{"id":25687,"date":"2025-12-10T18:18:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T17:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/?p=25687"},"modified":"2025-12-10T18:19:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T17:19:02","slug":"matthew-112-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/matthew-112-15\/","title":{"rendered":"Matthew 11:2-15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Third Sunday of Advent<\/strong> | 14.12.2025 | Matthew 11:2-15 | David M. Wendel |\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10<\/p>\n

Second Reading: James 5:7-11<\/p>\n

Matthew 11:2-15 English Standard Version <\/strong>Copyright \u00a9\u00a02001 by Crossway Bibles<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>Now when John heard\u00a0in prison about the deeds of\u00a0the Christ, he sent word by\u00a0his disciples\u00a03\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and said to him, \u201cAre you\u00a0the one who is to come, or shall we\u00a0look for another?\u201d\u00a04\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And Jesus answered them,\u00a0\u201cGo and tell John what you hear and see:\u00a05\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers[<\/sup>a<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and\u00a0the poor have good news preached to them.\u00a06\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>And blessed is the one who\u00a0is not offended by me.\u201d<\/p>\n

7\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:\u00a0\u201cWhat did you go out\u00a0into the wilderness to see?\u00a0A reed shaken by the wind?\u00a08\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>What then did you go out to see? A man[<\/sup>b<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings‘ houses.\u00a09\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>What then did you go out to see?\u00a0A prophet?[<\/sup>c<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.10\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>This is he of whom it is written, \u201c\u2018Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.\u2019 11\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.\u00a012\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,[<\/sup>d<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0and the violent take it by force.\u00a013\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,\u00a014\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and if you are willing to accept it, he is\u00a0Elijah who is to come.\u00a015\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>He who has ears to hear,[<\/sup>e<\/sup><\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0let him hear.<\/p>\n

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n

Sing with me: \u201cRudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose, and if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.\u00a0 All of the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names, they never let poor Rudolph, play in any reindeer games.\u00a0 Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say, \u201cRudolph, with your nose so bright, won\u2019t you guide my sleigh tonight.\u00a0 Then how the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee, Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, you\u2019ll go down in history!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Bet you never sang \u201cRudolph\u201d in church before!\u00a0 After singing this ditty at our council and staff gathering last Sunday evening, I was thinking about the similarities between Rudolph and another well-known public figure– John the Baptist! And while I\u2019m guessing you might never in a million years have thought of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and John the Baptist, together\u2014the truth is there are more similarities than you might realize!\u00a0 For example, Rudolph was an outcast because he was different\u2014the other reindeer wouldn\u2019t let him play in their reindeer games, because he had a bright red, shiny nose.\u00a0 John the Baptist was also isolated, partly by his own choice, because he wanted to live differently from those in the big cities who wore soft robes and fancy jewelry and comfortable houses.\u00a0 John was decidedly different, living apart from others, eating locust and wild honey, wearing animal skins for clothing.\u00a0 And yet, when the time was right, just as Rudolph\u2019s red-nose came to be a blessing, as Santa called him into service to lead the way on a dark and foggy Christmas Eve, so John the Baptist, for all his quirkiness, when the time was right, was called into service, not by Santa, but by God, who sent John to be the messenger, to go ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way, truly, to lead the way for the coming Lord!<\/p>\n

This was and is, the ministry of John the Baptist\u2014as Jesus Himself speaks of John, saying, \u201cThis is the one of whom it is written, \u2018See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.\u2019 \u201d\u00a0 And Jesus continues saying, \u201cTruly I tell you, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.\u201d Like Rudolph, John has gone down in history!\u201d John has gone down in history as a prophet and more than a prophet!\u00a0 But, the other John, St. John the evangelist, reminds us that as great as this John was\u2014though John the Baptist was sent from God\u2014he came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him.\u00a0 John the Baptist was not the Light but came to bear witness to the light.\u00a0 And there, of course, is the difference between Rudolph and John the Baptizer.\u00a0 Though they both were unusual and unique, though they both were called upon to lead the way, though they both are remembered in history\u2014Rudolph, or rather, Rudolph\u2019s nose, was the light\u2014helping Santa and the other reindeer to bring joy to all the girls and boys. But John was not the light, nor did he pretend to be the light. In fact, he was careful to remind everyone that he was only making ready the way for the one who was to come, pointing always behind him, to Jesus, the Messiah, who would come to bring the True Light, who would come to be the Light, bringing joy to the world.\u00a0 And that is what the ministry of John was all about, being the forerunner who would make straight the roadway, make level the path, for the True Light who was coming into the world\u2014to bring, yes, JOY!<\/p>\n

