Sermon for 12/24/24: Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord

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“Fear Not!”
Luke 2:1-20

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

          The command, “Fear not!” appears 170 times in the King James Version of the Bible. It seems as if man needs constant reassurance from the Lord. But that makes sense. After all, man was not created to be fearful. Adam and Eve were the crown of God’s creation. Into their hands God gave mastery over every plant and animal—indeed, He gave them mastery over all of creation—so Adam and Eve had nothing to fear from creatures or plants that would send us fleeing in terror. They knew nothing of serial killers or terrorists. They had no need to worry about the forces of nature. And they knew nothing of sin or death. It wasn’t until they disobeyed the Word of God—until they were goaded by the satanic serpent to doubt the Law of God and partake of the forbidden fruit—that they knew what fear was. They hid themselves in the Garden, sewing garments to cover the shame they had never felt before. They finally knew fear—and it was neither the beasts nor the plants that caused this fear. It was in their sin that they came to fear God. Adam said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

In disobeying the Word of God, in partaking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, humanity learned how to be afraid…and we’ve been afraid ever since. We’re afraid of snakes and mice and spiders and lions and tigers and bears. We’re afraid of ice storms, hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, too much rain and not enough rain. We’re afraid of the pains in our bodies and the ailments that afflict our minds. And, most of all, like Adam and Eve, we are terrified of the righteous wrath and justice of a holy, righteous, omnipotent God.

          It is to His fearful children that God sends His messengers. Angels appear to Mary and Joseph, to Zechariah, to shepherds, and to countless others in the Bible. But these are holy messengers of God who manifest His power and holiness, who reflect divine righteousness; and sinners cringe and fall on their faces before the holiness of God. So before they can share God’s Gospel message with them, the angels must tell their hearers, “Fear not!” Do not be afraid. I’m here with good news for you from God! To Zechariah the angel gives the joyful message that his son John, who would be born to him and his wife when they were beyond childbearing age, would prepare the way for the Savior promised to Adam and Eve. He would proclaim the salvation and peace God would bring to His people through the forgiveness of their sins. He would point to Jesus and proclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” To Mary and Joseph, the angels gave the message that they would be the earthly parents of the promised Savior. And then, finally, the angels told the shepherds of the birth of their promised Savior, the one who would bring peace on earth and God’s good will to the fear-filled hearts of sinners by bearing the price of the sins of all mankind on the terrible, terrifying cross.

          Sending angels is no longer God’s preferred method of delivering the good news of Jesus and salvation to His people. But He hasn’t stopped sending messengers. Instead of sending angels who instill fear just by their appearance, He now sends humble, sinful men. Even so, their message is the same: “Do not be afraid!” You no longer have any reason to fear the righteous wrath of God, for your Savior, Jesus—who is Immanuel, God in the flesh—has come, and He has suffered and died for you, bearing that wrath in your place. He rose up in triumph, leaving your fear behind in the tomb, so you would be free to “serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of [your] life.”

          Today, the angel’s song with the Christmas Gospel has made it into your ears, too. Repent of your sin. Come out of your gloom. Leave behind your despair. Give up your loneliness. Wipe away your tears. Part ways with your fears and doubts. The heavens once again declare to mankind the glory and majesty of the eternal Son of God! Emmanuel, God in flesh, rests in His manger throne. He has come to make His dwelling place among us. And He has come for everyone. He did not come merely for mighty Caesar. He did not come merely for the powerful King or Governor. He did not come merely for the rich and fanous. He has come for Mary and Joseph; He has come for Zechariah and Elizabeth; He has come for humble shepherds; He has come to you, poor and miserable sinner that you are, to save you from your sins. God and sinners are reconciled by the blood of this Christ Child. The song is for you: “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men!”

                 We face an uncertain future in our earthly walk with Christ. The Noble family is beginning a new adventure in the new year. With Pastor Noble’s departure, there will be a time of transition and change here at St. Paul’s—though I hope it won’t be too crazy. There will be illnesses and injuries; there will be changes at home and at work and school; loved ones will come and go and maybe even depart this life. In the midst of all this, the message of the angels remains the same: “Do not be afraid!” God in flesh is with you. He loves you. He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. Every trial, every temptation, every struggle: He is here to bear it with you. He is here to sustain you, to comfort you, to forgive you. He is here to give you peace.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, beloved children of God, it is my privilege and pleasure as a humble messenger of God to bring you good tidings of great joy, which are for you, for your neighbor, for all people. Born to you is your King, your Temple, your Refuge and Strength. Born to you is your Savior. He is Christ the Lord. Fear not! Do not be afraid! In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

          The peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.

