Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Luke 2:15-20 - "The fourth is love to your neighbor and a renouncing of self. The example of the shepherds proves this in that they leave their sheep and go forth, not to the great and high lords in Jerusalem, not to the aldermen in Bethlehem, but to the little company in the stable. They present themselves to the lowly and do whatever is required of them. Had they not had faith they would not have thus left their sheep; and they would not have abandoned their work, had not the angels before command them to do so. They did it of their own free will and of their own counsel, as the text teaches."

 

Complete Sermon - Luther's Sermons - Luke 2:15-20.
Second Christmas Day. Or Early Christmas Service

11. The third fruit is humility, in that they acknowledge themselves to be human. Therefore the Evangelist adds “The shepherds”, etc. For faith immediately teaches that everything human is nothing before God. Hence they despise self and think nothing of themselves. This is true, fundamental humility and self knowledge. Humility then brings with it that it does not inquire about things great and high in the world. They consider themselves a humble poor and despised people, as St. Paul teaches in Romans 12:16, when he says: “Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to them that are lowly”. As Psalm 15:4 also teaches: “In the eyes of the righteous the reprobate is despised, but he honoreth them that fear Jehovah.”

12. Out of all this follows peace. For he who esteems nothing of all the external and great things, easily lets them pass and never quarrels with any one about them. He experiences something better inwardly in the faith of his heart. Unity, peace, and humility are also found among murderers, public sinners, even among hypocrites. It is however a unity of the flesh and not of the spirit; as Pilate and Herod became reconciled to one another and exercised a peaceful and humble spirit toward each other. Likewise the Jews, according to Psalm 2:2: “The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together.” In like manner are, the pope, monks and priests one when they contend against God, who at other times are nothing but mere sects among themselves. Hence this is called an unity, humility and peace of the spirit, in that it is above and in spiritual things, that is, in Christ.

13. The fourth is love to your neighbor and a renouncing of self. The example of the shepherds proves this in that they leave their sheep and go forth, not to the great and high lords in Jerusalem, not to the aldermen in Bethlehem, but to the little company in the stable. They present themselves to the lowly and do whatever is required of them. Had they not had faith they would not have thus left their sheep; and they would not have abandoned their work, had not the angels before command them to do so. They did it of their own free will and of their own counsel, as the text teaches. They conferred with one another about it and came with haste, and the angels did not command them, but only pointed out what they would find, and left it to their own free will, whether they would go and seek.

14. Love acts in like manner. It knows no command, it does everything by virtue of its own impulse, it hastens and delays not, it is enough that its attention is only called to a thing, it needs no taskmaster, neither will it tolerate one. Oh, much might be said on this thought! So should the Christian live more freely in love, forget self and the things of self, only think and hasten to his neighbor, as St. Paul in Philippians 2:4 says: “Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.” And Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

15. However, the pope and his bishops and priests have filled the world with laws and constraint, and there is nothing now in the whole world but mere driving and alarming. No voluntary order or calling exists any longer, since it has been proclaimed that love should be extinguished and the world be mined by human doctrines.

16. The fifth is joy. This appears in the words that we gladly speak and hear about the things faith in the heart has received. So here the shepherds converse with one another joyously and kindly about that which they had heard and believed. They use very many words, as if they were talking to no purpose. They are not satisfied by saying: Let us go unto Bethlehem and see the saying that has come to pass; they add, which the Lord did and hath made known unto us. Is it not unnecessary talk that they say: What has come to pass there, that God has done? Could they not have easily spoken in fewer words thus: Let us see the saying, God has done there.

Schocked! LutherQueasies Emphasize the Objective Justification Denier Philip Melanchthon!

 

Steve (Sschmidt) Senior Member Username: Sschmidt Post Number: 1929 Registered: 3-2017

Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2024 - 9:44 am:       An interesting post on Melanchthon and the Supper: https://www.theconservativereformer.com/articles/m elanchthon-catechism

According to tradition, LQ has always jumped on Justification by Faith the way a hobo jumps on a hotdog. Or, they look more like the Chicago Bears trying to scramble for the slippery football, not a graceful sight.

I wonder if Christian (sic) News (sic) is aware of this debacle. Cub Editor Phil Halestorm became so enraged by my articles that he removed me from the subscription list - not just my articles - but my ability to read and react to his Unitarian Universalism. Members of that club call themselves U-U's.

