Epiphany 1 Sermon

 

Epiphany 1 – January 7^th and 8^th, 2023 – Luke 2:41-52

In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
For the third week in a row, we get Luke 2. We heard Luke 2 on Christmas Eve; last week we had baby Jesus coming to the temple, and now, the other young Jesus text – the Boy Jesus in the temple. And there's a temptation to turn into this a cute little text, maybe a chance for a pastor to get a finger wag in towards the start of a new year – see how Jesus came to church, don't you want to come to church too, hmmm? But there's more going on here than that! We are in Epiphany, the season where Christ Jesus reveals who He is to the world – and Epiphany reminds us that the world just doesn’t get or understand Jesus. Indeed, throughout the Gospels, whenever Jesus does stuff, He angers people, upsets them. In Luke chapter 4, after Jesus preaches His first sermon back home in Nazareth, they decide to throw Him off of a cliff. Throughout the Gospels people will want to stone Him, revile Him – and of course, they end up crucifying Him. So instead of just cutesifying this text, let’s look at and see it for what it is – the first time the Messiah, doing what He has come to do, confuses and upsets people.

“Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was 12 years old, they went up according to custom.” Now, an important note is given us for here. We think of this text as being about the “boy” Jesus – well, yes, but not as much of a boy as we would think today. When you hit 13, you were bar mitzvahed – you were then a man. You were ready to step up and enter adult life – and as such 12 year olds back in Jesus day were probably afforded freedom and responsibility more akin to what we would think appropriate for older teens today. So, that explains the next verses – “And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the Boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the group they went a days’ journey, but then they began to search for Him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for Him.” When I was little, I thought Mary and Joseph just had to be the worst parents in the world – how do you leave your 12 year old son behind in Jerusalem, why, this is worse that those Home Alone movies. Well, not quite. You traveled in groups, your family and friends are all together. It was a walking family reunion. He’s almost an adult, surely He’s fine. He’s around here somewhere – let Him be, He’s off with John and His cousins probably. Besides, it’s not like He’s a troublemaker. But then, when they get to the campground, and it’s time for bed – Jesus doesn’t show up. He doesn’t come home – and that’s when they realize something is wrong. So, they hurry back to Jerusalem.

They are a day’s journey out on foot. Then they have to turn around and walk back. And then they are searching through Jerusalem, spend a day looking. And then we hear this: “After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” Again, this is a big thing that we might not catch. We are used to students sitting while the teacher stands. That’s not the case in the ancient world. In the ancient world teachers sat while the pupils stood by and learned. So when we hear that Jesus is sitting, that means He’s teaching. He listens and then asks questions – He’s doing the same thing He does when He preaches later on. How often when we hear Jesus talk with people does He ask them a question? That was the old Jewish custom of how you taught, it’s one I like. Haven’t you noticed how many questions I’ll ask in a sermon? So Mary and Joseph walk into the temple and they see Jesus there, hanging out with the rabbis… and teaching them. “And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and answers.” And He’s teaching them well – He’s making connections about things, about the Messiah, that they have never heard.

So Jesus is preaching – but then Mary speaks, “And when His parents saw Him, they were astonished. And His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, Your father and I were in great distress.” Astonished is a bit too kind. They are stricken, they are knocked off balance. They are surprised, but also angry and embarrassed. It is that moment of relief, but also frustration. ‘Oh, good night Jesus, You’ve been bugging the folks in the temple, do you even begin to realize how this is going to look – oh, look, there’s Mary, did you hear how her little Brat Jesus went and was a little hellion in the Temple. Oh, we’ll never hear the end of it.’ You know this, the panic that parents have when their kids are doing something strange. Which is why she asks, “What are You doing to us, Jesus!” And Jesus simply responds, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?” Mom, Dad, you know the scriptures. You know that I am the Messiah. This is what I came for. It is necessary, it has to be this way. I must teach, I must preach – this is what the Scriptures say. And poor Joseph and Mary – “And they did not understand the saying that He spoke to them.” They didn’t get it yet – they weren’t mentally prepared for Jesus to start being the Messiah, doing Messianic things yet. And then, Jesus heads home with them. Oh, He’ll come back to Jerusalem and teach in the temple again a few Passovers later, but for now – it’s home with Mom and Dad.

For the first time in Luke’s Gospel, we not only see Jesus actively doing Messianic things, but we see people disappointed by what Jesus does. This is one of the major themes of the Gospels – that Jesus doesn’t end up being the Messiah that people expect. That He doesn’t fit the bill for what people want. Joseph and Mary right here – they just want a son who won’t do anything strange, who won't embarrass them or give the neighbors reason to talk. You aren’t doing what we expect, and we don’t like it. Latter on in Luke’s Gospel, there are many other expectations. You have people who want the Messiah to be a mighty warrior who will drive off the Romans. You have people who want the Messiah to just be some great and glorious gladhander – giving out bread and riches and power to people so we can be on easy street. And all of these things miss the point. The Messiah comes to be in His Father’s House, teaching the Scriptures and fulfilling them. No one likes it when Jesus says, “It is necessary” – not even His disciples. When Jesus says to the disciples that He must suffer and die, that’s when Peter tries to talk Him out of it, that’s when you get the whole, “Get thee behind me, Satan” episode. Over and over, Jesus upsets and disappoints people when He does Messianic things.

So, what of today? What do people expect Jesus to be doing, what do people expect Church to be doing? Don’t we have these same false expectations, the exact same ones? People still think of the Church mainly as a place to make your kids behave better, be less of an embarrassment to you. Many people want the Church to be the major instrument of social change – to lead a rebellion not against Rome, but a rebellion against whatever social issue they are up in arms against. Both liberals and conservatives want their churches to lead different and often opposite rebellions. And heading to Church so that God will bless you and let you live on easy street – oh, that’s still around, still around aplenty today. Chalk up entertainment (and don’t think that plenty of people went to see Jesus simply because it was something to do), and what you see is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. So many people expect Jesus, expect Church, to just be something that it isn’t.

But you have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. By the power of the Word and Spirit, your Heavenly Father has revealed, has shone His light upon you. Jesus will continue to make a habit of coming to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Passover. It is necessary that He do so. In fact, one very important year, He’s going to ride into Jerusalem to head up to Passover on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. Why? It is necessary, it is what the Scriptures proclaim. And He will go into that Temple, and He will teach again – He will turn over the money changers tables quoting the Old Testament – because it is necessary for Him. He will teach there in the Temple, and the people will hang upon His Words, but the Chief Priests and the Scribes will plot to kill Him. Luke 23 begins, “Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the Chief Priests and the scribes were seeking how to put Him to death.” Of course they were, for Christ teaches, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging Him, they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.” It is necessary for this to happen to the Messiah – and Jesus will go to the Cross, whether people like it or not, whether it is what they want or not. Why?

Because He is determined to win you forgiveness, life, and salvation. Jesus doesn't worry about disappointing people; He seeks to please His Father in Heaven. He seeks to be the Savior to makes sure that the Father is well pleased not only with Him but with You. Jesus comes to win you forgiveness by His death, He comes to give you life with His resurrection. This is the thing that Christ does, this is the thing that the Church gives out. Not less embarrassment, not earthly power, not wealth. Rather this - your sins are forgiven because of Christ. You will rise again. You are baptized, joined to Christ Jesus, attached to Him. It is necessary for Jesus still to this day to be in His Father's house, bringing you His salvation. This is what He came to do and still comes today to do – to be your Savior, and nothing will stand in His way. He will pull you out of darkness into His marvelous light, He will rescue you from the valley of the shadow of death by being with you in death and bring you to His resurrection. His crowning glory is in restoring you, and all thanks be to God, this is what Jesus is focused upon doing, even as a 12 year old, pointing to Himself in the Scriptures. Thanks be to God for His great mercy to us. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +

Christmas 1 Sermon

 

New Year's Day – Luke 2:22-40

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

What was old Simeon waiting for? There he was, in the temple, day by day, waiting. What was He waiting for? Our text says that he was waiting for the “consolation of Israel.” Consolation is a fascinating word in English – it is the act of being comforted in the midst of mourning and loss. We generally don't want to have to have consolation – no one goes on a game show hoping to win the consolation prize – I don't think any of you woke up this morning and thought, “I can't wait until my loved ones die and I get to be consoled at the funeral.” Consolation isn't something we generally seek out. And yet, there is Simeon, waiting in the temple for Consolation – and not just his own, but for the Consolation of Israel.

