The Lutheran Hour
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"John, God’s Living Advertisement"
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Text: Mark 1:4
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! At Christmas time, we remembered our Savior’s birth. Sent by the Father on a mission of divine grace, He was born so we might never die. With these words of resurrection, we share with all the lost and lonely world that this work of love was completed on Calvary’s cross and verified by the empty tomb. Armed with the knowledge of His resurrection and victory, we proudly tell all who are still condemned and cursed that there is hope. Empowered by Christ’s command and motivated by our own grateful hearts, we become living advertisements which say, “In Jesus there is life.”
I was in my early teens when a small, Minneapolis based company called “Burma Shave” went out of business. If you’re my age or older, you remember the company. Your memory is not so much of the product, a shaving cream, as it is of the company’s advertisements. For those who are younger than I, let me explain. Back in the olden days before interstates made traveling a blur, the Burma Shave Company would put up, about 100 feet apart, little red signs. There were almost always five of these signs. The first four carried a poem; the last had the name of the company. As you drove along the road, you couldn’t resist reading those ads. Let me give you a few examples:
“Within this vale of toil and sin, Your head grows bald but not your chin – use Burma-Shave.” The advertisements were filled with practical advice like: “Don’t lose your head to gain a minute, You need your head, your brains are in it.” Sometimes, they had a warning, like: “Brother speeders, let’s rehearse, All together, good morning, nurse.” Sometimes the ads were almost theological: “Passing cars when you can’t see May get you a glimpse of eternity.” Here’s another: “Around the corner they went whizzin’ The fault was hers, the funeral his’n. Burma Shave.”
Now, listeners may wonder why I mention those advertisements. It’s not to get a kick back from Burma Shave. They went out of business in the early ’60’s. I’m sharing because I want you to realize those ads from a defunct company and an extinct product have stayed with me for almost 40 years. Those advertisements were a powerful thing. Good ads usually are.
Let me tell you about another advertisement that’s going to stay with me for awhile. This last October I was driving down the street and saw a giant gorilla doll in front of a party store in our neighborhood. You know, the kind of store that rents costumes for Halloween. I thought to myself, “they better watch out or someone is going to steal that thing. It would look great in a college dorm.” That’s when the doll turned and waved at me! Before I knew what I was doing, in shock, I waved back. That’s when I realized it wasn’t a doll or a robot. It was a person inside a suit. It was a “living” advertisement for the party store. Although I get impressed easily, this was a pretty impressive thing.
For over 80 years, Lutheran Hour Ministries has been ‘advertising’ Jesus. Now, I know some folks might object to the word “advertise” in that line. It seems so base and commercial. If you are among those who feel that way, let me share that this word “advertise” originally meant “to turn toward.” So, in its purest form we are advertising or turning people toward Jesus. That’s something we, and the rest of God’s people, are not ashamed to do. That certainly was true for John the Baptist. John the Baptist was God’s living advertisement for Jesus, God’s Son, our Savior.
Now, understand, John was certainly not the first living advertiser God had sent into this world to tell people about the Messiah. There were others. Moses advertised the Messiah when he, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had foretold that the Savior, as He died for us, would have none of His bones broken (Exodus 12:46; John 19:36). Suffering Job taught us all to cling to the promise that Jesus would be a Redeemer, the One who would, at the cost of His life, give us eternal life (Job 19: 25-27; Galatians 4:4). King David was a living advertisement to the Lord’s resurrection when he wrote that God’s Son would not, in death, see decay (Psalm 16: 8-10; Acts 2:27). Hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Isaiah served as a living advertisement when He shared that the Shepherd would die for His sheep (Isaiah 40: 10-11; John 10:11). Of course, Isaiah went much further than that. He also wrote that Jesus would be scourged and spat upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67); rejected by His people (Isaiah 52:13; Mark 15: 3-4); that He would be silent when He was accused (Isaiah 53:7; Mark 15:3); and that He would be crucified with criminals (Isaiah 53:12; John 12: 37-38). Ezekiel was God’s living advertisement when he shared through Jesus that the humble would be exalted (Ezekiel 21: 26-27; Luke 1:52).