Notice the wide gap between the Waltherian U-U's and the teaching of Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz. The Walther Fan Club - ignorant of the Gospel - is forever trying to sell CFW Walther to the masses and the missus. "But darling Philly, aren't you offended to learn that Walther kidnapped his niece and nephew, covered up for Bishop Stephan's adultery with teenaged girls, and stole all the leader's gold and land?"

The Walther Cult never stops placing an almost opaque layer of lies over the Bishop Stephan STD saga. Walther was the enforcer of Stephan's tyranny and crossed the ocean with Stephan taking his main mistress and oldest son, leaving Stephan's wife and infected children at home to die. 

There is a great hymn - "Built on the Rock" - which is just the opposite of the Objective Justification obsessions. The Walther version is "Built on My Lies."

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod took forever to publish their greatest collection of humor, even better than Matt the Fatt's own work.

Luther's Sermon on the Word - The Whole Story in One

 

This is the link below - which leads to the entire sermon.

One WELS pastor named his blog - The Main Thing Is the Main Thing.

I thought the title was excellent, because it expressed the hippy-dippy advertising loved, promoted, and exhausted by the maggots of Fuller Seminary, Willow Creek, Jeske Incorporated, and other pest-houses.

The effective Word of God is not all about the personality of the pastor, the purity of his inbred DNA, and his sure and certain hope of everlasting synodical titles. 

I realize very little will be noted here, because the American clergy have foolishly straight-armed the truth of the Bible in favor of slimy slickness of fads. 

Charlie Sue was expecting her main meal, and her main meal is the main meal, whenever needed.

The Word of God is the Foundation Wrecked by Man

Old Testament, Pristine Text, False Translators

Note the disparity in the two great texts - the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament remains the Hebrew text, 100%, because the Jewish scholars have preserved the text even to the point of destroying any book that has even one error, down to counting the total numbers of letters and words in any given book.

Translators, drunk on their Princeton and the Big Five Apostates - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic), plus many more, turn the precision of the Old Testament into the laughter of their Father Below.

New Testament Greek - 

Abused by the Really Cool

The New Testament Greek text is the plaything of anyone with a degree, an attitude, and a lust to oppose "My Word will last forever." Their revelations come from rejection of the Trinity, the Virgin Birth of Christ, the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ, and His Assumption. They have the traditional text - called the Byzantine - and they know the ancient confession of its truths, but they must rule over their academic seminars, conferences, and little-read "scholarly" wingdings.

The King James Version does not deny the resurrection of Jesus in Mark 16:9-20, nor does it omit "the Son of God" in Mark 1:1 - beloved by Westcott and Hort, adored by all. 

I gathered the basics for a book about the King James Version. The Otten-Beck New Testament is packed with such nonsense (see above) and treated as the Holy Grail for Waltherian addicts. As they said about a backed-up sewer, "I knew it was bad, but I didn't know it was that bad!"

What They Are Now Teaching - 

The Brain-Dead Kids in Seminary

Think about this, before writing an angry letter to Christian News (if they are still printing). The seminaries do not teach Jesus Christ the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, risen from the dead and assumed into Heaven. They do not have faith in Him so they do not teach faith.

They teach how to start new churches because the denominations are sinking fast from their lack of faith.

They emphasize personality because everyone wants to have happy-clappy-chappy congregations that fund the endless numbers of overpaid denominational staff, who also take whatever loot they can get from Thrivent. I went to two different seminary graduations. Both "gave away" cheap little portable home communion hardware sets (but no KJV).

They avoid touchy topics because of their ignorance and their need to make people calm and sedated.

They can provide worship for anyone via a computer, but they do not care to pay the small Zoom fee and its minor complications.

Proving how Roman Catholic the twin Missouri seminaries are, they lust for all the trivia, fish-hats, shepherd's crooks, and genuflections possible. 

Carravaggio

Rolf Danger Preus edited this book by his father, Dr. Robert Preus.

Ah yes, but Robert Preus repudiated OJ before he died, and two of his sons edited Justification and Rome.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Second Christmas Day - Boxing Day - " Whoever does not receive the Word for its own sake, will never receive it for the sake of the preacher, even if all the angels preached it to him. And he who receives it because of the preacher does not believe in the Word, neither in God through the Word, but he believes the preacher and in the preacher."

 

Complete - Luther's Sermons - Luke 2:15-20.
Second Christmas Day.
Or Early Christmas Service

TEXT:

Luke 2:15-20. And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying, which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.



