O Emmanuel. 23 December antiphon

O Emmanuel

℣ O Emmanuel, our King, Law-giver and LORD, the Longing of the nations and their | Savior: * 

℟ Draw near and save us, O | LORD our God. 

Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign. Look, the virgin is with Child and shall bear a Son, and shall name Him Immanuel (Isaiah 7,14). 

The Apostle Matthew proclaims in his Gospel the fulfillment of Isaiah 7,14: Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son,

    and they shall call His name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Prayer: O Christ Jesus, our Immanuel, draw near us and be with us in Your Word and Sacraments so that we may rejoice and celebrate Your birth into our world.  Amen.

O King of the nations. 22. December antiphon

℣ O King of the nations, the Ruler they long for, the Cornerstone uniting all | people: * 

℟ Draw near and save mankind, whom You formed | out of clay. 

For to us a Child has been born and a Son has been given; authority rests upon His shoulders, and He is called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9,6). He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for all people; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2,4). Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a Stone, a Tested Stone, a Precious Cornerstone, of a Sure Foundation; Whoever believes will not be in haste. (Isaiah 28,16). For Jesus Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2,14). 

Jesus is the King of the nations and the Cornerstone of His Church. He is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the one who is all and fulfills all. This incarnate Jesus was born to redeem fallen mankind from sin, death and hell; He was born to restore mankind's broken fellowship from God the Father. All that has been sundered will be rebound; all that is lost will be found; all who are built on Him will endure for ever and ever. 

Prayer: O Christ Jesus, King of the nations, send forth the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel so that in hearing we are grounded upon the solid foundation of the prophets and the apostles with You the Cornerstone, our everlasting salvation.  Amen. 

O Morning Star. 21. December antiphon

O Oriens 

℣ O Morning Star, Splendor of the Eternal Light and Sun of | justice: * 

℟ Draw near and give light to those who sit in darkness and the shad- | ow of death. 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a Great Light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness -- on them Light has shined (Isaiah 9,2). Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord has spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me (Isaiah 60,2). But unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (Malachi 4,2). 

Jesus is the Morning Star who shines down the Divine Light upon mankind. His Majestic Light drives away the darkness. His Light reveals the path of righteousness and salvation, a path that leads to the darkness of the cross, death and the grave, but also a path that leads from the tomb with the light of resurrection. 

Cynewulf writes in his Anglo-Saxon poem of Christ: 

Hail Morning Star, Brightest of angels Thou, 

sent unto men upon this middle-earth,  

Thou art the True Brilliance of the sun, 

radiant above the stars, and from Thyself 

illuminest forever all the tides of time! 

And as Thou, God indeed begotten of God, 

Thou Son of the True Father, wast from aye 

without beginning in the heavens glory, 

so now Thy handiwork in its sore need 

prayeth Thee boldly, that Thou send to us 

the Radiant Sun, and that Thou come Thyself 

to enlighten those who for so long a time, 

were wrapt around with darkness and here in gloom, 

have sat the lifelong night; shrouded in sin 

death’s dark shadow had they to endure. 

Hopeful now we trust in the salvation 

brought to the hosts of men through God’s own Word, 

which was in the beginning co-eternal 

with God, the Almighty Father and is now 

flesh void of blemish, that the maiden bare 

to help the wretched. God was seen ’mong us 

in all His sinlessness; together they dwelt 

the Creator’s Mighty Son and the Son of Man 

in peace on earth wherefore as it is meet 

we may well thank the Lord of Triumph aye, 

that He vouchsafed to send to us Himself (Crist 104-129). 

Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, the Morning Star, shine upon us with the light of Your grace and mercy, so that we may bask in the glory of Your righteousness that You have merited for us.  Amen. 

Philippians 4,4-7. Rorate Caeli; 4th Sunday in Advent

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever 

se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ 

Philippians 4,4-7 0416

4. Sonntag im Advent  04: Rorate Caeli (Shower down, you heavens) 

Ammon, Zenon, and other Confessors, ✠ 250 

Katharina von Bora Luther, ✠ 1552 

20. Dezember 2015 

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, it is meet and right that we should give thanks unto You, that You have given us a more glorious Baptism than that of John the Baptizer, and has therein promised us the remission of sins, the Holy Spirit and everlasting life through Your Son, Jesus Christ: Preserve us, we beseech You, in such faith in Your grace and mercy,so that we may never doubt Your promise, but be comforted by the same in all temptations: and grant us Your Holy Spirit so that we may renounce sin, and ever continue in the righteousness bestowed upon us in Holy Baptism, until by Your grace we obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One True God, world without end.  Amen. (Veit Dietrich for the 4. Sunday in Advent) 

2. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say: Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

 3. In just 4 days we’ll be celebrating a Green Christmas. In preparation for that, St. Luke tells us in his Gospel: »When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry: „Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should visit me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord“« (Luke 1,41-45). 

4. The words of the Apostle Paul are fitting for this 4. Sunday in Advent and 4 days before Christmas: »Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say: Rejoice. The Lord is at hand; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.« Jesus drew near, and Elizabeth rejoices, Infant John rejoiced, Mary rejoiced, Paul rejoiced and we rejoice, too. 

5. Mary tells us: »The Lord has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.« (Luke 1,54-55). But before this Messiah is born, His Father sent the Prophets, and they proclaimed: »Behold, I will send you the Prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not arrive and strike the land with a curse« (Malachi 4,5-6). »Behold, the virgin is with child and will bear a son, and she will name Him Immanuel« (Isaiah 7,14). Look at what God the Father gives us in Luke 1. Mary has miraculously conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. She is carrying the very Son of God who is the fulfillment of the Prophets. Mary goes to her cousin Elizabeth who is also bearing the forerunner of Jesus, John, who 30 years later would be know as the Baptizer, who will prepare the way for the Lord Jesus. The very moment Mary’s voice is heard, John leaps for joy in his mother’s womb and Elizabeth blesses Mary and her Child. The Prophets Malachi and Isaiah have been fulfilled in Luke 1. 

6. Why did John leap for joy in his mother’s womb? Elizabeth says it is because the fruit of Mary’s womb is blessed, and her womb is blessed because she is the θεοτοκος (God-bearer); she bears the Savior of the world whose promised arrival traces its way back through the generations of mankind to Eve where the Lord told the serpent: »I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel« (Genesis 3,15). John the Apostle and Evangelist describes this Messiah in his Gospel, saying: »In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome the Light. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He went as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. The True Light, which gives light to everyone, was arriving in the world. 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. For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; and grace and truth arrived through Jesus Christ« (John 1,4-7.9.14.16-17). 

7. We rejoice because Jesus brings us grace and truth. „The law says: ‘Do this’, and it is never done. Grace says: ‘Believe in Christ’ and everything is already done“ (Heidelberg Thesis 26). Christ is our righteousness, and when we believe in Him we have His righteousness as our own. Jesus imputes His righteousness to us by grace and we receive it by faith. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and we only come to the Father through Him (John 14,6). Jesus is the Truth, and the Truth sets us free (John 8,32). 

8. The blessed virgin Mary is the first New Testament Christian. The Archangel Gabriel had told Mary: »You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name Him Jesus. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will be holy; He will be called Son of God« (Luke 1,31.35). Mary’s response to this word from God was: »Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to Your word« (Luke 1,38). Mary believed the word sent from God and she had faith that Jesus would be the promised Christ. Elizabeth and John are the second and third Christians in the New Testament. At the sound of the blessed virgin Mary’s voice, John leaped for joy in his mother’s womb, and Elizabeth blessed Mary as »she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord« (1,45). The first Christians reported in the Holy Gospels, then, are two women and an unborn child in the womb. The gospel has the power to create faith. 

9. Through Mary, Yahweh blessed all the nations with a savior. This Child, Jesus, is the Son of God; He is both God and man in one person. Thus Mary is rightly honored to be called the θεοτοκος. Everything that happens in today’s pericope is a response to the presence of God in the flesh––the baby inside Mary (Just 75). In four days, we will celebrate this Baby’s birth. In four days it will be a Merry Christmas, for it will be the celebration of the birth of Christ Jesus, who is called the Son of God (Luke 1,35), the Son of Man (Luke 5,24), Immanuel, God is with us (Matthew 1,23), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9,6), the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5,5), the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22,13). Jesus was born to save all people from their sins (Matthew 1,21), and He has completely and fully redeemed us from our Heavenly Father’s wrath.  Amen.

10. Let us pray. O Lord, Thou Song that pleases every human heart, pour out the grace and joy of Your heavenly Verse so that we hear and believe that Jesus is our King and Savior.  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 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

   Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Jerusalem and Parousia: Jesus’ Eschatological Discourse in Matthew’s Gospel. Copyright © 2000 Jeffrey A. Gibbs. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

O Key of David. 20. December antiphon

O Clavis David

℣ O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can | open: * 

℟ Draw near and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shad- | ow of death. 

I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open (Isaiah 22,22)  

His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore (Isaiah 9,7). 

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house (Isaiah 42,7). 

Sometimes, the Prophet Isaiah is called the Fifth Evangelist or Gospel because he has many verses prophesying about the Messiah. The O Antiphons contain several of them. The Scriptures are also clear that the Messiah descends from the House of David. This is why many thought at the time of Jesus that the Messiah would be a earthly king similar to David. He would rule over a united Israel and drive out all the pagans and their idolatrous culture, but Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom is a heavenly kingdom that is concerned with saving mankind. Jesus was born to redeem all men and women. 

Prayer: O Christ Jesus, Thou Key of David, unlock the hearts of the unbelievers so that when they hear the gospel they will believe and be counted as citizens in Your reign.  Amen. 

O Root of Jesse antiphon. 19. December

O Radix Jesse

℣ O Root of Jesse, standing as an Ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do | homage: * 

℟ Draw near quickly to de- | liver us. 

A Shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. On that day the Root of Jesse shall stand as a Signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of Him, and His dwelling shall be glorious (Isaiah 11,1.10). But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He go forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5,2). And again, Isaiah says: There shall be a Root of Jesse, and He shall arise to reign over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles trust (Romans 15,12). 

The Apostle Paul writes: The Jews are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever (Romans 9,4-5). Jesus is the Jewish Messiah promised to all the patriarchs. His lineage stretches back through David, Jesse, Judah, Jacob (Israel), Isaac and Abraham. But Paul also says that Jesus is also the Christ of the Gentiles (the nations). The Prophet Isaiah even foretold this (11,10). Jesus is thus the Savior of the entire world: no nation, race or people is left out; He was born to redeem all men and women. 

Prayer: O Jesus Christ, Thou Root of Jesse, send forth the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel so that all nations and people may hear and believe that Jesus was born and has obtained eternal life and salvation for all people.  Amen. 

O Adonai antiphon. 18. December

O Adonai

℣ O Adonai and Ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush and gave him the Law on | Sinai: * 

℟ Draw near with outstretched arm and re- | deem us. 

The LORD shall judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around His waist and faithfulness the belt around His loins (Isaiah 11,4-5), for the LORD is our Judge, Ruler and our King; He will save us (Isaiah 33,22).  And Moses said: I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt (Exodus 3,2). The LORD said to Moses: Draw near to Me onto the mount, and I will give you tablets of stone, a law and commandments which I have written; so that you may teach them (Exodus 24,12). 

Adonai is Hebrew for "Lord". This antiphon confesses that Jesus is the LORD. We tend to confine Jesus to only the New Testament, but as this antiphon reminds us: He also shows up in the Old Testament. We call these pre-incarnation appearances of Jesus "theophanies". Jesus is the one who who walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Jesus is the one who spoke the law to the serpent but gospel to Eve. Jesus is the one who appeared in the Burning Bush to Moses. These all show that Jesus appears to redeem His people. He fulfilled those promises in the New Testament with His death and resurrection. His birth in Bethlehem heralds that great redemption.

Prayer: O Jesus Christ, Thou our LORD, send out Your grace through the gospel so that we may be assured that You have purchased our forgiveness and earned for us eternal life.  Amen. 

O Wisdom antiphon. 17. December

O Sapientia

℣ O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering | all things: * 

℟ Draw near and teach us the way of | prudence. 

The Spirit of the LORD shall rest on Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11,2-3), for He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom (Isaiah 28,29). I came out of the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth as a cloud (Sirach 24,3). Wisdom reaches from one end to another mightily: and sweetly does she order all things (Wisdom of Solomon 8,1). 

The Gospel according to John tells us that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh (John 1). Jesus preceded from His Father and was incarnate upon this earth through the Virgin Mary. Jesus is the very image and likeness of His Father; He has arrived to restore fallen mankind to that Divine image and likeness. 

Prayer: O Jesus Christ, Thou Wisdom of God the Father, pour forth upon us Your wisdom so that we see that the Holy Scriptures speak of You and Your redemption of men and women.  Amen. 

Advent 3: Gaudete

The 3. Sunday in Advent is Gaudete  (Rejoice!) from Psalm 85,1-2.4.9.11 and Philippians 4,4-5): 

O LORD, You were favorable to Your land; You restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Restore us again, O God of our Salvation, and put away Your indignation toward us. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Rejoice in the LORD always; Rejoice: The LORD is at hand. 

Advent is a penitential and repentant season of preparation for the birth of Jesus on Christmas. Gaudete Sunday may be traditionally pink or purple. The liturgical color pink is a softer shade of purple and thus symbolizes that Gaudete is a break from the penitence of the season of Advent. The theme is one of rejoicing for the Lord Jesus Christ brings forgiveness and salvation. 

The historic lection reading from Isaiah 40,1-2 summarizes this nicely: Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. To receive double for sin is to receive abundant grace and mercy. It is Isaiah's way of saying that all sins, no matter how serious and wicked, are covered and forgiven by God's grace. This gospel is manifest in the person of Jesus Christ who paid for our sin and gives us more than enough grace to cover all our iniquity. Truly, it is a time to rejoice! 

Gaudete Collect: O Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

1. Corinthians 4,1-5. Gaudete (3. Sunday in Advent)

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever

Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum

1. Corinthians 4,1-5   0316

3. Sonntag im Advent: Gaudete (Rejoice) 03

Lucia, Virgin Martyr of Syracuse 304

Odilia,Virgin, Abbess, ✠ 720

13. Dezember 2015 

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, who allowed Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to become man, and to go into the world, so that He might destroy the works of the devil, deliver us poor offenders from sin and death, and give us everlasting life: We beseech You so to rule and govern our hearts by Your Holy Spirit, so that we may seek no other refuge than His word, and thus avoid all offense to which, by nature, we are inclined, in order that we may always be found among the faithful followers of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One True God, world without end. Amen. (Veit Dietrich for the 3. Sunday in Advent)  

2. This is how one should regard us, as slaves of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord arrives, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.  

  3. The Apostle Paul writes that the apostles were slaves and stewards of Christ Jesus. Such a description would apply the the prophets before them and the bishops that followed them. John the Baptizer, last of the old testament prophets, was a slave and steward of his younger cousin Jesus.  

4. Matthew tells us in the 11. Chapter of his Gospel that John is imprisoned for being a prophet. His crime: he had told his king that it was not right that he had married his brother’s wife. By Matthew 11 John the Baptizer had been behind bars for about one year. Herod Antipas, King of Galilee and Perea, had imprisoned John because Herod’s wife, Herodias, was offended by John’s preaching, for John told Herod that he should not have married his brother’s (Philip) wife (14,12). Herodias was scorned by this moralistic pronouncement so John felt her fierce wrath. 

5. John prepared the way for Jesus by preaching the law in all its harshness. He urged sinners to repent and start living moral, virtuous lives. Each Sunday we confess our sinfulness, repent and resolve to live better lives. Jesus followed John and preached the gospel: wretched sinner, I forgive your sins. Jesus thus told the disciples of John: »Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the crippled walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.« [Isaiah 35,5; 61,1] 

6. The 3. Sunday in Advent is named Gaudete: Rejoice! Jesus brings the gospel, and sinners rejoice. The sick rejoice. The infirm rejoice. Jesus gathered them into the reign of God too and welcomed them as healed, redeemed and forgiven sons and daughters of God. Rejoice, for God welcomes you and brings you salvation. Jesus was born, suffered, died and rose again to merit your forgiveness and declare you righteous and justified in the sight of God the Father.  

7. The Apostle Paul tells us that when Jesus returns on the last day, then each one will receive his commendation from God. Those offended by Jesus, those who reject Him and refuse to have Him as their Lord and Savior will summarily be judged by Him to be allotted a portion with the devil and the fallen angels in hell. But those who receive Jesus, believe on Him for their salvation and trust Him as their Lord and Savior will be judged by Him to be given the inheritance due sons and daughters of God.  