And though John was the last and the greatest prophet, he was in the lineage of the other prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah, not the least of which was Isaiah, who writes of the coming time of the Messiah, \u201cthe wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom;\u00a0 like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 From the beginning, the coming of the Messiah was to bring Light, and the Light would enlighten the darkness and fog and confusion of the world, and the Light would create in the hearts of men and women, young and old–joy!<\/p>\n

Which is why, in the third week of Advent, we celebrate Gaudete Sunday\u2014Joy Sunday.\u00a0 Because, in the midst of the dreariness of December, in the midst of\u00a0 the dreariness of life, in the midst of our Advent existence which is still, in spite of our best efforts, often preoccupied with buying and decorating and overscheduled calendars;\u00a0 in the midst of what can be at times, a burdensome, trudging journey towards Christmas; in the midst of all that the four weeks before Christmas has become in the secular world, in the Church, we come and we are reminded today of JOY!\u00a0 Joy in our hearts and lives, because, as the Christ has come, He still comes and is coming\u2014to bring life\u2014life that is the Light of mankind. Light that shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.\u00a0 The Light of Christ that brings joy, even to we who are struggling with illness and infirmity.\u00a0 Joy, even to we who are grieving the loss of a loved one and the adjustments that come with it. Joy to those who are struggling at work or are out of work, uncertain about the future.\u00a0 Joy to those of us who are raising teenagers and have trouble seeing light at the end of the tunnel.\u00a0 Joy to those who will have a slim Christmas this year.\u00a0 Joy to those who will be alone and perhaps, lonely this Christmas.\u00a0 Joy, because the Light has come and the light is, even now, shining into the darkness, like a lighthouse on a foggy, dark night!<\/p>\n

Martin Luther wrote, \u201cAnd the angel said to the shepherds, \u2018Fear not:\u00a0 for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.\u201d\u00a0 This joy\u201d, writes Luther, \u201cis not just for Peter and Paul, but for all people.\u00a0 Not just to apostles, prophets and martyrs does God say \u2018Come, see the Baby Jesus,\u2019 but God says it to you. \u201cFor unto you is born this day\u2014that is, unto us!\u201d\u00a0 Luther says, \u201cThis is the way to observe this feast\u2014that Christ be formed in us.\u00a0 It is not enough that we should hear his story if our hearts are closed.\u00a0 I must listen, not to a history, but to a gift.\u00a0 What is it to me if someone else has goods, honors, riches, and a pretty wife,\u201d writes Luther.\u00a0 \u201cThat doesn\u2019t touch my heart.\u00a0 But if you hear that this Christ Child is yours, as you receive Him, you will be joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what Gaudete Sunday is proclaiming to us, to you and to me today.\u00a0 This is what John the Baptist gives witness to, today\u2014that the Light that shines in the darkness has come, and is coming, to bring joy\u2014joy, to you and to your loved ones, joy in your heart and life!\u00a0 And just as we will receive the Christ, on Christmas, let us also receive Him, today\u2014as today, He incarnates Himself, again, to become God with us\u2014in flesh and blood, in the Sacrament of His presence among us\u2014to bring us, light, and joy\u2014and so, hope, and peace.\u00a0 Today.\u00a0 As we receive Him.\u00a0 As we eat his flesh and drink His blood and have His life, in us!\u00a0 For joy!<\/p>\n

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a9The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel
\nd.wendel@grace43081.org
\nGrace Evangelical Lutheran Church
\nWesterville, Ohio USA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Third Sunday of Advent | 14.12.2025 | Matthew 11:2-15 | David M. Wendel |\u00a0 First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10 Second Reading: James 5:7-11 Matthew 11:2-15 English Standard Version Copyright \u00a9\u00a02001 by Crossway Bibles \u00a0Now when John heard\u00a0in prison about the deeds of\u00a0the Christ, he sent word by\u00a0his disciples\u00a03\u00a0and said to him, \u201cAre you\u00a0the one who is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25680,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,616,727,157,853,108,629,110,408,349,3,109],"tags":[],"beitragende":[],"predigtform":[],"predigtreihe":[],"bibelstelle":[],"class_list":["post-25687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-matthaeus","category-3-advent","category-archiv","category-beitragende","category-bibel","category-current","category-david-m-wendel","category-engl","category-kapitel-11-chapter-11-matthaeus","category-kasus","category-nt","category-predigten"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25687"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25689,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25687\/revisions\/25689"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"beitragende","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/beitragende?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"predigtform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/predigtform?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"predigtreihe","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/predigtreihe?post=25687"},{"taxonomy":"bibelstelle","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theologie.uzh.ch\/apps\/gpi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bibelstelle?post=25687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}