1. In the light of the exposition of the preceding Gospel this text is easily understood for it cites an example and the putting into practice of the doctrine taught there, in that the shepherds did, and found, all just as the angels had told them. Consequently, it teaches what the results and fruit of the Word of God are, and what the marks are, by which we know whether the Word of God is established in our hearts and whether it is doing its work there.

I. THE FRUITS AND SIGNS OF THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD.

2. The first and principal fruit of the power of the Word is faith. For had not these shepherds believed the angel they would never have gone to Bethlehem, they would moreover never have done one of the things related of them in this Gospel.

3. One, however, might say: Yes, I would also gladly believe if an angel thus from heaven were to preach to me. This is very foreign to the subject. Whoever does not receive the Word for its own sake, will never receive it for the sake of the preacher, even if all the angels preached it to him. And he who receives it because of the preacher does not believe in the Word, neither in God through the Word, but he believes the preacher and in the preacher. Hence the faith of such persons does not last long. But whoever believes the Word, does not care who the person is that speaks the Word, and neither will he honor the Word for the sake of the person; but on the contrary, he honors the person because of the Word, and always subordinates the person to the Word. And if the preacher perishes, or even falls from his faith and preaches differently, he will forsake the person of the preacher rather than the Word of God. He abides by what he has heard, although the person of the preacher may be what he will, and come and go as he may.

4. The true difference between godly faith and human faith consists also in this, that human faith cleaves to the person of the preacher, believes, trusts and honors the Word for the sake of him who spake it. But godly faith, on the other hand, cleaves to the Word, which is God himself; he believes, trusts and honors the Word, not because of him who preaches it; but because he feels it so surely the truth that no one can ever turn him again from it, even if the same preacher were to try to do it. This was proved by the Samaritans, John 4:42, when they had heard first of Christ from the heathen woman and upon her word they went out of the city to Christ.

After they themselves heard Christ, they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

5. Moreover, all who believed Christ because of his person and his miracles, fell from their faith when he was crucified. So it is in our day and so has it always been. The Word itself, without any regard to persons, must be enough for the heart, it must include and lay hold of man, so that he, as if taken captive, feels how true and right it is, even if the world, all the angels, all the princes of hell said differently, yea, if God himself spake otherwise; as he at times tempts his own elect and appears as if he were different than he had before declared. So it was with Abraham when commanded to offer his son Isaac; with Jacob, while wrestling with the angel; and with David, when persecuted by his son Absalom; and other like examples.

6. This faith triumphs in life and death, in hell and heaven, and nothing is able to overthrow it; because it rests upon nothing but the Word without any regard whatever to persons.

7. These shepherds possessed such faith; for they agree with and cleave to the Word so fully that they forget the angels who declared it to them. They do not say, Let us go and see the word that the angels made known to us, but the word that the Lord hath made known unto us. The angels were soon forgotten and the Word of God only seized and retained. In like manner St. Luke speaks in the text of Mary, that she kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. Without doubt she did not let the humble appearance of the shepherds trouble her, but esteemed all as the Word of God. Not only Mary, but all the others who heard these words from the shepherds, and wondered, as the text says. All clung to the Word.

8. And although it is the idiom of the Hebrew language that when it speaks of an historic fact, it says, “they wish to see the word”, as St. Luke says here (because the history is embodied in words and is made known by means of words); so is it therefore thus provided by God that faith should be expressed as that which cleaves to the words and relies upon the words spoken concerning the history. For if Christ’s life and sufferings were not embodied in the words by which faith is anchored, they would have been of no use, because all who saw them with their eyes received no benefit from them, or very little.

9. The second fruit is the unity in the spirit. For it is the nature of Christian faith to unite hearts into one, that they be of one mind and of one will, as Psalm 68:6 says: “God, the Lord, Christ our God, setteth the solitary in families.” St. Paul speaks of the unity of the Spirit in many places as in Romans 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:4; and Ephesians 4:3, where he says: “Be ever diligent that ye be of one mind, of one will.” Such unity is not possible apart from faith, for every one is well pleased with his own ways, therefore is the land, as the proverb runs, full of fools. Here one sees in his own experiences how the various orders, callings, and sects are divided among themselves. Every one esteems his order, his calling, his character, his work, his plans the best, and the right road to heaven. He disparages the things of others and rejects them; as we see at present among the priests, monks, bishops and all who profess to be spiritual.

10. However those, who have the true faith, know that it depends only upon faith, in which they unanimously agree. Therefore they are never divided and disunited because of any outward calling, conduct or work. To them all external matters, however different they may be, are the same.

Thus the shepherds here are of one mind, of one will, speak the same thought among themselves, use the same form of words and say: “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem”, etc.

