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January 19, 2026 - John 1:29-42
By now, I imagine you have become quite familiar with John the Baptist. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, John the Baptist preached and John the Baptized, hence his name. But today we are not in the synoptic Gospels, Mathew, Mark, or Luke. Today we in the Gospel of John and in Gospel according to John the Apostle, the John in the text is not called John the Baptist, but John the Witness. That is precisely what John was sent to do. John came to bear witness, to be a witness of the Light, that is, Jesus Christ. He came to bear testimony so that all people believe in Jesus who is the One True God, the One who takes away the sins of the world. If you want to know what a witness is, look at what John does. John points to Jesus. John talks about Jesus. John tells who Jesus is. And He explains Jesus to others. That is what it means to be a witness. John the Witness presents to us the Christian doctrine of atonement. That is the teaching regarding Jesus’ sacrificial death for the forgiveness of our sins. It is called the doctrine of atonement. The image of the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world was professed quite clearly by Isaiah. In the Book of Isaiah, we are also given the image of the suffering servant. The suffering servant dies in a state of innocence for the sins of others, the doctrine of atonement. Those are the prophesies on the mind of John when he bore witness that “Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Also in the Book of Isaiah, “we are all like sheep that have gone astray. Each of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” The doctrine of Atonement. Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus dies at the same time the lambs are being sacrificed at the temple for Passover. In the Book of Revelation, also written by John, Jesus is the Lamb of God sitting on the thrown very much alive, even though he still carrying the scares of death. I learned this past week that lambs are not Kosher animals in Japan. Not that they would use that word, but to the Japanese, a lamb is pretty synonymous to what the Jewish people would have considered a pig. That could be pretty problematic if you go to Japan and bear witness to them that Jesus is the Lamb of God. I say that to point, as you go out to bear witness, context is important. And symbols and metaphors matter, but they also need to be explained rightly and fully. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Gospel of John is an interesting Book because it is the only Gospel that does not record the Baptism of Jesus or the Temptation in wilderness that follows afterword. In the Gospel of John, Jesus jumps straight into calling disciples. And more than that, the book begins with a witness about Jesus, and after that, many of John’s disciples begin to leave John and follow Jesus. The question for us, as observant readers: what are you going to do? In verse 38 Jesus asks a programmatic question that frames the entire Gospel of John “What are you seeking?” Understand, in John’s Gospel Jesus is the answer to that question. In John’s Gospel Jesus is the light, the door, the way, the truth. He is bread, water, life. Are you seeking those things? Every human being, and I mean everyone without exception, has deep hopes, deep longings for fulfillment… everyone is looking for salvation. The Greek word for salvation is soteria, strictly speaking, it means wholeness. Wholeness, have you ever met anyone who did not want wholeness? Every human being is looking for something. U2 sings a song about that. “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” It is not a deep song, but it gets the message across. We are all looking for something. What are you looking for? I wish I could say to each his own, but I cannot because only Jesus leads to soteria, wholeness… salvation. The other question in this text, and by comparison it might sound kind of trite, is “where are you staying?” Let me just say there is more to that question than meets the eye. That was the central question of the early church at the time when John wrote this book. Recall what happened at the end of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus ascended to be with the father. Therefore, where is he now? That question was pertinent and on the mind of every believer. And John’s Gospel makes the point Jesus may not be physically present but he promises “To abide with us”. John uses that word “abide” “to remain” more than any other New Testament author combined. And now you understand why. In John 1 the question is asked “where are you staying?” Jesus responds “come and see”. In that statement He offered to them and to us an invitation to find in Him what we are looking for. Do you know the number one reason why people attend a church? It is not because of the liturgy or denominational affiliations. It is not because the church has a children’s program or a good praise band. It is because they were personally invited. When is the last time you invited someone to church. Case in point… there’s our problem. The number one problem is not our lighting, our parking, or even me. Gimmicks don’t get people but invitations do. The woman at the well in the Gospel of John said, “Come with me and I’ll show you a man who showed me everything I ever did.” She invited them and they came, they saw, and they learned. If the world is ever going to know Jesus, than Christians are going to have to be witnesses. They are going to need to be able to explain who He is and why within the context of their hearers. But even more basic, they are going to have to invite others to come and see. What are you looking for and I mean really! No one can see in your heart other than you and God. And there’s nothing you will gain by not being honest. What are you looking for? Today is the second Sunday after Epiphany and that means John Chapter 