They Did It; Why Can't We?

They Did It; Why Can’t We?    

Luke 2:22-38

     The Christmas season is past but in the Epiphany season we have a reminder in the Gospel lesson next week that Jesus was a little baby.  We observe the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus.  This took place when the child was 40 days old.  The text tells us that the first male child that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.  As we think about this little baby now being brought to the Temple, we don’t have to think too hard to be reminded of the joyful songs that we had the opportunity to sing as we celebrated His birth.  “Joy to the World” is just one of the many.  “Now Sing We Now Rejoice”, “Angels We Have Heard On High” with its chorus of “Gloria, in excelsis Deo,” fill our hearts with joy.  We are told that the shepherds returned to their fields glorifying and praising God. 

     In the reading for today, you also heard about Simeon whose song of praise is still used in our churches today.  We hear about Anna who gave thanks to God and spoke of Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.  These were people who were filled with joy because they realized that this baby was the fulfillment of God’s promises to send the Savior.  Even in the Psalm that we read before, the joy of knowing the Lord is expressed in words like, “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God,” and “Blessed are those who dwell in your house ever singing your praise,” and “A day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” 

     With all these examples of joy over the goodness of the Lord and the giving of the gift of the Savior being presented to us at this time of the year, you would think that we would be bubbling over with joy as we come together to worship and be reminded of God’s great love.  You would think that, but is that the reality?  I’m afraid that too many times the people of God who call themselves Lutheran are not very joyful as they work their way through the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany season.  I certainly don’t mean that we need to get all emotional and start jumping up and down as we celebrate but are we really in line with the people of God in the Scriptures that reflected on the coming of the Savior?  Have you ever seen a video of a Lutheran congregation singing the joyful Christmas hymns?  Is anyone smiling?  Are people’s eyes showing a glimmer of joy as they sing “Joy to the World?” 

     Or have you become so used to hearing the Christmas message that it no longer evokes in you a real sense of joy.  Sometimes it seems that with church professionals or very active lay people, Christmas is one of those marathons that you hope you can get through without getting sick.  You exhaust yourself with extra services, special programs, travel, family gatherings and finally there is nothing left in the tank and now you are expected to be joyful.  It happens to all of us, myself included.  I play in our praise band.  I’ve seen video of the band playing.  There just doesn’t seem to be a consistent message being proclaimed when you are singing “joy, unspeakable joy” with, at best, a neutral facial expression and more often with a frown because you are trying your best to play the notes, sing a harmony part and remember the words all at the same time.  It’s the ultimate in multi-tasking. 

     Is there real joy in your heart, a joy that expresses itself in your face, in your voice, in the way you carry yourself?  Does the world see an inconsistency between what your voice is saying and the way you are saying it?  Perhaps that would explain why some of our congregations are struggling these days.  The joy over the gift of a Savior is simply hidden somewhere.  Yet you would have to agree that the way you present yourself to those in your family and to the world around you says a lot about what is in your heart. 

     I find a wonderful example in the story of Simeon and Anna and the way they responded to the presence of the infant Jesus.  They didn’t know half of what you know about the significance of the coming of the Savior.  You know that He came as your substitute.  He came to keep God’s Law where you could not.  He came to take the punishment of death on the cross that you deserved because of your sin.  He came to defeat the power of sin, death and the devil.  He did it all for you.  Doesn’t that want to make you at least smile?  It ought to make you want to sing for joy.  The Psalm writer spoke about it.  Simeon expressed his joy in poetry that we have turned into a song.  Anna gave thanks to God and told everyone about that special child.  They did it.  Why can’t we do the same?  Cultural standards?  Professional demeanor?  Lack of appreciation for the great gift of salvation?  I hope not.  If that’s what it is, it’s something that can be changed.  By the power of the Spirit, you can know and experience real joy in the Good News of God’s grace and mercy and the gift of a Savior.  To quote the Psalm again, “My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke
Board of Directors Opening Devotion
January 24, 2014

We Have Found The Messiah

We Have Found the Messiah

John 1:29-41

 

       One of the things that you hear people ask at this time of the year is, “How was your Christmas?”  When you see people that you don’t see very often, discussions of Christmas celebrations can go on for weeks.  Decorations are taken down but we like to relive the excitement of the season.  When the question gets asked, “How was your Christmas?” you sometimes have to stop and think for a moment.  If you want to answer honestly, your answer probably depends a bit on how your expectations for Christmas were realized.  This could apply to a Christmas get-together with the family or it could apply to the gifts that you got or maybe it could apply to the trip that you had taken over the holidays.  We all have great expectations for events like this.  If everything went the way you had hoped, then you could say that you that a great time.  Of course you know that things don’t always work out the way you hoped they would.  You may not have gotten what you wanted for Christmas, someone may have gotten sick or you might have gotten caught in the wild weather that we have been having. 

     Our Gospel lesson for today talks about the realization of expectations.  As the disciples of John had their first encounter with Jesus, they seemed certain that He was going to live up to their expectations as the Messiah.  As we look at this early event in the ministry of Jesus, may we find ourselves excited about what Jesus means to us.  May you be ready then to tell some, “We have found the Messiah.”