Some Christmas Cheer on Boxing Day

 

Boxing Day is not for pugilists but to offer gifts for the staff in Britain and Canada. Charlie Sue was quick to get up this morning, so I could get her some treats for the staff.

Just before Christmas I was getting the mail from the post office.That was dimmed by a series of health insurance bulletins - alone - in PO Box _____. My uncles were postal carriers, so I grew up hearing about all the anomalies of mail. Repeated bad work irritated my normally friendly uncles.

I told the same carrier the same tale about getting mail for the same medical insurance company time after time. He always made a note of that on the envelope and got increasingly irritated about the carrier who was so careless. I said, "At least he is consistent!" That made him laugh. He reached over and shook my hand, "Well, Merry Christmas! We won't darken Christmas!"

When the long line for Christmas went almost out the door, I was holding a big box, telling them, "Don't worry. The line is starting to move. I got here yesterday." Everyone laughed.

Cold Remedies from a Real Doctor

 

"I predict lots of sugar water with bright colors to make me feel better after a few weeks of hawking, coughing, sneezing, and expectorating."

OK, a real PhD, but I spend more time with the cold issues than many physicians do. "Try this, or that new one."

1. Several apples should be eaten every day of the week. They are superb for softening phlegm, and have many other benefits.
2. Fresh pineapples are equally good but not so likely to be used in volume - hard to explain waving a butcher knife in the employee lunch room.
3. Juices are simply colored sugar water, including Paul Neuman's Own - snicker - using fattening corn sugar, no food fiber (the body's slow-mo manufacturing device).
4. Moisture in the air helps from a humidifier. 
5. Wake up to the nightmare of expensive and useless cough drops, syrupy cough syrup, opioid syrup, and drying antihistamines (Benadryl, etc). If you really cherished vitamins, you would major in fresh greens, fruits, vegetables, and beans. Those little vitamin pills are a joke and more expensive than drag-racing near a police station. 
6. Cow's milk supplements often use sugars plus animal proteins -  and are way out of the price range for humanoids. 

The View from Google Earth

 

Christmas Day is bound to unleash many memories. I enjoy using  Google Earth because the nosy satellite captures every place I have been, zooming down to observe the present state of various places called home for a period of time.

My earliest memory is living in Moline, Illinois, once a John Deere city.  I walked to Garfield Elementary and to John Deere Junior High. When I went out to the parking lot of the Melo Cream Donut Shop downtown, there was the emblem of John Deere facing me, painted on the back of one Deere building. I even walked to Moline Senior High, which always elicited reasons why the long walk was good for me and a lot shorter than when my parents trekked to their country schools. I even walked to Augustana College, not too far away. "It's good for what ales ya."

The old high school was converted into the community college, mocked as S.S.U. - Sixteenth Street University. We had the old high school albums and went over them at times. The names gave away the Swedish origins - John Johnson, Sven Svenson, John Svenson and Sven Johnson, etc. 

The newer Moline High is almost the same, but Augustana College has built many more buildings and lavish sports facilities, completely distancing itself from its origins and values. But I remember the Augustana College named from the Latin name for the Augsburg Confession. They bragged about their new college president being a DEI expert. Maybe they will scratch a dust pile over their mistake, the way a dog covers up his accident.

Christina and I met on the first day of class. I have her ID badge posted on my happy corner picture gallery. Also - a photo of us is kept of early graduation day, early to have a November wedding and trip to Canada.

St. Peter Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ontario, where I vicared, is now being carved up as low cost housing.

 The once great library at Augustana was replaced by The Tredway.

Yale Divinity School worships ecology. 

Christina had lots of relatives in Southern Ontario, and I got to practice German with them and many members of St. Peter's in Kitchener. Christina started as a librarian at the nearby University of Waterloo, then upgraded by earning an MA in German at that school. As some are beginning to think, "They could walk from one school (Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and apartments) to another - UniWat," famous for computer innovations."

Long ago, Canadians asked for help in establishing Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. It now has almost no seminarians with a much bigger name - Martin Luther University Library.

The Waterloo Lutheran Seminary chapel has doggie time for the students. Aww.

 Why didn't we think of that, instead of a pipe organ, worship, and hymns?

We graduated from Kitchener-Waterloo quickly enough, which meant college degrees and master's degrees were completed between 1966 and 1972. Christina always enjoyed getting done early. She got a research job at Yale Medical School, where I also worked - as a lowly librarian assistant. I xeroxed, she researched. I tell MDs that I worked at Yale Medical Library, and that wakes them up.

