Sermon December 25, 2022 Christmas Day

Title: Christ the King the word made flesh!
Text: John 1:1-14
Readings - Isaiah 52:7-10, Heb.1:1-6, John 1:1-14 (ESV)

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14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the king,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary!

Dear friends - God has come!

The radiance of God’s glory is seen in humility and weakness. In this child, this Jesus and in this time God has come.

Isaiah writes in the in Chapter 52:

7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

To publish peace, happiness and salvation in the Hebrew is to bring and to cause you to hear. To proclaim the Good News, “Your God reigns.”

The Prophets of old spoke to the people “at various times and in various ways” NKJV,

Publishing the word of God and proclaiming the Good News so that the people might hear and prepare for God’s redemption to come. When and in what way they were not sure. But in these last days God’s final revelation and revealing is made known in his Son – the word made flesh and born of Mary.

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,

In this child we see God, all glory, honor and power, in weakness. God he is, who has taken on flesh and become man this Son, who is the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

This child, this Jesus, this God!

Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary!

The joy of the child will lead to the death of the man. The creative word of God, his heir and the radiance of God revealed in human form …

… upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, by his death on the cross sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

As we proclaimed last night from the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 9:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

The prince of peace in swaddling clothes has come for you and me and all who look for his arrival!

8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
the return of the Lord to Zion. Isaiah 52:8

Today though, we see the effects of sin in a world broken and decimated, life marginalized, families torn, from pandemics to politics our world is bathed in the effects of our sin-filled, prideful world with the little hope that remains placed in those who govern and promise much only to deliver crumbs when a banquet is required.

To deliver a feast in a life of famine one must be the author of life, the first and the last, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. The one who speaks and brings all things into existence and the one who in humility becomes what we are yet without sin, so that in him we might have all that he restored from original sin to original righteousness.

The babe the son of Mary has become flesh for you! The Gospel of John proclaims this very fact.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God; 3 all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

Sin remains our human condition. We see it in our lives and in the brokenness of our world. We suffer and die and at times evil seems to prevail.

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God's angels worship him.”

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come, peasant king, to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!

Isaiah concludes our reading today.

10 The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God. Isaiah 52:10

What child is this?

God in the flesh, Christ the Lord!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon December 24, 2022 Christmas Eve

Title: God proclaimed, is Christ the King!
Text: 1 John 4:7-16

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6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God's angels worship him.”

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let Earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room And Heaven and nature sing!

The Joy of the world is made known to us – you and me - in the sending of the Father’s son Jesus the promised incarnate son of God from eternity past the Alpha and Omega the first and the last; the beginning and the end.

In the beginning when God spoke, all things came to be. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God. God’s Christ – begotten of the father – born of a Virgin for you! John 1:1

We hear this Good News in the words of our gospel tonight.

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

The fall into sin brought death. All are born in death and live a life of death.

You and I apart from Jesus and faith created by the Holy Spirit - have no hope.

But that is the Good News of a savior who saves, redeems and calls from death to life.

It is Good news today; it is good news tonight; it is good News tomorrow; it is good News because it redeems, restores, and resurrects you and me from the wages of sin in death to the gift of God and life eternal in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Joy to the Earth the savior reigns! Let men their songs employ, While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy

The joy of the Earth and the and for we who believe, the blessed Christ child was what had been anticipated, for in the past God spoke through the prophets of old as the writer to the Hebrews says, but in these last days he has spoken through his Son.

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (God with us) Isaiah 7:14

God’s word made flesh, Jesus Christ, was spoken of, was prophesized, and foretold, that the plan of redemption would come in God’s time and in God’s way. But who is this Jesus … and more importantly … as Jesus asked his disciples … who do you say that I am?

Your answer to this question determines quite literally life and death.

This humble child that now lies in a manger is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, whether he is your King and your Lord depends on faith in him.

This Jesus who created the heavens and the Earth, lived, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead for you  … and he did this to bring peace to this broken world in which all life lives.

Dear friends we speak of heaven, of angels singing, and of all bowing before the King, no silent throng but mighty voices. It is impossible to imagine the perfection of heaven but we can get a glimpse … in this child in the manger – in this Jesus.

The Perfection of God’s only begotten son sent down from Heaven and wrapped in swaddling clothes … would grow into the man Christ Jesus.

That God would become man shows the value of his life for you and the value of our life in him.

Since the incarnation when God, born of a virgin, became man - no longer is God separate from you on a mountain, or speaking to you by a prophet.

Now in his flesh he has come to unite his death, with your death, and his life, with your life, so that in him we are made righteous by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith.

John’s epistle confirms this when he writes:

13 By this - by God’s Holy Spirit and faith - we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

God remains hidden. He reveals himself by his Spirit through the word. If you wish to know him don’t look into the heavens as the angles told the disciples who looked up as Jesus ascended to the Father.

11b …This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11b

The ascension is not the end dear friends!

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse if found!

The eternal victory is found in Christ’s glorious return to judge the living and the dead. Death is no escape.

All will be judged. Some will depart to be with the Lord and others will be cast into a hell of their own choosing.

The good news though, is that the Lord is on his throne and he still calls those who have ears to hear.

Listen, come, and drink the living water from the river of life that is Jesus. He comes to make his blessings flow.

Let the little children come to me he calls and as a little child born in a manger he came to be the savior of the world. And as the God/man in death he fulfilled all righteousness for you so that you too might be righteous.

Have no fear for in Christ you are forgiven and he has a place of everlasting comfort for you that awaits all who believe and trust in Christ.

Because as [Jesus] is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love!

Though sin and lies fill this world.
God in Christ has overcome sin, death and the devil.
The glories of his righteousness and grace have been given as a gift to those who believe.

By faith we have all that Christ has won and rest in his good pleasure until he returns in glory for his redeemed!

From the manger we know Jesus, the King of glory!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon December 21, 2022 Advent Midweek 4

Title: Called to belong to Christ!
Text: Rom. 1:1-7

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4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Christmas ornaments shine and bring joy as we behold the beauty of the Christmas tree. In this time of Advent, we prepare to behold God’s son our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some ornaments we hang on our tree may depict a church and have an opening for a light to be placed inside.

As it is hung and the light shines, it takes on a whole new identity.
Displayed among all the other lights, this particular one stands out as a light with a special purpose, as the light shines out of its windows, drawing one’s attention not to the ornament itself but to the light inside.

Paul’s opening words in his letter to the Christians in Rome bring out the similarity to this simple church ornament:

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” v 1

Just as the ornament was filled with darkness until the light was placed inside, so also was the life of Paul.

As a young Pharisee, he went by the name of Saul, and, like many of his contemporaries, he lived a strict life of observance to the Jewish religious laws and ceremonies.

His life’s goal was to persecute Christ and see to the arrest or murder of anyone, including the apostles, who preached and proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah.

Amazingly, Saul became the great apostle we know as Paul, the author of our text who so beautifully writes about his faith as one who had been set apart for a special purpose in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Set apart in an extraordinary life that was not chosen by himself but as one sent by Christ, a life as a servant with a mission to shine the light of Christ into the lives of the Gentiles.

Paul didn’t choose to be a servant for Christ; quite to the contrary, he’d chosen a life of artificial shining success within the world. Even as Paul refers to his readers as those: “Loved by God and called to be saints” (v 7),

There is much confusion in the hearts and minds of man. The world would have us to believe in ourselves, to be wise and strong in making our own choices, taking the initiative to be good and worthy first, long before God would even consider loving us.

For we in the world, becoming a saint is a challenging work that we must strive for and accomplish. The world would also have us to believe that once you or I accomplish sainthood then we may have earned the right to be loved by God. Isn’t that what Saul was really trying to do through his persecuting of Christ and arresting those who witnessed of him?

If we’re honest, as God’s Word reveals our sinfulness, we’ll humbly admit as Paul writes, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23

But God had even murderous Saul in mind when he set apart his own Son, Jesus, for his most special purpose: to be the, the Messiah promised through the Old Testament. Jesus is the Good News,

“Who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” 3–4

Yes, this Good News message centers on Jesus Christ, who was born of a humble mother and laid in a manger.