     The people of Jesus’ day had expectations about the coming of the Messiah.  This had been an important part of the faith and the lives of God’s people for centuries.  The promise of someone who would come to be the Savior of the world was the foundation of Israel’s relationship to the Lord. 

     When John the Baptist began His ministry of preparing the way for the Christ, It became clear to some that the Messiah would be coming very soon.  In his preaching, John helped the people to see the purpose for the coming of the Messiah.  One day, Jesus came to John to baptized.  As we heard in last week’s Gospel lesson, the Baptism of Jesus included some amazing events that showed John and any others who were there that Jesus was the Son of God and also that He was anointed with the Holy Spirit.  When Jesus came around again the next day, John did not hesitate to point Him out as the Lamb of God.

    With their expectations raised, two of John’s disciples began to follow after Jesus to learn more about what their teacher had been telling them.  Think about what they had seen and heard.  From their youngest days they no doubt had heard about the Messiah in their local synagogue.  Now this unusual desert preacher and baptizer was pointing out a man in the crowd who was the Son of God.  John testified that the signs promised by God had pointed to Jesus.  The Holy Spirit came down on Him in the form of a dove.  He was proclaimed to be the Son of God.  He called Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  What more would they need to be convinced that this was finally the Promised One?

     They decided that they would see for themselves.  They followed Jesus and asked if they could spend some time with Him.  We are told that they spent the rest of the day listening to Him.  We can only imagine what that day was like.  It must have been wonderful.  As far as the text tells us it was just Jesus and these two disciples.  One is identified as Andrew and the other was probably John, the writer of the Gospel.  In the time that they spent with Jesus, they were convinced that John the Baptist was correct.  Jesus was truly the Messiah.  Their expectations were realized.

     Most people have expectations about God and His promise of a Savior.  That statement may sound a little strange. Listen again. Most people today have expectations about God and His promise of a Savior.  We know that the Savior came into the world and the world has just celebrated His birth.  Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?  We certainly hope that’s what Christmas is all about but in many cases, the birth of the Savior is far from the center of the Christmas celebration. Many people are still looking for a Savior and I don’t just mean the Jews.  In our world today it has become very common for people to think about God on their own terms.  God becomes for them a product of their own desires and expectations. Many see God as simply as dispenser of all good things.  I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the little candy dispensers that shoot out a little candy every time you tip back the head of some cartoon character.  For some people God is nothing more than a great Pez dispenser who is ready to give you whatever you want whenever you want it.  In that kind of thinking, the Savior is one who stands ready to pull you out of any kind of problem that you might have.  He is good to have around but you don’t really expect to need Him.  As a result of that faulty kind of thinking, many people have some rather unrealistic expectations of Jesus.  Their expectations are completely self-centered.  What they fail to see is the real reason that Jesus came into the world. 

    Too often people see their needs as purely physical needs.  All they think of is life now.  If Jesus can’t solve my latest financial problem or doesn’t make my other problems go away, what good is He?  This kind of self-centered, materialistic thinking is more common than we would like to admit.  You don’t want to admit it because you know that it is found in each one of you.  Your sinful nature wants to hang on to that selfishness that is a part of our inherited sinful condition. It doesn’t want to admit that there is a real problem that is not going to be fixed by the granting of all of your earthly wishes.  The nature of that deeper problem was the basis of the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist.  He called people to repentance.  He baptized people for the cleansing of their sin.  He pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  That’s the problem. It’s sin.  Sin brings separation from God and eternal death.  That’s pretty abstract and hard for people to understand.  It’s the truth and you know it when you hear the Law of God whether it is proclaimed to you from God’s Commandments or whether you are listening to the voice of your conscience.  The law of God condemns us and when you are honest with yourself and with God you see that your greatest need is for forgiveness and reconciliation with God.  Nothing else in this life matters much without peace with God.

     That peace comes to you through Jesus, the Lamb of God.  He has what you need the most.  Through His perfect life, He satisfied God’s requirement of perfection.  Through His suffering and death, He satisfied God’s requirement that sin be punished by death.  By sacrificing His life, He became the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  When the Holy Spirit comes to you through the message of that Good News, you are given the faith to believe and trust that Jesus is the Messiah, the Promised One, the Anointed One who brings God’s pardon and with that a peace that helps you to deal with all of life’s problems.  You can face them and deal with them because you know that the worst problem has already been solved.  You have been made right with God through your Savior Jesus Christ.  With the peace that comes from knowing that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is yours through Christ Jesus, what can the world do to you?  God has promised to provide you with all that you need and He shows you how He keeps that promise every time you hear the Gospel, every time you remember your Baptism and every time you receive the Lord’s Supper. 

     Andrew had great news to share and he shared it with his brother.  He had found the Messiah, the long-awaited Messiah.  You, too, have found the Messiah.  He has found you and made you His own through the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments.  By that same Spirit’s power you can share the Good News with those around you.  You can be like Andrew and all the others who went to their friends and family and said, “We have found the Messiah.  We have found the Savior.  Come and see.”  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, OH

2nd Sunday After Epiphany

In My Father's House

“In My Father’s House” 

 Luke 2:40-52

     Did you ever have the opportunity to participate in a “Take Your Child to Work Day”?  Many companies have a day when employees are encouraged to bring your child along for the day to see what Mom or Dad do when they are at work all day.  I suppose there are several reasons for doing this.  It gives the child an appreciation for what their parents do when they are away from home.  It also might get them interested in thinking more about that kind of vocation when they grow up.  It is also a good time from the child and the parent to bond in a different environment that just a home among the rest of the family. 

     Our Gospel lesson for today tells us about the only event in the life of Jesus from the time of His birth and the events surrounding that until the time He would begin His ministry as a teacher.  He is twelve years old.  It was time for them to make the annual trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.  It was the time when they would remember the release of their ancestors from their slavery in Egypt.  The last plague that caused the Pharaoh to let the people go was the visit of the angel of death that killed the first born in all of Egypt.  The people of Israel were saved by the blood of the lamb that was spread on the door posts of their homes.  The annual observance would include the Passover meal as it had been done according to God’s direction.  How fitting that Jesus and His family would be in Jerusalem at this special time of the year.  It would be this same Feast of the Passover that would bring Jesus and His disciples to Jerusalem thirty-one years later when Jesus would be arrested, put on trial, crucified and then would rise again on the third day.  All of this would be according to His Father’s plan for the salvation of the world.  Just as the blood of the Passover Lamb would spare the lives of the people of Israel in Egypt, so the blood of Jesus would be shed to set us free from our slavery to sin and its punishment.

     It must have been a fascinating journey for a twelve year old boy.  The excitement of going to the big city of Jerusalem to see the Temple and all of the hustle and bustle of Passover time with all the extra people around would have overwhelming.  There would be so much to see and so much to do.  Jesus was not your typical twelve-year old.  While He was certainly curious, He was also aware of His purpose in being here and that gave a different focus for His curiosity.  It led Him to the Temple where He would be able to be in the presence of the teachers of the Law.   These were men who devoted themselves to a knowledge of the Scriptures and the interpretations and applications of the Scriptures to the lives of the people.  If there were any people in Israel who could discuss the Scriptures with some degree of authority it would be these teachers in the Temple.  They were like a magnet for young Jesus.  We aren’t told that He went to check out the carpenters in Jerusalem.  Perhaps Joseph did.  Jesus was so into the discussions with the teachers at the Temple that when it came time to head back to Nazareth, Jesus stayed behind.  He remained to spend more time listening to them and asking questions and at the same time, the teachers were amazed at the wisdom that He demonstrating in the answers that He gave them.  They didn’t realize who this young man was standing among them.  He was truly in His Father’s house. 

     That was the answer that He gave to His parents when they finally found Him.  “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house.”  From the accounts of Mary’s visit by the angel and by Joseph’s dream when the angel told him about the child that Mary was carrying, we know that they had been told that this child was the Son of God and that He would be the Savior.  When He mentioned that He had to be in His Father’s house, I can imagine that they looked at one another with an understanding smile, almost as if to say, “He’s right, you know.”

     Jesus knew that God was His Father.  He knew that He was sent by the Father to carry out the Father’s plan for the salvation of the world.  He knew that part of that plan was to call people to repentance, just as the prophets of old had called people to repentance.  We don’t really know the content of the discussions that Jesus had with the teachers but it surely had something to do with coming to God with a repentant heart and seeking His mercy.  He may have spoken about the hypocritical attitudes that had become so prevalent in the many of God’s people.  He may even have pointed out some of the prophecies about the Messiah in order to alert the teachers that those prophecies would soon be fulfilled.  Again we don’t know what they said but we are told that they were amazed at His understanding and His answers to their questions.  Jesus had something that none of those teachers had.  He had divine wisdom.  His answers could not be refuted. 

     He was in His true Father’s house, doing His Father’s work, just as He would do later on when He began His ministry of teaching and healing that would lead to His suffering and death.  He was one in purpose with His Father and one in purpose as He lived out His life. 

     As you think about this event in the life of Jesus, you have to look at yourself.  The life of Jesus often provides examples of how you should live you life according to God’s will.  You might want to push back a bit when someone tries to compare you with Jesus because you know that Jesus lived a perfect life and you also know that you are not perfect.  It’s a tough comparison.  But every one of us is called to live a God-pleasing life.  You are given the power to resist temptation but you don’t always use it.  While Jesus was one in purpose with the Father, you are not always one in purpose with your heavenly Father because the temptations of the devil, the world and your sinful nature become overwhelming and you fall.  That sinful nature often shows itself in the way that you live your life.  Your religious life is often separate from your secular life.  You live a kind of split personality.  You live one way when you think that someone is watching you and you live another way when you think that no one can see.  It can become a real struggle sometimes.  In fact, sometimes you find yourself obsessed with hiding your secret sins.

      That is where the comparisons between you and Jesus have to end.  But that is where the need for Jesus becomes more apparent.  When you admit your sin and come to the Father for forgiveness in the name of Jesus, you can be assured that the heavenly Father, in His mercy, hears your prayer and for Christ’s sake, forgives your sins.  Because of Jesus and His suffering and death and resurrection for you, you are reconciled to God.  You are given a fresh start and you can again follow Jesus’ example of being in the Father’s house.

       It is in the Father’s house that you can continue to grow in wisdom about the will of God for your life.  It is there that you can grow in your understanding of how you can apply the Word of God to your circumstances, your temptations, and your desire to use your gifts to serve God’s purposes. 

      It is in the Father’s house that you can grow in the way that you identify with God’s people, your brothers and sisters in Christ, who understand your struggles, who understand the mercy and grace of God and who support one another in the ups and downs of life as a child of the same heavenly Father. 

     It is also in the Father’s house that you can grow in your faith through the Word and the Sacraments, the Means of Grace.  The Word not only gives direction but it is also a way for the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith.  It has power.  St. Paul calls it the power of God when He says, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.”  The Sacraments also strengthen us because they are the vehicles of the Holy Spirit’s power for our lives.  Through you Baptism, you are given the forgiveness of sins and brought in the family of God where you come to know your Father and His will.  In the Lord’s Supper, you receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the bread and wine for the forgiveness of your sins and strength for your faith and the power to do the good works that God has planned for you.

     Jesus said, “I must be in my Father’s house.”  By God’s grace you have the privilege to be able to say the same thing.   Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, OH  

The Second Sunday After Christmas

For Unto You Is Born

For Unto You Is Born

Luke 2:1-20

     One of the most often asked questions at this time of the year is, “What do you want for Christmas.”  Ask most children that question and you will probably get an answer pretty quickly that would include a list of things that are high on the lists of most children their age.  Gifts are a wonderful part of Christmas.  Whatever the age, we all look forward to being able to open the wrapping paper and discover the treasures that are inside.  It is also important for us to remember that the idea of giving gifts comes from the greatest gift of all, the gift of a Savior, Christ the Lord.  On this Christmas Eve, may you never forget that the gift of a Savior has been given to each one of you.  To help you remember that, I would like to have you think back to that first Christmas night and remember what happened when the angels appeared to the shepherds.  The message of the angel is a message that was not just for them but for everyone in the world.  It is a very personal message as well.  Remember that the angel said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.”  May that message have a special meaning for you this Christmas Eve and may that special message move you to make this celebration one that makes a difference in your life.

     Imagine being one of the shepherds out in the field.  Your job is keep watch over the sheep in your care.  You are watching out for predators that would like to take advantage of the smaller or weaker sheep.  The night is clear and cool like it usually is.  It is quiet except for the random baaing of the sheep.  There is nothing unusual about this night.  It is much like the hundreds of nights before and the thousands of nights that other shepherds had spent on these hills outside the city of Bethlehem.  It was dark and quiet until suddenly there was a bright light in the sky like nothing you had ever seen before.  The other shepherds gathered together and shielded their eyes from the light that pierced through the darkness.  It was brighter than the full moon ever shined.  It was a brightness that could only come from heaven.  Then you saw it.  An angel, a messenger from God, appeared.  You and your friends were shaking with fear.  What could this all mean?  Was this the end of the world?  Was this the angel of death?  Was this the angel that killed whole armies in a single night?  There was good reason to be afraid.  Then the angel began to speak.  It was a voice like no other voice on earth.  It was a voice that spoke with an air of authority.  “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”  Fear not!  That’s easy for the angel to say.  You still need some convincing though.  What is the good news of great joy?  Why is that angel telling us this good news?  What does it have to do with a bunch of shepherds out in the fields?  Those questions were about to be answered.

     “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Now that is some message.  First the angel said that the good news was for all the people.  Now the good news is that a Savior, Christ the Lord has been born in the city of David, in Bethlehem.  He is the Christ?  He is the Lord?  He is a Savior?  That sounds big.  If He is the Christ, that means that God’s promises of sending the Anointed One, the Messiah have been fulfilled.  This is really big news.  This has been the hope of our people for centuries.  The prophets have spoken of this Messiah.  We have heard the writings of the prophets in our synagogues our whole lives.  Does this mean that the prophecies are now being fulfilled?  If that is what it means, this is really, really big news.

     The angel also called Him the Lord.  Could it be that this the one that Isaiah called Immanuel?  That means that God is with us.  He is God and He is now living among us.  How could something like this happen?  We’ve heard these promises for years but like so many other things that we hear, we never think that would happen in our time.

     The angel also said that this was the Savior.  That’s the hard one.  What is this Christ going to save us from?  We would like to be saved from our enemies.  We would like to be saved from the drudgery of our work.  Watching these sheep all the time can be a real drag.  Nothing much ever happens, until tonight that is.  Maybe we will be saved from having to keep these sheep in such good condition all the time.  Most of them are only going to be sacrificed at the temple anyway.  It would be great if we could be saved from having to bring all those sacrifices.  I guess we will find out soon enough.

     There is one thing that bothers me though that just doesn’t quite make sense.  The angel said that unto you is born this day.  My wife and I are not expecting a child.  In fact none of the other shepherds are expecting children at this time.  Why would the angel say that unto you is born this day.  He did say that it was good news for all the people.  Maybe this Savior is for everyone.  Since He is supposed to be Christ the Lord, maybe He is everyone’s Savior.  If that’s true then he must be my Savior.  “Unto you is born” must mean that He was born for me.  

     Let’s return now from the fields outside Bethlehem to the comfort of Zion Lutheran Church and think about what the angel said and what those shepherds must have thought.  You have the advantage over those shepherds because you now have the Good News explained for you in the pages of the Scriptures.  You can answer the questions that the shepherd may have been asking out in the fields when the skies lit up and the angel spoke to them.  You know that the child who was born in Bethlehem was truly Christ the Lord.  He was the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One that the prophets had foretold.  He was the Lord because He was the Son of God sent down from heaven to be your Savior.  He grew up and lived a perfect life in your place and then sacrificed His life as the punishment for your sins.  In a sense He did eliminate the need for further sacrifices of animals because He was, as John the Baptist said, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

      One word in the angel’s message to the shepherds is often passed over by us as we hear it year after year.  That one word is “you.”  Unto you is born this day.  That one word makes this whole message a very personal one.  In our little imaginary thoughts of the shepherd before, he thought about what that could mean.  What it means is that Jesus came into the world for you, for every one of you.  He came because you needed Him to come and take your place because you would be lost without Him.  Because of your sins, your sins of greed, selfishness, hatred, envy, lying, and the list could go on and on, you have separated yourself from God.  That’s what sin does.  It can be so easy to celebrate this time of the year without even thinking about why Jesus had to come into the world.  You can get so caught up in the traditions and celebrations that you forget that it was your sin that caused God to sent His only Son into the world to be your Savior, Christ the Lord.  That gives a deeper meaning to the word, “Unto you is born this day.”  Because He came for you, the sins that had separated you from God have been wiped away.  They have been forgiven.  Because He came for you, God sent the Holy Spirit to work in you so that through the Means of Grace you could believe that Jesus is your Savior, Christ the Lord.  By that faith, one of the greatest gifts that you could ever receive, you are brought back to God and you are given the assurance that one day you will be heaven to sing with the angels and all the hosts of heaven that song that the shepherds heard on that night, “Glory to God in the highest.” It is all possible because unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald D. Matzke
Zion Lutheran Church
Painesville, Ohio
Christmas Eve 2013

 

 

What's In A Name?

What’s In A Name
Matthew 1:18-25
     Being a parent is always a challenge but one of the first challenges that parents face is choosing a name for their child.  There is a lot to think about.  What will sound good with the last name?  What are some family traditions that need to be considered?  You don’t want to be too old fashioned or too trendy.  What does the name mean?  When Jesus was born, that was something that Mary and Joseph did not have face.  The name for the child had already been chosen by God.  Mary and Joseph both had messages from God that the name of the child was to be Jesus.  Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel.  In our Gospel lesson for today, Joseph was told in a dream that the child would be given the name Jesus.  As we think about the names that are included in that Gospel reading, may we grow in our understanding of their meaning and may we grow in our appreciation of the importance of the coming of our Savior not only for our lives now but also for the time when He will come again.
     As you read Matthew’s Gospel, it becomes clear that he was writing the story of Jesus for a Gentile audience.  That is why he makes it a point to explain Jewish words and traditions.  That can be seen in the reading for today.  There are two names that are mentioned.  The first is the name Jesus.  It was to be the name that people would call Him.  The other is Immanuel.  That was more descriptive of who He would be.  It was taken from the prophet Isaiah as we heard in the Old Testament lesson for today.  Both are important in helping us to understand just who this baby is and what He would do for us.
      The name Jesus, as we say it today, is actually an English version of the Greek form of the name.  It really doesn’t sound much like the name that Mary and Joseph and His friends would use when they called Him by name.  They would call Him Yeshua.  That was the Aramaic form of the Hebrew name Joshua.  That is actually a shortened form of an older Hebrew name Yehoshua which literally means, “The Lord saves.”  That is why Matthew adds the explanation for us non-Jews that tells us that He would be called Jesus because He will save his people from their sins.
     If you need to be saved, that means that you are in some kind of dangerous situation.  The dangerous situation is that you are sinful and as a consequence of that sin, you deserve God’s punishment which is eternal separation from God in the never-ending fire of hell.  The truth of the matter is that there is nothing that you can do on your own that can rescue you from this terrible fate.  God expects perfect obedience and since the time of Adam and Eve and their first sin, human beings have inherited that sinfulness of their first parents.  There is nothing that you can do to make up for your sin and get back on God’s good side.  Sin has separated you from God and only He can bring about some kind of reconciliation.
     The word “save” tells us that something was going to done to help God’s people out of their terrible situation.  God’s love for His special creation caused Him to act on your behalf.  That action involved the same kind of action that God established for His people of old.  One life had to be given in exchange for another.  For the people of the Old Covenant it meant the sacrifice of animals at the altar of God.  The sins of the people were placed on the animals and the blood of the animal was shed as a sin offering.  The Old Covenant pointed ahead to the New Covenant that would rescue all people from the punishment for their sins through another sacrifice.  This would not be an animal.  It would be God’s only Son who left His throne in heaven and came down to earth to take on human form and be our substitute.  Through His perfect life and His suffering and death on the cross, you were rescued from that punishment.  John the Baptist called Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
     That gives us a clue then to the meaning of the second name that is found in Matthew’s Gospel.  Quoting from Isaiah’s prophecy, Matthew tells us that the angel told Joseph that the child would be Immanuel, which means, “God with us.”  This name is right from the Hebrew.  He would be God with us in a remarkable way.  It was more of description of who He was rather than a name by which He would be known. He was, in fact, God with us.  God came down to earth.  He took human form.  He was born of a human mother.  He is therefore true man and true God.  He came not as the Almighty God but rather came as a servant.  That is sometimes hard for people to understand.  His service to you and all mankind included giving His life for you, the ultimate sacrifice.  Through His life and His teaching, He was a model of the kind of servant life to which we have all been called as His disciples.  He was Immanuel, God with us, to be our servant as well as to be our Teacher and Lord.
     He is still Immanuel, God with us, today.  Before He ascended into heaven, He assured His disciples that He would be with them always to the very end of the age.  That promise still applies to you to today.  He is with you as you carry out His work of making disciples.  He is with you on your job.  He is with you in your family.  He is with us in our school.  He is with us in our church.  He is with you when you are lonely.  He is with you when you are sick.  He is with you when you are dying.  He is with you when you mourn.  He is with you to guide you and protect you.  If you ever are tempted to doubt that, He has given you the Means of Grace to strengthen your faith and remind you that He is with you.  Through the Word and the Sacraments, you are assured that He is with you.  He is with you with His love and forgiveness and the strength you need to live your life as His servant.
     What a blessing it is to know your Lord Jesus Christ and to know that He is with you!  He is the Almighty God yet He is your friend.  He knows your weaknesses and hurts.  He lived on this earth and experienced what human life is like.  He understands.  He is Immanuel, God with us.
     He will also be Immanuel, God with us, when He comes again one day to take us home.  Scripture tells us that all will see Him in His glory and He will take His faithful people home to the heavenly home that He has prepared where He will be Immanuel, God with us, for all eternity.  It is that second coming that is our Advent hope even as we prepare to celebrate His first coming this week. 
     As the Advent season draws to a close for this church year, may you continue to have your eyes fixed on the sky as you wait for that time when the final promise will be fulfilled.  May you wait eagerly, yet patiently, knowing that the time that God continues to give you is time for you to grow in faith and time for you also to share the
Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ with those in your life who do not yet understand the grace of God.  You have the wonderful privilege of introducing people to Immanuel, God with us.  You can tell them of the greatest gift that was ever given, the gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of our Immanuel who came to be with us and give His life as the sacrifice for our sins.
     That Good News is a Christmas gift that you can give to someone and still have it for yourself.  It is a gift that can be given to the world.  As more people hear the Good News, the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts to cause them to believe it and also then to receive the great blessing that Jesus, our Savior, our Immanuel, came to bring.  Amen.
  
Rev. Gerald D. Matzke
Zion Lutheran Church
Paineville, Ohio
December 22, 2013

Bear Fruit In Keeping With Repentance

Bear Fruit In Keeping With Repentance

Matthew 3:1-12

     Can you feel it?  The pace is picking up.  Our lives are becoming a little more hectic.  There are things to get ready, a few more gifts to buy, a couple more decorations to put up.  All of this excitement tells us that Christmas is coming soon.  It is a great time of the year.  Just as all of the preparations tell us a something special is coming, so our Gospel Lesson for today tells us about another indicator that was sent by God to get people ready for the coming of the Messiah. Our Gospel Lesson tells us about John the Baptist.  He was a special messenger, sent by God, to prepare people for the coming of the Promised One.  John’s message was simple yet the impact of his message and the way he presented it made a big impression on the people who heard him.  As we look at John’s message today, may it touch us so that that we are moved to heed his admonition to bear bruit in keeping with repentance.

     The message of John the Baptist was the same message that had been proclaimed by the prophets of God for centuries.  “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.”  Repent means to have a change of heart and mind that leads to a change in actions.  It is a change from a heart that loves the world to a heart that loves the Lord.  It is a change of a mind that is controlled by sin to a mind that is controlled by God.  It is a change from actions that are selfish, to actions that are self-giving.  It was an old message but there was a new sense of urgency to John’s message because the Messiah, the Promised One, was about to make His presence known.  John would have the privilege that no other prophet had before.  He was going to be able to point to someone in the crowd and say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  In other words, He would be able to say, “Look, there He is.  He is the one who will sacrifice His life for your sins and mine and the sins of the whole world.”  Crucial to his message though would be the call to repentance.  Everything about John was designed to help people to understand the urgency of that call to repentance.

     His appearance was quite different.  He wore clothes made of scratchy camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist.  He ate locusts and wild honey.  This was very different from the soft, flowing robes that were commonly worn.  His wardrobe and his diet suggested the basic necessities.  In the same way, his message called for the basic necessity of a relationship with God.

     Even his location sent a message to the people about repentance.  He did not speak in the temple or even in the local synagogues.  He spoke in the wilderness near the Jordan River to show that a relationship with God did not depend on a particular location or ritual.

     His message rocked the traditions of the Jews.  Their religious life centered on the traditions and the sacrifices and keeping the Law as they interpreted it.  Their good performance of all the prescribed actions left them with the feeling that they were somehow right with God because they had done not only all that the Law required but in many cases they had gone beyond the requirements and therefore deserved praise from God and from man.  All of this meant nothing to the strange looking prophet preaching in the wilderness.

     One thing is certain, John caught people’s attention.  They came from all around to hear him and be baptized by him.  Even some of the Pharisees and Sadducees came out to see what the fuss was all about. 

God gave John the gift of discernment to see what was really in their hearts and he directed some of his message to them specifically.  Before they could protest he attacked their faith in their heritage and traditions. He said, “Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father, ‘for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham.” Being children of Abraham would mean nothing if they were not willing to acknowledge their sinfulness and repent.

     He had already mentioned that true repentance also means bearing fruit in keeping with that repentance.  Along with the change of heart and mind, there needs to be a change in your actions.  He didn’t hold back anything.  He proclaimed in no uncertain terms that true preparation for the coming of the Lord involves repentance.  He baptized those who came in true repentance as a sign of the washing way of their sins through the mercy of God.

     As we look at John the Baptist today, we have to ask ourselves a few serious questions.  What would you do if John the Baptist came to you today with this same message of repentance?  What if someone dressed in very stark, unusual clothing came in and said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”  What if he looked you in the eye and said, “Repent sinner!”  What would you do?  Would you resist his message?  Would begin to make excuses and think to yourself, “Who does he think he’s talking to?  I’ve been a member of the church all my life.  I come to church every week.  I give my offerings faithfully. I have given the best years of my life to this church.  Who does he think he is telling me that I’m a sinner?”  He should be talking to those other people.  They’re the ones who are the real sinners.”

     John, I think, would look you in the eye and say, “Don’t think you can say to yourself, ‘I’m a Lutheran.’  I tell you that out of these stones, God can raise up as many Lutherans as He wants”  The big question is, “Will you repent?”  Are you then bearing the fruit of repentance in your life? 

     The real power to bear fruit in keeping with repentance comes to us through the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit works through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments, to change hearts and bring them to repentance and then comfort them with the Good News of forgiveness and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Repentance begins with and acknowledgement of our inherited sinfulness and the sins that result.  When you are confronted with the will of God and you see the huge gap between God’s expectations and your performance, you are moved to sorrow and regret for your sins.  Bible translators have encountered many challenges in trying to bring out the meaning of repentance in other languages and cultures.  A tribe in Guatemala describes repentance with a word that means, “it pains my heart.”  A culture in West Africa was even more precise.  Their word for repentance literally means, “it hurts so much I want to quit it.”  That is what God’s law does to you.  It exposes your sin so that you are sorry for the offence against God and you want to quit it.

     It is then that the Holy Spirit works through the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to assure you that God loves you in spite of your sin.  In fact, He loves you so much that he sent His only Son into the world to give His life as the sacrifice for your sins.  Through His perfect life and His suffering and death, you have been made right with God.  By faith, which the Holy Spirit works in you through the Means of Grace, you receive the blessings of Christ’s sacrifice.  Your sins are forgiven and you are assured of God’s continued love for you and your place in His heavenly kingdom.

     It is the Holy Spirit then who also empowers you to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.  You are strengthened and directed to live a God-pleasing life that is determined to serve the Lord and His purposes by serving those around you.  In that way you are not only preparing your heart for the time when Jesus comes again but you are also helping others to prepare their hearts for Jesus coming.

     There was an urgency to John’s call to repentance.  The urgency is still there because we do not know when that that day will be when Jesus comes again.  You are simply called to be prepared.  By faith, you are prepared.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you also are empowered to bear the fruit of repentance every day of your life as you wait patiently for all the prophecies to be fulfilled.  Amen

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

The Second Sunday of Advent

Wake Up! It's Advent

Wake Up!  It’s Advent

Romans 13:8-14

     Have you ever overslept!  What a horrible feeling it is to wake up and realize that you have only a few minutes to get somewhere or worse that you are hopelessly late!  If this has ever happened to you then you know that you live with the constant fear that since it happened once, it could happen again any time.  If something important is coming up, you will probably toss and turn all night, worrying about oversleeping.  If you do get to sleep you will probably dream about the disasters that will surely happen when you oversleep.  It all comes down to a desire on your part to not miss something very important.  You want to be up and prepared for whatever special event is coming in your life. 

     Today we begin a new church year.  As we observe the first Sunday in Advent, there are a few things that are different.  Some can easily be seen in the church.  We light the first Advent candle.  The colors have changed from the green of the Pentecost season to the blue of the Advent season.  Where the green reminds us of the new life that is ours through the power of the Spirit, the blue now calls us to look to the sky and be prepared for the coming of the Lord.  We prepare our hearts to celebrate the first coming of Christ but we are also called to prepare for the time when He will come again.  The hymns we sing also call us to prepare for the Lord’s coming.  There is something else that has changed since we last celebrated Advent and even since the last time we came together to worship.  Paul says in our text that our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.  Now I know that Paul wrote those words over nineteen hundred years ago but they are still true.  Our salvation is closer than when we first believed.  We don’t know when Jesus will come again but we are closer to that time than we have ever been in our lives.  As we heard last week, the Lord is patient with us.  He is giving us more time to get ready.  We can react to that in two ways.  We can just relax and figure that we will always get more time or on the other hand we can give thanks to God for His mercy and use the time that the Lord gives us wisely and prepare our hearts for His coming.

    As we begin another church year, we know that we will be starting over in the cycle of observances of important times in our Lord’s life.  Advent reminds us of the first coming of the Messiah and at the same time calls us to awaken from our spiritual slumber because the time is coming when the Lord will come again in all His glory to judge the world.

     Awaking from our slumber is another way of saying its time to get our act together.  Did you ever think about what that statement implies?  Get your act together.  You might think of children who want to put on a show for their family or friends.  They have every intention of putting on a great show but they just weren’t quite ready when show time came.  They hadn’t practiced.  They didn’t know their parts.  They needed more time to get their act together.  That describes many people as they get ready for the time when Jesus comes again.  They have every intention of straightening out their lives.  They have every intention of coming to church more often.  They have every intention of being more generous with their material blessings.  They have every intention of doing a lot of things but they never seem to get around to it.  They are still in the dark about what they are going to do next.  Paul tells us to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

     The light comes from the Lord and the armor of light would be those things that would be useful for us in deflecting the attacks of the devil, the prince of darkness.  Since this is the beginning of the new church year, it would be a good time to put on the armor of light and make some new year’s resolutions that would reflect the light of Jesus Christ.  Where would you start?  One resolution would have to do with the use of our time.  You would certainly want to dedicate time for worship.  The people of the Old Testament dedicated a whole day to the Lord.  The hour or so that you come to God’s house can be just the beginning.  You can worship the Lord any time that your thoughts are directed to the praise and worship of our God.  That could be in private or family devotions, Bible study in a group or by yourself or simply listening to music or reading books that give honor and praise to God.

     Another resolution could be that you dedicate more of your talents to serving the Lord.  Whenever you see work that is not getting done for the church, for example, you can be sure that someone is not using the talents that God has given.  Scripture tells us that each one has been given gifts and talents that are to be used for the common good.  God has distributed those gifts and talents as He sees fit so that the work of the church can be done.  Is the Sunday School in need of teachers?  If it is, it is because someone is not using their gifts.  Does the nominating committee have to struggle to find willing people to fill the spots when the church has elections?  If that is true it is because someone is not willing to use the gifts that God has given.  The same thing can be said of any area of work in the church.  If the church is not able to carry out all of its functions, each part of it needs to repent and look to the Lord for forgiveness and then use the power of the Spirit to discover and put to good use the gifts and talents that have been given to everyone. 

     A third new church year resolution would be to grow in your understanding of generosity.  As you look through the New Testament, you find that Jesus spoke about this often and so did St. Paul in the Epistles.  This really describes a life-style and an attitude that understands that the Lord has given you many blessings to manage while you are here on this earth.  First and foremost, you are to return a portion of those blessings to the Lord for His work.  You then need to look around you for those who are in need.  You also have responsibilities to your family to provide what is needed not only now but also in the future.  This gives new understanding to the term stewardship.  You use the wisdom that God has given to you to be a good manager of all that He has placed in your care. 

     Another image that Paul uses to help us understand what it means to be prepared for Christ’s coming is that we are to put on or clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.  A new year means a new wardrobe.  If you are going to have a wardrobe makeover you have to start with the basics.  When you think of your clothes, you have to begin with undergarments and then you also consider the outer garments.  The undergarments are generally not seen but the outer garments are chosen with great care because people will see them and learn things about you based on what they see you wearing.

    If we think of the things that people can not see, we can compare that to our faith.   Your faith helps you to see who you really are, a child of God who has been declared righteous by God’s grace for Christ’s sake.  You see yourself as the servant of the Lord, responding to His love.  You look for ways to serve others instead of expecting people to serve you.  That is an idea that is radically different from your sinful human nature and its selfish attitudes. 

     The outer wear in your new wardrobe can be seen as your witness to your faith by the things that you say and do.  When you put on Christ, you are putting on the attitudes and actions of someone who is dedicated to following Jesus’ great commission to go and make disciples of all nations.  Your new wardrobe includes the power of the Holy Spirit who works in you through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments. 

     A new wardrobe often indicates a new lifestyle.  As we start a new church year, that’s not such a bad idea.  That is what Paul is saying in our text, “Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”  Wherever you are in your spiritual maturity, you can all stand to grow.  There are old ways that can be put off and new things to put on.  The image of waking up from your slumber is another way of saying that it is time to grow.  If you would rather just stay the same, you are on the brink of falling asleep.  The new church year is a time to wake up.  Greet the new year with its challenges and opportunities for growth.  Wear your new wardrobe with confidence and joy.  Wake up!  It’s Advent!  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio  

First Sunday in Advent