The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. “Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Mt. 21:5; Gospel Lesson). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:5–6; First Lesson). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ’s body and blood, we also sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11; Second Lesson).
The First Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Ad Te Levavi, which are the first Latin words of the Historic Introit assigned to this Sunday from Psalm 25. Ad Te Levavi means “to you, I have lifted up” (Ad te levavi animam meam Dominum = “to you, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul"). An Introit is a chanted or spoken psalm that traditionally followed the Confession and Absolution and preceded the Salutation (“The Lord be with you.”) that begins our Service of the Word (p. 7). Introit means “entrance,” and it was during this psalm that the pastor or priest and those involved in the service would “enter” the chancel and altar area.
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The Third Sunday of Advent was once called Gaudete (“rejoice”) Sunday, from the first word of the Verse of the Day: “Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I say rejoice! The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4,5). In some parishes, including our own, a rose-colored candle is used in place of another blue or purple candle. This lighter tone is meant to “soften” the tone of repentance and preparation within the Advent season with a message of joy and expectation.
Since his coming is sure and so important, Christ sends out forerunners in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist who help us to make proper preparation for his coming. They do that with a message not their own. They do it with the message that he himself has given. Pay close attention to those heralds of the coming Lord, the prophets and apostles, and to the pastors and teachers in our midst who have succeeded them to get us ready for his coming.
Our King, Jesus, is coming. He first came with palms and the singing and shouting of the crowd into Jerusalem. He comes as a triumphant king, yet he is riding on to die. Through the waving palms and the crowded street we see the true willingness of our Lord to suffer in our place. Our King, Jesus, is coming. But now we wait for him to come on the clouds. We cling to God’s gracious love in Christ as we prepare and wait for the Savior’s return.
Last week, on Tuesday, November 1, the Church celebrated All Saints' Day. Today, we observe this feast. To “observe” a feast means we celebrate the feast day in a Divine Service not held on the specific day the feast is celebrated. The Feast of All Saints’ is the most comprehensive of the days of commemoration, encompassing the entire scope of that great cloud of witnesses with which we are surrounded (Hebrews 12:1). It holds before the eyes of faith that great multitude which no man can number: all the saints of God in Christ––from every nation, race, culture, and language––who have come "out of the great tribulation...who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9, 14). As such, it sets before us the full height and depth and breadth and length of our dear Lord's gracious salvation (Ephesians 3:17-19). It shares with Easter a celebration of the resurrection, since all those who have died with Christ Jesus have also been raised with Him (Romans 6:3-8). It shares with Pentecost a celebration of the ingathering of the entire Church catholic–in heaven and on earth, in all times and places––in the one Body of Christ, in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Just as we have all been called to the one hope that belongs to our call, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). And the Feast of All Saints shares with the final Sundays of the Church Year an eschatological focus on the life everlasting and a confession that "the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). In all of these emphases, the purpose of this feast is to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, that we might not grow weary or fainthearted (Hebrews 12:2,3).
The Living God repeatedly works in the strangest of ways and with the strangest of objects for his loving and gracious activity. In a time of history when everyone was doing what was right in his own eyes, the LORD moved world, regional and local events to fit together so that Ruth, a Moabitess, would get a new god. She was turned from her old, dead gods and, by the grace of God, confessed her new LORD. The thin, blood-red line of the Promise included even her and then was passed on through her. Grace upon grace. You had old gods, too. You are repeatedly pulled to bow to those old gods when your heart is troubled by what you see or don't see, by what you hear or don't hear, by what you feel or don't feel. But, by the grace of God, the LORD moved world, regional and local events to fit together so that you got a new god, one who buried you and who make you alive in Christ Jesus—this He promises! So, to hell with your silly feelings and sensory perceptions that seem to portray another kind of god is in charge! The Word prevails. Jesus died. Jesus rose. Jesus continues to rule all things for the good of His body, the Church. Listen! And speak such power into the hearts of those who are troubled within earshot of you!
Luther distinguishes between spiritual and civil government and authority, which we commonly refer to as the doctrine of the two kingdoms. God takes care of us in the Church through the ministry of the Word and Sacraments, the Means of Grace. In our homes he cares for us through our parents. In the world, he cares for us by means of civil government. God gives to the civil government the authority to punish criminals and, when necessary, to execute them. The spiritual meaning of this commandment is that we are not to "kill" our neighbor in our hearts, with our thoughts, with our words, or with our hands. No one has the right, on his or her own authority, to murder another person. Only God may take a human life, and he entrusts this authority to civil rulers. So Christians can in good conscience wage war and punish and execute criminals under rightful government authority. Luther goes on to explain that we break the Fifth Commandment not only by acting against it, but also when we fail to protect our neighbor.
The First Commandment instructs our heart toward God. This commandment guides our lips. Using God's name to cover up lies or spread falsehood is a great evil and sin, and it happens in many ways in life. There is no greater sin against the Second Commandment than using God's name to preach, teach, and spread false doctrine. Luther explains how to use God's name properly and how to take an oath without sin. By faith, our hearts and our mouths honor God by confessing Him and His Word purely. Luther recommends beginning and ending each day, and each meal, by making the sign of the cross and commending ourselves to God. Making the sign of the cross is not a "Roman Catholic" practice, but has its roots in the earliest years of the Church. It is a visible way to remind ourselves whose we are through our baptisms and how we have been redeemed by the cross of Jesus Christ.
Is faithfulness to Christ worth the trouble it brings? The life of faith is lived in a godless world, and it is therefore certain to be met with persecution. Like our Suffering Savior, we too bear his cross in our daily interactions with the unholy trio. The Lord, however, uses these persecutions suffered for the sake of the Gospel to refine us into the pure, precious metal of his children. Strengthened through the means of grace, we boldly confess Jesus as the Christ in the face of any persecution or trouble. The Church prays that God in his mercy would direct the affairs of this world so that the Church might have peace, but at the same time we prepare ourselves for persecution.
"I will pour out my Spirit." God’s Old Testament people celebrated the gathering of the harvest at the Festival of Weeks, or the Festival of Pentecost. In the New Testament, God sent the promised Counselor on the day we call “Pentecost,” Greek for “fifty,” because he sent the Holy Spirit fifty days after the Resurrection. This day marked the birthday of the New Testament Church and celebrates the harvest of souls won by the Son and gathered by his servants empowered by his Spirit. Pentecost is the third great festival (Nativity, Resurrection, Pentecost) of the Church and has been commemorated since at least 217 A.D. The Church dresses in red to remind us of the tongues of fire that marked the Spirit’s gift and the blood of the martyrs which was the seed of the Church. This day culminates the Season of Easter when our risen Lord now empowers his people to be witnesses of the resurrection for the world.
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