Who Are You?

Text: John 1:19-28

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Who are you?  Yes, who are you?  When you look into the mirror, what is staring back at you? 

This is an extremely easy question to understand, but make no doubt about it that it is an extremely difficult question to answer. 

Philosophers throughout the ages have attempted to answer this by saying that you are a collection of emotions, virtues, flaws, needs, possibilities, and defeats – that you are a collection of personalities.  Now, is this who you are, a mere personality?   

Science has attempted to answer this question by saying that you are a living breathing organism that has mutated throughout millions of years of evolutionary process.  Is this who you are, an evolutionary accident?

Corporate America has attempted to answer this by pointing you to your resume - your whole life listed in bulleted points on an 8.5 x 11 inch cream colored cardstock sheet.  Is this who you are, human capital?

Culture says that you are defined by your sexual orientation, that you are a sexual being who finds the pinnacle of essence in the amount of sexual satisfaction that can be created.  Is this who you are, a sexual experience?

Hollywood tries to answer this by convincing you that you can become a celebrity.  Plastic surgery, hair extensions, fake eyelashes, skinny jeans, a Phillip Lim handbag, and a little bit of acting will allow you to become whatever you want to be.  Is this who you are, a cosmetic creation?

The daily affirmation of Positive thinking tries to answer the question of identity by telling you to say, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”  Is this who you are, a positive affirmation? 

Social media strives to answer the question through cool looking selfie photos, fancy profile pictures, and attractive posts.  Is this who you are, a social media profile?

I ask you again. Who are you? 

As previously stated, this question is easy to understand, but answering it is even more difficult.  It is so difficult to answer that people will in fact spend a lifetime trying to answer this question and will spend a lifetime of money and resources trying to actualize it. 

The reason why it is difficult to answer is because the way that humanity attempts to answer the question of ‘who we are’ will depend upon the criterion that is used.  Furthermore, there are some tricky questions that are raised when we try to figure out who we are: does humanity define itself or is humanity defined?  In other words, do you and I make up our own identity or is our identity placed upon us?  Think about it for a moment: 

Are we just a personality, if so, is that it? 

Are we basically a living organism that has evolved through mutation; if so, then what? 

Are we defined by our resume; if so, are we just human capital listed on a balance sheet? 

Are we nothing more than a one night sexual experience; if so, is this not pathetically shallow? 

Are we a bunch of insecure fake mini-celebrities trying to create glamourous glory; if so, isn’t this superficially fake? 

Are we a defined by the presentation of our social media account; if so, what do we do when we realize that social media isn’t real? 

My friends, just who are you and who am I?  It seems that all of our examples fail to adequately answer this question of who we are.  Thus, I ask you again, who are you?

Our Gospel reading from the Gospel of John answers this question for us.  Indeed, it answers the question of who we are, and it does it succinctly.  That answer is this: you are not the Christ!.  That’s right, who are you?  In the words of John the Baptist, you are ‘not’ the Christ.  This is how John the Baptist describes himself and it is the way that you and I can define ourselves as well.  ‘You and I’ are ‘not’ the Christ.  You and I are not the Savior of the world; You and I are not the Savior of our families; You and I are not the Savior of this church; You and I are not the Savior of our friends; and You and I are not the Savior of ourselves.  You and I are ‘not’ the Christ.  That is who we are.

This seems like an odd way to define ourselves though; it seems like a peculiar way to answer the question of who we are.  However, as you and I confess that we are ‘not’ the Christ, we are indeed saying something about ourselves and more importantly we are also confessing that there ‘is’ a Christ; there is a Savior.  In other words, there ‘is’ one who redeems, saves, defends… and it is not us. 

Considering this, if we are not the Christ, who is the Christ?  The Christ is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, the promised one to humanity.  He is the one who drank the cup of suffering; He is the one who endured death, wrath, persecution, and the weight of humanity’s sin on the cross.  He is the one that vacated the tomb.  He is the one who defeated sin, death, and the devil.  He is the one who is He seated at the right hand of the Father and will come to judge the living and the dead. 