1 is an Epiphany moment. Epiphany literally means “concerning the light.” Maybe it is better understood as “a manifestation” or “a showing forth” or “an appearance”. Either way, in this text, John the Witness provides us an Epiphany opportunity by publicly declaring that Jesus is the lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world, yours and mine. My favorite band throughout Highschool was Rush. They are known for technical 30 minutes songs and drum solos that no one could come close to. The music of Rush is brilliant, but unfortunately, the message of Rush is far from Christian. As I understand it, Neal Pert had a hard upbringing. I think he also lost his wife and his child. And a lot of that heart break, influenced his militant approach to religion and Jesus in general. The older the band got the more bitter the band seemed to get at least in regards to faith issues. The harder they searched for answers, the more than came up short, the angrier they got. And I admit I sympathize with some of their problems with the religious community. I understand their disdain for religious superstitions and the ignorance of some believers. They seemed to sang about Jesus more than any other subject, the problem is that they discredited and distorted Him some 40 years ago. And I don’t blame Rush. I just feel bad for them. I don’t know if Neil Pert ever found what he was looking for, but what I do know is Neil Pert died on the day after the Epiphany now six years ago. I also know every one dies. Good people, bad people, everyone. But those who believe in Jesus, Jesus says you will live, even if you die. What are you looking for? Money, success, leisure, love? There is not a thing wrong with any of those, but you could spend a lifetime chasing those things and die having failed to find what you really need. What are you looking for? John bore witness… ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’ To this day those words stand the test of time. And they are the clearest testimony of Good News that the world has ever seen or known. What are you looking for? Hopefully, Jesus. And where is He? Answer, right in front of you. And I don’t mean me. He is at the altar in the bread and the wine. And in that meal he offers you himself and the forgiveness of sins, the Doctrine of Atonement. Don’t believe me. Come and see. May the grace of God which surpasses all understanding trust your heart and mind in Christ Jesus Amen.
January 11, 2026 - Matthew 2:1-12
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Christmas season is over. Of course that is not fully the case… All the joy, the majesty, and the mystery of the Incarnation still continues. In that sense Christmas continues... and that is good to know, because I feel Christmas went way too quickly. So, let us take at least one more Sunday to soak it in. On January 6th, the church celebrated Epiphany, and because we did not gather on Tuesday for a service, and because I was not here last week, I am going to mention it today. Epiphany celebrates the fact that Jesus was manifested to the Magi. And this an important part of Christmas, why? Because even though we know the angel said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”, even though Simeon said, “For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles…” Epiphany affirms that fact. Many fittingly call Epiphany the Christmas to the Gentiles… let’s be honest, we need Christmas too. Merry Christmas. Every year around Christmas time I knew of several families who spent their holiday at Disney world… every year. Have you ever been to Disney World at Christmas? You wake up before daylight. You drive in heavy traffic to park in a parking lot seemingly as large as Wildwood. Then you stand in a line to wait for a bus. The bus takes you from parking lot to parking lot only to wait in another line. You wait and wait to buy a ticket. And then wait and wait some more. There are thousands and thousands of people at Disney, waiting and waiting before daylight to see Mickey and Minnie. Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus were as popular as Micky Mouse. Are you amazed that a mouse brings such joy and delight. I like Mickey… MICKEY MOUSE. How about you? Are you excited to be in the house of the Lord this morning? It’s a good question. And I think an honest answer might just startle and surprise you. I had a friend who recently told me a story. He said one morning a man drove up to his church in an RV. My friend likes RVs. So he said “That’s a beautiful RV. What’s the capacity of that RV?” The man said, “This RV can sleep 8.” The man looked over at the church and said, “That’s a beautiful church. What’s the capacity of that church?” My friend responded, “We can sleep 150 on Sunday mornings.” The call of Epiphany is to be like the Magi, to rise and shine and follow the star. Epiphany- Epi Phanao- literally means concerning the light. Epiphany means appearing. It means manifestation and what we celebrate on Epiphany is the fact that Jesus manifested himself even to the magi. If you want to glean some information about a church festival or season, I would normally say read some hymns. That is a great place to start, however, in the case of Epiphany, some of the traditional hymns we sing are not that helpful. “We Three Kings” for instance… it’s a fine song. I’ve chosen to sang it a couple of times over the years on Epiphany. Just know, it’s not Biblically accurate. They are not kings. They are Magi, which is where we get our English word magic or magicians… not mise men. Whether they were wise or not, is to miss the point. The point is that God revealed Himself to gentiles. And more than that to magi (best translated as conjurers, sorcerers, magicians, star gazing astrologers, pagan gentiles from the east). And there could have been three of them but there could also have been thirty of them. We have no idea. All we know, is there were three gifts. They came from afar to