is descended. This reveals why Jesus has come,  to make us his beloved Children  to whom the heavens have opened and the Spirit given to us.

It is then that John points out Jesus even to His own disciplines, no attempt is made by John to cling to those who came to him, his ministry is now fulfilled he has  told others about Jesus.  When we come to believe in Jesus, our lives have accomplished everything that a human life was intended to accomplish. We are born to come to believe in Jesus that is the purpose of human life.

"Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking on Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus."John:1:35-37

Hard Times

This was a time of hardship and oppression  a time of difficulty for the people of Israel individually and collectively, in the midst of this time of hardship uncertainty and oppression John comes and stands of the bank of that Jordan in that wilderness and proclaims that God has moved  on behalf of his people  and points out the One who has come ,  the One that Israel and all humanity has long awaited.

It was in these times that the message of John caused people to respond,  they saw in John that there was a distinct difference  in him, than other “religious” people of his day.

They saw that he had a message that he was zealous for  , not just a rant about how terrible things are and if the people band together in Social or Political activism things can changes, but a message that shows there is an  answer  provided by God in His Son Jesus.

That the answer has come.  John called for a change of thinking that would change the tenor of their lives when they too encounter Jesus.

The answer to the difficulties of the people was not found in any humanly devised source but in the means provided by God Himself through His Son Jesus. The Heavens are opened and the Spirit is given. 

We see here the Trinity brought together to show the answer and the invitation that God is issuing to humanity, if they will but freely receive it. It also speaks to us as to where our true hope lies. 

John was preparing to the people of Israel to meet their God face to face in the person of our Lord. In an by our Lord Jesus we encounter the Great God, that is what God has done for the Israel,  and all peoples. In the Advent of Jesus we meet our God.

"Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel: and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel." Amos:4:12

For Today’s Hard Times

Those hard times are in many respects much like our times in these latter days .Difficulties , uncertainties, oppression, fears of every sort ,  religious hypocrisy and apathy , social decay.  a time when people need real answers. 

John points out that Jesus is come, that God has provided the answers to any and all of life’s challenges. John even now , beyond the grave,  pointing us ever  and always to Jesus "the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". telling us that the One is come.

God in Christ has come to Humanity,  that there are answers,  that God is there to help His  people,  He is not far off or removed from us but rather ever present to help. The Heavens are opened.

Christ Is Come

John’s whole message was about the One to whom he pointed, it was about God delivering His people,  a change that brought about transformation..  It was  John's message,  a message that caused John to stand apart from the religious leaders of His day,  and it  should be our message,  a  message that causes  us to stand in contrast to just being "religious" . Our transformed live should inform others that Jesus is come. 

John  was different and so  we must be different, our life’s message must be zealous and genuine, not just filled with scripture quotes and platitudes. But life lived out of a true love for our Lord and those around us. Our lives should be testimony that Jesus is come.

 We, as John called for, must have a life that produces the fruit of the Spirit. A life that Christ fills.

As John said John: 3:30-“He must increase and I must Decrease”, that is , Christ must stand forth in our lives that other see more of Him and less of us , Our lives testifying that Christ is come ,  not has,  or will,  but even now is.

The life we live is Jesus’ life,  He should be Standing forth and seen in clear view to all around us.

They Can See Jesus and Follow

We are given participation in the Life Jesus that others  can see God has sent the Christ to be with us all even in the difficult times , to encourage and comfort them.  

We would never know how much we all need Him if things were always good and comfort abounded . It is in the hardships of this life that our Lord proves His love to us. 

Our lives should proclaim that Jesus has accomplished the salvation of Humanity and offers them all to be active in this Salvation, so that they can see Christ in our lives and follow Him.

Sharing Jesus

 Even as John  points our Jesus to his disciples and they follow, they in turn tell others about the Lord. This is our life's calling ,even as it was John's it is now the calling of all Christians that our lives point to Jesus to others.


"And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, What seek you? They said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwell you? He said to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelled, and stayed with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first finds his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, You are Simon the son of Jona: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone." John:1:37-42

The Message of Advent is John's  message  " behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" Christ is come .Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.

Washington, Pennsylvania.   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard  on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com