The Second Sunday in Advent, 2020
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Thine only-begotten Son, so that by His coming we may be enabled to serve Thee with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Romans 15:4-13
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Romans 15:4-13
The Gospel Luke 21:25-36
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #71 Watchman Tell Us
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #71 Watchman Tell Us
Receive One Another, As Christ Also Received Us
The Hymn #314 Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray - Henry E. Jacobs
The Hymn #314 Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray - Henry E. Jacobs
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Litany p. 110/Hymnal Blog; and Lord's Prayer
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 647 O Little Town of Bethlehem
The Sanctus p. 26
The Litany p. 110/Hymnal Blog; and Lord's Prayer
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 647 O Little Town of Bethlehem
In Our Prayers
- Luther's Galatians is in print, full color, at Lulu. I will be sending them out at my cost. Extra copies in black and white are available for distribution. Thank you Norma Boeckler, Alec Satin, Virginia Roberts, and Janie Sullivan.
- Walther, the American Calvin is next. Then Creation Flowers, then the Bible text and translations.
- In treatment - Christina Jackson, Mary Howell, Rush Limbaugh.
- Randy Anderson's leg scanned as cancer free!
- Doctor's care - Pastor Shrader, Pastor K, Dr. Lito Cruz.
- Pray for Lyne Cruz' retirement red tape to be removed.
- Our media ministries - Alec Satin, Norma Boeckler, Travis and Lauren Cartee, Pastor Jordan Palangyos.
- Our Education Expert, is being honored with her favorite hymn at Vespers, #558, "All Praise to Thee." She is recovering at home from heart disease.
- Advent Service, Wednesday, 7 PM Central Standard.
Second Sunday In Advent
Lord God, heavenly Father, who by Thy Son hast 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 Thee, keep us by Thy Holy Spirit in Thy word; establish us in the true faith, graciously defend us from sin and preserve us in all temptations, that our hearts may not be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, but that we may ever watch and pray and, trusting fully in Thy grace, await with joy the glorious coming of Thy Son, and at last obtain eternal salvation, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
KJV Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Background for the Sermon on the Epistle, Romans 15:4-13
KJV Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
The first verse is worth a book, because so much is overlooked about the Old Testament. A professor on the Mark Levin TV show made the point that the science fraternity has moved from agnosticism to open contempt for all religion (or stay silent). That intrigued me more because that has happened with the mainline denominations (including all the Lutherans) at the same time. The Bible has morphed - in academic circles - into an interesting book about religion, not the unique revelation of God.
Once a book becomes unimportant, people pay less attention to it. They are not opposed as much as indifferent. Yet, all the blessings, warnings, and Promises of the Old Testament (3 times the size of the New Testament) are there for our learning, that we might have hope.
The Creation is a good example. The Creation itself is not as important as its meaning, because there are many Creation stories and theories - but only one Creation is true. The meaning of Creation comes from the power of the Word to fashion the entire universe in six days (not epochs). Also, the Creation in Genesis 1 and John 1 reveals the Trinity at work: the Father commanding, the Son as the Logos-Command, and the Holy Spirit hovering over Creation and recording it for our learning, patience, and hope.
Substitute creations are more like poor imitations, parodies, or even naughty tales. The essential truths are missing, so they miss at all levels. Many talk about Creation but do not teach the Creation, and they find substitutions to be more appealing to their refined and intellectual musing. So they gather the fragments of theories and tales and live with that, a patchwork quilt of thoughts rather than the Word of God.
Karl Barth and his lovely live-in mistress, Charlotte Kirschbaum, offered up a massive set of dogmatics where every point of the Scriptures was equivocated, with their tedious Yes and No on each topic. For example - "The Bible contains the Word of God but is not the Word of God." This gave their followers license to do the same, which is why we have an enormous gap between the great scientists of the past (Creationists) and global warmist salesmen of today (evolutionists). Besides that, this Barthian exercise in double-talk made clergy and professors worry about confessing the Genesis Creation and Flood, so those topics were side-stepped into oblivion.
As Luther said, the Old Testament holds Christ the way a cradle holds a baby. We may not always see or hear the baby in the cradle, but when the mother says, "The baby is in the cradle," we do not challenge her by yanking down the blanket and calling out the baby's name. (Some impulsive guests do.) In the same way, the Old Testament is a framework which deals with history since Creation and also encourages us with Gospel Promises and blessings. The warnings and condemnations of the Law are the contrast between God's mercy and our failings.
Peril and our sinfulness make us uncertain and afraid, but the elaborate framework of the Old Testament shows us God's power in protection and His power in mercy.
Receive One Another, As Christ Also Received Us
KJV Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Luther observed that the entire Bible is written for those who are afflicted, suffering from diseases, and at the end of life. Whatever was written in the past, in the Scriptures, were revealed for our learning - to give us patience, comfort, and hope.
The great unity of the Scriptures, Old and New Testament, shows us that centuries before the public ministry of Christ, the Son of God was already at work among His people. How else to we explain the Angel of the Lord. Jacob wrestled with Him and called the place Peniel, the Face of God. If it was just an angel, why "the Face of God?"
