Sermon for the Eve of the Circumcision and Name of Jesus: "Marked" (Luke 2:21)

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]

“And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21).

Tucked between the events of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and just before He is presented at the temple at 40 days old, an often-overlooked verse reveals one of the most significant moments in salvation history.

This single verse tells us of what happened on that first eighth day of Christmas. This evening on New Years’ Eve – the Eve of the Circumcision and Name of Jesus, the very Son of God fulfills one of the most important moments in salvation history as He is marked in His flesh and He is marked by His name for us! Through these marks, He opens the new way to salvation for God’s people.

[The Mark of Circumcision]

For the Old Testament people of God, circumcision was important. In fact, even some first generation Christians believed that a person must be circumcised in order to become a Christian. This was such a critical debate as it led to the First Church Council in Jerusalem since many Christians were proclaiming, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). This was all because circumcision was a promise of Abraham. For God said in Genesis 17:10, “This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.”

Circumcision was important because it was the Jewish initiation right. Circumcision is what made a Jew a Jew. Circumcision is what marked them as one grafted into Israel. It was a sign on the flesh, like that of a branding or tattoo. It was something that marked them as a child of the promise and as the offspring of Abraham.

So, as good Hebrew parents, Mary and Joseph do exactly what good Hebrew parents do, they take their son to be circumcised on the eighth day.

Here on His eighth day out of Mary’s womb, this Infant — Emmanuel: God with us — begins His mission of fulfillment. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, His parents lead Him to begin His faithful obedience to the Law. On this day, He first sheds His blood as He upholds the covenant of circumcision.

But by this Infant submitting Himself to the covenant of circumcision, He is submitting to His own promise. He is submitting to His own covenant of blood.

Since He was “born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5), He needed to be marked as a son of Abraham, because He had to fulfill what Abraham was promised. So, through the covenant of circumcision, this marks Him as one of Abraham’s people. Again, this also initiated Him into the nation of Israel.

But this Infant does not undergo circumcision for Himself. He undergoes circumcision for you and me! He fulfilled the Jewish ceremonial Law to bring and dispense what the Abrahamic covenant promises.

By the shedding of His blood, His foreskin represents sin and rebellion against God, but He does this without any sin of His own. He does this by taking His place as the sin bearer. Here, He is taking our place under the Law, by shedding His blood for the first time on our behalf. He does this as a once-and-for-all sacrifice for us, since through His fulfillment, no one will enter God’s family by a physical circumcision. But, instead through Baptism and Faith in the One who has fulfilled God’s Law.

The Apostle Paul confirms this fact in Colossians 2 as he writes, “In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:11-14).

So, we have joined our Lord, not by the circumcision of our flesh, but by Baptism — a circumcision without hands. Our circumcision is by water and the Spirit. Our circumcision cannot be seen, but our circumcision is more permanent. It’s a union with Christ. He shed His blood on the eighth day for us. Baptism now replaces the circumcision of the flesh as the way in which we enter into eternity with God.

We enter eternity by Baptism and Faith in Christ! Through Baptism, we are marked as a child and heir of God.

[The Mark of the Name]

After the child of Mary and Joseph was circumcised, He then was marked with His Name. 

In the ancient world, names for children were also extremely important. Names conveyed something about the child. Names often were considered a confession and a blessing. 

For example, consider the names of some of the Old Testament prophets. Elijah means “the Lord is God.” Isaiah means “the Lord gives salvation.” Jeremiah means “the Lord lifts up.”

Mary and Joseph named their son as a confession of faith. Recall, Gabriel’s words to Mary: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). And in a dream, the angel of the Lord said to Joseph: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

This confession of faith is their trust in God, who is doing the naming. So, here, the Second Person of the Trinity is naming Himself. For Mary and Joseph, they likely knew the meaning of Jesus’ name as they each heard from the angel: “for he will save His people from their sins.”

The eight-day-old Infant, now being named Jesus is marked in His flesh and is now marked by His name as the Savior, the One who has shed His blood as the sin bearer, the One who will through His life, death, and resurrection show us that He is the One who has come to save us from our sins!

But even with His Name — Jesus — He will blend in as a child. He is not distinguished in any way. On all outward appearances, He is just like any other child, but without sin.

From the very beginning, Jesus was set to go to the cross for us. There, He would be marked by nails and a spear that would pierce Him through, the cross that was borne for me and you. There is where the Savior from sin would live out and die the meaning of His name: “The Lord saves!”

Then, three days later – on the eighth day of the week – He rose from the dead to prove at He is the Savior from sin and that our faith in Him is not in vain!

[Marked by Baptism and Faith]

Now, Jesus is not the only Person who has been marked by His flesh and by His Name. You see, we too, have been marked. Through the circumcision and Name of Jesus, God says to us: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). Through Christ alone, we have been adopted as children and heirs through God! (Galatians 4:5, 7). 

This is such great news! Consider all of our failures, all our mistakes, all our shortcomings. Consider all the thoughts, words, and actions of the past year or years that you would like to take back.