The Old Testament is filled with living advertisements to Jesus. Hosea predicted Jesus would have to flea to Egypt (Hosea 11:1) and it happened. Amos told us the sun would stop shining (Amos 8:9), and so it was when Jesus was crucified (Matthew 24:29). Micah advertised Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-5; Luke 2:24). No, John the Baptist was hardly first in line to be a living advertisement for the Christ.
John came, another of God’s living advertisements, to the Savior. Of course, when John came, he broke just about every advertising rule there is. John didn’t believe in fancy packaging as he turned people to Jesus. He came dressed in camel’s hair. John didn’t believe in using radio, television, newspapers or magazines. He relied on word of mouth. And that word of mouth had the entire Judean countryside showing up, along with all the people of Jerusalem (John 5). John had no supermodels to turn people to the message of salvation. He employed no famous athletes from the most recent Olympics or the local chariot races. John used no media campaigns or blitzes. John called in no make-up men or hairstylists to improve his appearance. John didn’t attempt to make people feel good. On the contrary, his message was uncomfortable to hear: “Repent, the kingdom of God is near.”
It was only last month the world’s advertisers told you what they thought Christmas was all about. They said Christmas was all about giving and they suggested you give the particular product they were selling. Others said Christmas was all about family and togetherness. Some said Christmas was all about staying in touch with friends. Some, who were concerned about global conflicts, said Christmas was all about “peace on earth–good will toward men.” If you listened, you heard “Christmas is all about babies and the gift of life; it’s all about having the right people at the right party; it’s all about……”
That’s where John would interrupt. He would step out of the River Jordan and tell us what Christ, Christmas, and Easter, too, is really all about. With a penetrating look and a powerful voice, he would say, “These celebrations are all about getting ready for eternity. The world may get tired of hearing me, but I keep preaching until people get it. What began in Bethlehem, what continued to Calvary, and on to an empty tomb is not all about “good feelings.” What God did for us in sending His Son is not a temporary escape from the hard facts of this world. Christmas and the life of Jesus are not just a time of good cheer. And then, John might stop and add, “God’s Son can be all of these things. But first, foremost and always, Jesus is how we can be saved from our sins; how we can be saved from ourselves. That’s why I tell people to prepare and to repent. So they could be ready, I pointed them to the One, Jesus, who was coming after me. So they could be ready, I told them how He would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. So the world can be ready is why I was sent to be a living advertisement to Jesus.”
That’s the kind of thing John would have said. And then John would step aside. John stepped aside because Jesus arrived. John stepped aside so Jesus could begin His ministry. John stepped aside because the Lord above wanted to make sure, in case anybody had missed John’s message, or Isaiah’s prophecy, or Moses’ foretelling, the Savior of the world was here. Yes, John stepped aside as the heavens opened and a voice proclaimed, “Jesus is My Son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased.” Then, even though John knew he would decrease in influence, even as Jesus would increase in importance, he went back to work (John 3:30). He kept pointing people to Jesus, the Lamb of God. He allowed his disciples to become Jesus’ disciples. He told a message that 20 centuries later, you still need to hear. By God’s power, get rid of the sins you’re carrying around. Repent. Look for salvation to Jesus who fulfilled the prophecies for you. Look to Jesus who lived His entire life for you. Look to Jesus who fulfilled all the laws for you. Look to Jesus who died for you. Look to Jesus, believe, and be saved. From before birth, until his death, that was the message of John, God’s living advertisement. It is the message that is proclaimed by every Christian who knows the Lamb of God has saved him.
Now, it is precisely at this point in the sermon I can sense a lot of people straighten up and vehemently, strongly object. Those who want no association with the Savior, as well as those who once knew Him, but have fallen away, are saying, “Pastor, I know some Christians and they aren’t John the Baptist. They don’t live like John the Baptist. They don’t talk like John the Baptist. They don’t point to the Savior like John the Baptist. If the folks I’ve met are living advertisements to Jesus; if they’re supposed to be turning me and others toward Jesus, they are doing a mighty poor job.” If that’s the way you feel, please don’t give up. What I’m going to say is of paramount importance, for it touches your salvation and your eternal home of heaven or hell.
The first thing I want to say is: “Christians are all to be living advertisements for Jesus.” I can’t back off of that. I can’t back off because the Bible doesn’t back off. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “Do not cause anyone to stumble” (1 Corinthians 10:32). Elsewhere he wrote: “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way” (2 Corinthians 6: 3-4). The beloved disciple John reminded us that we are to be living advertisements to Jesus when he wrote, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). Even our Savior said His disciples “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them; and they will be His witnesses …. to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). God, who would have all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, expects His redeemed people to be living advertisements for Jesus.”
This takes me to the second thing I wanted to say. It’s actually a confession. Sometimes we Christians are not very good at being living advertisements to the Savior. Years ago, a Christian baroness, living in the highlands of Nairobi, Kenya, hired a young national to be her houseboy. After three months, he asked the baroness to give him a letter of reference. He wanted to work for a friendly sheik that lived some miles away. The baroness, not wishing the houseboy to leave just as he had learned the routine of the household, offered to increase his pay. The lad shared he was not moving on to receive a higher salary. When asked why he was moving, he shared that some time ago he had decided to become a Christian or a Muslim. It was that search which brought him to work for the baroness. He wanted to see how Christians lived. Now he was going to work for someone who believed in Islam. After three months with him, he would decide what faith to adopt. He wasn’t going to read Christianity’s Bible. He wasn’t going to look at his sins and see that only God’s Son could take away those sins. He was going to pick a faith solely on the basis of the living advertisements for whom he had worked. It goes without saying, the baroness, realizing she had been a living advertisement for Jesus and had neglected a clear sharing of her Savior, was embarrassed. She could only exclaim, ‘Why didn’t you tell me that at the beginning?'”
During his early days in South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi inquired about Christianity. For several Sundays he attended a Christian church. His evaluation was, “The congregation did not strike me as being particularly religious. They were not an assembly of devout souls, but appeared rather worldly-minded people going to church for recreation and in conformity to custom.” Gandhi concluded there was nothing in Christianity that could be of service to him, and he went his way.
Maybe you, like Gandhi, have judged the Master by His servants. That is a mistake. Christians are not perfect. Indeed, if they were, they would have no need of a Savior. On the contrary, we are sinners, like you. We are jealous and we are petty, small and greedy, lustful and vulgar in our speech. Our tongues can be sharp and our thoughts are often far from pure. In all of these things, we show just how much we need a Savior. But there is more. When confronted by these sins, we go to Jesus and confess, “Lord be merciful to me, a sinner.” And we have the knowledge that He, who gave His life upon the cross, is merciful.” He who loves us, sends His Holy Spirit upon us so we can, forgiven and free, be empowered to be better and different. Now, see and evaluate the Savior who forgives us, who offers hope for eternity. John would agree. You need to see Him whose sandals we are not worthy to untie. You need to see Him who gave His life so you might have life.
And to those of you who already know the Savior, but are leading a less than exemplary life, bearing a witness less than clear, allow me to say, “Straighten up.” People from the countryside of Judea, and all of Jerusalem may not be coming to watch you, and listen to you, as they did John the Baptist. But do not assume that because there is no crowd they are not there. You have the truth. You have the Savior, the Scriptures, salvation that can only come from the God of grace, through Jesus’ precious blood. We need to share that Savior.
People all around you should read the Bible and see clearly what you have. But, they don’t. People all around you will judge your Savior by what you say and do. Be careful. Be like the college student, a recent convert, who tried to be a living advertisement and make a defense of Jesus before his mocking college professor. Not being accustomed to speaking, he hemmed and hawed. At this, the professor cuttingly commented, “Young man, is that the best you can do? You ought to be ashamed of yourself looking and talking like that.” “Well,” the young man replied, “I am ashamed of myself, but I am not ashamed of Christ.” God grant the words and the example of John the Baptist and this college student. Be our words and example as we become living advertisements for the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for Jan. 12, 2003 New Year’s Resolutions–
ANNOUNCER: We’re coming to the end of January. Have you managed to keep your New Year’s resolutions? I’m Mark Eischer, here with Pastor Ken Klaus. Pastor, did you make a resolution this year?
KLAUS: Yes.
ANNOUNCER: OK. What is it?
KLAUS: Give shorter answers.
ANNOUNCER: Have you kept that resolution?
KLAUS: So far.
ANNOUNCER: So, this could be a very quick segment.
KLAUS: Yes.
ANNOUNCER: Would it be a good idea if I moved onto some other questions about resolutions?
KLAUS: Yes, and I’ll stop playing around and give you a little more in the way of an answer.
ANNOUNCER: In other words, you might be willing to break your New Year’s resolution?
KLAUS: That’s what most people do, isn’t it, Mark? I think that’s what Saint Paul said in his writings to the church at Rome: “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). Saint Paul was telling the world, and I think the world agrees, “will power” and “won’t power” are often not enough to conquer the things we know are wrong in our lives.
ANNOUNCER: Is that a universal truth? Does everybody feel that things are somehow wrong in their lives?
KLAUS: Just about everyone I have ever met, Mark. I don’t know a single person, who, in their most candid moment, refuses to admit there are a great many things they want to change about their lives. A number of years ago, a book came out that said I’m OK, you’re OK. It sounds great. All of us want to believe it. The truth is, there is a small voice, well, sometimes a very large voice, inside us that says, ‘you’re not that OK.’
ANNOUNCER: And perhaps because we sense we’re not OK, we try to make ourselves OK by keeping resolutions?
KLAUS: That’s what we do.
ANNOUNCER: But we fail?
KLAUS: Very often.
ANNOUNCER: Why?
KLAUS: We fail because it’s hard to pick yourself up by your own bootstraps. In fact, I don’t think it can be done; not by ourselves–not without help from the outside.
ANNOUNCER: Can people make lasting, big-time changes in their lives by making resolutions?
KLAUS: Well, some people do manage to improve some things for a little while. They may take off some weight. They may stop smoking. They may start exercising. They may start leading a healthier life style. They might stop gossiping, or begin spending more time with the people they love. Yes, people can make some changes through resolutions.
ANNOUNCER: And, then, if they keep these resolutions, they’ll feel good about themselves?
KLAUS: Many of them feel better. Sometimes some feel a lot better about themselves. But, ultimately, the “good” feeling fades. Sooner or later, another difficulty, another problem, another shortcoming arises. And then they’re back to feeling something’s not right.
ANNOUNCER: They make another set of resolutions?
KLAUS: That’s it. Around and around they go, in a never ending search for satisfaction. It’s never ending, because there’s always something that causes dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction is there, because we, deep down in ourselves, are not able to be satisfied and content. We long for contentment, but find it elusive. There is something in us that says we are imperfect and will always be imperfect. That is what sends us on a search for forgiveness and fulfillment–a search that finds its ultimate answer in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
ANNOUNCER: What will believing in Jesus do?
KLAUS: Mark, when you ask a child in one of our congregation’s parochial or Sunday schools, “What did Jesus do for you?” They often reply, “Jesus died for me.”
ANNOUNCER: There’s nothing wrong with that answer.
KLAUS: There isn’t. But there is another, additional part of the answer that needs to be remembered.
ANNOUNCER: What would that be?
KLAUS: It’s this: “Jesus lived for me.”
ANNOUNCER: That’s important?
KLAUS: Absolutely. We often focus so much on Jesus’ passion and death that we forget Jesus also lived every day of His life for us. Each moment of each day, of each week, of each month, of each year of His life, Jesus lived for us. The temptations to sin that trip up you and me, He successfully avoided. The sins we commit, as a matter of course, He resisted. There was not a single time He stumbled and fell. Now, Jesus didn’t do all of this for Himself. He did that to take our place. He fulfilled the law for us.
ANNOUNCER: We’ll have more to say about that next week. We hope you’ll join us then. The next Lutheran Hour message is titled, “What are You Worth?”