The Feast of St. Stephen

 The Feast of St. Stephen – December 26, 2023

Psalm 119; 2 Chronicles 24:17-22; Acts 6:8-7:60

St. Matthew 23:34-39

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The word “martyr” means someone who tells others what they have seen. A martyr is a witness, one who testifies to what they have seen. The Bible and the Church have taken this word and given it a special meaning. It is reserved for those who tell others about Jesus and are killed for it. St. Stephen was the first martyr because he was the first Christian who was killed because he told people about Jesus. He told them that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, who called Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans and promised to give his children an eternal home.

He told them that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament who was with Isaac and Jacob. Jesus is the same God who was with Joseph when his brothers tried to murder him. Jesus was with Joseph when he was sold into slavery in Egypt and when Joseph rose to be Pharaoh’s right-hand man.

Stephen told people that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament who called Moses to be His prophet. Jesus is the same God who led His people out of Egypt and stayed with them for forty years as they wandered in the desert. Stephen also told people that it was Jesus who came to dwell in the temple built by Solomon at God’s direction. In all those times and at all those places, God was with His people and this God was Jesus.

The Pharisees and the Sadducees, the Jewish leaders of Stephen’s day, didn’t like what Stephen was saying. They didn’t believe that Jesus was God. They didn’t believe that He was the Savior who came to take away their sins. But that wasn’t the only reason they killed Stephen. They also killed him because Stephen told people what Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple and in three days, I will rebuild it.” Now, Jesus was speaking of the Temple of His body, that when they crucified Him, three days later He would rise from the grave.

The Jews believed that the Temple was the only place where God would come to them. They believed that it was the single place that united them as a nation and as a religion. Without the Temple, they would not be a people and they would not be the people of God. But Jesus very clearly taught them that the Temple was only a sign that God was with them. God had promised to be with His people, most especially in the Temple, but He never promised that the Temple would last forever, nor that it was the only place where He would be with His people. To make sure people understood this, when Jesus was crucified, He tore the Temple curtain from top to bottom, showing that He would no longer be found in the Temple. He was now with His people in His Word.

When Jesus was born of Mary, He came to be with His people in a new way. He walked and talked with His people. After His death and resurrection, He promised to be with His people always, even to the end of the Age. He is still with us. He is with us in His Word and in His Holy Sacraments. He is with us most especially in the Holy Communion, but He is also with us each and every day.

These things made the Jews of Stephen’s day angry. They were angry because of what Stephen was saying. They were angry because of what Jesus had said. They were angry because what Stephen and Jesus had said meant they were wrong. They were wrong about the Bible, and they were wrong about God. They could have listened to Stephen and Jesus. When they realized they were wrong, they could have repented, told God they were sorry, and listened to God’s Word instead of believing what they wanted to believe. Instead, they chose to kill Jesus and then to kill Stephen.

The same things happen today. People think it is weird to go to Church the day after Christmas, let alone three days after Christmas. Friends, neighbors, coworkers might make fun of you for being a Christian, for being a Lutheran. They might think you are wrong to believe that Jesus died for your sins. They might think you are wrong to believe that the most important thing in the whole world is your faith, that you trust in Jesus for your salvation. Some people might not stop with just laughing at you. They might choose not to be your friend, to take you job away from you, and yes, maybe even kill you. There are places in the world where Christians still have to meet in secret for fear that the government or others who hate Jesus will find them and kill them.

Don’t be scared by this. I’m telling you this because it is true. But even if they take away your friends, your job, or even your life, you still have the victory. You have the victory because like Stephen, you have Jesus on your side. When the Jews and the crowd picked up rocks to throw at Stephen to kill him, he looked up to heaven and saw Jesus. He saw Jesus with open arms, ready to receive Stephen into heaven. You might not be given such a blessed vision, to get to see Jesus just before death, but the truth is the same. Jesus will receive you and all the faithful into heaven with open arms. Because of that, because of the promise of Jesus to receive you and all the faithful in heaven, you have nothing to fear in this world.

And because you have nothing to fear, you can tell others about Jesus. Stephen tells the Jews and the crowds about Jesus because he wants them to believe in Jesus, too. He wants them to meet Jesus in heaven and to be with Him forever. So, he tells them about what Jesus has done, that He is the Savior who came to earth to take away our sins. He tells them to believe what Jesus has done and trust in Him to save them. You get to do that too! You get to tell people about Jesus so that they would be with you and Jesus for all time. Isn’t that wonderful?

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Nativity of our Lord (Christmas Day)

 The Nativity of our Lord – December 25, 2024

Psalm 98; Exodus 40:17-21, 24-28; Hebrews 1:1-12; St. John 1:1-18

St. Matthew 2:1-12

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are coeternal, meaning they are without beginning and without end. In the beginning of creation, God created the heavens and the earth by speaking. Through the Word, all things came into being. If all things came into being by the speaking of the Word, then the Word is before all things. The Word is eternal. The Word is without beginning and is without end. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

This Word is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is the substance of the communication of God. If the Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity who communicates with man, if he is the one who proceeds, then the Word is the Person who gives substance to that communication. He is the message communicated from the Father by the Spirit. If the Father sends you a package and the Holy Spirit delivers it, the Word is the package itself.

