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Why Christmas is Merry

12/30/2019

Mysteries of the Rosary, Presentation of Jesus at the temple, Cornelis de Vos, 1620, Public Domain

Luke 2:22-40; Galatians 4;1-7
December 29, 2019

Merry Christmas! Christmas is such a joyful time, is it not? This month I read Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. When the Ghost of Christmas Present takes Ebenezer Scrooge through the streets on Christmas Day, although the frost is biting hard on people’s noses as they shovel their walks, everyone is gleeful and they greet one another with friendly hellos and Merry Christmases. And you know, that’s not too far off from reality. Everyone I saw on Christmas Day was smiling. I talked to a number of friends and family on the phone to exchange Christmas greetings. Everyone was gay and merry; full of good cheer.
What is it about Christmas that makes us so merry? Perhaps it’s that after all the hustling and bustling we finally get to take a breath and enjoy time with our loved ones. Maybe it’s that at this dark time of the year, we have something to celebrate and the days will only get longer. Perhaps it’s the songs. Perhaps it’s the treats. But we Christians have something to be merry about that exceeds all these things and predates even Christmas trees and Jingle Bells.
Over two thousand years ago in Jerusalem, an old man and an old lady give Christmas greetings. They are unusually happy. Why are they so merry? It’s Christmas! Christ Jesus is born! For this they rejoice. And why are they so happy that this baby is born? Are they just making up an excuse to celebrate during the cold winter nights, to take time off work and get together with friends? No. They are celebrating, because the birth of this baby does great good for many more people than for just his parents, or even for his tribe or nation. The birth of this child, Jesus, does great good for the whole world.
Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, because that is what the Law of the Lord commanded. The Law said that every male who first opens the womb shall be consecrated as holy to the Lord. The people of Israel were commanded to present their first-born sons to the Lord, and sacrifice all the first-born male of their livestock throughout all their generations. God commanded this in order to prophecy that he would send his First-Born Son to die for the sins of his people.
God commanded his people to do this. Yet, as many of their sons as they presented to the Lord, and as many of their livestock that they slaughtered in obedience; it never accomplished their redemption. The blood of the animals could not wash away their sins. And all of the sons presented before the Lord were sinners. They served only as a shadow; a sign of the real thing. But none of them were the real thing.
There was indeed a sign of a promise in the command God gave his people, but only a sign. As long as it remained a command, his people never fulfilled it. It remained a burden for them. This command made them slaves. But now, the fulness of time has come! God sent forth his own Son! Born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons! This is a great statement from St. Paul, and it is exactly what Simeon and Anna are realizing as they see Jesus being carried into the temple by his mother and foster-father.
The Son of God is born of God from eternity. He is eternally begotten, meaning, he has always existed with the Father. There never was a time when he was not! Yet, now this Son of God, this first-born of God from all eternity, has taken on a second birth. His first birth was outside of time and space. He is begotten from eternity. Yet, his second birth happened on a particular day, in a particular town, namely Bethlehem, to a particular woman.
We are all born of a woman. Every single one of us has a mother. That means that every single one of us is born under the Law. Now, the Law can be split up into three parts: the civil, the ceremonial, and the moral. The civil law refers to the authority of the state. Israel was a state, a nation that had rules that governed its citizens, but not those outside of its borders. The ceremonial law refers to the laws surrounding worship, which God commanded through Moses to govern the people of Israel. This included the laws concerning circumcision, sacrifices, and festivals. The ceremonial laws ruled the worship life of the Israelites and served to point them to the coming of the Christ. Yet, those outside the people of Israel were not required to keep these ceremonial laws.
The moral law rules over everyone, whether you are of the house of Israel or not. The moral law can be summed up in the Ten Commandments. They teach you what is right and wrong. You should have no other Gods than the LORD God. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder or comit adultery or steal. This law rules over even those, who do not know their Ten Commandments, because Scripture says that this law is written on people’s hearts. Their consciences themselves testify against them when they do wrong. And even if their consciences remain quiet, God remains the judge.