Right there as He is physically marked by circumcision and marked in His name, Jesus is our Savior from sin! 

Back at that First Council in Jerusalem, there was much debate on circumcision as the way to become an heir to the promise, but in the end, the Holy Spirit led the council to proclaim that Christians are not saved by a circumcision made with hands, but we are “saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:11).

As we soon begin a New Year, our New Year’s Resolution should always be to remember who we are — that we are His — that we are Christ’s and that His Name is upon us!

Since our Lord and Savior was named Jesus, we too, bear His Name on our bodies, as we were marked with His Name as He marked us with the sign of the cross at our Baptism. This is who we are! Our identity is in Christ and we confess His name as He is the only Savior from our sins.

As children marked with the promise of salvation, Jesus continues to serve His people through what is known as the Marks of the Church: Word and Sacraments. As the world changes around us, we can always hold on to God’s Word, since His Word never changes. When we need hope, He is the One sure and certain hope as He gives us His Body and Blood, which gives us hope through the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith in Him!

In the New Year, we may not know what events are on the horizon, but we know by repentance and faith in His Name and by His grace, that our sins are forgiven, and by Baptism and faith in Him, He has marked us heirs of His eternal Kingdom! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Christmas Joy!

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Merry Christmas!

As the secular world began commercialized Christmas as soon as the porch lights went out on Halloween night and kicks commercialized Christmas into high gear between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and then promptly moves on from Christmas at 12:01 a.m. on December 26, the one holy Christian and apostolic Church has only begun celebrating the birth of the Savior.

Christmas, for Christians, cannot be contained to only one day – December 25. The Church continues the celebration that began on December 25 with the 12 days of Christmas! The Church celebrates “the Word (Jesus Christ) became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

There in the manger, wrapped up like any other human child, is the Second Person of the Trinity – the very Son of God – who has come as the only Savior for mankind. There in the manger is God in human flesh. There in the manger is the definition of true love that He came to “lay down his life for us” (1 John 3:16) so that all who would trust in Christ would be saved from the power of sin, eternal death, and damnation.

The secular world may be tired of and finished with Christmas, but for us there is simply too much to squeeze into a single celebration. Christmas joy spills over and fills the 12 days of Christmas with praise to the incarnate Lord.

We are all familiar with the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” From all appearances, the lyrics appear to be a total nonsense rhyme set to music. But within those lyrics is a hidden song of Christian catechesis and Christmas joy:

1. The Partridge in a Pear Tree: Jesus Christ (December 25)

2. Two Turtle Doves: Old and New Testaments (December 26)

3. Three French Hens: Faith, Hope, Charity (December 27)

4. Four Calling Birds: The Four Gospels (December 28)

5. Five Golden Rings: The Pentateuch [The Books of Moses] (December 29)

6. Six Geese A-laying: Six Days of Creation (December 30)

7. Seven Swans A-swimming: The Seven Gifts of the Spirit (December 31)

8. Eight Maids A-milking: The Eight Beatitudes (January 1)

9. Nine Ladies Dancing: The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit (January 2)

10. Ten Lords A-leaping: The Ten Commandments (January 3)

11. Eleven Pipers Piping: The Eleven Faithful Apostles (January 4)

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: The Twelve Points of Doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed (January 5)

Then on January 6 – the Day of Epiphany – Christmas joy continues as that is the day when the first Gentiles (non-Jews) fell down and worshipped the child Savior. There, the Magi, opened their gifts and gave the Savior gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Like the “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol, these gifts present a mysterious confession. The gold confesses the child to be a king. Frankincense confesses Him to be God Himself in our flesh. Myrrh confesses the child’s death as He came to be a sacrifice, to offer His life on our behalf. This Epiphany joy adds to the Christmas joy with the season of Epiphany, for which we remember that Christ came for all people. The Magi, on that first Epiphany, are the first fruits of the Gentiles to be brought to faith and give Christ their worship.

Jesus came as the One and Only Savior for all people and this is why Christmas cannot be contained to one day! Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany!

In Christ,

Pastor Adelsen

Sermon for Christmas 1: "The Joy of Salvation" (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]

Merry Christmas! Yes, we just celebrated Christmas yesterday, but this joy of Christmas cannot be contained to only one day. So, we are back in church to continue our celebration of the gift God has given to the world – and most importantly, to each one of us: our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ!

For many in the world today, they are taking down their Christmas decorations and pulling their Christmas tree to the curb. But the thing is, Christmas has just begun! Today is only day two of the 12 days of Christmas!

Sadly also, most people don’t know they need a Savior. They only see a little baby, remember Him this time of year, and then forget about Him until it’s time for another Christmas celebration. Truthfully, there are many who don’t see Jesus at all at Christmas, because their Christmas celebrations center around a fat bearded man in a red suit. The vast majority of the people of the world take no thought and have no knowledge of the eternal ramifications of the birth of Jesus the Christ.

Christmas is about Jesus the Christ who is fully God and has come down from heaven to be our Savior by taking upon Himself our human flesh.

