God Comes to Mary - December 14, 2016 - Third Advent Midweek - Text: Luke 1:26-38

Last week we were with Zechariah as the angel, Gabriel, announced to him that his wife Elizabeth, though barren and beyond child bearing years, would conceive and bear a son and that son would be the way preparer for the Messiah, the Savior of the world. At which point we also heard Zechariah’s words of doubt and skepticism, “how can this be?” This week we come to the scene of a young virgin, maybe thirteen, certainly not older than sixteen. We hear the same angel, Gabriel, greet her and announce that she will be the mother of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. As we hear the angel make his announcement to Mary we will certainly notice a difference in how the message is received. Remember Zechariah was old, experienced in the ways of life, even in the cruelty of not having children. He grew up as a priest in the temple worshiping, sacrificing to and praying to a God who seemed to, all but, have abandoned His people. I would suggest that he would have ample reason to be skeptical. This evening we will find quite a contrast in Mary. Well, let us get to it.
 

We begin by reviewing what we know about Mary. Our text reminds us that she was a descendant of David, as was her betrothed (v. 26-27). This is important, because we know that the promised Messiah would come from the line of David. If she were not from the line of David we would know that she could not be the mother of the Messiah.
 

We know that although she was betrothed, she had not yet been formally married and had never had relations with a man (v. 27). In the terminology of that day and even of today we would say that they had not yet consummated the marriage.
 

Now, last week we talked about Zechariah and Elizabeth and we noted all along that nothing of their ancestry, nothing of their lives, nothing in and of themselves, made them worthy of being a part of God’s plan of salvation. To be fair we should also note that there really is nothing in Mary’s ancestry and nothing in her life that makes her worthy of being a part of God’s plan of salvation, either. Yes, she was from the line of David, but so were many other young women. Yes, she was unmarried and a virgin, but certainly so were many other young women. Which brings us to the same point we made last week, it was by God’s grace that He chose Mary to be the mother of God. Not that Mary is to be worshiped and revered, but it was God who chose her, not because of anything on her part, but simply by His grace. Again, God is acting and  doing the things He does not according to our reason or logic, but according to His good will and pleasure and according to those things that bring praise and glory to His Holy Name.
 

So, what happened in Mary’s house? Our text tells us that she was greeted by the angel as one who was highly favored and this high favor was by God’s grace (v. 28). She was given God’s grace, she did not earn it. It was God’s grace that He put upon her and because of the grace He put on her she was highly favored. And notice Mary’s response, she was troubled (v. 29). Certainly she knew her sinful nature, that she was conceived and born in sin and that she was a sinner and now here she is standing in the presence of an angel, a messenger from God, of course this would have been troubling.
 

After greeting Mary, the angel announced that she would give birth to a child and that child would be the Savior of the world (v. 30-33). We do not spend enough time with this simple announcement, as we should. Because, you see, what the angel has just announce to Mary is that she will be a part of the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the Old Testament and the hope of the world. She will give birth to the Son promised to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. She would give birth to the one who would give His life as a sacrifice for her sins as well as for the sins of the world, and for your sins and mine. She would give birth to God Himself. This really is an announcement that would knock a person over.
 

Mary’s response to this announcement was not a question of doubt, but a question of “procedure” (v. 34). We might suggest that she was still young enough that she had not yet developed the skepticism that Zechariah had when he questioned the angel. Mary knew how babies were born. She knew that she was not married and that she had not consummated the marriage with Joseph. She knew that physically, according to nature, this could not happen and so she asked how this would happen.
 

The angel explains to her what will happen (v. 35-37). What will happen will happen only by the power and hand of God. What will happen will be nothing short of a miracle. What will happen is that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her, will impregnate her. Just ast the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to impregnate us with with, to give faith, so the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God for Mary to conceive. Because this Child is conceived by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, the Child that is conceived in her will be both God and man. Mary will become the mother of a son who will be both God and man.
 

So, with the faith of a child, Mary submits to the will of the Lord (v. 38). I wonder if she understands the ramifications of what is about to happen. Certainly she knows that to be pregnant out of marriage could mean her life, being stoned to death. She does not know what her betrothed husband will say because she did not talk it over with him. She simply answers in faith and submits to God’s will and says, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
 

As we were reminded last week with the conception of John to a mother and father who were beyond child bearing years and barren, with God all things are possible. God’s miracles do not depend on us and our belief or unbelief. Miracles happen because God makes them happen.
 

