"God Makes the Impossible, Possible" (Luke 1:39-56)

Listen on Spotify

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:

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39-40).

 

From the impossible, God makes the possible. Mary and her relative Elizabeth never expected to bear children. Mary was a virgin. Elizabeth was barren. So, from a virgin and a barren womb, God brings forth living, leaping children. So, from out of nothing, God works everything. 

 

Before their meeting, the angel Gabriel came to Mary to announce the conception of Jesus. Mary asked how this conception could take place, since she was a virgin, but through it all, she displays true faith in Gabriel’s promise. Excited by this unexpected news, she went with haste to visit her relative Elizabeth.

 

Now, the initial conversation between Mary and Elizabeth is unknown to us. Did Mary blurt out the news of her pregnancy? We don’t know. But there is something we do know. For it appears that it was the baby in the former barren womb of Elizabeth who leaps knowing the Savior is near. But wait, there’s more! Just as John leapt, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:41-43).

 

Elizabeth not only knew that Mary was pregnant, but the Holy Spirit revealed to her that that baby in Mary’s womb is the promised Messiah. And not only that, Elizabeth declares that Mary is also blessed!

 

Mary is truly blessed, but she is not blessed by who she is. She is blessed because of her humility as God’s servant. She is blessed as the Mother of God who will bear her Savior and Elizabeth’s Savior and our Savior. For like us, she is also a sinful human being who was in need of a Savior.

 

Like Mary, we, too, are blessed. We are blessed not because of who we are. For if we were treated the way we deserve, we justly deserve God’s present and eternal punishment. So, our blessedness is not measured in the things we have. Our blessedness consists only in Emmanuel, God in the flesh. Jesus is the ultimate source of every true blessing. Jesus entered Mary’s womb via the Holy Spirit so that He could die on the cross. And through His death, He took away the sin that had separated us from God, and reconciled us back into God’s presence.

 

The world we live in is barren. We long for peace and brotherhood in this fallen world. We long for togetherness. We long for those good memories of times’ past. But when we open our eyes, we often only see barrenness. Love has grown cold. We see violence, selfish ambition, arrogance, sinful perversion, conflict and ignorance. And we see this every day looking right at us in our own bathroom mirror.

 

But there is joy leaping from a barren womb.

 

What a visit Mary and Elizabeth must have had! Today, we also have the joy of standing and praising God together with a loud voice. Today, we will hear loud voices from our Sunday School kids. Today, we will join their loud voices through song. And today, we get to visit with Jesus just as truly as He came in Zechariah’s living room and just as hidden.

 

Later, we will commune with Christ. What a joy that is! This joy of forgiveness, life, and salvation is something we ought to share with our neighbors, family and friends!

 

For God has taken flesh in the womb of a virgin. In Christ alone, every barrenness must give way to fruitfulness and joy! Every time you hear Christ’s Word and partake of the Sacrament, Christ is present just as surely as He was with Elizabeth and John.

 

Through the Holy Spirit, we respond in faith to the continued proclamation that our Lord Jesus, who took on human flesh and dwelt among is, is our promised redemption and salvation. “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 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for the Circumcision and Name of Jesus: "He Was Called Jesus" (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:

Happy Eighth Day of Christmas! On the Eighth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: Eight maids a-milking. These eight maids a-milking represent the eight beatitudes that Christ spoke as part of His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.

 

Now, tucked between the “Gloria in Excelsis” of Christmas Day and the “Nunc Dimittis” spoken by Simeon 40 days after Christ’s birth, we have a single verse. It looks insignificant, but that single verse is extremely significant for Jesus, and for us and our salvation.

 

 “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).

 

Nine months earlier, the angel Gabriel came to the virgin Mary and said, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

 

By God’s ceremonial Law command, every male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day. And by circumcision, the child was incorporated into God’s covenant with Israel, dating back to Abraham. The circumcision and naming of a child on the eighth day would be equivalent to a Christian Baptism today. However, as important as Baptism’s are for Christians, the circumcision wasn’t a temple event. The circumcision was done locally, wherever the family lived and without any fanfare. It was like when a nurse comes to a mother’s hospital room and asks her to verify the information about her child to go on the birth certificate. The baby is being held by his mother as the faither smiles joyfully, but there is little to any fanfare.

 

On the eighth day, following the birth of their firstborn, Joseph and Mary did precisely what the angel Gabriel commanded. As faithful Jews, they did as the Lord had commanded them. So, on the eighth day of Jesus’ earthly life, they incorporated their Son into the Abrahamic covenant, which also included the official ceremony of the Child being given His name: “He was called Jesus” (Luke 2:21).

 

There are some names we like and some names that you and me may call “iffy.” Typically, children are named after a favorite uncle or aunt, grandfather, or grandmother. Children are typically named in honor of a special relationship we have or had with a person. In other words, the significance of a name can change depending on our experiences with a person or persons who bear that name.

 

Only God’s Name never changes its meaning. And God’s Name is Jesus. Literally, “Yahweh Saves.” Jesus is Lord of lords. Jesus is King of kings. Jesus is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

 

As the angel Gabriel said to Joseph, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

 

The Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, is He who alone paid the redeeming price of His life for the sins of the world. Jesus, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

 

Because of what Christ alone has done for us and for our salvation, through inspiration, St. Paul tells us, “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

 

And oddly enough, although Joseph and Mary named their Child Jesus, it wasn’t them who named their Son. It was God Himself, through the angel Gabriel. Jesus, who is fully God from eternity, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, He named Himself, since He came as the Savior from the powers of sin, eternal death, and Satan’s tyranny.

The Second Commandment teaches us: “You shall not misuse the Name of the Lord your God.” And we begin the Lord’s Prayer with: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.” So, we ought to not misuse God’s Name, but hold His Name sacred. We ought to call upon God’s Name in times of trouble, whether it is doubt, despair, or sickness. When we call upon His name, He promises to deliver you.

 

We also ought to call upon God’s Name in praise and thanksgiving. This is what we do at each Divine Service. Here, we praise God’s Name when we say the Gloria Patri: “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.”

 

Indeed, the Prophet Isaiah also gives God other names: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Isaiah also gives God another name: “Immanuel.” “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), which means God with us.

 

But the Name above all Names is Jesus. For in the Name Jesus, we are told of His purpose: Yahweh Saves. He will save His people from their sins.

 

We, too, have been given a name. We are called Christians, meaning followers of Christ. St. Paul writes, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

 

So, through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we have been given Christ’s Name. And we have become heirs according to the promise. We have been re-created as children of God. Our sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ alone. And so, we live in repentance and faith in Him, for He is our Savior. Our Savior, who is called Jesus. Amen.

 

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Advent 4: "According to Your Word" (Luke 1:26-38)

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:

We confess: “[I believe in] one Lord Jesus Christ, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man.” (Second Article of the Nicene Creed)

 

“Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” “Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish, for better or for worse, till death parts you?” “Do you promise to be my best friend, pinky swear?”

 

We live in a world of promises. Some promises are kept, but so many promises are broken. 

 

It used to be that a simple handshake would be all that was needed for a promise. But we know that this is no longer the case. Today, so many promises have to be backed up with long and often complicated legal documents to make sure that there will be no wiggle room and no loophole by which one in the promise can escape the obligations of that promise. Today, it is simply not sufficient to just depend on another’s word.

 

Even in the closest of relationships, promises are broken, and people are let down, disappointed, and left feeling betrayed. A father tells his son, “I know I promised to be at your game, but something came up.” A man tells his wife, “There’s someone else.” A politician tells his constituent, “I know I said I would never vote to increase taxes, but I did it anyway.” One nation tells another, “We will not honor our trade agreement.” Maybe you’ve been the victim of a broken promise. Or perhaps, you’re the one who has broken a promise.

 

Our text this morning is the annunciation by the angel Gabriel to the virgin Mary that she will conceive and bear a son. This great announcement to Mary and, ultimately, to us some 2,000 years later is part of the ongoing fulfillment of God’s promises. So, today on this Fourth Sunday in Advent, we have the assurance that we can always trust God, for He acts according to His Word.

 

God gives us the promise of His Word even at our worst moments. At the Fall into sin, when Adam and Eve deserved nothing but condemnation and death because of their disobedience toward God, the Lord gave the first promise of the Savior. While God pronounced judgment upon sin, He also offered words of hope as He promised to provide the Savior from sin. 

 

God established a covenant relationship with the children of Israel – in other words, this is a relationship built on promises that God has made. Even though Israel was often unfaithful in this covenant relationship, God continued to act on their behalf according to the Word that He spoke. He made promises and He was divinely bound to keep those promises.

 

But why? Why does God need to keep His promise if those to whom He promised were unfaithful to Him? Afterall, God’s chosen people often worshiped false gods, false idols. God’s chosen people repeatedly ignored God’s Law. They kept doing what they thought was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). We keep doing things that we shouldn’t do and keep on doing them. Why would God remain loyal to them? Why would God remain loyal to us? Well, God chose them, and God chose us as His treasured possession.

 

So, what does all of this have to do with the annunciation to Mary? Well, again, God was keeping His promise. He promised the Savior to redeem fallen mankind.

 

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:26-27).

 

Six months earlier, the angel Gabriel made the announcement to Zechariah that he in his old age would be a father to John the Baptist. He was greatly troubled. Now, six months later this same angel visits a virgin named Mary and announces to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:30-31).

 

Mary, too, was greatly troubled. She likely thought, “How could this be an honor? Who am I? I’m just an average woman. I’m not from Jerusalem. Plus, what will people say about me? I am not even married. How could I bear a son?”

 

As in Zechariah’s case, Gabriel first calmed Mary’s fears and assured her that she had found favor with God. Then Gabriel imparted to her the astounding news that she would conceive and bear a son and call His name Jesus. Jesus is the same name as “Joshua” in the Hebrew, and every devout Jew knew what that name meant. 

 

Mary knew. She was a Jew who believed in the promised Savior. And “Jesus” was not just a mere name. She knew exactly what “Jesus” meant. Jesus means “Yahweh is salvation” and even more “the One through whom Yahweh brings salvation.”

 

If Mary had entered any thought that her son would be like the renowned Joshua of old, the godly, courageous, resourceful leader and commander of Israel, the successor of Moses, Gabriel’s next words would dispel that idea, for he said, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).

 

So, Jesus will be infinitely greater than the famous commander of Israel. Mary’s son will also be called “the Son of the Most High.” Jesus is the very Son of God and His kingdom will have no end.

 

Now, like all Jewish girls, they all hoped that they would be given the honor to be the mother of the promised Savior, but Mary never expected this honor to be given to her. Yes, she was a descendant of David, just as Joseph was. But they were average folks. They didn’t live in any palace. They lived in the backwater and forgotten town of Nazareth. “What good could come from there?”

 

But Mary acted different than Zechariah. She never doubted God’s promises. She only questioned the how. “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)

 

But every promise of God is aimed at faith. Every divine promise is intended to generate faith in the promise or to nourish the faith which embraces God’s promises. Mary never responded with disbelief as Zechariah did. Mary believed that God would give her such a wondrous son, and she was willing to be the mother of that great Son, the Messiah.

 

Mary has faith in God, but how is God going to do this? She knew how children were conceived. But she had not entered into any such a relationship with Joseph or any other man. So, how could this be?

 

Gabriel gave her the answer. He told Mary that she would conceive in a supernatural way. She would conceive the Messiah by the Holy Spirit. Now, human reason would balk at that, but Mary believed. And to strengthen Mary’s faith, Gabriel gave further proof. He directed her attention to her relative Elizabeth. A wonder had taken place in Elizabeth. She was barren and in advanced age but is now pregnant. So, this same God who had brought that about for Elizabeth would perform an even greater miracle in Mary, since nothing is impossible with God.

 

So, how could all of this happen? Only God could make it happen. Only God could give a barren woman a child. Only God could give a virgin a child. So, Mary says, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your Word” (Luke 1:38).

 

We are all constantly exposed to human rationalism. So many today say that what happened to Mary and Elizabeth was impossible. Their rationale is that they have never seen such a miracle. But just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t make it impossible. God is God and He works wonders. He makes the impossible, possible. And He always keeps His Word. After the Fall in the Garden, He promised the coming Savior and when it was the fullness of time, He would send the Savior for sinful mankind. He would send Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us!

 

Perhaps, you’ve been the victim of someone who didn’t keep his word and you’ve experienced loss and pain as a result. Maybe you’re the one who hasn’t kept your word. Maybe, you have broken promises, and you’ve betrayed trusts. But God invites us to come to Him for forgiveness.

 

Mary would bear the fullness of God in her womb. This Child is the very Savior of our sins. This Child became incarnate to suffer and die our punishment, so that all who would trust in Him would live forever!

 

In the fullness of time, this Child in Mary’s womb would do everything necessary for your salvation. He continues to save us today through His Word and Sacrament. And He will return in glory on the Last Day! God always keeps His Word. He always keeps His promises. May we always respond to God in faith and say with Mary, “Let it be to me according to Your Word.” Amen.

