"God's Plan Fulfilled" (Matthew 1:18-25)

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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:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).

 

For many Christians, even myself, I don’t like just rushing into Christmas. Afterall, it’s still the Advent season. But in today’s Gospel reading, those who crafted the lectionary with the Holy Spirit’s help gets us as close as we can to Christmas Day without actually being there. 

 

But of course, today’s Gospel text does have an Advent feeling about it, as the bulk of today’s reading is about Joseph and Mary and the key pieces of God’s salvation plan dropping in place ahead of the Messiah’s arrival. 

 

But today’s text is more about Joseph than anything else. And although Joseph does not even say a recorded word, he is certainly at the center as he confronts a problem, a big problem: his betrothed is pregnant with child.

 

After St. Matthew devotes 17 verses to Jesus’ human genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, he now records Jesus’ divine genealogy in a single verse: Mary “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).

 

This states a fact even without attempting to explain how it took place. This verse reports a birth that was unique in all of human history. This tells us that the eternal Son of God, who “was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2) and “all things were made through Him” (John 1:3), assumed human flesh and blood in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He is true God from eternity, and He is also true man since He was conceived and born of a human mother some two thousand years ago.

 

But there was a problem. A big problem. Mary, who was with child, was only “betrothed to Joseph”(Matthew 1:18) at the time. That betrothal was more than what we commonly call an engagement. It wasn’t something that was easy to get yourself out of. To be betrothed meant that the couple had already spoken vows of marriage in the presence of witnesses, and they were regarded as husband and wife. 

However, according to the custom of the time, the marriage celebration would not be until some months later, and only then would the bride and groom consummate their marriage together as one flesh.

 

Being pregnant before the marriage celebration was scandalous!

 

Just imagine the shock and hurt Joseph felt when he was made aware of Mary’s pregnancy! A woman can only hide her pregnant belly for so long. Eventually people will notice! And in time, Joseph noticed! 

 

And Joseph concluded that Mary had been unfaithful to him. And if that is true, which he was certain, then he could not take her home to be his wife. So, he begins planning.

 

If this pregnancy becomes public, Joseph knew the Law. If she was found guilty of adultery, she would be stoned to death – along with the other guilty party (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). 

 

Sometimes we are surprised by a crisis. It could be an unplanned pregnancy. It could be a sudden loss of a job. It could be a financial crisis.

 

More often, we are forced to simply grind through life and face the routine challenges and difficulties as we live in this broken world. So often, we do the same techniques as Joseph. We begin planning our next move in order to remove the crisis.

 

But Joseph did not seek revenge as he was a just man unwilling to put Mary to shame, so he resolved to find another way to dissolve this relationship. He decided to dissolve their marriage contract as quietly as possible.

 

But then comes another twist! God intervenes. He sent an angel, likely Gabriel, to Joseph in a dream. Now Joseph did not just dream about an angel bringing him a message; a real angel came to him and spoke to him. He told Joseph, “That which is conceived in [Mary] is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20).

 

Now, how could Joseph be sure it was God’s Word that he heard? He had faith. This angel connected the dots. He struck the lottery! He was betrothed to the one-in-a-millions kind of woman. For inside Mary’s womb was the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.”

 

Now, God’s plan would be challenging. It meant dealing with the complications of a pregnant fiancé. God’s plan is often challenging, and His plan frequently goes against what we would like to do, or what makes sense, or even what may seem right to us. But it is God’s plan, so we do it. God’s plan is always right.

 

In the dream, Joseph was told to name the child “Jesus.” Now, Jesus was a common name among the Jews. You may have heard of the names “Joshua” or “Yeshua,” which are other names for “Jesus.” The name means “Yahweh saves.” When that name was given to an ordinary child, it served as a reminder of God’s promise of a Savior. But in this Child’s case, it identified the One and only Savior of the world. Jesus’ name tells who He is – God – and what He does and will do – save His people from their sins. 

 

Now, we don’t have to be told in a dream to know what God wants us to do. He has revealed that to us through His written Word, the Bible. God has the plan. Instead of relying on ourselves, let us rely on God and His plan as He sent us the Savior who came to be the atonement between God and man as He would save His people from their sins through Him being nailed to His throne, the cross, and giving all who trust in Him: forgiveness, life and salvation. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"A Shoot from the Stump of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1-10)

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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:

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from His roots shall bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1).

 

Today’s Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 11 pictures life rising from death and destruction. 

 

Through the Prophet Isaiah, God promised that He would deliver His people from all their enemies. Yet, as Isaiah proclaims this great news, the Assyrians are about to inflict God’s judgment upon God’s people for their wickedness. And over the centuries, God’s people would be cut down and reduced to virtually nothing. And over time, the Assyrian Empire would be cut down and reduced to nothing. Every enemy of God’s people, as well as God’s people themselves, would become stumps of their former greatness.

 

But in today’s reading, Isaiah tells of a difference, a great difference. You see, all the other stumps would remain dead and lifeless, but not this stump of Jesse. He says a shoot would come from the stump of Jesse. 

 

Yes, the house of David would be reduced to its humble beginnings in Bethlehem – the birthplace of Jesse and of his son David, but from these humble beginnings would come a new King, who is not only of the lineage of David, but a new and greater David.

 

It was unexpected that a boy who tended his father’s sheep would become a great king. It was also from an unexpected source that the new and greater King would come.

 

Just as Immanuel would come from a virgin, so He also would come from the dead stump of Jesse. Here, we see a humble entrance of the Christ into the world – as a child, a shoot. He would come by the miracle of a virgin birth and would come from the dead stump of the royal line of David. The small green branch would shoot out and grow because God had given His promise. It would be so. The appearance of this shoot is a miracle of God’s grace and power.

How beautiful Isaiah pictures the coming Messiah. When the shoot becomes a branch at the appointed time, He was born in Bethlehem, the hometown of both Jesse and David. And although Mary and Joseph were both descendants of David, Jesus would not have His first bed in a palace but in a manger. 

 

At the time of Christ’s birth, Romans occupied Palestine. There was no descendant of David ruling Judah. Mary was just a humble woman. Joseph a carpenter. Nazareth, where Mary and Joseph lived was a forgotten town in Judea. What good could come from Nazareth, let alone Bethlehem? The royal line of David was a dead stump without power, influence or wealth.

 

Yet, from this seemingly insignificant beginning, great and wonderful blessings would come. This new and greater King would succeed where all other kings and leaders have failed. Really, all earthly rulers would ultimately fail. But where all other earthly rulers have failed, this Branch will succeed. You see, where all other earthly rulers have fallen, this Branch will not fail because He will be what God desires, and He will fully do what God desires.

 

Of this Branch, the Spirit of the Lord rests. Isaiah writes: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2).

 

Jesus, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, and the son of David, went forth “full of the Spirit” (Luke 4:1) and manifested Himself before all Israel. At His Baptism, the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove and came to rest on Him.

 

Upon Jesus rests God’s own Spirit and this Spirit gives Him everything He needs to rule.

 

And what does this Spirit give Jesus? Isaiah here identifies three pairs of gifts. The first pair is wisdom and understanding. You see, during His earthly ministry, Jesus demonstrated a wisdom which had been hidden from the beginning of the world and He spoke and gave insight into heavenly things which only He knows. With His wisdom, Jesus has the ability to look into the very essence of things. He has the understanding to distinguish and perceive differences. With wisdom and understanding, He gives insight into all things that His people will need to know and understand, including the depths of God’s nature and His grace.

 

Upon Jesus also rests the Spirit of counsel and might. These two gifts also echo the names given to the promised Messiah back in Isaiah chapter 9, where he wrote that the Christ Child’s name shall be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). This means that He knows what His people need and gives them what they need. He gives His people His Word and in His Word, He shares with His people the plan for our redemption. By His suffering and death, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, loosed the bonds which held people captive and overcame our enemies: sin, death, and the devil.

 

Upon Jesus also rests the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was obedient to His Father’s will, even unto death, to lead us – His lost children – back to God. Now, through the Holy Spirit, the Lord plants the knowledge of God, true love and true fear of God, back into the hearts of men.

 

Now with His work finished, Jesus, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, the new and greater David, now sits on the throne of His Father. “And His delight shall be in fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what His eyes see, or decide disputes by what His ears hear, but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins” (Isaiah 11:3-5).

 

With the Spirit of the Lord resting upon Him, when Jesus makes decisions, He penetrates beyond what He can see and hear. And as careful as any human judge or ruler may be, appearances and rhetoric can still distort the truth and frustrate justice. But not for the shoot from the stump of Jesse, the new and greater David. For Jesus, He exercises absolute justice based on absolute knowledge.

 

Jesus bears the scepter of peace. Again, He doesn’t judge by what His eyes see or decide disputes by what His ears hear, but He judges with righteousness, deciding with equity the interests of the meek. To troubled sinners, Jesus gives justice. He makes us poor, miserable sinners right with God by covering our sin with His robe of righteousness and preserving us blameless to God the Father.

 

But at the very same time, those who reject the shoot from the stump of Jesse, those who reject His peace and His grace, those people are put to shame. Isaiah says: “He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4).

 

Jesus has come as the Prince of Peace, but many reject His peace. Not everyone will believe. Not everyone will come to faith in Christ Jesus. As Simeon said to Mary, “This Child has been appointed for the fall … of many” (Luke 2:34). But, through the working of the Holy Spirit, many more will come and kneel before the crucified and risen Christ.

 

And for everyone who clings to Christ as their King, they will see the image of creation restored. Animals that were once prey – the lamb, young goat and fattened calf – will dwell safely together with their former predators – the wolf, leopard and lion – without fear. In fact, as believers in Christ, we already enjoy the benefits of His wise rule, having received His Spirit with wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, and knowledge and fear of the Lord. 

 

You see, for those who are in the kingdom of God, there is no malice. For everyone who acknowledge Jesus as Lord also renounce the works of the devil. And although we are still sinners, in Christ, there remains an ever-flowing fountain of mercy. Day in and day out, we receive from Jesus His grace, as well as peace and strength in loving God and serving our neighbor.

 

Isaiah pictures paradise as the wolf dwells with the lamb, but this paradise isn’t just the future; this is the present reality. This is what the Church of Christ looks like now. This is the peace that the one true Christian Church has at this very moment.

 

As fellow redeemed in Christ, we are united with the One who alone is holy by nature but who shares His holiness with us. God has granted us new hearts that, while sin still clings to us, we truly want to please God and serve our neighbor. This is completely unnatural from the perspective of our old sinful and prideful selves. We have been transformed by Christ’s peace through His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension! We have been transformed by the Holy Spirit’s intervening in your life to be the kind of person you would never be without Him.

 

Yes, we are still not perfect, the Church does have her spots and wrinkles, but we are made clean through the blood of the Lamb, which makes us new. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we grow in wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of the Lord, for we are all one in Christ Jesus, who is Peace and brings peace. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Evergreens" (John 11:17-27) - Advent Midweek 1

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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:

Jesus said: “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).

 

Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas and for the coming of the Lord. During this Advent season, we will reflect upon common decorations that we see all around us this time of year. Did you know that many decorations can help us prepare for the coming of Christ? For this first midweek in Advent, we will focus on how evergreen decorations help us prepare for the coming of Christ.

 

Look around this time of year, and you will see greenery everywhere – garland, wreaths, trees, and sprays. We decorate with different kinds of conifer trees – pine, spruce, fir – as well as broadleaf evergreens like holly and ivy. We love to celebrate these evergreen decorations by singing, “O Tannenbaum” (“O Christmas Tree”) and “The Holly and the Ivy.” 

 

The Christmas tree has become the universal symbol of the Christmas season – and oddly enough, the Advent season – as these evergreen trees are displayed everywhere throughout the world: in our homes, offices, department stores, and public spaces. Even here at Prince of Peace, we have our chancel decorated with an evergreen tree. This indicates that these decorations have a churchly significance as they point us to spiritual truths. 

 

But at one time, a Christmas tree in a church caused scandal. Can you believe that? Well, back on the Christmas Eve in 1851 at Zion Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio, Pastor Heinrich Schwan placed an evergreen tree in the chancel, attached candles to it, and placed a silver star on top. This doesn’t sound too scandalous. But it was!

 

You see, this candlelit tree in a church was so revolutionary that it was reported in the city’s newspapers. One local paper reported this action as nonsensical, asinine and moronic. Some in Cleveland accused Pastor Schwan as engaging in heathenish and idolatrous practices by erecting an evergreen tree in the chancel. People were saying that the tree was a pagan symbol. This was quite a scandal.

But Pastor Schawn did his homework before he placed the evergreen tree in the Zion Lutheran chancel. He knew of the evergreen tree’s significance in Germany and was convinced that they were a godly custom that celebrated the Savior’s birth. So, he wrote letters to the newspapers making his case for the Christmas tree.

 

By that next Christmas in 1852, Pastor Schwan again erected a Christmas tree in his church’s chancel. And that year, many of his parishioners also decorated trees in their homes. Within a decade, Christmas trees appeared in churches and homes across America.

 

Just leave it to the Lutherans, and a LCMS Lutheran at that. Pastor Schwan later served the LCMS as our third president of synod.

 

So, what did Pastor Schwan do to make his case for the Christmas tree?

 

To help us answer this question, let’s go back to the very origins of the use of evergreen decorations during Advent and Christmas. 

 

The use of Christmas trees first appeared in northern Europe around AD 1000. Usually, a small fir tree was cut from the forest and brought into the house. By AD 1400, Christmas trees were commonly found in German homes. They were decorated with apples, nuts, pretzels, wafers, and gingerbread.

 

Around this time, garland made of green holly and ivy appeared in England during Advent and Christmas. Christians would decorate their churches, houses and streets with evergreen branches. 

 

So, why evergreens? Well, green is a symbol of life because living plants are green. In cold climates, many plants lose their green in the winter and appear to be lifeless. But evergreen plants retain their leaves in the winter. Evergreens have become a symbol of life when other plants appear dead.

 

Moreover, evergreens are a symbol of eternal life. This is because they are ever green. They prevail over death, even in the dead of winter. 

 

In the Bible, the tree of life offered eternal life to all who ate its fruit. Accordingly, Christians since the Middle Ages have decorated their homes and churches during Advent and Christmas to remind them of the gift of eternal life that Jesus’ advent offers.

Evergreens point us to Christ’s first advent. During Christ’s first advent, Jesus restored eternal life that had been lost when our first parents fell into sin. In Paradise, Adam and Eve had access to the very tree of life, but they forfeited that eternal life as they fell into sin. Thorns infested the ground as a symbol of the curse and of death (Genesis 3:17-19).

 

Jesus, the second Adam, came to restore life that was lost in man’s fall. In His first advent, the very Second Person of the Trinity took upon Himself our human flesh to give His life so that we sinners might receive eternal life. Jesus says to us: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Jesus brought life to us through a thorny crown and a sacrificial death on the cross, exchanging His life for the death that we deserved because of our sins of thought, word and deed against God and our neighbor. 

 

Also, the evergreen holly branch is associated with Christ’s death because its thorny leaves remind us of the crown of thorns He wore on the cross. Its red berries remind us of the drops of blood that fell from His head as He hung on the cross.

 

Jesus’ death destroyed death, and His resurrection restored life. Jesus proclaims to us: “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 11:25-26).

 

Through Christ’s first advent, we have been given the gift of eternal life. And did you realize that God compares Himself to an evergreen tree? In Hosea 14:8, He does just that: “I am like an evergreen cypress; from Me comes your fruit.” The triune God is certainly our never-failing source of life and fruitfulness. 

 

But we are in the Advent season. Is this just all it points to? Does the evergreen just point us back to Christ’s first advent? No. The evergreen also points us to Christ’s final advent on the Last Day. You see, Jesus’ return will inaugurate a new creation in which sin and death no longer exist. Evergreens are associated with the new creation, which brings the reversal of sin’s curse and the blessings of eternal life.

 

In Revelation 22, evergreens are again associated with the tree of life. It is described this way: “On either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed” (Revelation 22:2-3). The tree of life is evergreen as it bestows the fruit of everlasting life. And this life is ours because of Christ.

Evergreens certainly convey a powerful message: eternal life. That is what Advent and Christmas is all about: the eternal life that Jesus won for us at His first advent, which we will experience fully at His last advent. So, every time you see evergreen decorations – at church, at home, at the office, or while shopping – remember their message: Jesus has come and will come again to give you everlasting life!

 

Amen. Come Lord Jesus!

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Royal Inauguration" (Matthew 21:1-11)

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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:

“And when [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:10-11).

 

Today, we begin a new Church Year, and the purpose of every Church Year is to put Jesus before our eyes.

 

To the world, most of their minds – maybe even yours – is on Christmas. Most of the world is thinking about Christmas decorating and shopping for loved ones. Radio stations began playing pop Christmas songs on November 1. And for so many of us, when you think about Jesus this time of year, we often think of Jesus as the babe in the manger.

 

But here we are on this First Sunday in Advent, and we hear about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. What’s up with that? Again, the purpose as we begin each Church Year is that we do not lose sight on what truly matters: Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen for sinners.

 

It always does seem odd though to begin the Church Year at practically the end. But this is why Jesus came in the first place. He came to bring atonement between God and man.

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came from the east to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). This question greatly disturbed King Herod. He was troubled. This troubled Herod because he was obviously nearing the end of his time and was not sure who would succeed him. And there was no doubt that Herod’s violent and bloody reign had demonstrated how determined he was to maintain his grip on power – even though his power was severely limited being under Roman rule.

 

So when Herod’s fear was aroused, all of Jerusalem was disturbed right along with him.

 

Now, some thirty-plus years have passed between that first Christmas Day and Palm Sunday, and during that interval St. Matthew does not record a single time Jesus was called a king. He was called many other titles. Jesus was called “Son of David,” and that messianic title certainly does come with royal overtones, but it was not until that Palm Sunday that Jesus was proclaimed to be a king. According to St. Luke, the crowds roared: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38a). And according to St. John, the crowds cheered: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13). And once again, some thirty-some years after His birth, “the whole city was stirred up” again (Matthew 21:10).

 

They ask, “Who is this Jesus?” “Where has this Jesus come from?”

 

Back when Jesus was 12 years old, He famously went up to Jerusalem with His mother Mary and His guardian Joseph to celebrate the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41-52). When the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. After searching for Him, they returned to Jerusalem and after three days, they found Him in the temple. 

 

Now, traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover was something pious Jews did every year. So, we can assume that Jesus made many trips to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. But this time would be different. Very different. For this occasion, Jesus was very much aware that He was going up to Jerusalem to die. And He taught this fact to His very own apostles that He would be handed over to the chief priests and later condemned to death, but on that third day would rise again.

 

As Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the last time, He wanted the attention of all the people of Jerusalem to be focused solely on Him. This is why He made some rather peculiar preparations before entering the city.

 

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once” (Matthew 21:1-3).

 

This would be a strange way for Jesus to be acknowledged as the King of Israel. Through the Prophet Zechariah, God calls the coming King “humble” (Zechariah 9:9). 

Normally, powerful people are not humble. Normally, powerful people are far from being called “humble.” Normally, powerful people are aware of how important they are, and they expect others to be duly impressed by and deferential to them. They can be harsh and abrasive, because they havepower. Normally, to be humble or gentle is seen as a sign of powerlessness. Not so with Jesus.

 

Jesus enters Jerusalem upon an ordinary lowly beast of burden rather than a magnificent white stallion, as other kings would have done. Jesus did not wear a kingly robe or royal crown. There was no scepter in His hand. His attendants were mostly Galilean fishermen. His procession looked far from a royal procession, yet there was an obvious and undeniable majesty about Him. This Jesus was powerful, but not in the way of the world (1 Corinthians 1:25).

 

This humility of Jesus is the theme from the manger all the way to the cross. It is a weakness according to the world, but it is powerful because God works salvation in it. Salvation is not accomplished by external force or by gaining earthly power. Jesus’ humility is not a sign of powerlessness, but of a refusal to rule by force or coercion, and of His willingness to die for us.

 

Again, Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem didn’t look like a royal procession, but the multitudes were moved to shout: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9).

 

According to earthly standards, Jesus was far from being a king. He rode into town on a donkey. That’s a far cry from any royal steed. But Jesus is the King. 

 

Because Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, His mission has often been misunderstood. Herod feared Jesus as competition. Jesus was handed over to Pilate because He was declared a challenge to Caesar. But Jesus has not come to overthrow earthly rulers, nor to establish any earthly kingdom.

 

Jesus rules only by Word and Spirit, not by any external force. Jesus rules by calling and enlightening His disciples. He gives faith and a change of heart, so that we cling to Him as King. We didn’t choose Him as King, He chose us and made us His people.

 

Jesus is the mighty King. He is more powerful than all the great kings of all times. He is more powerful than all the world leaders of our own day.

 

Only He, by His cross, has the power to save from sin. Only He has the power to grant eternal life. Only He has the power to make enemies of God into children of God. Only He has the power to transform us so that we live godly lives.

 

Certainly, the manner by which Jesus entered Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday showed that He had no intentions of setting Himself up as an earthly king. The throne He would ascend would not be a fancy seat, but His throne to which He would ascend would be Him nailed to a crude wooden cross. The crown He would wear would not be adorned with jewels but would be a crown of thorns piercing His forehead.

 

Yet, Jesus would establish His Kingdom, but not by the traditional way by shedding the blood of his enemies, but by shedding His own holy precious blood. Through His humility, through His innocent suffering and death, Jesus would establish a Kingdom of greater glory and greater majesty than any earthly kingdom before or since. He gave all who trust in Him His Kingdom.

 

Today’s Gospel reading contain some very familiar words that we sing each Sunday: “Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” These familiar words of the Sanctus remind us that the same Jesus who rode up into Jerusalem on a donkey comes to us under the bread and wine of the Sacrament of the Altar. On our own, we would never guess that we are receiving Christ’s very Body and His very Blood in this Sacrament, but Jesus says, “This is My Body. … This is My Blood.” Through the eyes of faith, we see so much more than just simple bread and simple wine, because our ears have heard what Jesus said.

 

We sing the Sanctus as we praise Christ knowing who He is, the promised Savior. We praise Christ, who feeds us with His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins, praising Him for who He is, our Savior, and for what He richly does, forgives our sins.

 

The crowds on that Palm Sunday may not have seen the significance of their own words, but we on this First Sunday in Advent do. He came to inaugurate His royal kingdom. Jesus has come to be our King. He has come to bring reconciliation between God and man. He is Here today hidden in His Means of Grace. And He will one day truly reveal Himself again on the Last Day! Christ is King. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6)

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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:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called … Everlasting Father …” (Isaiah 9:6).

Through these Advent midweeks, we have been going over the four titles of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6. 

 

We have learned that Jesus is the “Wonderful Counselor,” as He gave God’s counsel about our sin and His death on the cross for our salvation, which is foolishness to those who refuse to believe Him and His counsel. But for us who have been saved, the Holy Spirit has given us faith to rejoice in Jesus’ counsel as the power of God for our salvation.

 

We also learned that Jesus is “Mighty God.” Jesus is no mere human being. If He was just a mere human, then He could not have been our Savior and then we are still under the curse of our sins. Thanks be to God that Jesus is “Mighty God” who took upon Himself our human flesh to suffer and die on the cross in our place of punishment and then three days later conquered the power of death for us by His bodily resurrection.

 

Tonight, we will focus on the third title given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6: “Everlasting Father.” You may have no issue with understanding “Wonderful Counselor” and “Mighty God”, but this third title can be a challenge. Afterall, Jesus is the Son of God, not God the Father. So, let’s focus on the word “Father.”

 

Scripture teaches us that there is only one God who exists in three distinct persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the divine mystery known as the Holy Trinity.

 

Even though Jesus is One with the Father, He is not the Father Himself. Jesus and the Father are two distinct Persons who are unified as One God with the Holy Spirit.

