Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

John 1,1-5.9-14. Christmas Day

John 1,1-5.9-14

Christfest I 7 0624

ad Israel et ad Gentes (Urbi et Orbi : to the city and the world)

25. December 2024

1. Ad Israel et ad Gentes. To Israel and the nations: hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah: Parvulus enim natus est nobis filius datus est nobis (Isaias 9,6a vul). For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given.

2. This Child born in Bethlehem, heralded by angels and adored by shepherds is also »the Word who was with God, and this Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him.« Jesus is this Word; He is both God and Man.

3. Sadly, Jesus is not recognized or received by many of Israel or the world. Sinfulness, blindness and darkness all hinder Jews and Gentiles from fearing, loving and trusting Jesus.

4. Rejoice and be glad, O Israel and Gentiles! Jesus is your Messiah and Christ. »Break into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, Yahweh has comforted and redeemed His people. Yahweh has bared His holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth see the salvation of our God« (Isaiah 52,9-10). He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 8,12). »ut iustificati gratia ipsius heredes simus secundum spem vitæ æternæ. So that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life« (Titus 3,7).

5. »Et Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis et vidimus gloriam ejus gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre plenum gratiæ et veritatis. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.« Jesus is the Son of God, the Son of Mary, the Eternal Word, the Promise of the Prophets and the Wisdom of His Heavenly Father.

6. »Cantate Domino benedicite nomini eius adnuntiate diem de die salutare eius. Sing to Yahweh, bless His Name; tell of His salvation from day to day« (Psalm 95,2 vul lxx). Frohe Weihnachten und ein gesegnetes neues Jahr in Christus Jesus, unserem Herrn! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year in Christ Jesus our Lord!

7. Come, O ye faithful,

Joyfully triumphant,

O come, O come to Bethlehem!

Behold the Babe, born to us for salvation!

O let us worship, O let us worship,

O let us worship the King!

(Herbei, o ihr Gläubigen elkg 363,1 2021 Friedrich Heinrich Ranke 1823/1826)

8. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and ✠ give you peace. Amen.

Isaiah 9,1-6. Christmas Eve Vespers

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Christvesper 05

Adam and Eve ✠ 930 years

24. Dezember 2024

1. ℣ Yahweh said to me: „You are My Son;

℟ today I have begotten You“ (Psalm 2,7 vul lxx).

Dominus dixit ad me filius meus es tu: ego hodie genui te.

O Well-beloved Emmanuel, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Highest, and Son of the Virgin, we give thanks unto You that, You have come to us from the Father’s throne into this misery below, taking upon Yourself our flesh and blood, so that we might be made partakers of Your own Divine nature. Now, indeed, has the Heavenly Father shared His loving heart with us; and in You is His wrath appeased. By Your holy birth, we are born again unto heaven, and You have become the veritable gateway of heaven for us; and by You we have access unto the Father, and abundant entrance into Your reign. O then help, Dear Lord, Gracious Emmanuel, so that we may rightly realize the mystery of Your revelation in our flesh (Löhe 448-50).

2. »But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time the Lord brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a Great Light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; You have increased its joy; they rejoice before You as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, You have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.«

3. The Prophet Isaiah describes the Christ as the embodiment of the Father’s Divine light and peace. This Christ is a personal Savior and an universal Redeemer who restores our broken relationship with our Heavenly Father.

4. When the Prophet Isaiah spoke the words of the Lord, Judah was in dire straights; they were in the midst of a 20-year rule by the wicked King Ahaz (735-15 bc). He worshipped false idols and had offerings made to them on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree (2. Kings 16,4). Worse still, Ahaz offered up one of his sons to the fire of Moloch (2. Kings 16,3). Child sacrifice was part of Moloch worship: the large bronze statue had the head of a bull, the torso and arms of a man and the base was a furnace: children were thrown into the fire and sacrificed. Bad enough a Davidic King committed such atrocities, but worse still many men and women in Judah did the same. The people of God were living in darkness and under the burden of evil.

5. In our day we are often lost in the dark and burdened by wickedness. People are in despair over the guilt of sin. People can’t see the mercy of God. War and violence plague our daily lives. Far too many are oppressed by the world or their fellow neighbors. Hope seems distant, and joy appears to be in limited supply.

6. Isaiah exhorts us to look beyond our immediate circumstances. If we are burdened by our sin, then repent. If life is unjust, then pray for God to make it just. Look to the light of Christ.

7. The gospel shone forth in those dark days of Ahaz’s reign. »The people who walked in darkness have seen a Great Light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has Light shined.« Judah was promised the Christ who would redeem them. O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol iustitatiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Morning Star, Splendor of the Eternal Light and Sun of Righteousness: Draw near and enlighten those seated in darkness and the shadow of death.

8 The gospel shines for in our days of gloom. »For to us, a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called… Prince of Peace. O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O King of the Gentiles, the Ruler they desire, the Cornerstone uniting all people: Draw near and save mankind, whom You formed from the ground. »The Christ shall inaugurate endless peace, for He shall establish and uphold this peace with justice and righteousness forever and ever« (Isaiah 9,7).

9 „To Mary the pure version alone did the archangel Gabriel manifest himself, luminously, bringing her the address: ‘Hail, O favored one!’ And thus she received. And in the due time… she brought forth the Priceless Pearl“ (Gregory Thaumaturgus 1^st Homily on the Annunciation). The very Son of God was incarnate in the virgin Mary, has taken into His Godhood human flesh and was born in the city of David, that is, Bethlehem. Christ’s birth brings peace from God to you for He is born to be your Redeemer from sin and the Devil. In Christ, you have peace, joyous peace. Rejoice and be merry, for unto you this night we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord.

10. Praise God, all Christians, one and all

On His highest throne,

Who opens wide His heavenly hall

And gives us His own Son

And gives us His own Son.

(Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich selk 334,1 2021 Nikolaus Herman (um 1550) 1560)

This is most certainly true.

11. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

12. O God, to whom glory is sung in the highest while on earth peace is proclaimed to people of goodwill, grant that goodwill to us, Thy servants, cleanse us from all our sins and give perpetual peace to us, and to all people; through Thine mercy, O God, who art blessed and dost govern all things, world without end. Amen.

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Löhe, Wilhelm. Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians. Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago circa 1912. Concordia Publishing House; Concordia on Demand.

Sunday, December 22, 2024

John 1,19-28. Advent IV

John 1,19-28 0425

Memento nostri. Advent IV 04

Ischyrion, Martyr in Egypt 250. (Emperor Decius’ persecution 249-51)

22. Dezember 2024

1. ℣ Remember us, O Yahweh, in the good pleasure of Your people:

℟ Visit us in Your salvation. (Psalm 104,4a VUL LXX).

memento nostri, Domine, in beneplacito populi tui: visita nos in salutari tuo. LXX

O Lord Jesus Christ, all Your holy Christendom rejoices this day to celebrate Your holy advent. We, poor, erring lambs, leap for joy that You, O Shepherd and Bishop of our lives, cause Your gracious presence to be realized among us in the blessed virgin Mary. O Lord do not depart from us with Your grace, but let us gratefully realize this gracious day of Your visitation, so that Your advent may always be salutary and full of grace unto us. With all Your pure Word, Your holy Sacraments, Your wisdom, support, favor, blessing and grace, visit us in our churches and our homes. We rejoice that You do not arrive as a Just Judge before whom we tremble, but rather You arrive as the Kind Redeemer with whom we will be co-heirs of the reign of heaven. Amen. (Loehe 444-46)

2. »And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: „Who are you?“ ²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed: „I am not the Christ.“ ²¹And they asked him: „What then? Are you Elijah?“ He said: „I am not.“ „Are you the Prophet?"“ And he answered: „No.“ ²²So they said to him: „Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?“ ²³He said: „I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, [Isaiah 40,3] as the Prophet Isaiah said.“ ²⁴Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵They asked him: „Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah nor the Prophet“? ²⁶John answered them: „I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷even He who arrives after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.“ ²⁸These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.«

3. The 4^th Sunday in Advent draws highlights for us that Jesus is so significant that even John the Baptizer, the last, and perhaps greatest, of the Prophets, is unworthy to perform even the lowliest of service for the Christ.

4. John the Baptizer certainly looks and sounds like a Jewish prophet from of old. But who is he? They probably knew his pedigree as a priest and the son of Zechariah. Is the Baptizer the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet Moses had told their ancestors to expect? John said he is none of these, but simply the one preparing the way for the Christ, the Father’s anointed one.

5. Jesus has not manifested Himself yet publicly, so the religious authorities have no inkling of Him and what is about to be in store for Judah. While they know the Scriptures, they cannot fathom whom John is nor Jesus who succeeds him. On the cusp of the Messiah’s arrival into the midst of His people, even the religious authorities have no clear understanding of the texts.

6. People often approach Jesus with preconceived notions of Him and the Scriptural texts. They read into them their won biases, cultural assumptions, philosophy and theology. Many Pharisees in Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to be a political figure, akin to conquering King David, who would restore the Davidic kingdom, liberate the land from Roman rule and set up the Davidic monarch. This Messiah would also judge the Gentiles, establish righteousness and usher in an era of peace and prosperity for Judah. The average Jewish man and woman basically held these presuppositions for the Messiah; even the apostles exhibited such biases at times in how they perceived Jesus’ ministry.

7. The Baptizer preached a different Messianic expectation. His ministry was one of preparing for the advent of the Messiah. As the son of a priest, his emphasis was on repentance. Those baptized by him confess that they prepare themselves for the Messiah by repenting of their sins. This was the prophetic ministry of all the Prophets who preceded Joh. One an hear the opening words of the Prophet Isaiah in John’s preaching: »Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause« (Isaiah 1,4.16).

8. We are to heed the Baptizer’s preaching. We prepare ourselves with the confession of our sins and acknowledging that we are poor, miserable sinners. This is the humble path of repentance. »Make me to know Your ways, O Yahweh; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long. Remember Your mercy, O Yahweh, and Your merciful steadfast love, for they have been from of old« (Psalm 25,4-6). »καὶ δεῦτε καὶ διελεγχθῶμεν λέγει κύριος καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον ὡς ἔριον λευκανῶ καὶ ἐὰν θέλητε καὶ εἰσακούσητέ μου τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς φάγεσθε. Let us reason together, says the Yahweh: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool: and if you are willing, and hearken unto Me, then you shall eat the good of the land« (Isaiah 1,18-19).

9. Absolution is given to the repentant. Yahweh is merciful and generous with His forgiveness. Thus the Apostle John wrote: ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1,17). The Messianic age was not about overthrowing the Roman authority and reestablishing the Davidic kingdom; the Messianic age is about bringing to Jews and Gentiles the merciful steadfast love of God the Father embodied by his son, Jesus Christ. The baptizer saw that messianic age and prepared people for its arrival.

10. „And if He is the Son of God, then is He also God, of one form with the Father, and co-eternal; in Him the Father possesses all manifestation (φανερόςιν : make visible, shine, manifest); He is His Image in the person, and through His reflection the (Father’s) Glory shines forth. And as from the ever-flowing fountain the streams proceed, so also from this ever-flowing and ever-living fountain does the light of the world proceed, the perennial and the true, namely Christ our God. For it is of this that the Prophets have preached: »Fluminis impetus laetificat civitatem Dei. The rushing of the river makes glad the city of God« (Psalm 45,5 vul lxx; Psalm 46,4a). And not one city only, but all cities; for even as it makes glad one city, so does it also the whole world“ (Gregory Thaumaturgus 1^st Homily On the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary).

11. „In [Christ] we have forgiveness of sins. In Him we have the righteousness in which we are clothed as we stand before God. In Christ we have God as our gracious Father. He also gives us the Holy Spirit through whom we have the inspired Scriptures that speak the life-giving Gospel into our hearts. We have the Spirit as our Guide and Comforter. He empowers the Word of truth in us so it transforms us and our lives“ (Nagel 24).

12. On a donkey He approaches us,

Riding small and serene,

He stands in the midst among us,

As our sacrifice supreme.

He brings no worldly treasure,

His aim is to obtain

Through death and His own measure,

Eternal life to gain.

(Nun jauchzet, all ihr Frommen selk 310,2 2021 Michael Schirmer 1640)

This is most certainly true.

13. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

14. Let us pray. O Lord, give us grace to walk before Thee all the days of this our pilgrimage with a good conscience and pure mind, that when Thou shalt appear to reward every man according to his deeds, we may rejoice and not be ashamed before Thee at Thy advent. Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen. (Advent iv, 2^nd Vespers Collect. The Daily Office).

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

Löhe, Wilhelm. Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians. Wartburg Publishing House, Chicago circa 1912. Concordia Publishing House; Concordia on Demand.

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Romans 15,4-13. Advent III

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Gaudete. Advent III 03

Valerian of Abbenza, North Africa, Bishop and Martyr 457

15. Dezember 2024

1. ℣ Rejoice in the Lord always:

℟ I say again, rejoice (Philippians 4,4).

gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico gaudete. vul

О Heavenly Father, grant that Your beloved Church may receive her only King, Jesus Christ; and always rejoice in His wonderful advent, receive Him in pure and ready hearts, gladly rejoicing in Him and rendering all praise and glory to You forevermore. Amen. (Löhe 414).

2. »For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a slave to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your Name. [Psalm 18,49] And again it is said: Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people. [Deuteronomy 32,43 lxx] And again: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol Him. [Psalm 117,1] And again Isaiah says: The Root of Jesse will arrive, even He who arises to rule the Gentiles; in Him will the Gentiles hope. [Isaiah 11,10 lxx] May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.«

3. Prophecies about the Christ abound throughout the Scriptures. Paul mentioned four of them: two from the Psalms, one from Deuteronomy and one from Isaiah. The Christ is the Glory of Israel and the Light for the Gentiles. »יִזְרַ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וּכְבוֹד֖וֹ עָלַ֥יִךְ יֵרָאֶֽה׃. Yahweh will arise upon you, O Israel, and His Glory will be seen upon you« (Isaiah 60,2b). »άνατελεΐ άστρον έξ Ιακωβ και άναστήσεται άνθρωπος έξ Ισραηλ«. A Star will shine from Jacob and a Man will rise out of Israel« (Numbers 24,17).

4. But fallen men and women tend to ignore or neglect the prophecies in Scripture. By Jesus’ day, instead of regarding the Gentiles as those who would hope in the Messiah, they were derogatorily referred to as stones. Even God-fearing Gentiles who worshipped Yahweh often had their reserved public space at the temple courtyard where they worshipped and prayed overrun by Jewish merchants selling animals for sacrifices and bankers exchanging foreign coin for temple currency.

5. In the 21^st century, people often misapply the Scriptural prophecies and fail to see that they are about Christ. Justin Martyr was one of many of the Earliest Church Fathers who taught that the Scriptural prophesies are about Christ and how He fulfilled them. Paul gave four prophecies in Romans 15 where he says that both Jews and Gentiles believe and worship Jesus as the Messiah and the Christ. The star of Bethlehem, that led the Gentile Magi to Jesus, is the fulfillment of Numbers 24. »All the promises of God find their Yes, in Christ Jesus« (2. Corinthians 1,20).

6. Jesus unites all of humanity. Paul declares that »In Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Gentile for we are all one in Christ« (Galatians 3,28). Gaudete! Rejoice! The Psalmist proclaims: »remisisti iniquitates plebis tuae operuisti omnia peccata eorum diapsalma mitigasti omnem iram tuam avertisti ab ira indignationis tuae. Yahweh, You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people, You have covered all their sin, You have softened the psalms, You have mitigated all Your anger from the wrath of Your indignation« (Psalm 84,3-4 vul lxx). The Prophets promise the Christ, and the Christ is Jesus who brings the gospel that announces our sin is forgiven. He is the Glory of the Jews and the Light of the Gentiles. »ἤγγισα τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου καὶ τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ οὐ βραδυνῶ· δέδωκα ἐν Σιὼν σωτηρίαν τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς δόξασμα. ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. I have brought near My righteousness, and My salvation will not delay; I have given salvation in Zion to Israel for glory. Behold, I have given You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the Gentiles, that You may be for salvation to the end of the earth« (Isaiah 46,13; 49,6).

7. Deus homo factus est
Natura mirante,
Mundus renovatus est
A Christo regnante.

God became man, O see,

With nature marveling,

The world renewed and free

By Christ now reigning.

8. „Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Agnus Dei invites us to Jesus’ altar to eat His body and drink His blood, which are given into death for the forgiveness of your sins. Body and blood He has because He was born of Mary. This body and blood was given and shed as the Lamb of God. Jesus has born all our sins. He gives His body and blood for you to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of all your sins. This is My body which is given for you.… This is my blood … shed for you (Luke 22:19-20). Jesus says this to you—He who is king, He who is the Lamb, He who brings heaven in his kingly presence: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2) (Nagel 22-23).

9. The night is now fast receding,

Make haste to yonder stall!

There salvation is proceeding,

Promised of old to all.

Since sin began its story,

Since guilt was first proclaimed,

Now you’ve an ally holy,

By God Himself ordained.

(Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen elkg 322,3 2021 Jochen Klepper (1937) 1938)

This is most certainly true.

9. Et pax Dei, quæ exuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra, et intelligentias vestras in Christo Jesu. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.

10. Let us pray. O Thou who hast foretold that Thou wilt return again to judgement in an hour that we are not aware of, grant us grace to watch and pray always that whether Thou shalt come at even or at midnight or at the cock-crowing or in the morning, Thou mayest find us in the number of those servants who shall be blessed for watching for their Lord; for Thy Name’s sake. Amen. (Advent iii, 2^nd Vespers Collect. The Daily Office.)

To God alone be the Glory

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