8. Notice how the old and new testaments are in sync. John represents the old testament, and Paul the new. The Prophet John the Baptizer sends his disciples to Jesus where they find the gospel. The Apostle Paul also points us to Jesus.  First, John’s disciples: Jesus tells them that He is fulfilling the words of the Prophet Isaiah. The gospel is proclaimed so that the sick are healed and sinners are forgiven. Second, Paul’s Christian hearers: on the last day Jesus will judge. Unbelievers will be condemned, and believers will be commended. Jesus they shows us through John and Paul that the entire Scriptures, the old and new testaments, are all out the Christ.  Recall what Jesus told two of His disciples as they travelled to Emmaus on the evening of His resurrection: »„Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter intoHis glory?“ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself« Luke 2,26-27). 

9. The Psalmist proclaims: »O Lord, You were favorable to Your land; You restored the fortunes of Jacob.You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Restore us again, O God of our Salvation, and put away Your indignation toward us. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky« (Psalm 85,1-2.4.9.11). The Apostle Paul responds to these blessed words of the Psalmist: »Rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ always; rejoice: The Lord is at hand« (Philippians 4,4-5). The Church thus replies with the antiphonal: »Amen. Return, Lord Jesus!« (Revelation 22,20). He will return,and now we turn our attention to His first advent where He was born in Bethlehem. »The grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all« (Revelation 22,21).  Amen. 

10. Let us pray. O Lord God, Thou art gracious, righteous and  merciful, as we await Your return on the last day, give us the grace of anticipating the glorious celebration when we worship You in remembrance of Your first advent on Christmas so that we may have Godly peace and joy.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

Soli Deo Gloria

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. 

Advent 2: Ad te Levavi

The 2. Sunday in Advent is Ad te Levavi  (Unto You, I lift up my soul) from Psalm 80:1-2.14-15.19 and Luke 21,28): 

Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might and save us! Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that Your right hand planted, and for the son whom You made strong for Yourself. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let Your face shine, so that we may be saved! 

Ad te Levavi continues the theme of repentant preparation for Jesus' second advent. The Historic Lectionary Gospel is Luke 21,25-33 where Jesus gives the signs that will herald His return on the last day. This 2. Sunday in Advent also draws to a close the theme of the last day and its five-week focus in the Church Year from the 3. Last Sunday in the Church Year until Advent 2. 

Jesus in His Divine Glory

Prayer: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your Only-begotten Son, so that by His advent we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Advent 1: Populus Zion

Advent prepares the Church for celebrating Christ's birth. Like Lent, Advent is a penitential season of preparation through repentance. 

The 1. Sunday in Advent is Populus Zion (People of Zion) from Psalm 24,7-10 and Zechariah 9,9: 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is drawing near to you; He is justifying and saving, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, so that the King of Glory may enter in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, so that the King of Glory may enter in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory! 

✠ We preach Christ and Him crucified ✠

Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudaeorum

The beginning of Advent continues the theme from the last there Sundays in the Liturgical Year of the Church, which focuses on the last day and Christ's return or second advent. Populus Zion also focuses our attention on the mission of Jesus' first advent: to redeem fallen humanity from sin, death and the grave. Thus, the Historic Lectionary Gospel is Matthew 21,1-9 (Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday). This event begins Holy Week and culminates with Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

Prayer: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and draw near, so that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

James 5,7-8. Ad te Levavi (2. Sunday in Advent)

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever 

se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ 

James 5,7-8 0216

2. Sonntag im Advent: Ad te Levavi (Unto You, I lift up my soul) 02

Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, ✠ 352 

6. Dezember 2015 

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, who by Your Son has revealed to us that heaven and earth shall pass away, so that our bodies shall rise again, and that we all shall appear before the judgment seat: We beseech You, keep us by Your Holy Spirit in Your Word; establish us in the true faith, graciously defend us from sin and preserve us in all temptations, so that our hearts may not be overcharged with surfeiting, drunkenness and cares of this life, but so that we may ever watch and pray, trusting fully in Your grace, await with joy the glorious advent of Your Son, and at last obtain eternal salvation, through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One True God, world without end.  Amen. (Veit Dietrich for the 2. Sunday in Advent) 

2. Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the advent of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the advent of the Lord is at hand. 

  3. The Apostle James has in mind the words spoken by his older brother Jesus: »There will be signs in sun, moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near« (Luke 21,25.28). James exhorts us to be patient, for the advent of Jesus is at hand. 

4. James wrote those words almost 2000 years ago. Is Jesus’ return really at hand.  The Apostles Peter discussed that very topic in his epistle: »Know this first of all, that scoffers will arrive in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say: „Where is the promise of his advent? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.“ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord 1 day is as a 1000 years, and a 1000 years as 1 day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but He is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance« (2. Peter 3,3-4.8-9). 

5. The apostles tell us that God’s concept of time is different from our concept of time. God is eternal and removed from the constraints of linear time. We, however, are not. Time for us ticks by second after second, day after day and year after year. Our concept of time is ever forward as the sun, the moon and the stars make their celestial journeys across our heavens. We use these stellar bodies as chronometers to measure the relentless passage of time. At this very moment, however, God experiences time all at once: ad 33, 2015 and 3001 are all a real present for Him in His Divine omnipresence, omniaeternam and omniscience. This then means that God is patient in unfolding His plan for mankind.  

6. God’s plan for humanity was that men and women, the crown of His creation, would live in fellowship with the Divine. The Fall into sin destroyed that created order. Adam’s sin brought death, and death brought physical separation from God. Our Lord, however, would not let sin, death and the devil have the victory. He promised all men and women, conditioned to Eve and spoken to the devil, that: »I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel« (Genesis 3,15). This is the first proclamation of the gospel; Adam and Eve believed what God told them. This promised gospel was passed down through the patriarchs, the prophets and was finally fulfilled when Mary gave birth to Jesus. The season of Advent is the preparation of celebrating the fulfillment of Genesis 3,15. 

7. The Bible tells us that God works through human history. We think of history as a series of dates and events. 6. June 1944 is immortalized as D-Day. Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon on 20. July 1969. We also think of history as historic speeches given by larger-than-life people. We all know John F. Kennedy famous line spoken near the end of His 1961 inauguration speech, where he said: „And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country“ (3. last paragraph), but does anyone remember what he said at the beginning of  his speech: „Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty“ (4. paragraph)? We also know Ronald Reagan said in Berlin: „Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall“ (13. paragraph)! But mankind’s history is more than dates, events, people and speeches. Mankind’s history is intricately connected to God and His interaction within human history. God brings an eschatological dimension to human history that focuses on studying the last days with three key points: 1. History’s goal is the coming day of universal judgment. 2. Jesus is in control of history. 3. This present sinful age will be overtaken and supplanted by the new age to come. This new age will come with effects for the entire cosmos; the whole creation will be affected (Gibbs 29). Our world history, then, is ultimately about Jesus Christ (Christusgeschichte), and Jesus’ Christological emphasis is to save His fallen world (Heilsgeschichte). The linchpin for this history is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. 

8. Jesus tells us in our Gospel pericope for today: »There will be signs in sun, moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is befalling upon the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man descending in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near« (Luke 21,25-28). Such signs attended Jesus’ first advent: the angelic choir sang on the night of His birth, the Epiphany star lead the magi to Him, the sky turned dark at His crucifixion, the earth quaked to tear the temple veil and the dead were raised. St. Matthew writes in His Gospel: »The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and going out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection they went into Jerusalem and appeared to many« (Matthew 27,52-53). Similar signs will attend Jesus’ second advent.  

9. Celestial signs will herald the return of Jesus. Nations will war against nations, famine and pestilence will afflict portions of the world, and evil will increase upon the world. Sounds like 2014, doesn’t it? Yes, and such signs are meant to remind us that Jesus will return. History is in His hands and unfolds under His will. Everything happens under His plan and He uses both good and evil events to further His reign upon this earth.  

10. Evil men want events like 9-11, the Paris attack and the San Bernardino murders to scare us into submitting to their will. Such events do not intimidate Christians. We have a Savior who died, burst asunder hades’ gates and rose from the grave. We fear no wicked man or evil deed. Jesus has conquered sin, death and the devil himself. Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God the Father; Jesus will return again. Today we look back at Jesus’ Passion and Ascension; next week Advent will focus our attention on Jesus’ promised birth and the fulfillment of it that culminates in Christmas. Rejoice and be glad, for because your redemption is drawing near.  Amen.

11. Let us pray. O Lord, the world’s Righteousness Judge, when the stars grow dark and the seas roar in rage, then comfort us with the promise of our salvation on account of Your righteousness and faithfulness that You have freely credited to us by grace through faith.  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 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © 2013 Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

   Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Jerusalem and Parousia: Jesus’ Eschatological Discourse in Matthew’s Gospel. Copyright © 2000 Jeffrey A. Gibbs. 

VELKD. Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. www.velkd.de. Copyright © 2013 Vereinigte Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands.