TPW’s 2023 Advent sermon series, “Make Some Noise!” draws from the joyfully noisy preparation for the promised Messiah recorded in the scripture. In a digitally connected culture in which many of us can tune out the world on our Beats while riding our e-bikes aimlessly down the road, a little bit of focused noisy preparation for Christ’s coming today, yesterday, and tomorrow seems quite appropriate. We get distracted from what is important and we need a shout out to look, listen, and learn. Like the loud and energetic introductory build up to a professional sports team’s arrival, we should take this period to become aware of the One who is on his way.

So, this Advent, let’s “Make Some Noise!” for the coming King.

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Advent is not just about the arrival of the baby Jesus born in Bethlehem. It also encompasses his daily arrival within our hearts and homes through spirit and sacrament, and his triumphant return.

Our passage from Mark indicates that this return isn’t something we can schedule on our calendars. Jesus won’t send us a Calendly with convenient times for us, so what do we do?

Verses 32-37 are a call to action, “Be on guard, stay awake!” But staying awake is not easy. Many have given up. Staying on guard and awake isn’t as simple as turning up the radio, mainlining some caffeine, and rolling down the window. We need to point people to the vision of the coming victory that is promised us, when God makes his home among mortals.

What do Don King and John the Baptist have in common? They are both crazy-hair-wardrobe-out-there-larger-than-life personas who exist to make some noise for the main event. Unlike modern day promoters, though, John was not in it for himself. As he says, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.”

Our text from Mark 1 tells us that God’s messenger prepares the way of the Lord and makes straight his paths. He promotes the Lord’s coming and that promotion becomes something of a spiritual spectacle. A wardrobe made from camel’s hair and a diet of locusts and honey in the wilderness is the perfect promotional tactic: dress, eat, and live like an old school prophet and drum up some attention for God’s coming.

John isn’t the main event. Jesus is. A promoter and a prophet know that at the end of the day if people fawn over them and not the coming of the one they promote, they’ve failed. John the Baptist makes a lot of noise, but he does so to point the people to Jesus.

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” These are the shocking words of the angel Gabriel to Mary. Out-of-the-blue, unexpected and unsolicited, God, in his mercy, announces this mind-blowing news to Mary.

Of course, this message from God is unique. Mary will carry the son of God. This “noisy” announcement troubles Mary. She is an unwed, engaged maiden and now she will have to explain this miracle to her soon-to-be husband, but the angel assuages her fear and she embraces this mysterious blessing of God.

During this Advent Season, could it be that God has sent us some cues to his coming presence? Certainly not in the way that Mary experienced it, but God has favored us with the presence of his Spirit to lead and to guide, to quicken and to remind us of his coming redemption, sanctification, and glory.

So with this joyfully noisy announcement of God’s advent, let us relish God’s favor upon us and with Mary declare, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.”

Now, let us, “Make Some Noise” in preparation for the coming of our King!