Sermon on Galatians 4:4-7 1st Sunday after Christmas 27 December 2020 Our Hope Lutheran Church Huntertown, Indiana
Text: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”
Intro: In most of the world’s religions, God is very far away. For some, he is the high god that made the world and left it to lesser gods and humans to manage as they can. In Eastern religious traditions, everything is god, a single being without differences. According to them, the problem is we think we’re individuals and weighed down by our bodies and material things. Deists of the enlightenment — like Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin — think of God as a craftsman — like a watchmaker — who made a fine watch — the world — wound it up and let it run as designed.
Over the last few decades, we’ve caught glimpses of this in popular song. In the 1970s, We were told “the three men I admired most, The Father, Son, and The Holy Ghost, They took the last train for the coast.” and in the 90s that “God is watching us … from a distance.”
Yet God is not far from us and never has been. He made us to be with him. Though sin separated us, he longed to be with us. He spoke with Abraham. He led the people of Israel and lived with them – first in a tent and then in a temple. He sent events in motion to become even closer to us. At just the right time he was born one of us at Bethlehem.
Sin separates us from God – and each other.
Rather than live according to God’ will, we live by what we think is best.
The result is we are separated from God and at odds with each other.
Sins and sorrows grow; Thorns infest the ground; death reigns.
We think we are alone, yet we need God and each other.
We are the ones who wonder away.
Jesus became one of us to save us.
Yet to God we are precious, a lost treasure, a pearl of great price, a lost coin and a lost sheep.
He has been looking for us and become one of us.
Born at Bethlehem, the same way as we are, except no sin of his own.
He dies reconcile us to God and to call to each other.
Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Third Sunday in Advent Our Hope Lutheran Church Huntertown, Indiana 13 December 2020
Text: “Αlways rejoice. Do not stop praying. For everything give thanks because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you … Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
Intro:
O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. Amen.
You may have noticed that the third candle in the Advent wreath is a little different than the others. It is a rose-colored candle instead of a purple or blue candle. The rose color stands for joy and is the theme for the third Sunday of Advent, as we begin to turn from thinking about the Second Coming of Christ and prepare to celebrate his first coming.
On Thursday this week, the antiphon for midweek services changes each day to consider a title of Jesus and pray for him to come. They are called the O Antiphons, because each is a prayer that begins with the word “O.” We know them from the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
Our secular world is also moving towards the Christmas and to joy and merriment. This celebration is ancient. As the Winter Solstice approaches, we have less and less natural light in the world, which is kind of depressing. And so the pagans would also celebrate, give gifts, make merry and party hoping to lift the gloom – a little. Many modern practices trace back to these times. And so the church taps into the sentiment and rejoices – in the first coming of Christ. “ God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day…”
Yet often there is little to be happy about – especially this year.
The constant drumbeat of COVID reports hangs over our lives.
The restrictions our governments have imposed in vain hope of controlling it bring their own misery.
There is also the evils that enter life even without COVID also cast the shadow of death over us.
“Don’t worry! Be happy!” Doesn’t quite seem to do it, does it?
It is into this darkness that the light of Christ shines.
Because he loves us, Almighty God leaves his throne to be born one of us.
He lived our life, shared our sufferings, gathered them and our sins to himself.
On the cross he paid the price of our sin and broke its power over us forever.
God also gives a way to cope with our dark world.
Rejoice all the time, don’t stop praying, give thanks for everything….
God is making us holy, fit for eternal life.
He will have his peace set guard over your hearts and minds.
So it is we rejoice at his first coming, looking forward to his second coming.
O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Amen.
Dear saints, when we first meet John the Baptist, he is in the wilderness calling for the people to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He wore strange clothing. He ate an odd diet. And many came out to him. They listened to him and many were convicted of their sins, they repented, and they were baptized into the forgiveness of sins. Even when confronted by the Pharisees, John was bold in his confession. He was unafraid to let them know of their wickedness and call them also to repent. Something they did not think they needed to do. We will hear more about John’s confession next week
But it was not only his people that John was bold to preach God’s Law to. He also took it to the secular authorities. And that is why we find him in prison this morning. He stood up to Herod and called him to repent of his sinful and immoral marriage to his brother’s wife. It landed him in prison.