Christina's family lived in South Bend, Indiana, after starting out with two daughters in post WWII camps in Germany. They found a small house - definitely a trend - within walking distance of Notre Dame. The professor Augustana kicked out of their school (non-renewal of his contract) was accepted by Notre Dame - Stanley Hauerwas. Hauerwas has his own website, and he was once brought back to Augustana for a lecture. He is 84.

Hauerwas was instrumental in moving me into the pastoral theology program for a PhD at Notre Dame, which I completed in 1982 . I never longed for cozy academic positions but pursued publishing instead. 

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Christmas Day - "The Evangelist shows how, when they arrived at Bethlehem, they were the most insignificant and despised, so that they had to make way for others until they were obliged to take refuge in a stable, to share with the cattle, lodging, table, bed chamber and bed, while many a wicked man sat at the head in the hotels and was honored as lord. No one noticed or was conscious of what God was doing in that stable. He lets the large houses and costly apartments remain empty, lets their inhabitants eat, drink and be merry; but this comfort and treasure are hidden from them. O what a dark night this was for Bethlehem, that was not conscious of that glorious light! See how God shows that he utterly disregards what the world is, has or desires; and furthermore, that the world shows how little it knows or notices what God is, has and does."

 CHRISTMAS DAY.

TEXT:

Luke 2:1-14. Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enroll themselves, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were full, lied that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.


THE STORY OF JESUS’ BIRTH.

1. It is written in Haggai 2:6-7, that God says: “I will shake the heavens; and the precious things of all nations shall come.” This is fulfilled today, for the heavens were shaken, that is, the angels in the heavens sang praises to God. And the earth was shaken, that is, the people on the earth were agitated; one journeying to this city, another to that throughout the whole land, as the Gospel tells us. It was not a violent, bloody uprising, but rather a peaceable one awakened by God who is the God of peace.

It is not to be understood that all countries upon earth were so agitated; but only those under Roman rule, which did not comprise half of the whole earth. However, no land was agitated as was the land of Judea, which had been divided among the tribes of Israel, although at this time the land was inhabited mostly by the race of Judah, as the ten tribes led captive into Assyria never returned.

2. This taxing, enrollment, or census, says Luke, was the first; but in the Gospel according to Matthew 17:24, and at other places we read that it was continued from time to time, that they even demanded tribute of Christ, and tempted him with the tribute money, Matthew 22:17. On the day of his suffering they also testified against him, that he forbade to give tribute to Caesar. The Jews did not like to pay tribute, and unwillingly submitted to the taxing, maintaining that they were God’s people and free from Caesar. They had great disputes as to whether they were obliged to pay the tribute, but they could not help themselves and were compelled to submit. For this reason they would have been pleased to draw Jesus into the discussion and bring him under the Roman jurisdiction. This taxing was therefore nothing else but a common decree throughout the whole empire that every individual should annually pay a penny, and the officers who collected the tribute were called publicans, who in German are improperly interpreted notorious sinners.

3. Observe how exact the Evangelist is in his statement that the birth of Christ occurred in the time of Caesar Augustus, and when Quirinius was governor of Syria, of which the land of Judea was a part, just as Austria is a part of the German land. This being the very first taxing, it appears that this tribute was never before paid until just at the time when Christ was to be born. By this Jesus shows that his kingdom was not to be of an earthly character nor to exercise worldly power and lordship, but that he, together with his parents, is subject to the powers that be. Since he comes at the time of the very first enrollment, he leaves no doubt with respect to this, for had he desired to leave it in doubt, he might have willed to be born under another enrollment, so that it might have been said it just happened so, without any divine intent.

4. And had he not willed to be submissive, he might have been born before there was any enrollment decreed. Since now all the works of Jesus are precious teachings, this circumstance can not be interpreted otherwise than that he by divine counsel and purpose will not exercise any worldly authority; but will be subject to it. This then is the first rebuke to the pope’s government and every thing of that character, that harmonizes with the kingdom of Christ as night does with day.

5. This Gospel is so clear that it requires very little explanation, but it should be well considered and taken deeply to heart; and no one will receive more benefit from it than those who, with a calm, quiet heart, banish everything else from their mind, and diligently look into it. It is just as the sun which is reflected in calm water and gives out vigorous warmth. but which can not be so readily seen nor can it give out such warmth in water that is in roaring and rapid motion.

