Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Day

The Nativity of our Lord
Christmas Day
December 25, 2010

Proclaim the Good News:
God Has Kept His Promise!
Isaiah 52:7-10


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

Dear friends,

Did you do any jumping this morning? Did anyone jump on you?

Why the jumping? Because of the excitement. Why the excitement? Because of the presents.

Presents are great. Toys, tools, music, games, clothes, and more. But the older you get, the less jumping you do as Christmas. Part of that comes from knowing that these superb presents won't last long. Even the ones that last won't make you jump for joy next year.

Enjoy your presents. Say thank you. Write thank yous. Be thankful and show it to the givers of these superb presents.

A long time ago Isaiah jumped up and down (so to speak) about a present he never even got to open. The present was Jesus. Instead of waiting one month to get his present, Isaiah spent his whole life waiting for Him. Instead of waiting one year to get Him, Isaiah's countrymen spent hundreds of years waiting for Him.

But to wise and faithful Isaiah and his countrymen, the present of Jesus was already certain. He was coming down to earth to live for us and to present Himself as a blood sacrifice for all sin of all mankind.

This was His promise to Isaiah, even though he died before Jesus was born. So many Jews had lived and died, waiting for the Present to arrive. Abraham, Aaron, Abner, Amos, and more. So the joy of the anonymous shepherds was the joy of someone who is opening a long-expected present.

Isaiah captures this joy in words.

7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

9 Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.


Do some jumping and bursting and singing. It's okay. Who cares about what other think? Or just sing. Sing at home. Take a hymnal or two home with you today. We got plenty. And sing with your family. Sing carols and hymns as you enjoy your Present.

"From heav'n above to earth I come
To bear good news to ev'ry home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
Whereof I now will say and sing:

"To you this night is born a Child
Of Mary, chosen virgin mild;
This little Child of lowly birth
Shall be the joy of all the earth.

"This is the Christ, our God most high,
Who hears your sad and bitter cry;
He will Himself your Savior be
From all your sins to set you free.


Jesus is our Present. Jump for joy, little lambs. Sing your hearts out, you sheep of God's holy flock. Bear this good news to your home this Christmas!

Amen.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Third Sunday in Advent

Third Sunday in Advent
December 12, 2010

The Holy Highway
Isaiah 35


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

Dear friends,

You don't have to be a perfect driver to drive on our roads. Pass a few tests, pay some money, and you're good to go.

Could it work any other way? Wouldn't it make more sense to thoroughly scrutinize each and every driver? And by scrutinize I mean having someone shadow you for one month every year. Some would talk to your family and friends about how you drive. They'd put a device on your car to monitor speed.

Would this help? Would this make our highways and roads safer? Probably. Would you like these rules to be put into effect? Absolutely not, because no one would be able to drive.

A government official who follows you around for a month is going to observe enough mistakes to keep you off the road. Your family and friends—assuming they tell the truth—are going to give up embarrassing or dangerous anecdotes about your driving. Your speed monitor is going to catch you speeding and beep your transgression over to the DOT.

But as it is now, both good drivers and bad drivers travel on the same roads and highways. It isn't perfect. It was the same in the olden days when everyone walked.

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:30-32)

This is the beginning and middle of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told it to make it clear that everyone is our neighbor. But it also reminds us that our journey as believers is not easy. Sometimes we are the guy who gets attacked and gets left in the ditch. Sometimes we are the robbers who beat other people up with our words, instead of our fists. And a lot of the time we are the priest and the Levite—we are indifferent to the needs of our neighbors.

There are a lot of bad people on life's highway. Sometimes they look bad and sometimes they're good-looking. But whether they are ugly or attractive, many are going to the same place. Jesus said: “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13)

But not you. Why? Because our Good Samaritan gives us the credit for all the good things He has done. Consider Isaiah's prediction about the Savior.

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6)


These are the same words and more that Jesus used to prove to John that He was the Savior.

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. (Matthew 11:5)

Jesus is who He says He is. His virgin birth, His many miracles, His perfect life, and His innocent suffering, death, and resurrection prove that He is Emmanuel—God with us.

And He is with us now, and not just one month out of every year. He is with us all the time. This fact should terrify us because He knows all our dirty secrets. But instead, because He has forgiven us, His presence comforts us and encourages us to avoid evil in our lives.

And because of the holiness that Jesus has given to us, we now look forward to His Holy Highway.

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it... But only the redeemed will walk there.
(Isaiah 35:8,9)


In heaven our days of traveling through the dangers of life will be over. Just like the heavenly mansions and the holy city and new heavens and earth, God made this holy highway for His holy people. Just for you.

Amen.