It is most certainly true that you are not the Christ; Jesus is the Christ.  That is what really matters. 

This is good that the Christ is your Christ, your God in your flesh, because He has been born and anointed to die for you.[1]

With that stated though, if you are not the Christ, who are you then precisely?  Answer: you are a Christian.  “You are a Christian because there is a Christ.  You are baptized.  You wear His name.  You are washed in His blood.  You eat His flesh, hear His Word, pray His prayers, die His death, and live His life.”[2]

Who are you?  One more time.  You are a Christian.  “You are a Christian because there is a Christ.  You are baptized.  You wear His name.  You are washed in His blood.  You eat His flesh, hear His Word, pray His prayers, die His death, and live His life.”[3]

Yes, you are a Christian, which means that God takes the condemnation of your sin off of your shoulders and places it on the shoulders of Christ.  If we were the Christ, sin would rest on us and we would be lost, for sin is too strong and too heavy – we would be ground to nothing, left with no identity, no worth, no future, and no hope; however, since we are not the Christ, we have the blessed assurance that sin is loaded on the Christ, who bears it all for you and for me. 

Who are you?  You are not merely a personality; you are not an evolutionary accident; you are not human capital; you are not a sexual experience; you are not a cosmetic creation; you are not a positive affirmation; you are not a social media profile!  No, you are none of these.  These are the world’s faulty attempts to answer the question of who you are.  You though, are not of the world, but of Christ; you are a Christian – a blood-bought-baptized-Christian – marked with the name: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  You are not the Triune God, but have been given the Triune God’s name.  This “holy name opens heaven’s gates.  It drives away demons.  It banishes guilt, fear, and shame to hell’s deepest pit.  You belong to the royal court of heaven.  You are not the Christ, but you are His.”[4]

This Advent Season we lean forward and peer into the manger.  As we lean forward, we do so with John the Baptist’s confession, saying that we are not the Christ, but that the Christ who was born unto us is our salvation, our victory, our release from captivity, our hope, our future, our eternity, and our identity. 

Without Jesus we are in hopeless darkness; with Jesus coming to humanity, we have an eternal identity and know exactly who we are in this life and the life to come. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen. 

---

[1] David H. Pettersen, God With Us: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Sermons (Fort Wayne, IN: Emmanuel Press, 2014), 64.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

Do We Really Need The Voice In The Wilderness?

Text:  Matthew 11:2-10

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Your plans have gone smoothly up to this point, for the most part.  The tree went up without any major problems; the Christmas lights were untangled with ease.  You even got your Christmas cards printed off without much of a hassle and sent them off.  Oh, and who can forget the weather?  The weather has been beautiful; no ice or major storms.  Everything is going as planned; the Christmas Season is blossoming with ease and grace.  That is until you came to church this morning and heard our Gospel reading.

I know what you are thinking: do we really have to ponder today’s Gospel reading?  I mean, can’t we just skip today’s text?  Everything with Christmas planning has gone so smoothly this year; do we really have to ruin it by examining John the Baptist?  Do we really need to hear the voice in the wilderness crying out to us in the midst of our holiday cheer, “Make straight in the desert highway for your God!”?

There is no doubt about it that John the Baptist is that stern preacher in the Gospels accounts.  He is that unyielding prophet that came before the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  And he is that New Testament figure who the church examines every year approximately two Sunday’s before the birth of Jesus. 

At first glance it seems odd.  You and I are getting all the decorations set and our emotions fixated on that sentimental poor baby born in a stable, lying in the manger.  And then out of nowhere, we are blindsided by this New Testament prophet with his wild hair, stern glare, weird attire, and jarring message of repentance.  He is like the Grinch who stole Christmas, for he seems to throw a wrench into the holiday cheer by saying, “Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.”

