Matthew 2,13-18 0725
1. Sonntag nach dem Christfest 09
Jonathan, David’s friend ✠ 1009 bc
29. Dezember 2024
1. ℣ Your testimonies are exceedingly credible, O Yahweh:
℟ Holiness becomes Your house throughout the length of Your days (Philippians 4,4).
testimonia tua fidela/credibilia facta sunt nimis domum tuam decet sanctitas/sanctitudo Domine in longitudine dierum. mas lxx
Lift up our hearts, O gracious Emmanuel. Open our lips. Unloose our tongues, that with all the angels, unto whose friendship we are now restored, we may worship, praise and magnify Thee, and in Thee, the Beloved be acceptable unto the Father; and finally, be and abide with Thee in the everlasting joys of heaven. Amen. (Löhe 449-50).
2. »Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: „Rise, take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.“ And he rose and took the Child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Out of Egypt I called My Son (Hosea 11,1). Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the magi, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the magi. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more (Jeremiah 31,15).«
3. Today’s sermon text recounts the Commemoration of the Holy Innocents of 28. December. The joy of Christmas yields to the harsh realities of our fallen world. It is common for people to become depressed or fall ill after Christmas. Their suffering and sadness can only be temporarily suppressed by festivities. Their suffering harshness of the wicked world soon rushes in once more.
4. Historians generally agree that King Herod the Great was a fair and decent ruler. He funded numerous projects to better the lives of his citizens, including his most ambitious project: a massive building project to make the temple in Jerusalem a wonder in the Roman Empire. But in the later years of his life, Herod became more and more paranoid that his own sons were trying to usurp him. During the final 4 years of his life Herod had his sons Aristobulus IV and Alexander executed for treason in 7 bc and had Antipater II killed in 4 bc. His order to kill Jesus and all the males born about that time in Bethlehem is consistent with his tyrannical, paranoid actions.
5. When Jesus escaped, the Holy Innocents were martyred. There is joy that Jesus survives yet sorrow over the tragedy of the martyrs. Nothing has changed today. Some Christians live a peaceful life, while others are under constant threat of persecution and martyrdom. While Christmas is a joyous time, not everyone is overjoyed at Jesus and His birth. The fallen, wicked world will find ways to make people mourn.
6. Recognizing Herod’s horrific actions as sinful and wicked we see the need for a Savior who transcends our sinful failings. God’s law makes us confront the harsh reality of sin’s tragic impact on us, in us and throughout the world. We see more clearly the necessity of Jesus’ redemptive ministry amidst tragedy. The Law and the Prophets tell is that the Messiah fulfills God’s promises of hope and redemption from the dark times.
7. God the Father wins the victory for those who suffer on account of their faith in His Son. God remembers those who suffer persecution and martyrdom for the name of Jesus. He rewards them with heavenly blessings that far outweigh the earthly tribulations they suffer, and we might one day suffer. »ὅτι ὀργὴ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ τὸ ἑσπέρας αὐλισθήσεται κλαυθμὸς καὶ εἰς τὸ πρωὶ ἀγαλλίασις. ... ἔστρεψας τὸν κοπετόν μου εἰς χορὸν ἐμοί διέρρηξας τὸν σάκκον μου καὶ περιέζωσάς με εὐφροσύνην ὅπως ἂν ψάλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου καὶ οὐ μὴ κατανυγῶ κύριε ὁ θεός μου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι. For Yahweh’s anger there is wrath, and there is life in His will. In the evening weeping may endure, but in the morning there is joy. You have turned my morning into dancing; You have burst my sack cloth and girded me with gladness that my glory may sing to You, and I will not be put to shame. O Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to You forever« (Psalm 30,5.11-12).
8. May this be on our hearts, minds and lips as we remember the good times and the bad from 2024 and look ahead to the new year 2025 where Jesus will be with us in every situation and circumstance bringing the gospel to us for our delight.
9. Behold, behold, my spirit yearn,
How your Savior comes so near,
Love for you does brightly burn,
In the manger, cold and drear,
He lies in harshness for your sake,
Your redemption to partake.
Gladness, joyous gladness:
Christ fends off all sadness.
Bliss, joyous bliss:
The Sun of grace Christ is.
(Freuet euch, ihr Christen alle elkg 342,2 2021 Christian Keimann 1646)
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. Give protection to beginners, O Father; give intelligence to the little ones; give aid to those who are running their course. Give sorrow to the negligent; give fervor of spirit to the lukewarm. Give to all the saints a good consummation. Amen. (The Sundays after Christmas, 2nd Matins 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.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
Löhe, Wilhelm. Liturgy for Christian Congregations of the Lutheran Faith. Copyright © 1902 Frank Carroll Longaker.
Nagel, Norman. Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis. Frederick W. Baue, Ed. Copyright © 2004 Concordia Publishing House.
The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.
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