This evening we come together to continue preparing ourselves for our celebration of the new born King. We remind ourselves that it was not only for the sins of Adam and Eve that God promised to send a Savior, but it is for our sins as well.
 

This evening we are reminded once again of the great love our God has for us, so much that He intervened into our human history to make a promise to send a Savior and to fulfill His promise. Yes, we are reminded once again that this baby whose birth we are preparing once again to celebrate was born to die, for you and for me.
 

The events that we are “seeing” are not logical and reasonable, at least not according to our human understanding, but we realize that with God all things are possible. Indeed, what we are seeing is God loving us, His children. We see God acting according to what He knows we need and according to what is best for us. We see God doing what needs to be done for us because of His great love for us.
 

This evening we come again to see that our salvation is near, that Jesus Christ the Lord, was born as true God and true man. We see how Jesus is ushering in the Kingdom of God, indeed the last days of this world, we are living in the end times. And we continue getting ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
 

I would imagine that if I asked you if you thought your faith was more like Zechariah’s or Mary’s we would all like to say Mary’s, but we would probably have to admit, it really is more like Zechariah’s. How often we doubt God’s work and power in our own lives and especially in our own church and we demonstrate our doubt through our actions or rather, through our lack of action. As we continue in this Advent season I pray that the Lord would “melt” our hearts so that we could all be more like and have a faith more like Mary’s. I pray that we all may first and foremost believe God’s forgiveness and then share that forgiveness with others. As the Lord calls you to be His child in service to Him in His kingdom, I pray that He would move us all to answer, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” To God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Our Response to God’s Gifts - December 11, 2016 - Third Sunday in Advent - Text: Isaiah 35:1-10

Two weeks ago we talked about what a good and gracious gift giving God we have. We were reminded that our faith life and faith walk are not of our choosing, earning or deserving, but our faith life and faith walk are God’s doing, they are a response to all that God has done, all that He does and all that He will continue to do in and through us. It is God who has chosen us, put faith in our hearts and through His very means of grace continues to strengthen and keep us in faith. Our faith life and faith walk are a response of faith worked in us by the Holy Spirit and so, our actions, our lives reflect that faith which has been given to us by the Holy Spirit. This is shown in our lives through our regular divine service and Bible class attendance, through our speaking words of encouragement and building up one another, through our giving of our time, our talents and our treasure in service to God and His kingdom. Our text for this morning is another reminder of what a good and gracious gift giving God we have and how wonderful His gifts truly are.
 

In verses one through four we read about the first response to what God gives. “1The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you’” (v. 1-4).
 

The first response to what the Lord gives is the response of the whole earth. The whole earth will rejoice greatly and shout for joy, because even the whole world is waiting in eager anticipation of Christ second coming. The whole world is waiting for Christ’s second coming because it too is enslaved to sin, just like human beings. The whole world is waiting to be recreated and made perfect again, like it was before the fall into sin. And when it has been recreated the whole world will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
 

The glory of the Lord will be given to all. The whole world, plants and animals, great and small, all will be given the glory of the Lord. The glory of the Lord is the original perfection in which all things were created.
 

The glory of the Lord will overcome us. We will all be perfect. Then we will build up each other, the strong building up the weak. There will be no struggle for authority, for power, or for might, or seeming authority, power or might. We will all be perfect and live in perfect harmony.
 

In His second coming God will make all things new on the earth as we read picking up at verses five, “5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes” (v. 5-7)
 

The Lord will grant physical healing to all. There will be no more diseases, no more broken bodies, no more blindness, no more deafness, no more pain and suffering, no more ailments of any kind. Our bodies will be healed completely and made perfect.
 

The whole earth, the ground and all, will be healed of original sin. Man will no longer need to toil and labor, pulling weeds, or chopping down thorns. There will no longer be places that lack water, nor places that have too much water. The whole world, all of creation will be perfect. All these things will happen because God will make these things happen.
 

For the believers in Jesus Christ, for the faithful, they will follow the way to heaven as we read picking up at verses eight, “8And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there” (v. 8-9).
 

The way of holiness will be the highway that leads to heaven. This way will be for those made righteous by God. Do not misunderstand what Isaiah is saying. It is not our righteousness, but God’s righteousness put on us at our baptism, earned for us by Jesus death and resurrection. God’s holiness will be the highway that leads to heaven.
 

The heathen, the unclean, the unbeliever will not be allowed on this highway. Isaiah is very specific when he says that “The unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way.”
 

And on this highway there will be no fear because there will be no enemies, they will all have been defeated. This highway will be a protected highway, protected from all harm and danger, from all evil. This highway will be a highway for the Lord’s people.
 

Our response is further described in verse ten. “10And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (v. 10).
 

If you have been following our theme from two weeks ago and today, it should not surprise you when I say that our response of faith is first and foremost to be given the gifts God has to give. We are given His spiritual gifts by being in divine service and Bible class, by having family and personal devotions, by remembering our baptism and attending the Lord’s Supper. We also are given God’s gifts by acknowledging that He is the giver of all.
 

This also means that the opposite is true, that is that we refuse the gifts God give by not having regular attendance in divine service and Bible class, by not having family and personal devotions, by not remembering our Baptism and attending the Lord’s Supper, for to not take part in the gifts God gives is gift refusal and is sin. Thus, it is imperative that first and foremost we are given to!
 

Next we respond by giving ourselves to the Lord, as He motivates us to do so and only as He motivates us to do so. I have said it before and I will say it again, God does not want our money, He does not want anything from us, as if we have anything that He would need from us. God is God and He has everything and everything is His. He is the one who gives in the first place. What God wants is, God want us. He wants us to be in divine service where He can give us all the good gifts and blessings He has to give. He wants us to be in Bible class. He wants us to have personal and family devotions. God wants us, He wants you and me. And He wants to pour out His good gifts and blessings on us. When God has us, all the other things will fall into place. Let me say that again, when God has us, all the other things will fall into place. It is God who comes to us through the means of grace, through the Word, the Bible, through Confession and Absolution and the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper to bring us to faith, to strengthen us in our faith and to keep us in our faith. It is Jesus death and resurrection that has won for us forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven and it is through His means of grace that He lavishly pours out on us all these gifts.
 

After being given to from the Lord, we respond by singing praises to His name. We respond by praying and thanking Him for His many good gifts and blessings.
 

I want to make sure that we understand, our faith life and faith walk is not a have too, but it is a get to, it is not responding to God because He needs something from me. My faith life and faith walk is my responding to what the Lord has done for me and continues to do for me, what the Lord has given to me and what He continues to give to me. Our faith life and faith walk is what Christians do because of our need to respond to the many good gifts and blessings we have been given from the Lord. It is the fact that we just cannot help it, we must respond. And one’s faith life and faith walk is a privilege meant only for believers.
 

Fourteen and a half years ago God, through you, extended a call to me to be your pastor. In contemplating this call one person told me, “You don’t want to go there, that’s a dying congregation.” Well, two responses crossed my mind. First, dying congregations need a pastor too, but second, is it really dying? Since I have been here I have seen some members of this congregation pass away, and literally die, but I have also seen many children born and many new young families become a part of this congregation so that, really this congregation is not getting older, but younger. I have also witnessed many members transfer from sister congregations.  However, my concern is that this still may be a dying congregation. I say that because, unfortunately this congregation seems to follow the same pattern of most all congregations, that is that on any given Sunday 60-70% of the members refuse the gifts God has to give by absenting themselves from divine service and Bible Class. I have to tell you, I hurt for God because so many people reject Him each and every Sunday morning. And this rejection is after He has given and has done so much for each one of us, as we have been reviewing two Sunday’s ago and this Sunday and as we have been hearing on our Wednesday mid-week services.
 

I do not want to sound like a clanging cymbal or a noise gong, but I must reiterate, our time on this earth is short. Our time on this earth is fast and fleeting. And, especially compared to eternity, our time on this earth is nothing. And so I would encourage you, move your eyes and your focus off this world and the things of this world. Instead, move your eyes to focus on what lays ahead, on the goal of eternal life. And then, with the Lord’s help, motivation and prompting, do everything to make sure you are ready. Ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you, I urge you, I exhort you to be given the gifts as the Lord gives them!
 

In a moment we will confess our faith, our faith as Christians, using the Apostle’s Creed. This is our statement of what we believe. This is our statement which guides our faith life and faith walk. My pray continues to be that God will continue to give to you all the good gifts and blessings He has to give through the very means He has to give them, most especially His forgiveness and strengthening of faith, so that in the end, when we pass on to Him, or when He comes to us, we may all together, with all the saints who have gone on before us, stand before the Lord’s throne and say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

God Comes to Zechariah - December 7, 2016 - Second Advent Midweek - Text: Luke 1:5-25

Last week we followed along as the angel, the pre-incarnate Christ, Jesus Himself in bodily form before His birth as a man came to reiterate His covenant with Abram whose name He changed to Abraham. This week we hear the angel announce to Zechariah that Elizabeth would have a son who would be the one who would make straight the way for the Savior of the world.
 

This evening we begin with the angels announcement to Zechariah. So, what do we know about Zechariah and Elizabeth? What is it that makes them so special that they should be the parents of the forerunner of the Savior? Our text tells us that they were both were descendants of Aaron (v. 5). That simply means that they were a part of the family of priests who cared for the Lord’s temple. We would probably all agree that is not something that would necessarily make them worthy to be a part of God’s plan of salvation.
 

We know that both Zechariah and Elizabeth were upright in the sight of God (v. 6), our text says that they were “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” They both observed the Lord’s commandments and regulations without fault. Yet, again we would probably all agree that still is not something that would necessarily make them worthy to be a part of God’s plan of salvation.
 

And we know that they had no children (v.7). This being without children was a sign of being cursed by God which would definitely rule out their being worth of having a part in God’s plan of salvation. Adding insult to injury, our text goes on to state the fact that they were both past child bearing years. As we look at these facts about Zechariah and Elizabeth we can see that there really was nothing on their part, that made them worthy to be a part of God’s plan of salvation. And we see that in and of themselves, it seems impossible that they would have any part. But, that is the beauty of the whole arrangement of God’s plan, for you see, God does not do things according to our own reason and logic. God chooses and uses the people He does to show that He is the one who is in control, that He is the one doing the choosing, indeed, giving His gifts when and where He pleases regardless of the one being given to, and so praise and glory are given to Him alone.
 

We might say that Zechariah and Elizabeth are a microcosm of our own lives. Certainly we are conceived and born in sin. We daily sin much and are in need of forgiveness and there is nothing in us deserving of what our Lord promised and was about to bring to fulfillment, the sending of the one who would take care of the punishment for our sins. Even though we are quite unworthy, yet it is by God’s grace that we too are chosen and saved.
 

We know that Zechariah and Elizabeth did not deserve what they were given, that is why it was given to them by grace. By God’s grace He chose them to have a part in His plan of salvation. With that fact established, let us move on to, what happened in the temple? First we are told that “coincidentally” Zechariah was chosen, by lot to serve in the temple. We know there is no such thing as a coincidence and we know that it was by the Lord’s hand (v.8,9) as He directed the choosing of the lot, that he was chosen for service.
 

While in the temple the angel, Gabriel, appeared to him (v. 11-12). Gabriel announced something that was humanly impossible was about to happen. He announced that Elizabeth would give birth to a son (v. 13-17). Zechariah and Elizabeth, though old and she being barren, would have a son.
 

To this announcement Zechariah shows his skepticism (v. 18). And here we will notice a difference between how Zechariah questioned the angel compared to, when next week we hear, Mary who asks questions of the same angel. Zechariah shows his true skepticism. He wants proof. He is old. Elizabeth is old. He cannot believe what the angels says and so he wants concrete proof that what the angel is announcing is true. Does not this remind us of why God tells us to have faith as a child, since children have not yet developed the skepticism that we adults have.
 

In response to his skepticism, Gabriel announces a sign (v. 19-20). The sign, the concrete evidence, the proof was that Zechariah would not be able to speak until the words which he spoke would come true, in other words, until the baby was born and named, Zechariah would be dumb, unable to speak.
 

When Zechariah finally came out of the temple, after what must have been quite a delay as we are told the people were waiting and wondering at his delay, since he was unable to speak the people realized that something had happened. Many believed he had seen a vision. It must have been quite frustrating for Zechariah to not be able to speak as he attempted to make signs and yet they did not understand.
 