While in prison, he hears of what the Christ is doing. The same one who he boldly confessed to be the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sin of the world. But now, as he sits in prison, he sends some of his disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” There is debate among Christians on whether John sent these disciples because of his own doubt or because he was trying to encourage them to leave him and follow Jesus. I am not sure why, in this case, it is not both.
Surely John had to be struggling. He was God’s prophet and literally pointed to God’s Christ. But, because he knew he was a prophet, he also would not have been surprised that he was persecuted. To top it off, John had proclaimed certain things that Jesus would do. John said that Jesus would have the winnowing fork in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
But what does John hear? That Jesus is kind and compassionate. He dines with sinners. He heals the sick. Yes, he engages with and calls the Pharisees to repent, but it is not the fiery destruction that John apparently expected. And so, it would not be surprising that John would have some doubt about Jesus. Perhaps he thinks to himself, “I know who he is supposed to be. But I’m just not seeing it right now.” So, he sends his disciples and they ask if Jesus is the One who is coming.
When these disciples come and ask Jesus the question, it would make sense for Jesus to act like that man with the winnowing fork in his hands. It would make sense for a ‘fire and brimstone’ Jesus to condemn John for daring to have doubts. For questioning who Jesus is. But this is not what happens. Instead, Jesus speaks to the disciples sent by John with love and compassion. The text makes it sound like Jesus was teaching and healing as these disciples approached. And so when he turns to them and answers John’s question he says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
The response was not condemnation for having expectations that Jesus was not living up to. Instead, it was referencing the prophecies and promises of Isaiah. Isaiah spoke God’s Law to the people. He called them to repent. And to those who believed and had faith in the Lord, he also proclaimed God’s abundant mercy. Jesus tells John, through his disciples, that he is exactly who John thought he was. He is the Christ. He is the one with the winnowing fork. But it is not time for the fork to be wielded.
Jesus was saying that now is the time for a preaching of repentance. Now is a time for healing. For forgiving. The time for the dead, both physically and spiritually, to be raised. And the one who is blessed is the one who is not ashamed of Jesus.
Things are not too different today. It is still the time for the preaching of repentance. It is still a time for healing. Today it is a spiritual healing that we provide. It is the spiritual life that is resurrected. Through the preaching of the Word, ears are opened and the deaf hear. The blinders are lifted, and people can see.
It is easy for us to look at the people in the Bible and feel superior to them. Why didn’t Israel stay faithful as they left Egypt? How could they reject God and his judges and seek an earthly king? How could John not see that Jesus is exactly who he said he was the first time Jesus approached in the desert? Well, because they are human and sinful. We, as they did, have ideas of what is supposed to happen. When it does not, we quickly question, doubt, or blame. And thankfully, Jesus is not waiting with a winnowing fork to toss us into the fire.
There are those today who say that doubt is better than faith. This is false. They assert that questioning God is an act of faith. That is ridiculous. It is sinful. But that is not to say that a Christian who has faith will never doubt. We see it this morning with John. He knows who Jesus is, but he does not see things working out like he thought they would. Another example is the Father of the boy with an unclean spirit. He asks Jesus if he can help. When Jesus replies that
Fear and doubt are no strangers to the Christian. Fear is a natural response to a serious illness. Doubt can creep into the minds of those with the strongest faith. Even after the resurrection, there was fear and doubt in the disciples. Even as they worshipped Jesus as their Lord and God. Sometimes it is hard to wrap your head around some of what we believe, teach, and confess:
How can the water of baptism do such great things? As you know, it is not the water, but it is the water with the word of God in and with the water. In other words, it is because of God’s promise attached to that water. We know this. We believe this. But I also remember a time that I had my doubts about it.
When you doubt, you are free to go to your Savior and tell them to him. You are free to express your doubt, your frustration, your fears. And when you do, you do not have to worry about an angry God ready and looking for a reason to destroy you. You find a loving God who desires his children to have a healthy fear and to trust that he is working all things out for the good of those who love him.
The reason you can be sure of this is because of John’s words about Jesus the first time he saw him in the wilderness. Jesus is the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world. He came as the babe in Bethlehem to be a sacrifice. He came to Jerusalem to be your atonement. To be your liberator from the slavery of sin, death, and the devil. He took his seat on his throne when he was lifted upon the cross. Where his blood flowed, forgiveness was won, and salvation was accomplished.
Jesus had no condemnation for John as John’s disciples left to return to him. Instead, Jesus had praise for him: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet…Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” This was said for John’s disciples to hear. So that they would relay it to John as well.
There is no rebuke for John, but that does not mean you can doubt everything. When Peter scoffs as Jesus says that he must suffer and die, a swift and stern rebuke comes. When Zechariah doubts the angel Gabriel’s word that Elizabeth will have a son, he is struck mute. This doubt was faithless. Yet Mary’s questioning of Gabriel did not bring rebuke. It was a doubt of wonder. It was like she said, “I know what you say will come to pass, but I don’t understand how…”
We prayed this morning that God would “hear our prayers” and “lighten the darkness of our hearts.” God hears our prayers, and he lightens the darkness. He does so as he gives sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. That is, he delivers faith to those who do not know him. He strengthens faith in those who trust in him yet struggle. And this gives us joy. And in joy, we anticipate his coming. Not just as we remember him born of the Virgin, and not only in his promised return. But we have joy even today as we anticipate and enjoy his presence here in our midst. As he comes in his Body and Blood to feed and nourish you. To forgive your sins. To strengthen your faith in the hearing of his Holy Word. To be the answer to all your doubt.
And so, as the name of our Sunday invites us to do, let us Rejoice in the Lord always. For he has come to us and for us. He has covered our sin and has forgiven our iniquity. He speaks to us peace and revives us in body and soul. Again I will say, Rejoice. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
On December 10, 1520, the grace period given Martin Luther in Pope Leo X‘s bull Exsurge Domine expired. The proclamation labeled Luther’s views heretical and gave him sixty days to condemn his own views or be excommunicated. No one, least of all, Martin Luther, expected him to do so. The document also ordered the burning of Luther’s books. Very few places, all devoted to the papacy, actually succeeded in doing so. When the rumor spread that Leipzig, just across the river Elbe from Wittenberg had done so, Luther’s friends planned a response.
On that morning, Philipp Melanchthon announced that the University would respond by burning truly heretical books. They gathered several editions of the Canon Law, the works responsible for turning confession into an ordeal and the books of Eck an other opponents of Luther. John Agricola, an early friend of Luther, organized the bonfire, set just outside the city gate. He could not convince any of the professors to give up their copies of scholastic theology, so they were content to burn what they had. In the middle of the burning, Luther comes up and throws in his copy of the bull. With this action, Luther and his friends parted company with the Pope and all those loyal to him. Then he and the university professors returned to the city. The students, however, organized a funeral for the canon law, complete with songs. Rumor embellished the action. Luther wrote Spalatin to inform the Elector, who gave it tacit approval.
Sermon on Ezekiel 36:22-28 Tuesday after the Second Sunday in Advent Kramer Chapel Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana 8 December 2020
Text: Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Intro: O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior, Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen.
“Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” we’ve been saying for weeks now as we reviewed last things: the signs of the end, the Lord’s urging: “keep watch!” the Second Advent, the great judgment seat, sheep and goats, the heavenly Jerusalem, eternal life at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. “Come, Lord Jesus!” Indeed! So, we shout with Isaiah, “why don’t you tear open the heavens and come already! 2020 has been a miserable year in the world, in a vale of tears, in the shadow of death. ”Why don’t you come already?” We think, even though as Christians we know better – especially as pastors, seminarians and professors. Yes, we know what St. Peter told us Sunday, that the Lord is not slow as we suppose. But it doesn’t change our longing for him to get on with it! We’re like kids on a long road trip – are we there yet?