Consolation isn't generally sought after – our sights are often so much higher – but the truth is that we often need consolation. When we see tragedy or sorrow, when there is a loss and we are mourning, we desperately need consolation. Nothing else will do. And Simeon was a righteous and devout man. That meant something very simple – it meant that when he looked out over the people of Israel, he saw a tragedy – the tragedy of sin and death and the commandments being disdained in favor of lust and greed and domination. When he saw how people careless were with the temple, how few came, how the money changed hands and was horded, more profiteering than prophecy – Simeon sorrowed. This was a lost Israel, a Israel worth mourning, not what she should have been.

And yet, there Simeon was at the temple. He was awaiting consolation – and not just a generic consolation – buck up there, buckaroo, it's not so bad. No, no it was bad. This old, frail man knew from long and hard experience how empty and shallow and fleeting the glories of this world are – his dimming eyes could see how bad it was. Simeon needed strong consolation – and he would get one. The Holy Spirit was upon him, and the Spirit had told him to wait – wait for the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior would come. And this makes much more sense when you understand that the word for “consolation” in the Greek there is one of my favorite words, one that you should know and perhaps might already know if you are old enough – the word for “consolation” is “paraclesin” - from the word “Paraclete” - that word, that title that Jesus gives to the Holy Spirit in John 15 and 16 - “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” Some of you who are a bit more seasoned, a bit closer to Simeon in age might remember the old translations that called the Holy Spirit the “Paraclete” - the Helper, the Comforter. The Spirit always comforts and consoles us by pointing us to Christ Jesus, because Jesus is the only cure, the only solution to sin and death that there actually is. Everything other than Christ is sinking sand that drags us down to the grave and destruction and leaves us there. But Christ Jesus – there in true comfort, true consolation – the forgiving sins kind of comfort, the raising people from the dead consolation, the calling Simeon to everlasting life sort of help that only Jesus can bring.

And there in that temple, 40 days after He was born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus comes. Carried there, placed under the law – a first born male so the sacrifice would be required for him. This is something profound. When Jesus comes, He comes as One placed under the Law. He doesn't get to skirt around what everyone else had to do, He doesn't live life whining, “Don't you know Who My Father is?” No – Jesus comes and takes His place with us, with the rest of mankind. Jesus is God become Man, become one of us, to be with us, to redeem us. And so He is placed under the law – He is placed under the law when He is circumcised on the 8^th day, He is placed under the Law when Joseph and Mary take Him to the temple, and He is most truly and fully placed under the Law there upon the Cross when He takes up the punishment, the burden of your sin and my sin. And the sin of an old man named Simeon.

So on that day when Jesus was brought into the temple, old Simeon totters over, and he grabs Jesus out of Mary's hands and He sings forth – Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word!” Simeon sees Him, holds Him. The Savior is here! I can die now – because right here is my Savior. I have seen Him, and even when my eyes close in death I will see Him again because He is my Lord and my Life and my Salvation. The Gentiles will see Him too, the Glory of Israel, the presence of the LORD in His temple that fled before the destruction by the Babylonians has returned. I can die, and death can do nothing to be, because that Christ is here – God become man to save me is here. Comfort. Consolation. The Spirit, the Paraclete at work, pointing to Jesus, a real, bodily Jesus in Simeon's hands Jesus.

Now, this comfort of Christ does not mean that everything in this world will be easy. No, far from it! This Jesus is the Holy God Incarnate who has come into a sinful world, into the midst of a kingdom that the Devil has claimed as his own domain of death, and Jesus has come to throw Satan's powers into confusion and retreat. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Oh yes, when Jesus came, when He came preaching and teaching and healing, He kicked over one heck of an anthill in the twisted sandbox of sin Satan had turned this world into. Many would hear Jesus, and they would fall away in anger and disdain. Many would see the signs that He would perform, showing that He was the Messiah, and they would oppose Him. Even Mary herself would be thrown aflutter by the might of Jesus' preaching – she would try to rein Him in, and He would dismiss her. Luke 8: Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” There's the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, piercing through mom and calling her to repentance. Because Jesus came not just to give warm fuzzies, not to give some vapid, cheap, empty comfort; He came to give the only real comfort and consolation that there is – victory over sin, death, and the devil. The True God has come, and there will be no other false gods allowed to remain in His presence, and He will cast down all idols from their vile thrones.

This is what Christ Jesus does even to this day, even here in this place. Christ Jesus comes in, and by His Word He will break your idols, He will pierce your hearts. There will be times – frequent times, if we are honest – when your old sinful flesh will fight against what Jesus says. Your flesh doesn't want consolation – it wants domination, it wants self-authority, it wants lusts and greed and covetous desires fulfilled. And Jesus comes with His word to cut that down, to crush it, to make your sinfulness fall to the ground defeated. But He has no desire to leave you there – no, Jesus comes not just for the fall of many, but for the fall and then the rising – the anastasis, the resurrection of many. And that is what He is doing for you – preparing you for death and resurrection. Most of you were brought to the house of God as a child, but not for a sacrifice, but for the gift of Holy Baptism – where the Name of the Triune God was placed upon you via water and the Word. In Baptism you were joined to Christ Jesus – and what does this baptism indicate, as the Catechism asks? It indicates that the old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Christ Jesus has claimed you, and He cleanses you, and He washes you, and He presents you unto Himself redeemed, forgiven, without any spot or blemish, to be with Him for all eternity. And this is through death and resurrection. The daily dying to sin that is repentance, the daily rising to life that is the Spirit of God at work in you, bringing forth prayer and praise and good works – all of which points forward and prepares you for your full death and resurrection.

And until that day, until we see the consolation in full of beholding our LORD face to face with all the host of heaven, we come here, into God's House, awaiting that consolation. And Jesus comes to us – He comes bodily. Indeed, you approach this altar, this rail, and as assuredly as Simeon held His Savior, Christ Jesus is placed into your hands, upon your tongue – take and eat, this is the Body of Christ Jesus your Lord, given for you, for the remission of your sin, for consolation, for an increase of faith and love. And then we even sing with Simeon – Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. Yep, we can die. We die peace, we die consoled, we die in Christ... and we will therefore rise with Christ. Because Christ Jesus, the true hope and comfort and consolation of the world has come – and indeed, He comes to you and for you, even this day. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Merry Christmas once again, my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King + Amen.

Christmas Day Sermon

 

Christmas Day, 2022

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Today, we tend to think of the story of history as an endless tale of progress, of things getting better. That's a relatively recent idea – barely 200 years old. It only arises towards in the 19^th Century where we thought our science and our progress would bring forth peace on earth. We called World War 1 “The War to End All Wars.” Oops. No, for all our progress and advances, we still have wars and rumors of war, and there's still violence and wickedness and evil. And far from everyone being better, well, the past hundred years have seen horrid genocides, tyrannies great and small, technology used for bigger and more horrific wickedness.