When Scripture says that God’s Son was born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the Law; Scripture is saying that Jesus was born under the entire Law: civil, ceremonial, and moral. This means that Jesus came to redeem those who are under not just the civil law of Israel or the ceremonial law of the temple, but everyone who is under the moral law. Everyone who was born of a woman is born under the moral law. Everyone is judged by this law and condemned by it. Jesus was born under this law to save everyone, both Israelites and Gentiles.
This is why Simeon is so excited and filled with Christmas cheer! This is why Anna can’t help herself but go from person to person, essentially wishing them a Merry Christmas, by telling of the redemption of Israel. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, that is, the comfort of Israel. God promised that he would console Israel in her sorrow and burden under the Law. He promised that he would send forth a shoot from Jesse’s stem. Jesse was the father of David. Jesus was born in the city of David, because Joseph, his adoptive father was of the house and lineage of David. The Holy Spirit told Simeon directly that he would see this Christ, this anointed child, who would fulfill the entire law! And in this baby Jesus, who comes with his parents to perform the requirements of the Law, he sees this promised Christ, this promised consolation of Israel.
Jesus fulfilled the entire Law in our place. He fulfilled the civil law, by obeying all those in authority. He paid his taxes and obeyed the laws of the land. Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law. From the time he was circumcised on the eighth day, Jesus followed all that God commanded. And Jesus obeyed the moral law. He loved God with his whole heart, soul, strength, and mind, as no other human ever could. And although he was God himself in the flesh, he submitted to his parents and did as they commanded him. He loved his neighbor. He helped those in need. He even prayed for his enemies. Jesus Christ is the only man born of woman, who completely and fully obeyed the Law.
And Jesus did this for your sake. Christ had no need to earn his way to heaven. He already owned the heavenly kingdom by divine right. He is the eternally begotten Son. Yet, Christ earned your way to heaven for you. And more than that; Christ Jesus is your redeemer. That means, he paid your debts. You have broken the commands of the Law. You have not loved God with all your heart, soul and mind. You have not loved your neighbor as yourself or loved your enemies. For this, you are indebted to the Law. The Law demands punishment. Yet Jesus fulfills even this!
You see, Jesus did not only observe the rites of the ceremonial law. He fulfilled the prophecies these ceremonies gave! Jesus is the first born of the Father! He is his only begotten Son from eternity! And here, he has opened the womb of the Virgin. None of the firstborn sons of Israel born before him could fulfill this prophecy. They all fell short. Jesus fulfills it. And Jesus fulfills the prophecy of that the first born would be sacrificed. He was sacrificed for our sins, paying our debts! Your debt incurred by your sin against the law is paid by Jesus Christ!
This is why Simeon rejoices. This is why Anna is filled with good cheer. Christ Jesus, born of the woman, has redeemed us, who are born under the law. He has removed our burden. He is God’s consolation sent down from heaven.
When we celebrate Jesus’ birth, we don’t just celebrate his birth, we celebrate our own birth. Jesus received a second birth of the woman, so that we might receive a second birth from above. Through faith and in baptism in Jesus Christ, we have received adoption as sons of God. All who believe on Jesus’ name are given the right to be called children of God, who are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Simeon and Anna sing with Christmas cheer, because they have the right given to them through faith to call God their heavenly Father. When God listens to our voice, he listens to the voice of his children, whom he loves. Why wouldn’t we sing and make merry and rejoice at that?
We should greet each other with Christmas cheer. And we should spread this Christmas cheer past these twelve days and to all twelve months! Jesus is born! God’s own Son! And he came to redeem us! To save all people! All our sins are washed away. We are not slaves, but God’s dear children. We have the right to call upon him as our Father. And we have the joy of spreading this good cheer to others.
Merry Christmas! It is indeed merry! Amen.