The people of Israel in exile thought the same thing. So he repeated his promise to his people – he would return them from exile – and much more.
They didn’t deserve God’s action to save them – and neither do we.
Though he was a husband to them, they went after every idol and put their trust in them.
They claimed his name, worshipped him sometimes, yet ignored his law and abused others.
And so they cheapened his name, ruined his reputation and gave reason to gentiles not to believe in him.
Their hearts were hard as rock.
Yet he loved them and did not wish that they would die.
Therefore he made a New Covenant with them – and us – in His own Blood.
He did rip open the Heavens when he came, not in glory, but in a baby born to a virgin.
With his own blood he bought us, his holy bride, and for our life he died.
With Water and the Word, he cleansed us of our sins.
He put his Holy Spirit in us, giving us beating hearts that love him and our neighbor.
While we wait for him, we are not alone. He remains with us until the end of time itself.
Mt. Calvary, La Grange, TX recently dedicated two new banners featuring the Four Evangelists’ symbols and other rice, ancient imagery. The new banners come from Ad Crucem in Aurora, CO.
Both banners display a cruciform orphrey braid design (the same cross shaped image that we find on our funeral pall). This cross shape draws our eyes to the central image of the triumphant Lamb of God. The Lamb of God, as an image of Jesus, is used heavily in St. John’s gospel and also the Revelation. The purpose of the Gospels, the Prophets, and the sacraments is to bring Jesus’s forgiveness to us.
The triumphant Lamb of God is often depicted with a wounded side. This reminds us of Jesus’s mortal wounds in the crucifixion; the Lamb who was slain and yet, He lives. He also carries a cross-topped war banner standard, flying the victorious battle banner. The particular halo around His head is only used for God, Himself.
The lectern side features St. Matthew and St. Luke as well as the names of Isaiah and Jeremiah. At its top we find this scripture reference: I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17) This is the proclamation of the Christian faith. We preach it, the gospel of forgiveness of sins in Jesus, that all may hear and believe.
The images of the four evangelists are ancient depictions. The church has used them since at least the 4th century, though earlier examples also exist. They encapsulate the unique themes of the Gospel, as recorded by each inspired writer. The symbols of each often bear wings. This to connect our minds between the Evangelists and the four living, winged creatures discussed in both Daniel and Revelation.
We see Matthew depicted as a winged man. The Gospel according to Matthew begins with a lengthy genealogy. St. Matthew draws our attention to the humanity and prophetic work of Jesus, throughout His ministry on Earth. Matthew’s focus gives us the image of the winged man, which is his symbol.
Luke is depicted as a winged ox or bull. The Gospel according to St. Luke focuses heavily on the priestly work and sacrificial death of Jesus. Even in the birth narrative, the temple and sacrificial activity take a front seat. Luke’s narrative focus gives us the image of the winged sacrificial bull or ox, which is his symbol.
At the bottom of the lectern side banner, we read: Isaiah & Jeremiah. These prophets of the Old Testament are also gospel preachers. We don’t always think that way about them. But, the prophets preach repentance to the wayward people. They also preach the restoration of the people, all peoples, in the coming Messiah.
St. Isaiah gives us much of the language we use in our Advent hymns. His huge prophetic work is dripping with Gospel promises in the unnamed Messiah to come. He also gives us the language we hear out of the mouth of St. John, the Baptizer, a voice crying in the wilderness.
St. Jeremiah also preaches to the hopeless, unfaithful people of Israel. His strong themes of terrifying judgement run deeply in the prophecy. His bold promises of grace for those called by faith are a prophecy of hope and restoration. We don’t expect to find Law-Gospel preaching in the Old Testament. Yet, there it is, big as Dallas. And, it’s been there all along.