Sermon for 12/21/22: Midweek Advent IV (Fear Not series)

 For the final time this year, it was my pleasure to preach at the midweek service for the dual parish of Immanuel Lutheran in West Point and St. Paul in Wine Hill. We concluded our "Fear Not" series with the message of the angels to the shepherds.

CLICK HERE for the sermon audio.

Fear Not: Shepherds

Luke 2:8-20

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

          The shepherds knew a thing or two about fear, and they certainly had reason to know about fear. After all, tending the flock involved many dangers. The sheep themselves are stupid animals, just as likely to run in the opposite direction or even trample the shepherd as to go where the shepherd leads. And, of course, there are the wolves looking for dinner; they want the sheep, of course, but they’ll settle for the shepherd. The nights were long and cold and dark, conditions with plenty of inherent dangers. So if they allowed themselves to think about it, these men had plenty of reasons to be afraid. And that’s all before the angels show up—you remember: those angels that bear no resemblance to the Hallmark figurines; those angels who reflect the glory of the righteous God; those terrifying angels who bear the Word of God like a flaming two-edged sword.

          And these shepherds were, at best, ordinary men. Being a shepherd did not require an advanced degree in theology, or even a degree in shepherding. It didn’t require jewelry or fancy clothing, though warm clothing would certainly help some nights. It didn’t require a way with words, though it did help if you spoke gently to the sheep so they would recognize your voice. It did require physical fitness to keep up with the sheep, sometimes to carry a sheep, and to be able to fight off wolves and thieves. Ordinary men—and sometimes just boys—these shepherds would have no reason to expect that God would have a special message delivered just for them. After all, they already knew the Ten Commandments, and they heard the rabbi teaching God’s Word. For such simple men, that was probably it for them in the way of theological education. The shepherds were ordinary people just like us—and maybe even more ordinary.

          So why does this divine message come to these humble shepherds? Why should the shepherds cast off their fear at the appearance of this divine messenger and his heavenly host? The angel gives us the answer. The message that the angel delivers is “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” The others who were visited by the angels might have seemed like regular people, but they had unique qualities or backgrounds which set them apart. Mary and Joseph may have seemed ordinary, but they were descended from King David himself. Zecharias may have seemed ordinary, but he was a member of the priesthood, selected to serve in the Temple. But these shepherds were the lowest of the low, and still the Lord sent His messengers to them. On the other hand, we know King Herod was afraid; he thought Jesus was coming to steal his earthly throne. The angel doesn’t come to reassure Herod. The high priests and Pharisees and other religious leaders would be afraid; Jesus was coming to do away with the false piety of these imposters and lead the people to the true Temple, which is the body and blood of Jesus. But the angel didn’t come to them, either. He came to these shepherds. So the message isn’t only for those the world sees as special people. The message isn’t only for the ruling class, though it certainly was for them. The message isn’t only for the religious leaders. It’s for all people, even the humblest shepherd. This is truly “good tidings of great joy,” for Jesus is a Savior for all people.

          This joyful message, first given to humble shepherds, is for all humble sinners. It is for us: sinners who kneel before our Lord and admit that we have sinned; sinners who admit that we fall short of God’s glory; sinners who admit that we deserve only present and eternal punishment. This joyful message is for shepherds, for doctors and nurses, for prison workers, for teachers, for students, for farmers, for mayors and judges, even for pastors! “Unto you”—unto each of you sitting in this holy sanctuary this evening, and to me, as well—“Unto you is born…a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Unto sinners is coming the Savior. He is coming to bring “peace, goodwill toward men.” How will He do that? He has come to bear your sins; He has come to die, and in that death He gives us that peace which the world cannot give: true peace, peace between the holy Father and redeemed sinners, now made saints in our Lord Jesus Christ.