Today on this First Sunday after Christmas, we look for Jesus where He promises to be as we experience the joy of salvation with Mary and Joseph from the stable of Bethlehem to the temple in Jerusalem.

[The Joy of Simeon and Anna]

On the 40^th day after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph make their way to the temple. As Jewish parents, they are keeping the Torah, but they are also fulfilling it by bringing Jesus to His true home. Instead of a lamb, His parents offer the alternative sacrifice of two turtledoves or two young pigeons.

From this, we find that Mary and Joseph are too poor be able to afford a lamb. But, at the same time, no lamb was necessary, because here at 40 days old, Jesus is the very lamb of God brought to His temple for sacrifice.

As Mary and Joseph enter the temple while holding the baby Jesus, we meet Simeon and Anna.

Simeon was a righteous member of Israel. He is also Spirit-filled and Spirit-led as “it had been reveled to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26).

Anna was also righteous as she worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day as she expected the redemption of Jerusalem and she believed in the promise of the Messiah.

Both Simeon and Anna had been waiting and longing for the Savior. When Mary and Joseph brought the Child Jesus to the temple, Simeon and Anna did not just see a little baby; they also saw their Savior. They saw the Savior of mankind. Simeon and Anna, by the power of the Holy Spirit, saw, held, and knew the great gift of God to them and to all mankind.

In joy, Simeon speaks of the universal salvation of God’s grace when he says what is known as the Nunc Dimittis:

“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 revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Simeon is proclaiming that salvation is not just for the Jews but is also for the Gentiles. He is proclaiming that this Child in his arms is the Savior for all people who trust in Him. Elsewhere in Scripture, God proclaims that He “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

This note of universal salvation in Simeon’s song may explain why Mary and Joseph marveled at what was said about the infant Jesus. Simeon’s revelation added a new marvel to what they had heard before from the angel Gabriel and the shepherds.

As Jesus is presented at the temple, we see again how His birth is a great blessing because Jesus – true God – took on our human flesh, so that He might live perfectly under the Law and satisfy that Law for all mankind. Jesus had to live willingly and perfectly under the Law of God as a man in order to experience the Law of God in the same way that we experience it.

As He grew up, Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted. He is truly human. Jesus lived perfectly under the Law of God without ever sinning. Jesus was under the Law to redeem those under the Law – you and me!

[Christ Comes to Us in His Means of Grace]

Simeon, led by the Holy Spirit, knew where to find the Christ. Anna, too, knew where to look. But what about us? Where do we look to find the Christ?

On this day after Christmas Day, we like Simeon and Anna, will find Jesus in His temple – where He promises to be – in our holy places of worship, our temporary temples where Christ, the permanent Temple, has deigned graciously to meet us through His Holy Word and Sacraments.

We find Jesus through His Means of Grace.

We find Christ in His revealed and written Word, which we hear spoken here; which you read in your homes; which you carry with you in your memory, thoughts, and prayers.

We find Christ in His Holy Sacraments. Through confession and absolution, we are strengthened in our baptismal unity with Christ, and are assured once again that “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). In the Lord’s Supper, our very eyes see our salvation as we hold Christ’s Body in our hands and drink His Blood for the forgiveness of our sins as He strengthens our faith in Him! It is no coincidence that immediately after this sacred feast we sing Simeon’s song.

In Christ, we find the consolation of Israel and God’s salvation as the light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to [God’s] people Israel.

We worship Christ in His temple by the power of His Spirit.

By the power of His Spirit, we embrace Him, like Simeon and Anna. The essence of true worship is gladly taking what God so graciously gives. We gladly take the Christ Child into our arms today, embracing and holding fast His precious promise of eternal life and forgiveness.

By the power of His Spirit, we praise God, like Simeon and Anna. Simeon took Jesus up in his arms, blessed God, and spoke of our salvation in Christ. Anna gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.

By the power of His Spirit, we pray to Him, and He answers our prayers. Imagine the many fervent prayers and pleadings that Simeon and Anna offered up over the years. We, too, ought to pray without ceasing!

By the power of His Spirit, we speak of Christ to others, like Simeon and Anna. Anna did not only thank God, but she also spoke of Him to all who were awaiting the redemption. Faith and knowledge of Christ cannot remain silent. Faith breaks forth and testifies in order to help others and to share its light, as Psalm 116:10 says: “I have believed, and so I also speak.”

We can never separate Christmas from the pinnacle of His first Advent, Christ’s death and bodily resurrection! This is why He came! He came to undertake the great exchange by putting on our human frame to save us all from the power of sin, eternal death, and damnation by giving us forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation and all by grace through faith in Him alone!

Simeon spoke of the salvation found only in Jesus as he said to Mary, “Behold, this Child is 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” (Luke 2:34-35).

Here, Simeon speaks of Good Friday, the very event that would cause a sword to be passed through Mary’s heart, as Mary would see her Son die nailed to a cross. But Jesus’ death on the cross is what would secure that salvation that is seen that day in the temple and that salvation that is now seen when we hear His Word and receive His forgiveness in Christ’s Body and Blood.

Simeon and Anna were so joyful that they were able to see God’s salvation. We, too, receive this same joy as we hear, see, touch, and taste our salvation through the Means of Grace. Like Simeon and Anna, may we, empowered by the Holy Spirit, share with others the joy of salvation that we know in Christ Jesus! 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

Funeral Sermon: "Numbered Among the Faithful" (Lamentations 3:22-33)

 

Kay, Gary, and Dean, family and friends of Chuck:

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

[Intro]

“Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). Jesus spoke those comforting words to His disciples to assure them that His coming departure would not be forever. This morning, Christ also speaks those words to you: “Let not your hearts be troubled” to strengthen our faith.

Although Chuck’s death was expected, our sinful nature is still troubled at the loss of any loved one, since any separation causes grief. We are at a loss since mankind was not intended to die. Mankind was intended to be immortal, since we were all created in the image of God. But, due to the disobedience of our first parents – Adam and Eve – immortality soon became mortality, as they fell into sin and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).

But although we die due to sin, the one true God is not an unfaithful God. No! He is faithful! He is loyal! The Apostle Paul writes: “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

Although, we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our trespasses and sins, so that everyone who trusts in Christ shall live! Although, we see the wages of sin before us this day, in Christ, Chuck has received the free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b).

This morning, we share this sure and certain hope that because Christ lives, everyone in Christ also lives! We may still grieve, but we grieve in the sure and certain hope that we will see our loved ones again who have died in the faith.

Today we are here to remember Chuck’s life, but most importantly we are here to celebrate Christ’s victory over death that Chuck and all the faithful receive. Chuck was certainly blessed by God throughout all of his life. He was blessed to have a loving wife Renae. He was blessed with three children: Kay, Gary, and Dean. He was blessed to be a grandfather, uncle, and friend to many.

For most of his life, he was a dairy farmer and when he finally retired, he joked that he was finally able to work only 40 hours a week. He enjoyed hunting, woodworking, and attending the Tuesday night Men’s Network Bible Studies. Throughout his life, he remained faithful to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Within his Christian vocation, he served in various positions at First Lutheran Church, including as congregational president and deacon. He also participated on the constitution committee and the men’s club.

Chuck was faithful to His Lord throughout his earthly life. He trusted in his Lord, because “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (Lamentations 3:22a). Due to his faith and trust in Jesus, Chuck has been numbered among the faithful.

For Chuck, he knew the source of salvation. He trusted in Jesus whole heartedly as the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. He trusted in Jesus as the only Way to God the Father (John 14:6). On Tuesday, December 14, he received his inheritance as he has been numbered among the faithful in the Church Triumphant in heaven.

[Great Is Your Faithfulness]

In our reading from Lamentations 3, we see that knowing the one true God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – as the source of salvation was not always a given. You see, Jeremiah, writer of Lamentations, was at the point of despair. Israel had been exiled to Babylon and Jerusalem was in ruins. Out of this suffering, the Holy Spirit reminded Jeremiah this fact: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (Lamentations 3:22a). From the Holy Spirit working through him, God gave him hope.

In the midst of suffering and doubt, God restores His relationship with Jeremiah. With the restored relationship, Jeremiah begins speaking to God rather than about Him. In the beginning of his prayer, he says: “Great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23b). Note that he didn’t say: Great is God’s faithfulness, but “Great is your faithfulness.”

For us, we encounter God according to where He promises to be – in His Word and Sacraments. And His promises never fail. Here, He speaks to us His unchanging and certain Word and He forgives us our sins. Through His Means of Grace, God shows His steadfast love for us. It is God who kept Chuck close to Him and strengthened his faith – just as He keeps us close to Him through His Word and Sacraments and strengthens our faith.

We know of His steadfast love in the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus. There upon the cross, God revealed His love, once for all time. Using a Roman instrument of torture, God wrote His faithfulness in the landscape of history. His love is so great that He bore the judgment of our sin for us. His love is so great that He promises eternal life to us.

While in this sinful world, we will have suffering and doubt. But in the midst of this, we have hope knowing that Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father interceding for us, and there is nothing we bear that Jesus has not ultimately overcome.

After Jeremiah remembers God’s faithfulness, suddenly he begins to live in hope. You see, God’s faithfulness guides our lives in hope that is sure and certain.

For everyone in Christ, they have received the promises of God – by grace through faith in Him. They have received “the Lord is my portion” (Lamentations 3:24a). You would think that one’s portion was something that you would gain in battle. So, after that fighting, the spoils of war were divided, and each warrior received his portion.

However, this time, the Lord has fought for us. The Lord has fought the power of sin, death, and Satan and the Lord has won. And now the Lord chooses to give Himself as a portion to His people. They receive not the winnings of battle, but the One who wins the battle. The Lord is their portion.

When Jesus is your portion, you will live in hope. The One who created the universe, the One who defeated death and the devil, the One who forgives your sin is on your side. He fights for you.

By grace through faith in Christ alone, Chuck has received his portion. He has received His inheritance and is numbered among the faithful. He has joined the heavenly banquet and is receiving “a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6). He is in the presence of His Lord and Savior who has wiped away every tear from his eyes. He is at perfect peace since death has no more power over him. He no longer suffers any of the effects of sin. At the same time, he and all the faithful in the Church Triumphant await Christ’s coming again on the Last Day.

Remember, God has given us the promise of His faithfulness through His Means of Grace – Word and Sacraments – that strengthens our faith, and we see His faithfulness by looking at the cross. There, outside the city of Jerusalem, God the Father condemned His only begotten Son to death that He might bear for us the sins of the entire world. Now, risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, Jesus proclaims God’s steadfast love to you and all people. God’s faithfulness is great. It is great in its power to forgive you your sins. It is great in its extent, lasting generation to generation. And God’s faithfulness guides our lives in the sure and certain hope until Christ returns in glory.

ref   Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
    Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
    Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Text: Public domain

May we receive the same portion – the inheritance – that is, victory over death and the grave, that Chuck has received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, since He who promises is always faithful. 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

Chuck Jensen's Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/charles-chuck-henry-jensen/

Sermon for Advent Midweek 3: "Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People" (Isaiah 40:1-8)

 

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]

The Gospel has everything to do with comfort. But how we received forgiveness of sins – by grace through faith in Jesus – may not sound comforting to some.

Yes, by faith in Christ, our sins are paid for. But in order to have our sins paid for, Jesus had to suffer and die. So, through Christ’s atoning death, our “iniquity is pardoned” (Isaiah 40:2) and we have received from the Lord double for all our sins.

In Christ alone, we have received a double payment of “comfort, comfort.”

Within the past few years at First Lutheran Church and all-around Glencoe, road construction and upgrading sewers and pipes has been an uncomfortable enterprise. The closure of Morningside Drive and county highway 15 added minutes to our drive. But now that all the construction is complete, we are enjoying freshly paved streets and we relish in the comfort of it all!

Now, as you heard our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 40 read earlier, did you hear hammers and bulldozers? Did you cough in the dusty air? Bringing comfort has its uncomfortable side.

The voice cries: “Get that earthmover in here! Get that blasting crew! This valley and mountain must be leveled!”

A highway is going through and it’s not going around the mountains. It’s not going through the valleys.

This highway is the Messiah coming and He doesn’t reroute for anybody. Nothing can stand in His way – not mountains or valleys – and if you’re in the way, you’re getting leveled.

[Comforting News Announced]

The Advent hymn “Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People” presents us with the spiritual discomfort involved in receiving the Advent message of comfort. The hymn “Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People” is the work of a German court preacher named Johann Olearius (1611-1684). This hymn was not originally written as an Advent hymn but was written for the festival of St. John the Baptist, which is June 24. Eventually it became an Advent hymn, since it is so closely associated with the Advent reading from Isaiah 40:1-8.

In the hymn, Olearius stays close to the text of Isaiah, moving from one biblical expression to the next with ease. The effect is that the hymn is able to retain the strength and vitality of Isaiah’s original message while conveying all the hope and joy it can bring to people now.

Together with Isaiah’s picture of dismantling, uprooting, and leveling, these phrases of the hymn present us with an essentially discomforting task. But through all this discomfort, comes comfort.

Let’s look at stanza one:

1     “Comfort, comfort ye My people,
    Speak ye peace,” thus saith our God;
“Comfort those who sit in darkness,
    Mourning ’neath their sorrows’ load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
    Tell her that her sins I cover
    And her warfare now is over.”

Text: Public domain

Here, stanza one closely follows the text of Isaiah 40:1-2, which the Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to encourage God’s exiled people in Babylon. Here, God is proclaiming the good news through the prophet, announcing to them the fulfillment of His gracious promise to cover their sins and end their warfare. They would be coming home as His restored people.

For us, we have all experienced the effects of sin in our lives as a time of sorrow, and a period of mourning. We have sat in darkness. The only cure for this grieving is comfort, the peace that announces that our sins are covered.

Though we struggle in our life – due to sin, Christ steadily walked to the cross and paid the price – the full cost – for our sinning ways. So, through repentance and faith in Christ, our sins are paid for.

But, as we live in a sinful world, this is a peace that we must wait for. This is a peace that we have hope for. This is a peace that is made sure by the death and resurrection of Jesus, whose peace is proclaimed and shared in each celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

[Joy of Forgiveness]

Moving on to stanza two:

2     Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
    Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved His anger
    He no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many_a day,
Now her griefs have passed away;
    God will change her pining sadness
    Into ever-springing gladness.

Text: Public domain

With these words, we meditate on the joy that God’s forgiveness brings. For everyone who has languished in their sins are assured that they are being pardoned now for each “dark misdeed.” This is a total forgiveness we receive as not one sin is left unforgiven. So, those who sat in darkness have seen a great light as they are called to experience a new life.

Now, all sinners really deserve God’s anger and wrath, but in God’s great mercy, as we confess our sins to Him, He will remember our sins no more.

The last two lines of stanza two are reminiscent of Luther’s “Great Exchange” as we sang:

God will change her pining sadness

Into ever-springing gladness. 

By faith in Jesus, we are given “ever-springing gladness” in exchange for “pining sadness”! In exchange for what we truly deserve, which is eternal death, God gives us eternal life.

You see, due to His suffering and death, Jesus declared Himself to be in solidarity with all sinners. So, just as Jesus became fully man at His incarnation, He also takes upon Himself the sins of the world. In doing so, Jesus becomes the biggest sinner in the world! This is the Great Exchange. This uncomfortable act brings us comfort!

[Called to Life of Repentance]

Further Advent themes begin to emerge in stanzas three and four. First, we hear a voice crying in the desert:

3     Hark, the herald’s voice is crying
    In the desert far and near,
Calling sinners to repentance,
    Since the Kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
    Let the valleys rise to meet Him
    And the hills bow down to greet Him.

Text: Public domain

This voice crying in the desert is John the Baptist. Through his words, all are urged to prepare a way for God by repenting and bearing the fruits of repentance through “that warning cry obey.” John the Baptist cries out: “Prepare! Repent!” John is calling us to faith in Christ and to receive His forgiveness, because anyone who is standing in the Lord’s way when He comes will be leveled.

Here, all of humanity is urged to “prepare for God a way,” so that every valley is lifted up and every hill brought low, bowing down to greet Him.

4     Make ye straight what long was crooked;
    Make the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
    As befits His holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er earth is shed abroad,
    And all flesh shall see the token
    That His Word is never broken.

Text: Public domain

In the final stanza, God’s people are called to a life of repentant straightening of what long was crooked. As God’s people, we are to make the roughest places plain as we prepare with “true and humble” hearts to be ready for God’s holy reign.

Now, this Kingdom of God is already here since our salvation has been accomplished through Jesus. Until Christ comes again, He still comes to us through His Word and Sacraments, which is proof “that His Word is never broken.” “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

This is so comforting to hear! In a world that is full of uncertainty and worry that makes us feel withered and helpless, the Word of our God is always certain. God’s voice is always strong and clear. His voice gives us the strength and certainty that we lack. His voice always refreshes and renews us!

Just as we sing of the dismantling, uprooting, and leveling in this hymn, God does the same to us. You see, in Holy Baptism, we die to sin with Christ and then rise to new life. In Christ, we are “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Through the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – He continues to shape us as He strengthens our faith as we hear His Word that endures forever and receive His forgiveness through our confession of sins and in receiving His very Body and Blood under the bread and the wine. He alone gives us strength to live out our faith in this uncomfortable sinful world.

This is great comfort. In response to this great comfort, we ought to share this amazing comfort with those around us, especially to the hurting and broken people in our lives, so they too, can be comforted. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (1 Corinthians 1:3-4).

In Christ alone, we have received comfort. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that he warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2). 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

Funeral Sermon: "Hope for a More Glorious Day" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

 

Kari and Todd, family and friends of Karen:

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

[Intro]

The Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – is the God of comfort and hope.

Through the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul comforts us with these words this day: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

First, it may be wise to define the Christian hope. For many people, “hope” leaves room for doubt and uncertainty. It’s like saying, “I hope to make it on time” or “I hope my team wins.” But the Christian hope leaves no room for doubt and uncertainty. You see, the Christian hope is a sure and certain confidence. The Christian hope is in Christ, and He always fulfills His promises.

Now, when Paul says, “you may not grieve as others do who have no hope,” he is not saying that Christians do not grieve the loss of loved ones. Certainly, everyone grieves, since any separation brings grief, but as Christians we grieve in hope.

“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep. … Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 18).

For all believers in Christ, death is not to be feared, since we have the sure and certain hope that we will be with our loved ones again who have died in the faith.

At the same time, don’t be ashamed to grieve. Grieving the loss of loved ones is perfectly natural. Remember, Jesus grieved. But always hold on to this sure and certain truth that because Christ lives, everyone in Christ also lives. This is the certain hope we have, because we know that our Redeemer lives! And what comfort do those words give to us!

We are here this afternoon to remember Karen’s life, but most importantly, we are here to celebrate Christ’s victory over death to which Karen and all who trust in Him also receive. We are here to rejoice in Christ’s promise of forgiveness of sins, which begets eternal life and salvation to all who trust in Him!

Throughout her earthly life, the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – blessed Karen with many various gifts, including her knowledge, her humor, her artwork, and her writing. She had a love for life and a love for people as she had a caring heart that she shared with her family and friends.

She was also blessed to have gone on many travels – including to Europe – with her two children Kari and Todd to better introduce them to the world around them.

She also enjoyed being a grandma to her grandchildren and all those memories she had with them in her earthly life. She was a fan of Elvis Presley and she enjoyed being informed about happenings in the world around her.

Most importantly, Karen was blessed by God as she became a child and heir of His Kingdom through the waters of Holy Baptism.

All throughout her life, God blessed Karen.

[Death & Sleep]

In our reading from 1 Thessalonians 4, the Apostle Paul compares death to sleep. He says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Now, Paul is not trying to make something bad seem a bit better by referring to it in rosy terms. In fact, what Paul is saying is completely true. This is what death is like for one who dies in Christ. Death is like a sleep in which the person’s body is completely unaware of anything around it, but when the body awakes, Jesus wakes up the Christian to a more glorious eternal day.

For all of us, we are not afraid to rest our heads on our pillow at night to go to sleep, for we know that we will wake up again to a new day. This is how death is for Christians. We should not fear resting our heads on the pillows of death and falling asleep, because Jesus will wake us up to a more glorious day.

We see before us this afternoon, the wages of sin, which is death. And no human being can overcome death. Death is our enemy, but although we die to sin, death serves as a portal – a gate – to heaven, since Jesus Christ conquered the power of eternal death on our behalf through His atoning death on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead. Due to His work on our behalf, we, by grace through faith in Jesus, no longer fear death, “for since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

You see, Jesus has complete power over death. For everyone in Christ, Jesus tells us what His resurrection means: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19) and “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26a). This is the promise of Christ.

You see, by faith in Jesus Christ, all believers receive the benefits of the cross of Jesus: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.

As a part of this grace, every believer in Christ will be reunited with one another. This is our sure and certain hope in Christ.

[Encouraging One Another]

Paul closes our text urging the Thessalonians to talk about these facts so they might encourage one another in times of loss. May we do the same! How comforting it is to hear again and again from the lips of fellow believers this simple fact: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

From our perspective, Karen is asleep. But from her perspective, she has been awoken by Christ to live a more glorious eternal day. She and all the saints in the Church Triumphant are at peace. And, by grace through faith in Christ alone, we will see our loved ones again who have departed in the faith. So, until Christ calls us home, encourage one another with the hope we have in Christ. For in some unknown day to come, Christ will wake up all the faithful to a more glorious eternal day! 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

Karen Covington's Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/karen-covington/

Sermon for Advent Midweek 1: "Wake, Awake, the Bridegroom is Coming!" (Matthew 25:1-13)

 

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]

Three days ago, we entered the season of Advent, which is a season of expectation, anticipation, and penitence, as the Church looks back to the past, looks at the now, and looks into the future. We remember how Christ came in our flesh at His first advent, we see Christ now through His Word and Sacraments, and we have the joyful expectation and certain hope of His coming again in our flesh on the Last Day.

The season of Advent is a countdown. Advent receives its significance from what is at the end of the countdown: Christmas.

Today on this first Wednesday in Advent, we will look at what is known as the King of the Lutheran Chorale: “Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying.” In this jubilant hymn by Philipp Nicolai, we are introduced to the Advent parable about the countdown to Christ’s second coming in the Parable of the Ten Virgins.

The message of this parable and hymn is not about believers and unbelievers but is rather a warning to the Church here on Earth: Wake, awake!

Through this hymn and parable, Christ prepares us through the warning that He is nearing His Second Coming on the Last Day lest we be excluded from His kingdom. The countdown is nearing its end. He, the Bridegroom, is nearing to bring the faithful – His Bride, the Church – to be united to Him at the great wedding feast.

[Awake, O Church]

Tonight’s sermon hymn “Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying” opens with watchmen on the battlements of a castle shouting the midnight cry “Awake, Jerusalem,” just as they would do if the city were being invaded. But this is a joyful shout, for the Bridegroom has arrived, and the wedding can commence.

Now, this is no ordinary wedding, for it is the Church, the new Jerusalem, who is gathered to await the coming of her Lord, to whom she is betrothed. 

“Wake, awake, for night is flying,”
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
    “Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
    “Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?” 

Even with the loud midnight cry, the virgins are sleeping. Now, these virgins would be like bridesmaids today. In the days of Jesus’ first advent, the couple’s parents would have arranged the marriage. And as the wedding day drew nearer, part of the joy and anticipation included the bridegroom coming to meet his bride. It would be a surprise when he would come. He could come at any moment – in the daytime or even at midnight.

As for the bride, she was to be ready whenever her bridegroom came. So, it was the duty of her bridesmaids — the virgins in our parable — to keep her awake for the time he would arrive.

But “As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept” (Matthew 25:5).

Suddenly, at midnight, there was a cry, “Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him” (Matthew 25:6).

So:

 Your lamps with gladness take!
    Alleluia!
With bridal care
Yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.

But there is a problem: none of the virgins was prepared. Instead of anticipating the bridegroom’s arrival, they were all asleep. But among them, Jesus teaches us that there is a difference among these virgins. He says that five of them were foolish and five were wise.

So, what makes one foolish and one wise? The foolish did not believe that the bridegroom would arrive in the middle of the night, so they didn’t bring any extra oil for their lamps. The wise believed that the bridegroom could come in the middle of the night, so they were prepared with extra oil for their lamps. But, even more than that, the wise virgins are wise, because they were not afraid to ask for forgiveness as they repented by trimming their lamps. Even when they failed to keep watch, the wise believed and had faith in the bridegroom’s coming. The wise are wise because they repented of their sin.

This parable is a warning to the Church. You see, every virgin in this parable is a Christian – the wise and the fool. 

Although all had fallen asleep, just as all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), the difference among the ten virgins was their faith in the Bridegroom. This faith is represented by the oil or lack of oil. This faith is confidence in God’s promises.

For us this day, I ask you this question: Is Christ actually coming? Yes! He says so! He always keeps His promises! We don’t go by our feelings on when we think He may or may not arrive, since due to our sinful nature, our feelings are flawed. We just trust His Word!

The difference between the virgins was genuine faith in the Bridegroom. You see, half of the virgins trusted in the Bridegroom’s coming, while the other half did not, yet they all claimed to be faithful.

Among Christianity, we have Christians who are true believers in Christ and His promises and we have Christians who claim to belong to God, but they do not trust in Christ.

This can also be illustrated by the doctrine known as the visible and invisible church. The visible church is before our eyes and it contains the marks of the church – Word and Sacrament – as well as true believers and hypocrites. The invisible church is unseen by our eyes as it is only seen by God. Membership in the invisible church is based on faith in Christ alone.

Among the invisible church, these Christians live their lives according to Christ in daily repentance.

You see, faith is not merely something in the head of the believer that is stored away in the brain. No, true faith is a living, pulsating, active thing. A faith that has no works of faith is not actually true faith. So, a person who is lacking in such works and yet lays claim to faith is deluding himself most tragically because “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17).

But Christ — the Bridegroom — “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), so just as a father warns his child in order to protect the child from danger, Christ warns us — the church visible and church invisible — that He is coming soon!

[The Church Hears the Call and Rejoices through Repentance]

After the warning —

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
    She wakes, she rises from her gloom. 

Zion is the Church — the Bride of Christ — and she is awake. She hears the watchmen singing this good news that is so joyous. Upon hearing the joyous call, the wise of the church heeds the call and rejoices! These wise Christians come to repentance, which is an act of this hope!

Meanwhile, the foolish in the church — who lack true faith, by not repenting of their sins — will come to the wise Christians and ask them for help saying, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out” (Matthew 25:8). In response, the wise refuse, since if they do help the fools, it may become too late for the wise to enter the banquet hall with the Bridegroom, and they would not share in the joys of the wedding festivities.

The Bridegroom eventually arrives and the wise enter with Him to the marriage feast.

Now come, Thou Blessèd One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son,
    Hail! Hosanna!
We enter all
The wedding hall
To eat the Supper at Thy call.

“And the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10). In the spiritual truth our Lord teaches here, He pictures the happy lot of all the true Christians — those of the invisible Church. They will be ready when He, the Bridegroom returns to earth “with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). For while they were eagerly waiting for Jesus to bring them to Himself, they kept watch. But how could they have kept watch by being asleep?

Like the foolish virgins, the wise virgins are sinners – like you and me – so they did not deserve to enter the marriage feast any more than the foolish virgins. But again, there is a difference. In this parable, Jesus is teaching us about His coming on the Last Day – the Day of Judgement – when the Bridegroom will return and call the faithful, repentant believers to the eternal marriage feast.

You see, we keep watch by feeding the oil of our faith through the proclamation of His Word and His Sacrament as He comes to us now! The foolish virgins prove that faith can be lost. So, faith requires constant replenishment. It is through constant replenishment — through His Means of Grace — that God keeps us with Himself.

Look at it this way: how do we keep ourselves from starving to death? We eat! Likewise, faith cannot survive without the Word and Sacraments. So, without God’s Word and His Sacrament, our faith will dry up and die. But with God’s Word and Sacrament, it won’t! True faith in Christ cannot burn out as long as it is strengthened by God’s Word and His Sacrament!

Even with all the words of warning, the foolish still cling to the idea that somehow Jesus will on the Last Day open heaven’s doors to them, even through they are unrepentant hypocrites. To them, Jesus says to them, “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).

But for all true repentant believers who confessed their sins to God the Father, received His forgiveness through faith in Christ and received His Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament, Christ will say: “I know you! The door is open! Enter now the wedding hall!”

[The Church Sings Eternally as the Bride of Christ]

Upon entering the marriage feast, the Bride of Christ begins singing:

Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee,
Let saints and angels sing before Thee
    With harp and cymbals’ clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, joining with the choir immortal,
    We gather round Thy radiant throne.
No eye has seen the light,
No ear has heard the might
    Of Thy glory;
Therefore will we
Eternally
Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee! 

In the meantime, we watch, for we know neither the day nor the hour. We watch knowing that the Bridegroom is coming. We need not fear that day, for we are filled with Christ, made holy, forgiven, redeemed, prepared for just that day. And while we know right now that we are His holy Bride, we receive this day a foretaste of this marriage feast to come. Even so, the Church says to its Bridegroom, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” The countdown is nearing its end, so wake, awake, the Bridegroom is coming! 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