 

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Pentecost 14: "Through Sufferings, We Receive the Promise" (Jeremiah 15:15-21)

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: 

Being God’s mouthpiece is not always easy. In fact, those who speak God’s unchanging truth so often speak what is considered offensive to what people want to hear. Just look at Jeremiah. He did not want to be a prophet.

 

He knew what the response by the people would be when he would proclaim anything unpopular. The people would attack him and ridicule him. Just as they did to the prophets before him. 

 

After being called by God to be His prophet, Jeremiah tried to get out of his calling, saying to God: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6). But the Lord said, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:7-8).

 

Jeremiah knew the life of a prophet. It was lonely. He would face opposition and suffering. God prepared him for that. But God also gave him a promise: “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:19).

 

Jeremiah didn’t want to be God’s prophet, but he was called by God to be a prophet and he fulfilled God’s command. Like Jeremiah, at first, I didn’t want to be a pastor. I thought those people were different. I thought they were “special.” I thought, do I really want to go to church every Sunday? Then I thought, that’s what I’m practically doing already. So, God poked and prodded me in good times and bad times through the hearing of His Word and through the people God placed in my life.

 

Jeremiah was called by God, and despite his initial refusal, he became God’s mouthpiece. We are all called by God to live in a particular place and at a particular time. Some times appear to be easier than others. 

 

We all like to reminisce back to the 1950s when the Church was the bedrock of society. But each time has its own challenges, including the 1950s. For Jeremiah, he knew that his time as prophet was going to be rough. He knew that as God’s mouthpiece, he was going to have an uphill battle and likely losing battle before him.

 

First, let’s get some context on what led to the calling of Jeremiah. The Southern Kingdom of Judah was embracing the worship styles of the contemporary false gods. Under King Ahaz, Judah integrated additional sacrifices, including the king sacrificing his own son as an offering. This angered God. Eventually Ahaz died, and his other son Hezekiah who was not sacrificed became king. Hezekiah was the complete opposite of his father, as he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He listened to the Lord and tore down all the false worship his father instituted. The days were good in Judah. But then Hezekiah died, and his son Manasseh becomes king.

 

Manasseh brought back all the evil of his grandfather. All the evil returned and more of it. Manasseh is described as being the most wicked king ever in Judah. He, like his grandfather, sacrificed a son to false gods.

 

This is where we find Jeremiah the prophet. Due to the increasing evil of the kings, and their influence upon the people, Jeremiah is sent to speak of God’s judgment. He becomes a man of contention. He is called to preach repentance to Judah, but the people of Judah refuse. Due to their hardness of heart and their failing to repent, God called Jeremiah to announce the destruction of Judah. 

 

To God’s pronounced judgment, the people of Judah refused to listen to Jeremiah. Instead, they lashed out at him saying, “If it wasn’t for Jeremiah and his incessant preaching of judgment, Judah would be at peace. Quit preaching and let us be!” They believed the problem was Jeremiah, not them.

 

Now, every faithful preacher has met the wrath of a hearer who was offended by God’s unchanging truth. And every Christian has known skepticism, the scorn, the dismissal that comes from taking a stand on some unpopular truth of God’s Word.

 

In the year of our Lord 2023, our government permits so much evil, and permits so many activities that are contrary to God’s Word, such as today’s hot-button issues: elective abortion, no-fault divorce, and same-sex sexual relationships, which have been confused as being secular political issues as all result in strong opinions and strong emotions.

 

§  On elective abortion, sticking with Jeremiah, God’s Word tells us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5) and “when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41). Here, and so many other places, God says life is precious to Him and is never a burden and that life ought to be precious to everyone. 

§  On no-fault divorce, Jesus says: “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matthew 19:8-9). So, divorce is not to be taken lightly. God desires reconciliation, but divorce is permitted when it's the last possible action.

§  On same-sex relationships, God’s Word says: “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:24-25). So, same-sex sexual relationships reject God’s intention of men and women complementing each other, for mutual companionship, and procreation.

 

Like I said, each of those issues are hot-button issues. They each result in strong emotions. But why is that the case? This is the case, because so very often, we fall into Satan’s trap of deception. This is where Peter found himself. You see, instead of setting his mind on the things of God, he was setting his mind on the things of man. After Jesus foretold of His upcoming death and resurrection, Peter could not allow Jesus to die. Like Peter, we, too, can get caught up with our desires, while becoming intolerant to what God desires. This is our natural tendency. This is what our sinful nature desires. And what does Jesus say about that? He says all things that are not of God are of Satan. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

 

During Jeremiah’s time, he faced many false prophets just as we do with wolves who are disguised as pastors today. The false prophets were preaching what the people wanted to hear saying, “God just wants you to be happy!” But, behind that so-called friendly face of that false prophet is Satan’s deception. Outwardly, the false and genuine prophets look the same. They have the same liturgy and hymns, but the preaching and teaching is what sets them apart. Jeremiah is preaching repentance as the false prophets are saying, “Don’t worry about it, everything will be fine!”

 

Like Jeremiah’s day, faithful preaching and hearing of God’s Word attracts opposition and suffering, but it also delivers God’s precious promise of salvation in Jesus Christ.

 

In our text from Jeremiah 15, the prophet is doing a lot of complaining. Jeremiah remained faithful to his calling, but his prophetic office was difficult and lonely. Nobody wanted to hear him, and if he heard any response to his preaching, he heard insults.

 

Jeremiah felt like a failure. His hearers did not believe him when he spoke for God. And when Jeremiah interceded on behalf of the people, God would not listen to him. Jeremiah complained that he bore reproach on account of God’s Word. He was filled with indignation and sharp pain. In his despair, he even accused God of deceit and unfaithfulness saying, “Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?” (Jeremiah 15:18)

 

Jeremiah was beginning to believe that his preaching was getting him nowhere. He was conflicted. He desired what we all desire: approval. He was called to be God’s watchman, but he was starting to think it may be a better life if he just gave up and join those to whom he was preaching. He thought, “Life would be so much easier if I just gave the people what they want to hear. I wouldn’t hear insults, but praise.”

 

When he was about to give everything up, God responds to Jeremiah with a call to repentance with Gospel promises. God called him to repent of his doubt: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before Me” (Jeremiah 15:19). God gave him joy in His words for each word God spoke he inwardly digested. He said, “Your words were found, and I ate them” (Jeremiah 15:16a). To us, that may be a surprise. We would expect Jeremiah to say, “Your words were found, and I read them, or studied them, or memorized them” but not “ate them.” Words are academic and intellectual. But not God’s Word! God’s Word is more like food than ideas – although it is both. God’s Word doesn’t just consist of information, teachings, precepts, and concepts. God’s Word contains vitamins and calories, but of a spiritual sort. God’s Word gives life – spiritual life. God’s Word feeds and nourishes us.

 

Despite his doubts, God’s Word always gave Jeremiah a sure and certain joy. Even in this instance, God’s Word promised him salvation, deliverance, and redemption.

 

So, if you have or are experiencing doubts, if you have experienced shame for trusting in God’s Word, you are not alone. You are right in line with Jeremiah the prophet. You see, even though Jeremiah experienced so many troubles, God never gave up on him. God never took away His promises.

 

So, we can identify with Jeremiah, in our sins, our doubts, and our failures. We, too, are sometimes plagued with doubt and despair. As pastors and hearers, we may complain with Jeremiah to God and question His faithfulness.

 

Like Jeremiah, God calls us to repentance and faith. We like sheep have all gone astray. We have all been enticed by Satan. We have all given in to sinful desires. All God desires from us is repentance and faith in Him. As we come to Him seeking forgiveness, He turns us so that we are turned away from sin and unbelief and now look to Him for grace and mercy. Like Jeremiah, He promises that His Word is like a fortified city that is able to withstand the attacks of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. God bestows salvation, deliverance, and redemption to all who trust His Word.

 

In our text, you may wonder, “Where is Jesus in all of this?” You may recall that Jeremiah was once considered as a possible, but wrong answer to “Who is the Son of Man?” But Jesus and Jeremiah are much alike. They both spoke to little success. Due to the people’s unbelief, Jesus was declared a blasphemer. He was mocked for preaching the truth. Even His own disciples didn’t fully believe Him to be the Messiah until His resurrection from the dead. But through Christ’s death, He would suffer our perpetual pains and incurable wounds of our sins. He took our punishment. His blood is our full redemption price. His death is our deliverance. His resurrection is our salvation and justification.

 

All of us share in the sufferings of Jeremiah and of Christ as we bear His cross in our various vocations. But as we bear His cross as parent, child, employer, and employee, we are also given the same promise that He gave to Jeremiah. We are given the promise that God is the strong and fortified city, so that when we face sufferings due to the faith, we rejoice in hope, are patient in tribulation, and are constant in prayer. By grace through faith in Christ alone, we are given the sure and certain hope that despite Satan’s constant attacks, Christ is always with us as He delivers His promises of forgiveness, life and salvation through His unchanging Word and His blessed Sacraments. Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

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