Dear Christian friends:

We here at Pilgrim Lutheran Church for the Deaf have a new year and a new, special opportunity to grow in faith and service. Today we begin the second year of our participation in HIS LOVE-OUR RESPONSE. This year the topic is about SERVANTHOOD. Through 1988 we will learn what it means that Christ Jesus was God's Servant, and what it means that we are Christ's servants. By God's grace we will see that Christ's serving showed His love for us, and our serving is a response to that love.

Therefore, today we should begin to think about serving. Our lessons for today tell about two servants, two men who faithfully served God: John the Baptist and Jesus.

John the Baptist was a true servant of God. God chose John to prepare the way for His Son, Jesus. John was Jesus' cousin, the son of Zach- arias and Elizabeth.

John served faithfully and finished his work. That meant trouble, problems and finally death for John. It also meant glory forever in heaven for John.

Our text tells us that John lived in the desert. His clothes were made from Camel's hair, tied with a leather belt. John ate locusts and honey that he could find in the desert. John's life style shows that he was not selfish. He did not live in a fine house and he did not wear fine clothes, same as a king. He did not go to expensive restaurants to eat gourmet foods. John lived not for his own pleasure, but he lived to serve God and do God's will which was that he prepare the people's hearts for their Christ, their Savior.

John prepared their hearts by preaching about the people's wrongs, sins and wickedness. John showed the people how bad their hearts, minds and deeds had been. John told the people to confess their sins and then to trust in the coming Christ to be saved. John preached, "Repent and be baptized for sin forgiveness..... Following me someone will come. He is greater than I am. I am not good enough to kneel down and untie His shoes. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (vv.4,7,8) Then, when Jesus came to the Jordan River where John was preaching, John baptized Him.(v.9) Then John told the people, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."(John 1:29) John knew that His cousin was the Christ. How? After he baptized Jesus, "He saw the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit come down on Him same as a dove." (v.10) John also heard God's voice say about Jesus, "You are My own dear Son. I am very pleased in You. (v.11 and John 1: 29-34

John also told King Herod that he was living in sin because he had married his brother's wife. Herod's wife hated John because he preached about her sin. When she got the opportunity, she forced Herod to cut off John's head. (Matthew 14:1-12)

John the Baptist was a true servant of God. He did God's will and God's work. He suffered hardships and at last died in serving God.

Jesus also was a true servant of God. Jesus did God's will and plan to love and save the world. Therefore, Jesus came from heaven to earth, was born of the Virgin Mary, not to serve Himself, but to serve us and to give His life as a ransom for many. We are now rich because Jesus became poor. Is this not wonderful? We now have eternal life because Jesus tasted eternal death and destroyed the rule of death. In serving us Jesus showed God's wonderful love.

What is our response to such perfect, beautiful love? Should we not respond the same as John the Baptist, same as Peter and Paul and other servants of the Lord?

What do we see when we look at ourselves, God's servants today? Few of us are determined to proclaim God's love for all people as John the Baptist did. Few of us are willing to obey God and really do His will and work. Although God has chosen us, called us and given us His name; although God has given us various gifts and skills and power to be His servants; we neglect our skills and gifts, or use them in wrong ways, serving ourselves instead of God.

For some church members Jesus is no more real, but just a picture hung on a wall, a remembrance of a childhood faith now almost dead.

For others whose lives have been broken by sin and problems, Jesus is a not fair ruler, a failure. They have given up faith and hope in Jesus and are bitter, refusing to come to God's house anymore.

Other servants are captive, captive to their selfish ego desires, captive to a lifestyle that chains their souls to hell and their hearts hate to hear anymore talk about HIS LOVE-OUR RESPONSE.

Other servants are blind, blind to their sin, blind to Jesus and His life-giving light. They try to find real happiness in world things.

They feel their way through life, groping for satisfaction always beyond their reach. They can't see that happiness is not something to grope for, but happiness is something we hope for and receive in and through Jesus.

Many servants have forgotten who Jesus is and what Jesus did for them at a certain place, at a certain time.

But Jesus has not forgotten. Jesus remembers that place where He hung on Calvary's cross. Jesus remembers how the soldiers mocked Him and put a crown of thorns on His head. They did not know that He really was a King, a kind and humble King who loved also them. Jesus remembers how His Father, who had great pleasure in Him, abandoned Him. The Father really did not want to do that - He had to do it, for His name's sake, for His love's sake, for our sake!

Today Jesus asks each one of us gathered here to respond to His love, to accept our responsibility and duties as His servants. Jesus says to us: "Don't fear! I have made you free, free from your fears, free from your doubts, and free from the sin that has held you captive. I have made you free to be My servants. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me. I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. Come, and receive a faithful servants reward!"

Amen.