Through this Word all things are made. Through this Word the planets and stars, sun and moon, earth and seas, beasts of the field and birds of the air, creeping things and swimming things, all these are created. The final creation and the crown jewel of it all is man. From the dust of the earth, God forms man and the Word breathes life into him. Man is created in the image of God. He is created to be the object of God’s love, to worship and serve God, and to be steward of all creation.

The Word spoke to man, naming him his beloved, calling him “very good,” and gave him a command. From the moment of creation, the Creator has been in communication with creation. He is not silent. The Word speaks.

Then man sought to be like God. He was already created in the image of God but he was deceived into believing he could be a god himself. Man desired to know good and evil for himself rather than trust the Word spoken by God. Man betrayed God and broke God’s Word, His Holy Law.

Such transgression required punishment. God did not imagine a punishment after man had betrayed him. No. The natural consequence of denying the Word of God is silence, the silence of death.

Man hid in the Garden, holding his breath lest the Word of God should hear him and find him. But God was not content to remain silent. The Word speaks. The Word cries out to man that man would present himself before God. The judgment was already effective, “You shall surely die.” But the Word did not leave the judgment here. He promised another would come. The seed of the woman would come into the world and crush the serpent’s head. He would destroy death, destroy the eternal punishment for Man’s betrayal. Death would strike the Seed’s heel but the Seed would destroy the head of Death.

What is a Seed if not that through which a creation springs forth? The Seed is the Word. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Having been born in a stable, laid to rest in a manger, the Word of God was unknown by the world. Even though the world had been made through Him, the world shut its eyes against God. This is the history and lineage of Cain and Ham. The world has grown powerful and cast off any need or desire for the Almighty God wrapped in swaddling clothes. The world does not know Him and is content to sit in darkness, reveling in the sin of its own making.

But the Scriptures also speak of His own, and His own did not receive Him. These are Christians, who through weakness and a malformed will sin against God. You are sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, having inherited the sin of Adam’s flesh. The temptation is great not to receive the flesh of Christ and pay no mind to it. Perhaps it is out of a desire for the things of this world—fleshly desires for wealth, power, prestige, or pleasure. Perhaps it is out of a malformed conscience that believes avoiding the flesh of Jesus will make atonement for your own sins. Perhaps it is out of a desire to prove yourself to God or other men, that by your abstaining from the flesh of Jesus, you are a “true” Christian.

His own, His own Christians did not receive Him. This is the sin that dwells in your hearts and it is for this sin that the Word of God became flesh. He took on flesh to bring you peace with God and goodwill among men. The Word became flesh to show you mercy and grace, to forgive your sins. Not to receive the flesh of Christ is a bold rejection of the forgiveness of sins and a return to the darkness of the sin which clings to your own flesh. Preferring the flesh of man over the very flesh of God is a grievous sin.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”[1] There is no sin so great that Christ did not die for it. In this sense, no matter the blasphemy, murder, or adultery, even the turning from the flesh of Christ to the flesh of man, there is forgiveness found in the Word made flesh. There is forgiveness for as many as received Him, that is, who look into the ugly face of sin and cry out to the Child of Mary; who confess themselves to be unworthy, unclean, and wretched; who confess themselves to be in need of a Savior, in need of mercy, in need of forgiveness.

These are they who have received Him and to these He has given the right to become children of God. This is what it means to believe in His name: to believe in His Word; to believe what the Word of God says about man and about the God who became Man; to repent of blasphemy, murder, and adultery and seek salvation in the Son of God alone.

The Word of God dwelt with Mary and Joseph. He dwelt with man. For three years He traveled the land, dwelling with man, calling mankind to receive him. To those who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. He gave you the right to call him brother and friend. At the end of His walk on earth, He bore the sins of the world upon his shoulders and spoke again to all of creation, “It is finished.” The pain of sin, the rule of death, the power of the serpent are finished. And we beheld his glory, hanging upon the cross.

The grace and truth of the Father is the Word, the Word who has spoken to you this day. The grace and truth of the Father is that He loves you; He forgives you and you are at Peace with Him. The Word is Jesus Christ the Lord who came not only to dwell with Mary and Joseph but dwells with you today. He sits on the mercy seat of the Altar, prepared to bring you the Victory Feast of His triumphant death and resurrection. The Word became flesh which He now shares with you. We behold His glory by receiving His flesh and blood into our mouths. We behold His glory as we receive the Only-Begotten of the Father.

O ye heights of heaven, adore Him; Angel hosts, His praises sing. Powers, dominion, bow before Him and extol our God and King. Let no tongue on earth be silent, every voice in concert ring. Evermore and evermore.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[1] St. John 1:12.