Genesis 32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Why did Jesus say "I AM" when people look for the predicate?
Before Abraham was, I AM. John 8. That only makes sense if the speaker is the eternal Son of God, existing before Abraham and yet His earthly ministry foreseen by Abraham. Who lives in the past, present, and future - except God? Jesus responded to the Abraham claim by saying, in so many words, "Yes, and you are justified, forgiven, through faith in Me, the great I AM."
In the same way, why did the soldiers fall backwards when Jesus, being arrested, said, "I AM." The same reason - Jesus said "I AM" at His trial and the prosecutors screamed "Blasphemy! He calls himself God." (Mark)
Those are just some direct connections, across the centuries, between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Truly, anyone can make up anything from the texts - and they have done that - see the hundreds of useless volumes in the Biblical section of an academic library. But the only way to make sense of the plain Word of God is to see it as a whole, as the revealed truth of God. That Word creates and nurtures faith in Jesus Christ.
A layman with a faithful Bible (not the NIV, ESV, or EHV) knows more than most clergy with multiple degrees.
Luther's sermon for today addresses the baggage of Romanism and how the church of his day had to keep peace with so many people still clinging to that giant edifice of invented customs, required rules, and endless punishments.
We can see the same thing today as people maintain a structure of anti-Christianity and insist on its truth in the face of basic Biblical doctrine. They must tear out the organ to make room for a coffee bar (in a former conservative church). They must have a praise band. They must have cell groups. They must look to the West, Pasadena, for guidance and wisdom. Their supposed good news can be found in all the mainline denominations - grace means everyone is saved. None of that is any good for the distressed, the addicted, the suffering, the people dealing with major medical issues.
Comfort comes from knowing God is so powerful that He can set down what will happen centuries in the future, in various citations clear and obscure, and it will happen exactly as foretold through His Son, witnessed by the Holy Spirit.
All the pagan religions have man struggling to appease an angry god. But Christianity teaches God as the Good Shepherd, tending to His sheep and driving the predators away.
Christianity distinguishes between the wolf and the sheep. The wolf is to be rebuked and driven away, not praised and fed with mutton. The frightened, confused, and wounded sheep need the comfort of truth and a kindly manner. Beating the sheep for being wounded is utterly foolish, and it means they are simply being moved from one abusive flock to another.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Many come from a smooth, sophisticated form of atheism, in a variety of settings. Some churches take the low church entertainment route, which can be popular for a short time. Others, disgusted by the circus atmosphere of entertainment, mandate all the Roman practices they can get away with, coveting Rome and often joining Rome with some of their flock. In both categories, it is a trust in gimmicks where trust in the Scriptures is lacking. The last stop for them is Atheism.
Likeminded means that when a congregation is gathered by the Gospel, everyone is bound to be different and have distinct perspectives, but the same Biblical doctrine. God is patient and comforting toward us, so that should be our guidance.
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As far as I know, everyone in this congregation has experienced the trials and difficulties of being expected to obey and practice what is non-Biblical. That includes my wife and me. Many of us have viewed a epic movie, watching everything fall apart in Lutherdom and other denominations. Paul would say - It is not where you have been but Who is God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. That is the source of unity in the midst of so many experiences and perspectives.
That is easy for me to address, because we have people who do not know each other but nevertheless share the same love for good translations (not the NIV, ESV, or Living Bible) and for great hymns. We are the snow and flu church for some in the frozen North and the mountains.
God does not work through buildings and programs, but through the Word alone.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
grant one access to one's heart; to take into friendship and contact: Romans 14:1; Romans 15:7; God and Christ are said προσλάβεσθαι (to have received) those whom, formerly estranged from them, they have reunited to themselves by the blessings of the gospel,
Just as Christ has received us into His family, so should we welcome others into ours. People with the greatest needs often have special insights because of their lives, and they also have the greatest hunger and thirst for the righteousness of faith. Nothing speaks to the fallen nature of our country as the neglect of those with needs. Perhaps the supposed help of the government has made people think that is enough. However, a few experiences will show how many gaps are there. I hate bureaucracy as much as anyone, but I delight in helping people weave their way through it and win. Most of this consists of encouraging people to be patient and to go with them on their appointments. A trip to the food bank with those who use them is quite an eye-opening experience.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Believing (must be a good thing) fills us with all joy and peace. Joy is that happiness that comes without material means. Joy comes from friendships, shared burdens, shared pains. And peace in believing - they are linked together. Fear is the opposite of faith. Driving away faith is a good way to control people by making them afraid, blinded, shackled. "Faith makes us bold" as Luther said.
If we feed our soul with good things provided by God - the Scriptures, faithful hymns and books, then we will have a feast that never ends. I try to keep up with The Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry, but that is like chasing a express train on foot as it picks up steam. That is a great feeling when I see people from all over the world write about how much they appreciate it (Facebook pages on Classic Lutheran Books and Free Books for Lutheran World Missionaries).