Now John, writing his Gospel, isn't dealing with a false dream of endless social progress. John understands that the world is a dangerous, harsh place. The classic idea which John and Scripture teach is that the world is decaying, breaking apart. Fallen and falling and failing. They would point to what the Ancients did, and how we couldn't match up to them. John could visit the pyramids and know that in the days of the Roman Empire, they couldn't be rebuilt. Of course, John would have walked on Roman roads, many of which are in better shape today than Illinois roads barely a decade old. Things fall apart. We become less.

John sums this fall, this decay, this things being swallowed up as “the darkness.” It's not just a darkness that is an absence of light, but a shadow stretching out and seeking to cast everything into gloom and confusion and night and fear. And that is what John saw when he looked at the history of the world. The advance of evil, of sin, of the Satan and the powers of darkness all around, breathing threats and murders and death. And yet, the darkness doesn't win, doesn't conquer. And why? Because of Christmas. Because of this day that we celebrate and give thanks for today. And while Luke gives the story of the manger and the shepherds, and Matthew will tell of the wisemen, John sums up Christmas this way: The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Into the midst of this fallen world, racked by sin, comes Christ Jesus, the Light of the World. Who is this Jesus, who is this Light? Well, He is the Word of God, the Word by which all things were made. When you see Jesus, you see the Creator of all things, you see your Creator. When God speaks forth creation, it is the Word, Christ Jesus, who brings forth creation. All things were made through Him, as John reminds us. This Light of Light who comes and is born this day is not indifferent to this world. He isn't cold or callous to creation – no, Jesus has a vested interest in it. It is His world, after all. He created it, He fashioned it, He formed Adam of the dust of the ground, Eve from Adam's rib.

And Jesus was there when darkness entered and swallowed Adam and Eve and unleashed the chaos of the fall. And one might have thought that this would be it, creation undone, too bad so sad. But no, even in that darkness surrounding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, with Adam and Eve hiding in the bushes, craving darkness – no, the Light of Light – the Life of men was still there. So Jesus strides forth in the garden, calls out to His terrified and fearful Adam and Eve, and Jesus promises them that one day He Himself would come and He would put and end to sin and restore life, true life to His Creation. Life beyond the powers of sin and death and hell and Satan and darkness. The darkness came, but it could not overcome Jesus. The serpent will be crushed.

And Jesus was there through the history of the world, through all the Old Testament. Over and over the Darkness attacked creation, over and over there is wickedness and horror and tragedy. Wickedness so dire we cannot imagine it. A world where there are only 8 faithful people left, crammed in an ark with animals while the darkened skies unleash torrents of rain for 40 days. Still, the Light shines, God is there, preserving and protecting Noah and his family, 8 souls in all. The light is not overcome. In the darkness of Pharaoh's prison, the Light is with Joseph. In the midst of the exodus the Light leads His people to safety even by night as a Pillar of Flame. David will write, “Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou, the Light of Light, art with me.” Even with all the twists and turns, even with faithless people abandoning God and flocking to idols, through new destructions and new exiles, the Light remains unswallowed by darkness. Jesus remains determined to see the promise to Adam and Eve fulfilled, the promise to Abraham brought to fruition, the promise to David established forever.

And then finally, the midst of a another great darkness, where Israel is conquered by foreign rulers and suffering under petty puppet tyrants (for Herod was indeed a lover of darkness), the Light of the World comes. And there, in Bethlehem, Christ the Savior is born. The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. There in that manager is Jesus – come to be the Savior of the World, the Universe, the Comsos. Light shining in darkness, light here, present for you, to be your Savior, your light, your life. Not to be too Lutheran Proud – but that's why 486 years ago Martin Luther decided to put some candles on a tree – the birth of our modern Christmas tree. See, Christmas is the time of the light shining in the darkness. Christ has come, and we have hope; beauty and joy still remain even in the midst of darkness. Life remains in the face of death. Because Jesus comes, and He will do it. That's why 171 years ago Pastor Schwann decided to put up a Christmas tree in his Lutheran Church in Cleveland, the first in the US. The Light shines in the darkness – that is what Christmas is! Christ comes to be the Redeemer, to be the Light that would swallow up darkness.

And Jesus would work our salvation in this way. That Child, born in Bethlehem, would grow, would be Man as man had been made to be. Without sin. Loving the Father and His neighbor. Obedient under the law. Fulfilling all that He had spoken in the past. And then, the Light of the world would be put upon another tree – not an evergreen, but a tree of darkness and death, the Tree of the Cross. There He would be glorified, as He takes up the sin of the world, as He takes into Himself all the powers of darkness and death and destroys them. There He cries out, “It is finished” - and darkness knows that it is done. The light is not defeated – on the 3 Day He rises and shines for with life and salvation.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Even to this day, the Light of Christ shines. He shines upon you, here, now. His coming, His birth – it is for you. He is the light that enlightens you, that redeems you, that saves you. Indeed, the Light, the Word become flesh, dwells among you now. By Baptism He has made you His brother, His sister, His co-heir of life everlasting. He comes to you in His Word, His Gospel light shining brightly – and His Word is yours now, to hear and to speak to others. He forgives you, and through you He gives His forgiveness to others. He comes to you today in the Supper, lain upon the manger of your hands, your mouth – a manger is a place for food after all. Forgiveness, life, and salvation, granted to you!

So fear not, my friends! Fear not the darkness! Yes, you will see darkness, you will see trouble, you will see hardship. So be it. None of them are bigger, none of them are more powerful than Jesus. Over and against all the evil, all the wickedness, all the nihilistic drivel and dourness the world spouts forth – Christ Jesus has come, the promises of God have been fulfilled, fulfilled for you. And thus, my dear friends, my fellow baptized children of God, those enlightened by the Light of the world – a true and hearty Merry Christmas to you! In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

Christmas Eve Homily

 

Christmas Eve, 2022

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

For unto you is born this day... Imagine if you will, just for a moment, the Holy Family there on the eve of the first Christmas. There they are, off in the stable, surrounded by animals and fodder, Mary tired from the ordeal of child birth, Joseph hovering nervously, Jesus lain in the manger. The hallmark, the, dare I say, bulletin cover image of what Christmas should be. Almost the image of our nativity sets at home, and yet – well, those nativity sets need shepherds there, right? Really? We're so used to the shepherds being there, we are so used to how the story goes – do you ever pause and think how strange it would have been for poor Mary and Joseph that a bunch of shepherds just show up, fresh from the field, checking this new born Jesus? I'm trying to think what the reaction would be today if a bunch of random workers just showed up on the maternity ward to check out a new born kid.

But of course, there is a major difference. The shepherds do belong there in that stable, in our nativity sets. And yes, they would have quickly explained the Joseph and Mary about the angel's message – Joseph and Mary would have understood the strangeness of hearing messages from angels. But note what the angel said to the Shepherds – “For unto YOU is born this day.” O Shepherds in the fields, o random strangers who probably don't know Joseph and Mary from Adam and Eve – this child, this Jesus – He is here, He has come, for you. For your good. Jesus is your Savior. And you have as much right, as much access to Him as Mary and Joseph. He will die and rise for your sin, He will hear you when you pray. He is Christ the LORD, and He is for you.

So the Shepherds showing up reminds Joseph and Mary that their family isn't going to be just a personal, private thing. No, this Jesus who is born is God become man to be the Savior of the world. And I would also assert, my dear friends, that the Shepherds remind you of your place in this story, in the nativity scene. This Christ Child who was born, He was indeed born unto you as well, for you, for your good. This Jesus who was born on Christmas Day is the same Jesus you call upon in prayer, the same Jesus with Whom you pray “Our Father”. It's same Jesus who brings you His Word for which you say, “Thanks be to God.” The same Jesus who brings the forgiveness and life He wins upon the Cross to you. The same Jesus who gives Himself to you under Bread and Wine in His Supper. All of this – unto you.