see the King of the Jews. Also understand, the Magi did not come to the manger. It says very clearly, “They found the house where the baby was.” Commentators say Jesus could have been at most 2 years of age. These magi, these representatives of the Pagan world, coming to see the King of the Jews, created a stir. Why? Because Herod also had a title, which as King of the Jews. And there cannot be 2 King of the Jews on the same block. So, Herod was disturbed. And Matthew adds, and all Judea with him. Why? The quick answer is that he was not just threatened, he was threatening. Herod is a liar. He is a murderer and a manipulator. And the only basis for welcoming the magi is he thinks they will serve him to accomplish his sinister goal. Matthew’s text assumes you know this is a terrible empire ruled by a threatened and threatening imposter king. This is like the contrast between Potter and George bailey’s father in “It’s a Wonderful life” (perhaps you recently saw the movie). George Bailey said to Potter “my dad treated people like humans and you treat people like cattle.” Herod is worse than Potter... A famous quote from Cesar Augustus back in Rome was “I’d rather be Herod’s pig than his son.” Take note of Matthew Chapter 2. ‘Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” Of course, Herod had no intention to worship the child. If we read further, Herod wanted to kill the child. So he authorized the killing of every male child 2 and under in Bethlehem according to the time that he had ascertained from the magi. How could this happen? Christmas had been so idyllic, so perfect, so marvelous... (But only because you made it that way in your own head). Rather now, death reigns supreme in Bethlehem. What is taking place after the birth of Jesus is so inconceivable, that the only way to wrap our heads around it, is for Matthew to quote 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.” The idyllic Christmas scene, the Norman Rockwell picturing of the perfect “Americana” Christmas, with a perfect baby, and a perfect turkey… I try so hard to envision myself in those painting. But all I have to do is look around to see Rockwell is not reality. Rockwell has been exchanged for Stranger Thing’s upside-down (if you know the reference). What do we do with that? Into the midst of this, can you hear it? Can you hear Matthew and the Magi saying… he’s here. He’s here in the flesh for you! Receive Him. For this Epiphany, this king is being revealed to you. Unfortunately, there is no instant solutions to our mess. There is no magic pill to take, no lottery ticket waiting for us to pick up. Matthew says, look of Jesus. And although there is no assurance it will always be easy. Although, the Magi’s journey was long and they encountered Herod along the way. In the grace of God, God provided these pagan magicians a star leading to Jesus. And that is the gospel. Because it was not their wisdom that led them to Jesus. As I had said, calling them wise is a misleading translation. Hear the Gospel… God shows Gentile magicians Jesus. Hear the words of Isaiah 60: (feel free to follow along in your pew Bible on pg. 619) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 dAnd nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 eLift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, hthe wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of iMidian and jEphah; all those from kSheba shall come. lThey shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD.” Let’s understand our condition. Like them, we are not wise. We too are sinners, lost, confused, in darkness and bumping into things. Hurting ourselves and hurting others, we are so far worse than we would ever admit, but on Epiphany… we are far more loved than we could ever imagine. So what is your response when you recognize that Jesus has come and that he has redeemed you out of a lost and condemned world. Are you drawn to honor him, to worship him, or something else? The most surprising thing to me is the fact that all the characters in the text are reading Scripture and responding to the Messiah. But there are three different responses in the text and they are here today too. You can either be disturbed as Herod was. You could be detached or despondent as the chief priests and the teachers of the law were, (understand they gave all the right answers, they knew exactly where to find Jesus, they knew the prophesies, but what they knew did not change their heart. They did not go out looking for Jesus), but finally, you could be delighted as the Magi were. We have a real savior and this savior intends not just to save you from sin but he intends to send you into action. The magi have traveled many many miles to come see Jesus. More than that, you don’t walk into a threatened kingdom asking to see a different king and expect it to go well. They were risking their lives all so that they could meet the true King. At great risk to themselves, they wanted nothing more than to celebrate Jesus. And so should we. So what is your response when you recognize that Jesus has come and that he has redeemed you out of a lost and condemned world? Mickey Mouse… wrong song. Jesus. Jesus. Are you drawn to honor him, to worship him, or something else? That is what is at stake this Epiphany. My prayer for you this Epiphany is that you are lead to worship and serve the one true king. That He would use us to bring his Kingdom to fruition, and more than that, that He would give us the joy of the magi, that we would open the scriptures and we would celebrate Him and sacrifice ourselves to the service of others. This Epiphany look to Jesus… who sends us his light. Listen to Jesus, who gives us his word and power. And live for Jesus… the Jesus that give us His cradle and cross, we can trust him, even now in these days after Christmas. Happy Epiphany. In the grace of God, which surpasses all understanding, trust your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Amen.
