"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 +

"The Scandal of the Gospel" (Luke 7:18-35)

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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:] “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me” (Luke 7:23).

 

What does it take for someone or something to offend you? Can you recall the last time you were genuinely offended? What caused the offense? How did it make you feel? Angry? Shocked? Vengeful? What was your response? Was it something like, “How dare you!”? “How dare you question me!”? “How dare you accuse me!”?

 

Jesus was no stranger to “How dare you!” His earthly ministry may have lasted only three years, but it was enough time to offend all sorts of people in all sorts of ways. Some, like the Pharisees, were offended because He disappointed them with the way He demonstrated His messianic calling. The Gospels record how over and over again, people were scandalized or offended by something Jesus said or did, or even by something He did not do.

 

There were times when Jesus’ words were just too hard to swallow. In John 6, Jesus proclaims to the crowd of fellow Jews that He is The Bread of Life. The crowd grumbled about Jesus, because He said, “I am the Bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:42). Later on, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Because of those words of Jesus, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. They took offense! They packed up their bags and left.

 

But Jesus didn’t stop there at offending the masses. Later in John 8, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Immediately, the crowd picked up stones to stone Jesus to death, but Jesus hid Himself. They took offense! This time they tried to eliminate Jesus for good!

 

In Luke 4, Jesus returned to Nazareth where He had been brought up. It was the Sabbath, so He came to synagogue. As a favorite son of the congregation, He was asked to read, so He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

 

“The Spirt of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Then Jesus sat down and began to say, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Then murmuring began, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). The crowd was filled with wrath, and they rose up to drive Jesus out of Nazareth with intentions to throw Him off a cliff. Those synagogue worshipers took offense at Jesus! Again, they too wanted to eliminate Him.

 

But it wasn’t only Jesus’ speaking that caused offense. It was also what He was doing. On a Sabbath, Jesus had the audacity to give sight to a blind man. In response to this sign and miracle, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath” (John 8:16).

 

Jesus was also judged by the company He kept. And Jesus was well aware of what was being said about Him and His company.

 

After Jesus met with John’s disciples, He began preaching to the crowds concerning John the Baptist, saying, “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at Him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (Luke 7:33-34).

 

Just think about how many of the Jewish authorities took offense as Jesus ate and drank and even associated with sinners. The truth is, Jesus ate and drank and associated with these people, because He was always around sinners. He could never escape that fact, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But Jesus never gave tax collectors permission to collect more taxes than authorized to do. Jesus never gave permission to prostitutes to continue selling themselves. Jesus never gave permission to Samaritans to continue worshipping falsely. What Jesus did do was show them their sins so they would repent of those sins and receive God’s forgiveness.

 

But it wasn’t only what Jesus said and did that caused so many to reject Him. For many others, it was what Jesus failed to do that caused the greatest offense. Think back to the First Sunday in Advent when we heard how the people greeted Jesus on that Palm Sunday spreading their cloaks on the road and laying down palm branches as they shouted their “Hosannas”! “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). 

Most on that Palm Sunday believed that Jesus was the conquering hero who would lead them to political and military victory against the Romans. But how disappointed they must have been to see Him riding in on a donkey instead of a warhorse. How disappointed, discouraged, and offended they were when Jesus turned out to be a compassionate and forgiving Messiah, full of mercy and not vengeance. He wasn’t what the crowd was expecting. By Friday, many in that Palm Sunday crowd changed their shout to “Crucify Him!”

 

With so many expectations not fulfilled. With Jesus appearing to be involved in scandal after scandal, John the Baptist, while in prison, sends two of his disciples to Jesus with the question, “Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20).

 

From the man who attempted to prevent Jesus’ baptism saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matthew 3:14) and later witnessed the Spirit of God descend like a dove and rest on Jesus and heard God the Father proclaim from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17) – is this man having doubts? How could he have any doubts?

 

So, why this question of doubt? Is John really wavering in his faith? Or could it be that John desires that his disciples be certain of who Jesus truly is? Jesus wasn’t really living up the expectations of the promised Messiah.

 

So, to clear up any doubts, Jesus directs John’s disciples to His miracles: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them” (Luke 7:22). Then Jesus concludes saying, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me” (Luke 7:23).