Our Nativities at home often get even more crowded – the Wise Men will be coming, after all. But it would be right, my friends, to not only include them, but it would be meet, right, and salutary to consider yourselves as belonging in that nativity. Christ Jesus was born in the City of Bethlehem for you, after all. And in many ways, that's the depiction of heaven given in Revelation – Jesus in the center, and all the believers of every day and age, from every tribe and tongue gathered around the throne – the never-ending and ever-living victory of this Child who was born to redeem you. Jesus has come, and He has come for your good. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Newborn King +

Advent 4 Sermon

 

Advent 4 – December 17^th and 18^th, 2022 – Luke 1:39-56

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Thus far the text. As we begin, I'd like to ponder just two very important words that shift how we understand the setting for our Gospel lesson. With haste. If we do something with haste, that means that there is an urgency, a quickness to it. A desperation. It needs to be done and it needs to be done now. Next Saturday afternoon many husbands will be shopping with haste – for there is no more time, and woe be unto them if they incur the Christmas wrath of their wife. And generally, haste isn't a good thing. When it comes to making a decision we are told, “let's not be hasty.” “Haste makes waste” is old, old wisdom. Better to be able to take your time, contemplate, and work well.

And yet, here we see young Mary going with haste. Mary is high tailing it to the hill country – and why? Well, just before our text the Angel Gabriel had come and visited her – told her that she would be the mother of the Messiah, that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and she would be the mother of God. And Mary piously and famously says, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Fantastic, faithful words. God has said it; that's how it will happen to me. And yet, consider who Mary is as she says this. A young girl, engaged to be wed but not married yet. And she's pregnant, and not with Joseph's kid, and this is in a day and age when they would stone people for that. We hear in Matthew that Joseph is worried about this – that he thinks he'll have to divorce her, call off the marriage – and he's worried about how he can pull of the divorce without getting her killed. And then, just beyond that – even when Mary and Joseph are sorted out after Gabriel visits Joseph, too – you know your relationship is in an odd place when God has to send an angel to both of you – even when Mary and Joseph are good... there's still the simple fact that she's going to give birth to the promised Messiah. The whole of human history has been leading to this moment – all the promises of the Old Testament, promises to Eve, to Sarah and Abraham, to Judah, to David, to Solomon, promises to all the heroes of the Old Testament – and they are happening now, they are being fulfilled inside of Mary. There in her womb, He is growing every so slowly – Jesus, the Savior, God become Man, Emmanuel. Can you imagine how heavy, how intimidating that would be? We get nervous just handling things around the altar, did I light candles the right way, oh, don't let me spill something at communion – now put yourself in Mary's shoes.

And so with haste, off to visit Elizabeth. Gabriel had mentioned that her cousin, her relative, Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant with John when she was already old. And so Mary runs to her cousin – she's older, she's wiser, she's had 6 months to deal with a miraculous pregnancy of her own – maybe she can put this in perspective. And Elizabeth most certainly does! And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. So Mary gets to the door, peaks her head in quietly - “Auntie Beth?” And then, wherever in the house she had been, suddenly Elizabeth springs into action. John in her womb starts preaching and kicking – go mom, go! And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit – I told you last week John was a good preacher – he preached a humdinger of a sermon to his mom before she was even born – and she exclaimed with a loud cry. Okay, pause. This conversation that follows between Elizabeth and Mary sounds so... formal. So pristine. So... bible-y. And that's simply because we speak English and not Aramaic and Greek, and the Scriptures are read in Church where in there's some decorum and primness and you better be on your best behavior. This is not a prim and proper moment. This is Elizabeth bubbling over with joy and excitement and the words spilling out 100 miles a minute with joy and delight. We've all seen it – the two hand grab oh I'm so excited for you this so great firehose of joy, possibly some bouncing around with excitement. That's the loud cry that is going on here.

And what does Elizabeth say? Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb! First off, Elizabeth sets the stage perfectly. You are blessed. You might be scared, you might be nervous, you might have all the typical fears and more besides, but let me spell this out. You are blessed. Let's frame this properly, Mary – scary or not, problems or not, hardships or not – this is nothing but an unbridled blessing from God to you. Period, end of story. God grant that the women who find themselves with child in our day and age would be so well reminded that they too have been blessed to be bearers of new life. But even beyond that, Elizabeth says: Mary, you are more blessed than any other woman whose ever found herself pregnant, more blessed than me even. Because your baby is the Savior, is the Messiah. This Kid's not just a blessing for you, He's not just going to be a blessing for His town for a few decades – He is a blessing for every man and woman that has ever lived or ever will live because He is the Messiah.

And Elizabeth gushes a bit – And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my LORD should come to me? I can't believe this is happening – the Messiah – right there Mary, your Baby, the Lord – how did I live to see this amazing thing happen? This is not refined talk, this is bubbling over. For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. The Pharisees and the Scribes thought John came kicking when he was preaching by the Jordan – that's old hat for John. This is God's plan of salvation kicking in sort of stuff, and it is dumbfounding.

And to wrap it up Elizabeth exclaims – And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the LORD. A fulfillment. Mary, you and I, we're passive. This isn't because of what we do – but God has spoken, and He has spoken a wonderful promise, a promise to you and to me for all people, and God is doing it. His Word is being fulfilled, because God is awesome – and we benefit from that, we get all the goodness of God being awesome.

And there in that hill country town, Mary hears precisely what she needed to hear. Mary had seen fear and trouble and confusion – and Elizabeth just slides it all into place. It's good, it's blessing. Why? Because God has spoken, God has promised, God is at work doing great things for you and for me. The Messiah is coming. Jesus is coming, and it is good. And hearing that, Mary is ready to respond, her faith refreshed and bolstered by the Spirit and the Word – My soul magnifies the LORD, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. It's all God. It's all stuff that Jesus has done and is doing. I'm humble – He has elevated me. People will praise my name, but that's because His name is holy. And He comes with mercy, with strength to save and rescue, to fulfill the promises of God. The Magnificat – Mary's song here, it's all praising God for His goodness. And then we hear And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. Mary hangs out and helps Elizabeth for the rest of her pregnancy, and then she heads off to handle the rest of her own pregnancy along with Joseph.

So, what do we make of all this? Let me say this. Sometimes we today are assaulted by a wicked and demonic idea that Satan has sowed among the church today – the idea that if we only had enough faith we would always be happy and joyous and we would always be confident and rearing to go... all on our own. And so when we see fears and doubts, there's that push, that temptation to curl into ourselves, to pretend that there are no fears, to bury those fears, to never share, to never get help, to struggle and try to do it all by ourselves and get stuck alone and isolated and crushed. That's a horrible lie of Satan. The Christian faith, the Christian life, is never mean to be an isolated thing. It is not good for man to be alone. You see, when we are in a situation, we are overwhelmed by what we can see of the situation, the fears, the troubles, the doubts that have grown. We need to hear what others have seen – we need commiseration, we need encouragement, we need the experience of those who have gone before – and most importantly, we need faithful Christians to speak the love and mercy of God to us. Which is what Elizabeth, guided, filled by the Holy Spirit, does for Mary.

