Advent 1 - Ad Te Levavi - 11-29-09

The Church Season of Advent
Advent 1 – Ad Te Levavi
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI November 29, 2009

“Your King comes to you this day”

Readings:
Jeremiah 23:5-8
Psalm 24
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 21:1-9

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The text for today’s message is as recorded in the Gospel lesson from the 21st chapter of Matthew, especially the following verses,

Matthew 21:1-9 (ESV)

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The paraments of our altar have changed to the royal color of purple. The Advent of our Lord is upon us, and how is it that the Lord of lords, the King of kings approaches the Holy city of Jerusalem? Scripture tells us, “See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.”(v. 5) Oh that we could re-create that day. Many try, in fact thousands upon thousands have visited the Holy Land, seeking to walk where Jesus walked. They wish to see the road where He walked into the city. People wish to see where He was tried, convicted and crucified. They seek to find Jesus by lighting a candle, going to a grotto, by praying the right words. They think to themselves, If only I could see where those crowds were gathered, if only I could bring home a little dust from the Holy Land. But Jesus can not be sifted from the sands of Jerusalem, nor captured by our hands or our imaginations. No, your King Jesus Christ comes to you.

He comes as an unexpected ruler, a man who does not fit our minds eye for the design of someone who is the creator and ruler of the universe. Neither you nor the crowds of ancient Jerusalem came to Jesus. No that is not how the prophecy goes, for it was written it this way, “Your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”(v.5)

“Your King comes to you this Day”

And that crowd so many years ago, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, they threw their cloaks on the ground, and they laid down a carpet of palm leaves for the Messiah. He came to them. Very possibly the same people who would less than a week later cry "Crucify Him." Fickle crowd eh? Yet in that swing from cheers to jeers there is a warning here for us all. For one day we may praise God to the highest heaven for what He has done and the next day we may be despondent and blame God for all our ills. But quite frankly in spite of you and what you have done, your King still comes to you. Not in some abstract time or place, He comes for you, right here, right now, this very day.

And how would that be, you may ask? Well, today we have the honor of celebrating many good gifts from God. Among these gifts, today we will welcome two new members to our church, Ryan and Bridgett. And today we will celebrate and witness both the Sacraments of God. For today, in just a few minutes, Bridgett will be baptized. So the King Jesus Christ comes here in our midst for her.

Yet this is not the first encounter Christ has had with Bridgett. She has attended services and heard the Word of God, in many and various places. She has attended weeks of classes here delving into the scriptures, asking questions, hearing the Word of God. Now we gathered here would say, “then today is the conclusion, that is, God will finally come to her in the baptismal font.” But that would not be correct, she does not come here by her own reason and strength. She does not come here based upon some crafty marketing plans or by endless planning meetings, nor by her works or by the work of any others. Truthfully, she comes here the same way you did. The same way all God’s children arrive at the foot of the baptismal font. She heard the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit worked faith in her.

But wait you say, she’s an adult, when I was baptized I was a child. Yes, and you heard the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit worked faith in you too. Your faith and God’s grace are a gift. Faith and grace are not what you have done, nor what someone has done for you. You did not receive faith because you were carried to the font as an infant, or because you walked to the font as an adult. No matter what age, you heard the Word of God, and when it pleased the Holy Spirit, He brought you to faith.

Indeed, Bridgett will be made a child of God. Just like you in your baptism, today Bridgett will die to sin, and out of that water combined with God’s Word she will be re-born. She will live to Christ and be given grace upon grace. Today all of heaven sings, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”(v.9) The King comes to her this very day. Today all of heaven will rejoice on the account of just one, just like when all of heaven rejoiced on your baptismal day.

And today you will witness miracle upon miracle. For not only will Bridgett be made a child of God today, she will also be welcomed to Holy Communion. To partake of both Holy Sacraments in one day is a special blessing. And how many sacraments are there? Only two, Baptism and Holy Communion. And what is a Sacrament? It is a sacred act instituted by God, in which God Himself has joined His Word of promise to a visible element, and by which He offers, gives, and seals the forgiveness of sins earned by Christ. Notice carefully, that in both sacraments, Christ the King comes to you, and He comes to you this day.

Martin Luther said of Christ, “He is a peculiar King: you do not seek him, He seeks you; you do not find him, He finds you; for the preachers come from Him not from you; their preaching come from Him not from you; your faith comes from Him not from you; and all that your faith works in you comes from Him not from you.”

It is Christ who comes for you, you do not proceed to Him. What proceeds from us is not worthy of this King, what comes from us is a bedraggled mixture of praise when things are good and blame when things are bad. Rather, Jesus teaches us to see our earthly trials and struggles are more than physical: they are spiritual. And for that we should warn Bridgett, for upon becoming a child of God, the devil, the world, and temptation for sin, will be doubled against her.

But now your King, God Incarnate has come to you, and He gives you respite from all these attacks. When worn down by the things of the world, look to your baptism, it was then Your King came for you. Whether your physical health be challenged or your world seems to crumble about you, rejoice for Your King came for you. Faith by nature does not judge nor reason by what it sees and feels, but by what it hears. Faith depends upon the Word alone and not on vision or sight. You who believe in Christ must find riches in poverty, honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow, life in death, and hold fast to them, for your King has come to you. Jesus is that King who gives you faith which clings to the Word and expects such things.

Into Jerusalem Jesus came as the King riding on a donkey. Today Jesus comes to you in the hearing of His Word, in the bread and wine, in His the true body and blood. He comes for you Bridgett, He comes for all of you too. For Christ who once came to us in a lowly form now rules all of creation. Our King Jesus Christ comes to you this day and every day to give to you eternal life.

AMEN

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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