Christmas Eve

12.24.11

Isaiah 7:10-14, 9:2,7, Titus 2:11-14, St. Matthew 1:18-25, & St. Luke 2:1-20.

Hymns in program.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Epistle appointed, the Epistle written by St. Paul to St. Titus, the 2^nd chapter:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

The text in part.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

If you ask the average person on the street, what Christmas means to them you might hear – its the Savior's birth. But considering all the Christmas carols, advertisements, and sale promotions you've heard for the last six weeks, more likely the answer would be one of the following:

• A time of giving.
• Peace on earth.
• Or if a child – getting presents.

And I'm not even talking about all the other nonsense that is tacked on to the day.

Christmas means many things to the world, but to Christ's body the Church it means something entirely different. For the world, peace on earth means – quiet, happy, times with no quarreling anywhere.

The world imagines an earthly utopia that frankly isn't promised in the Bible, not in this life anyway.

It is that looking forward to what is to come that drives the Church, for she knows a great truth:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, …, our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Perhaps it sounds too simple, but Christmas isn't about just our giving to one another, or earthly peace, or even about our getting material presents. No, Christmas is about Jesus Christ, and how He comes to His Church.

Advent has prepared you, little Zion, with talking about Christ coming historically, presently, and in time to come, expectantly.

And so then it is helpful for us that St. Paul breaks Christmas down for St. Titus, Paul's former student, and now young pastor in the early Church. Let's follow St. Paul's outline to find our Christmas focus this evening from our sermon text.

St Paul begins the text with these words,

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”

The Son of God came to earth, Christ became man in time and in space. The prophets foretold it, and the Gospel writers witnessed, or interviewed witnesses, and recorded the happy historic event. Do you remember the children's earlier words as they described it?

• Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

• For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
• Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
• And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
• And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

It won't happen again. Christ's birth is once for all men. And the incarnation, the becoming man, of the Son of God has a marvelous purpose. The redemption of sinful mankind, sinful people like you and me.

The Son of God became the Son of man, and in this gracious coming your redemption began to unfold.

Secondly, St. Paul writes to St. Titus that Christ comes presently to His Church. Speaking of the Christ, the salvation that appeared to all men, Paul writes,

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

Christ comes and teaches His Church, even tonight. The Church is Christ's. The Office of the ministry is given by Christ, and it is through this office that Christ speaks His Word to His flock.

Christ says to His Disciples and ministers in sending them out to preach and teach His Word, “He who hears you, hears Me” St. Luke 10:16. And more, Christ gave Baptism, Absolution, and His Holy Communion to His Church that she might, “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

Christ became man that He might suffer, die, and rise again for the forgiveness of all your sins. And since He paid for your sins and gives you faith to receive His gifts you are preserved in that faith through your life in the Church, even though she is still on this sinful earth.

Christ comes in His Church to give, strengthen, and preserve faith in His works of atonement. And in the receipt of this wonderful redemption you are washed clean and given to live in Christ.

You begin to love as you have been loved, forgive as you have been forgiven, and to share the Good News even as you have had that same Good News given to you. Christ comes to you to forgive you, and to enable your new life.

In part even though it is a daily struggle within you, Christ begins to reach out to your neighbors through your lives, even your thoughts, words, and deeds. And for the sake of Christ's Holy Passion and death your lives of service, even though tempered with your remaining sinful flesh, are now pleasing to the Father.

You are forgiven because of Christ's work, but you get to give thanks to the Father through your Christian lives.

Christ comes to you in His Church and then to the world through you.

And for that final way that Christ comes to the world and His Church, you consider the Last Day, Judgment Day, even as St. Paul urges you with these words,

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”

Jesus has promised to be with you, His Church, always even to end of the ages. Matthew 28 outlines the Church's life in what it does, or rather what Jesus does through her – teaching His teachings and baptizing with His baptism.

And yet this life on earth has its predicted end, the Last Day when Christ comes to collect His believers, and condemn all unbelievers. Christ will come then. For you in His Church it will be glorious, and for those outside His Church it will be an awful eternal condemnation.

For you His forgiven and baptized ones, Christ prepares heavenly mansions; and for the others, hell's eternal fires await.

So what does Christmas mean to you, Christ’s dear baptized ones?

• It means Christ's time of giving to you started with His becoming man, found completion in His life, suffering, death, and resurrection, and is delivered to you by Holy Spirit-given-faith through His Word – in proclamation, in Baptism, in Absolution, and in His Holy Communion.

• It means peace for you on earth because you have been made right with God through Christ Jesus your Lord and Savior.
• And it means that you get to give even as Christ has given to you.

When you hear how you are to now live in love and forgiveness with your neighbor – two things happen.

• First as Christ's baptized you really do begin to love your neighbor and help him,
• but secondly that knowledge of what you are to do also condemns you, for your flesh struggles with your new man.

Your flesh doesn't want to help anyone except itself. And so, the Law shows you your sins of being unloving toward your neighbor.

Sins of neighborly neglect are indeed quite serious!

But you, Christ's baptized, know what St. Paul tells St. Titus and you this evening. Remember Paul's words, indeed Christ's words for Christ speaks through Paul, and all His ministers.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”

For the sake of the Son of God who also became the Son of man, who gave His life as a ransom for many, especially you, your heavenly Father forgives you all your sins, especially your sins of neighborly neglect.

• This is Merry Christmas – your sins are forgiven!
• This is Merry Christmas – because of Christ Jesus you have peace with God.
• This is Merry Christmas – Christ now reaches out to your neighbors through you.

Go on, and enjoy the happy day with your family and friends. You have great news to share! Christ has forgiven you and He forgives all who trust in Him alone and His works of redemption.

Your forgiveness doesn't depend on your sharing it either. Forgiveness only depends on Christ and His divine merit. Because Christ now works through you for the sake of your neighbor, you get to serve the Father with thanksgiving this way.

Here is the simple Christmas truth:

• a Savior Christ Jesus is born,
• and as Immanuel, God with us, He brings you His forgiveness, in His Word, won on Calvary,
• and He will return on the Last Day to collect you and all believers to Himself in heaven.

Dear Zion and friends, Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas indeed! Christ forgives you all your sins, saves you from eternal torment, and gives you eternal life in Him (point to the font), for Jesus most Holy Passion's sake. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Thanksgiving Eve

11/23/2011

1 Kings 8:55-61, Colossians 3:12-17, & St. John 6:25-35

LSB – 782, 785,as Magnificant - 943, 936

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.

The sermon text is the Gospel appointed, the Gospel according to St. John, the 6^th chapter, with particular focus on these words:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

The text in part. Please be seated.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

This Thanksgiving Eve even our secular government, it seems, has set aside tomorrow as a day to give thanks to God. However, clearly our government does not know the one true God, but instead points to a god of choice, invention, convenience, freedom, and imagination.

It hasn't always been so. Long ago in another land, King David also set aside a day of thanksgiving.

The Chronicler writes:

“And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.” (1 Ch 16:1-4).

David took giving thanks to be important, and even second nature for anyone who faithfully waited for the promised Messiah, even as they enjoyed and received the daily bread from the Lord as well.

What did the thanks that David and his people give God look and sound like? Well..., let's read some more from the Chronicler.

⁷ Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

David’s Song of Thanks

⁸ Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

⁹ Sing to him; sing praises to him;

tell of all his wondrous works!

¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

¹¹Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

¹²Remember the wondrous works that he has done,

his miracles and the judgments he uttered,

¹³ O offspring of Israel his servant,

sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! (1 Ch 16:7-13).

This is just part of Asaph's Psalm commissioned by King David. The first stanza of the ancient hymn, verse eight is key to understanding what David's thanksgiving to God looked like – what he is thankful for and how that thanksgiving then played out.

The stanza, once more, is “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!”

This evening then let us examine Jesus' words in the Gospel through David's thanksgiving informed eyes.

In beginning then we consider, “Oh give thanks to the Lord.”

People come looking for Jesus. He had left them and crossed the lake by night because they had, in response to the miraculous feeding of the multitude, wanted to make Jesus a bread king.

Now He tells them. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” And so that they understand their miss focus, Jesus continues,

“Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”

Obviously man must work to earn his way, but Jesus is telling us that it shouldn't be our main desire, or even the main effort in our lives on planet earth.

And now these work righteous Israelites are confused, and they ask, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

Jesus says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

This answer is quite shocking to those Israelites, and to your flesh as well. First Jesus says clearly that your believing in Him is the work of God. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

It is His gift to you. And second, that faith looks only to the promised Messiah and to the His works of redemption for you.

David might not have had all the details of how the Messiah would, centuries later, pay for His sins, justify him, and prepare a place in heaven for him, but David trusted the promise of God, and that faith was counted as righteousness for Jesus sake.

David and all of Israel sat down and ate a meal, for which they are quite thankful. But as thankful as they are for their daily bread, they have something even greater to be thankful for.

They sing, “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name.” Luther helps us understand the great privilege to call upon His name with these words,

Our Father in heaven.

What does this mean?

With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear Father.

Of course there is also the invitation to call upon Him in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks garnered from the meaning of the second commandment.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name.” Something is received, salvation is given to you through the Savior. And in Baptism you are placed in the the name of God and we have the command of God to pray to Him. He really listens.

Calling upon His name is a sacred privilege given to us through Christ's life, suffering, death, and resurrection. And praying is part of the new baptismal life created through the water and Word of Baptism.

For you forgiven by Christ, His love, forgiveness, and Gospel Words given so freely to you now flow through you to your neighbor. Praying, calling upon His name, is reflective of the new Christian life.

You call upon His name, you are baptized into His name, and your new life lives inside this baptismal reality of your new life in Him, in His name. Of course you call upon Him in every trouble but also to pray, praise, and this evening give thanks.

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

This we have already touched on for there is no giving of thanks, no calling upon His name, without the gift of faith first given by God through Christ in His Word to you.

David, Asaph, the prophets and the chronicler all gave thanks for the recorded rescues by God of His people. For God to protect His people was to protect the blood line through which the Messiah was promised to come. So, their remembrance of God's past deliverances was also helpful for them to see and believe in God's faithfulness to His promises.

Back in our Gospel account Jesus reveals the greatest reason for those Israelites to be thankful. He is that Messiah. They want earthly bread, but He is the promised One, the Great Manna, the Bread of Life.

Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Shouldn't you and I, who sin daily and much, with our confused focus on the here and now, be more concerned with our more important eternal needs?

We are sinners, often unconcerned with our sinfulness, and are instead worried about the weather, the bills, the country, health care, our health, and even afraid to think about our inevitable death.

We give little thought to how we can help our neighbor, and instead ignore him, complain about him, lie to him, speak poorly of him, and neglect to share the good news of Christ with Him.

Yet this was part of David's thanksgiving to God. Remember, Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Yes you are poor miserable sinners. Yet this evening, even if you are sometimes as confused as the Israelites in their desire for a bread king over the promised Messiah, Jesus comes and reminds you once more,

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

And in the hearing of this His gracious Word, the Holy Spirit leads you to see the Savior who suffered, died, and rose again for the forgiveness of all your sins.

Jesus forgives all your sins of neighborly neglect. Jesus forgives your sin of sometimes having bread king gods over, and above the one true God. Jesus forgives all your sins.

And so, this Thanksgiving Eve, tomorrow, and every day let us remember to be thankful for good health, meals, paid bills, and family gatherings. Truly they are great gifts of God. But they are not our gods.

“Do not labor for the food that perishes.”

Remembering Christ, and what He has done for us at Calvary, and on Easter morning, let us give thanks even in poor health, for not so much or any meals, for bill collectors, and even the lonely miserable times.

For what are these things that melt, rust, and blow away in the wind compared to the eternal things?

“[But labor] for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.”

Labor in Christ Jesus and in His name to believe things like the fact that you are forgiven, you are saved, and you have already begun to live forever (point to the font), for Jesus' Holy Passion's sake. Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Please stand.

The Peace of God which passes all understanding, keep you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.