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And the Word Became Flesh

12/26/2019

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Nativity, Lorenzo Lotto, 1523, Public Domain

Christmas Day 2019
John 1:1-18

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
And the Word became flesh. It is this statement right here for which we celebrate Christmas. But what does it mean? What is the Word? The Word was in the beginning with God. This means that the Word has no beginning and no end. The Word has a special relationship with the Father that nothing else has; neither angel nor human being. Not only has the Word always been with God, but the Word is God.
Here John is teaching us about the Holy Trinity. There is only one God, yet, there are three Person’s in the Godhead. The Word is the second Person in the Trinity. He is also called the only begotten Son of the Father. He was begotten by the Father before all worlds, that is, outside of time. There never was a time when the Word was not. He has always been with God and he has always been God.
All things were made through the Word and without the Word nothing was made that was made. This again proves to us that the Word is uncreated. This is why we say in the Creed, “Begotten, not made.” God created all things through his Word. The title Word is a descriptive name. Word has a double meaning. Sometimes when we say the word of God, we are referring to something that God has said, for example, the Holy Scriptures. Yet, other times when we speak of the Word of God, we are speaking of the Person in the Holy Trinity, also known as the Son of God. This is because it is the Son who speaks. The Father does not create anything or accomplish anything apart from his Son. So, when the Father speaks, his Son speaks. This is how closely their relationship is. Psalm 33 captures this well, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth their hosts.” Is the Psalmist speaking of the Word, which is the Person, or the word, which is his speech? Both. God speaks through his Son.
John also calls the Word the light. This again is a descriptive name. Light means that he illumines the minds of people. The Psalmist again says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) And so, we see that the Word of God has been active throughout the history of mankind. From creation, the Word has continued to speak and enlighten mankind. And the light of the Word of God has shone through the preaching of the prophets and the writing of sacred Scripture.
And so, with so many words we just briefly summed up what is meant by the Word. The Word is our God. He is God’s Son. Through him all things were created and continue to hold together. By him the angels and prophets spoke and the Scriptures were written. He is eternal, all powerful. He completely transcends the created world, whether we speak of the physical universe or the invisible spirits. And this Word became flesh!
What does it mean that the Word became flesh? Well, it means that this eternal God has taken on a human body. And not just a human body, but a human soul and will. This Word become flesh is Jesus Christ himself; that little baby lying in a manger, wetting his diaper and craving milk from his mother. He is powerful enough that the mountains and oceans were formed by him and all orbs of the heavens run their course by his will, yet, he now lies bound by swaddling cloths; too weak even to control his arms. You see a simple baby; indiscernible from any other infant. Yet, you behold God in the flesh!
When John says that the Word became flesh, he is not saying that the Word of God simply possessed the body of a man. Rather, God became man in every way that man is. A human being is made up of three components, without any it is not a human being: A body, a soul, and a will. Jesus clearly has a body. He was a baby in a manger. He walked, spoke, ate, drank, got tired, cried, was beaten and killed, after his resurrection he again showed his body to his disciples, let them touch him, and he ate in front of them. Jesus also has a human soul. Without a soul, a body cannot live. And Jesus himself said on the night of his betrayal, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.” (Matthew 26:38) And Isaiah prophesied of Jesus saying, “When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;” and “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied.” (Isaiah 53:10, 11). And Jesus certainly has a human will, which is distinct from, yet in full conformity with God’s will, as he spoke to his Heavenly Father in the garden, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
It is important for you to understand that when Scripture says, “The Word became flesh” that flesh includes a human body, soul, and will, because everything the Word became, he became in order to save it. You have a human body, which is dying. The Word took on a human body in order to give your body eternal life. You have a human soul, which deserves to be cast into hell forever on account of your sins. The Word took on a human soul in order to save your soul. You have a human will, which has rebelled against God’s will and made you guilty before him. The Word took on a human will, so that he could perfectly obey God in your place and fulfill the will of God for you. This means that when we say, The Word became flesh, what we are saying is that God became all that is necessary to save you from sin, death, and hell.
Yet, why does he use the word flesh? Why didn’t he say that the Word became a human being, as in other places of Scripture it calls him a man? This is to point to his work here on earth. Flesh is what you sacrifice on an altar. The Word became flesh in order to prepare himself to be sacrificed for your sins. He took on your human blood, so that he would bleed that blood for you. He took on your flesh, so that his flesh would be pierced for your transgressions. His soul itself is a holy offering to God. And because he does all this while remaining the Author of Life (Acts 3:15), this sacrifice makes your salvation certain.
And dwelt among us. These are important words that we should not quickly overlook. Jesus Christ, true God and man, dwelt among human beings. Real eye witnesses saw him. They touched him. They spoke to him and listened to what he said. There are lots of myths in pagan religions about gods coming down to earth and taking on human form. This is not a myth we are talking about. We are talking about the real, historical event when God became man and dwelt among us. God himself lied in that manger. God himself hung on that cross. God himself lied in that tomb. God himself, permanently untied to our human flesh now dwells in heaven, interceding for us.
The word for dwell is related to the word tabernacle, which causes some people to turn the word tabernacle into verb. The point is that the tabernacle in the Old Testament, where God dwelt in the Most Holy Place, was a prophecy about Jesus. As God dwelt with his people in the tabernacle, so God dwells with his people in the body of Jesus Christ.
And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. These witnesses of Christ Jesus witnessed the only begotten Son of the Father. When they saw Jesus, they saw their God! This is why wisemen worshipped him along with all his disciples. When they witnessed Jesus, they witnessed their salvation. They saw him die and rise from the dead and ascend into heaven. This means that a man dwells in heaven, at God’s right hand, who has been with God from the beginning and indeed is God. Our human flesh sits on God’s throne! That is the certainty we have in our salvation!
The Word became flesh in order for you to receive grace from God. Christ came to save you. And he continues to shower you with his grace; even to dwell with you through his Word; to come to you in his very body and blood in the Sacrament! When we believe the Gospel and receive the Sacrament, we believe that this is from the Godman himself, who has won for us salvation.
This is most certainly true. Jesus Christ is truth. The Word really did become flesh. Christ Jesus truly did die for our sins and rise for our salvation. And he truly sits in heaven interceding for our salvation. Jesus Christ is truth. We truly eat his very body and blood for our forgiveness and salvation. If the eternal Word could become flesh, it is a small thing for him to give us his flesh and blood in bread and wine. This is truth. Our God does the impossible to save us. Our God has become man for us. Our God has won salvation for us. This is what is meant by, “And the Word became flesh.” Merry Christmas, Children of God. And happy New Year. Amen.

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The Angels Proclaim Peace on Earth!

12/26/2019

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Painting "The Sheperds and the angel" (1879) by Carl Bloch. Oil on copper Public Domain

Christmas Eve, 2019
Luke 2:1-20

Our midweek Advent series this year was on angels. The first Wednesday we learned how these powerful spirits protect us. The second Wednesday we learned how these angels teach us how to worship. And last Wednesday we learned how the angels proclaim the Gospel. In short, angels are God’s servants, who do as God commands. So, what we have heard tonight, the angel announcing the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior, to a small group of shepherds, and then the great multitude of the heavenly army of angels joining in to praise God in the highest and declare peace and goodwill on earth, all this is by the command of God. Yet, this event stands in stark contrast to the first command recorded in the Bible which God gave to the angels.
Way back in Genesis chapter 3 after Adam and Eve sinned against God and were evicted from the Garden of Eden, God sent angels, called cherubim, armed with flaming swords to guard the way to the tree of life. These angels were charged with the task of keeping Adam and Eve out of paradise! What a great contrast from what we hear tonight, when the angels open up the heavens and declare God’s good pleasure to poor sinners! The angels, who were given the obligation to close the gates of paradise to mankind are now given the privilege to announce the opening of those gates to all who believe on Jesus Christ! It is as our hymn of the day declares in the sixth verse:
He is the key and He the door/ to blessed paradise;
The angel bars the way no more.
To God our praises rise/ to God our praises rise.
And you can understand then why the angels are so joyful and sing such praises to God! Christ Jesus has come to make all things right! He has done what no one else could do, neither man nor angel. He has opened the gates of heaven to poor sinners!
Yet, most underestimate how great a feat this is, which God has accomplished. They underestimate how far mankind fell; they belittle how much love God has for us and how much he gave in his endeavor to save us.
Adam and Eve fell into sin not simply because they ate a piece of fruit. Listen to what the serpent said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) So, in that fruit Eve and her husband Adam saw their chance to be as wise as God; to become independent from him; to become themselves gods.
This is the greatest sin against the First Commandment: You shall have no other gods before me. Adam and Eve had other gods, themselves. They did not want to fear God. They did not want to be dependent on him so that they would need to trust in him. In their sin, they had no love for their Creator and heavenly Father.
And that is how we are in our sin. All sin in us is rooted in this desire to usurp God from his throne and set ourselves in his place! We want to be gods. We want to make the rules. We want to decide what is right and wrong. And so, we do! When we hear God’s word, we make our own determination whether it is important or not! We pick and choose which of God’s words we will believe and which we will disbelieve; which we will live by and which we will ignore! We imitate the sins of our first parents and even surpass them in our vice. This is no small sin. This not a little oopsie daisy, no biggie; no problem; no big deal. We are talking about a fall from God’s grace; rebellion against God himself; joining with Satan in a war against God!
For such rebellion, God has every right to condemn us to hell. He is perfectly justified in casting us out of paradise forever! Yet, that’s not what he has done! We take this for granted, but God did not do for the angels as he did for us! The Bible says in the book of Jude, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under the gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” (vs. 6). Satan and his demons are fallen angels. But God offered them no chance of salvation. God never said to an angel, “You are my son, today, I have begotten you.” He never promised to become an angel or to send the angels a savior. Rather, he forever blocked the fallen angels out of paradise and damned them to hell. As he had every right to do! Yet, for our sad race, which leagued itself to Satan’s side, God offers salvation!
God loves us more than the angels. He made mankind in his own image. Immediately after God caught Adam and Eve in their sin, he promised a Savior, born of the woman, who would crush the head of Satan while enduring suffering for our sake. (Genesis 3:15). The birth of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise God gave to Adam and Eve, two sinners, who joined themselves to Satan against God. And this birth is a promise to us, which tells us that God does not desire our damnation, but our eternal salvation.
Even the cherubim armed with flaming swords guarding the way to the tree of life, God sent out of love for us. He did not want those two sinners to eat of a tree that gives eternal life, because then, they would be forever trapped in their sins. Rather, God had already prepared a way to eternal life for them. God would send his own Son to become a human being, so that he would die for our sins and clear the way to paradise for us.
This is why the birth of Jesus is such a big deal. This is why God sent every angel at his disposal to announce his birth and teach us how to sing praises to our God. This is why we still celebrate this holy night over two thousand years later.
Every angel in heaven sang:
Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, good will toward men.
This is what brings God glory. That his Son joined our human race in order to save us. And that we accept this Christ-child, so that he forever dwells in our hearts. This brings more glory to God than all the wonderful works of the angels. Our salvation! Our union with God through his Son Jesus Christ. This glorifies God in the highest.
And in this song, the angels declare a wonderful promise to us, “And on earth peace, good will toward men.” Indeed, there is now peace between God and our human race through the mediation of Jesus Christ. On account of Jesus, God is reconciled to us. He is not angry with us. Rather, God accepts us for the sake of Jesus, his death and resurrection. There is peace between God and us.
Yet, this proclamation of the angels does not say, peace in heaven. It says, peace on earth. And this is not simply a wish, a hopeful expression like, “have a good day!” No, this is a prophecy; a divine promise from God. There will be peace on earth!
But has this prophesy failed? Since the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem until now, wars have not ceased upon the earth. If anything, they have increased! Yet, the angels are not speaking about peace between heathen nations. The angels are speaking about those who accept this baby Jesus, born in the manger. Among those, who love this Christ child, who hope in him for their salvation, who are reconciled with God through faith in Jesus’ blood, there will be peace. This is a divine promise. This is a prophesy that cannot fail.
Our hymn of the month this December was "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” In the last verse this congregation prayed every week, “O come, Desire of nations, bind/ In one the heart of all mankind; Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, And be Thyself our King of Peace.” These were not vain words we sang. We sang these words in firm faith that they would come true. Christ Jesus ends our sad divisions. He is our King of Peace. All who trust in him become peaceful, as Jesus himself taught, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
Those who trust in Christ Jesus love one another. Scripture says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” (1 John 5:1) And Jesus himself declares, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) Those who love Jesus, who are reconciled with God the Father through faith in Christ and his blood, who rejoice at the birth of God in a manger, love one another. As God has loved us, so do we love one another. We try to do what pleases our fellow Christians and that which causes them harm we try to avoid. We speak well of one another. We think of one another’s interests over our own. As we confess one Lord and are joined in one Baptism, so we desire to be one.
Yet, it doesn’t work out so beautifully, does it? Rather, it is often the case that we are selfish and careless with our words and actions. We offend one another and isolate ourselves. Christians at enmity with other Christians! This happens, because although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We Christians still sin against each other. Yet, our Lord has given us a way to deal with this problem here on earth and so maintain the peace we are given by the Prince of Peace. Jesus says that when your brother sins against you go and show him his fault between you and him alone, and if he listens, you have gained your brother! Jesus teaches us to forgive those who trespass against us, even as God forgives us our trespasses.
Yet, too often we don’t do that. Rather we think, “I did nothing wrong. This person has offended me. That is his problem. I have every right to hate him in my heart.” Yet, that is not how God has dealt with us. When we sinned against him, God did not simply cast us off and hate us forever. Rather, while we were still sinners, when we didn’t ask for it, God sent his Son to be born of the Virgin Mary and to die for our sins. God confronts us with our sins and gives us a Savior, so that he can make peace with us. And so, it is our responsibility as God’s children to make peace with one another. Forgive one another even as God in Christ forgave you.
If you have a problem with a fellow Christian, go and talk to him. It may seem like an intimidating task, but God is not commanding you to make peace yourself. God has already made peace through Jesus Christ. When you go to your fellow Christian, whom you are at odds with, you go armed with the blood of Christ. You go with the power and authority of the Prince of Peace, who has made peace for us.
Through the Christ-child, who was once laid in a manger, God has made you people of Good Will. He has made you peacemakers, through the Prince of Peace himself. You are fully equipped. Martin Luther says that those who refuse to make peace do not listen to the song of the angels, but rather the howling of the wolf, the devil. Don’t listen to the lies of Satan. Listen to the voice of those angels sent by God. Peace on earth. Make peace with one another. God has done much more to make peace with you.
It is a joyful gift that God has given us that we can be reconciled with one another. Nothing is impossible for us, who know Christ Jesus. So, through Jesus let us make peace with one another now, as we wait for God to command his angels to escort us to heaven, where we will sing praises to God in the highest with the angels and with one another forever more.
God’s peace be with you. Merry Christmas. Amen.