And that is indeed the purpose of this place – my job as your Pastor is to be that person who you can know will speak Christ's Word of forgiveness and life whenever you see the burdens of life. That's why we confess our sins and receive forgiveness here, week in, week out. We need Jesus. But this pattern isn't supposed to be just a once a week in this room thing. It's also training. Worship is training you for every day of your life – training you to confess, to be honest about the hardships in your life, whether they are because of sins you have committed – where you've messed up - or whether it's because stuff has happened to you and the messes of others land on you. Be honest about that all week long. And worship is training you to know, to speak the Words of Christ's Jesus comfort to whoever's confession and lament that you hear in this week. When someone comes to you, and their heart is rent in two, or the burdens of life weigh upon them – you don't have mere platitudes – you have Jesus and His Word. You have the Holy Spirit. No, your suffering doesn't mean that God hates you – Jesus came and He suffered too, He knows and is with you. Ah, you have sinned – well, Jesus went to the Cross to take away that sin from you and crucify it, so that's not your sin, it's Jesus', He took it from you, and you are forgiven. Yes, this is scary – but Jesus is with you, and He will support you with what you need for all the days He gives you. When people see all this junk, you get to speak forth Jesus, so they hear again Jesus... because faith always comes by hearing. Even for Mary and Elizabeth.

This is why Jesus came. This is why we celebrate His coming in Advent. Because Jesus continues to come – He comes to you here in His Church – in preaching, in the Supper – but He comes to you also by the Word proclaimed to you by faithful friends, and He comes through you when He has you speak to those in need. And Jesus keeps on coming, the Holy Spirit keeps working through the Word – and this is what it will be, even until He comes again on the Last Day and we all exclaim with wonder “why is this granted to me, that the Lord should come to me” and enter into the joys of life everlasting with Mary and Elizabeth and Adam and Eve and all the saints of God. Jesus is coming to give you this gift, this victory. Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

In Praise of the Theology of Glory

 One of the Lutheran terms that has been recently (for the Church) reintroduced into the Lexicon is that of the idea of the "Theology of Glory" - an idea that Luther brings out in the Heidelberg disputations on 1518, where this theology of glory is contrasted with a theology of the cross.  The theologian of glory craves earthly success and power, thinking that faithfulness will have tangible success here and now; the theologian of the cross knew that there would be suffering but rather we are to remain faithful to God and His Word of forgiveness.

Back in the early 2000s when Confessional Lutheranism wasn't exactly dominant in the LCMS, and the Church Growthers and the libs were running the show, this distinction was quite popular.  It was a great comfort when we would suffer defeats in elections at convention.  It was a great contrast over and against the touting of numbers and Ablaze counters and all that corporitized, business based "leadership" swill that we all knew was unscriptural.

However, in the past decade, there's been a shift.  Surprise of surprises, the Confessionals won elections.  The Synod isn't moving in as liberal a direction.  Of course, this is in direct opposition to what we see in the US, where there's been a massive swing towards liberal, progressive policies.

And now, in this setting, the "Theology of Glory" has fallen out of vogue.  It's been abandoned by many.  Discarded.  It's not trust worthy since it was found and publicized by those in that evil ELCA, and besides, Luther doesn't keep using the term later on - so we should get rid of it!

This is a foolish idea.  First of all, the idea that gems from Luther would be lost and not used for a while is utterly typical.  The rediscovery of Luther at the 300th anniversary of the Reformation is what sparked the revival of "Confessional" Lutheranism in Germany and led to our own synod's founding in the US.  We should never be surprised when something from that deep well of Luther's thought bubbles to the top.

But what of the fact that Luther doesn't use the phrase later on?  Answer: who cares?  It's not like Luther was really big on coining systematical phrases and demanding their use.  But does Luther still hold the idea throughout his work - that a desire for earthly glory, an expectation of earthly victory is utterly dangerous theologically and false?  

Consider the end of the Small Catechism - Christian Question 20 - "Second, he should look around to see whether he is still in the world, and remember that there will be no lack of sin and trouble, as the Scriptures say in John 15-16 and 1 John 2 and 5."

Consider his hymns.  They aren't full of "Onward Christian Soldiers" or "Battle Hymn of the Republic"  earthly triumphalism.  No - you know that for the faithful things will go lousy.  "This world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will... and take they our life, goods, fame, child and wife." "Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay."  "Support us in our final strife and lead us out of death to life."

His lectures on the Scriptures are all replete with warnings and laments of how the world is twisted and evil.  His comment on the Gospel being like a passing rain shower certainly isn't triumphalistic.

So this warning against a "theology of glory" remains steadfast throughout his life... (really only wavering when it came to how Luther handled the Jews.  His own personal dream of glory was that the Jewish people would convert en mass having heard the Gospel and his own clear reading of Christ in the OT; when this didn't happen and his own glorious dreams were shattered, it fueled his well criticized rantings that we condemn to this day).  The idea remains - in this life there will be wickedness and hardship, and being a Christian doesn't get you out of it.

So why is this idea so abhorrent to some now when it wasn't 15 years ago?

I don't wonder if we haven't taken victory in Church politics and think that this ought to mean earthly political victory.  I wonder if we aren't being lured in by that drug of "winning".

"Winning" is dangerous.  It was the high of winning the Battle for the Bible that let us start playing footsie with the Evangelicals and starting to ape their worship styles and lusting after their numeric success.  "Evangelical Style, Lutheran Substance" was widely understood to be a theology of glory 2 decades ago, after all.

Winning is intoxicating (ask Charlie Sheen, if you are old enough).  And as Americans we're used to winning, to success, to more and more wealth.  The current economic troubles are the worst we've seen in 40 years -- only the oldest of us remember before WWII and real economic hardship.  We're accustomed to ever increasing luxury, power, and convenience.  The idea that we might actually have to face suffering for the faith is utterly antithetical to the Americana that we've grown up with.

Ah well.  

Now, a few more notes from Luther, just pulled quickly from "What Luther Says".

35 - Afflictions Actually Proofs of God's Love: "The more terrible the sufferings are, the greater and more admirable are their effects in the saints.  The fact that Christians are exercised by the cross and by afflictions is a proof that divine grace and benevolence rest upon them.  For when they persevere in faith in the promise and hold out, very great and incredible blessings follow."

43 - Removal of Afflictions Often Makes Man Worse: "Those who by their importunate pleadings are freed from the chastisement and castigation of God almost invariably become worse, so that it seems as though God would thus convince us of our folly, namely, that we do not understand that when He is chastising us, He is healing us; and when He withdraws His hand in answer to our pleasing, He is rather letting us become sicker.

48 - God's Purpose: Strengthening Us By His Word: "The ultimate purpose of afflictions is the mortification of the flesh, the expulsion of sins, and the checking of that original evil which is embedded in our nature.  And the more you are cleansed, the more you will be blessed in the future life.  For without a doubt glory will follow upon the calamities and vexations which we endure in this life.  But the prime purpose of all these afflictions is the purification, which is extremely necessary and useful, lest we snore and become torpid and lazy because of the lethargy of our flesh.  For when we enjoy peace and rest, we do not pray, we do not meditate on the Word but deal coldly with the Scriptures and everything that pertains to God or finally lapse into a shameful and ruinous security."

1011 - The Grass on the Other Side is Not Always Greener: "There is no position on earth in which a man does not have to put up with much that is painful both from those who are his - his wife, child, servants, and subjects - and from neighbors and all kinds of accidental mishaps.  When he sees and feels this, he soon tires of his position and becomes discontented with it or flares up in impatience, scolding, and cursing.  And if he cannot avoid, or get rid of, this annoyance, he will want to change his position, thinking everybody's position and condition better than his own.  but after much changing he finds that he has gone from bad to worse; for changes are easily and quickly made, to be sure, but to improve matters is a doubtful and difficult undertaking. 

1623 - The Lust for Glory is Deeply Rooted in Man: "No one is so firm in repelling the most deadly vice of vainglory that he does not need constant prayer in order to be able to do so. For who, even when he is pious, does not delight in the praise people accord to him?  The Holy Spirit alone is able to keep us from being infected with this pest."

