✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠
The Word of the Lord Endures Forever
se cwide þæs béaggiefan ábireþ ferhþ
Psalm 85,1-2.4.9.11; Philippians 4,4.5 0317
3. Sonntag im Advent 03
Gaudete (Rejoice)
Damasus, Bishop of Rome ✠ 384
11. Dezember 2016
1. О Almighty and Merciful God, enthroned upon the cherubim; shine forth, stir up Your might and draw near to save us, so that we may follow You, for you lead us to the green pastures and quiet waters of eternal life. Amen. (Gradual)
2. Rejoice in the Lord always; Rejoice: The Lord is at hand. 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.
3. On this Gaudete Sunday, the 3. Sunday in Advent, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to rejoice! Rejoice, for the Christ is at hand. God’s arrival is greeted by a thankful creation. The land is blessed, and the fortunes of His people are restored.
4. The earth was cursed as a result of Adam’s sin. Moses writes: »Cursed is the ground because of you, and it shall bring forth for you thorns and thistles« (Genesis 3,17-18). Our fortunes were lost that day with Adam in his sin, and the greatest misfortune to befall us is that death became a part of our human nature. Again Moses: »By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return« (Genesis 3,19). Dust; that is what death entropies of all bodies regardless of how good or bad may have been in the eyes of man.
5. Saint Paul tells us that: »For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now« (Romans 8,19-22).
6. What did creation do to deserve this curse from God? Creation did nothing, absolutely nothing, to merit its curse. But Adam and Eve were bound physically and bodily from the earth. What afflicts and effects man likewise afflicts and effects the Earth; and vice-versa, too. We are responsible for all that torments us. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do natural disaster destroy property and take human lives? We are the culprits; our sinfulness resulted in creation being cursed so as to subject us to Divine discipline for our sin.
7. The Prophets describe this restoration of creation several times. Nation will not lift up sword against nation (Isaiah 2,4). The wolf will lie down with the lamb and they will graze together (Isaiah 11,6; 65,25). The vine will bear its fruit, the ground will yield its harvest and the heavens will give their rain (Zechariah 8,6-13). The land that was desolate will become like the Garden of Eden; the desolate and ruined cities will be inhabited and fortified (Ezekiel 36,33-35).
8. Redeemed mankind means restored creation. Jesus entered human history as a man to accomplish this Heilsgeschichte (salvation history). His miracles manifest this redemption. He cured the sick and infirm, forgave sins and raised the dead. He turned water into wine, fed the crowds with a few loaves of bread and fish and walked on water. In these miracles Jesus showed His Divinity; He is Lord of both man and creation. Thus the Psalmist proclaims: »Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.«
9. Advent exhorts us to »Rejoice, for the Lord is at hand. He is favorable to the Earth. He forgives the iniquity of His people.« »And as it is written in the Prophet Isaiah: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight« [Isaiah 49,3; Malachi 3,1] (Mark 1,2-3). The messenger prophesied by Isaiah was John the Baptizer who prepared the way of the Christ. In preparation Jews were baptized by him, confessing their sins. John preached, saying: „After me comes He who is mightier than I, for I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.“ (Mark 1,5.7-8).
10. We have been baptized in the Triune Name of God, and we have confessed our sins. We have been absolved by the Water and the Word. We are prepared for the advent of Jesus the Christ. The Lord’s salvation is near to those who fear, love and trust Him, so that glory may dwell upon the Earth. Rejoice, for Jesus is the God of our Salvation; He has redeemed us, and will restore us and all creation in perfection at His second advent, for He has put away His Father’s indignation toward us. Amen.
11. Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, You are gracious and righteous; give us joyous hearts as we meditate upon Your first advent, so that we appreciate our redemption from sin and death and the restoration of creation from Your curse that You alone have procured according to the good and just will of Your Father. Amen.
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
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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.
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