So, this morning, we find ourselves at this awkward point.  We find ourselves with the temptation of wanting to simply skirt around John the Baptist.  Yes, maybe we could just simply gloss over John the Baptist, in order to prevent him from ruining our holiday cheer. 

Truth be told though, even though we want a preacher who suits our own fancy, a fickle John the Baptists that won’t preach Law to us, we actually desperately need the voice in the wilderness. 

During this Advent and Christmas Season, what we do not need is another smooth talking and agreeable message; we do not need another message that is pleasant to our ears.  But rather, we need the voice of the wilderness; we need the voice that does not waver and does not fluctuate.  We need the voice of John the Baptist that does not sway or follow the delusions of our culture.  We need John’s message to break through the Christmas glitter - to pierce through the holiday glimmer – in order to warn us not to be like a shaken reed, to drive us to repentance, and to prepare our hearts and minds for the Christ. 

Dear friends, the pagan and unbelieving world around us shines gushy superficial Christmas cheer all over the real reason of the season.  The pagan and unbelieving world really cares nothing for the spiritual aspects of Christmas and we are easily ensnared into this same mentality.  We must not be ensnared in this though and that is why we so desperately need the offense and message of John the Baptist. 

And what is John’s non-fickle and non-man-pleasing stern message? 

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!  After me comes he who is mightier than I!”

This message of John the Baptist to repent has been spoken by many in the Old Testament: prophets like Elijah.  Indeed, the message of repentance - the Law of God – has also come forth through in the New Testament and since then through thousands of mouths and voices.  In other words, John the Baptist needed to come before Jesus, repentance needs to happen before faith, Law needs to be preached before Gospel, and Advent must come before Christmas. 

Dear friends, “how can faith enter a heart that has not yet been crushed?  How can a person feel hungry and thirsty while he [hates] the food set before him?  No . . . if you wish to believe in Christ, you must become sick; for Christ is a Physician only for those who are sick.  He came to seek and to save that which is lost; therefore, you must first become a lost and condemned sinner.  He is the Good Shepherd, who goes in search of the lost; sheep; therefore you must first realize that you are a lost sheep.”[1]  What this means is that the Gospel is not good, unless we first hear about the malady of our sin.  We cannot understand the assurance of Mt. Calvary, unless we have heard the thunder of Mt. Sinai.  The same is true for Christmas. How can a person understand Christmas without Advent?  How can one receive Jesus, without first hearing from John the Baptist? 

The Child in the manger means nothing to us, unless we come to the manger with the words of John the Baptist ringing in our hearts.  In other words, the Christ-child in the manger was born to redeem sinners.  Therefore, if you and I go through the emotions of Advent and Christmas without the sobering message of John the Baptist – recognizing our sin – then Christmas is truly meaningless. 

There is no doubt about it, those who do not confess their sins get the full blast of the Law from John the Baptist,

“Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!  Prepare for God’s arrival!  Make the road smooth and straight!”

Those who refuse to repent never end up at the manger or the cross, but end up in unquenchable fire.  However, those who repent, confess and acknowledge and come clean with their sins, are baptized and gathered up into the story of Christmas - a story that takes them from the manger to the cross and from the cross to the empty tomb.  In other words, Christmas is not a mere commemoration of the birth of Jesus – some big birthday party with a piñata - but is the recognition that the Lord God was not content to leave us in our sins. 

Dear friends, if you wish to hear the message of the manger and the birth of Christ for you, repent!  This is the message of John the Baptist; this is the message of Advent.  It is a message that comes to you every Advent; it is a message that comes to you from the Word, from the wilderness, and from this pulpit.  It is a message that is needed.    

