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Mark 1:1-8

John The Baptist Points Us To Jesus

December 10, 2023

Second Sunday of Advent

Lectionary Year B

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
I have a question to ask you, but first, I have to tell you a short story. Listen closely and then I’ll ask you my question.
Pretend that it is the first day of school for you.
But, not only is it a new school year for you, it is also a new school building for you.
And, at some point during that first day of school, you have to leave your regular classroom and go to another classroom.
Except, on your way, you get lost in the hallways.
Can you imagine!?!? (Wait – that’s not my question though!)
But then you see a teacher in the hallway. This teacher is not a teacher you know, but you don’t care because you just want to get back to your regular classroom at this point.
You say to this new teacher that you don’t know, you say, “Dear Teacher in the hallway, I don’t know how to get back to my classroom. Can you point me in the right direction?”
Now, here’s my question – Do you think the teacher will help you out? (Yes! No!)
Well, it just so happens that the answer is yes – of course that teacher will help you out.
That teacher will say, “Do you see that corner down there where you came from? That’s where you made your wrong turn. To get back to your classroom, go to that corner and then turn the other way. That will get you where you need to be.”
You follow the other teacher’s instructions and return safely to your regular classroom and teacher. Yay! Well-done on getting back to your room! [Clap hands and high-five the children]

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today’s scripture story, we hear a similar story – except the hallway teacher is John the Baptist.
In the scripture story, we hear that John the Baptist is out in the middle of the wilderness telling whoever finds him that they need to “repent.”
The word, “repent,” here, simply means to turn around.
This is the same thing that the teacher in the hallway said in our story, right? That teacher said, To get back to your classroom, go to that corner and then turn the other way. That will get you where you need to be.”
John the Baptist is telling the people the same thing in today’s scripture story. He’s saying, “You’ve made some wrong turns, so what you need to do is turn around and go in the other direction – doing that will get you to your teacher, Jesus.”

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

In a lot of the stories, it certainly seems like Jesus works alone.
But what we’re reminded of in today’s scripture story is that there are other teachers other there, like John the Baptist, who help Jesus.
When people get confused and turned around, then teachers like John the Baptist help point people towards Jesus
The same is still true for us, today.
We sometimes get turned around or confused or lost.
But as a faith community, as a church, we can remind each other and point each other back towards Jesus.
In other words, we can all help Jesus – just like John the Baptist did – by reminding and helping each other keep our attention on Jesus’ ministry and teachings.

And that’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus...

…and the people who help us remember him.

Please help us…

…to do the same for each other.

Thank you and Amen.

Originally posted November 21, 2014

Updated on November 10, 2023
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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