Third Sunday of Advent

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Amen. Enjoy. Rejoice. Now, Paul doesn't say those words well, easily from an earthly perspective. You know, looking at Paul's life, it's not like from the outside. Externally, you would have just said, like, oh, he's got it all going well for him. No, he suffered imprisonments and persecution. He had this great reversal where he was a religious leader that was held in honor and important in the eyes of the Jews and of the religious leadership. His reversal made him hated, and people tried to kill him and they put him in prison. And then he says, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice, which is just beautiful. So the kind of joy that we celebrate on this third Sunday of Advent, it's not because there are just so many worldly reasons to rejoice. There may be, there may not be. It probably depends on the person. It's on a different plane. It's in a different category. We're not talking on earth with external things the way things seem. We're talking about in heaven the way things actually are. That's John the Baptist's job. It's to tell people how things actually are. And people need to be told how things actually are. Because it's not clear from appearances. John's out there in the wilderness proclaiming, repent. The kingdom of God is at hand. Not because it's obvious and everybody's already seen it. Not because it's obvious that the Savior is coming, that the Lamb of God is here to take away the sin of the world. He has to point him out like, hey, you see that guy? Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The reason that God sent John as a prophet to speak God's word was because apart from God's word, people wouldn't have known it. He's there to present to people's eyes or to the eyes of their hearts what they can't see with their bodily eyes. He's come to reveal from heaven God's word coming down from heaven through John the Baptist. He's come to reveal reality to people in spite of appearances, in spite of the way things seem. And that's the pattern for us today as God's people, as Jesus body. It's hidden. It's not just visible. The things that we believe, we walk by faith and not by sight. Because reality is not just obvious according to external appearances. Jesus, death on the cross still today doesn't look like victory. It never will from a worldly perspective, only with the eyes of faith that have Been enlightened from heaven through God's Word. Only with the eyes of faith can we see the beauty of the cross of Jesus, self sacrifice and offering for the salvation of the world. In the Gospel reading, we see those two worlds. We've got things from an earthly perspective and things from a heavenly perspective, revealed by God's word. So first, let's just lay out some of the opposite images. All right, so we've got the wilderness and John the Baptist, who's wearing camel's hair and isn't much to look at except maybe as a spectacle, who doesn't really have anything. He's out in the wilderness because that's where you lose everything. And then you have a man dressed in soft clothing who's well dressed and is living in luxury and belongs in a king's palace. Those are pretty opposite images. So let's just start with that. John the Baptist, Jesus says, is greater than everybody, greater than anyone. Born of a woman, which is everyone. But saying born of a woman, that's laying out the earthly perspective. It's saying, because that's how it works, right? There's an earthly birth and there's a heavenly birth. You were born as a child of your mother and a brother or sister of your brothers or sisters, if you have some. When you were born as a baby in baptism, there's a new birth. There's a being born from above, Anothen the Greek, born from above, or again by water and the spirit from heaven. So you have this birth from heaven in addition to your earthly birth. Those are the two spheres, the two worlds, or as Luther says, the two hemispheres. It's like he just kind of divides it in half, the two hemispheres. So for John, which is it? Jesus says he's greater than anybody. Born of woman, but he's not in soft clothing or in luxury and he's not in a palace. But doesn't he belong in one? It's like the same is true. Like both these things are true for John the Baptist. It just depends on which kind of birth you're talking about. And the same is true for you and for me from an earthly perspective. Well, John the Baptist, maybe more than anyone, isn't much to look at. Doesn't have anything, isn't in soft clothing or anything like that, right? He's out in the wilderness just to receive from God, to be watered by him. But he has paradise in Jesus. It's just not visible. It's hidden. It's wrapped in mystery, veiled in mystery. His life is hidden With God in Christ or with Christ in God, I always get that mixed up. I don't know. But in heaven, it's hidden, but it's there. You see this. So we've got opposite extremes and they apply to, to these different spheres. Now, you might have honor or riches. You might be an upstanding citizen who's taken on responsibility and has an important role in society, in government, in business, whatever it is. Well, so does this not apply to you? Well, no, because like Paul, you count all of it as loss for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus. You've heard Jesus words, blessed are the poor in spirit, and you've taken it to heart, you've repented and you've given these things up. And so even though you have them, you hang on to them loosely and you cling to Christ with an iron grip of faith by God's grace. So you see, these two extremes, they apply to us as we go out into the wilderness to hear John's message and we repent for the forgiveness of our sins. And then we have the other as we receive Christ and in him receive every good thing, just not visibly yet still wrapped in mystery, wrapped in hope, hidden in hope. Peter says, you have an inheritance kept for you in heaven. That's the thing. It's like, are you wealthy beyond all get out? Yeah, yeah, you are in Christ. You've got it all. So where is it kept in heaven for you? So now you live in hope. And you can live in hope in the midst of whatever, you can have it all taken away. Earthly speaking, it's not going to be taken away from you. Heavenly speaking, right, that's the place where thieves do not break in and steal and where moth does not. Moth and rust do not destroy. That's the thing. It's there. Nobody can take that away. God's got it. But in the meantime, this is what it looks like. Weakness in place of strength, dishonor in place of glory. But we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, like Paul, like the apostles who went to their death. Jesus says, I tell you, among those born of women, none is greater than John, yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. So you've got the worldly and then you've got the heavenly. And so you could say that, like John is greater than all. But then, like we're in the kingdom of heaven by faith in Jesus, we've been united to Christ. And so, yeah, we're in heaven and we have it all. And so in that sense we're on the same plane with John. We're all. It's like Christ. The light of Christ and the glory and the honor of Christ and His power and his riches. Everything that he has, he shares with us. We're in Him. We're part of Him. We're his body. Just like you share everything with your body, it's you. Jesus unites us to Himself and gives us everything. And then it's like, how could you even compare anything anymore? That's why it's silly for the disciples to be arguing about who's greatest, who's going to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. You know, it's like, no, that's not really the way it works. The light of Christ comes and then you can't see a candle anymore lit because we've got the light. The light has come. And look what happens when he comes. In that hour, he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits. On many who were blind, he bestowed sight and he answered them. Go tell John what you've heard and seen. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear. The dead are raised. The poor have good news preached to them. All these different kinds of lack are filled, are healed. That's what Jesus comes and does with his presence, uniting us to Himself and making us heavenly. He gives us. And so well the other still remains. There's still lack. So we rejoice with Paul looking to Jesus and His coming. We rejoice already in what he's come and done and what will be revealed on the last day. You have that treasure kept in heaven and on the last day it will be revealed. Things will be obvious and it won't be these opposites depending on these spheres. It will all be subsumed into the heavenly sphere and reality will be plain as day. But for now, there's work to be done. John the Baptist, he gets this commendation from Jesus, like, that's great. But kingdom of heaven, anyone who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Jesus has come to bring healing and wealth and all of that. But John the Baptist, he's still going. In fact, Herod, who appears to be rich and powerful, who will certainly not be rich and powerful when Jesus comes back. Herod puts him in prison. And so there John is. He's got a road to walk. Still, the battle isn't over for him. The race isn't run quite yet. He's going to keep enduring in faith. Jesus is going to send out his apostles. And they're going to have a battle to fight and a road to run, a race to run, right? The path stretches out in front of them. And so they're going to have a long way to go. Still living in hope when their victory and strength and honor and glory and riches are still kept in heaven for them. And not obvious, not experienced from an earthly perspective, but they do it with joy. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. You and I have that same path ahead of us. Our path, your path. My path is not going to be easy and it's going to end in death. Earthly speaking, if Jesus doesn't come back first and you happen to be one of those that is alive when he comes. Our path goes through suffering and loss. But we can say with Paul that we count everything as loss for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. We can lose it all and rejoice in the Lord always. And then say again, I will say rejoice. How can we do that? It's because we have Jesus Christ. We live in hope, hoping for his coming and the fulfillment of his promises. In Jesus name, Amen. Let's stand and confess our Christian faith with the words of the Apostles Creed. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. We pray. Almighty God, we thank you for showing us reality through your word. Thank you for John the Baptist and for your people. Since him whom you have sent to speak your word, whom you have given hope and peace in joy in believing in Jesus. We thank you that the Word has reached us and that we rejoice in the Lord always. We rejoice in Jesus and his salvation and his gifts for us. And we pray that you would send us out like John the Baptist, that in the midst of our daily life, in the midst of our family and our community and our church family, that we would be a light by your grace, that your light would shine through us to reveal reality to those around us so that they might not get caught up in the shiny things of this world or the way that things appear, that they might rejoice in Jesus Christ and his gifts for them. Keep us in this faith to life everlasting. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Bless those who sit in well, the darkness of suffering, who are encountering challenges and difficulties, especially Karen, Mary, Virtus, Dale, Carl, Christie, Donna, Dick, Kathy, John, Earl, Bob, Richard, Rachel, Bill, Andrew, Francis, Jewel, Gwen, Kathy and Les, Steve, Laureen, Alan, Ron, Bruce, Al, Jeff and Sandy. Be their light and their strength. Give them hope in the midst of darkness. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Lord, we thank you for the way that you take care of us and creation. And we pray that you would make us your hands and your feet, that we would be doing your will for the sake of our neighbor, that we would rejoice in the chance to do that, whether it's caring for children or serving others in some other capacity. We pray that you would give us faith and hope and joy and purpose, knowing that we are serving you. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Bless those who serve us in difficult and dangerous ways, especially firefighters and police officers, first responders, members of the military. Please give them strength and courage in the face of danger, a sense of purpose and especially faith in Jesus. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Bless those who govern us. Give them integrity and wisdom to serve as you would have them serve. And grant us obedient and submissive hearts to submit to the rulers and leaders that you have placed over us. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Thank you for this congregation for gathering us together as your people and giving us your gifts, feeding us through your word and sacraments. Continue to build us up together in unity and faith as we look to Jesus and are joined to him, united with him together as his body. Please bless us this morning as we as we meet in our congregational assembly. Pour your love into our hearts by your holy spirit, guide our thoughts and words and actions. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Thank you for our school. Please bless this last week of school and the teachers, the students. Give endurance and make this ministry a blessing to many. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. All these things we ask through Jesus Christ, your son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Please be seated for the offering. [00:21:14] Speaker B: Sa Sa. What shall I render to to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord. I will take the cup of salvation and will Call on the the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now, in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. [00:24:01] Speaker A: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen. [00:25:13] Speaker B: When beauty stern hills and life to joy aw. Not as of old a little child to bear and fight and die but proud with glory like the sun that wars the morning sky O brighter than the rising morn When Christ victorious rose and left the lonesome place of death despite the rage of foes O brighter than that glorious form shall dawn upon our race the day when Christ in splendor comes and we shall see his face the King shall come. When morning dawns in light and. [00:27:05] Speaker A: Want. [00:27:05] Speaker C: To call your attention to these envelopes. They're back in the back on the two tables. We're collecting Christmas gift money for the staff. This is church and school staff. And we'll be collecting these envelopes with your donations through the end of December. And then we'll give the gifts to them in early January, which is great. That's when all the bills come in. So if you would grab an envelope and give as you would like to for our staff. I think, Linda, correct me, we're 18 staff. Yeah, that's full time, part time. Church and school. [00:27:42] Speaker A: Go in peace as you serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. Morning sa.