Born a direct descendant of David through Mary and Joseph.

Born to fulfill God’s first promise to Adam and Eve—to send a Savior, the Seed of the woman, to rescue all men from their sins.

Born to suffer and die with the burden of every man’s sin laid upon him on the cross of Calvary.

Born to die and be laid in a tomb.

But God’s grace did not send his only Son into this world to be born and die to the same dead end that death is for every other human. Christ Jesus, after taking our sins upon himself, put them to death and then was vindicated as the Son of God, conquering death by his resurrection.

As Christ’s chosen instrument, Paul listened and obeyed the words of his Lord.

Christ had called him: to be an apostle, set apart to shine the light of Christ’s Gospel through to others.

“We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” 5–6

Rightly so, Paul refers to himself, in v 1 of our text, as a “servant of Christ Jesus,” taking great joy in being a slave for his Lord and Master.

No longer did he wish to achieve his own glory but sought endlessly to share the light of Christ with those living in darkness. Paul realized the light that was now shining through him was not based upon his own merit or worthiness, but was rather a pure and holy gift of grace.

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Rom 5:8

We, too, have been called by God’s free gift of grace in Christ for the purpose of living and sharing with others, through word and deed, this Gospel message.

It is entirely a matter of grace that we are among those “who are loved by God and called to be saints” 7

Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Eph 2:10

Paul was called by Christ to be a light with a purpose.

He was “set apart for the Gospel of God” v 1 to shine the light of Christ into the lives of the Gentiles.

We, too, have been called by Christ to be “lights in a dark world” and to let our light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” Mt 5:14–16

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen

And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in and through Christ Jesus our
Lord and Savior now and forever. Amen

Based on Sermon series Behold the light! Rev. Steven R. Schumacher 2018

Sermon December 17-18, 2022 4th Sunday in Advent

Title: Christ the King is Jesus!
Text: Matt. 1:18-25

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22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(Which means, God with us). 

Our joy is nearly complete! Soon we celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, not in holiday joy of man-made origins that is merely here today and gone tomorrow, but in a joy that is truly a divine gift of God Himself, who at His incarnation, born of a virgin, became man so that through Him the forgiveness of sins and salvation might be freely given.

So the Gospel reading for today tells of the dilemma Joseph faced. His betrothed – or the one he was pledged to marry, had been found to be with child.

Not through the course of natural events but by the Holy Spirit, Mary was pregnant.

Before a betrothed virgin was formally given in marriage, Mary had made a pledge and promise – a betrothal contract if you will, to marry Joseph to be faithful to him … and to be his wife. There was no cohabitation during this betrothal period but the betrothed virgin would use this time to prepare and put all things in order at her father’s home for the upcoming wedding.

This contract was as binding as a marriage was and Joseph is also called “her husband.” The fact that a “divorce” was required to break the betrothal shows the seriousness of this legally binding contract. To be found guilty of adultery during the betrothal period would have caused Mary to be subject to the punishments that the moral law required.

Now Joseph, even in this tenuous situation … being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

True love looks to the needs of another and Joseph, though he didn’t understand the situation … was still loving … towards Mary in how he thought he might dissolve the contract not causing he shame.

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matt. 1:20

Through this awkward betrothal, God Himself took on flesh and became man to endure the shame and guilt that you deserved, nailing your sins to His cross some 30 years after His blessed birth.

Our loving God and savior Jesus Christ could have left you to the fires of Hell and damnation. It was not His sin for which you and I are condemned but the sins and brokenness of this corrupted world.

 The sin of rebellion is alive and well as seen daily in print, TV and online. Life is directed to self-interests rather than to serving others and Christmas has become nothing more than a two-month push and economic indicator of the retail wellbeing of our country.

The “Christmas spirit” we are told comes to life as people focus on the joys of giving gifts and celebrating family and friends and the love we share for and with one another. But, true love came down from heaven, in the form of a babe in a manger, born of the Virgin Mary who was called by God to this special task.