Yes, you and I are called to repentance of our sins as many as our sins that need repentance.  “The Lord is slow to give up on you [and me].  He calls you [and me] to repent again and again.  But if you [and I] insist on holding on to [our] sins – perhaps just [our] favorite one or two – and try to run with both [Jesus] and [our] sins, He will finally put an end to that game.  He tells [us] so.  He issues a warning call to repent, to turn.  Your sins are either with Jesus or with you.  It is only the sins you hold and keep away from Him that can damn you.”[2]

In the weeks to come, we will travel to Bethlehem’s stable and manger.  Even today we lean forward towards the manger and peer in.  I suspect that as we look forward towards Bethlehem and as we lean inward on the manger, that we do so with a certain amount of guilt from John the Baptist’s bruising message.  If that is the case, we can say, “Thank God!”  We can thank God for this because it is a fruit – that is to say, a result - of us encountering John the Baptist.  Indeed, it is a fruit of hearing the message of Advent and the word of God’s Law. 

With that said though, Bethlehem, the stable, the manger, and the Christ-child do not meet you with condemnation.  But rather, these are the things that John’s message prepares us to receive!  The good news for you today, tomorrow, and for eternity, is that your sins and guilt remain at Bethlehem.  They remain at the manger, for when we look to Bethlehem and in the manger we behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

At Bethlehem God entered our human life as a true man to cancel all sin and to take all guilt upon Himself – for you and for me.[3] Peace, the peace between God and man, begins at Bethlehem and is accomplished at the cross.  “In and through the Christ-child, God has established a contract and bound Himself to forgive all and every sin.”[4] 

Today, do not make the mistake of ignoring, disregarding, and avoiding John the Baptist, but rather, hear his message for you, a message that prepares your hearts and lives in a way to receive Bethlehem, the stable, the manger, and the Christ.  And as you receive Bethlehem, the stable, and the manger, know that you are taken to the cross to hear that Jesus answers for your sins with forgiveness, life, and salvation.    

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

---

[1] C.F.W. Walther The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel tr. W.H.T. Dau (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1928), 92.

[2] Norman Nagel, Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2004), 22. 

[3] Fred H. Lindemann, The Sermon and The Propers: Volume 1, The Advent and Epiphany Seasons (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 50. 

[4] Ibid.

Who Is This Child Born Unto Us?

 Part 2 of Zion Lutheran's Midweek Advent Series

Isaiah: 9:2-7

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

In last week’s midweek Advent message, we took a moment and leaned forward towards Christmas Eve, in order to gaze into the manger and see the child that was born unto humanity. 

As we gazed into the manger, we acknowledged that not everyone sees the babe in the manger the same.  That is to say, as the church and as the culture lean forward and peer into the manger this coming Christmas Season, many will not see the genuine Jesus.  Sure they will see a child lying in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, but they will see Him with all sorts of misconceptions and misunderstandings.  They will not see the Christ-child for whom He was and is, but will see Him the way that they want Him to be for themselves. 

Regardless how the world sees the baby in the manger, we believe, teach, and confess that Jesus was not born to be our Christian Mascot.  He was not born to be a good moral example.  He was not born to make us healthy and wealthy – full of money and material possessions.  He was not born to bring us new laws of God.  He was not born to be a political figure.  He was not born to be a mamby pamby Savior.  He was not born to avoid the cross of Calvary.  He was not born unto us for any of these reasons, but as the prophet Isaiah said, He was born unto us as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

Indeed, there is only one Jesus who was laid in the manger, who was born unto us.   If we gaze into the manger and do not see the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, we do not see Christ correctly; we do not see the genuine Christ. 

Do not fear though, for in tonight’s reading from the prophet Isaiah we heard about the genuine Christ-child.  More specifically, we heard these majestic names spoken of the child in the manger.  In other words, the prophet Isaiah shares the genuine identity of this child in the manger.    Isaiah shares this not by leaning forward towards Christmas to see for himself, but He reveals this through a prophetic word.  Isaiah’s prophecy gives you and me a clear and complete picture of the Savior and His work, even though Isaiah recorded these words some 700 years before the birth of Christ.

So who is this child born unto us? 