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The Voice Prepares the Way of the Lord into our Hearts

12/22/2019

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Isenheimer Altar, ehemals Hauptaltar des Antoniterklosters in Isenheim/Elsaß, Werktagsseite, Mittelbild: Kreuzigung Christi, Mathias Grünwald, 1512-16, Public Domain

John 1:19-28
December 22, 2019

Last week we learned about how great John the Baptist was. Here, we see that even those who do not follow John have noticed that there is something special about him. So, the Pharisees send priests and Levites to investigate and ask John, who he is. Yet, John is not interested in talking about himself. John wants to talk about Jesus, the Christ, who has come to save sinners.
“I am not the Christ,” John confesses. Christ is the Greek translation of the word Messiah, which means anointed one. The Jews were waiting for the promised Messiah, the son of David, who would lead the people Israel and sit on an eternal throne. John is not the Christ. Rather, he comes to bear witness about the Christ.
“Are you Elijah?” they then ask. You might remember that the prophet Elijah never died. He ascended into heaven in a whirlwind riding a fiery chariot as he passed his mantel onto Elisha. Moreover, the last prophesy given in the Old Testament was given by the prophet Malachi, who said, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Since Elijah never died, many thought Elijah would return from heaven. Yet, John is not the same Elijah who ascended into heaven. John was born of Elizabeth the wife of Zechariah, the priest. However, the angel Gabriel did tell Zechariah that his son John would go before the Lord in the spirit and the power of Elijah (Luke 1:17) and Jesus himself calls John, Elijah (Matthew 11:14). So, John does fulfill this prophecy of Malachi concerning the coming of Elijah, but he is not the same Elijah from the Old Testament, rather, he carries out the office of Elijah by pointing the way to Christ.
Yet, instead of explaining all this, John simply says, “No.” Knowing that these priests and Levites do not understand what they are asking.
“Are you the prophet?” they ask. This shows again the confusion of these inquisitors. The prophet is not just any prophet, but a specific prophet foretold of in Deuteronomy 18, which was our Old Testament lesson. God told Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”
This is called a Messianic Prophecy. A Messianic prophecy is a prophecy about the Messiah, that is, it is God promising through a prophet to send the Christ. This Prophet, whom God will raise up from among the Jewish brethren is the Christ. John does not fulfill this prophecy, but rather Jesus, born of Mary to the house of David does. Jesus is the Prophet. So again, John answers, “No.”
So, they ask, “Who then are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” John says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah says.”
This is a huge statement! John is claiming to be that voice promised by the prophet Isaiah. The voice, who would lift up the valleys and lower the mountains; who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord! We heard this prophecy last week. Isaiah said the voice would call all the people grass, which will wither away. This means that you cannot trust in any human being. You cannot trust in yourself. You cannot earn your way to heaven, rather all your works will fade away like the grass in the field. This voice will tell the people to prepare the way of the Lord by repenting of their sins and looking to the Lord, who comes with comfort and forgiveness.
Yet, these priests and Levites completely miss the point. John has clearly moved the discussion away from himself and over to the coming of the Lord, but these so-called experts of the Law are still dwelling on John. “Why then are you baptizing,” they ask, “If you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John must be astounded at their one-dimensional mind.
“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” This is as if John said, “Why are you still asking about me? I just told you that the Lord is near! I’m nothing! I just pour water. But I tell you of one who is so great, I’m not even worthy to untie his sandles!
This isn’t to say that John’s baptism is nothing. Jesus himself tells us that John’s Baptism is from heaven. But John speaks as any minister of Christ. “I’m nothing. Don’t focus on me. Focus on Christ Jesus! He has the real power. I just pour water, but he is the one who is doing the real work in Baptism. I just speak words, but he is the one who is really forgiving sins through my words. Don’t look at me. Look to Christ!”