The pulpit side features St. John and St. Mark as well as the names of Ezekiel and Daniel. At the top we find this scripture reference: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30) This Gospel proclamation of Jesus work for us reminds us that His work of our salvation is complete.
We find John in the image of the eagle. The Gospel according to St. John is given from a 10,000-foot perspective. It soars in the heavens. John focuses on Jesus’ divinity. John begins by tying Jesus to the creation in Genesis 1:1. And, he concludes Revelation by taking us into the Resurrection on the last day. His Gospel themes of light, grace, truth, and God’s love for us drive the narrative.
Looking at Mark, we see the winged lion. The Gospel according to St. Mark dwells upon the Kingship of Jesus. The lion as a symbol of both the Israelite tribe of Judah and Mark is fitting. Mark drives more quickly than the other evangelists. Writing very late, he seems to be writing in a way that recapitulates the stories you know already. But, he brings us details we may have missed along the way.
The names of the prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel grace the bottom of the pulpit side banner. These prophets also preach repentance and restoration in the Messiah to come.
St. Ezekiel shares visions of God justifying His people and keeping His promises in the Messiah. He also gives us a spectacular image of the resurrection in chapter 37. The valley of dry bones, where the voice of the prophet commanded by God causes the bones to come together. Flesh comes upon those bones, and breath returns to them. No, the resurrection isn’t a symbolic, spiritual thing.
St. Daniel is both historian and prophet. He’s the source of several vivid depictions of the Babylonian captivity. The fiery furnace and the lion’s den are two such Sunday school stories. He also gives us the language of “one like the Son of Man.” And, we get the image of the “Ancient of Days” giving His saints the eternal kingdom.
Both banners display Prayer, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper symbols between the Evangelists’ icons and the triumphant lamb. The lamp of prayer is God’s command for us and His promise to hear us. The shell of Baptism reminds us of the Gospel of the forgiveness delivered to us in Holy Baptism. The chalice and host of the Lord’s Supper shows us that same forgiveness delivered in Jesus’s body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
These Four Evangelists banners teach us so much about the Gospel given to us by the Prophets and the Evangelists. And, they show us Jesus, the Lamb of God at their center, delivered to us in the means of grace by God’s institution and command.
Blessèd be the Lord!
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool La Grange, TX
Dear saints, the lessons for today make it hard to believe we less than three weeks from Christmas. Instead of festive cheer, we hear a lot of doom and gloom. We are warned of the end of the world, much like we are as each church year ends. We hear our Lord teach about and warn his listener of the end of the world. At first glance, it may not sound like Advent. It sounds like we are skipping around from last week’s Lenten lesson to the end of Trinity. But these are particularly good Advent themes. Advent, remember, is not a joyous season like Christmas and Easter but is a penitential season much like Lent.
And so, it is fitting that we began Advent and our anticipation of the birth of Christ by looking at his kingly entrance to Jerusalem. There he was preparing to accomplish what he was born to do: suffer and die for you so that your sin and shame are removed. In Lent, we prepare for our salvation being won. Now, we prepare for our salvation to come. We anticipate this in both the celebration of Christmas and the birth of Christ, but as we see in our text today, at the end of our current heaven and earth. In his Second Coming.
As we turn our attention to this morning’s text, let us first think about the cycle of our year. For a couple more weeks, our days will continue getting darker. Our nights are still getting longer. It is a decent metaphor for our world. It is also getting darker. It is getting more violent and chaotic. There is uncertainty about what the future is bringing. Some foresee a bright future through policy, and others see a tragic future no matter the policy. For the world, this is very unsettling. Yet what we see around us should not surprise us.
As Jesus says, “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. 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. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
There’s a reason things seem to be getting worse: They are. And while we do not like seeing wars or disaster or persecution or plague, we know it must come. And that it does come and that it does get worse means something exceptionally good is coming. The close of our calendar year brings darker days and colder weather. Yet we will soon begin to see longer days. Eventually, we will begin to warm back up. Which leads us to the parable in our text:
“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.