 

Those words, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me” certainly do ring loud and clear. We certainly do live in a time where many are scandalized by Jesus Christ. Even with the coming Christmas holiday, many people are scandalized today by saying, “Merry Christmas” or even setting foot in a church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but they will make sure that they have all their gifts in good order.

 

Even for us today, there are many exclusive claims of Jesus that may even cause you to be offended by Him. Jesus says, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). 

Well, what about devout Jews? What about those good and sincere people who do many good works in the community, but do not trust in Jesus? Are they bound to hell because they don’t happen to believe and trust in Jesus as their Savior?

 

For many of us, we get caught off guard. We would rather try to rationalize those words of Jesus. Or we can say, “It’s not for me to judge.” Or, “That’s up to God.” Well, it is up to God, but it’s deeper than that. We may be tempted to be too squeamish to defend the Christian truth. But the truth is the truth. Jesus is the only way to salvation! Even now, Jesus doesn’t live up to our expectations.

 

So, why do we often fail to let our Christian light shine? Why do we become so easily discouraged when it comes to matters of Christian faith and Christian hope? Why are we afraid? Are we worried what other people may think of us? 

 

For all the doubts and worries we may have, Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). So, repent and confess your sins to God, hand them over to Jesus, and then receive forgiveness by God’s grace.

 

Jesus redeemed you and I when we were lost and condemned. He purchased and won us from all sin, from eternal death, and from the power of the devil with His holy and precious blood and by His innocent suffering and death.

 

Jesus called us by the Gospel. He sent the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with His gifts. He has sanctified and kept us in the one true Christian faith. All this He did out of His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness on our part.

 

So, blessed are those who are not offended by Jesus! May we always be reminded of His blessings of forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation for which He won for you and me upon the cross !

 

On this Third Sunday in Advent, let us rejoice in Christ’s Means of Grace! Rejoice in your Baptism into Christ! Rejoice in absolution as Christ forgives our troubled consciences! Rejoice in Christ’s body and blood under bread and wine as our medicine for immortality! Rejoice in the Lord always! Blessed is the one who is not offended by Jesus! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The King is Coming" (Luke 19:28-40)

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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:

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38).

 

Click, clop. Click, clop. Click, clop.

 

Our Lord Jesus was a walker. Practically everywhere He went during His earthly ministry, He went by foot. I’m sure it would have been before noon each day that He would have achieved His 10,000 daily step count.

 

But this time, this day, for this trip, for this short journey, Jesus does something different. He rides. This is the only time we know of that He rode instead of walking, or by traveling by boat.

 

Now, Jesus isn’t riding because of the distance. Afterall, He had already walked thousands of miles on His way to Jerusalem. And this wasn’t even the the hardest part of His journey. If it was, Jesus could have, just as well, rented a donkey at Jericho to make the 14-mile steep uphill climb to Jerusalem easier. But He didn’t. He walked that steep climb. 

 

No, riding a donkey for this one time was not for comfort, or convenience, or even transportation. So, why did Jesus ride a donkey? Why did Jesus arrange to be mounted and ride these last couple miles when His feet had served Him well enough to get Him to Jerusalem?

 

Jesus rides – because He is King. Here He comes entering Jerusalem to the click, clop, click, clop. Jesus enters Jerusalem upon a donkey to announce His rule to all who have eyes to see. Jesus rides into Jerusalem because this is His city. Jesus rides into Jerusalem because these are His people. Jesus arrives as the saving and liberating King of Israel. Jesus is coming to accomplish what His Kingly rule is all about. Jesus is coming to die. Jesus is coming to save us from our sins. We know what will happen just days later. But not many people knew that on that Sunday in Jerusalem.

 

Yes, they knew – or at least heard of – the miracles of Jesus. And most recently, the word of Lazarus’ resurrection had certainly spread. They even know enough to call Jesus “King” without really understanding what kind of a King He would be.

 

Today, we begin the season of Advent, which means “coming.” Your King is coming. Today, we will look at how Christ the King comes.

 

Firstly, Jesus the King came. He came to earth for us and for our salvation down from heaven. The Second Person of the Trinity became Man by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary. He lowered Himself by becoming man to live our life. He, who knew no sin, came to take upon Himself our sins as He lowered Himself to be baptized with a sinner’s baptism by John. He came to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins. He came to lead all people to Himself. He came for thismoment, this time, as He rode into Jerusalem upon a donkey to die. He came as the sinless Lamb of God to be slaughtered, as the single sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:12).