The Eve of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas Eve)

 The Eve of the Nativity of our Lord – December 24, 2024

Psalm 2; Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-15a

St. Luke 2:1-20

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When Caesar Augustus commanded that a census be taken, Joseph journeyed with the young, pregnant virgin, to whom he was engaged, to Bethlehem, the city of David. Joseph was a pious, kindhearted man. He had sought to quietly annul his engagement to the Blessed Virgin when he found her with child but the angel Gabriel revealed to him that the Son in her womb was the very Son of God, the Savior of mankind. Believing the archangel, Joseph set his mind to be a faithful steward and guardian of the Child. Part of his faithful guardianship was to ensure his family was counted in this census.

But arriving in the city of David, among Joseph’s many relatives, no room was found for the Blessed Virgin, great with child. Not a single man was willing to give up his bed for this young girl, that she might rest her head in a bed. Consequently, there was no crib for the Child soon to be born. When it came time for His birth, the Holy Family found themselves among the animals. The Newborn Babe was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, a feeding trough for the animals.

From this, we see a picture of the Church. Mary is a picture of the Church, the household of God, and the world has little esteem for her. Even those who are friendly, even those who are related to her are unwilling to step aside to provide for her. She is left alone to bear the child. Joseph, her betrothed, could be seen as pastors, those who are given stewardship, guardianship over the church. The child to be born is not of his blood but is to be born for Joseph as well. He does what he can to provide for Mary and the child. He guards and protects her in this dangerous hour.

The relatives of Joseph have also come to be counted for the census, but they have no mind for the Savior in their midst. The world wants to hear Christmas songs and participate in the mystical quality of the birth of Christ, but they have no mind for the Savior who is to be born. Many might feel compelled to attend a church on Christmas Eve, to hear the words of Luke 2, to watch children sing and imitate the birth of Christ, but they do not ponder these things in their hearts. It is a stage show for many, who can’t be bothered to leave their beds on Christmas morning, leaving the Christ child to be laid in a manger far away.

It is for this reason the Holy Angels announce the birth of the Savior to the shepherds. They are watching their flocks by night, doing the duty given to them by God. They are faithful to the sheep but despised by man. Shepherding was not a noble task. It was dirty and for the lowly. But the Holy Messengers of God reveal to these lowly men that a Savior is born this night, born for them and all people in the city of David. And this birth is the occasion for great joy.

Joy is much more than happiness. Joy is contentment that a promise has been fulfilled. Joy is a relief that what is to come is here. Joy erupts from the bowels of the joyful, leaping forth from the cattle stall of hearts frozen by fear. The joy attending the message of the Holy Angels is that Peace has been born in Bethlehem and God’s good will has come to dwell with man.

Tonight is the beginning of the feast of the Incarnation of our Lord. The Son of God is without beginning and without end. He was with God in the beginning at the very creation of the cosmos. The cattle stall in Bethlehem was not the beginning of His being. It was, however, the beginning of His Incarnation—His being wrapped in human flesh.

He took on flesh that He might fulfill the Law of God. Since the sin of Adam, sin has reigned in the flesh of all men, passed on from father to son. This Original Sin clings to the flesh of all mortals and renders us incapable of keeping the Law of God. We are incapable of keeping the Law because by our sinful nature, we are enemies of God. We deserve nothing but God’s wrath and punishment, both temporal and eternal. If you break even the least of the commandments, you are guilty of breaking the entire Law of God. The Law of God is His eternal will and as such, it demands to be fulfilled. We can’t do it. It required fulfillment and we can’t do it.

Thus, the Son of God was born without the help of man. He was Incarnate in the womb of the Virgin without the seed of man. He was born the Seed of the woman, the promised Seed of Genesis 3:15. Having no human father means that Original Sin was not wrought in the Christ’s flesh. He was without Original Sin and actively fulfilled the will of God. He kept it perfectly such that death had no claim on Him.

The Son of God also took on flesh that He might learn of your suffering. He was born in a manger among the animals. He endured poverty and scorn. As a man, He would endure physical suffering and torture, even death. There is no suffering known to man that the Christ did not endure. He endured these things so that He would take your suffering, pain, and sorrow onto Himself. He bore your sin and suffering so that they would be nailed to the cross with Him.

Above all, the Son of God took on mortal flesh so that one day, He would die on the cross and rise three days later. As God, He is life and cannot die. As a man, it is His fate to die. It is the fate of all men to die, that is the end of all flesh. The Son of God became man for this purpose, that He would die in your flesh, ending the curse of death given to man in the Garden of Eden.

This is the cause of Peace, and God’s goodwill toward men. Without Christ, there is only enmity between God and man. We are God’s enemy outside of Christ. There is no hope; there is no peace; there is no goodwill among men outside of Christ. The Holy Angels give glory to God on behalf of the birth of the Christ, the Savior of mankind. This is our joy this evening. This is our joy tomorrow morning. This is our joy every day of the year. Ponder these things in your heart and let the joy of the Incarnate Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary, erupt from deep within you. This peace, this joy cannot be taken from you. Nothing in heaven or earth can snatch you from the Father’s hand so long as you have Christ.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rorate Coeli (Advent 4)

 Rorate Coeli (Advent 4) – December 22, 2024

Psalm 19; Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Philippians 4:4-7

St. John 1:19-28

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Those who question St. John the Baptist this morning do so in two parts. First, they question his identity, “Who are you? Are you Elijah? Are you the Prophet?” Then they question what he is doing, or on who’s authority he is doing it, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” This will also serve as the outline for our meditation this morning.