So, our text tells us that Zechariah finished his work for the day, and for the week (v. 21-24) and then he went home. We are told that Elizabeth became pregnant according to the word of the Lord (v. 24). And we are told that Elizabeth hid herself (v. 25). She hid herself because in her great joy of no longer being barren she did not want people to continue to look at her with their looks of pity on her, because of her barrenness. She hid herself until she was showing because she knew if she did tell people that she was pregnant they would more than likely not believe, after all she was beyond child bearing years. Finally, after she began to show that she was pregnant she did show herself so they would not look upon her with pity any longer.
 

This evening we hear the beginning of the end. We hear the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise God gave to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We hear the beginning of the promise of the birth of the way preparer for the Savior.
 

This evening we hear how God is intervening in human history to fulfill His promise. God is intervening with the preparations for the coming Messiah and as we will see He is intervening by being born in human flesh to give His life for the world. And yes we are seeing the beginning of the Kingdom of God entering the world, that is that as Jesus is born so He ushers in the last days. Yes, we are living in the last days as the events bring the last days to their beginning.
 

This evening we also hear how, with God, all things are possible. We may have a hard time understanding and believing the events that are being described and that are about to take place, but their taking place is not dependent on our belief. I remember seeing a church sign once that said, “Miracles happen to those who believe.” I wanted so bad to stop and correct their sign, to make it true. The person who put up the sign should have stopped after the second word, “Miracles happen.” They happen, not because you and I believe they happen, they happen because God makes them happen, when and where He pleases. Yes, all things are possible with God.
 

This evening we continue what we began two Sundays ago, preparing ourselves for our Christmas celebration as we get ourselves ready for the birth of the one who will prepare the way for the Savior, namely the birth of John the Baptist. We get ourselves ready as we bring to mind all those passages of promise that are beginning to be fulfilled. We get ourselves ready as we see the beginning of the end because it is Jesus who ushers in the end times. May the Lord continue to prepare your hearts and minds for the celebration of His Son. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

God Blesses - December. 4, 2016 - Second Sunday in Advent - Text: Isaiah 11:1-10

Last week we began our new Church Year with the first Sunday in Advent. Advent, the season we prepare ourselves for our celebration of the coming of the One Promised, the Messiah in Hebrew, the Christ in Greek. Last week we began preparing ourselves by talking about what God has done for us and what He continues to do for us, that is, gives us gifts and blessings, indeed He lavishly pours out on us all the good gifts and blessings He has to give; faith, forgiveness, life and salvation and He does this pouring out through His means of Grace; His Word and Sacraments. Even so this morning, this Second Sunday in Advent we continue to talk about what God has done and what He continues to do for us, that is, God freely and abundantly gives us all His good gifts and blessings.
 

The greatest blessing our Lord has given to us is the blessing of His Son, Jesus, born in human flesh. Our text describes Him as the shoot from the stump, we read, “1There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” (v. 1-2). The stump of Jesse that our text is talking about is the fallen kingdom of Israel. Israel had once been a great kingdom. It was once mighty David’s kingdom and all its glory was known throughout the known world. It was once wise Solomon’s kingdom, where people came to marvel at the wisdom the Lord had given to Solomon. But because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, the Lord allowed for this great kingdom to be overthrown and the people sent into exile. By the time of Jesus there was no kingdom of Israel, merely scattered Israelites.
 

Isaiah prophecies that Jesus will be the little shoot which will come from this chopped down tree stump. He will come in the sevenfold spirit; the spirit of the Lord, because He is true God; the spirit of wisdom, because as God He is all knowing; the spirit of understanding in all things; the spirit of counsel and of power; the spirit of knowledge, because He is familiar with all the mysteries of God; and with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.
 

Jesus will also come as ruler to judge the world as we read picking up at verse three, “3And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” (v. 3-5).” It is interesting that Jesus will not judge by what He sees or by what He hears. Jesus will not judge by what is shown on the outside of a person, nor by what He has heard about a person, rather He will judge by what He knows is in our hearts.
 

Jesus will judge in righteousness, because He alone knows what is true righteousness. Having Himself come as a poor man, He will judge with equity. He will judge the righteous to heaven and the wicked to eternal life in hell.
 

At His second coming, following the judgement, the believer will have life in heaven as described as “6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 9They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (v. 6-9).
 

Isaiah’s words describe heaven as a place of peaceful coexistence. Heaven will be similar to how it was in the Garden of Eden before the fall into sin. Heaven will be a place where there are no enemies between animals, nor between humans and animals. Heaven will be a place where there will be no sin. Heaven will be complete and perfect peace. Heaven will be a place filled with the knowledge and fear of the Lord. There will be no unanswered questions in heaven. Heaven will be a place where we will live in constant communion and awe of our Heavenly Father.
 

Heaven is the place to which Jesus will come to take all who believe in Him as we read, “10In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious” (v. 10). Heaven will be a place for all believers from all nations. Jesus did not die just for some people. He died for all people, of all nations, of all tribes, of all cultures. He died for all people of all places of all times. By grace, through faith in Jesus’ work on the cross, all believers of all nations will be saved.
 

Heaven is a glorious place. Heaven is a place that is filled with the love and grace of God. It is a place, beyond all human imagining and understanding.
 

What does this mean? During the season of Advent we prepare ourselves for an event that took place over two thousand years ago, the birth of our Savior, God in flesh, the Messiah, even Jesus. We prepare ourselves to celebrate this most precious and wonderful gift from God. Indeed, God is so gracious and loves us so much and we see His love for us in how He lavishes us with all His good gifts and blessings. As we remember, we were born with nothing and we will leave this world with nothing and so nothing is truly ours, although someone did once suggest that we do have sin which is ours and ours alone. Thanks be to God for His abundant forgiveness. As we prepare to celebrate God’s greatest gift of His Son who paid for our forgiveness, and the faith He gives to believe in His Son, perhaps we would do well to remind ourselves of all the other good gifts and blessings He so free and graciously gives to us. When it comes to the blessings God has given most certainly we include those that we confess in the explanation to the first article of the Apostles’ Creek, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.”
 

As we approach what has been dubbed by some as the Gift Giving Season, it is easy to lament all that we do not have, as some are want to do. We could spend the day looking at the lives of the rich and famous and think, boy, what I would not do to live like that, or we could spend the day counting all the blessings that we do have. You can always find someone who has it better than you so you can say, if only I had it that good. But you can always find someone one who has it worse than you. Take some time this week to sit down and count your blessings. We just named a few, clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home and so on. Once you get started I am sure you can come up with quite an extensive list.
 

When it comes to the blessings God gives we also confess that, “He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.” Yes, defense from danger and protection from evil is a great blessing. How often do we not see the angel that is watching over and guarding us when we have an accident of one kind or another. All those near misses are indeed the hand of God watching over and protecting us.
 

God does this, supplies us will all that we need, not because He has to, but because He wants to that is why we also confess that, “All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me.” We really do not deserve all that God gives to us. We really are entitled to nothing. If we are entitled to anything, it would be to eternal life in hell, because we are sinful human beings. Praise the Lord that He gives to us what He gives to us because of His fatherly, divine goodness and mercy.
 

And finally we confess that all we can do is to respond to all that He has done for us as we confess, “For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true.” Here again, as I said last week, I do not like the word duty, because that word implies something that we have to do. I prefer the word privilege. For all this it is my privilege to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. It is a privilege that is given to Christians alone. Unbelievers do not know God. They do not know that God gives them all that they have and need. They do not acknowledge God’s good gifts and blessings. They cannot respond because they do not know Him.
 

Last week we began preparing ourselves to celebrate the birth of the Savior. We were reminded that just as God kept His first promise to send a Savior so He will keep His promise to come again. We were reminded that Jesus’ birth ushered in the Kingdom of God, so that we are living in the Kingdom of God, that is we are living in the last days. We were reminded that each day we live brings us one day closer to His return or our going to Him. Last week we were remind of all good gifts and blessings given to us by God; gifts of faith, strengthening of faith, and of keeping us in faith.
 

Today we come to understand that our Lord loves us so much that He gives us all things even and especially those things we need for our body and life, which also includes our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today we are reminded of God’s promise that from the fallen family of the great Kings of Israel God raised up the promised Messiah, so indeed as we are His fallen children He raises us up in forgiveness of sins. As we see, God blesses us so much because He loves us so much. Finally we might add, that our blessings do include all that we need. Notice, I did not say all that we want. God knows what we need and He gives us what we need when we need it according to His good and gracious will. Our response is simply to praise the Lord for His good gifts and blessings. Thanks be to God and to Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.