Grace Evangelical-Lutheran: Romans 15,4-13. Ad te Levavi

Friday, December 11, 2020

Romans 15,4-13. Ad te Levavi

Romans 15,4-13 0221

Ad te Levavi 02 (2. Sunday in Advent)

Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, ✠ 352

6. December 2020

1. O Lord God, Heavenly Father, who by Your Son has revealed to us that heaven and earth shall pass away, that our bodies shall rise again and that we all shall appear before the judgment seat: we beseech You, keep us by Your 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 that we may ever watch and pray, and in 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. Amen. (Veit Dietrich)

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 servant 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] 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] 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. The Prophet Isaiah is often called the Fifth Evangelist because of his countless prophecies regarding Christ. He proclaimed the following: »O Yahweh, when you did awesome things that we did not look for, You descended, the mountains quaked at Your presence« (Isaiah 64,3). Perhaps the most unlooked for thing Yahweh did was Isaiah 7, 14: »Therefore Yahweh Himself will give to you a sign: behold, the virgin will conceive in the womb and will bear a son, and you will call him Immanuel.«

4. The Apostle Paul tells us why messianic prophecies such as Isaiah 7,14 are vital: »For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promise given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.« Paul makes a theological connection with Advent I’s Gospel pericope: Jesus entered Jerusalem on an ass, a beast of service, indicating that Jesus enters into His messianic ministry as a servant. Paul writes that Christ became a servant. He uses the Greek word διακονον, deacon, which also means minister, servant and helper.

5. Jesus assures us that: »Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never ever pass away« (Luke 21,33). Like the apostles, we can easily become concerned or obsessed with signs and historical events in regards to their theological or spiritual significance. As Jesus comforts the apostles concerning when the temple will be destroyed, so He comforts us in our concerns. Maybe we are concerned about the political decisions of our leaders, the COVID-19 pandemic, the environment or a host of other things that we focus our attention upon. It is easy to become discouraged, distraught and afraid. This is part and parcel of our fallen nature; we do not fear, love and trust God as we should. Jesus exhorts us to remain always faithful and vigilant, living a life of godliness and spiritual maturity (France 758-59).

6. The Apostle Paul quotes one of Isaiah’s messianic Psalms: »The Root of Jesse will arrive, even He who arises to rule the Gentiles; in Him the Gentiles hope« (Isaiah 11,10). The season of Advent promises hope in a dreary time. The promise of Messiah and His heavenly reign is a light shining in the darkness. The Apostle John begins his Gospel with these words: »In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not conquered It. The True Light, which gives light to everyone, was arriving to the world. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 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.«

7. The Advent wreath with its 4 candles reminds us of this during the early darkness of winter. Neither winter nor the darkness shall prevail for in the midst of Advent the light pivots, turns and wheels around whereby the daylight begins to lengthen. Christ fulfills this as the Light of the world who at His advent brings light to the world and illuminates the darkness.

8. The 2. purple candle is lighted today in our Advent wreath to proclaim: »Lift up your soul unto the Lord, for your redemption is drawing near« (Luke 21,28). This candle shines forth with the 1. candle and its proclamation: »Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Behold your King is drawing near; He is justifying and saving« (Zechariah 9,9). Let us lift up our souls to Jesus in anticipation of the 3. Advent candle that exhorts us to rejoice, for the Lord is at hand (Philippians 4,5). Amen.

9. Let us pray. O Christ Jesus, our Lord who judges all the world; remind us of our good standing before You in Your righteousness and faithfulness that You have given to us as a gift, so that we remain certain of our salvation. 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 28. Revised Edition © 2012 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.

Grace Evangelical-Lutheran

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

Friday, December 11, 2020

Romans 15,4-13. Ad te Levavi

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