​Epiphany 3                                                                                                                                             January 23, 2022
Matthew 8:1-13
 
A Question of Authority
 
v.8-9 But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
 
          Dear friends in Christ, we have as our text before us, Jesus' first miracles following His great sermon on the Mount in St. Matthew's Gospel.  Jesus has been preaching and teaching and the crowds have been in amazement, as He has taught as One with authority.  Now, beginning with the verses of our text, Jesus' ministry of miraculous deeds demonstrates this authority to all.
          Authority is very important for us, isn't it?  Indeed, our society would quickly crumble were it not for the authority of those around us.  Authority is used to maintain law and order and mete out justice, both in the home and in our community.  We rely on the authority of police officers, judges, politicians, teachers, and especially parents.  These authorities set down rules and guidelines for people to follow so that there may be peace in the land.  And these authorities have the power to punish those who would break that peace.
          However, all such power and authority pales in comparison to He who is the Word of God made flesh--He who created the universe with His Almighty Word--He who has the authority over not just the body, but the soul as well.  The Lord Jesus has authority to forgive, heal, and give eternal life and salvation.
          And in our text we see a couple of examples of people who place their trust in Jesus and His authority to help them.  First, is the leper.  Against all rules of Jewish decorum and cleanliness laws, this man infected with leprosy approaches Jesus through a crowd (thereby risking ritual uncleanness upon anyone he might come into contact with).  Kneeling before Jesus he prays most earnestly, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."  His prayer is addressed to the Lord Most High, whom he knows has authority to make him clean again, but he leaves it in the gracious hands of the Lord Jesus.  Begging Him, if He is willing, to make him clean. 
          Once again, against all rules of public decorum, Jesus reaches out His hand to touch the leper!  But, in  an amazing reversal, instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the leper is made clean by Jesus' touch!  What joy!  What amazing grace!  For now, this leper, after being reminded by Jesus to seek out the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifice for his cleansing, is free to return home to his family and friends and participate in Jewish life and society once more.  It is almost as if Jesus were saying, "Don't get distracted now.  I know how overjoyed you are, but first you've got to take care of business, then you can go and live at peace with your family.  Yet, I am willing--and now you are clean!"
          While the faith in the authority of Jesus to heal was implicit in the words and actions of the leper, the Centurion is boldly explicit in his faith in Jesus' authority.  Jesus, when approached by the Centurion, a Gentile, about a sick servant, is moved to ask the Centurion if he is truly asking Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, to come into his home.  The Centurion's faith is made explicit here, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the Word, and my servant will be healed.  For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 
          Jesus marvels at the Centurion's faith in the authority of Jesus.  And Jesus answers the Centurion's prayer, while also giving warning to the assembled Jews that they must have faith like this Gentile, otherwise they risk being lost to the kingdom and being thrown into the outer darkness.
          You see, beloved, as Christians, everything depends upon Jesus and His authority.  Faith in Him acknowledges one's own helplessness (due to our sinfulness) and yet trusts that Jesus is indeed willing and able to save.  It is by Jesus' authority that you are forgiven for all your sins by God's grace in Word and Sacrament.  It is by Jesus' authority that I humbly absolve you of your sin in the stead and by the name of Jesus.  It is by Jesus' authority that you are called to faith and washed clean of all sin in the waters of Holy Baptism.  It is by Jesus' authority that His own body and blood are really present in simple bread and wine for the forgiveness of all your sins.  What a wonderful, blessed authority!  For through these Sacraments Jesus is willing and able to make you clean and holy!
          We Christians may be bold in our prayers and requests to God in all circumstances, knowing that He will answer us as is best for us, according to His will.  He has not promised to heal every disease and injury this side of heaven, but He has promised on the Last Day that He will fully and completely devour all sin and death and destroy its power over us forevermore. 
          Beloved, you have been marked by the authority of Jesus in Baptism, Absolution and Supper.  You have been healed of all sin and death by His almighty Word spoken over you--that rebukes your sin--rebukes the devil--rebukes death itself--promising you everlasting life by His side in glory.  For you humbly repent of your sin and trust in His promises to make all things new and to cleanse you with His holy and precious blood.  Dear friends, the Word of Jesus holds the highest authority in heaven and on earth.  And that authority is proclaimed to you for your goodness and mercy and peace.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​The Baptism of Our Lord                                                                                                                        January 9, 2022
Joshua 3:1-3, 7-8, 13-17
 
The Greater Joshua
 
v.7     The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you."
 