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matt. 1:20b-21

Christ comes to you and to each and every one of us, dear friends, not by our Christmas spirit but by the working of the Holy Spirit, who calls and gathers all who would believe to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord through faith in His blessed work.

Martin Luther had this to say about the human heart:

“Hearts are polluted with idols and vain thoughts about God, lust, and other vices which arise from the fact that they do not have a sound knowledge of God. All of this our fine bath attendant’s neglect; they are only concerned that their bodies and clothes should be clean. But, O God, cleanse Thou my heart, that I might acknowledge Thy will as it is, good and gracious, lest I be led away to wicked opinions by wild speculations about God.”

Martin Luther – LW Vol. 12 Selected Psalms 1 pg. 378

“Take a look at your own heart, and you will soon find out what has stuck to it and where your treasure is. It is easy to determine whether hearing the Word of God, living according to it, and achieving such a life gives you as much enjoyment and calls forth as much diligence from you as does accumulating and saving money and property.”

–Martin Luther

http://dailychristianquote.com/dcqluther.html

True joy is not found in the things you work to possess, but in that which you receive and which you are freely given that you could never work for or truly deserve.

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel” (which means, God with us). 

²⁴ When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵ but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

True joy, dear friends, is found only in Christ Jesus our Lord!

 This Christmas, may the joy of the Christ child, this beautiful babe of Bethlehem who came down from heaven to bring you himself, the divine gift of salvation, comfort and peace wrapped in the human flesh of Jesus our baby king.

Well, the Apostle John said much the same thing in his first epistle:

¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:13-15

Confess it, say it and ask for it for salvation is found in Christ alone!

The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and abide with you now and forever.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon December 14, 2022 Advent Midweek 3

Title: Christ the King is God with us!
Text: Matt. 11:2-15

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10 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Many people who call themselves Christians believe the way to be accepted by God is to try sincerely to live a good life. Some believe that God is satisfied if a person lives the best life he can. Others think that the main emphasis of the gospel is on God’s rules for right living.

Some I’ve talked to - even Lutherans - wrestle with the assuredness of salvation and whether they will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus.

There are times where you are unsure or doubt things in this life or feel unsure of how you’ll live up to other’s expectations.

For Lutherans though, we should have great confidence in God’s work and promises for us unto salvation as the scriptures attest.

In our text today, doubt and unsureness were a problem for some of the disciples and followers of John the Baptist.

They brought to John an account of Christ's work, of His preaching and its effect, of His miracles of healing and the astonishment of the people.

John himself, filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth, having been a witness of the revelation of God and being thoroughly convinced of Christ's Messiahship, that He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, had no doubts concerning Christ and His mission- or did he?

John’s message about Jesus was clear - but a few disciples were still clinging to him showing no inclination to leave him and follow the greater Teacher.

Even John in prison wrestles with that for which he was sure that this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

Therefore, he sends his disciples with a definitely worded question:

“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

John knew that the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world was Jesus. It was his intent to continue to point to Christ and though many of John’s disciples had begun to follow Jesus, others needed to be brought to Christ so that they might also believe. But John too in his circumstance wondered am I in prison for the truth or a false hope. We need to be sure.

What is different today?

It is still the same unbelief and unsureness, caused by sin which clouds the understanding and reason in unbelievers and for those who have been brought to faith but have fallen back in to ways of the world and unbelief.

Life in this broken world - filled with sin - and the working of the devil, can take the focus off of Jesus causing apathy or a lukewarm faith that quickly turns cold and dead to Christ and fails to recognizing Him for who He is … the savior of the world.

Jesus tells John’s disciples:

4 … “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 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.

Adding …

6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Jesus sends them to John with the assuredness that the works that he does testify as to who he is, and for those who trust and believe in him and are not offended, they are his sheep and follow him.

In John’s gospel in chapter 10 a different visit occurs with Jesus in the Temple in Solomon’s Colonnade. A question is asked by other Jews.

24 [Saying] to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.

John 10:24-25

The contrasts of the two accounts and the questions asked:

“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

“If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

For the disciples, they return to John with joy that Jesus and the works he does testify to who he is. The one to come.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

Psalm 40:7

The others who demand “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Have a different response to the works of Jesus.

31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

What stands in the crosshairs of these different result? The gift of Faith.

For we, who have been enlivened by faith and have been made members of God’s house, see the works of God as a testament to our fallenness and God great mercy.

in our lives God’s Spirit conforms us to word of God. At times bringing repentance and other times comfort and forgiveness.

If we rail against the word it speaks to the reality of where our hope and trust is truly placed as we stand confronting the word and conforming ourselves to the filthy rags of our own unrighteousness.

If we stand against the word, we stand against Jesus and we stand outside the stronghold of his forgiveness.

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’

John was sent to prepare the way so that you might rejoice in the coming of the one who would save you from your sins. But not only you, for Christ came to redeem the world corrupted by sin and to give, by the power of the Holy Spirit, faith to believe this blessed good news.

We rejoice today that God was not so callus that He walked away from our failing and sin filled life, but has sent his son to be the very sacrifice that you and I could never be. He came in the incarnation; God joined to human flesh so that He might take your place and be both the sacrifice for sin and savior for the world.

Rejoice that God did not forget you in your sin but sent his son.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Rom. 3:23-25a

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Sermon December 10-11, 2022 3rd Sunday in Advent

Title: God has a patient purpose for the light of Christ in you!
Text: James 5:7–11

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8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.


“Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, found seldom in a woman and never found in man.”

My wife Monica told me that she would hear her mother repeat this saying often as she was growing up. Probably, three boys and a husband contributed to that but we also know that if patience is a virtue, then the opposite of it or the lack of patience must be a sin.

I’d be guilty as charged. I’d rather hurry than wait. Those who slow me down, whether in the store or on the road get me angry and we know what Jesus said about being angry with our brothers or sisters I might add.

James writes:

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.

At the time of James writing, the patience for the Lord’s return was already waning. Those expecting his return see time passing, the struggles of life remaining, and persecution increasing.

Paul writing to Titus some years after James’ own death and martyrdom calls the Lord’s followers:

… to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:12b-13

That which is longed for and expected is coming - but the Lord through James uses an illustration of a farmer planting and waiting for the precious fruit of the earth, which will come, as the Lord sends early and late rains to bring forth the growth.

I have a small garden. I don’t grow from seeds but small plants.
I water and wait. At times rain falls. Other times I forget to water.
The leaves of the plants wilt. I water again, hoping I’m not too late to see the fruit.
I get impatient. I get frustrated. I lack patience. I’m not a gardener.

Maybe you aren’t either?

Waiting is hard, because we look to that which we think will fill our need now!
Instant gratification is the Golden Calf we trust to deliver that which satisfies.

I have a friend who builds fine furniture and another who builds guitars. Both are skilled at what they do and both are patient. If they move too fast in the process, either the construction is affected or the finish can be ruined.

8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

The work can only move so fast.

Since the fall into sin, the Lord has worked diligently to bring all things to pass in his time and in his way for the redemption of this broken world.

After the fall into sin, Adam lived 930 years and then he died.
Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
God gave Abraham his son Isaac by Sarah in his old age.
Moses and the children of Israel were 40 years in the wilderness.

Job lost everything, oxen, donkeys, sheep and cattle; servants put to the sword, his children killed in a collapsing house by a mighty wind. 

His wife even tells him to curse God and die.

Job replies:

“Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

11 Behold, James writes: we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.

King David writes in Psalm 27

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

In the midst of trial and doubt we seek the Lord’s face. Our hope is in that which is unseen. It is not a vain hope. Though our flesh can at time cause us to fear.

Even John the Baptist and his disciples from our Gospel reading today had his doubts.  

9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!

And then he closes with this patient admonition:

14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

Be patient.

The outward hope and focus by inspiration of the Holy Spirit for God’s people through David, looks forward to the coming redemption promised in our Lord’s incarnation - but also to his second coming, in power, to judge the living and the dead for which we now wait.

That hope is Jesus. Then, now and forever.

9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

The Lord’s return is promised and it is sure. Be patient.

We might think: “Sure James, easy for you to say!”

“God from his lofty perspective can be slow! While we endure and suffer in a world gone crazy, living with the consequences of sin, death and the confounded tempting of the devil that continues daily.”

“Did God really say?”

St Peter writes in his second epistle:

 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The patient and steadfast waiting continues so that all should come to repentance.
It’s for you and it’s for me.
It’s for those who come after and for those who came before.

It’s for those who need to hear and for those we need to call, by the gospel through the working of the Holy Spirit.

It is the patient and steadfast work of the Lord that began in eternity past and continues until the Lord who is compassionate and merciful returns.

The babe of Bethlehem. The coming Christ for whom we wait calls himself:

13 ... the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

The one who spoke all things into existence and who is coming again says,

20 … “Surely I am coming soon.”

And patiently … we can reply. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:13;20

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon December 7, 2022 Advent Midweek 2

Title: Christ the King’s way is prepared!
Text: Matt. 3:1-12

Facebook live: Christ the King’s way is prepared!

3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[a] 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”

As we prepare for the coming of the Christ child, we joy in the wonderful joys of the season that help us remember the gift that came in a small package – a manger - and to prepare ourselves because:

Christ the King’s way is prepared!

The story of John the Baptist is one of a herald (a town crier if you will) who calls sinners to repentance preparing the way of the Lord. This time of year, should bring us all to remembrance for what … and for whom … we wait.

John was quite the character as our reading describes:

4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

The call to repentance for and by John was not a teaching ministry. He was not called to pastor the Judean countryside. He was a herald proclaiming what God had given him. To call to repentance all who would hear, repent and believe that, This (Jesus) is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The call for this second Sunday in Advent is much the same. Prepare is the word for this week. But, for what do we prepare?

Is it the decorations on the house and on the tree?
Is it all the gifts that we need to buy and cookies that need baked?
Is it traveling plans and vacation daydreams that drive you?
How about the nativity sets we have, here at the church, or at home?

The truth is we all get pulled to something and we prepare for something.

Only you know what that is. But the call of john the Baptist is to you and it’s to me too. We are called to repent and look to the one who came to breathe life by His Spirit into those, who like the people called by John himself, recognize that the kingdom of God is at hand.

Today I did a funeral for Paul Wahnefried. Some of you may remember Paul as the old whit haired bearded gentleman from St. Stephens who visited of Saturday night a number of times throughout the year. His passing was not expected and during Advent and Christmas it is always hard.

Many of our missed Peace members come to mind at this time and how much we enjoyed their visits and friendship. How much I miss them and all who rest in Jesus that I have been blessed to care for as the Lord’s under shepherd.

There is no way of knowing how long any of us have. We can’t assume that this Christmas will be like last year’s. We can’t know who will be with us and who will be with the Lord. But we can know that …

Christ the King’s way is prepared!

John’s call to repent and to prepare was effective preaching. Jerusalem, Judea, and the entire region about the Jordan were going out to him. Prophets sent from God like John are called to speak forth what God has given and called them to do and they received a washing of repentance in John’s baptism. This call to repent was different from the one day, the collective Day of Atonement where confession of sins was publicly confessed. This was spontaneous response by God’s word through John’s prophetic preaching.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

False pride in the Law and it’s keeping as was the M.O. of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who were too rational to believe the inspired writings received rebuke from John. True repentance is a turning away from that which leads to death from our sinful condition and a return to that which saves.

9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Sin leads to death now and in eternity but repentance and faith by God’s Holy Spirit lead to life and life everlasting!

John’s washing was in preparation for the one who would come as a child. One who would ride into Jerusalem triumphant; one who would be tried and sentenced to death a death He didn’t deserve and one who as John said:
Is coming after me and is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is 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.”

Those unprepared will be cast into a Hell of their choosing; a casting, that upon Christ’s return will Fast and Furious!

But for you … who have come to faith; who have been given pardon; who see the Christ child and have been prepared by God Holy Spirit for His coming return in Judgment and Glory. You, His wheat, will be gathered into his barn, His house, his Kingdom … forever.

As we joyfully sang Christmas carols this past Sunday to our home bound members, I’d like to recite the final verse from the sermon Hymn, On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry for us to ponder today.

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee
Whose advent sets Thy people free
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Spirit evermore.

As you prepare all that needs done this Advent and Christmas season; Joy in the Christ, the Son of the Living God who came to call you by His Spirit and redeem you by His word of forgiveness to be his child and with him forever.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Sermon December 3-4, 2022 2nd Sunday in Advent

 Title: Shine the light of Christ together!

Text: Romans 15:4–7

Facebook live: Shine the light of Christ together!

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”

10 And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

G.K. Chesterton writes in the Signs of the Times:

Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all. As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope is strength.

G.K. Chesterton, Signs of the Times, April 1993, p. 6. [edited]

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Hope is strength – as has been said - when everything is hopeless. In the former days Paul speaks of hope in the one to come. The Old Testament reading in Isaiah points to this – this shoot from the stump of Jesse – a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah goes on to say:

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Jesus himself made this known in his hometown of Nazareth. As recounted in Luke Chapter 4 when he says:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty [or to free] those who are oppressed, Luke 4:18

With righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

Christmas can be a dark time for many. Hope in the holidays nonexistent. It may be from a resent loss of a loved one or the remembrance of loved ones no longer around. [John Carlson’s passing]

I was online this past week and saw the link to my ordination video now almost 10 years ago.

I clicked on the beginning of the service and the processional hymn “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” began. As I watched I was taken by the faces of those no longer with us I saw … Orville and Joan Kitzman near the isle, Hilda Klein near the organ, my friend from my former time in the piano business Donna Kyle sitting near the back of the church and my own dad Al Tkac, sitting up front with my brother Ron and sister-n-law Sandy. There of course were many more faces and I didn’t watch too much of the service … I felt a sense of sadness and loss as we all might.

But today, [last night] profound joy at the baptism of Jackson Albert Tkac as God has blessed my family in a special and most profound way. New life, new birth and the blessed rebirth in Holy Baptism for a beloved member of my family.

Paul, in our epistle today, deals with profound sadness but hope too. Sadness and trial – in that he was writing from prison, not a comforting place to be but, also a time for hope as he writes:

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

Wonderful good news! God is truthful and his promises are fulfilled as he would have so. Both to those who were given the promise, through the patriarchs and also, for we who though afar off might also have that hope.

Those early Christians that Paul is writing to knew that they were in the midst of trial, both as Jew and Gentile, Christian and Roman, faithful and faithless, and aware of false teachers and the pressures to return to their old ways – back to Judaism and keeping the law, or back to the sinful brokenness of darkness that Paul touched in our lesson from last weekend.

But just as the students in the 6th grade classroom were ready to turn off the old man about to address them, hope sprang forth from Eugene Lang’s words. Something that they couldn’t have hoped for was now theirs!

“Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”

10 And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol [to praise highly and to glorify] him.”

12 And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”

Where is your hope placed? For some it is in the hope of their own making and in dark times – it is hope that can fade away.

Is your hope in a happily ever after or a fairy tale?

Because, we all know that life doesn’t promise you or me that. We in this world though are promised tribulation and we can all attest to that reality, can’t we?

Is it a broken promise, or a lost job, a failed marriage or a life of hope that has turned sadly to illness and doubt?

God though does promise a gift, a savior and a means to know him. He has come as a child to redeem that which was lost and he sends the Comforter – the Holy Spirit - to make this known for you.

This knowledge, comfort and hope is found where you might expect it to be … in God’s word.

The scriptures that God the Holy Spirit inspired Paul and others to write is here for you in the words of Holy Scripture.

But it also sung in the wonderful hymns based on those writings.

It is proclaimed here for you to hear in readings and sermons based on these sacred texts and by the working of the Holy Spirit is made clear to you who have been brought to faith in the root of Jesse which springs forth in our lives, understanding and faith.

Advent is a time of hope and light because Advent points to Jesus the Christ and in him hopelessness is swallowed up in the comfort of victory!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Sermon November 30, 2022

Title: Christ the King Comes for You!
Text: Matt. 21:1-11

Facebook live: Christ the King Comes for You!

10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

The Advent season is upon us! The time of Christ’s coming is near!

Surprise and wonder and stirring are all good descriptions of the anticipation that accompany us all as we prepare for the coming of the Christ child. With the beginning of Advent the focus is on the baby Jesus as you and I together watch, for this long expected Messiah.

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 “Say to the Daughter's of Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The coming of Jesus into the city was prophesied by Zechariah the prophet and was now being fulfilled. Some in the city wondered who this is. That Jesus came in humbly, on the colt the foal of a donkey and not as the Messianic King who would come to rule this earthly kingdom was a different entrance than most expected.

Though He was welcomed with; “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

As Jesus traveled over the cloaks and palm branches that had been spread on the road in honor of his arrival, how quickly this joy would turn to despair and doubt and hatred for this humble man who came as the baby king to reconcile and restore the relationship between God and man.

Anticipating the “Holidays” as it is called in the world can bring grief for many. Shopping and buying gifts for those we love can become less loving and more stressful and you may find yourself being led away from the manger … or even walking and running away of your own accord.

What you seek, at this time of year, may be different than what the Lord desires you to receive.

Hope in the holidays may blind you of the hope of the Christ child and the true gift his coming brings.

It may be the good intentions of relatives, friends, and coworkers, gift buying, holiday hours and advertising or it may be sadness in the hope for the holidays that never comes … or a family divided by divorce or simply broken in grief.

In this broken world death can be very close and life a precious gift.

We lost dear members Ruth Dow and Rose Skinner this year so the Christmas season will be different for Charlie Dow at the loss of his wife and for Mark Bunarek at the loss of his mother.

Some lost friends and others relatives like the recent death in a work accident for Diego Garcia the husband of Bob and Pat Poe’s niece. Death can invade our lives and bring hurt whether close or distant and leave us with a sense of profound loss.

Other families this year shared profound joy at the births of Timothy VanDeWater and Jackson Tkac. New life and new birth celebrated in a world that is filled with brokenness and sorrow. Though joy comes, death remains waiting in the shadows for its next victim.

Where death was a certainty in this life … we see a child, we see hope, and newness of life.

In the midst of death, despair and all that the world can bring upon you there is hope because:

The blessed Jesus, the Christ child and his coming, is your salvation!

Hope is not a blind hope but a hope understood and reasoned in faith. It is a hope from God’s own hands given as a promise in his word and brought to life by the Holy Spirit through the word proclaimed and sacraments given and received.

Life from the death of sin, is life not rekindled but … life restored, born from above, born from death itself as we all have been born dead in trespass and sin. (Eph. 2:1)

But Paul comforts us in his words to the Romans from this past weekend:

11 Besides this you know the time … that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

The hope for you and me is the anticipation of the child. But not just any child … for this child is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ himself! This hope in Him is not something you seek out, look for or find but it is a hope given from God to a lost world covered in sin by the joyful coming of a babe … in a manger.

Today we watch … knowing that salvation has come in the one who entered into the joyful celebration and triumphant entry into Jerusalem and also that He came as the babe … foretold of old and received in the manger stable because … there was no room ...

Christ has made room … for you.

He has made room also for all the cares and trials that consume you. Everything that brings sadness He carries for you so you can see the joy in the simple things of life, a kind word, thanks given, a need met and hope for life forever in him.

The blessed Christ child and his coming is your salvation.

Christ the King Comes for You!

Christ has been promised and has come and will come again. The truth is evident by faith given in this blessed joy and eternal hope. You have this joy given in Christ and as you watch for His coming this Christmas remember that Christ has brought you from death to life. You were redeemed from the spiritual death given in birth and have been promised a place with Christ forever.

Watch … and see by the working of the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ do all that He has promised.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen