Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: December 2024

Matthew 21,1-11 0125

Populus Sion. Advent i 01

Eligius of Noyon-Tournai. Bishop & chief counsellor of Merovingian king Dagobert I, ✠ 660

1. Dezember 2024

1. ℣ Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion:

℟ Behold, your King will arrive righteous and a savior (Zechariah 9,9 vul lxx).

exulta satis filia Sion:

ecce rex tuus venit tibi iustus et salvator. lxx lxx

О Lord, our Heavenly Father, we give You most humble and hearty thanks for the consolation ministered to us in the gift of Your dear Son Jesus Christ, whom You did send to be a King and Savior, to redeem His people from their sin and to deliver them from the might of Satan and the power of everlasting death. We beseech You to grant unto us Your Holy Spirit to enlighten, govern and sanctify our hearts, so that we may truly acknowledge Him as our King and Savior, and perpetually cling to Him; and at all times grant unto us a true and living faith, so that we may not stumble at His humiliation, Word and Reign, which the world esteems so lightly. Amen. (Löhe 119).

2. »Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and arrived at Beth-phage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them: „Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say: ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.“ This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying: »Dicite filiæ Sion: Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus, sedens super asinam, et pullum filium subjugalis. Say to the daughter of Zion: „Behold, your king is drawing near to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.“« [Zechariah 9,9] The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and He sat on the cloaks. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting: „Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who arrives in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!“ And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying: „Who is this?“ And the crowds said: „This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.“«

3. The 1^st Sunday in Advent begins the new Church Year with the historic reading from the Palm Sunday account in the Gospel according to Matthew. The 4 weeks of Advent prepare us for the incarnation and birth of Jesus the Christ. Advent begins with the emphasis on justification and salvation, and we traditionally read Jesus’ Palm Sunday procession and triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus was born into this fallen world to justify and save sinners. John the Baptizer prepared the way for Jesus, and thus 520 years earlier Zechariah proclaims salvation at Yahweh’s hand.

4. The Apostle Matthew tells us in his Gospel that Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday as a King who is fulfilling prophecy. Matthew refers us to the Prophet Zechariah’s Messianic King entering on an ass (asinam). The Prophet Isaiah was also fulfilled: » Ecce Dominus auditum fecit in extremis terræ: Dicite filiæ Sion: Ecce Salvator tuus venit; ecce merces ejus cum eo, et opus ejus coram illo. Behold, Yahweh has proclaimed to the ends of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion: ‘Behold, your salvation arrives; behold, His reward is with Him.’« (Isaiah 62,11). The Jewish crowds are excited and enthusiastic as they acclaim Jesus as a prophet. A few days later, each disciple would be sorely tempted to think of Jesus only as a prophet who had failed (Nagel 14).

5. Like any crowd, we can be fickle, and a fickle crowd can quickly turn into a violent mob that destroys property, threatens to overthrow those in charge or in Jesus’ case to cry out for His death. Such a turn of events can spiral downward when the perceived prophet fails to live up to the expectations of his followers. The kingship of Christ was not in Galilean shouts for the hometown man who had become a public figure (Nagel 16). Our temptation is to look for the wrong things in Jesus. „If you expect Jesus to be this sort of bread king, then you will certainly be let down. His kingdom is not of this world“ (Nagel 16).

6. „He is a king that would set up the role of his love and humility in your heart. That means the rejection of the pride and glory of all the kingdoms of this world. Jesus won’t turn stones to bread for you. And if He rules, then He rules alone. His rule rises above every earthly claim…. You bear the badge of His subjects and that badge is a cross.“ (Nagel 16-17). »If anyone would come after Me, then let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.« (Matthew 16,24). It is easier to follow Jesus when He is celebrated with hymns, but it is far more difficult to follow him when he is derided and crucified. Our cross leads us to a place next to His.

7. The disciples on that first Palm Sunday had no inkling of this; and many today still do not. But the Prophets were clear: the Messiah is a Suffering Messiah. Zechariah proclaimed: »When they look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him« (Zechariah 12,10b) and »„Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who stands next to Me,“ declares Yahweh Sabaoth. „Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered“« (Zechariah 13,7ab). Jesus rode into Jerusalem to fulfill these prophecies.

8. Jesus is a humble Messiah who bears the yoke of our sinful pride. Jesus is faithful where we are fickle. Jesus is a Messiah who justifies and saves us.

9. „It was for you … that Christ died.… As one redeemed by Christ, you belong to Him, to His kingdom. You have a place, value and meaning, and unto your soul is given rest and peace.“ (Nagel 17).

10. »Yahweh has taken away the judgment against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: „Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. Yahweh your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exalt over you with loud singing“« (Zephaniah 3,15-17).

11. How shall I greet Thee, O Savior

And meet Thee, Lord Divine,

O all the world’s desire,

O joy of this heart of mine?

O Jesus, Jesus, enlighten me

With Thine own torch, I pray

That what delights Thee, rightly,

I may know and find each day. Amen.

(Wie soll ich dich empfangen elkg 315,1 2021 Paul Gerhardt 1653)

This is most certainly true.

15. 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.

16. Let us pray. O Almighty Lord and God, direct our steps into the way of peace, and strengthen our hearts to obey Thy commandments; may the Dayspring visit us from on high, and give light to those who sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, that they may adore Thee for Thy mercy, follow Thee for Thy truth and desire Thee, for Thy sweetness, who art the blessed Lord God of Israel, both now and evermore. Amen. (Advent i, 2^nd Vespers Collect. The Daily Office.)

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.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sunday, December 1, 2024

Matthew 21,1-11. Populus Sion. Advent I