As the ground eventually thaws and planting season approaches, the trees leave and bud once again too. It is a sign that summer is coming. In the spring, the earth’s vegetation comes back to life. Brown fields turn into green meadows. Flowers sprout and beautify the landscape. There is the anticipation of a vacation … something I am sure many of us could really use right now. And as they say in baseball, “Hope springs eternal.” Optimism for the coming year always runs high.
Odd as it sounds, we should see the signs in the sun and moon and stars, the distress of the people, the calamities and disaster as a budding tree. It is showing us that Christ’s return is coming. He will return in the same way he ascended. He will return as your righteous king.
This is exciting yet terrifying news! It is terrifying to think of violence and things shaking loose right around you. It is unsettling to think of people losing their minds over what is happening. It is not fun to think about everything you know and are used to crashing down around you. So, Jesus implores you to, “Raise up your heads, for your redemption draws near!”
We do not rejoice at the horrible things that have happened, are happening, or will happen. Indeed, we should grieve with those who mourn. Should be sorrowful and have compassion for those who are desperate. Lament those who have no faith in the One who delivers them from their sin. Yet through it all, you see that your reward won and given to you by Jesus Christ, is nearly here. And so, despite the bad things going on around you, perhaps even to you, it is something you can look forward to with hope. Even with joy because joy is not the same as happiness. Joy transcends happiness. Joy can be felt and experienced amid your deepest pain.
While the world, that is the people who reject the Lord, reacts with perplexity and fear, the church reacts with peace, hope, and joy. The world is about to be condemned. The church sees real justice being revealed. And then there’s creation. Creation waits with eager longing because in the Fall it was subjected to futility and the whole of creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.God’s good creation, corrupted by the Fall, yearns for these signs to come. It suffers, through no fault of its own, right along with us as we await the Son of God. We await the revelation that what God did to you and me in our baptisms will be seen and revealed to all of creation.
As we await the coming of our Lord, he also encourages us to watch ourselves. He urges us not to be weighed down by this life. That we resist the temptation to indulge in the debauchery our world invites us to indulge in. Allowing yourself to be tempted and fooled into sinning threatens to destroy your faith. Though we anxiously await our Christ and his quick return, we do not know when it is. So, we do practice the things that strengthen our faith. We gather to hear the Word and to receive His Supper. We pray for one another, the church over all the world, and even our enemies. This is what Jesus means when he exhorts us to stay awake at all times. These actions and good works that we do have no justifying value to them. They do, however, give us restraint and help prevent laziness. You are given comfort and assurance that the blood of Christ shed on the cross pays the price for your sin. The water poured, sprinkled, or washed over you in baptism washes away your sin and makes you a new creation in Christ.
As we walk along our journey to the manger, we look forward to the culmination of our waiting. As we gaze upon the face of the newborn babe, we consider his innocent sufferings in this life and on the cross. As we share in Word and Sacrament, we consider his gifts and their culmination in his Second Advent. For even as things fall apart around us, we know that our redemption draws near. We will be freed from our sinful flesh and be given a new and incorruptible body. Freed from the impact of sin and given life everlasting in the presence of our Lord and Savior.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
In the United States, December is a very busy month. Christians are preparing for Christmas, Jews are preparing for Hannukah, some African Americans celebrate a fairly recent holiday called Kwanzaa. Our businesses begin already before Halloween to prepare brightly colored lights and Christmas trees, music and sales for the gifts people will buy and parties people will host. Crafters begin even earlier — the care that knitting, crocheting, sewing, making of candles, clay creations and other items take quite a bit of time and love to make.
For the church, it is a season of preparation, too! On the surface, there are the additional services and special music to prepare. Pastors take special care to craft a sermon that will bring the Good News of Great Joy to what has been delicately called the semi-annual worshippers. Yet the real preparation is not for the celebration. The real preparation is for Christ to come.
