Sermon for New Years' Eve: "Be Ready" (Luke 12:35-40)

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

Some years ago a tourist was traveling along the shores of Lake Como in Northern Italy. He wanted to visit especially one castle called Villa Arconti.

When the tourist reached the castle, a friendly old gardener opened the gate and showed the tourist the grounds, which this old man kept in perfect order.

The tourist asked the gardener, “How long have you been here?”

“Twenty-four years,” the gardener replied.

“And how often has the owner of the castle been here during that time?”

“Four times.”

“When was he here the last time?”

“Twelve years ago.”

“Never since then?”

“Never.”

“Does he write to you?”

“No.”

“From whom then do you get your instructions?”

“From the agent in Milan.”

“Does this agent come out here quite often?”

“Never.”

“Who, then, comes here?”

“I am almost always alone – only once in a great while a tourist comes here.”

“But you keep this garden in such fine condition and take such excellent care of all the plants, just as though you expected your master to come tomorrow.”

The gardener promptly replied, “Today, sir, today.”

This answer made a deep impression on the tourist. How faithful that gardener was in his trust!

Day after day his thought was not “Tomorrow the master may come” but “Today, sir, today.”

[Awake]

The Church and the world are both awake this evening, but for very different reasons.

The world has already forgotten about “the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 30:11) born just days ago, instead the world counts down to midnight – to 2019.

The Church – like the castle gardener – watches eagerly for her Master, who could be coming at any moment. Our Master Jesus says the Church is to always be ready for He will return at an hour we “do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

In this evening’s Gospel lesson, our Master Jesus tells us in a parable to always be ready.

Jesus said: “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks” (Luke 12:35-36).

It was evening, and the master was in attendance at a wedding banquet away from his home. 

While away, the servants knew that it was their duty to be on alert for their master’s return. When he came, they were to be at the door to open it and do the master’s bidding. They were to keep the lamps burning so that the master would return to a home bright with light.

So, why are you awake tonight? Are you only counting down to midnight, or are you alert for the Master’s return?

Before Christ ascended into heaven, He left instructions with this servants to be on constant alert for His return. Every Christian is a servant.

Now, our readiness is a spiritual one. We don’t have to be physically awake at all hours anticipating Christ’s return. But, we have to be ready in what we believe and teach about Christ.

If we are believing and teaching contrary to what Christ teaches, then we are not ready. We then have replaced Christ with another false god – a false god that offers no eternal hope.

Now, how do we know if we are truly ready for our Master’s return?

Well, we can look at the gardener. Even though the master last visited his castle 12 years ago, the gardener kept the grounds in pristine condition. During those years, he followed the instructions from his agent in Milan.

We, too, have received instructions. These instructions are found in God’s Written Word, the Holy Bible. This is how we stay awake.

Our Master supplies us through His Word and His Sacrament. There is nowhere else besides in the Master’s house – the church – where we are supplied to be ready:

• Through His Instruction here, we devote ourselves to His service. 
• Through His Instruction here, we love our Master and we love our fellow servants by lifting up our fellow servants in the faith, and by loving all others outside the faith, so that through the Holy Spirit, they would come to faith. 
• And through His Instruction here, we are eager to receive His promises: everlasting life, salvation, and forgiveness of sins. 

[Are You Ready?]

Now, when the Master returns, will you be ready?

Jesus said: “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes” (Luke 12:37a).

All who are prepared when the Master comes will no longer be just servants, but will become lords, and our Master will become our servant.

Jesus said: “Truly, I say to you, [the master] will dress himself for service and have [the servants] recline at table, and he will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37b).

This is another great exchange. Who would ever expect the Master to serve the servants? But this is what Jesus does for all who abide in Him.

Just a week ago, we celebrated Christ’s Incarnation with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. We celebrate Emmanuel – God with us – not just because He was born that day, but because of what He did for us through His entire earthly life.

The Apostle Paul reminds us: If Christ had not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is in vain and our faith is in vain. Our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17)

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He has ascended into heaven and as our Master, He promises to return.

And, He will return. He will return when we least expect it. He will return like a thief in the night.

But, as Christians, we have nothing to fear. As Christians receiving God’s forgiveness in His Word and Sacrament, we only have hope. We live in hope, because we know that nothing can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39).

[Conclusion]

As followers of Christ – this night – remember that we are forgiven and ready for our Master’s return. Yes, it is fine to watch the Times’ Square ball drop to announce 2019, but at the same time be ready for what really matters: our Master’s return for “the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon preached at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hamburg, Minnesota.

Sermon for Christmas 1: "True Faith" (Luke 2:22-40)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

It was just an ordinary day with some ordinary people.

On this ordinary day, Mary and Joseph did nothing out of the ordinary. As a Jewish family, they did what any other Jewish family would do on the 40^th day after giving birth – they went to the Temple in Jerusalem.

While at the Temple, Mary was purified and her child was presented to the Lord.

But, on this ordinary day, with some ordinary people, something was about to be out of the ordinary.

[Simeon’s Faith]

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25).

Mary and Joseph expected nothing out of the ordinary, but out of the blue comes Simeon.

Now, Simeon was nobody special. He did not hold any prominent position among the Jews. He was not a priest. He was just an ordinary man in Jerusalem.

Yet, Simeon wasn’t ordinary, because the Lord had a high distinction in mind for him.

As a man of great faith, Simeon had longed to see the coming of the Messiah. He believed earnestly God’s promise of a messiah to come. As a faithful man, God accounted to Simeon righteousness, just as it was for Abraham and to all Old Testament believers.

Simeon was also devout, because he gave everything of himself to the Lord. He didn’t just show up on the Sabbath day to praise God in an external way, he held to the saving truth of God with his whole heart and truly lived his faith.

Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel. He was expecting a messiah through whom the sinner would receive forgiveness.

Now, it isn’t likely that Simeon was at the Temple every day, because of his devout nature. But, he was there on this ordinary day.

For on this day, Simeon “came in the Spirit into the temple” (Luke 2:27a).

You see, it was “revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26).

It was on this day that the Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go into the temple at that particular time. That day, Simeon knew he was going to see the promised Messiah. The only question was, who would this person be?

As Simeon entered the temple, the Holy Spirit’s inspiration gave Simeon no doubt on who he was looking for. For his devout faith led him directly to the infant Jesus and His parents, Mary and Joseph, as they entered the temple.

Simeon then took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God.

[Anna’s Faith]

Elsewhere in the temple was an ordinary woman named Anna. She, like Simeon, was nobody special. She was average, except for her old age of 84. But, like Simeon, she expected the redemption of Jerusalem and she believed in the promise of a messiah.

However, unlike Simeon, Anna remained in the temple night and day as she worshipped with fasting and prayer.

Her faith came from her heart.

What was most remarkable about her was that she was a widow of about 60 years and she remained devoted to God.

Then the most unordinary thing happened.

Just as Simeon was praising God for fulfilling His promise to him in seeing the Messiah, Anna began giving thanks to God for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Now, we do not know how Anna recognized this child as the Messiah. But, she at once began giving thanks to God for letting her see the fulfillment of the most glorious promise.

She believed that this infant Jesus would ransom Israel from their sin.

[Simeon’s Words]

This ordinary day was beginning to be far from the ordinary. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple as any average Jew would. They were not expecting to be noticed. They were not expecting their child Jesus to be praised by two people they had never seen: Simeon and Anna.

Now, when Simeon held the child Jesus, he spoke these words:

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation

that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for the revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)

Then immediately Joseph and Mary marveled at these words.

These words of Simeon should be familiar words for us, but what do they mean?

First, Simeon’s words are not about death, but instead about peace. Simeon was finally at peace after longing to see the Savior. Simeon is now at peace, because he knows that his faith has set him free.

Second, Simeon’s words are for all people: Jew and Gentile. For the Messiah has come not just for the Jews, but for all people. Unlike receiving the divine revelation as Israel did, the Gentiles were in spiritual darkness. Therefore the salvation prepared by God would come to the Gentiles as a light.

The Messiah has come to bring salvation in every nation, because He came to redeem all creation from Adam and Eve’s sin.

Now, remember Mary and Joseph marveling at Simeon’s words? Why were they marveling? Why were they in awe? After all, they were visited by angels and shepherds about the greatness of their son.

Mary and Joseph knew their son was bound for something great, but they were also selfish and maybe possibly hoped for their child Jesus to grow up and listen to them, rather than them listen to Jesus.

Maybe this is God serving them a reminder that their son was not an ordinary son? Their son arrived to bring universal salvation to the world and not to fulfill the life goals of Mary and Joseph.

[True Faith]

Simeon and Anna display to us what true faith looks like. True faith is complete confidence and trust in what cannot be seen. True faith is seen in the core of their being. They knew. They knew that God is faithful. They knew that God always keeps His promises.

Through their faith, God the Father has granted it to them as righteousness.

Faith alone saves. Unbelief doesn’t save. The Word of God doesn’t benefit a person who does not believe – even if that person is sitting in the pew each and every weekend.

Do you know that millions of people see Jesus every Sunday? But, I would argue that most people do not realize it.

There is a reason why we sing Simeon’s words after we commune at the Lord’s Table.

You see, that wafer and that wine are not just food and drink. They are Christ’s very flesh and very blood. So when you receive and hold those elements, think of yourself holding Jesus – just as Simeon held Jesus and spoke of his peace.

§  We are at peace, because Jesus fulfilled the law for us.

§  We are at peace, because Jesus took upon Himself our sins as He died upon the cross.

§  We are at peace, because Jesus rose from the dead to make us righteous.

§  We are at peace, because Jesus bodily ascended into heaven where He lives and reigns until He comes again in glory.

So, like Simeon and Anna, we too, have seen Jesus. And, we too, have been made righteous by grace through our faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

 

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon for Advent Midweek 2: "Prepare the Way" (Malachi 3:1-7)

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry – announces that the Lord is nigh; – Awake and hearken for he brings – Glad tidings of the King of kings!” (On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, LSB 344, stanza 1)

“Behold, I will send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me” (Malachi 3:1a).

Here, the Prophet Malachi explains how God is going to intervene in human affairs. He is not a faraway God, but a God who will be near His people. To prepare humanity, God will send His messenger to “prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Luke 3:4b).

This messenger did not appear instantly, but at God’s appointed time.

Some centuries after Malachi’s proclamation, this messenger finally appeared in the wilderness as John the Baptist. He proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

[Repent]

Throughout the book of Malachi, the prophet warns those in his community who have a false understanding of God’s will and God’s ways. Malachi is calling everyone to not just feel sorry for their sins, but to repent by changing their ways of thinking and living. 

Likewise, John the Baptist did much of the same. He warned the crowds to prepare for the coming wrath.

John proclaimed to the crowds: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:7-8a).

John isn’t just telling the crowds to be sorry. He is informing the crowds to change from their sinful desires. He is telling them to prepare themselves for the coming of the One who is much greater than him.

He is preparing them for the First Advent of Emmanuel – God in with us.

Jesus the Christ is the Messenger of the New Covenant that Malachi proclaims. Jesus the Christ is the Messenger of the New Covenant that John proclaims.

[Today]

This leads us to today.

Christ has come to proclaim good news to all nations. He has come to give the entire world His grace through His sacrificial death upon the cross and His resurrection from the grave that gives all who believe and trust in Him salvation, forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Christ also promises to come again in glory. When He comes again descending from the clouds, He will draw near to us in judgment. He will thrust everyone away who does not fear Him. He will bring near everyone who fears Him. He will separate the goats from His sheep.

Like Malachi and John the Baptist, we have a role as well. As followers of Christ, we are to prepare the way for Christ’s Second Advent – His second coming. 

We prepare by living out the Christian life. We prepare by telling others of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. We prepare by baptizing and teaching all what Christ has commanded us. We make the paths straight by following Christian virtues and not by bringing in false doctrine from the world.

We prepare by knowing that “the Lord does not change” (Malachi 3:6a).

The Triune God continues to condemn sin – even if we may justify our sin, but at the same time His mercy endures forever.

As children of God, the Lord promises to never forsake His children as long as we remain loyal to Him as our Lord. We remain loyal by repenting of our sins of thought, word and deed against God. Then in His Fatherly grace, we are forgiven of those sins and He sees us as spotless. He sees us as He sees His Son – righteous.

And so in expectation of Christ’s arrival, we are to be vigilant about the wrath to come, but also bear fruits of repentance as we wait for Christ’s second coming. For this is when we will truly be set free from sin, death and Satan as all in Christ will be made new with a sinless body and soul.

“All praise, eternal Son, to Thee – Whose advent sets Thy people free, – Whom with the Father we adore – And Holy Spirit evermore.” (LSB 344, stanza 5)

Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Sermon for Advent 1: "The Lord is our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Ambrose of Milan]

A long time ago, a man had plans to become a lawyer, but God had other plans for this man.

This man was quite popular. In fact, he was elected governor without even campaigning.

Then after two years of being governor – and out of the blue – this man was named the new bishop.

Oddly enough, this man was still a catechumen. He wasn’t even confirmed in the Christian faith!

He didn’t know the basics of theology! Even more odd, this man was not even baptized!

Yet, the people wanted him to be their bishop.

Then within a week of his election, he was baptized, ordained and made bishop.

As bishop, this man told the people to be patient with him, because he was learning the faith while he was also required to teach the faith.

This man who wanted to be a lawyer, who was so popular with his people, who was elected governor and bishop to his shock was Ambrose of Milan.

You may have heard of him.

As bishop of Milan, Ambrose did not let his power and his influence corrupt him. Instead, he committed himself to God’s Word and studied God’s Word faithfully. In time, Ambrose became a strong teacher of the Christian faith.

In fact, this coming Friday, December 7^th, is the date the Christian Church recognizes Ambrose for his contribution to the Church.

So, what was Ambrose of Milan known for?

Well, Ambrose was known as the first Latin Doctor of the Church, a theologian of highest rank. The other Latin Doctors were Augustine, Jerome and Gregory the Great. So, this is small company.

He received this honor, because as there was much strife in the Church in the fourth century, he remained ever faithful to God’s Word.

And, you would think that being born after the Council of Nicaea – for which we received the Nicene Creed – that those false teachers that Nicaea condemned would just go away, but instead they were just as loud as ever.

These false teachers were saying that Jesus wasn’t fully God, that Jesus was created.

So, just as these false teachers taught loudly, Ambrose taught God’s truth louder.

Ambrose was a faithful bishop and servant of Jesus Christ, who taught and preached God’s truth, even when God’s truth was unpopular. He was also known for his teaching through music.

In fact, one of the hymns he wrote was what we just sang together: “Savior of the Nations, Come.”

In this hymn, Ambrose proclaims the truth of Christ: that Jesus is fully God and fully man and He came to make us righteous in God’s sight.

[The Messiah Foretold]

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord…” (Jeremiah 33:14a). This is how the prophet Jeremiah begins our Old Testament text this morning.

Usually, when we read “Behold, the days are coming” in Scripture, this is so often associated with judgement and punishment, but Jeremiah uses this phrase to introduce good news.

This good news is first presented in terms of a promise God vows to keep when He says: “I will fulfill the promise” (Jeremiah 33:14b).

Jeremiah writes: “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land… And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:15, 16b).

Here, Jeremiah is foretelling a big surprise for us.

This “righteous Branch” – this coming Messiah – will not only “execute justice and righteousness in the land,” but He will be called “the Lord is our righteousness.”

Jeremiah is, of course, foretelling the incarnation of Jesus of Nazarath, who is of the house and lineage of King David. However, unlike David, Jesus would reign forever.

But, Jesus was not just an ordinary man as we had sung in the fourth stanza of Ambrose’s hymn:

“Then stepped forth the Lord of all From His pure and kingly hall; God of God, yet fully man, His heroic course began.” Savior of the Nations, Come (LSB 332, stanza 4)

Jesus of Nazareth is in fact true God and true Man. He is the only-begotten Son of God, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

[Our Righteousness]

Now, the plan of the Triune God for Christ’s first Advent was not to lord over us that Jesus is God in the flesh and our eternal King. Instead, God’s plan was to make us righteous with God the Father.

Ambrose refers to this in his hymn:

“For You are the Father’s Son Who in flesh the victory won. By Your mighty power make whole All our ills of flesh and soul.” Savior of the Nations, Come (LSB 332, stanza 6)

You see, without Jesus we, poor sinners are doomed. We are doomed to our ills. We are doomed to our sin against God.

But, Jeremiah tells us that God’s people will be saved, because “The Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16b).

Without our Lord Jesus Christ, we could never become righteous. We could try, but we would always fall short, because of our sin against God. We tend to always put our eyes toward what we want, rather than God’s desire for us.

But by grace through faith in Christ alone, we are righteous before God the Father. Our sins are wiped away. Our sins are wiped clean. We are reconciled with God the Father and we are accepted as children of God, because of Christ’s obedience.

So, through Christ alone, we are absolved – we are clean – from all our unrighteousness.

We are given Christ’s righteousness through His death, resurrection and ascension.

Through Christ, we are pronounced innocent from all our sins, so we do not receive the judgement of damnation that we deserve.

We are pronounced righteous through Christ alone and without any merit of our own.

Because of Christ, God the Father sees us wearing the gold medal, given the blue ribbon. We become God the Father’s prized possession.

So now, we share in Christ’s victory over sin, death and hell, because we are covered in Christ’s cloak of righteousness that He gave to us at our baptism.

Since the Lord is our righteousness, our Lord Jesus Christ’s name becomes our name. His righteousness becomes our righteousness.

God declares us sinners righteous because Christ’s righteousness has been given to us. This declaration is our entry into eternal life.

So, all God the Father sees in us is His Son, Jesus Christ. But, this isn’t a free pass into heaven, but a promise – a guarantee – to heaven if we remain obedient to God’s Word and repent of our sins.

It is only through Christ’s power that we are made whole and all our ills vanish.

[Promises]

Now, we may not always think of ourselves as righteous, as perfect. Especially, since we struggle just keeping promises.

We promise to do something and we often fail to make do on that promise.

We promise to obey God and His Commandments, but we often think of our own sinful desires ahead of God. Instead, we put our faith and trust into false idols of money, possessions, entertainment and sport.

Among our relationship with our neighbor – our family and friends – we often fail on our promises to each other.

But, even as we break our promises, the Triune God never breaks His promises.

He has promised us His righteousness. He has promised us salvation.

So, when we break our promises to God, God is always there to offer us forgiveness when we come to Him in repentance.

Through our baptism and our loyalty to Jesus, God the Father sees us as He sees His own Son. He sees us as righteous before Him.

Elsewhere in our hymn, Ambrose tells us how we became righteous:

“God the Father was His source, Back to God He ran His course. Into hell His road went down, Back then to His throne and crown.” Savior of the Nations, Come (LSB 332, stanza 5)

Jesus covered us all in His righteousness when He destroyed the power of sin, death and the devil when He died upon that cross. Through His death, He conquered hell, itself.

Then He rose from the dead to prove that His sacrifice was accepted by God the Father.

Then through His death and resurrection, we are now “blameless in holiness before our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).

Indeed, we are blameless in holiness, because of Jesus’ Word and deeds. We are blameless in holiness, because of the Holy Spirit’s work in us through God’s Word and Sacrament.

We are blameless, forgiven and saved, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness.

So, let us rejoice in what Christ has given us by grace through faith – His righteousness – and let us look forward to His Second Advent when He will come again in glory!

Savior of the Nations, Come. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

 

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T