          Dear friends in Christ, the ancient nation of Israel had a problem.  They had finally completed their 40 years of wilderness wanderings (due to their original refusal to go up into the Promised Land, for which God then punished them by killing the entire generation that refused to go up, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb).  Now, they were ready to take up the Lord's cause and go in and claim the land that the Lord God had promised to them and their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  However, their great leader—the man whom the Lord had chosen to lead them out of bondage in Egypt—who had parted the Red Sea—who had done incredible signs and wonders both before and during the 40 years of wandering—Moses—was dead.  He also had been punished by God for an infraction against the Lord's Word, and so though Moses was given a glimpse of the Promised Land—he never entered it.
          Joshua, son of Nun, one of the two spies who originally entered the Promised Land 40 years ago and gave a good report, has now been appointed by God to lead the people.  But would God be with him as He had been with Moses?  How could Joshua ever compare with the mighty Moses?  Indeed, he had brought them to the brink of the Promised Land, the Jordan River, which was now in full raging flood.  How would the people ever cross safely to occupy the Land at this time?  How indeed?
          Well, first of all, by not following Joshua per se, but rather by following the Lord who appointed Joshua.  After breaking camp at Shittim the people traveled to the Jordan to prepare for the crossing.  The people were instructed to set out and move, following the ark of the covenant the Lord God.  The ark of the covenant was a special box—roughly 4 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet.  It was beautifully carved and inlaid with gold.  It contained such amazing things as a jar of manna from their wilderness wanderings, the two tablets of testimony that Moses received from the Lord's hand on Mount Sinai, along with Aaron's staff that budded.  The lid of the ark was constructed to resemble two angels with wings outstretched toward one another, which formed a "seat."  Indeed, this was known as the "mercy seat" of God and was to be a visible manifestation of His presence among His people. 
          Where the ark of God went, so followed the people.  He went before them in all things to rout their enemies and to protect, lead, and guide them along the way.  He was with them and would watch over them.
          To give the people confidence in Joshua to lead them, "The Lord said to Joshua, 'Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"  What?  That sounds crazy!  The Jordan was in full flood during this Spring time event.  The Jordan had flooded its banks.  But now the priests are to bear the ark before the people and step into the Jordan?  They would be swept away!
          However, God had declared to Joshua, "And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap."  And as soon as they did so, "the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off.  And the people passed over opposite Jericho.  Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until the nation finished passing over the Jordan."
          This great miracle of the people of Israel crossing over the Jordan river on dry ground should remind you of the miracle that took place following the Exodus from Egypt when Pharaoh chased the Israelites to the Red Sea.  At that time, God commanded Moses and the people to cross the Red Sea, which they did, also on dry ground, the waters standing up in a heap on either side of them, which would later come crashing down on the Egyptians to destroy them—thus delivering the people of Israel from their enemies.
          So, God is here exalting Joshua, just as He said He would.  Joshua is elevated to great status, along with Moses, with a visible sign and wonder proving that as God was with Moses, so God is with Joshua, and therefore is with and for His people.  Indeed, God is the one behind all the miracles, of course.  The waters of the Jordan were cut off and the people crossed on dry ground as soon as the priests bearing the ark of the covenant dipped their feet in the Jordan river.  God went before His people to prepare the way for them—to bring them safely into the Promised Land.
          This whole incident is but a foreshadowing, a preparation, for the greater Joshua to come.  Joshua's name means the Lord Saves.  In the New Testament era, this name is translated as Jesus.  Jesus is the greater Joshua who was to come—the visible presence of the Lord come to save His people from their sins.  This great task of Jesus began with another important event at the Jordan River—Jesus' Baptism.  It was there that the Holy Spirit came and anointed Him—it was there that the Father spoke those beautiful words to exalt and set apart His Son, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). 
          In the holy incarnation, which we just finished celebrating this past week with the end of Christmas, Jesus has come to dwell among us—to be with us—to take up our sins and bear them to the cross.  He began this great work publicly at His Baptism.  His Baptism was not one of repentance as He had no need of repentance, being sinless, but was rather "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).  Jesus became one of us—took up our sin—to pay for it with His life's blood at the cross—thus fulfilling all righteousness—and earning forgiveness for His people.  Truly, Jesus is the "the Lord who saves" in the flesh!
          Jesus has come to lead you to the Promised Land of heavenly glory with Him, to await the coming consummation of all things when there will be a new heavens and a new earth—and where we will live with Him forever in blessed righteousness and peace.  Our sin would keep us from this.  Our sin would separate us from God's presence more fully and completely than any flooding river.  Yet Jesus entered into the raging flood that was our sin—and He suffered and died for it on the cross—thereby clearing a way before us to enter into His presence.
          Now in our Baptism, we too pass through water on the way to life with God.  For as St. Paul writes in Romans 6:4, "We were buried therefore with Him [Jesus] by baptism into death, on order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."  Through our Baptism, whereby Christ's death for sin becomes ours, along with His resurrection life, our sins are completely washed away.  Erased by the cleansing tide of Christ's own redeeming blood that is poured out upon us through water and the Word.  In its place we are given forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. 
          The full and complete righteousness of Jesus is given to us as free gift through faith in Him.  Indeed, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given in Baptism to work and sustain saving faith in our hearts.  For the incarnate Lord Jesus continues to be present with His church through Word and Sacrament by which He performs the miracles of salvation today.  As the gift of faith and forgiveness is given and worked in your hearts, you may know and trust that the Father's words to Jesus at His baptism, now apply to you in yours, "This is my beloved son/daughter with whom I am well pleased."  For you have been delivered by the greater Joshua who has gone before you to save you from your sin and death.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Christmas 2                                                                                                                                          January 2, 2022
1 Peter 4:12-19
 
Christ-mas(ian) Suffering?
 
v.15-16       But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.  Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, at first glance this text from St. Peter seems at odds with the church year.  After all, we are still in the midst of the great joy that is Christmas—the 12 day celebration of the Holy Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We just brought in the secular New Year!  This is a time of fun and festivity—so why bring up a difficult subject like this, now?  Well, beloved, perhaps it is because suffering and persecution are never really very far away for the Christian—just as they were never far from our Lord Jesus. 
          In our Gospel reading from St. Matthew we see how the hatred and jealousy of King Herod was roused against the infant Jesus—how Herod sought to kill and destroy the baby Jesus, whom he saw as a threat to his own power and position.  Indeed, to make sure that Jesus was killed, Herod ordered all the male children of Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two years old and under be put to death!  This horror illustrates the level of malevolence that exists in the world against Jesus and those who bear His name.
          Jesus was temporarily rescued at that time because God warned His stepfather Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt for a time.  Of course, you and I know that this reprieve for Jesus from hostility truly was only temporary.  For He would face widespread persecution and hatred for most of His public ministry, which would culminate in His suffering and death on the cross.  And so you and I will also face persecution and suffering, for as Jesus said in John's Gospel (15:20-21), "Remember the Word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.'  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my Word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me."
          At the time Peter is writing his first epistle, Christianity is experiencing fairly widespread persecution within the Roman Empire.  In this letter, Peter is encouraging all Christians not to be discouraged by what is happening to them on account of their faith.  He reminds the Christians over and over again of Christ's shining example of suffering, and of the riches of the inheritance of heaven that is promised to all those who remain steadfast in the one true faith.  Indeed, Peter goes so far as to instruct Christians to rejoice when you share in Christ's sufferings, echoing Jesus' own words from the Sermon on the Mount when our Lord said (Matthew 5:11-12), "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
          So, beloved, be not dismayed at the persecution you may face on account of your faith in Christ Jesus and His Word.  "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."  Do you sometimes face persecution for your belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior?  Do people mock you for celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas, rather than magical snowmen or fat men with flying reindeer and presents?  Maybe...maybe not.
          But how many of us do face ridicule and mockery from friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc. for our adherence to God's Word regarding the biological reality of male and female among humans?  How long will the goodwill of our neighbors last when we refuse to use their preferred pronouns that contradict the truth of their own body?  How long will the world smile down upon us when they discover that we regularly give of our time and treasure to support crisis pregnancy centers—advocating that no one—man or woman—has the right to choose to end the life of an unborn child?  Indeed, the suffering and grief that King Herod caused in Bethlehem so many years ago is but a tiny drop in the ocean of the dead of the unborn that we experience in our country and around the world every year. 
          How do people respond to you when they discover that you as a Christian believe that marriage should only exist between one man and one woman?  Will they rage against you?  Will they berate you?  Or how about when they find out that you don't believe in Critical Race Theory that seeks to destroy all commonality between human beings and instead divide us up in terms of our skin color—seeing certain people as being wicked and evil simply on account of the color of skin with which they were born?  How will they seek to "cancel" you when they discover that you instead believe what the Bible plainly teaches about humanity's common origin from Adam and Eve—that we have all been made in the image of God and so are to be viewed with respect and love, as a special part of God's creation—regardless what we may look like on the outside?  Will you lose your job?  Your family?  Your friends?  Your savings?  Will they eventually come for your house, your possessions—your good name?
          Beloved, suffering comes to every Christian as we live out our faith in the world.  We are tempted sometimes to shrink away from publicly living our faith—thinking it is better—less offensive—if we just live quietly, under the radar as much as possible.  For we do not want the fiery trial to come upon us—it is painful and hard.  Nonetheless, Christ calls us to be faithful.  To speak the truth in love, in season and out of season—whether people want to hear it or not. 
          When we do experience suffering—fiery trials and persecution—we remember the words of St. Peter, "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed."  Rejoice as you are called to share in Christ's sufferings—when you are insulted for the name of Christ—you are blessed—for it is evident that the Spirit of God rests upon you.  For, if you held to the spirit of the age in which you simply accepted and promoted the ideas of this current time, contrary to what the Word of God teaches, you would not be mocked—you would not be persecuted.  But because you are, then you may know that God's Spirit rests upon you, and that He will strengthen and preserve  you through these challenging times. 
          "But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler."  That is, do not suffer for doing wrong and evil.  Keep all of God's commandments and Word.  "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."  As you suffer for your faith in Christ, rejoice and be glad—give God glory and praise!  For to be counted worthy by God to suffer as Jesus did is a great honor for the Christian.  For it is an opportunity to confess Christ to the unbelieving world.  The same Christ who suffered and died for the sins of the whole world—for your sins and mine—and for our persecuting neighbors. 
          These things that happen to Christians are not anything strange.  Even Christ our Lord was persecuted—He suffered more horribly on the cross than you or I ever will—for He suffered the full wrath of God for the sins of the world.  Yet by that suffering, Jesus released us from our sins—earned forgiveness and life by His name.  Furthermore, by His suffering, Jesus has also hallowed—made holy—the suffering of all those who follow Him—who are persecuted for His name's sake.  So, fear not, beloved.  "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
          You who bear the name of Jesus in your Baptism entrust your souls to your faithful Creator God.  He has redeemed you by the blood of Jesus.  He has guaranteed that on the Last Day you will be with Him in paradise—that your steadfast faith will be publicly vindicated and rewarded.  Therefore, you can continue to do good—to love your neighbor—your friends—your family—even your enemies.  For you know the outcome.  You know that Christ is victorious, and you know that He loves you to the end. 
          What have you to fear from the unbelieving world?  Nothing!  Instead, you take every opportunity to boldly confess Christ and the whole counsel of His blessed Word—so that all people might hear, repent, and believe.  Be not ashamed.  Rather, glorify God whose name is upon you in Baptism—and rejoice that you suffer for His name's sake.  For He who suffered for you on the cross has guaranteed you a place by His side in everlasting glory.  Merry Christmas—Merry Christian—Suffering.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Christmas 1                                                                                                                                        December 26, 2021
Luke 2:(22-32)33-40
 
Jesus Opposers
 
v.34   And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
 
          Beloved in Christ, these words of Simeon were spoken to Mary and Joseph when Jesus was only forty days' old.  According to the Law of Moses, every firstborn son was to be presented to the Lord at this time so that a thank offering could be made.  And along comes blessed old Simeon.  Tottering on his old and weary legs, arms outstretched to receive the Child who is the Lord's Christ.  It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he beheld the Messiah.  When Mary and Joseph entered the temple with Jesus, Simeon took Jesus up in his arms and uttered those famous words we sing at every celebration of the Lord's Supper, the Nunc Dimittis—"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation…"
          These beautiful words of Simeon make sense to us.  After all, Simeon was an old man—now he could die in peace—as God said he would after he had been blessed to see with his eyes and take in his arms the Child who would destroy sin and death.  Mary and Joseph marveled at these words of Simeon, but his next words must have caught them off guard—indeed, as they do to us, even today.  For this Child—this sweet, innocent babe, Simeon says has been appointed "for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
          Now what exactly is this supposed to mean?  These words of Simeon sound so odd—so out of place—especially in our context of the Christmas season.  Who would speak against Jesus—oppose Jesus—that perfect Child—particularly at this time of year?  And yet, if we pay careful attention, we may find there are many who do just that.
          On the surface, of course, everyone loves Jesus—He's a good guy—preached about loving one's neighbor—being kind to all—nothing wrong with that!  We love the Jesus in our Nativity scenes:  the baby all snug and cozy in the manger—nestled at gentle Mary's breast—being worshiped by angels and shepherds and wise men from afar.  He is cute and cuddly and doesn't really require anything of us.  But once we start digging a little deeper we find Jesus challenges us with both His Word of Law and Gospel.
          For the babe born in Bethlehem would not long remain a child.  He would grow as we all do.  And as a man Jesus would preach and teach and do wondrous things like healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and raising the dead.  But His Word would not always be easy to hear—for He unabashedly would speak the truth—the truth about us and our sin—the truth about Him and His salvation He came to bring.  But these words of Jesus are not so well received.
          For this Jesus' Law teaches us that we are NOT free to do as we please—we are not free to live any way we would like.  For God has set down in His Word of Truth—the Bible—the particular way in which He demands His created people to live.  Ways that our sinful natures find to be rather offensive: not married to that special someone—then you ought not to be engaging in union reserved for marriage—nor should you be living together.  Struggling with same sex attraction or with the sex you were born—then you are called upon to repent of that and to live in God's grace and mercy for you in Christ.  Disgusted with your political leaders?  Jesus demands that you pray for them and obey them in all things, except where they tell you to disobey God's Word.  Beloved, we really don't like these kinds of Words of Jesus—we prefer to ignore them—or do away with them.
          The same with His Word of the Gospel that teaches us that we cannot save ourselves from our sin, but must trust only in Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross.  Again, our sinful selves recoil at this teaching—thinking that we must be able to contribute in some way—even the tiniest little bit—that it can't ALL be Jesus' work alone.  How else are we to be rewarded by God in heaven?  Certainly, I'll be better than most people—have a slightly bigger crown of glory.  But no.  Jesus says it all depends on Him and His blood and righteousness—nothing do we bring to our salvation, but our sin and death—we cling the cross of Christ for our hope and peace and nothing else.
          But these things lead us to say and think things, "I don't like THIS Jesus."  "My God/Jesus would never say such things…He'd let me live any way I want because He loves me—so therefore whatever I want to do must be OK."
          But indeed, this is why Jesus was hated in His own time as well—for speaking God's uncomfortable truth—urging people to repentance and to trust only in Him for salvation.  Our prideful high and mighty hearts (that seek our own good above others—or that think we know better than God about what should be right or wrong) must be brought low.  Indeed, our sinful selves must be destroyed—killed—through repentance—drowned in Holy Baptism—so that the new nature in Christ might arise within us—might be lifted up.
          Beloved, even though we Christians who hold fast to God's Word are despised by the world and considered to be the lowest of the low—yet we will be raised up on the Last Day.  For in Christ we are vindicated.  By His Word we are made pure and righteous and holy—in the eyes of the only One who truly matters—the true Judge—God Almighty.  He will declare to the world that you who have lived and believed in Him are not wicked or lowly, but are precious in His sight for remaining true to His Word.  He will raise you up on the Last Day to enjoy a time of feasting and peace that will never end.  All because you have trusted in Jesus to save you from your sins.  You have clung to the cross of Christ in all things, by the grace of God the Holy Spirit working through the Word and Sacraments.  Your faith has sustained you and brought you to its completion in Jesus Christ.
          Already at Jesus' infancy, we see the cross begin to loom in the background.  This is why Jesus came.  Why He was born a man—born of the Virgin Mary.  This cross would be why Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary's soul.  For she would witness her own Son's crucifixion—an incredible agony for any parent—to watch their child be slowly tortured and killed. 
          And yet through this act Christ was rescuing the world.  His suffering and death brought light and life to many—to all who believe in His name.  For the blood that He shed would cleanse the hearts of sinners.  Purifying you and me from all our sin—and breathing life into our weary souls.  And so we give thanks to God with Anna and Simeon for the redemption that Jesus brought to the world through Israel.  A redemption that cost Him His life—but that would give you and me life everlasting.  So that now, we too, as the Lord's servants, may depart in peace, according to His Word—for we have seen His salvation that He has prepared—the salvation of Christ crucified for sinners—a glorious light to all the world.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Christmas Day                                                                                                                                   December 25, 2021
John 1:1-18
 
Words of Comfort and Joy!
 
v.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.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, what simple words—the Word became flesh.  We confess them in the Nicene Creed when we say, “and was made man.”  The older, and more accurate translation of the Greek text of the creed, however, is basically a direct quote from John 1:14, “became flesh.”  Our Lord God Almighty, full of grace and truth, deigned to become incarnate by the Holy Spirit and be born of the Virgin Mary, thereby taking on our lowly human flesh as His own.
          This truth should fill us with awe and wonder.  For indeed, at His incarnation our Lord Jesus did not become an angel or some other creature of great majesty and beauty—He became flesh—He became man.  Indeed, this fact of our Lord’s incarnation used to be so respected and revered in the church that people would regularly genuflect at this great mystery whenever the Creed was confessed in worship.  This is a fantastic mystery that we cannot fully understand, but nevertheless should prize above all others.  For all of our comfort and joy against sin, death, hell, and despair revolve around these words and nothing else. 
          It is a tremendously high honour that God should assume our frail human nature as His own.  Indeed, St. Bernard supposed that perhaps this might have been the very reason for Satan’s rebellion—that upon learning that God would become man, not an angel—he was filled with such fury and anger that he turned against God and so fell from grace.  And when we stop to think about it, we can kind of see his point.  For Christ’s assumption of our human nature—the union of God and man in the person of Jesus—is comparable to placing a filthy pig at the place of honour at the dinner table, while chasing away the holy and noble people.
          Yet this truth is meant to bring great comfort and joy.  For the babe born to the Virgin Mary and her betrothed, Joseph, is none other than the Son of God in the flesh!  Within that tiny newborn babe whose birth we celebrate this day dwelt the fullness of the deity.  For the divine majesty assumed every aspect of our human nature (bags of worms though we be), except for our sin and the guiltiness of death.  Indeed, He ate, drank, slept, etc., yet was without sin.  Is it not truly awe inspiring to realize that God regards man dearer and more noble than an angel, though man is a wretched creature by comparison?  As the writer to the Hebrews notes (2:16), “For surely it is not angels that He [God] helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham.”
          Therefore, dearly beloved in Christ, rejoice!  Rejoice in the great glory that is yours!  Rejoice in the incarnation of Jesus the Christ.  For the simple fact that He took on your flesh should fill you with joy for it shows His good disposition toward you.  For if He were ill-disposed towards you then He never would have taken on your human flesh and blood in order to redeem you by the laying down—the bloody sacrifice—of His own innocent flesh and blood on the cross of Calvary.
          To be sure this is a divine mystery, but it is also a great joy and wonder for the people of God.  For everything that seeks to keep you away from God—separated from His love and mercy—sin, Satan, death and hell—all the evils of this world and life—are chased away and destroyed by the wonder of Christ Jesus and His incarnation.  For He who is truly God yet is also truly man—and His perfectly lived life becomes yours by faith—just as His death for sin—has also become yours—and His new and everlasting life in the resurrection is also yours.
          As we confess this great truth and believe the words, “He became flesh,” not even Satan can stand in our way.  For the simple words, “I am a Christian, of the same flesh and blood as my Lord Jesus Christ, the very Son of God,” send the Devil packing every time.  Those who proclaim these words and utter them by faith are assured that the Lord is dwelling—tabernacling—among them.  For He has come to you dear friends—He has come to take on your sin—your death—your hell—and bear it in His own flesh to the cross.  There it has all been paid for in full.  You have been set free by the incarnate Lord Jesus Himself!
          All too often, however, we fail to see the great honour our God has bestowed upon us by taking on our flesh in order to save us from our sin.  The story is told of a rough and brutal fool of a man, who while the words, “and was made man” were being sung in church, he remained standing, neither genuflecting nor removing his hat.  He showed no reverence, but simply stood there like a clod.  All the other people dropped to their knees when the Nicene Creed was prayed and chanted devoutly.  Then the devil stepped up to him and hit him so hard it made his head spin.  Satan cursed him and said, “May hell consume you, you boorish ass!  If God had become an angel like me and the congregation sang, ‘God was made an angel,’ I would bend not only my knees but my whole body to the ground!  Yes, I would even crawl ten miles down into the ground.  And you vile human creature, you stand there like a stick of wood!”  So, you see, even Satan understands the great honour that God has given to men.
          And yet, when these words are confessed by men in faith, it chases the devil away.  Indeed, we can resist all temptations and distress for the devil fears these words when spoken by a believer.  It is certain that if anyone could speak these words, “and the Word became flesh” in true faith and with strong confidence in the hours of greatest temptation, he would be delivered from his trouble, for the devil fears these words when they are uttered by a believer.  So, dear friends, when alarmed or distraught, speak these words, “And the Word became flesh,” and at the same time make the sign of the cross to remind you of your Baptism, and thereby send the devil packing! 
          Dear friends, the great treasure of God is offered and given through these simple words, “and the Word became flesh.”  For those who accept and retain these words in faith are the children of God.  You are the children of God!  You have been washed in the cleansing, redeeming tide of Jesus’ own blood that was shed for you.  You have received His holy washing in Baptism.  You partake of His true incarnate, crucified and risen, body and blood in bread and wine at this very altar, for the full and free forgiveness of all your sins. 
          Rejoice therefore!  Rejoice!  For the Lord God has come to you in your flesh to blot out every sin, to wipe away every tear of grief and shame, to take your death...and turn it into life!  And all this because the Word became flesh and dwelt among you.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Christmas Eve – Rev. Koch                                                                                                               December 24, 2021
Luke 2:1-20           
 
The Living Nativity
 
v.12   And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, fairy tales often begin with the words “Once upon a time.” But the Christmas Gospel begins with the words “And it came to pass in those days.” Fairy tales occur in mythical lands. But today’s Gospel occurs in the real town of Bethlehem, during the actual reign of Caesar Augustus and Quirinius. This is tremendously important for us to recognize. Around Christmas, our culture often focuses on make-believe, magic, and fantasy. Those things can certainly have their proper place. But it seems that, for many, the “stuff” of Christmas—the lights and gifts and music—can become a flight into an imaginary world, a temporary retreat from the real world and real life. And that is the exact opposite of the Christmas message. Luke emphasizes here that what he is writing is real history. It actually occurred in a real place and at a real time when certain real officials were in power. It isn’t a legend or a myth or a fable. It is true, an accurate and factual account of the way things really were.
Christmas is not about escaping into some fantasy world. It’s about our life in the real world being redeemed and renewed by the Lord. It’s about the real Son of God, through whom all things were created, entering into His creation as a true and literal baby boy, with real flesh and blood. It’s about a first-time mom giving birth to Him in the humblest of circumstances—in the cold of night, among real livestock and hay and smell. It’s about the Lord of all taking on the form of a servant and being laid in a cattle trough so that He might rescue us from our sin. There is nothing unreal or imaginary about Christmas, for Jesus is the concrete and tangible love of God come to walk among us.
Christ was born among the animals for us. Because of sin, we have become like animals—survival of the fittest, self-preservation at all costs, following our basest instincts and desires. We have all fallen away from God, wanting to go our own way and do our own thing. In the process, we have become inhuman. So in order to save us from perishing eternally, Jesus, the Son of God, took on our human nature and caused Himself to be placed in a feeding trough. The One who slept near the beasts came to lift us out of our inhumanity and set us free from the beastly power of death and the devil. Jesus descended to the depths of our fallenness in order to raise us to the heights of eternal life with Himself. He became like us so that we might become like Him.
In the stable with the animals, we see Jesus as the new Adam, who has come to restore us and all things to paradise, to recreate us by His coming in the flesh. God the Son took our humanity into Himself so that we might be made new in Him. By His conception and birth, Jesus has sanctified and purified our natures. His incarnation permeates and hallows mankind. God has greatly exalted us by becoming not an angel or any other creature but a true man, our human Brother.
Christ became one of us so that He might take our place under the Law in order to free us from its damnation. Jesus’ lowly birth foreshadows the humble life He would lead for us and the shameful death He would suffer on our behalf. The wood of a manger would later be traded for the wood of a cross. And just as Jesus was wrapped in cloths in His birth, so also He would be wrapped in cloths in His death—the grave clothes He would leave behind in His glorious resurrection.
The Son of God was born among us and became man for this very purpose: to die in the flesh in our place and to shed His blood to ransom and purchase us from the powers of darkness. He was made to be like us in every way, but without sin, so He could be our perfect stand-in. As true man, He was our substitute in death; as true God, He paid the infinite price our sins required, which we could not even begin to pay. Therefore, only in this fully divine man is there eternal life. Only in this Child, who was laid in a manger and who is now bodily raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father, is there salvation. Only He could accomplish it. Every other religion is an illusion and a false hope.
The angels tell us of our only real hope: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Fear not—do not be in terror any longer of death or of the judgment of God, for your sins are forgiven. Even the evils and the injustices that have been done to you have been cleansed from you by this holy birth. Christ the Savior has come to rescue you from the devil’s prison house and to bring you into the eternal kingdom of God. Light has broken in and shattered the darkness forever. Rejoice greatly in the good news, for all of this is for you! Jesus is born to you, the angels said. He is your merciful King, your gracious Lord.
The angels certainly rejoiced over what God was doing for us. After announcing the good tidings to the shepherds, a whole multitude of the heavenly host spilled over heaven’s edge and burst forth with praise to God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” The very coming of Christ is a sign of God’s good will toward us, that He wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Only Jesus brings real peace on earth—not temporary peace between people but eternal peace with God. In Christ, we who were once at war with God are now reconciled and put right with Him. God and man come together in Jesus, because He is Himself both God and man. Those who believe and are baptized into the body of Christ are thereby reunited with God. Truly, Jesus is your Prince of Peace.
 The shepherds were given a sign: a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. You also are given a sign of where to find Jesus. He is to be found humbly mangered in the bread and wine of the Sacrament of the Altar. You don’t need to go to grandiose musical reenactments of the Christmas story to experience closeness to the Christ Child. It isn’t necessary to have living nativity re-creations with actors and live animals to feel like you’re there. The living nativity is here, because Jesus Himself is here, concretely and tangibly. He is really there on the altar in Holy Communion. The bread and the wine are His manger, in which His body and blood are truly present to bring to you all the blessings of this holy night. There, you are literally given to kneel before Him.
Dear Christians, you are in Bethlehem now, for the name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” And He who is the living bread from heaven comes down to make this place a house of bread, to satisfy your spiritual hunger and to fill you with His life.
Of course, if this is the living nativity here, if that is the manger, the feeding trough, then you and I are the animals. But so be it. Let us humbly eat of the Holy Sacrament of Christ so that our humanity may be eternally restored in Him who is truly human and truly divine. Let us with Mary keep and ponder all these things in our heart in penitent faith. And let us with the shepherds glorify and praise God for all the things we have heard and seen in Christ, just as it has been told to us.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Advent 4                                                                                                                                            December 19, 2021
Philippians 4:4-7
 
Don't Worry...Be Happy!
 
v.4     Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, we're almost there aren't we?  We've almost reached the season of great joy that is Christmas!  But we're not there yet.  Still, in our readings we see the joy that even the anticipation of the Saviour's birth brings to the hearts of God's faithful people.  John the Baptist leaps in his mother's womb at Elizabeth's meeting with the pregnant Virgin Mary (alternate Gospel reading).  We see John the Baptist during his ministry answering questions of the Messiah--noting that he is not the Christ--though the Messiah is near--standing among them--He whose worth surpasses all others, such that John knows he is not worthy even to untie the strap of Jesus' sandal.
          In our text, Paul encourages us to always rejoice.  And we would think that would be a simple task--particularly at this time of year--when everyone seems so happy--so joyful--looking forward to some time off of work and quality time with family and friends--what could possibly be wrong with that? 
          Well, ironically, though this time of year is a season of great joy in anticipation of the celebration of our Saviour's birth--it also undoubtedly one of the most difficult and painful seasons for many people to endure.  For some, there is fear and anxiety regarding whether or not they got the right gift; whether they are fully prepared for the holiday guests to arrive—whether they should even have holiday guests with COVID numbers creeping up yet again; and just plain stressed out over the general busyness that is so pervasive right now--rushing to and fro and hither and yon!
          Others face tremendous fear, pain, and sorrow for the loved ones who have died and with whom they can no longer enjoy this special holiday time.  Memories of past Advents and Christmases bring tears to their eyes and loneliness to their hearts.  We may even be anxiously worrying over loved ones who are currently ill--wondering if this might be their last Christmas?  Other Christians struggle with being alone, period—longing for fellowship and companionship with other people—desiring family, but perhaps not having their own at this time.  What is the Christian to do in these circumstances? 
          St. Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"  Reminds me of the 1988 smash hit from Bobby McFerrin, "Don't worry, be happy," in which he sings that though life will often bring trouble, "Don't worry, be happy."  Would that it were that easy!
          In our sinfulness--our lack of total trust and reliance on God that He rightly demands of us in the First Commandment--we worry.  We are anxious and fearful and find it difficult to be happy--to be joyful--when things aren't going our way.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there is something wrong with the world--that things aren't quite what they should be.  The horrors of war are commonplace in the world, even as we face natural disasters no matter where you go--be they typhoons, fires, winter storms, or dread diseases that just won't stop.  Everywhere there is heartache--there is depression--there is death.  How are we to remain joyful?  How can we be happy?  Seems like a pipe dream.
          Beloved, in all these situations, Paul gives good advice--pray!  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  There's your answer.  Pray.  Pray with thankfulness and trust that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  This peace of God which the Christian enjoys no matter what is going on--due to the promises of God given us in His Word and Baptism and Supper--lead us to trust that God will conform our minds--protect it and keep it safe--like a guardian angel. 
          It is Jesus and His Word that give us hope--grant us peace and harmony with the Father--through the blood of Jesus.  As John the Baptist declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  Having been washed in the shed blood of Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of all of our sins--we may have peace and joy in our hearts despite difficult situations we face now. 
          As Christians, we have the joyful opportunity and responsibility to show God's love and compassion to our neighbours who are feeling down--depressed--lonely--in need of love and care.  This is the joyful task of the Christian.  To help those in need and to pray with them and for them--so that we may "not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
          Dear friends, we will face the pressures of this world and life, just as anyone else.  We feel the pressures of work (or lack thereof); we grow frustrated with friends and family; we are fearful of what the unknown future may bring.  Through it all, as Christians, we flee to God in prayer, trusting that He hears us and will answer us in His mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ.  We look to what Jesus has done.  We flee to Him and trust that God sent Jesus to save us, just as Mary prayed in her Magnificat, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour."
          Beloved, when feeling lost and alone--afraid and anxious--we come to the church--our brothers and sisters in Christ--we who ARE the church, by God's grace.  As Paul says in Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  When we are weak--weary with fighting the world, Satan, and our flesh--we seek out the church--the body of Christ--that we may be upheld in prayer, even as we pray for others. 
          In the church we find true hope and joy--for in the church we receive Jesus our Lord and Saviour--He who has come near to us in the Holy Incarnation--becoming Immanuel--God with us.  The Lord Jesus is among you this day!  He comes near to you in His Word and Sacrament to give you that which you need to continue the struggle of this life--to grant you joy beyond all knowing.  In His Word He proclaims to you your forgiven state before Him.  In Baptism He washes you clean and adopts you into His family.  In His Supper He feeds you with His very own body and blood in bread and wine.  All these gifts are there to direct you to His mercy and love for you--through the shedding of His blood in your place. 
          In Christ's blood we receive forgiveness, strength and life.  Having received His promises in faith we are blessed with "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding."  This gift is far greater and more worthy than anything we will ever receive under the tree or in our Christmas stocking.  For this peace "will guard (protect/hem in/shut or lock in) your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Peace is found in Christ Jesus alone.  In Christ then there is no fear--no anxiety--no worries--only joy.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

Advent Midweek 3/4 – Rev. Koch                                                                                               December 15/22, 2021
Judges 6:11-24 (7:2-9)
 
You Shall Defeat Them as One Man
 
v.16  And the LORD said to him [Gideon], "But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."
 
            Dear friends in Christ, the Angel of the Lord, the Son of God, appeared to Gideon and called him a mighty man of valor. But Gideon did not appear to be very powerful at all. He was in hiding from the Midianites, who were oppressing the children of Israel. The Midianites would come up like locusts on the land to destroy Israel’s crops and kill or take their animals (Judges 6:1–10). As a result, many of the Israelites were forced to make dens and strongholds for themselves in the mountains and in caves. What little wheat Gideon was able to gather he was forced to thresh in secret, in a winepress. And on top of all that, his clan was weakest in Manasseh, and he himself was least in his father’s house.
So we can understand Gideon’s response to the Angel of the Lord’s greeting: “the Lord is with you.” Gideon said to Him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us? . . . But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
There are times when the people of God’s Israel today, the Church, feel like Gideon. Perhaps there have been moments in the darkening days of this Adventide when you yourself have asked questions similar to his. If God is with us, if He really is Immanuel, why is the Church struggling or mistreated or ignored? If God is with me, then why are things such a mess? Why do I feel alone? Why am I sick and suffering? Where is the power of God that we hear about in the Bible?
Like Gideon, we, too, may sometimes feel forsaken. And yet, we also know, deep down, that the messes we experience are sometimes of our own making. That’s how it was in Gideon’s day. The reason God allowed Israel to be overrun by the Midianites is because the Israelites had done evil in His sight. This happens repeatedly in the Book of Judges. The Israelites forsake the Lord to run after other gods they think will give them more of what they want. God’s anger is roused against His rebellious people, and He allows their enemies to overtake them. Then, in their distress, they cry out to the Lord for help. And the Lord raises up a judge, a deliverer, to rescue them from the power of their enemies. The land has rest, and everything goes well for a period of time. But then, the judge dies, the people become spiritually complacent and apathetic, and they forsake the Lord again, and the whole process starts all over.
This is a warning for us. When everything is going well, we, too, can be tempted to become complacent in our faith, forgetting the Lord and forsaking Him for the things of this world. It should not surprise us, then, if the Lord allows hardship to come upon us so that we might be brought to see what we have done. But this is also for our comfort; the Lord is doing this for our good. He is seeking to work penitence in our hearts so in faith, we might call upon His name again and with greater fervency. He chastens us like a son whom He loves. With the Law, He turns us away from our idols, and by the Gospel, He draws us back and restores us to Himself. Through Christ, our deliverer, we have rest once more.
Gideon is a picture of Jesus. He was the one chosen by God to deliver Israel in that day and to bring them rest again. Even though he was weakest and least, he was the Lord’s man for the job. This is a consistent theme even to the end of the Gideon narrative. Instead of defeating the Midianites with a massive army, the Lord insists that Gideon reduce his army down from thirty-two thousand to only three hundred men. This was so that the victory would not be won by human strength (so they could boast in themselves) but solely by the wisdom and strength of the Lord.
The power of God being hidden beneath seeming powerlessness points us to a fulfillment in Jesus. Gideon is a living prophecy of the victory over sin and death and the devil, which the Lord brings to us at Christmas. It is the way of God that the last shall be first and the humble shall be exalted. Jesus embodies this. He is the mighty and eternal Son of God, yet He does not appear to be so. He was laid in a cattle trough for a crib. His birth took place almost secretly. He appeared to be nothing more than a poor peasant boy. He was born in Bethlehem, which Scripture says is little among the clans of Judah. When, as an infant, His life was threatened by Herod, He was hidden away in Egypt for a time.
Jesus, our mighty man of valor, appeared to be vulnerable and helpless—not only in His birth but also in His death. Nevertheless, He brought about the fulfillment of His own words, which He had spoken to Gideon, “I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man” (emphasis added). Gideon and his mere three hundred would defeat the countless Midianites as one man because the Lord was with them. The Lord Jesus defeats all of our enemies, quite literally, as one man. By His incarnation, He has taken our humanity into Himself, and by His death and resurrection, He has destroyed sin, death, and the devil once for all. “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19, emphasis added).
Jesus is an army of one, the only one who can deliver us from our enemies. The one man Jesus defeated our powerful enemies through weakness because He is the Lord in the flesh. Out of lowly Bethlehem came the One to be the ruler and deliverer of Israel. The Midianites, in their confusion, would end up turning on and killing one another in their camp. In the same way, Jesus turned death and Satan against themselves on the cross, delivering us forever from their power and the sin that oppresses us. The one man Jesus assumed the humanity of all people in His conception and birth. And so this one man’s victory also counts for all people in His death and resurrection. The name Gideon means “one who breaks or cuts down.” Jesus, our Gideon, has broken and cut down all false gods and the devil himself by the wood of the manger and the wood of the cross.
The Angel of the Lord first appeared to Gideon when he was threshing out wheat for bread in a winepress, and He departed from sight after Gideon offered up bread and meat on the rock. All of this points us to the Sacrament of the Altar, where the Lord fulfills His promise to be with us in the flesh—where His body and blood, offered up on the rock of Golgotha, are given to us under bread and wine. Though Jesus has departed from our sight, He is still present with us as true man in our need so that we might also share with Him in His divine glory. And so we say with Mary in her Magnificat, “He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.”
Finally, when the Angel of the Lord departed from Gideon, he perceived fully that he had been in the very presence of God. Gideon thought he would die for having seen the Angel of the Lord face-to-face. But Gideon is given a word of peace. So, also, we are given peace, an invitation to come into the Lord’s presence without fear, through faith in Christ Jesus. By His true humanity, we are saved from judgment and reconciled to God. The Son of God also comforts us by saying, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” For the Lord Jesus is both the Mighty God and the Prince of Peace.
Let us, then, during this Advent season, look to Jesus as our Gideon, whose might is hidden in lowliness. Let us with penitent hearts hope in Him who is born to be our eternal Deliverer and Savior.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen

​Advent 3 – Gaudete                                                                                                                           December 12, 2021
Matthew 11:2-10
 
Are You the One?
 
v.2-3 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
 
Dear friends in Christ, perhaps you have found yourself asking the same question about Jesus that plagued John the Baptizer, “Are you the One?  Or should we expect another?”  And you can see where John is coming from.  This man, Jesus’ own cousin, lived a hard life—eking out an existence in the wilderness—preaching and teaching and baptizing.  His task was to be the messenger sent by God—apostled by God—to prepare the way for the Messiah—for Jesus.  Through the proclamation of the Word of God people would be brought to contrition and repentance over their sin—and be told to look to the One who is coming for their salvation—“the One whose sandals John confessed he was not worthy to stoop down and untie….the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
John didn’t eat in fine palaces—nor did he wear fancy clothes, the Scriptures tell us—but rather he ate locusts and wild honey—wore rough clothing—and continually preached to all the people about the deadly condition of their sin—calling them to seek forgiveness and mercy from the hand of God and not their own pious works. 
Of course, this is what eventually landed John in such trouble—he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.  He preached to and against not only the regular Jew, but also against the religious authorities—and even the political rulers of his day.  Of course, one can’t go around publicly decrying the king of Galilee as an adulterer without there being any sort of repercussions.  So, eventually, John was arrested by Herod in order to silence John’s rather embarrassingly accurate, accusations. 
And so, John, who has dedicated his entire life and ministry in service to the Lord, now finds himself in the dank prison of Herod, knowing that it is just a matter of time before he is killed.  You can picture John sitting in that dark, cold, cell running through the events of his life that brought him there—especially those moments with Jesus in the Jordan River—and you can see the evil one whispering words of doubt into his ear.  “Are you sure this Jesus is the real mccoy?  Are you sure he is truly the one?  Perhaps you’ve been deceived.  After all, IF Jesus truly is the all-powerful Lord God, then what are you doing sitting here unjustly in prison?   Wouldn’t the REAL Messiah help and reward His faithful followers?”  And so John in desperation—in a moment of weak faith— sends some of his own disciples to inquire after Jesus if He truly is the One who is to come, after all.
Perhaps you’ve had days like that as well, beloved.  You who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—who trust Him—who avail yourselves of His Word and Sacrament—who talk about Him to neighbours, friends, family, and strangers alike.  You who try to daily repent of your own sin and live the life that God wants you to live.  You who continue to boldly proclaim the truth of God's Word: marriage is between one man and one woman—people are either male or female—life begins at conception—and so forth.  And yet tragedy still strikes.  And yet you still struggle—you still get hurt—are forced to endure suffering and sadness in this life.  You face persecution.  You face loss of job—family—friends—all for clinging to the truth of God's Word.  And so, perhaps you, too, begin to question whether Jesus is truly the One true God or not.  “Maybe there is something to those other religions—or no religion at all—those people certainly seem to be happy—while I am miserable and depressed.”
We, like John, even as God's faithful people, are still plagued with doubts at times.  Our faith constantly wavers.  “If Jesus really is so great and wonderful then why do my relationships break and fall apart?  Why do I struggle financially?  Why do I end up being falsely accused by others, mocked, ridiculed, job put in jeopardy?  Why is my life such a mess?  Why is the world so awful at times?  If Jesus really cared He’d do something about my situation—make it easier—make me happier—make me healthy--give me something to rejoice about!  Perhaps He isn’t the one after all and I’d be better off trying to be a Buddhist or an atheist or agnostic—maybe then I’d be happy.”
What does Jesus do when confronted by the question asked by His own beloved cousin, John?  Does He exhibit His superpowers and run to the rescue—smash through Herod’s guards and deliver His follower from prison?  No.  He simply sends the disciples back to John with the Word.  Word of what they have seen and heard:  the blind are given back their sight (a miracle, by the way, that had never happened before--one that was clearly messianic in nature); the lame jump up and walk; lepers are cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead are even raised to life; and the poor are evangelized/gospelized by the Word of Jesus.
This is the Good News, beloved.  This is what really matters.  This is what strengthens our weak and anaemic faith.  The great works of Christ confirmed who Jesus is and what He came to do—namely save sinners from the fires of hell and damnation.  The Word proclaims to you all He has done.  Now, your life may be tragic—you may have all sorts of suffering going on—all sorts of difficulties—all manner of problems—but this news can give joy to your heart—does bring joy to your heart—for it gives you Jesus. 
Remember that Jesus did not come to give you your best life now, but rather to give you the best possible life in the world to come.  Life is going to be hard—it is going to be difficult—we are living in a broken and sinful world (again, one need not look far to see how truly broken it is)—thus our lives are often filled with pain and sadness.  But the joy that we receive through the Word of God that announces and gives the full forgiveness for all our sins is a joy that knows no limit.  For it is a joy that flows from the bloody side of Jesus Christ who was crucified in our place on the cross.  It is a joy that is set free by the resurrection of Jesus Himself—who rose in victory over our greatest enemies—which do not include the bully down the street, the tax man, cancer, or crazed gunmen.  Rather, His promises do include victory over our own sinful flesh, the world and the evil one himself—Satan—all by the cross of Jesus. 
Our joy is found outside of ourselves.  You see how depressed and weak in our faith we grow when we are always focusing on ourselves—our problems—our desires—our issues.  God would have us look outside of ourselves—look clearly to Him as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word—through the called stewards of His holy mysteries—those pastors who deliver to us Christ’s overflowing forgiveness and mercy and life.  In Word preached that absolves sins; in watery Word that cleanses and gives life to the dead of heart; in edible Word with bread and wine that strengthens our weak and failing faith through the sure knowledge that Jesus has died and risen again for me and you.
This is what comforts you, O people of God.  Not a big fat bank account and lots of presents under the Christmas tree—not a clean bill of health—not the perfect relationship with your fellow human beings—but rather the sure and certain promise of being cleansed of all your sins—the resurrection from death to life through faith in Jesus—the fact that you have been evangelized—Gospelized—by God Himself when He washed you in water with His Word to make you His own dear child and heir of all His glorious promises. 
Our joy is found in being directed not to our own possessions or stations in this life, but by hearing and believing the Word of God as spoken through His called servants, like John the Baptizer, who boldly declare of Jesus even in the face of tremendous heartache and tragedy and suffering, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  And no crazed gunman—no totalitarian government—no puffed up bureaucrat—no wicked neighbor—not even Satan himself can ever take that away from you—for you have been bought by the blood of Jesus.  And there is great joy in believing that He IS the ONE Lord and Savior of us all who has come—and there is no need to look for another.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Advent Midweek 2 – Rev. Koch                                                                                                         December 8, 2021
Exodus 40:17-21, 34-38
 
The Lord Sets Up His Tent Among Us
 
v.34  Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, during the season of Advent, we pray and sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Emmanuel means “God with us.” And that is what we desire: for God to be with us, for God to come and dwell with us in the person of Jesus Christ. For we are cut off from Him by the curse of our sin. We are in exile here in this world, away from the One who is our true home. We pray to be delivered from the isolation and the emptiness of life apart from Him and His gifts. Our entire goal and hope as Christians is to be restored to perfect communion and fellowship with God.
Advent reminds us that our God is one who does come to be with us. But Christ didn’t first appear at Christmas. I think that even many Christians are tempted to think that the Son of God wasn’t doing much before His conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary, that He didn’t really come on the scene until the New Testament. The whole idea of Jesus in the Old Testament seems a bit foreign. But in fact, the Son of God has been intimately involved with His people from the very beginning of time. The Scriptures say that all things were created through the One who is the Word. And Christ, God the Son, appeared to His chosen people in a preincarnate form many times in the Old Testament before He became man. At the bidding of His heavenly Father, the Son of God descended to this earth at various times to be with His people Israel, to speak His Word to them, to guide them, and to deliver them from their enemies. All of this was a precursor to the time when Christ would descend to this earth in the ultimate way, taking on our very body and soul and becoming the eternal Savior of mankind.
Last week, we heard of how Christ came down to earth and appeared to Moses in the burning bush to announce the release of the Israelites from their slavery to the Egyptians. In today’s Old Testament Reading, we encounter the Israelites after they were freed, as they traveled in the wilderness. We learn of how God was present with His people in the form of a cloud that filled and covered the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was like a mobile temple, a large tent for the worship the Lord had prescribed. Within it was the Most Holy Place, where the ark of God was located. The ark contained the two stone tablets of the testimony, which God had given to Moses, and on it was the Mercy Seat, where the Lord was present to meet with His people through the blood of the sacrifices. Even as God was present in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, so too was He present among His people as a cloud in this tabernacle, a cloud that had the appearance of fire by night. When the cloud rose above the tabernacle, the Israelites would journey. When it remained on the tabernacle, they would stay where they were.
This presence of the Lord in the wilderness was none other than the Son of God, Christ the Savior, as we will see more clearly in just a moment. We know from John’s Gospel that no one has ever seen God, but that Christ, the only begotten Son of God has revealed Him. This cloud, then, was the revelation of God in His Son. It was the real presence of Christ, the Creator entering into creation for the sake of His people, to lead them to the riches of the Promised Land. It was a living prophecy of how the heavenly and the earthly would come together in a permanent and enduring way in the conception of Jesus and in His birth at Bethlehem.
The apostle John teaches us this in those very important words “The Word [that is, the Son of God] became flesh and dwelt among us.” That word, dwelt, is actually another form of the word for “tabernacle” or “tent.” So we could translate John’s statement this way: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Jesus “set up His tent” in our midst. For the same Lord who dwelt in a tent made of animal skins has taken on our human nature—flesh and blood, body and soul. The glory of the Lord dwells in human skin in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
The tabernacle that Jesus descended to fill was our human body and soul. And He did so not just for a little while but for all eternity. In the wilderness, the cloud would sometimes rise out of the tabernacle. But in Christ, the divine and human natures are eternally joined, so that God the Son is and always will be true man, our brother. The human tabernacle which He now inhabits is His dwelling place forever. This helps to explain why Jesus said, “Destroy this temple (referring to His human nature), and in three days I will raise it up.” God and man come together forever in Christ, so that all humanity might be raised up to the glory of God. Jesus is Himself the glory of God, full of grace and truth for us.
That’s why Christmas is such a joyous time for us. It celebrates this very reality. Though we had separated ourselves from God and cut ourselves off from His life through our sin—in His incarnation, Christ crossed that canyon we had created. He bridged the gap between heaven and earth and brought us back to God. Through the human nature of Christ, we have been reconciled to our heavenly Father. God and man have literally been reunited in Jesus, and now we have access to heaven by His holy name. The human and the divine are one in Christ, and so through faith in Him, we have been made one with God. We have been restored to His holy fellowship. This is the glory of Christmas.
We see this fellowship foreshadowed in the cloud that descended on the tabernacle in the wilderness. Clouds are often connected with Christ in the New Testament as well. For instance, when Jesus revealed His glory to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, a cloud came and enveloped them. When Jesus ascended into heaven, it was a cloud that hid Him from the disciples’ sight. And what are clouds made of but water? It is through water that Christ is present for us in Baptism to make our bodies His temple, the tabernacle of His Spirit. It is also written that Jesus will come in the clouds with great power and glory to bring the redemption of His people to its fulfillment.
Revelation 21 describes the fulfillment of our Advent hope to come on the Last Day: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” No more isolation or exile. We will experience the fulfillment of the Lord’s name, Immanuel. God with us.
Therefore, as we prepare in this Advent season both for Christmas and for the second coming of Christ, let us be like the children of Israel traveling with the cloud of the tabernacle. Let us faithfully and patiently follow our Lord Jesus across the wilderness of this fallen world, through the grave, and into the resurrection and the promised land of the world to come.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.