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December 25, 2025 - John 1:1-14
Today is December 25th in the year of our Lord 2025. I remind you of the date, not because you don’t know the date, but simply to point out, our time is marked and counted by nothing less than the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas. “Welcome” welcome to the Lord’s house on this most holy Day- Christmas. This is indeed a holy day when Christians all over the world deliberately (and I do mean deliberately) come to Church to take the time to gather and to celebrate the incarnation… The incarnation, the entering into human flesh of our Most High God, our Lord, Jesus Christ, who was sent to take away the sins of the world. Although the stores have already moved on, and luckily most, if not all, are closed, for good reason the church doors are open. Why? John tells us. “In the beginning was the word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word dwelt among us.” The phrase “the Word of the Lord” appears 261 times in the Old Testament. This time, in the Gospel of John, this one is clearly different. For this time, the Word, was not just spoken. This time, the Word, Jesus, became flesh and dwelt among us. Merry Christmas. We had a Children’s Christmas Program this past Sunday. Watching that program, just about anyone would be moved to say, “the Christmas story is without a doubt the most beautiful story in the history of the world, especially when told by children.” It may be just a bunch of words, but these words have the power to change your story. I called it a story, but do not be confused by the terminology. The Gospel writers want to make very clear that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. And the birth of Jesus took place in real time. Joseph and Mary were real people with real relatives, and Mary had a real birth. They were real parents and they traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to take a real census. In the text we see the names of real governors, kings, tetrarchs, and emperors. At the manger scene there were real witnesses present to see the newborn child. The only tradition that is not Biblical would be the date. I mean, I suppose it is possible, Jesus could have been born on the 25th of December, but unlikely. Yes it is true, “We don’t know the day of Jesus’ birth… we don’t know and truth be told, we are not all that concerned about it… the reason being is that our faith is not dependent upon knowing the exact day or the hour. We are here on December 25th 2025 not because we claim it is his actual birthday, but because we have deliberately designated a day in our year to celebrate the incarnation. It is about specifying a time in our busy lives to stop and reflect upon the fact that the Word, Jesus, the God of the universe chose to take on our humanity, our frailty, our brokenness in order to be our Savior. Merry Christmas. I put it into simple words, but John put it in lofty words. He writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made through that word; without the Word nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” And then the most astounding thing, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory.” How would you begin the greatest story ever told? John begins in the beginning with the Word. We use words all the time. I’ve listened to a lot of words all week long, so have you. For over a month, I’ve heard a lot of words trying to communicate to me what Christmas is. Most of those words had little or nothing to say about Jesus. (Case in point, Play Santa- Thanks Santa. But the magic of Christmas lays not to much in my or your heart, but in Jesus who lays in a manger). How many times over the past couple of weeks have you heard the unobtrusive, unoffensive, and equally as uninspiring words “Happy Holidays”? There is nothing wrong with it, but I’m not interested to celebrate the holiday for holiday’s sake. There would be no holiday without Jesus, therefore, I am interested to celebrate the Incarnation for his and our sake. Merry Christmas. Be honest, do you like the hustle and bustle of the season? I love some of it and I positively loath a lot of it. This morning we have taken a deliberate moment to slow down. A deliberate moment to meditate on God’s Word, and more than that, God the Word, who ironically took on our humanity. I watched the Christmas Carol late yesterday evening. I confess earlier this week I too felt kind of like a humbug. It was not until someone said to me, Merry Christmas, that the whole thing began to change. All it takes is a simply word or words to change you. Christmas is about THE Word. The word of God, who became a human being. On Christmas God spoke to the world in Jesus Christ, as the living Word of God. A simple word can change your life. “It is benign.” The sigh of relief is heard in the next waiting room. “It’s a girl.” And everyone cries tears of joy. “We have found your son… He is safe.” Words affect us and change the course of our lives. May Jesus’ birth, and the Word becoming flesh change your life. Christmas, among its many many meanings, brings to us a Word that we ought to listen to. The words that we speak and share can change the world. Not just for ourselves but for others. And you never know who’s listening. Like I said, Christmas is about many things but it is principally about one Word, and one Word can change your life. Jesus Christ is the one and Only Word that can make sense of your existence. Jesus is the Word that can give you hope in the face of darkness. Jesus Christ is the Word that can give you life even in death. Can you hear it? The Word is cloaked in mystery, but the Word is equally real, tangible, and earthly. It is no longer far away; rather, it is right here and it is in your midst and it is for you. Isaiah prophesied, “Unto us a child is born.” Isn’t that a striking word? When someone I know has a child, no one says, “he was born to me.” We don’t talk like that, but God does. Why? Because this little baby is yours… He was sent for you. Merry Christmas. The angels said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. They did not say, “We have good news.” They said, “We bring you good news.” This news, this Word, is for all people… this news is for you. Therefore, let me encourage you to take a moment to consider this Word and how it can make sense of your life. Jesus was sent to speak not a word of judgement but a redeeming Word. You are forgiven. You are loved. Merry Christmas. May the Word of the Lord dwell in you this Christmas. May you hold this Word of Jesus, near, dear, and deep within your heart. And may “The Word” which is both profoundly simple yet surpasses all understanding, trust your hearts and minds in Jesus the Christ child. -Amen.