 

So, what does Isaiah mean when he says that Jesus will be called “Everlasting Father”?

 

Well, by that word “Father” Isaiah means that Jesus has made us His people and rules over us like a loving father.

 

Think of it this way. Sometimes people refer to George Washington as the “father” of our nation. They don’t mean that Washington is the literal father, but that he helped found the United States and he ruled over us as our first president. In a similar way, the word “father” describes the fact that Jesus rules over us and all creation with authority and power, above every name that is named. The government – both spiritual and temporal – is upon His shoulder.

 

In Colossians 1, God’s Word says, “[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-16).

 

So, the One conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary is the Creator of all things and He rules over all things!

 

Now, this is very good news for us who believe in Jesus as our Savior from sin, death, and eternal damnation! You see, the title “Father” reminds us that Jesus made us to be new creations by saving us from our sins and reconciling us back to God. Also, this title “Father” teaches us that Jesus rules over all things – even when it appears that evil people have all the power in this fallen world.

 

It may appear that Jesus has no power or control at all when we pay attention to the news on tv, radio, internet or podcasts. It appears more like evil people keep getting away with evil: injustice, chaos, misery, and death.

 

But during such times, we must always remember that Jesus is in control even when circumstances seem to call that into question. You see, Jesus has always been in control – even when He was an infant in the womb of the virgin Mary.

 

So, just like children don’t always understand what their father does, we don’t always understand why Jesus rules in the way He does.

 

Nevertheless, Jesus promises to work in all things – even in trials and suffering – to bring about good for His people and glory for His Kingdom. 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, nothing happens apart from Jesus’ will, and He will save all who repent of their sin and cling to Him. Jesus is your Savior-King, and He rules you as a loving father.

 

But what about that first word of tonight’s title – “Everlasting”? What does “Everlasting” mean? Well, “Everlasting” reminds us that Jesus is not just one more earthly ruler whose reign begins at some point in history and then ends at some point in history.

 

In Micah 5, God’s Word says: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me the One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

 

So, what does this mean? The Prophet Micah is saying that the future Savior who will be born in Bethlehem already exists! This Promised Savior exists before He is born! How can this be? Micah answers that too! Jesus is the eternal Son of God from ancient days!

 

Jesus is not like the rulers of earthly governments whose reigns have a beginning and then come to an end. Jesus is the eternal Creator! He is the Everlasting Father! His rule never ends!

 

Isaiah writes: “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever more” (Isaiah 9:7).

 

What Isaiah is saying is that there was never a time when Jesus was not in control. So, even when Jesus was lying in a manger; even when Jesus was hanging on the cross, He was still the “Everlasting Father.”

 

Jesus – eternal God – became man and was born to save us from our sins. Through faith in Him, we are cleansed from our guilt, and we are at peace with God. 

 

Even though sin and evil abound all around us, Jesus is still the Everlasting Father! Jesus still rules His Kingdom! And one day, He will return in visible power and glory! Everyone will see that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” – even those heathens who thought they were in control. On that day, we, who are in Christ, will rejoice that we get to live forever as citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom where there will be no more sin, and what it begets: pain and death.

 

Until that day of Christ’s coming, we live by faith – faith in God’s Word. Today, Jesus’ present reign as “Everlasting Father” is hidden from those who refuse to trust God’s Word. But for you and me who trust God’s Word, we can be sure that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father”!

 

On the Epiphany of Our Lord, the Magi traveled from the East to worship the “Everlasting Father” who was being held by the virgin Mary. How could this toddler be the “Everlasting Father” – the eternal Creator and Ruler of all things? For as the angel said to Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Like the Magi, we believe what we cannot see or understand.

 

You see, each time you receive the Lord’s Supper at the Divine Service, the Everlasting Father gives you His own body and blood to assure you that your sins are forgiven, and you are given strength for your weak faith. We don’t understand how, but He does it!

 

Tonight, God’s Word has assured you that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” and that you are a citizen in His eternal Kingdom of mercy, love, and life. You can leave this place – Prince of Peace Lutheran Church – and now serve the Lord with your lives knowing that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” and that you are secure in His hands. Amen!

 

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