          The true joy and peace of this has everything to do with God’s unconditional gift to us: the giving of Jesus as a full and complete sacrifice to a world that has nothing to offer in return.  Our joy and our peace are not located in check books or credit cards or gifts that are bought and paid for with our silver or gold, for these things will corrode and turn to dust and fade away. Our true Christian joy and peace are found only in the gift of life that is ours in Christ Jesus alone, which He bought and paid for “with His holy and precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.” He has come to die for your salvation, and He is coming again to bring you to be with Him forever. That is our joy and peace. And by His death and resurrection He says to you, “Do not be afraid!” In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.

Sermon for 12/14/22: Midweek of Advent III (Fear Not series)

Once again it is my pleasure to be filling in for the vacant parish of St. Paul in Wine Hill and Immanuel in West Point, Illinois. We continue our sermon series as we hear the angel say to Joseph, "Fear not!" Sorry for the delay.

CLICK HERE for the sermon audio.

Fear Not: Joseph

Matthew 1:18-24

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Joseph was a good man. He was righteous before God and his community. He was wise, caring, compassionate. If there had been romance novels 2000 years ago, Joseph was the kind of man the novelists would model their male protagonists after. He was honorable, just, and considerate, even to someone he thought had wronged him. After all, in our time, it would be a very rare man who would respect his ex and care enough about her to protect her reputation even after she supposedly cheated on him. There are videos all over the Internet with men who shame the women they previously claimed to love. Yeah, the man has been hurt, but that’s no reason for him to scream her infidelities to everyone with an Internet connection. Had he lived today, Joseph would have turned off his computer, put away his phone, and gone to his lawyer with as little fuss as possible. And once the deed was done, once Mary had been set aside with as little fanfare as he could manage, once the pain of betrayal had left his heart, maybe Joseph could have made a wonderful spouse for some other lucky woman.

But yes, he still would have gone ahead with the divorce. He was righteous, after all. Though he would grieve to set Mary aside, Joseph had a reputation to maintain, and Mary’s alleged infidelity would have shamed him and destroyed his reputation. The philosophers, not to mention the Scribes and Pharisees, would have put their stamp of approval on this worldly wise decision. This action balanced justice with fairness, righteousness with mercy. And yes, if they existed, First Century romance novelists would have swooned in their writing workshops to encounter such a man. To do what is right in the eyes of the world seems wise, and it certainly would be safer.

Look at how hard it is to live as a Christian today. The wise thing is to deny your faith—to bake the cake, to perform the wedding, to live together before marriage, to laugh at or even tell the crude joke, to just go along with the crowd—rather than risk the scorn of friends and neighbors. Yes, it’s easier to give in to the world’s sinful agenda. And it would have been easier for Jesus to just give in to Satan’s temptations, to kneel before the devil, to refuse the cup of suffering which the Father set before Him. It’s tempting to take the easy road, but the easy road leads to hell.

That’s exactly the struggle Joseph faced. But the angel appeared to him in a dream to intervene. “Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David.” What the world counted as righteousness, the Lord called fear. The Lord sent His messenger to calm Joseph’s fear, for things were not what they had seemed. The Child was not the product of infidelity on Mary’s part; this Child was from the Holy Spirit. Mary’s virginity and her vow to Joseph remained intact. This Child, thought to be a sign of Mary’s unfaithfulness, was the promised Messiah. Joseph had wisely, in the eyes of the world, decided to set Mary aside; but the angel gave to Joseph God’s foolish option—foolish in the eyes of the world. The Lord sent His angel to give Joseph a better option than he could work out on his own. The circumstances did not change, but this message allowed Joseph to keep his honor before God and still keep his oath to Mary.

When the angel said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as wife,” Joseph was freed. Mary had not been unfaithful. She carried in her womb the One who had been promised to their first ancestors, the One who would crush the head of the satanic serpent. Mary’s pregnancy, which Joseph thought would bring him shame, would instead bring about the end of the whole world’s shame and save all people from the wages of sin, for Mary bore in her womb the Child who came to bear all that shame, who came to die to pay the price of all the world’s sin.

In the end, Joseph remained the kind of man romance novelists would drool over. And what’s more, Joseph remained the man he strove to be: righteous before God, honorable among men, and faithful husband to faithful Mary. He was given the responsibility of being the step-father to the Son of God. Joseph lost nothing…nothing except his fear. God released him from his fear, and in doing so provided an earthly father for the Christ Child, the Child who frees us all from our fear, from our sin, from our captivity to death and the power of the devil. So as the angel said to Joseph, our Lord says to you also as you strive to walk in the light of Christ: “Do not be afraid!” In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.