With regard to identity, there seem to have been three prevailing theories in the first century as to what the Messiah would look like. There were some who thought He would be a King Messiah, sent by God to deliver His people from oppression by the Romans and all other nations. This King Messiah would reconstitute the nation of Israel and save His people by establishing an earthly kingdom for them to rule.

Then there was the idea of a Priest Messiah. He would arrive with signs and wonders, a divine Elijah, who would conquer the enemies of God by invoking the Divine Name and offering sacrifices acceptable to God for the sins of the people. He would purify the Temple and reinstitute the right and holy sacrifices of Moses. His rule would be by the Law of God.

Finally, there was the idea of a Prophet Messiah. He would need neither the state nor the Temple because He would usher in the rule of God by His Words, alone. This would be a prophet like Moses but far greater. Just as there was no king in the days of Moses, so too this Prophet Messiah would need no king since he would judge all matters. So also, there was no Temple in the days of Moses, so this Prophet Messiah would have no need for sacrifices or external means. Salvation would become a matter of the heart and soul alone.

Each of these expected Messiahs has an element of truth but is overcome by falsehood. Those looking for the King Messiah trust that the promises of God are for this world and apply to our very bodies. But that is where their idea of salvation stops. It seems they looked only for a Messiah of the flesh and were not concerned about the soul, the forgiveness of sins, or eternal life.

Those looking for the Priest Messiah also acknowledged the blessings of God received through means, but their hope was in the Law of God. The blood of bulls and goats meant salvation and it was the Priest Messiah who would purify their offerings so that they might earn salvation by keeping God’s Law.

Those looking for the Prophet Messiah certainly found comfort in the Word of God and held His Word in high esteem. However, they became so heavenly minded they were of no earthly good. Perhaps they even fell into an antinomian mindset, that is, they disregarded the Law of God, making God’s promises strictly a matter between ‘me and God’ with no effect on life in this world.

It seems the various sects that had arisen in the first century fell into one of these three camps. There was only a small, faithful remnant who saw the truth of God’s Word, that the Messiah would fill all three offices—Prophet, Priest, and King. He rules over all nations. All kings derive their authority not from right but from the very hand of the Messiah, the Incarnate God. He is the Priest after the order of Melchizedek, who would offer the perfect and final sacrifice of Himself, for the forgiveness of sins. He is also the Prophet like Moses, the very Word of God made flesh. He would speak not as a messenger of God but as God Himself, from His own authority and power.

John was of this faithful remnant, who denied being the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet like Moses. He was the voice crying in the wilderness, making the hearts of man prepared to receive their Prophet, Priest, and King in the Person of Jesus Christ. John does not find his identity in his clothes, though they outwardly display his office; nor in his personal wants and desires, who he wants the world to see him as; nor even in his job, his wealth, or his health. John finds his identity in the Word of God.

Now, none of you has a particular prophecy about himself in the Old Testament that reveals your role in the history of salvation like John does. However, your identity is clearly spelled out in Scripture. You are a sinner, who has inherited the sin of your father Adam in your flesh. This sin makes you an enemy of God. But you have also been adopted into the family of God. You have been made a child of the Heavenly Father through the waters of Holy Baptism. You died in those waters. You died and were buried. Through a miracle of the Holy Spirit, you were then raised a new man. You arose as a child of God, with the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ Himself, covering your sin and marking you as an heir of heaven.

Your sin was drowned in the waters of Holy Baptism, but it still clings to your flesh, at least on this side of glory. We must daily repent of our sins and strive against sin, daily praying that all our doings in life would please God. This is the baptismal life, the life of the Christian. When you fall into sin, you repent and there is forgiveness. We live, and breathe, and have our being in the grace and mercy of Christ that has been showered upon is in the waters of Holy Baptism.

This is not just a nice picture. There is no “pretend” in the Scriptures nor in the life of the Church. What God’s Word says, it does. What Christ says, He does. When He says, “Your sins are forgiven,” they are forgiven. When He says, “Arise, your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more,” He means it.

Which is why the second round of questioning is vital. “Since you are not the Christ, Elijah, nor the Prophet, who do you think you are, baptizing and forgiving sins?” By confessing that he baptizes with water, but Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit, John is confessing that he is the instrument, and Christ is the actor in Holy Baptism.

There is a distinction between the office and the man. In many ways, John—and pastors today—just splash around some water and recite some words. There is nothing in John’s person that makes Baptism happen. It is God working through Him to give such power and might to the Sacrament. John does not bestow the Holy Spirit or the forgiveness of sins on those he baptizes. God does. God works through the means of the Office of the Holy Ministry to administer Holy Baptism. It is an act of God, a divine work, that is done through the hands and lips of men.

John and all men called to the Office of the Holy Ministry are sinful, fallible human beings, just like everyone else. It is not a matter of their person but a matter of their office. They have been called to be the lips and hands of God in distributing His marvelous gifts—the Word of God, the Holy Sacraments, the forgiveness of sins. They have been given the blessed task of pointing you to Christ, just as John does in this reading. “There is One who stands among you that you do not know, so let me tell you about Him. Let me give Him to you in Word, water, wine, and bread. I am not worthy to tie His sandal strap, but I have been called to bring Him to you.”

As you make your final preparations for Christmas, buying last minute gifts, preparing the spare room for visitors, or finalizing travel plans, perhaps take blessed John the Baptist as your example. Remember that it is the Incarnation of the Son of God that we are celebrating—not in a kitschy “Jesus is the reason for the season” way, but remembering that it was the love of God that motivated Him to descend into your flesh. He set aside the powers of His divinity for a time that He might experience your suffering; that He might fulfill the Law where you, your fathers, and all mankind have failed; that He might bear your sin to the cross.

Remember that He is the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. Remember that in your baptism, you died to sin with Christ, and rose a new man, washed in His blood, living a new life in Christ. For all this, it is our duty to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. It is also our duty to continue to receive these gifts from Him. And when John hit his lowest low, sitting in a prison cell that he would never leave alive on this side of glory, he went to the source of his salvation, the source of his joy. He sent two disciples to Jesus and asked if He is the One who is to Come, or if he should look for another. Christ sent Word that He is indeed, the Coming One, the One come to relief the sick, the suffering, the poor, and the oppressed.

For John, that relief came in martyrdom. For others, miracles of healing were performed. For you, it may mean debt relief, a clean bill of health, or children who return to the faith. But it may not. Your relief may look more like John’s. What we know for certain is that Christ has relieved you of your sin and that means that when this short life is over, when your days of 70, 80, or 90 years are over, you have eternity with Christ. You have eternity with the God who was born in a lowly manger, the Lamb of God who takes away your sin.

Remember this as you prepare to celebrate Christmas. Remember this as you pray, sing, and gather with all the saints to celebrate His birth.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

Vespers - Advent 3

Vespers on Wednesday of Gaudete – December 18, 2024

Psalm 85; Isaiah 2:2-5; Isaiah 7:10-15

St. Luke 1:26-38a

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.[1]

The Divided Kingdom, that punishment for the idolatry and apostacy of Solomon when the northern tribes broke away and formed the Kingdom of Israel while the southern tribes formed the Kingdom of Judah around Jerusalem, is marked by a series of wicked kings who did not remember their father David nor obey the Word of God. Once in a while, you get a good king, who is said to “do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.” Uzziah was one such king, who did what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

However, Scripture is clear that none of these “good kings” was perfect. In fact, they were deeply flawed. Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but he did not tear down the high places – those altars Solomon had built for his wives for the worship of false gods. People still offered sacrifices on those high places and burned incense to false gods. This was done in mockery of the true God who had revealed Himself to His people on the “high place” of Mount Sinai and promised to save them from their sins on the “high place” of Calvary.

Because Uzziah did not tear down these false altars, he was struck by leprosy by the Lord. His son, Jotham, likewise did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But like his father, he failed to tear down the high places. In an act of righteous piety, he added to the temple of the Lord. He built the Upper Gate. Perhaps this act of piety spared him the leprous fate of his father.

Perhaps the son of Jotham would finally tear down those high places. Perhaps the son of Jotham would cleanse the land of the plague of false worship, restoring it to the land of milk and honey promised by the Lord and suitable for His holy habitation. Ahaz was the son of Jotham and was poised to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Early in his reign, however, the king of the Kingdom of Israel joined forces with the king of Syria to attack the Kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem was under siege. For a while, Ahaz successfully drove off the invaders. But they kept coming. As the forces of Israel and Syria bore down on Jerusalem yet again, God sent the prophet Isaiah to Ahaz with a message and a question. The message was simple,

It shall not stand, nor shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus [the capital], and the head of Damascus is Rezin [the king of Syria]. Within sixty-five years Ephraim [the region of Samaria] will be broken, so that it will not be a people. The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son [the king of Israel]. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.[2]

God will deliver Ahaz from his enemies. He will deliver the Kingdom of Judah from the northerners. This promise is certain and true. But the consequences of not believing such a promise of God is that the promise will be delivered to another, not Ahaz. So the Lord asks a question,

“Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”[3]

The Lord God knew this to be a pivotal moment in the life of Ahaz. Would he trust the Lord, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord? Or would he place his trust in man, like so many before him? Believing in the promise wouldn’t make it come true – it was already true. But failing to believe – that would result in the destruction of Ahaz.

His response is very curious. It almost sounds pious. “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”[4] Whenever Jesus tests someone’s faith in the New Testament, He tries to get them to settle for the least He will give them; sometimes nothing at all. Those who pass these tests do so by holding God to His Word, making Him keep His promises. Ahaz does the opposite. The Lord has spoken and offered any sign in heaven or earth to bolster his faith. God knows that Ahaz is in a difficult position. Ahaz has won several significant battles by a large margin, but his back is also against a wall. The Lord is willing to strengthen his faith by a sign—and Ahaz refuses that sign. He refuses the gift of God. He refuses to trust in the Lord.

We shall see that this arrogance led to the downfall of Ahaz. Not only did he not destroy the high altars to false gods, but he also increased their worship. He offered his own sons on altars of fire to false gods. Let me say that again, he put his sons on altars to false gods and burned them alive. What’s more, he encouraged such disgusting practices throughout the Kingdom of Judah. He welcomed child sacrifice in the land of the Lord’s promises.

God does not leave Ahaz without a sign, though it is no longer the sign of Ahaz’s choosing. “The Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”[5] Just as the Angel Gabriel came to the Blessed Virgin to announce the coming Savior, God sent Isaiah to Ahaz to announce the same. God would Himself be born among these hills of idolatrous worship that He might be offered on the altars of fire in the place of Mary and Ahaz.

Where Ahaz declined the offer of God’s miracle, Mary received it with joy. She was not without questions. She had no idea how she would be the mother of God since she was not yet married. She was even a bit confused by the greeting of the Archangel. But she did not refuse the Word of God for even a moment. She did not decline to have God visit her, where Ahaz did.

And do not mistake this praise of the Blessed Virgin as praise of her actions or the particular strength of her faith. She could not believe the words of Gabriel any more than Ahaz did if the Lord did not provide her with faith. The Angel’s first words are, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you.”[6] If the Lord was not with her, she could not have believed. Faith is itself a great gift of God. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit, who opens the hands of our heart to receive the great gift of Love that is Christ. The Lord was also with Ahaz, but he refused. He refused the presence of God and as such, refused faith, refused to believe.

The fact of the virgin conception and birth of Christ is true whether you believe it or not. God does not depend on man for His miracles. Yet when God tells you He will come to you for your salvation, it is best to believe. It is best to believe because it is already true. In your hearing the promises of God, the promises are true. Do not be unbelieving but believe.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] This sermon was originally written for The Feast of the Annunciation in 2024.

[2] Isaiah 7:7-9.

[3] Isaiah 7:11.

[4] Isaiah 7:12.

[5] Isaiah 7:14.

[6] St. Luke 1:28.

Gaudete (Advent 3)

 Gaudete (Advent 3) – December 15, 2024

Psalm 85; Isaiah 40:1-11; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

St. Matthew 11:2-11

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. John the Baptist was in prison because he preached to Herod that Herod’s adulterous marriage to his brother’s wife was sinful.[1] John was also hated by the Pharisees and those of the Temple because he called them a brood of vipers.[2] St. John, as the prophesied Elijah to come, preached primarily a message of repentance.[3] He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness to make the rough places plane, that is, to call people to repentance that they would be prepared to receive the Christ.

St. John also preached the Gospel. He baptized the multitudes who came to him from Jerusalem and all the region around the Jordan.[4] Holy Baptism is a preaching of the forgiveness of sins, the release from bondage to the devil, and adoption by the Father as a new creation in Christ. St. John pointed troubled consciences to Christ, the Prophet like Moses, who would die for their sins.

And yet it was not for the proclamation of Christ that John found himself in prison. It was for the preaching of the Law. It was for the call to repentance. The Holy Law of God is not just a perfunctory set of rules, independent from the call to salvation. When the Law of God first enters the heart of man, it reveals that he has not kept the Law. He has not done all that God commands. He has sinned and earned the wrath of God. As John is preaching the Law, he is revealing the rocky hills and steep valleys in the soul of man. This serves to prepare the way of the Lord by showing the necessity of making the path straight and the hills plane or level.

And the natural man, still in his sins, chaffs at this. It is uncomfortable to be told you are wrong. It is worse to be told that you are a sinner who makes God angry with your every action. And it is the worst to be told that because of your sin, you deserve damnation and the eternal wrath of God.

Now, if John only preached the Law, then all who heard him would either be led to pride or despair. Those drawn toward pride would seek only to justify their sin, finding reasons that their own actions are excusable, sensible, or even that their sins are in fact righteousness. And we are all guilty of this to some extent. “Sure, I didn’t honor my mother when I yelled at her for telling me to clean my room, but she didn’t need to ground me for it. Its her fault!” “Yeah, I didn’t keep the Sabbath holy when I stayed home from church, but I was really tired, and God loves me anyway so what’s one Sunday?” “If he wasn’t such a jerk about it, I wouldn’t have to complain to my friends about him.” And on and on.

Then there are those who would despair. These feel the weight of the Law on their hearts but refuse to find relief. “I am such a terrible sinner, God could never love me.” We, also, all have our temptations toward despair. A terminal diagnosis is the worst news we could imagine. It’s God’s fault. He is to blame for my sin, and He won’t do anything about it.

St. John’s preaching of the forgiveness of sins, the Gospel of Christ, continues even when he is in prison. He sends his disciples to Jesus as much for their benefit as his own. He wants them to know that Christ is the object of their faith. He wants them to know that Jesus is the One who is to come, the prophet like Moses, God in flesh, who will die for their sins. He wants them to be disciples of Christ, not just of John.

John sends them with a question, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”[5] They are to ask Jesus if He is the promised Messiah or if they should look for another. This question deserves three observations. First, no matter how Christ answers the question, yes or no, the question already expresses trust in whatever Christ will say. It is like Mary telling the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do.[6] She doesn’t know what Jesus is going to tell the servants, but she trusts, that is she has faith, that whatever it will be is true and good. The question of John is the same. He, and his disciples, trust that whatever Jesus says is true and good, even if it means that Jesus is only another prophet.

The second observation, in light of the first, is that John and his disciples already have faith in Jesus. They trust His word above all others. There is some room for debate over whether John is only asking the question for the sake of his disciples—meaning that he already knows the answer, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God—or if John is experiencing a moment of doubt and is asking the question for his own benefit.

The text is somewhat unclear. Afterall, John is the greatest man to be born of woman and he was the first to recognize the Christ while he was still in the womb. He has known since before his own birth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And yet he stands in a long line of prophets who spoke directly with God and still experienced doubt. John is Elijah, sent to prepare the hearts of man to receive their King, and Elijah experienced doubt. He believed he was the only Christian left on the face of the earth and begged God to let him die.[7] Elijah doubted so it shouldn’t be surprising if John has a moment of doubt.

If John is sending his disciples for their own benefit, then it is a picture of God sending His ministers, pastors, to proclaim the Word of God for the sake of you, His beloved people. John is serving those in his care by sending them to Jesus. If the question is from John’s own heart, then it is a picture of God consoling His own through His Word. Either way, it is a message of consolation for the hurting heart, the sorrowful conscience.

The third observation we should make about John’s question is the title he applies to Christ. He asks if Jesus is the Coming One. It is this question that led our fathers in the faith to appoint this text for the Third Sunday of Advent, for Gaudete. Advent means “coming” and Jesus is certainly the Coming One. He is the One who came in the flesh at Bethlehem and who will come again on the Last Day. He is also the Coming One who comes to you daily in His Word and most intimately in the Holy Sacraments—Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. He brings Himself to you, joining Himself to you first in Baptism and then in the Holy Communion. There is never a time that Christ is not the Coming One. He is never only the One who came nor the One who is to come. He is and always will be the One who is coming to you.

Our Lord’s answer to John’s question is likewise twofold. He points to the miracles that were prophesied of the Christ and which He has fulfilled. When Jesus performs miracles of healing and restoration, He is not checking off boxes on a list of signs that He is the Messiah. He is showing compassion on His beloved people. He is the Light and Life of man. He cannot help but bring restoration and new life to those whom He loves because this is within His very essence. The prophecies which spoke of these miracles were given for our sake, that by them, we would recognize the Christ who is Coming.

At the same time, we would do well to note that John has not seen any of these miracles, nor did he perform any himself.[8] John must believe the report of his disciples. This is important because we find ourselves in the same position. I’ve never seen someone raised from the dead, nor the blind made to see, nor the deaf made to hear. I don’t expect to ever see these miracles and you shouldn’t either. In fact, we know that wicked men will perform miracles to deceive Christians into false religion. The demons are powerful and will inspire all kinds of signs and wonders to deceive even the elect if possible.

What John and all of us have is the Word of God. We have the faithful witness of the Holy Scriptures, inspired by the Holy Ghost, to tell us those things necessary for faith. We have the very Word of God to report all things necessary for salvation. This sure and certain Word of God serves us just as it does St. John the Baptist. In the face of suffering and even martyrdom, it strengthens you in body and soul to life everlasting. And that is why daily reading the Scriptures and committing them to memory is so important. It is not just an exercise or a work to be done. It is the very life-giving Word of God by which you are saved. We ought to view reading the Scriptures the way we see eating, drinking, and breathing. In fact, it is even more important.

“And blessed is he who is not offended because of [Christ.]”[9] Offended is not hurt feelings or disappointment. To be offended is to stumble, to fall, to lose faith. Jesus is saying, “You who do not stumble because of My Word, because of My life, death, and resurrection; You who hold tightly to Me and My Word shall truly be blessed. Sight, the ability to walk, health, hearing, wealth, and even life in this world are nothing if they are not in Me.”

Those who received these miracles of Christ were blessed by Him but that is nothing compared to those who believe in Him, who receive Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. The one true miracle of Christ is your salvation, the resurrection of all flesh on the Last Day when you will be made anew and join Christ for all eternity. This is what the Word of God has promised to those who are not offended by Christ. This is the promise of God by which you live and breathe and have your being. This is the promise in which you find rest, no matter your sight, hearing, wealth, or health. Christ is the Coming One, who has and is coming to you this day in His Holy Word.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 14:3.

[2] St. Matthew 3:7-12.

[3] St. Matthew 11:10; Malachi 4:5-6.

[4] St. Matthew 3:5-6.

[5] St. Matthew 11:3.

[6] St. John 2:5.

[7] 1 Kings 19:14.

[8] St. John 10:41.

[9] St. Matthew 11:6.

Vespers - Advent 2

 Vespers on the Wednesday of Populus Zion – December 11, 2024

Psalm 1; Song of Solomon 2:8b-14

St. Matthew 11:11-15

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs as it is sometimes called, is a love poem, written by King Solomon for his bride, the Shulamite woman. It is written almost like a play or opera, with some parts spoken by the Shulamite, some by her Beloved, and even some by two choruses, one of the Shulamite’s brothers and one of the daughters of Jerusalem.

In the text before us this evening, the Shulamite stands in the house of her parents and gazes out the window. She sees her beloved, her fiancé, leaping upon the mountains and skipping over the hills as he comes for her. He is coming to get her for their wedding, to receive her from her father’s hand and take her into his own household. She compares him to a gazelle or young stag, animals known for their beauty and dexterity. He is gentle yet full of strength. He is swift and sure of foot as he bounds through mountains and hills to come to her.

Her beloved stands outside the walls of the house and peers in through the window, through the lattice and speaks to her, assuring her that the winter has passed and it is time to come with him. Complimenting her with beautiful, poetic language, the bridegroom calls her his love, his fair one, his dove who is resting safely in the clefts of the rock of her father’s home. He bids her to reveal her face and speak to him, for her voice is sweet and her face is lovely.

In a literal sense, we have a description of both an ideal man and an ideal woman. The man seems singularly focused on her, bounding great distances while only having eyes for his beloved bride. He is gentle with her, never presumptuous. He is dexterous, knowing how to navigate the world and the pitfalls therein. He has great strength, shown in the horns of a gazelle or the antlers of a stag, but combat is not their first use. He is capable of violence but does not turn to it hastily. He showers her with praise and poetry, complimenting her on her femininity and reassuring her that he has made her new home a safe refuge. He is promising to care for her, to provide for her, and, in the imagery of new birth in the spring, give her children.

She too, only has eyes for her beloved. She patiently but eagerly awaits her groom. She watches for him and awaits his coming. She has remained in the household of her father, as is proper, but longs for a new home with her beloved. She pays careful attention to his words, as most of our text is taken up by her recounting what he has said. She finds comfort in him and his words, trusting that he will do as he has promised: provide, protect, and produce children.

Now if this poem was only written to express the love of the Shulamite and Solomon, it might retain its beauty, but it would be little different from the thousands of love poems of the ancient world. Rather, as St. Paul says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.”[1] Again, St. John writes, “These things are written,” that is, the Scriptures, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”[2] As such, it is the purpose of the Holy Spirit that we understand the Song to have a spiritual meaning to serve faith.

We, the church, the Bride of Christ, are the Shulamite woman. Our Beloved is Christ Himself. He comes leaping from the mountains, that is, He comes down to us from the Father. He comes to us in the Incarnation. He becomes man, coming down from His everlasting throne in heaven that He would bring us into His own home.

He comes also to us this very day, though He is standing by the wall, that is, we cannot see Him. He speaks through the window, the Words of Holy Scripture. He speaks through the lattice, the lips of the Pastor. His presence is real, spiritual and physical, even though our eyes do not see Him. In fact, Christ sees us through the window and lattice, but our eyes are not as keen as His. He comes to us and gazes upon us; upon our bodies and souls. Even as we wait for Him with both patience and expectation, He comes to us and delivers the consolation of His Word.

In His voice, we hear the call to come to Him, to come with Him. Rise above the cares of this world. Rise above the sins of the flesh. Rise above and come away with Him as His beloved. The winter of our sins, the rule of the Law on our hearts, the death of this world is past. See now that the flowers appear on the earth, the Holy Sacraments as visible signs of the presence of Christ and the forgiveness of sins. The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land, that is the voice of Christians singing the praises of Christ and extolling His wonderful works as a symphony in the doldrums of the world that is passing away.

The blooming of the fig tree is a sign of the coming of Christ and the fruits of faith as they spring forth from the renewed soul of the Christian. Even as the sinful flesh clings to the Christian, the Holy Spirit is at work, creating a new will and desire to fulfill the Law of God and seeks to serve God and neighbor. And as we serve our neighbor, we in fact, serve Christ.[3] These tender grapes give a good smell, pleasing to God.

Even now, we are safe in the clefts of the rock, the secret places of the cliff. On the one hand, this safe place is the Church. She is the rock which Christ has built for the safe keeping of His beloved Christians. On the other hand, the rock and cliff are also Christ Himself. The Church is born from the side of Christ, and we are kept safe within Him, within His body. This is what it means when the Church is called ‘the body of Christ.’ As Moses and Elijah both stand safe in a cleft in the rock when God speaks to them, so too do we stand safe in the rock of the Church, even as we are within the Body Christ, receiving from Him the call to His side in glory.

Truly, your voices are sweet, and your faces are lovely in the eyes of Christ.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 2 Timothy 3:16.

[2] St. John 20:31.

[3] St. Matthew 25:35-36.