 

We begin the Advent season as Christ enters Jerusalem. He enters Jerusalem to fulfill why He came in the first place: to suffer and die as the propitiation for yours and my sins. He came to regain yours and my favor with God the Father. For there was no other way. He came to save.

 

Everything led to this moment. Jesus “sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one else ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” (Luke 19:29b-31). 

 

They brought the donkey colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it and mounted Jesus upon it. As Jesus rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. Picture it this way. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, onlookers spontaneously join in. They spread their cloaks onto the road for Jesus to ride over. And as Jesus walks over the cloaks, the cloaks are picked up in the rear and laid down again in front of Jesus. It’s like that classic cross country run known as an “Indian run” when the runner sprints from the rear to the front of the pack continuously, but this time it is cloaks – and palms!

 

And the crowd roars! “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38).

 

Now, did the crowd understand what they were chanting? Maybe. But most likely not. Most expected the Messiah to liberate Israel from the Romans. Most expected some sort of a temporary earthly king to restore the nation of Israel to its former glory – the glory of King David, when nobody dared mess with them.

 

However, Jesus did give them a big clue on who He truly is. You see, the whole manner of His coming was to eliminate all political and nationalistic ideas. You see, Jesus didn’t come mounted as a military hero upon a warhorse. A way they would expect. Jesus came mounted upon a humble donkey. A way they would not expect. He came as the long-expected Messiah-King, who would suffer and die for their sins, so they would be reconciled to God the Father.

 

From the shouts of “Hosanna!” to the shouts of “Crucify Him!” Jesus came to reconcile us back to God the Father! On that Friday, the King would be crowned with thorns. He would be mocked. He would be crucified and die. He would be buried. But three days later, the crucified King bodily rose from the dead. He would appear to hundreds. He would bodily ascend into heaven and sit at the right hand of God the Father with all power and glory and dominion.

 

Now that the King is risen and ascended, He comes to us in a different way. Afterall, He says, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

 

Secondly, today, Christ the King comes to us in a way we would not expect – through His Means of Grace. Click, clop. Click, clop. Step by step, Jesus draws nearer. The King is coming as He strides on and on over the earth wherever two or three are gathered in His name and His Word is rightly preached and His Sacraments are rightly administered. Step by step, He reveals greater majesty, grace, and glory.

 

Jesus once came in lowliness mounted upon a donkey. Today, He comes in lowliness and meekness as He wraps Himself and His grace up now in the Word, which we hear, and in the visible elements of the Sacraments.

 

Through His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – He now puts and sows His grace into our hearts. In His Means of Grace, Jesus, the King, is present as true God and true man. As often as we hear His Word and His Sacraments are rightly administered, Jesus makes His appearance. Through these Means, the King comes into the souls of His believers. Even though He enters our hearts concealed through lowly signs: the Bible, His preaching, water, bread and wine, our Holy Spirit-given faith still recognizes Him!

Jesus, our King, comes to hear our pleas for mercy as He graciously forgives yours and my sins. Jesus, our King, comes in the name of the Lord as the One who creates, nourishes, and sustains our faith in Him, so that we may abound in His love.

 

As much as we appreciate our King’s coming through His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – Jesus is only coming to us concealed under those Means. For we long for more! We wish to see Jesus in all His splendor and glory! We wish to see His scars and hear His loving voice.

 

Behold, the King is coming! Click, clop. Click, clop.

 

Lastly, Jesus tells us: “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” … “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:25-27, 34).

 

On the day of His final coming, Christ the King, the One who created the world, who redeemed and restored the world, who forgives our sins and strengthens our faith in His Means of Grace, will return no longer lowly upon a donkey or concealed through Means, but He will come with all power and glory to judge the world as He descends from the clouds.

 

On that great and glorious day, Jesus will come as our King to set all things right. And we will endure to see that day as we are spiritually fed through His Means of Grace. 

 

As we begin this Advent season, always remember that the King has come as He has defeated the powers of sin, death, and hell for us upon the cross, the King is here concealed in His Means of Grace and the King is coming again in all His glory!

 

May Christ the King always comfort you, strengthen you, and sanctify you with His grace! 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 +

Sermon for Advent 3: "Bringing the Good News of Salvation" (Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11)

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:

A messenger of God proclaims: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1-2).