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December 24, 2025 - Luke 2:1-14
Beloved Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to all from God our Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The text for our consideration on this wonderful Christmas Eve comes to us from the Gospel of Luke. In the Bible there are two Christmas accounts. The first one is from Matthew Chapter 2. It is written from the vantage point of Joseph. Luke Chapter 2, however, is different because it is written from the vantage point of Mary… You can see this in the text very clearly because Luke loves to tell us how “Mary keep all these things in her heart.” The title of the sermon this evening is “Are you home for Christmas.” Just so we are clear, yes it is true I have stolen my title from Bing Crosby. It was in October of 1943 when Bing Crosby recorded the song “I’ll be home for Christmas.” It was an instant sensation and that was at the height of World War II. When people heard Bing sing that song made them stop in the middle of the street. It was that mesmerizing, and it won the hearts of everyone in this country, and more than that, it also won the hearts of our soldiers around the world. Bing sang, I'll be home for Christmas You can plan on me Please have snow and mistletoe And presents by the tree Christmas eve will find you Where the love light gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams The irony in that song is that the soldiers who loved it most were not going to be home for Christmas… “if only in their dreams” I have heard that song countless times since Thanksgiving. It is probably one of the most well-known Christmas songs… Elvis recorded it. BB King recorded it. The beach Boys recorded it. Even Bob Dylan recorded it. It is one of my favorites. Let me ask you this, are you home for Christmas? Maybe I should say, what would it take for you to be home for Christmas? For so many Christmas is nostalgic. It is wrapped up into long past family memories of food, and presents, and wishful thinking. I am happy to say that as I look around this room, I notice a lot of young faces sitting next to old faces. I suppose that means that there are some here tonight that are “home for Christmas this year.” To all of you, welcome home. You might find it shocking when I say Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were not home on that first Christmas. Given that Joseph and Mary were both from Bethlehem, I suppose it could be true that Joseph may have expected to find logging among distant relatives. As far as that is true, maybe he did expect to be home for Christmas that year with his very pregnant wife. Although it’s possible, it did not happen that way. I’m sure as you entered the church this evening that you also noticed we have a bright nativity scene outside. I hope you know that nativity scenes don’t claim to be Biblically accurate. The wise men were not there on Christmas, neither were any angels that the eye could see, nor were there any animals that Luke thought important enough to record. On that Christmas Eve, all the angels, all the sheep, all pomp and circumstance, and the bright lights took place in a field several miles away among a bunch of lowly shepherds so insignificant they are neither named nor counted. All things considered, I guess one could say maybe it was a pretty “silent night,” for Mary and Joseph to give birth to Jesus privately on their own. But it is odd isn’t it; to consider that God’s son was born into the world without a fan-fair at his place of birth? No bright lights… no trumpets, orchestras, or choirs singing. How about that? It is easy to get the idea from reading Luke that this first Christmas was not what anyone would have expected. Maybe so, but did you know Isaiah recorded a guest list for that first Christmas? His guest list did not include family, friends, angels, or kings. In Isaiah 61 it included the poor, the persecuted, the oppressed, all the nobodies... all the kind of people we would be less than willing to invite to our homes for a Christmas party. Well, like it or not, Jesus’ life was about shaking up a system they had become a bit too comfortable in. The truth is that what happened on Christmas should stop us in our tracks. What happened on that occasion, in the middle of time and a stone’s throw away from nowhere, means nothing will ever be the same again. Yes it is true that Jesus was not at home. That beings said, by being born in that manger on that day God chose to claim that as his home. Brothers and sisters in Christ, that is the message of Christmas. On Christmas God brought a clear and definitive message to the world. On Christmas God, who was and is… the very God that created the world, He declared, “on this day, in this place, I choose to make my home with these lowly human beings.” The fact that God would choose to make this place his home; that’s pretty good news for you and I. I know some of you have heard me say this before, but I’ll say it again because it is important… You can believe a whole lot of lofty things about God, that He is all powerful, all knowing, that he is beyond comprehension…. Fair enough, that is all true… until you see God as your savior, the One that chose to take THIS place and make it His home, the One that dwelt among us to reconcile us to God, until you acknowledge that is what Jesus did, you will fail to understand Christmas and Christianity. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary. Behold you will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (meaning God is our Salvation), because he will save his people from their sins." On Christmas we often read from Isaiah 9. You know the text. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In that text Isaiah describes and locates our places of residence. Did you notice where it is? It is in the wilderness in the middle of nowhere at the dead of night in the dark… it’s Wildwood after you hit a deer on Highway 109. He likens our living condition to being a blind man that can do nothing more than sit in the dark and wait for a helper. Luckily for us our helper has come to restore light to our dark and broken homes by gracing us with his presence this Christmas. The only question I have for all of you is, can you feel the warmth of His presence. Can you taste the food that he brings to your table? Understand it is not a coincidence that Jesus was born in Beth-lehem, the house of bread. Isn’t it remarkable He who would be called the Bread of Heaven was born in the house of bread. He often preached he was the living bread and to consume him would bring you both spiritual food and physical nourishment. On Christmas Jesus made himself present among us, and more than that, Jesus has come to forgive our sins and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. Let it be made known, Jesus does not come to our homes because they are big and beautiful. Jesus comes to us because without Him we could only have Christmas in our dreams. This evening "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” This Christmas I pray that you hold this news of Jesus Christ and his salvation near, dear, and deep within your heart. You are not forgotten… you are forgiven and through Jesus Christ God finds favor in you. Have a Merry Christmas! And also welcome home. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
December 21, 2025 - Matthew 1:18-25
Today is the fourth Sunday in Advent. I hope you have used your time of preparation wisely. The topic of our Wednesday services has been emphasizing the importance of coming to the manger of the Lord with song. And we saw that very thing today with the children’s nativity. Christmas is close. And may you this Christmas have a song on your heart. Why sing? As we have discussed, Christmas exemplifies the grace of God which surpasses all understanding. Some say, Christmas is inconceivable. But apparently Mary conceived it. And yet while the majesty and grandeur of Christmas is all true, Advent also magnifies the human element, the very real frustrations and current brokenness of our lives. Christmas is on the horizon… children singing is sweet, but we had a funeral this week and we also had several members to be in and out of the hospital. If anything, “the frustrations of Advent” have been the focus of our Sunday morning lectionary readings. Recall John the Baptist sitting in prison and awaiting his execution… asking the question of Jesus “Are you the One to Come or should I be waiting for another?” “I expected things to be different.” But to be fair, it wasn’t an easy journey for Mary and Joseph either, Emphasis on Joseph at least in Matthew’s Gospel. There are two birth narratives in the Gospels, one in Matthew and the other in Luke. Luke is told from the viewpoint of Mary and Matthew is told from the viewpoint of Joseph. In Luke’s gospel, you have the story of the young Galilean girl dancing and singing with joy because she has been told by God’s messenger she would be the mother of the messiah. There is none of that in Matthew. When you come to Matthew’s Gospel you have the sober eyed just and righteous Joseph learning that his betrothed is pregnant. Two stories. Two different perspectives. Two very different perspectives, as there often is. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus enters a very messy human story. And the mess began far before Chapter 2. In Chapter 1 Matthew records Jesus’ family tree which included Abraham, a man who was called out godlessness just to lie to a king and say his wife was his sister. It includes Jacob who tricked his father to wrongly claim his family inheritance. It includes rehab a prostitute who came from a nation that worshiped pagan gods. It also included a bunch of kings who for most part led the nation of Israel into spiritual decline. Jesus’ family tree is a scattered bunch of sinners… which teaches us that God was prepared to enter the muck and madness of human life… and thanks be to God that He is not ashamed to associate himself with us and our families. Now in Chapter 2 Mary and Joseph are a couple in turmoil. In this text, it cannot be any more obvious that Christmas is in plain sight, but this is not the Christmas story we’re used to hearing... For all joseph knew, Mary has been with another man. In fact, it is the only thing he could have assumed. Can you sense it? There is a whole bunch of broken trust in this text. It is very clear that God has not outsourced the perfect family environment for Jesus to be born into, but isn’t that the point? (It is also a wonder that none of this had ever been edited out). “Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” As he considered these things… the divorce… that word for “considered” could also be translated as becoming angry. And I wonder if Matthew intends the word to have a double entendre meaning. Meaning, perhaps Joseph was angry because Mary, at least in his mind, had ruined everything. Because he had no idea the Holy Spirit was fixing everything. Unfortunately for my own curiosity, we are not told how or if Joseph ever tried to explain his situation to his friends or relatives. But either way, it is obvious from our human perspective that the angel’s message was far from being the solution to his current predicament. His problems, which would