We are making our way In recent weeks we have heard the stories of · 2019-01-14 · Sermon January 13 2019 Finally Something Worth Changing Over Rev. Aaron N. Schnell, St. Matthew’s

Sermon January 13 2019 Finally Something Worth Changing OverRev. Aaron N. Schnell, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Spruce Grove Page � of �1 12

We are making our way through the Gospel according to Matthew. In recent weeks we have heard the stories of Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ family tree, the visit from the Magi, and the family’s subsequent escape to Egypt as refugees, fleeing for safety after the threat of violence from Herod. The family then moved to Nazareth, returning to Jesus’ hometown (according to Luke, anyways).

Then, Matthew skips over a couple of decades and we hear about Jesus’ baptism by John. No stories about Jesus’ childhood, nor adolescence, nor young adulthood. Luke includes the story of Jesus at the temple as an adolescent, but Matthew doesn’t.

For Matthew, New Life begins with God’s promise of the Messiah and New Life all begins with baptism.


We normally hear about John the Baptist in Advent, however the Narrative Lectionary moves chronologically. It is fitting to hear about John the baptist today, for this is the one who follows in the tradition of Isaiah and the prophets, Elijah in particular: Prepare the way of the Lord! This is the one who Jesus approaches to be baptized.

But John adds a little flavour for the brood of vipers who came to see him. All the people from Judea came to see John, and John does not hold back on them. Repent! The Lord is coming. Change your mind, change your direction, change your life towards God and the Messiah who is near. The kingdom of Heaven is near. This is Good News and this is worth changing over.

Invite reader forward.

Let us welcome the Gospel by singing our Gospel Acclamation.


READING: Matthew 3:1-17 The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the third chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.

1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' " 4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." The Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you, O Christ!

Happy New Year! New Year - New You. That’s the motto I see advertised on posters and social media.


January 1st means New Years Resolutions. Did any of you make any resolutions?

I was going to resolve to give up procrastinating but I think I’ll just give that up next year.

For many people, New Year Resolutions, New Year New Me means going back to the gym.


Some people make resolutions and stick to them. Others, Go to the gym for two weeks and then back to Tim’s for the rest of the year.

January 1st is arbitrary. It’s a number, a date. Like the First Sunday in Advent, or the first day of Spring, or any other day for that matter, each day is a new opportunity for change. The calendar changing isn’t really a good reason to change.

According to Psychology Today, 80% of New Years Resolutions fail by February. Not very successful. Resolutions fail because the motivation is unclear, or because it just isn’t that important. Some resolutions are too daunting, leaving people feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. 1

The gym is emptier after January because people don’t see results right away. The changes people want to see seem to take too much work.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/modern-mentality/201812/why-new-years-1

resolutions-fail

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/modern-mentality/201812/why-new-years-resolutions-fail




Regardless of what the resolution is, often New Years resolutions don’t stick because people just don’t want to change.

It reminds me of the time a man went to see his doctor.

He asked the doctor if he’ll make it to 80. The doctor said “At this rate you’ll never make it to 80. If you want to make it to 80 you’ll need to cut out red meat, no alcohol, watch your sugars and, at the very least, you’ll have to quit smoking!”


So the man said “If I give all that up, why would I want to live to 80?”

For some people, better health is just not worth it. The results aren’t worth the change of behaviour.

Jesus is worth changing for. The Kingdom of Heaven in our midst is worth changing for.

John the Baptist’s message was simple. Repent. Change your ways. And it is worth it. Jesus, the Messiah is coming… and boy is he mad! Be careful or you’ll be cut off like chaff.

John might have gotten it wrong.


If we look ahead to Matthew 11, John was imprisoned and having heard about what Jesus was doing, John sent his disciples to ask Jesus “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

John might have been expecting a different kind of Messiah: a military-political power who will stick it to those bad people and save the righteous. Even John the Baptist had to learn and grow in faith towards understanding who Jesus is; that Jesus is God’s gift of love and grace, that Jesus ushers in God’s kingdom, that Jesus brings forgiveness for our pasts, purpose for our present, and belonging for our future.

Whether John truly understood what kind of Messiah Jesus is or not, John grew in faith seeking understanding about Jesus, But John knew enough his role, his purpose, his mission.


The crowds came to John asking if he was the Messiah, and he was confident in saying “NO!”, pointing to the One who is to come, Jesus of Nazareth. John’s life matters because of Jesus. Jesus made John who he was. John knew his baptism could not save others, let alone himself; only Jesus Christ can save, only Christ’s baptism is of the Holy Spirit. John knew that Jesus is worth changing for. So he baptized for repentance, for change.

Still today, Jesus is worth changing for. The Kingdom of Heaven is worth changing for.

Maybe it is our minds that need to change towards a greater understanding of who Jesus is. Maybe it is our behaviours that need to change to better reflect God’s Kingdom in our midst. Maybe it is our commitment or our certainty or our fragility My friends, Jesus is worth changing for.


Here is the Good News: Jesus changes you. Through baptism, through the Holy Spirit, it’s not so much about us changing, but about God changing us. We can’t do enough in our lives to make ourselves righteous.


People are good, capable of great love and doing incredible good, but we also have mixed motives and desires, and a great capacity for evil and destruction and hatred.

John is right; we need to change. Thanks be to God that it is God’s work that changes us.

In those baptismal waters, the old you dies daily to sin and rises to Christ. Every day, you are a new creation in baptism: the old has passed away and new life springs forth. Every day in baptism, God says that you are beloved, that you loved. Every day in baptism, God’s Spirit is at work in you, reminding you of who you are called to be.


You aren’t either good wheat or bad chaff. You’re both. You are completely, 100% sinner You are completely 100% saint, forgiven, justified, at one with God.

In baptism, God’s Spirit changes you, refines you, purifies you. God’s Spirit removes that chaff from you and God collects that good wheat that is left in you, welcoming you into God’s granary. God’s Spirit moves you towards finding your home in God’s granary, the Kingdom of Heaven that has come near and is in your midst.

Yes and yes again, Jesus is worth changing for, and God is already making the change in you. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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We are making our way In recent weeks we have heard the stories of · 2019-01-14 · Sermon January 13 2019 Finally Something Worth Changing Over Rev. Aaron N. Schnell, St. Matthew’s