 

Isaiah writes our text looking ahead to a day when God’s people are stuck in Babylon. Judah and its capital city of Jerusalem have been replaced by Babylonian building projects. Israel has no king, no temple, no royal city, no land, no liturgy, no sacrifice, no hope, and no future. By the rivers of Babylon, the Jews sit and weep and they reminisce about the good old days when they worshiped in the splendor of Solomon’s Temple. They are permanently exiled in a foreign land.

 

The Babylonian captivity of the Jews was horrific as the city they knew was no more and now they were forced to bow down and worship the Babylonian false gods. 

 

The Jewish people had felt the hammer of God’s judgment, because of their persistent pride, inflated egos, and their own worship of false gods. In the 6^th century BC, God sent these Babylonians as His hammer to smash His people’s egos to smithereens. Some of their relatives had been murdered. But the entire country of Judah had been mocked. Babylon, sent as God’s agent of judgment, maimed the mauled God’s people.

 

But as God’s people who were under judgment, a messenger of God proclaims: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1-2).

 

Our text for the Third Sunday in Advent is remarkable. First, like last Sunday, our text has multiple fulfillments. The initial fulfillment anticipates the return of God’s people from their Babylonian Exile. After years in captivity, due to their unfaithfulness to God, God announced their freedom and their return back to Jerusalem to rebuild their land. Even as the Jews were delivered, they, like us, were still held captive. They were held captive by sin and death. So, our focus this morning will be on the fulfillment that would occur in the fullness of time.

 

In the fullness of time, the Messiah would come bringing the good news of salvation bearing these words from Isaiah 61.

 

As it was His custom in Nazareth, Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. On one particular day, Jesus was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. So, Jesus unrolled the scroll and spoke our text: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18a).

 

After Jesus finished reading, He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. All the eyes of those in the synagogue were fixed upon Jesus as they awaited His interpretation of Isaiah 61. But then Jesus said, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

 

This was a dramatic moment for everyone in the synagogue. They were amazed and perplexed. “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:22). Then they become furious. They were so angry that they sought to throw Jesus off a cliff. But their reaction does not change the fulfillment. Their reaction did not change that Jesus is the One in whose coming fulfilled these prophecies. For Jesus has come to preach, to proclaim, and to comfort. He came as our Savior from sin, eternal death, and hell.

 

Jesus came to fulfill this promise of God. Jesus came as the Servant Messiah. He came to preach the good news to the poor. Now, Christ is not speaking of finances, but being poverty stricken because of iniquity and sin. For Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). To this, Jesus says that His Gospel will have no effect on the callous and comfortable, but only changes the lives of those who are stuck and mired in sin, guilt, and shame.

 

Now, Jesus stops with the words “the year of the Lord’s favor” because He came not to condemn the world, but to save the world (John 3:17). But there will be a day, when at His Second Advent that He will execute this “day of vengeance” (Isaiah 61:2b).

 

But before that day, Jesus has come “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:2a). Jesus has come to bring good news of salvation. He has come to announce a Jubilee, first announced by Isaiah, begun in Nazareth, and is still going on today.

 

To a dead son in the village of Nain, Jesus says, “Young man, I say to you arise” (Luke 7:14). To a sinful woman at the house of Simon the Pharisee, He says, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). To a woman with a flow of blood for 18 years, He says, “Your faith has healed you” (Luke 8:48). To Jairus’ daughter, He says, “Child, arise” (Luke 8:54). To the disciples, He says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). To the starved, the famished, the empty, Jesus says, “Come, for everything is now ready” (Luke 14:17). To Zacchaeus, He says, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Even to the Romans, who maimed Him, mauled Him, and mocked Him, Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). And to the repentant thief, Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

 

Jesus has come to bring the good news of salvation to a weak and sinful people. Jesus came come to bring the good news of salvation to a people unable to save themselves.

 

And we need to hear this good news now more than ever, because all too often, we hear bad news. A doctor brings you the bad news of being diagnosed with cancer, or that the cancer in remission has returned. Or, you hear from your boyfriend or girlfriend, “It’s not you, it’s me.” Bad news is all around us.

 

Some of us actively choose to let bad news control us. As we turn it on in our living rooms, read it in the newspaper, or scroll for it on social media.

 

Our lives are often filled with misery and trouble. We endure defeat and failure more than we triumph. So, our hearts are broken. And we are disappointed again and again. Those we love even inflict pain upon us.

 

We, like those in Babylonian captivity, are being held captive to sin and death. But unlike them, we don’t have to wait for salvation, since the Savior from sin has come!

 

“Hark the glad sound! The Savior Comes!” He has come to bring the good news of salvation! Jesus comes with the soothing voice of salvation!

 

Christ’s preaching is the glad sound by which the Old Testament Scriptures are fulfilled in the ears of those who hear. His same voice is heard today at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and His same voice will be heard to the end of the age, in the preaching of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

 

It is through the preaching of the Gospel that those who are held in the bondage of sin and death – you and me – are set free. For Christ the Lord bears all the burden and the weight, and He suffers all the brokenness and bloody death of sin, in order to release the prisoners of Satan and grand them the peace of heaven.

 

Through the healing Gospel, Jesus “binds up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1d). He does as a physician does. He binds up and heals our wounds: the Law, our sin, and eternal death. Christ alone is the cure from the Law’s demands, our sin, and eternal death. Without Christ as the Physician, the Law would trouble us, since we always fail at doing what we ought to do. And if we can’t do the good we ought to do, we get our reward: eternal death.

 

But not with Christ, He came to “proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1e). He came to die, so that we by grace through faith in Him alone would be free from the power of sin and death. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has opened the door to everlasting life. Jesus has come to proclaim the healing message of forgiveness from God. He bandages brokenhearted sinners with His soothing message of forgiveness. He removes the burden from guilty consciences. He releases sinners bound in the hopeless dungeon of our own depravity. He breaks the bondage of Satan’s controlling influence over our lives. 

 

The promised Messiah has come to heal, to console, and free us from all evil. He has come with the never-ending message of deliverance from sin, death, hell, and Satan.

 

Today, Christ is here to bring you His good news of salvation! We hear His voice as He absolves our sins. In His Body and Blood, He removes our sorrow and gives us joy. He has come to bind up your wounds by bringing you the good news of your salvation! 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 Palm Sunday: "Drawn to the King" (John 12:12-19)

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:

Who doesn’t enjoy a parade? For me, I always look forward to watching the Rose Parade each year. Each float is so beautiful and unique. Some are large. Some are small. Some barely make it under bridges and around turns. From the spectacle of the petal-covered floats to the marching bands from all around the world, it is quite a parade. There is nothing like it.

 

We have parades for holidays, such as New Years with the Rose Parade, but we have also become accustomed to victory parades. We celebrate teams that win championships. We also celebrate people, such as hometown soldiers who return from serving in war time.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we have another parade. Now, the crowds don’t throw ticker tape, or receive candy from those walking in the parade, but they wave palms, just as we did as we began today’s service. The parade recorded by John didn’t have marching bands, but the people along the parade route were chanting psalm choruses. And the honoree of that parade was not riding an antique convertible, but on the back of a donkey.

 

This was a parade unlike any other. It was a parade fit for a king – in fact, for the King! But Jesus is a King who isn’t what the crowds expect. Yet, the crowds appear to glorify this King in the procession. But this is just the start of a weeklong procession that will ultimately lead to the King’s suffering and death – and ultimately to His fullest glorification. Christ’s glorified procession into Jerusalem led to His ultimate glorification on the cross.

 

In the ancient world, processions and parades served to glorify rulers and generals. Typically, the ruler would enter a city welcomed by adoring multitudes, while riding his stately white horse and flanked by his generals. The crowds would welcome their ruler with shouts of cheers and songs of praise. They would throw flowers and leafy branches before his path. They reach out their hands in hopes of touching this man as they consider to be godlike. Indeed, such processions in the ancient world served to glorify rulers and their generals.

 

The Palm Sunday crowd appears to offer a similar glorification of Jesus. The news of the raising of Lazarus only further increased the fervor. “This man raised to life a man who once was dead! We must see this man!”

 

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He was greeted as a king. Large crowds welcomed Him as they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him as they cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13).

 

The question is, what sort of a king does this crowd believe Jesus to be?

 

Palm branches are an expression of nationalistic homage to royalty. Does the crowd understand Jesus to be a conqueror or liberator of the Jews? Palm fronds became a national symbol of Judea, appearing on the coins minted by the Jewish nationalists during war with Rome. So, it appears that the crowd may understand Jesus as the one who will achieve their nationalistic hope of liberation from the Romans.