soon include a flight for the baby’s life, it was only the beginning. Above all, do not sentimentalize Christmas. Christmas is a collision course between God and man. The aim of Christmas will be to correct the very problem, not the circumstance. You might be here now wanting your circumstances fixed, but the Holy Spirit is saying, I intend to fix you by sending Jesus. Mary and Joseph are an impoverished working class couple going through a major moral dilemma. This passage shows us just how fully God has committed himself to us. And understand this, it is not just that he gave himself over to human form to take on the limitations that go along with that. He also exposed himself fully to the struggles of our human lives with a very special purpose. Verse 21 records the angel saying, “You will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Until you see him as your Savior, you will fail to understand Christmas. More than that, it will never lead to joy, peace, hope, and love unless you understand the darkness before the light. We need a complete rescue and that is what Jesus did. Luther once talked about Matthew Chapter 2 as expressing the turbulent side of the Christmas story. Luther said in a Christmas Eve sermon that “When Jesus’ mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph before they came together here we have the words of the Creed, conceived by Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. But Matthew then introduced the cross… mainly in the form of the confusion of Joseph. For as soon as the Christian life is begun or anything else of Christ… it is there that the cross is at hand.” My professor at the seminary said it like this, “none of us know what tomorrow will bring. But what we do know is that Jesus’ love opens us up to see that beyond the cross lies Easter.” That’s good to know because for so many the days surrounding Christmas are a time of sadness, loss, fear. Earlier this week we buried the oldest living member of Saint Paul’s. I keep hearing on facebook all about the Super Flu. But even when we are blinded by tears of this life, the grace of God is there to comfort us and to show us his glory. The promise spoken by Isaiah, repeated by the angel and realized by joseph was not for Joseph and Mary alone. It was the Good news for all people. Behold the virgin shall bare a son and you shall call his name Immanuel. The promise stands none the less sure, even in the midst of a Christmas season where suffering and loss is all together real. The Son of God came into the world to be our Savior. This is Jesus the one who came to save his people from sin. That was the ultimate plan so that no matter whatever else might happen you can have peace with God. God is on your side. So fear not because I bring you great joy that will be for all people. For unto you a child is born who is Jesus Christ the Lord. In the grace of God, which surpasses all understanding trust your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Amen.
December 17, 2025 - The Angel's Song Luke 2:8-14
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On November 5th 2012, I had the privilege to attend a bonfire at Jesus Green in Cambridge, England. For the British people, November 5th is Guy Fawkes Day, the day they celebrate the foiled attempt of Guy Fawkes and his band of men who tried to blow up Parliament. Every year on November 5th they light bonfires all over the country and I had the privilege to be at one of the bonfires. To this day, it was the biggest bonfire I have ever seen… probably the biggest fire I have ever seen. Even at 100 feet away, the fire was so hot it could burn your face. If that is not spectacular enough, imagine several thousand people breaking out in unison singing the British National Anthem of “God save the Queen.” Understand, I’m not even British. If anything, I’m a foreigner to them, a colonist, a rebel who was in league with a rebellion that did succeed. Yet even so, hearing them sing their national anthem in unison was deeply moving. The truth is that when you’re near true citizens of a kingdom singing their national anthem it is moving even if you’re not from their country. You can get a sense of this at the opening ceremony of the Olympics… Ultimately, I tell you all of this, because what I just read in Luke Chapter 2, I would compare to a national anthem of the kingdom of God and most importantly its was sung by its truest citizens, the angels. I think to really grasp the importance of this event we need to consider who was singing, what it means for them to be singing in unison, who are they singing to, and finally, what they are singing. So first, who was singing? Well, so far in our Advent series, Mary sang and Zachariah sang. In other words, it has only been humans to sing Advent Anthems. Today’s text changes all of that, because as we can see, the birth of Jesus also inspired a multitude of angels to sing. That might not sound all that significant, but it really is and here’s why. The first time we see angels appear in the Bible is in the Book of Genesis. At the end of Chapter 3, the Scripture describes that a cherubim was placed to prevent Adam and Eve from returning to the garden and tree of life. The word cherubim is plural and it suggests more than one, possibly a cohort or even an army of angels. Here is the point, none of them say anything. They are dead silent. The next time a multitude of angels appear is at Jacob’s ladder. There they are ascending and descending, but again they are dead silent. In Psalm 42 David commands the angels to praise God, but there is no record of them responding. In 1 Kings Chapter 22 it describes a band of angels that say nothing. There was also an army of angels carrying the flaming chariot of Elijah in 2 Kings but there again nothing was said. Understand what I’m saying. I’m not saying angels don’t talk in the Bible… they talk all the time but individually. The angel Gabriel talked to Zachariah, an unnamed angel talked to Mary and Joseph, even in Luke 2 “an angel” talked to the shepherds. Angels do talk… hints the name… Angelos or messenger. All I’m suggesting is that Luke 2 is the first recorded time a multitude of angels say something in unison. Although it is not the only recorded time they speak in unison, it is the first time, and that is significant. I’d also like to point out this is the first time they are making their Messianic message publicly knowledge. Previously, Gabriel appeared to Zachariah and to Elizabeth. Gabriel told them they would have a son that would prepare the way of the Messiah. An angel appeared to Mary and Joseph and told them they would have a son and he would be the Messiah. Now they are taking that message and going public, and to be sure, the way you go public matters. Think about yourself and what you do when you make information public. How did you get engaged? How did you get married? How did you tell people when you became pregnant or when you found out that you were going to be a grandparent? The whos, what, when, where, and how… it all matters. So look at where God chose to take His message public. It was not in Jerusalem or at the temple. It was in a field in the middle of nowhere. I would compare this to a presidential candidate announcing his candidacy in a petting zoo in Washington, MO. I assure you it would be that weird. And more than that, look at who’s present… it was shepherds. Not kings, not religious dignitaries, shepherds and we don’t even know their names or how many there were. All I can tell you is that shepherds were not particularly dignified in society. They were poor people who worked 24/7 and they lived on the margins of society. All things considered, the angels appeared in a weird place to a weird people, but the greatest thing about it is how that was not weird to God in the least bit. The truth is that God loves revealing himself to people that no one else looks up to or admires. He loves telling his story to people that everyone else overlooks. That does seem to be a recurring theme in the Bible, doesn’t it? We are told in Luke Chapter 10, “Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Here is what I take from this, that it is impossible to be too lowly for God to want to reach down and grab you, but that beings said, it is possible to place yourself too high, to be so prideful, that God could want nothing to do with you. Sometimes I think religious people can fall in to the latter example. We can begin to think that we are so good and we are so special and we work so hard for the Kingdom. Well, let’s open our eyes because these unclean shepherds had an angelic experience and I haven’t. And you know what else? The angels came to them with the Good News. They came preaching peace, not destruction. I love how the shepherds responded to all of this. “When the angels had left them and gone back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing.” I see this as a three stooges moment. They have just been told about the birth of the Messiah and all they can muster is “Let’s go see this thing.” I imagine they were scared and rightly so… they were met by a cohort of angels. But to their credit, they did rightly recognize that whenever an army arrives, angels or otherwise, it is sent by the King and so they rightly attribute the message to the Lord. And what did the Lord say? He said, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Don’t miss this, Jesus, the Christ child, is the Messiah. He is also the Lord and more than all of that, he is the Savior. I point this out because this means he is more than an advisor. More than a teacher. More than an example and more than God. I know that sounds weird, but the truth is that you can believe many impressive things about God yet at the same time not see Him as your Savior. In the 1500’s Luther debated a man named Erasmus on the topic of grace. Erasmus described God as a parent that helps a child to walk. Luther, stopped him in midsentence and said, “Absolutely not! You are a worm in a ring of fire. Your only salvation is from above.” You can believe a whole lot of wonderful things about God, but until you see God as your Savior, the one that stepped in the octagon to fight your battles, you will fail to understand Christmas. Christmas is about God becoming man. Christmas is God’s solution to what went wrong with us all the way back in the Book of Genesis. We used to be citizens of the Kingdom. We used to be able to walk with God, but those days were long past. What Christmas did was reconcile us back to God. Because of Christmas, we can now be citizens once again. What God chose to do for us is so profound and so wonderful that even the angels were moved to sing about it. They sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Because of Christmas we don’t have to listen to the angle’s song as a foreigner would… who can appreciate it but cannot take part. On Christmas God become one of us, and you know what else? He did not even do that for the angels yet even they were moved to sing… how much more should our response be? The truth is that we have been reconciled. Jesus is our Savior and because of Him we were made citizens of his kingdom. For that reason, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Amen.
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