This is John’s entire ministry. He says of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) For John to become nothing, so that Jesus may become everything in the hearts of his hearers is John’s greatest desire. Jesus is the bridegroom. The Church is his bride. John the Baptist says in John chapter 3, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.” And so, John rejoices at the coming of the Lord as people flock to Jesus.
John’s ministry is all about Jesus. John says of Jesus, “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’” With these words John confesses Jesus to be true God and true man. Jesus comes after John. His ministry began after John’s. He was born after John, being about six months younger than him. John knows that Jesus is a man. Yet, John also knows that Jesus is God. He confesses that he is before him. He calls him the Son of God. (John 1:32-34) John confesses that Jesus comes from above and is above all; that he gives the Spirit without measure; that whoever believes in the Son has eternal life!” John unwaveringly confessed Jesus to be the Christ.
And John also confessed Jesus to be the Savior, who would take away all sins. He pointed to Christ and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” And to John’s great joy, a couple of his disciples stopped following him and began to follow Jesus.
This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet said that John would do. He writes, “Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:9-11)
When Isaiah prophesies of John, he speaks more about Jesus than he does of John. Jesus is our God who comes to shepherd us. It is John’s job to proclaim this. And that he does. This is the most important job in the world, because faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). This is why Scripture says, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news.” The way we receive Jesus into our hearts as our Savior and Redeemer is by hearing and believing his words. And for this reason, God sends out his ministers to be his voice, to echo John the Baptist, and proclaim the coming of the Lord. This involves raising valleys and flattening mountains by preaching repentance from sins; and it involves comforting those trapped in darkness with the light of the world, Jesus Christ.
Yet, just as the priests and Levites were distracted by John and his funny way of dressing and eating (He wore camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey), and his odd way of preaching (He called those who came out to him brood of vipers! And he even preached against the sins of the king!), so people today become distracted by men and things and do not focus on Christ. People let that which is superficial distract them from Christ Jesus, who is the substance of our faith. And many get distracted by different voices that sound more appealing than the voice, which points to Christ.
Yet, we must not listen to any voice than that which points to Jesus Christ. John has set a standard for us. He points us to Jesus and to no one else. He makes straight the way of the Lord into our hearts by showing us our sins and need to repent. He tells us to bear fruit worthy of repentance, meaning, don’t just say you’re sorry, but actually mean it by stopping the sin you are committing and trying to do better! And he points to Jesus Christ alone, who is the Lamb of God, who takes your sins away. He preaches the truth and will not budge, even if his head is literally on the chopping block. John does this so that you look not to him, but to Jesus.
John did not confess himself. He confessed Christ Jesus. Jesus says that whoever confesses him before men, Jesus will confess before his Father in heaven. And Scripture also says, “With the mouth one confesses and is saved. John teaches us to be like him. John confessed Christ, and so Jesus confessed John before his Father and the whole world. John teaches you to confess Christ and no one else. Listen to Christ and do not get distracted by things that will fade away like grass.
This week we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. He is the fulfillment of all Scripture. Our Savior. Our Prince of Peace. But we won’t find him in a manger wrapped in Swaddling Clothes. We find him in the voice of John, which proclaims Jesus and makes a way for Christ Jesus to dwell in our hearts. May Jesus dwell in our hearts through faith until we see him return to gather us home. Amen.

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Angels Part 3: Angels Proclaim the Gospel

12/19/2019

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Leonardo Da Vinci, The Annunciation, circa 1472, Uffizi Gallery. Public Domain

Luke 1:26-39; Matthew 28:1-10

December 18, 2019

In our Advent series on Angels we have learned that angels are powerful spirits, who serve God. They protect us from bodily and spiritual harm; fighting demons and humans alike. Scripture calls them mighty ones. On occasion angels brandish fiery swords and ride in chariots of fire. A single angel killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. Angels fought alongside the army of Israel and drove out their enemies before them. God certainly sent his angels to guide his people in all their ways so that their feet would not strike rocks. Angels are warriors. God calls his angels the hosts, that is the armies of heaven. Yet, Scripture does not give angels the name, warriors, or any such derivative.
We learned last week that angels teach us to worship, as we heard of them praising God before his throne in Isaiah 6, and filling the heavens with music as they announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. And indeed, angels are constantly worshiping and praising God. Yet, Scripture does not call angels priests or cantors.
Scripture calls these heavenly warriors and worshipers of God, angels. The word angel comes from the Greek word for messenger. The New Testament was originally written in Greek. Both in the Old and in the New Testament angels are chiefly identified by the title, messenger. This is because, the chief and most honorable office these heavenly beings hold is that of messenger. The name angel is a title of honor, because these heavenly beings have the privilege of delivering God’s words to his people.
Now, why is the title messenger more honorable than the title warrior or protector? Is it not much more marvelous that angels defeat all the enemies of God and of his people? That they fend off the devil and his minions; that they defeated the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Syrians, the Assyrians, and the Egyptians? That they watch over the beds of our children and keep our cars on the road on icy winter nights? Is it not more marvelous that they guide the hands of heart surgeons and keep plagues from ravaging our land? Why is the title messenger more honorable than priest or cantor? Is it not much more honorable that angels stand before God Almighty and behold his face? That they sing words of praise to him that glorify his name and shake the heavens? What could be more marvelous than the heavenly worship of God?
No, the name God gives them is angels, because there is no more honorable name than Messenger of God, because there is no greater treasure God can give us than his words.
Our church is called Trinity Lutheran Church, but our official name is actually Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. That word, Evangelical comes from the Greek word for Gospel, ευαγγελιον (euangelion). If you listen closely, you might be able to hear the word angel in there: Eu-angel-on. Eu is the Greek word for good. Αγγελια (angelia) is the Greek words for message. So, euangelion means Good Message, or Good News. In its name our church confesses to be the church of the Gospel, that is, the Good News.
Angels deliver messages from God. The greatest message an angel can deliver is the Good Message, the Gospel, the euangelion. In Luke chapter 2, the angel appears before the shepherds in the fields and says, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news [ευαγγελιζομαι (euangelizomai)] of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The angel, this messenger of God, declared the Gospel, that is the Good Message from God that Jesus, the Savior was born! And with those words the angel did something more profound, more important, more powerful than when the angels plagued Egypt, conquered Canaan, closed the mouths of lions, and protected Israel throughout their history. With those words, the angel brought eternal salvation to those shepherds!
None of us were there when the angel Gabriel declared the good message to Mary that she would bear the Son of God, who would reign forever over his father David’s throne. And none of us witnessed the angel roll back the stone of Jesus’ tomb with an earthquake, paralyzing the soldiers with fear, nor did we hear him speak to the Marys concerning Jesus’ resurrection. But, we have heard these words from Scripture. And these words, this good message from the angels is just as good and powerful to us now as it was to those who heard it from the mouth of these heavenly beings.
St. Paul writes in Romans chapter 1, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, the [ευαγγελιον (euangelion)] of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.” The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. This is because, we are not saved by our good works or anything we do. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. That is, we are saved through believing the good message of Jesus Christ. Jesus saves by coming into the hearts of his people through words, through a message from God that he is not angry with us, but has reconciled himself to us through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Scripture says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14-15a, 17). It was truly marvelous that angels conquered the enemies of Israel with great signs and wonders and that they still protect us today from all harm and danger. It is truly beautiful that the angels worship God in heaven with reverence and awe. Yet, these things do not give to us eternal salvation. Eternal salvation comes only through faith in the good message of Jesus Christ, as Scripture says, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)
The title angel is the most honorable title God could give these heavenly creatures, because there is no greater majesty or power of God than that displayed in his good message to his people. In this good message, God reveals his Love for us!
There are a few instances when the Bible uses the word angel to refer to beings that are not actual angels. Usually this is a title of honor. One, is in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, where Jesus sends letters to the angel of the church in seven different cities. This is probably a reference to their pastors, who are charged by God to deliver the message of God from holy Scripture.
The other occasion is from the Old Testament with the term, The Angel of the LORD. In the Old Testament when it says The Angel of the LORD, instead of, an angel of the LORD, it usually refers to Christ, the Second Person in the Holy Trinity. To be clear, God is not an angel. He is a Spirit, who transcends all angels. And God did not make angels in his own image, but he made man in his own image. And God did not become an angel, but rather, he became a human being, Jesus Christ. Yet, Scripture sometimes calls Christ the Angel of the LORD. This is because the Son of God is the eternal Word of God. Our God speaks to us! This again is why it is such an honorable title given to the angels! They speak to us the powerful word of God! A word that is powerful enough to create light and the entire universe! A word that is powerful enough to create faith in our hearts and to forgive all our sins!
I’ve never seen an angel. And none of us has had an angel speak to us directly. Yet, we have heard the message of these messengers: the good message from God himself. This is the message of Jesus Christ. This is the message that saves.
This Christmas, we are celebrating the Good Message of Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, so that he might save us sinners by dying on the cross for our sins. This Good Message was first delivered by God’s messengers from heaven. And we still have the honor to hear this message today. And for that reason, we are glad to sing with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Amen.

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"For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17

Why Christmas is Merry

And the Word Became Flesh

The Angels Proclaim Peace on Earth!

The Voice Prepares the Way of the Lord into our Hearts

Angels Part 3: Angels Proclaim the Gospel

Rev. James Preus

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