 

Afterall, Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead. He has healed a man born blind. He healed lepers. If Jesus can perform those miracles, why couldn’t he also liberate the Jewish people from Roman occupation?

 

So, the people cry out: “Hosanna!” Now, this plea was originally a plea for salvation. But over time, that cry of “Hosanna!” had become a calling of praise and acclaim for the conquering hero. So, in the chant of “Hosanna,” there was certainly a messianic expectation placed upon Jesus.

 

So, the crowd is certainly proclaiming Jesus as a messiah figure, but it appears that they see Jesus as assuming the posture of a Davidic king. And this is on purpose. All that led to this procession was mysterious to Christ’s disciples. He gave orders that struck His disciples as strange and puzzling. They were to go into a village just ahead to find a donkey and its colt tied together. Plus, the owner of the donkey and its colt was willing to let the animals go. All very mysterious. At the word of the disciples, “The Lord needs them,” they received the donkey and its colt.

 

The disciples brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them (Matthew 21:7). They weren’t sure which animal Jesus would ride, so they placed cloaks on both of them. Jesus then decided to ride the young colt, which no one had ever ridden (Luke 19:30; Mark 11:2). Upon that young donkey, Jesus would ride on into Jerusalem.

Now, this is significant. First, Jesus identifies Himself as one of the royal line of David. The kings of Judah rode donkeys as a hallmark of their descent from King David. For example, in 1 Kings (1:33-34, 38), Solomon was demonstrated to be the heir to the throne by being seated on David’s donkey. So, by the crowd shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they had the right understanding.

 

But there is more. Second, Jesus identifies Himself as one who comes in peace. A warlike king or a conqueror would most likely ride on a stallion – a stately white horse. So, a king or any other important person who enters a city on a donkey indicates that he has come for peaceful purposes. And, third, John here identifies this with the fulfillment of a prophecy regarding the Messiah: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt” (Zechariah 9:9; John 12:15).

 

These huge crowds glorify Jesus by welcoming Him into the capital city. They are awed by His miraculous healing power. Among the crowds, the Pharisees begin to realize that Jesus’ popularity is threatening their political power, so they say to one another, “Look, the world has gone after Him” (John 12:19). So, they begin scheming to find any way to eliminate Him.

 

Even with the large crowds, the people shouting, chanting, and praising Jesus still don’t know who He really is. It seems that so many misunderstand Christ’s mission, for they expect Him to be a military leader. They believe Jesus will use His power to remove the Romans. And even those closest to Jesus misunderstand His mission. For they expect Jesus to be an earthly ruler.

 

We, too, often misunderstand Christ’s mission. We want Jesus to serve our self-determined needs and wants. You may desire Jesus to be your personal mascot who will always cheer you on. He will never talk about hell and damnation. In fact, He will never condemn, correct, or criticize you. He is an all-around nice guy who encourages you in every pursuit.

 

You may see Jesus as just one option among many. Or, as a man who dispenses health, wealth, and success.

 

I’d say that the American idea of Jesus is that He is an all-around nice guy who hung out with sinners, so He must be fine with sin. But the reality is that He was with sinners, because everyone else but Him was a sinner. And Jesus never said remain in your sin. Instead, He said, “Go and sin no more.” He always called for repentance.

 

So, Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem ultimately leads to His ultimate glorification, not in the Palm Sunday parade, but through crucifixion on Good Friday. You see, Jesus identifies His glorification with His death. He says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” … “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself” (John 12:23, 32). This glorification through suffering and death is a paradox that the world cannot understand, but it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

 

Jesus’ death is His most glorious moment because it is the accomplishment of His mission to redeem sinners, you and me. This was the plan from the beginning. The crowds may not have understood it then, but in time they would understand God’s plan of salvation.

 

It could only be Jesus’ death and bodily resurrection that would fulfill God’s plan of salvation. The salvation plan is that the very Son of God would bear the curse of sin so that all sinners are forgiven. It is only through Christ’s sacrifice being lifted up from the earth that all humanity would be restored to God.

 

Through Christ alone, we are reconciled to God. Because of this grace, we glorify the Crucified One as our ultimate King.

 

Christ’s disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified on the cross, they understood how Jesus fulfilled all that the prophets said. They understood Christ’s true glory. 

 

So, just as the world was drawn to Christ at his Palm Sunday procession, even more so will it be drawn to Him at His glorification on the cross! Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +