Text: 1 Cor. 1:3-9
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Peace is such a precious jewel, that I would give anything for it but truth.
Matthew Henry
On this first Sunday in Advent we too joy in the blessed word of God and the truth that it shines of the coming of that word made flesh, in the Christ child, Jesus our Lord.
During Advent we wait and prepare for the gift that comes with his birth on Christmas morning. The grace and peace that Paul speaks of to the Corinthian church came down from heaven and is given for the salvation of the world by our loving Father in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Advent is not only a time of waiting but also a time to focus, and for we who call ourselves Christians, to focus on the gift given in a manger, for the reconciling of the world back to God.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians begins with thanks. Thanks for the grace of God given these Christians in Corinth.
5 that in every way you were enriched in [Christ] in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—
They had been enabled and enriched in speech and knowledge as God gives this gracious gift in Christ. But many in the church had become divided; there were factions some following Paul some, some Apollos, some Cephas who is Peter and even some say they follow Christ to which Paul asks a rhetorical question. 13“Is Christ divided?” Certainly the answer is no! To which Paul says: Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? – And we would attest to that today that baptism is in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as Jagger was baptized today.
But Paul in his letter to the Corinthians is dealing with factions and factions divide, churches, families, and friends. When the focus is not on the gift but the receiver the devil begins to work to split the seam as a split in a piece of wood continues on its course until a small hole is drilled in its path to stop the split from continuing.
Martin Luther says in his commentary on First Corinthians:
“In this epistle St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to be one in faith and love, and to see to it that they learn well the chief thing, namely, that Christ is our salvation, the thing over which all reason and wisdom stumbles.”
“Preface to the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians” (LW35:380)
Ill.
There is a story of a missionary in Africa who gave a Bible to one of the African men. When it was given to him, the man hugged it close and expressed great appreciation for the precious gift of God’s Word that the missionary had given him.
But when the missionary saw him a few days later he noticed, that the Bible looked like it was already falling apart, and that many of its pages were missing. The missionary asked him, "What happened? What did you do to your Bible? When I gave it to you I thought you considered it to be a treasured possession."
The man replied. "Indeed, it is a very precious possession. It is the finest gift I have ever received. It is so precious that when I returned to my village I very carefully chose a page and tore it out and gave it to my mother; I chose another page and gave it to my wife and finally, I gave a page of God’s Word to everybody who lives in my village."
Melvin Newland Ridge Chapel
We may smile at that, but what a testimony or, as Paul says:
6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.
The message of God’s Word was so wonderful to this man given the Bible that he wanted to share it with everyone he knew! How different it is for you and me today where the word of God is mocked, neglected, put on a shelf and for some never even read or heard – and these may be those who claim to be even members of the church.
The word of God and the word made flesh, Jesus Christ, are not the chief things that we naturally cling to, but that which we, with our own reason, wisdom, and understanding stumbles over. If you've stumbled and fallen you know how foolish you feel and look. You know what you thought you were going to do … but instead did what you did not expect. Those who stumble need help to get back on their feet; they need help at time to do what they intended and even help to see that what they did so they can better focus for the right outcome.
Advent is that time.
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s comfort to the Corinthians is your comfort and it’s the comfort for all who wait for his coming … this Baby King, born of a Virgin for the salvation of the world.
It is this child who became man and who took the sins of the world upon himself as he went to Jerusalem on the untied colt because the Lord Jesus had need of it. It is he who entered in, as many spread their cloaks on the road as well as branches they had cut from the field shouting …
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9b-10)
How quickly those joyful shouts changed just one week later to crucify him! Crucify him!
Ill.
If left to our own devices we might all act like the Salesman I read about. He was waiting to see the Purchasing Agent so he could submit his Company’s bid. While he was waiting, he couldn't help but notice that his Competitor’s bid was sitting on the Purchasing Agent’s desk. Unfortunately, the actual figure for the Competitor’s bid was covered by a coke can. He got to thinking: “How could it hurt if I just took a quick look? No one would ever need to know.” So he reached over and lifted the coke can. But his heart sank as he watched hundred’s of BB’s pour out from the bottomless can and scatter across the desktop.
It was a test set - up by the Purchasing Agent … and he failed it.
K. Edward Skidmore Castle Hills Christian Church
We have all failed what God requires and have fallen short … missing the mark … not just by what we have done but by who we are as those born in sin … and bound to sin. It is through our nature as sinners that we are separated from our loving God, and also it is also by his work, and who we wait for this Advent season, that we are reconciled back to God in Christ.
Because Jesus came as true God and true man and he knows your every need. Though tempted by sin he knows your weakness too but he was able to keep the Law perfect for you as only God could. Because he died in your place and rose from the dead, you have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and will rise too.
And because this God came down and humbled himself on your behalf, you can have what you could never have; fellowship with God again, by faith in the blessed life and death of his son who was raised to newness of life for you and for all who trust in his coming.
Rejoice, and be glad, for in Christ, the King of glory comes – for you!
Just as that man in Africa was given a Bible and the gifting of God’s grace by his holy word was shared with all whom he came in contact with. So to, by God’s word, we are brought to faith and by the same word of God and we too are saved. May this waiting during Advent bring you the joy of God in Christ and may his glorious word comfort you in his peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
On this first Sunday in Advent we too joy in the blessed word of God and the truth that it shines of the coming of that word made flesh, in the Christ child, Jesus our Lord.
During Advent we wait and prepare for the gift that comes with his birth on Christmas morning. The grace and peace that Paul speaks of to the Corinthian church came down from heaven and is given for the salvation of the world by our loving Father in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Advent is not only a time of waiting but also a time to focus, and for we who call ourselves Christians, to focus on the gift given in a manger, for the reconciling of the world back to God.
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians begins with thanks. Thanks for the grace of God given these Christians in Corinth.
5 that in every way you were enriched in [Christ] in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—
They had been enabled and enriched in speech and knowledge as God gives this gracious gift in Christ. But many in the church had become divided; there were factions some following Paul some, some Apollos, some Cephas who is Peter and even some say they follow Christ to which Paul asks a rhetorical question. 13“Is Christ divided?” Certainly the answer is no! To which Paul says: Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? – And we would attest to that today that baptism is in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as Jagger was baptized today.
But Paul in his letter to the Corinthians is dealing with factions and factions divide, churches, families, and friends. When the focus is not on the gift but the receiver the devil begins to work to split the seam as a split in a piece of wood continues on its course until a small hole is drilled in its path to stop the split from continuing.
Martin Luther says in his commentary on First Corinthians:
“In this epistle St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to be one in faith and love, and to see to it that they learn well the chief thing, namely, that Christ is our salvation, the thing over which all reason and wisdom stumbles.”
“Preface to the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians” (LW35:380)
Ill.
There is a story of a missionary in Africa who gave a Bible to one of the African men. When it was given to him, the man hugged it close and expressed great appreciation for the precious gift of God’s Word that the missionary had given him.
But when the missionary saw him a few days later he noticed, that the Bible looked like it was already falling apart, and that many of its pages were missing. The missionary asked him, "What happened? What did you do to your Bible? When I gave it to you I thought you considered it to be a treasured possession."
The man replied. "Indeed, it is a very precious possession. It is the finest gift I have ever received. It is so precious that when I returned to my village I very carefully chose a page and tore it out and gave it to my mother; I chose another page and gave it to my wife and finally, I gave a page of God’s Word to everybody who lives in my village."
Melvin Newland Ridge Chapel
We may smile at that, but what a testimony or, as Paul says:
6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.
The message of God’s Word was so wonderful to this man given the Bible that he wanted to share it with everyone he knew! How different it is for you and me today where the word of God is mocked, neglected, put on a shelf and for some never even read or heard – and these may be those who claim to be even members of the church.
The word of God and the word made flesh, Jesus Christ, are not the chief things that we naturally cling to, but that which we, with our own reason, wisdom, and understanding stumbles over. If you've stumbled and fallen you know how foolish you feel and look. You know what you thought you were going to do … but instead did what you did not expect. Those who stumble need help to get back on their feet; they need help at time to do what they intended and even help to see that what they did so they can better focus for the right outcome.
Advent is that time.
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s comfort to the Corinthians is your comfort and it’s the comfort for all who wait for his coming … this Baby King, born of a Virgin for the salvation of the world.
It is this child who became man and who took the sins of the world upon himself as he went to Jerusalem on the untied colt because the Lord Jesus had need of it. It is he who entered in, as many spread their cloaks on the road as well as branches they had cut from the field shouting …
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9b-10)
How quickly those joyful shouts changed just one week later to crucify him! Crucify him!
Ill.
If left to our own devices we might all act like the Salesman I read about. He was waiting to see the Purchasing Agent so he could submit his Company’s bid. While he was waiting, he couldn't help but notice that his Competitor’s bid was sitting on the Purchasing Agent’s desk. Unfortunately, the actual figure for the Competitor’s bid was covered by a coke can. He got to thinking: “How could it hurt if I just took a quick look? No one would ever need to know.” So he reached over and lifted the coke can. But his heart sank as he watched hundred’s of BB’s pour out from the bottomless can and scatter across the desktop.
It was a test set - up by the Purchasing Agent … and he failed it.
K. Edward Skidmore Castle Hills Christian Church
We have all failed what God requires and have fallen short … missing the mark … not just by what we have done but by who we are as those born in sin … and bound to sin. It is through our nature as sinners that we are separated from our loving God, and also it is also by his work, and who we wait for this Advent season, that we are reconciled back to God in Christ.
Because Jesus came as true God and true man and he knows your every need. Though tempted by sin he knows your weakness too but he was able to keep the Law perfect for you as only God could. Because he died in your place and rose from the dead, you have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and will rise too.
And because this God came down and humbled himself on your behalf, you can have what you could never have; fellowship with God again, by faith in the blessed life and death of his son who was raised to newness of life for you and for all who trust in his coming.
Rejoice, and be glad, for in Christ, the King of glory comes – for you!
Just as that man in Africa was given a Bible and the gifting of God’s grace by his holy word was shared with all whom he came in contact with. So to, by God’s word, we are brought to faith and by the same word of God and we too are saved. May this waiting during Advent bring you the joy of God in Christ and may his glorious word comfort you in his peace.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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