 3300 - Endure or Flee. Do Not Resist: "Where the governmental authority is an enemy of the Gospel, we withdraw, sell, relinquish everything, and flee from state to state, because no tumult should be stirred up by resistance for the sake of the Gospel, but everything should be endured."

3304 - Ease is a Greater Danger: "We should not fear harsh treatment, but prosperity and good days we should fear.  These may harm us more than fear and persecution Nor should we fear the wisdom of the world, for it can do us no harm.  In fact, the more the wisdom of the world rises up against the truth, the purer and clearer the truth becomes.  Therefore nothing better can come to the Gospel than the opposition of the world with its might and wisdom.  The more my conscience, sin, and the devil assail me, the stronger my righteousness becomes.  For the sins that oppress me cause me anguish.  So I persist more earnestly in prayer and crying to God; and in this way faith and righteousness become constantly stronger and stronger.  This is what St Paul means when he says (2 Cor. 12:9): 'Strength becomes stronger through weakness.'  Since, then, we have a treasure which becomes stronger through temptation and adversity, we should not fear but be of good courage and rejoice at the tribulation, as St. Paul says to the Romans (5:3), and as the apostles did who left the courthouse with great joy and thanked God for having been worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ's Name (Acts 5:41).  If the devil were wise enough to be silent and let the Gospel be preached, he would sustain less harm. For when the Gospel is not attacked, it rusts, and has no opportunity to reveal its power and might."

4443 - Dwell on the Word, Not on Your Worries: "Whatever temptation may be disturbing the heart, the best remedy is to take to reading Holy Writ and meditating on the Word of God. But if the heart should also dislike reading the Word of God and meditating on it (for Satan tries to hinder this and instills a dislike of reading), then you must force yourself to do so, that, if not the heart, at least the tongue, the ears, and the eyes may be occupied the while with seeing, hearing, and doing something different from what the heart thinks.  But you will certainly feel that when the external senses are occupied with the Word of God, the heart will then easily come to rest."

4948 - Children of Heaven Should Be Otherworldly: "Conduct yourselves as those who are no longer citizens of the world, for your possessions lie not on this earth but in heaven; and although you may have lost all temporal goods, you still have Christ, who is more than all else.  The devil is the prince of this world and rules it. His citizens are the people of this world. Therefore, since you are not of the world, act as a stranger in an inn, who does not have his possessions with him but merely procures food and spends his money for it. For this world is merely a place of transit, where we cannot stay; we must travel farther. Therefore we should use worldly goods only to shelter and sustain ourselves before we depart and go to another land. In heaven we are citizens; on earth we are pilgrims and guests."

4972 - The World is Bad, Whether Good or Bad: "It is really disgraceful, the way the world carries on: it may be pious, or it may be wicked; but either way it is worthless. Either it tries openly to be a devil with its wicked works, or it tries to be God Himself with its good works. And both of these are intolerable."

4973 - The Difficulty of Helping the World: "The world resembles a drunken peasant; when you lift him into the saddle on one side, he tumbles off on the other. There is no helping the world. No matter what attitude you take, it wants to belong to the devil."

Yes, the warnings against a "theology of glory" (or whatever term you prefer) and its love of earthly success and power and comfort carry all throughout Luther.  And wisely so!

Advent 2

 

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

Part of living, part of survival, is the ability to pick out danger. It's really one of the things our senses are good for. Hmm, this milk smells off, maybe I shouldn't drink it. Oh look, there's a coiled up snake, oh, listen there, there's an angry rattle – maybe I better not go step on it. This was the basis of the old defensive driving classes we had – eyes up on the road, see potential threats, be prepared to respond. Of course, you also learn what threats aren't really threats at all. No, there isn't a boogey man under the bed; no, that's just the draft ruffling the curtains. This is what we do as we grow – we learn what is dangerous, and we also learn what isn't really all that big of a threat. In our Gospel lesson, this is what Jesus does. He is teaching us how to see, how to understand what threats and dangers there are around us and also what isn't really that big of a deal. Listen.

There will be signs in the sun and the moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the seas and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. As we get closer to “the end” - as we get closer to His return, this is what Jesus tells us we will see. And man, if it doesn't sound scary. Signs in the sun and moon! Distress throughout the world! Big, giant waves, the sea is rising. People freaked out with fear – oh no the sea level might rise 3 feet in the next hundred years, we're all going to die. There is terror, there is a dread foreboding over what coming upon the world, where there's a sizable chunk of people who are convinced that they should never have children because this world is just too horrible and hard pressed to handle it. And the thing is, Jesus isn't just describing our day and age – it's every day and age. There's always some disaster that we are worried about that is going to destroy the earth – there's another ice age coming – that was popular just before I was born. There's always nations in distress, people riled up, fighting, panic over everything. This is the story of the fallen world – people seeing dangers and panicking. And some things are quite dangerous – if there's war, that's deadly. If there's a natural disaster, a flood, a fire, don't mess around with it. But these things always come and go and they always will until... the end.

The end. Well, what is the end? What is the conclusion of all these things? For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. What the world doesn't grasp, what the world doesn't understand is this – And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead. That's how this world will end – not by disaster, not by CERN in Switzerland splitting the wrong atom – no, this world will still be impacted by sin and troubles and problems of the typical and normal kind right up until the day when Jesus comes back. Because Jesus is coming back – He's the Lord of creation, He still cares for and maintains this creation over and against the destructive powers of sin, and He will return to bring forth the New Heavens and the New Earth – and of this Kingdom of His there will be no end.

If you don't know Jesus and that He is coming, there's going to be nothing but panic over the future. There's going to be nothing but fear and foreboding – because you will see more and more the danger and evil in the world, but without seeing Jesus you don't see life and salvation, you don't see hope. That's why the world is constantly panicking – they don't see Jesus, they don't know that He is coming. They can't see accurately. However, thanks be to God, you do know Jesus, and Jesus knows you by name, O Baptized child of God, and thus your reaction to all the things in life, even the wild and woolly disasters is different. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Come Lord Jesus! Come and interrupt this meal and take us to the heavenly feast! And we're ready. Look up, straighten up. Hark the Glad sound, the Savior comes! And it's a good thing when Jesus comes – He is your redemption – you're being freed from sin and death.

Because the scary part has already happened. Well, for us. Jesus in this text, which He preached during holy week, just before His crucifixion, isn't just pointing to the Last Day – He is also pointing to His Crucifixion. And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” That Friday, on Good Friday, what would the people of Jerusalem see? They would see a strange and dreadful tree leaf out – the tree of the Cross, and on it the Lord of Life. And when Jesus was crucified, there were signs in the sun and moon and stars – there was darkness over the land from noon until three. And there was great roaring and distress – the earth shook, the tombs opened, the temple curtain torn in two. And there upon the Cross, with a loud voice Christ Jesus declares with words that will never pass away “It is finished” and He gives up His Spirit and dies. Your redemption draws nigh. The kingdom of God is near. And even the Centurion in fear and wonder declares that this surely was the Son of God. And come the third day, Jesus rises. Sin and death and the world cannot defeat Him – He has won. Jesus lives, the victory's won – death no longer can appall me! And if you see this, if you know the death and resurrection of Jesus – everything changes. Let the wind rattle the leaves on the trees – you know what is coming. Whatever comes, whatever tragedy, whatever terror, even your own death – Jesus is coming, and when He comes, you will rise and be with Him, so all this junk in the the world can sit on a tack, you're with Jesus.

See, not so scary. See, that's something you don't have to worry about. And no, Jesus isn't telling us to be risky or foolish – I'll have some extra lead with my water – no, don't be dumb, and indeed, be good stewards of creation, that's part of why you're here. But all these things that the Christ-ignoring and Christ-hating world freak out about – they aren't a threat to you, because Christ Jesus is bigger than all of them.

However, there is a danger. There is a threat to you that Jesus says you need to look out for. But watch yourselves lest you be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you like a trap. The threat, the danger isn't out there – it's right in here. Watch yourself. Why? Because by hook or by crook Satan seeks to distract you away from Jesus, to rip you away from Him, and that's how you get trapped, that's how you get caught up in the dreck of the world and get lost. And so Jesus here wants to teach you what you really should be on the lookout for, what really is a danger. It's not a natural disaster that's a real threat to you, it's not war, it's not even death. So you die and and we bury you – we did that to Jesus and He rose, and guess what, you're with Jesus, what happens to Him is going to happen to you, it's all good in Christ. So watch out for how Satan tries to get you out of Christ.

Satan and the world will use dissipation and drunkeness. Okay, y'all know that I like words, and I love this word “dissipation” although it's a word that I really only use this time of year. It's the idea of being spread so thin that you evaporate – and really the idea that you are spread so thin celebrating and partying that you are just worn out and miserable. It's basically the ancient world's word for being hungover. The world will try to run you and work you so hard in a quest for fun and excitement that you are either dissipated – too worn out and miserable to actually enjoy anything – or drunk – so overwhelmed by what you are doing that you aren't actually aware of what's going on. And both of those are dangerous times. You don't want to be driving when drunk, and really, it's not good to be driving when hungover because both are utterly distracting. And so the world will offer its so called fun but offer it in a way that it isn't all that it's cracked up to be and leaves you vulnerable to all sorts of calamity, sin, and vice. Watch out, that's the world trying to shake you off of Christ.

And then there's the other side – if Satan can't lure you with “fun” he'll try to drive you with worry and fear. Satan will use the “cares of this life”. You see this, you see that, there's this thing to do, and then there's that thing to do, and oh, I forgot that... and there's weight upon weight and burden upon burden placed upon you – and none of them really important, but Satan will make you think they are vital, and all joy and all time and all peace is squished out of you. That's all an attempt to make you too busy for Jesus, too loaded down to pause and rest and be still and know that He is the LORD and that He has won you forgiveness, life, and salvation.

So grow, Christian! Learn to spot the actual dangers. Use the Word that Christ has spoken to you so that you know what actually is going on. The world will throw so, so much at you, all in an attempt to terrify you, to distract you, to drive you away from Christ. But Christ Jesus has already won – Satan could not and cannot defeat Him. All Satan can do is try to distract you away from Jesus. But you know what all this means – it's just a reminder that Jesus is coming, coming for you, for your good, to be your Redeemer. So straighten up, don't let Satan bog you down. In Christ it is all good for you! In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

Advent 1 Sermon

 

Advent 1 – Matthew 21:1-9 – November 26^th and 27^th, 2022

In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

This world is broken. Has been ever since the fall. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the world has been broken. We as people – broken. We are now prone to hatred and anger and envy and strife and sorrow and sadness. We are no longer pure and whole, and even if we were, even when there are times when we are not at fault – our neighbor still is broken too – and pain and suffering still comes anyway. Broken. And the world itself – broken. Nature itself seems out to get us half the time, to ruin itself with storms and natural disasters, animals tearing each other to shreds. All broken. Nothing works right. And indeed, God does spare us from some of this brokenness, gives us blessings and joy here in this life – but still, here in this world, things all fall apart eventually. There is anger and pain and terror and suffering – all of which flows from, all of which is a consequence of sin.

The prophet Jeremiah thus sounds the call for this Advent season, speaks out to us in this broken, fallen world that lies in the grasp of sin. The prophet calls out, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” There is a promise, given by God, that someday the King will come, and what will this King do? He shall be wise, and He will do justice, He will see that things are righteous. He will fix things, He will make things to be the way they ought to be. Now this, this is a thing to wait for, to watch for with eagerness! That is what Advent is – where we of the New Testament Church pause and wait to celebrate our Lord’s coming at His birth, where we watch and ponder what our Lord’s coming was for, what it means, how it happened, so that we might give God thanks aright for it.

Some 600 years after Jeremiah spoke these words, we see the events of our Gospel text. We see Christ Jesus ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey there on Palm Sunday, and here we learn how our Lord comes. This is the promised coming of the King, a coming that is lowly and humble, a coming for justice, and a coming for righteousness. Christ comes to be all these things, to win for us salvation and forgiveness, to fulfill all the Scriptures spoke of Him, and to prepare heaven for us and us for heaven. This is what He does when He enters Jerusalem.

It’s not what the broken world expects. Back then, the crowds had something else in mind. The crowds had wild expectations for what would happen once Jesus rode into Jerusalem. Many were expecting the casting off of the hated Roman overlords. But Jesus doesn’t revolt. Many were expecting miracles galore. But that isn’t what Christ Jesus, who reigns wisely does. Jesus goes to the temple and teaches, and then Jesus goes to the cross. And the world is befuddled. Same thing today. The broken world doesn’t understand the coming of our Lord that we celebrate at Christmas. The broken world thinks that the coming of the King should mean 50 days of great sales at the stores - the broken world expects the Savior to save our lagging economy. The broken world thinks that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are happy during these cold months. The broken world is content to have its parties and its festivities, and then pack up whatever passing thoughts of an infant laid in a manger they had until next October when they can start making a profit off of it again.

But Christ never acts in the way the broken world wants Him to. Christ our King comes humbly – mounted on a donkey. When Christ enters Jerusalem, He does not come upon a charger of war, He does not come leading a host of zealots ready to storm Pilate’s quarters, slaying Romans. No, He comes humbly, and He rides His donkey up not to the worldly seats of power, but to the temple, and He fixes things there, focuses people upon God and prayer. Christ our King comes to bring Justice – but not the justice the broken world craves. The broken world thought Justice meant punishing the wicked harshly and severely – driving the Romans before them. They thought Justice would mean more cash in their pockets, just like the world today thinks justice means giving reparations to the right people, making sure this political program is just so. But when Christ comes to execute Justice, He slays no one, He butters no political bread. Rather – He Himself goes to the cross to see Justice done – to see the sins of the broken world punished in Himself. When you behold the Cross, you see Christ Jesus executing Justice, you see Justice done by the King, as He Himself takes up the sins of the world. And Christ our King comes to bring and to be righteousness – but not a righteousness the broken world expects. The broken world expects righteousness to mean that things are the way they want things to be. The broken people of Christ’s day would have expected a righteous world to be ruled by them, where the other peoples of the world all acknowledged their superiority and served them – that would be nice! But that isn’t the righteousness that Christ brings – when He wins for us forgiveness upon the Cross, He also pours out His Spirit upon us, enlivening us. Christ’s righteousness is not that He makes things to be the way we want them to be, but He comes to us and makes us to be the way God wants us to be. He fixes our brokenness, pulls us away from our own sin, strengthens us to resist temptation, makes us to be those who show forth love, who are humble and just and righteous again by the power of His Word.

What Christ did then, back on Holy Week, is the same thing He does for us today. He shatters our broken expectations of Him, and shows us indeed who God is and God’s great love for us. Today the broken world thinks a Christian life ought to be one of success and wealth and power where we finally win some political battles and set things right. Yet how does Christ come? He comes through His Word – He calls us not to a life of Champaign toasts and caviar dreams, but to a life of contemplation, where we hear His Word and mediate upon it, think about it – and then speak it back to Him in prayer, sing it back to Him in hymns. He calls us to worship, where we are no longer focused upon ourselves, but are focused upon God and His love for us. He calls us to a life of service, where we care for the neighbor, show them love, make their life better than than ours. This is humility, to focus not upon yourself but upon God and upon your neighbor. This is precisely what our Lord does when He rides into Jerusalem on that donkey, when He comes to us in His Word. Our Humble Lord teaches us humility.

And Christ comes to us today to teach us what justice is. The broken world today still expects justice to be about the slaying of our enemies, where the neighbor who has wronged me will get his just deserts. Christ though, teaches us what justice is – He teaches us and gives us justice through His gift of Baptism. He says, “I will slay your enemy, your true enemy – and your true enemy is your desire to sin – behold My justice as I drown your sins and your Old Adam by water and the Word.” When we ponder Baptism, we see what Justice truly is, what it entails. At your baptism, God Almighty connected you to our Lord’s Crucifixion – tied you to Christ’s own death to be the proof and assurance that when Christ died for the sins of the world, yes, indeed and truly, He died for your sins – that when Justice was done to Him, it was done also for you. God’s Justice means that you have forgiveness on account of Christ, that your sins are washed away. And again, this is not of ourselves – we have this gift of justice and forgiveness not because of our boldness, not because of our worth – but because Christ Jesus is the King who does justice, who gives out justice, who does all that is needed to see that justice is done. We do not come to faith as spiritual vigilantes, taking God’s law into our own hands by our own decisions – but Christ comes, and He is just for us, and He makes us to be just – He justifies us.

And of course, Christ comes to show us righteousness. The broken world is selfish, is focused upon itself. Christ comes to draw our eyes off of ourselves and rather to make us righteous people who show love to their neighbor, Christ makes us to be whom He created us to be in the first place. This is what He accomplishes through His Supper. Christ comes to us in His Body and Blood to forgive our sins and also to strengthen our faith, to fill us with His love so that we might do righteousness, so that we might show forth His love in the coming week. This is why we give thanks to God upon receiving this Supper, praying – “we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith towards You and in fervent love towards one another.” And that is what God does, what God accomplishes through this blessed meal. God works upon you – when you are here, when you hear His Word, receive His Supper, God is active – the Holy Spirit acts upon you, heals you, restores you. He makes you to show a right and holy life.

Whenever Christ comes, He comes teaching us humility and giving us justice and making us righteous. The season of Advent, which we now enter, is nothing else than a call to remember this, to focus upon this, to see this. The broken world would distract us, dazzle and blind us to Christ – but our Lord tells us to be patient, to watch and wait for His coming and His deliverance – a coming and deliverance we celebrate and remember at Christmas, a coming and deliverance we have now whenever Christ gathers us to His Church, and a coming and deliverance that we shall have in full for all eternity when He comes again. In the Name of Christ Jesus, our Advent King +

Thanksgiving Service

 

 Thanksgiving Day Service – 1 Tim 2 and Luke 17

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +
    What does it mean to be thankful?  I ask this question, because our society today really doesn't know what it means to be thankful.  And no, I'm not going off on a rant about how people are spoiled and ungrateful – rather this; what does it mean to be thankful?  What does it mean to be full of thanks?

    Too often, we use “gratitude” and “thankfulness” as though they are exactly the same thing.  I can have gratitude inside me, I can be very grateful for something just in my thoughts.  But thanks, thanks have to be said.  Thanks have to be given.  Thankfulness is never silent, but rather thankfulness is always spoken, shouted, or sung. Or written out on a card.  Or conveyed.  We get so caught up today in our feelings and emotions – “you better think about what you are thankful for today” - well, what good is that if you never actually give thanks?

    This is why Paul instructs Timothy and us as follows: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.  The first thing on Timothy's to do list as a pastor, the priority for the church under his care is this: pray.  And there are a variety of prayers that Paul encourages Timothy and us unto.  There are supplications – where you ask God for something.  Heavenly Father, bless our homes and families.  Supplications are the requesting of a benefit, asking God for His favor.  Then there are “prayers” - and this is the word for the normal prayers of worship.  In peace let us pray to the Lord – Lord have mercy.  Ask for blessings, worship God, and then a third sort of prayer: Intercession.  To intercede is specifically to get between God and another person and ask God to not smite them even though they deserve it.  It's the prayers for mercy that we pray for those outside the church – to turn the heart of our enemies, to do good to our enemies.  We know the impact of sin, we know what evil does – Lord, defend our neighbors, forgive them for they know not what they do.

    And then, at the end, after all of these other sorts of prayer, Paul brings up thanksgivings.  We are to pray to God for kings and all in high position, we are to pray that we might have a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified – and we are to give thanks to God for the fact that we have had such peace and quiet in our lives.  We are able to gather here today in safety.  Even in the midst of turmoil and economic stress that we've not seen in decades we are able to celebrate and feast with our friends and families this day.  And while the world might be all messed up, at least we are still allowed to carry on in godly dignity here – this is a wonderful thing.  And indeed, we should give great and wondrous thanks to God who has preserved us in the face of so many strange and various dangers and oddities.  So yes, we are this day going to give thanks to God for all these wondrous 1st article blessings that He has preserved for us.

    Thinking on this – I use that phrase “1st Article Blessings” perhaps a little too often, it's a comfortable short hand, but to be specific, when I say “1st Article Blessings” I am referring to the explanation of the 1st Article of the Creed in the Small Catechism.  And just in case you can't just rattle it off on demand, let me refresh your memory: I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

    You have that long list – and the focus is that it is all given by God.  And then, at the end there is that tie between thanks and praise – it is my duty to thank and praise.  That's what we hear in our Gospel – when the 1 leper returns and gives Jesus thanks, Jesus says, Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?  Do you see that tie there between thanks and praise.  They go hand in hand.  If you are thanking someone for something, you are at the same time praising their actions.  This is why praise, why proclaiming what God has done, is always part of our worship – in the liturgy, in the creed, in the hymns.  We proclaim what God has done, thanking and praising Him.

    But I don't want this day to just be a first article day.  We aren't merely focused on temporal, physical blessings.  God has done far more.  Christ Jesus has come and with His death and resurrection He has won you forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation.  He has won you your body not just for a few decades until the grave swallows you, but but this body that He has given you, He will raise and have you keep it.  He will restore it unto eternity.  This is why He says to the healed leper – Rise and go your way, your faith has” - made you well is a bit soft of a translation.  The word there is sesoken se – has saved you.  It's the same word that is the root of the word Savior.  It's the same word as in 1 Tim 2 – This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved.  Christ Jesus is your Savior, and He has brought this salvation to you, He does so today in His Word, in His Supper where He gives you His own Body and Blood.

    And that's the cycle, the pattern of worship – God's love and our response.  God gives, and we receive while returning thanks and praise.  This is why in a few minutes I'm going to say, “Let us give thanks unto the LORD.”  In fact, one of the earliest and even still a common name for the Lord's Supper is the “Eucharist” - which is just the Greek word for Thanksgiving.  We see what God has done for us, the blessings of body and soul, and we come to His house, we ask for mercy, for continued physical blessings, we give thanks for what God has done, we hear His Word (thanks be to God), we taste and see that the Lord is good and then we thank the Lord and sing His praise.  Thanksgiving, my friends, isn't mere gratitude – it is prayer, it is praise, it is worship, it is receiving again the good gifts of God that Christ Jesus has won for you and proclaiming again His death and resurrection, His victory over sin and death.  This is why Paul tells Timothy – tend to the prayers – tend to the worship – because the rulers need our prayers so that our lives can be peaceful and quiet enough for us to gather for worship to hear the Word of God, to come to the knowledge of our salvation again hearing that Word and preaching, that we might give thanks to Jesus as He gives Himself to us in His Supper.

    Every time you enter this house for worship and praise, it is truly thanksgiving.  A blessed thanksgiving day to you in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.