First, Isaiah says that “the child will have the government on his shoulders.  He will have all power in heaven and earth in order to govern, protect, sustain, and control all things [for you and for me].  . . . Clearly this is not a reference to the worldly power one might find in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ. . . . [but rather] Isaiah’s description here asserts the deity of the child.”[1]  Isaiah’s description reveals to us that despite the circumstances of life, the powers of the world and even the powers of hell cannot overcome and will not overcome the Christ-child born unto us. 

Secondly, Isaiah says that “the child will also be a wonder.  He will be extraordinary, a marvel, a miracle beyond what any human might think or imagine.  He will exceed what is possible for any human child.  This child is God and man in one special extraordinary person – a wonder, a miracle!  We cannot fathom the mystery of the child who is almighty God and at the same time a little child born of a virgin.  We can only stand in awe of the miracle of God in human flesh with us and among us [and for us].”[2]

Thirdly, this child is a wonderful counselor.  “He does not need to surround himself with advisors as every human ruler does.  He already knows all things.  His counsel, or advice, is the grace of God, the plan by which God would rescue all the world from sin, death, and the devil.”[3]

“The child is also ‘Everlasting Father,’ which refers to the work and business of this king, not his person.  . . . He leads more and more people to believe in him. [This child born in the manger has] the heart of a father toward his own people.  He cares for his followers [- He cares for you -] tenderly, faithfully, and wisely.”[4]

“Finally, the child is the ‘Prince of Peace.’ . . . Humanity has longed for peace through the ages!  Peace, in human terms, will always be [vague and unattainable].  As long as the world endures, there will be war, rumors of wars, discord, and strife.  The messiah [though,] came to give a different kind of Peace.  Jesus said, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’”[5]

What Isaiah said about the Christ-child born unto us and laid in the manger, is true.  Regardless how people view the Christ-child, we must keep in mind that Jesus is not easily defined by the opinions of mankind.  Jesus does not act according to our own sinful definitions of who we think He is, or who we think He ought to be.  This Advent and Christmas Season, even though we see a babe in the manger, we mustn’t forget that He is Lord and we are not.  Our opinions, hopes, and dreams of who we think the Christ-child should be, as we look into the manger, do not matter.  He is not handcuffed to our religious undertakings, our hopes, and our aspirations of Him.  Like the Lion Aslan in C.S. Lewis’ books, The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lord that lay in the manger is not tame or safe, but He is good.  Indeed, He will not be tied down by our definitions, ambitions, and desires; He must not be pressed for He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. 

As your Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace who was laid in the manger, you and I believe, teach, and confess that Jesus Christ is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.  You and I believe, teach, and confess that the babe in the manger is our Lord, who goes from the cradle to the cross in order to redeem you and me, lost and condemned persons.  At the cross, He purchased and won you and me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.  Yes, He went from the cradle to the cross so that he could purchase and win you and me in order that we may be His own and that we may live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity.[6]

For unto us a child is born, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

---

[1] John A. Braun, People’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah 1 (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2002), 128.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, 128-129.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid, 129-130.

[6] Martin Luther, Luther’s Small Catechism, (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1986), Explanation of The Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed.

When All Hell Seems To Break Loose...

Text: Luke 21:25-36

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

In case you haven’t noticed, things are really bad.  Not just a little, but a lot.

We are supposedly told that polar icecaps are shrinking, earth’s temperatures are rising, and tropical rain-forests are suffering, which means that we should expect more droughts, hotter heat waves, stronger hurricanes, and unpredictable weather patterns in the future. 

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.    

We see images of bloodshed overseas as an Italian priest was recently stabbed, a Christian neighborhood hit by incoming rockets, Christians beheaded, and hundreds of other unmentionable acts of terror.

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.

The tremors of horror hit us this last year as a large earthquake in Nepal killed over 9,000 people and injured more than 23,000 other people.  The mighty power of this earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, as if the earthquake was leaving its signature card of destruction.

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.

Recent videos on YouTube have been released of tiny little babies being aborted within mother’s wombs and their body parts being sold to the highest bidder. 

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.

Recently we felt the wave of tragedy from across the Atlantic Ocean, as 130 people were killed in Paris and another 368 were injured due to coordinated terrorist attacks. 

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.

More recently and closer to home we saw the terror, as 14 people were ruthlessly killed and another 21 people were wounded by pathetic cowards with corrupted and poisonous consciences. 

It’s bad, not just a little, but a lot.

What is so bad?  The circumstances, signs, and events of our world are bad. 

This is truly our world of despair on display. 

We are told by some though, that it is not too bad.  We are told not to worry, but to eat, drink, and be merry.  We are told to go our way, to feel secure, to go shopping, to build our houses, to enjoy our work, to act unconcerned, and to not think about the troubling events and circumstances before us.  We are also told that if someone comes along and points out that things in this world are bad - that hell has seemed to break loose – well, we are to simply laugh at them and consider them to be fear mongers. 

There are other people too, people who instruct us that we should indeed worry about the events and circumstances of life.  We are told by these people that we should certainly worry.  We are told to watch the news of wars, to examine our loss of rights, to document the economic disasters, and to scramble around in panic with each new breaking news story.  In doing this, we are to become like Chicken Little – frenzied by every single thing, to the point that our very shadow frightens us, while screaming, “The sky is falling!”

Truth be told though, whether we eat, drink, and be merry or whether we run around in a hurried frenzy, both of these responses are rather futile – that is worthless.  They are pointless because they do nothing to change or deal with this world of despair that we live in.  They do nothing to deal with this life full of distress, perplexity, fear, and darkness.  Furthermore, they do nothing to deal with the coming judgement.  Yes, my friends, heaven and earth and the events of life are calling out to us; they are speaking out to us like a voice of thunder.[1]  They are saying to us that there is an end to everything we know and that the Judge stands at eternity’s door looking down upon us.   The events of today are like signs pointing us to the end, to the great judgement that is to come.    

I kid you not, there is a day that is coming when the Lord will return. He is coming to set the wicked and the proud afire.  This day will be a great terror; it will be a terrible day.

You as Christians though, shall not scramble around like Chicken Little; you Christians though shall not live in naïve bliss.   No, you shall not scramble in fear or live in apathetic-blind-foolishness!  But rather, you shall lift up your heads and hearts in glad anticipation!  That is to say, when all hell breaks loose, lift up your heads; when all hell breaks loose, life up your hearts! 

“Here you may say, who can lift up his head in the face of such terrible wrath and judgement?  If the whole world is filled with fear . . . [and everyone’s head is hanging low out of terror and anxiety]; how shall we [Christians] look up and lift up our heads?”[2]   In other words, how can one work up enough hope and joy and comfort in the face of disaster, bloodshed, war, and the coming judgment?  How can a head or a heart look upward when it is bombarded with such miserable situations, situations that cast heaviness upon us? 

Dear friends, Jesus tells us that our redemption draws near, look upward!  Indeed, when the shadow of disaster is cast over us, we lift up our heads and hearts, for Jesus draws near.  When distress, perplexity, terror, and darkness – when hell breaks loose and when our world seems to be turned upside down – Jesus does not say that we are to drop our heads in fear and He does not call us to simply shrug things off and return to watching Netflix while drinking a Gin and Tonic.  No, lift up your heads and your hearts, for our redemption draws near! 

Dear Baptized Saints, “Look to those signs in sun, moon, and stars, in earth, sea, and even in your own life.  Look to the cross, to war, to death, and see beautiful blossoms, doves, and rainbows.  They point you to God’s grace and promises.  They are ushering in peace and tranquility, the end of war.  Your enemies will be no more.   Sin will lose all appeal.  Temptation will have no power.  There will be no one to either accuse or hurt you.  The good work begun in you will be complete.  . . . Creation itself will rejoice to see you revealed as a son of God.  And you will rejoice.  You will be glad, for the kingdom of God will come to you and never be taken away.”[3]

Blessed Baptized Saints, your hope is that when all hell breaks loose and when the worst seems to be unleashed in our world, that the Kingdom of God cannot be shaken.   Every sign which points to the end of this world fills the hearts of unbelievers with terror, but not with you!  These signs and events and circumstances fill your hearts with joy and hope, for you and I know that the Lord Jesus is has come, is coming, and will come in great power and great glory.  He has promised to come at the end of the age to set things right, just as He came to us in a manger some two-thousand years ago.  At His second coming, He will come to judge all things!  The world will be burnt up – refined – the evil one will be cast into the lake of fire.  All things will be set right.

But what of the coming wrath and coming judgment of the Lord, shall we fear this?  No we shall not.  The pagan fears the end of the world and the end of life; however, this is not true for you as the baptized child of God.  You shall not fear the second coming and the wrath of God, for you are marked with the blood of the Lamb – wrath will pass over you.  The Lord Jesus Christ is on your side and He comes to deliver you and to take you unto Himself.  The Lord Jesus will wipe away every tear, death shall be no more, there will be no more mourning, crying, no more pain for this world will be no more.  All things will be made anew.[4]   

This morning, lift up your heads and your hearts, for your redemption is drawing near.   

When you hear of rumors of wars, hear of the Word of God more - in Christ you are forgiven.

When you feel persecution pressed against your body, feel the bread and wine of the Lord pressed in your mouth – given and shed for you. 

When you are drenched by the calamities of sin, remember your baptisms more, where you are drenched in the name of the Lord – baptized into the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.   

Behold, Jesus coming to you – to forgive you of all of your sins; and on the Last Day to raise you and all believer to eternal life.  

Lift up your heads; lift up your hearts!  Salvation draws near to you!

In the name of Jesus: Amen. 

---

[1] C.F.W. Walther, Gospel Sermons: Volume 1trans. Donald Heck (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2013), 17.

               [2] Martin Luther, Complete Sermons of Martin Luther: Volume 1(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Company, 2000), 75.

              [3] David Petersen, God With Us: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Sermons (Fort Wayne, IN: Emmanuel Press, 2014), 25.

              [4] Ibid.

Lean Forward And Look Into The Manger

Part 1 of Zion Lutheran's Midweek Advent Sermon Series

Text: Isaiah 9:2-7

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Isaiah the prophet said in our Old Testament reading, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.”  These words from the prophet’s mouth are spoken in order to lay forth a promise and a prophetic word that a child will be born.  This is no ordinary child to be born on earth, but this child is someone special – someone unique. 

But more specifically who is this child?  We recognize that this child is Jesus; we recognize that this child spoken of from the days of old is Jesus who was laid in a manger. 

Now, with that said, as we gaze this Christmas Season into the manger and look upon the child who was born in Bethlehem, we must acknowledge that there is only one genuine Jesus.  In other words, there is only one distinct Jesus born into poverty from the Virgin Mary for humanity – only one Jesus who lay in the manger.  Yes, there is only one Jesus who fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy.  However, we would be foolish to believe that everyone sees the baby in the manger correctly.  That is to say, as the church and as the culture leans forward and peers into the manger this coming Christmas Season, many will not see the genuine Jesus.  Sure they will see a child lying in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, but they will see Him with all sorts of misconceptions and misunderstandings.  They will not see the Christ-child for whom He is, but will see Him the way that they want Him to be for themselves.

 

For example, some will look through the cool air breeze and into the manger to see Jesus as nothing more than a Christian mascot born for humanity.  They will not see a mighty Savior, but a false jesus who cheers people on to love themselves first and to gratify their worldly desires.  They will see a false jesus that is all about serving mankind’s will above God’s will.  They will falsely see a jesus who waters down the words of the Bible to avoid offense, overlooks sin, never corrects, and is always there to positively cheer mankind on.  They will not see Him correctly.

As other eyes gaze into the manger, they will look upon the child and see nothing more than a spiritual guru born for humanity.  As a spiritual guru, they will falsely see jesus not as ‘the’ way, ‘the’ truth, and ‘the’ life, but merely as ‘a’ way, ‘a’ truth, and ‘a’ life.  They will see this jesus as a spiritual guru that sends all people to heaven, while dismissing hell.  They will see an all-tolerant baby in the manger.  They will not see Him correctly. 

Others will gaze into the manger and not see the genuine Jesus, but will see nothing more than a good moral example in which mankind is to emulate.  They will see Jesus as nothing more than a good rabbi.  They will not see Him correctly.

Driven by money and power, some will look into the manger and will not see a Savior but will see dollar signs.  They will see a false jesus who is all about giving them health, wealth, and prosperity.  They will see a jesus who will supposedly grant health or wealth to those whose faith in him reaches the level it should.  They will not see Him correctly.

It gets worse; there are some who will stare into the manger and see the baby as a New Moses, as a new lawgiver born for humanity.  To them, this baby is all about giving new and improved laws for mankind to live their best life now.  They will not see Him correctly.

Driven by politics, some will regard the child in the manger as a beacon of hope for a political party.  They will see the false jesus as a political sanctifier of any campaign wanting the votes of the religious right.  They will not see Him correctly.

Looking into the manger, others will see a baby that is mild, soft, and gentle and will assume that this baby will grow up to cuddle little lambs and accentuate emotions.  They will see a false jesus who exalts emotions, extols experiences, and lifts up personal opinions above sound teaching. They will not see Him correctly.

Finally, some will look into the manger and see a baby who is whole, healthy, sound, and without pain.  They will attempt to keep it that way by imagining that Jesus was not born to die on a cross.  For these people the blood, wounds, and suffering is simply too much, which means that they will see the child in the manger like a Precious Moments figurine.  In other words, they will imagine a false jesus who has been sanitized from the messy blood and scary looking cross, and hope to keep it that way.  They will not see Him correctly.

Indeed, many people will gaze upon the genuine Jesus in the manger – many have – and there will be a large assortment of false and counterfeit and mistaken identities of who this baby is.  They will not see Him correctly.

The problem with all of these mistaken identities is that Jesus was not born to be our Christian Mascot.  He was not born to be a good moral example.  He was not born to make us healthy and wealthy – full of money and material possessions.  He was not born to bring us new laws of God.  He was not born to be a political figure.  He was not born to be a mamby pamby Savior.  He was not born to avoid the cross of Calvary.  If we gaze into the manger and see any of these things, we do not see the genuine Christ.  We are not seeing Christ correctly.    

Dear friends, Jesus was born as a gift to humanity.  He was born for farmers and bankers, students and grandparents, young and old, male and female.  He was born for all – born for you. 

He was not born in heaven; He was not born for the angels; He was not born to save demons.  But rather, He was born for you – on this earth.

He descended to us; He dived down from heaven to be the only genuine Savior.   As the genuine Savior, He is an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-sufficient bleeding-dying-rising-Savior for you and me. 

Dear friends, there is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Jesus who would undergo great suffering, rejection, and be killed and rise again after three days. 

There is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Jesus who is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace.  He is God with us.    

There is only one Jesus who lay in the manger: the Savior who came to deliver mankind from sin, death, and the devil.

Take a moment and lean forward towards Christmas Eve.  Look into the manger.  The baby that lies in the manger will not shrink from His course on earth.  He is not afraid, nor is He hesitant.  He was born unto you for this.[1] 

Take a moment and lean forward towards Christmas Eve.  Look into the manger.  The baby that lies in the manger will grow up and face persecution from the religious leaders.  They will not take His life; He will lay it down in order to have you.  He was born unto you for this.[2]

“And out of the grave He will spring back to life, a man, body and soul, . . . the Savior, who was born unto you, alive out of death, to redeem and save you on earth.” [3]

Unto you a child is born, to you a son is given.

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

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[1] David Petersen, God With Us: Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Sermons (Fort Wayne, IN: Emmanuel Press, 2007), 86-87.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.