Sermon for 12/7/22: Midweek of Advent II (Fear Not series)

 As I said last week, it is my delight to be filling in at the dual parish of Immanuel Lutheran in West Point and St. Paul in Wine Hill for their midweek Advent services. We continue on the theme of "Fear Not," the message of the angels to certain individuals in preparation for the coming of the Christ Child. This message, "Do not be afraid," is for us, as well. This week we step back in time about six months from last week's encounter.

CLICK HERE for the sermon audio.

Fear Not: Zacharias

Luke 1:5-25

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

It’s not easy to be faithful when you believe God is ignoring you. Zacharias was a priest, but we all know that clergy are not immune to doubt and fear. He had long asked for a child to be born to him and his wife, Elizabeth, but she was believed to be barren. Nevertheless, Luke tells us that these two descendants of Aaron were “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless;” their disappointment in childlessness did not make them angry toward God. Instead, they found their contentment in service to Him. So now in old age, Zacharias was chosen by lot to enter into the Temple and burn incense. Not every priest got the honor of serving in the Temple in Jerusalem. There were many priestly divisions and many priests within each division. Even if he wasn't an old man, it was likely the only time he would fulfill this duty, and so it was a day of great joy and awe for him.

The awe would only increase when the angel appeared to Him in the Temple, especially when Gabriel shared the news that Elizabeth would bear a son. A son! Although he and Elizabeth had been praying for this, they were old now. The days for begetting a child had passed. But on this day of joy and awe, when he had been given the honor of burning the incense in the Lord’s house, Zacharias receives a second gift that increased his joy. The Lord has heard his prayer, Gabriel says. They will have a son. And this would not be just any son; this son will be great. He will serve the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah; He will prepare the way for the Lord.

Well, the news is almost too great for Zacharias. The awe of the Temple, the appearance of an angel, news of a son—“How can this be?” Who can blame him for asking? It all seemed too good to be true. But for his unbelief, he will have to remain silent. His tongue will be held in bondage. For nine long months, while his wife is carrying their son, he will have to carry the words he so longs to speak but will not be able. Zacharias had learned a truth the hard way—a truth that is still as valid today as it was long ago. When God speaks, believe it!

Have we become like Zacharias? When God speaks, are we unwilling to believe what He has to say? Zacharias received the sign of silence. Do we need that sign as well? The Bible is filled with examples of purposeful silence. Elijah heard God in a “still small voice.” The psalmist tells us to “be still” and know that the Lord is God. Jesus took the disciples away to a quiet place to rest.

Our sinfulness rightly moves us to terrified silence. Zacharias was understandably terrified, for Gabriel stands in the presence of God and reflected God’s holiness. The presence of true holiness terrifies all sinners. That means it terrifies all of us. We might try to explain our sin away, but the presence of God's holiness forces us into silence. There is nothing to say.

But God does not leave us in the despair of our guilty silence. He sends His servants to give us words of surprising grace and mercy: “Almighty God in His mercy has given his Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins…” We are silent in the presence of holiness because we know we are wretched sinners. We know we deserve the condemnation of eternal punishment. Instead, God sent His only Begotten Son into this world to die for us on the cross and so earn the forgiveness of sins for all people. His gracious love should stun us to silence. We don't deserve this. How could I have expected such a thing? God gives us gifts that are truly undeserved. He gives to us the Word of life and salvation.

Like Zacharias, we have God's promise. In addition, we now have Zacharias's story to tell and help us as we hear God's Word. God calls us to believe. The world has heard that call through the voice of the incarnate Son of the Father. The Holy Spirit works faith within us. We have heard His promises again and again. And we know that He is reliable. His Word does what He says it will do. We believe.

Zacharias was given two miraculous signs, and in time, he believed. But the miracles we've seen have been far greater. We know the message of Zacharias’s son, John the Baptist. We know the message and the work of Jesus. We have seen the greatest sign of all: the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah. We have seen our sins die with Him. We have daily risen with Him to new life. We hear His voice day after day. We eat His body and drink His blood and are forgiven. We are bound to Him and He to us. In the silence of Advent, God calls us to remember, to believe.

This Advent, and each day, God calls us. He quiets the noise and chaos of our sinful nature, of the world, of temptation, of fear, of the devil, or of any other distraction. He calls us to silence so we can hear Him. As we hear Him, He works forgiveness, life, and salvation in us as His Word works faith in us. Then as His Word works in us, we proclaim that Word. Just as Zacharias did when he sang the Benedictus, we lift our voices in praise of God. Just as Zacharias proclaimed God's salvation to others, so we tell them of the Savior who has come and who will come again. And just as our Lord speaks through Gabriel to Zacharias, our Lord speaks to you; He forgives your sins and says to you, “Do not be afraid!” In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.

Sermon for 11/30/22: Midweek of Advent I (Fear Not series)

With the pastoral vacancy at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wine Hill (Steeleville) and Immanuel Lutheran in West Point (Campbell Hill), and with my congregations not having Advent midweek services, I've been asked to fill in at St. Paul and Immanuel for their Advent midweek services. I am preaching on the "Fear Not" messages of the Advent season: how the angels speak to Mary, Zacharias, Joseph, and the Shepherds regarding the coming of the Christ child. My apologies for the delay in posting this.

 CLICK HERE for the sermon audio.

Fear Not: Mary

Luke 1:26-38

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

An angel appeared to Mary. It sounds so commonplace to us. “Oh, an angel. How nice. Ho hum.” When we think of angels, we probably think of those adorable little angel figurines with fat cheeks; maybe, if we’re old enough, we think of Michael Landon or Roma Downey and Della Reese. But this was no cutesy, chubby little cherub standing in front of Mary, no mild mannered, soft-spoken guardian in a sweater vest. This is a divine messenger from God, a being who reflects the holiness and righteousness of God. Some accounts count Gabriel among the archangels. A mere human standing before such a being would certainly have reason to be afraid—much like when a police officer, or maybe even a pastor, shows up at your door unannounced, only more terrifying, because at least the police officer and the pastor are common occurrences.

But that’s not what Mary finds so troubling, which is exceptional enough. But what about that news? “Mary, I know you’re a virgin, but you’re gonna have a baby. Oh, and it’s by the Holy Spirit.” How overwhelming is it to hear that you’ll be part of the fulfillment of the most important prophecies ever? You may recall that Isaiah said to King Ahaz, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” You may even recall what God said to the satanic serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” This Son, this Seed of a woman, this Child—promised to Adam and Eve, to Abraham the Patriarch, to King David, to King Ahaz, and to all those who clung by faith to that promise—this Child shall be the One to crush the head of the serpent. And Mary—sweet, virginal, innocent Mary—was chosen by God to be the Mother of God.

And that’s what so troubling to Mary. Gabriel wasn’t kidding when He said, “The Lord is with you.” The Lord through whom all things were made would reside in her womb. The Word made flesh to dwell among us would grow inside her until He would be born in Bethlehem. It would not be easy for Mary. She would be the object of scorn. Joseph, her betrothed, would seek to divorce her. And that’s just before the Child was born. Later, she would run through the streets of Jerusalem looking for the Child who had wandered away from her to be in “His Father’s house.” Finally, she would stand at the foot of the cross upon which her Son would hang, weeping as she watched Him die. She may not have known all the details at first, but she knew this would be a rough life. Nevertheless she answered Gabriel, “Let it be to me according to your word.” And Mary would be okay. After all, the Lord is with her.

And the same is true for you: The Lord is with you. You may not have the same struggles as Mary—certainly none of you are pregnant with the Messiah—but everyone has difficulties. No matter your vocation—father or mother, son or daughter, boss or worker, teacher or student, pastor or layperson, and all the rest—the Lord has given you tasks, and each one carries its own troubles, especially when you try to live according to your faith. Very little is sure.

But the one thing you can be sure of is this: the Lord is with you. And this is not some wishful thinking presence. He is with you physically, in the flesh, just as present with you now as He was in Mary’s womb. The Word became flesh. He has never stopped being flesh, and He has never stopped being present with you. He placed His name upon you in the waters of Holy Baptism. He speaks His Word into your ear—the same Word by which all things were created. He feeds you with His own flesh and blood, hidden in and under the bread and wine. He is present with you. Find Him in the font. Find him on the altar. Find Him where His Word is preached in truth and purity. Don’t worry that you can’t see Him; you have His promise, and His Word does not fail. So whatever it is that you face in your life, whatever the challenge, know this: the Lord is with you. “Do not be afraid!” In the name of the Father and of the Son (†) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.