Therefore, if you would be enlightened and warmed, if you would see the wonders of divine grace and have your heart aglow and enlightened, devout and joyful, go where you can silently meditate and lay hold of this picture deep in your heart, and you will see miracle upon miracle. But to give the common person a start and a motive to contemplate it, we will illustrate it in part, and afterwards enter into it more deeply.

6. First, behold how very ordinary and common things are t,; us that transpire on earth, and yet how high they are regarded in heaven. On earth it occurs in this wise: Here is a poor young woman, Mary of Nazareth, not highly esteemed, but of the humblest citizens of the village. No one is conscious of the great wonder she bears, she is silent, keeps her own counsel, and regards herself as the lowliest in the town. She starts out with her husband Joseph; very likely they had no servant, and he had to do the work of master and servant, and she that of mistress and maid, They were therefore obliged to leave their home unoccupied, or commend it to the care of others.

7. Now they evidently owned an ass, upon which Mary rode, although the Gospel does not mention it, and it is possible that she went on foot with Joseph. Imagine how she was despised at the inns and stopping places on the way, although worthy to ride in state in a chariot of gold.

There were, no doubt, many wives and daughters of prominent men at that time, who lived in fine apartments and great splendor, while the mother of God takes a journey in mid-winter under most trying circumstances. What distinctions there are in the world! It was more than a day’s journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in the land of Judea. They had to journey either by or through Jerusalem, for Bethlehem is south of Jerusalem while Nazareth is north.

8. The Evangelist shows how, when they arrived at Bethlehem, they were the most insignificant and despised, so that they had to make way for others until they were obliged to take refuge in a stable, to share with the cattle, lodging, table, bed chamber and bed, while many a wicked man sat at the head in the hotels and was honored as lord. No one noticed or was conscious of what God was doing in that stable. He lets the large houses and costly apartments remain empty, lets their inhabitants eat, drink and be merry; but this comfort and treasure are hidden from them. O what a dark night this was for Bethlehem, that was not conscious of that glorious light! See how God shows that he utterly disregards what the world is, has or desires; and furthermore, that the world shows how little it knows or notices what God is, has and does.

Christmas Eve - 2024

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87555346165?pwd=fl6sZjUYNczibw9lwVcoV1vaPq73Zd.1

The mpeg recordings are saved by Zoom on this computer. We are working to have them posted at the top of the posts, starting with John 14 - Part 1, Advent Four, and Christmas Eve. We have come a long way from Vimeo and the first Zoom broadcasts.

Bethany Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve Service, 7 PM Central Time, 2024

Springdale, Arkansas

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Hymn #81        O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is

The Place of Jesus’ Birth 

KJV Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

 

Hymn # 102                   O Come All Ye Faithful

 

KJV Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

 

Virgin Birth

KJV Isaiah 7:10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. 13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.

 

Incarnation

KJV Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Hymn #109              While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

KJV Luke 2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Let the Children Come To Me

We should be especially mindful of the relationship between the newborn Savior and young children. Most of the world considers age, education, and abilities as the greatest positive attributes. But I see a newborn in the grocery store, cuddled by her mother, as 100% alert and responding to everything - cooing, smiling, looking at Mom and the stranger.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me, and do not forbid them." (Forbid is not shooing them away but denying them within the circle of Jesus.) But how are leaders picked today - politics, bullying, being a joker or someone with a smooth personality. 

"For to such belongs the Kingdom of God." There is no escaping this, coming from Jesus Himself. We should all be like the infant Jesus, all infants, innocent, taking everything in, listening, speaking or murmuring, smiling, turning to hear what the beloved is saying.

As Luther says, faith is from a child - utter trust. Adults need the utter trust which newborns display. The infants are listening, responding, hungering for food, and sleeping after all the energy expended.

Adults worry and fret about the things to come. We should be like the newborns, innocent while accepting the ultimate around them. Nothing in the world can be as powerful as Jesus Himself, with His angels, because the Savior has experienced everything, from wet diapers to torture and crucifixion, rising from the tomb.

Isn't it strange? The moderns of today want to dismiss the resurrection of Christ, His empty tomb, His world-wide appeal! Beneath their feet are billions and trillions of tiny creatures getting ready for spring, feeding and eating, sleeping and awake. "Isn't nature wonderful?" they ask. No, the Creation is far beyond our comprehension and the Babe in the manger established .

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

Hymn # 646                                  Silent Night 

The Prayers and Benediction

In our prayers - Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Kermit Way, Lito Cruz and his family, many others in our circles of friendship and faith.

Hymn #87                 Joy to the World