Advent is about the three ways that Jesus comes to us. Everyone remembers the first time he came — as a baby in Bethlehem. The Second Coming is when he comes at the end of time. The third way is the one most people miss — Jesus comes to us everyday in various ways. He is always with us, until the end of time itself. He comes to us every time we read his word or hear it preached. He comes when we gather in worship, especially when the pastor speaks his forgiveness to us. He is really present, coming to us in bread and wine, where he gives us his body and blood in the Lord’s Supper.
So, how do we prepare for these comings? With the faith he has given to us as a gift, we turn from our sins to do his will (that’s what the Hebrew word for repent means). We completely change our minds (that’s what the Greek word for repent means, from giving in to our sinful ways of thinking to keeping God’s law and doing his will. Alone, these are impossible for us. But with God’s help, the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the gifts of his Word and Sacraments, we can change are hearts and minds to serve him.
There may be several related questions about that one little icon in our hymnal, the Lutheran Service Book (LSB), which we print into the bulletin also. It’s an innovation for the 2006 hymnal to smooth out some confusion about rubrics (which describe how we move and what we do, physically) in worship. Sometimes we stand. Sometimes we sit. Sometimes we kneel.
First off, what’s a “stanza?” Most of us grew up calling the numbered lines of text in a hymn, verses. They are actually called stanzas. Verses are the individual poetic lines of which a stanza is constituted. For example: “My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker,” LSB 820, stanza 3, verse 2 reads, God in His arms will gather all who are His in childlike fear. That line doesn’t make much sense by itself. There is a simple phrase to help us remember that distinction. “Psalms have verses, hymns have stanzas.”
So, why a triangle? The triangle indicates the Holy Trinity, Father Son, and Holy Spirit, by name. Christian art has used the triangle as visual shorthand for the Trinity for centuries. So, it was a natural go-to visual marker for our hymnals. Why does the triangle only appear sometimes? Not all, or even very many of our hymns contain a Trinitarian final stanza. This is neither good nor bad hymn writing. It simply is. The ones that do have a Trinitarian final stanza get the triangle marker. We added the triangle to our hymns to reduce some confusion between local practices that popped-up over time.
Why do we stand for triangled stanzas? We stand for Trinitarian stanzas to acknowledge and glorify our Triune God. The Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped, says the Athanasian Creed. We do something special at that moment because we are clearly setting ourselves apart from others who would claim Christianity, but deny the Triune God.
Our standing acclamation speaks to our confessions together in the creeds. There are groups claiming to be Christians, who would not stand in acclamation, or should not. Among those are Jehovah’s Witnesses and Latter-day Saints (Mormons).
This is also why we have abandoned the minority practice of standing for every final stanza of every hymn. Only the Trinitarian stanzas receive the bold confession of the Trinity by standing when they are sung. And similarly, we do not stand to sing, “Stand Up! Stand Up! For Jesus,” because it does not contain the Trinitarian formula.
So, dear Christians, stand up. Blessèd be the Holy Trinity!
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool La Grange, TX
Dear saints, we begin Advent as we begin Holy Week: with our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. This helps to focus our hearts and minds. Advent is the first season of the church year and the first part of the Time of Christmas. But it is not a celebratory season. The purple paraments give us a clue to this. Purple is the royal color of the coming king, a color of repentance. The color fits well both Advent and Lent, but the character of the seasons are different. Symbols depicting the two seasons are quite different. Candles and angels are common for one, crosses and crowns of thorns for the other. Only the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, overlaps.
Advent, like Lent, builds to a climax which is only realized when the next season begins. For Lent the climax is the Resurrection; for Advent, the climax is the Nativity of Our Lord. The themes and lessons of each season help focus us to, for lack of a better word, experience this climax.
Advent begins with our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem a week before his death. This helps show that Advent is not pre-Christmas. If it were, we would expect lessons like the Annunciation. We would expect to hear of Gabriel’s visit to Mary. About John leading in the womb of Elizabeth when he hears the voice of Mary.
But this is not what we are doing in Advent. We are not getting ready for a Jesus who is about to be born. He is born and we will soon commemorate and celebrate that great event. Instead, we focus on getting ready for the End. Advent is eschatological, that is, it focuses on death, judgment, and eternity. Advent is, therefore, a call to repentance.
The word ‘advent’ is from a Latin word that means ‘coming.’ We spent the last three weeks contemplating our Lord’s Second Coming when He comes in Glory. Advent culminates with the celebration of Christmas when He was born in Bethlehem. For that reason, we see in Christmas why Jesus comes. He comes to be the Savior. He comes to die. And He will come again in glory at the End of the Age.
Advent, then, is also a time of preparation. We ready ourselves for the end. This is what we heard from St. Paul: For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of the darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime…. In the Introit and Collect we ask that God would protect us, rescue us, deliver us, and not let us be put to shame. We cry out for our redemption.
Let us, then, look at our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem as He prepares to ascend His throne on the cross. Jesus and those with Him draw near Jerusalem. They arrive in Bethphage, where the Mount of Olives is located. Two of the disciples are sent into the village to retrieve a donkey and her colt. They go and retrieve the animals. They put their outer cloaks on the colt and Jesus mounts it, riding into Jerusalem.
This accomplishes biblical prophecy: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” He rides into Jerusalem just as another son of David, Solomon, did. And like Solomon, the people line the streets and receive Jesus. They spread their cloaks and freshly cut branches and line the road as Jesus enters. And they sing, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!”
Our Lord has come. He comes from the Father to the virgin and makes Himself the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The world that rebelled and caused all the horrible and miserable things which we continue to endure. And then he lays down his life so that we would be rescued and spared. He becomes our sin. He suffers the consequences of all our crimes, petty or otherwise. He is betrayed and abandoned by those He loved. In all that was done to Him, and everything that continues to be done shows exactly how unworthy we are of Him. He knew all of this before he came, and he came anyway. He was driven by an intense love for His creation. And that love compels Him to show mercy, compassion, and charity.
The amazing thing about the message of Christmas is that our Lord does all of this knowing what will happen. It is good to decorate and have various ceremonies and festivities. It is right to rejoice in our Lord’s birth. A birth which came about so that the virgin-born God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, would die as a sacrifice for our sins.
But we are not there yet. When we get there, it will be great. We will rightfully celebrate and rejoice. But our fathers in the faith bid us not to rush to Christmas as children rush through their presents on Christmas morning. The church would have us pause and prepare for this mysterious and exciting day. We prepare through repentance. Before we jump to the joy of Christmas, we fast through Advent. Such fasting may be a literal fast where you abstain from certain foods or activities, or it could be simply that parts of our liturgy are not sung as we await the day when we sing it again with gusto. Before we hear of our Lord in the manger and in His mother’s arms, we hear St. John calling his hearers to repent and to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Yet there is a third coming that we celebrate in Advent. This coming is one that is ongoing and lasts throughout the whole year. That coming is how our Lord comes to us continually in his Word and Sacrament. He does this and aids us in our preparation for His Second Coming. As shepherds hear the declaration of the angels, we gather to hear the Word through the Scripture and his angels, which means messenger, of today: his pastors. As wise men bow and lay down gifts before Him, we bow and kneel before His altar to receive forgiveness and salvation through the gift of His Body and Blood.
We stand at the beginning of a new Church Year. It does not begin with Jesus in Bethlehem. It begins with Jesus riding toward the cross. Advent is not getting us ready for Christmas or Easter. It is getting us ready for the Lord’s coming in glory and judgment. We get ready for that by receiving Him now as He comes to us in Word and Sacrament.
Our Lord will return. And on that Last Day, He will come in terrors. He will come to judge the nations. But it will not be a terror to you. Instead, it will be a joy and delight. For He is your righteousness. He has died to make you His. He has substituted Himself for you and declared you righteous as He is righteous. He comes on that day as He came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and today: driven by His love and desire to have you. That is why we pray, “Hosanna, Lord save us,” and “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
