Weddings between a man and woman are often joyous occasions. They celebrate the union of one man and one woman who leave their parents to become one flesh, to become one in purpose, to aid one another in life, in the blessings of parenthood, until death parts them.

It is worthy to be celebrated but when it comes to the celebration: who usually does the planning? Usually the bride, maybe with some help from their mother, sister, or friends. Sometimes the groom gives ideas and may help with some planning. The pastor should be the one directing the parts of the ceremony and service, but most often it is the bride who picks out the clothing and chooses the flowers, the decorations, the reception meal and other of the many details. The expense of the celebration has in our culture anyway, generally been that the father of the bride would pay but, now in these days, it is often a shared expense.

The wedding and its celebration is only a one day event, maybe two if you include the rehearsal. This all is interesting because as maybe some of you know, in the Old Testament and at the time of Jesus some of these things were different.

For example, almost everything from the arrangement of the marriage contract, including a pledge of money to the bride’s parents, to the secure provision of a house and income for the married couple was on the shoulders of the groom. Whatever celebration was going to accompany the wedding often involved providing food and wine for the wedding guests for more than a few days quite often up to a week, and it was the groom who shouldered the cost.

He also would be the one to plan and purchase everything necessary and hire a steward to distribute those items throughout the feasting. His reputation was at stake, not only to the community invited but also to his new bride and her family. If he failed in providing enough for the guests, it would be shameful. It would reflect badly upon him as a bad planner, a bad provider, a breaker of promises for his bride and he would be seen as potentially untrustworthy in future dealings with those in that community.

Yet, where is the perfect bridegroom? A Bridegroom who has it all together. Who is prepared for His bride in order to take care of her and give of himself completely for her from the moment of betrothal and beyond? All of us can look around, but we shall not find it here on earth. The meaning here actually goes beyond earthly marriage. The theological meaning of this text is for all us married or unmarried, young or old. For it is talking about our relationship to God as well as to our neighbor.

How many of us have been good and faithful planners? How many of us have made plans to be better but have not followed through? To treat our neighbor with care and concern as we should, but added “I’ll start tomorrow” and then forget about it. Or maybe we say: “next week I will start taking the sermon to heart and not just let it disappear once the pastor says: Amen.” Then we do anyway. How about: “I will not put anything before my love of God…” and yet, we end up putting our family, our pride, our lusts, our weaknesses, our comfort as our god and priority over and above God in our daily lives? When we put faith in ourselves or the things of this world, we are not planning well for the future. We are not showing ourselves to be trustworthy or faithful to God. We waste our time and take for granted God and all He does for us. We have His name placed upon us, but we shamefully destroy that reputation by our back-biting, our gossip, our mistreatment of those within the Christian community and even those in the world. We have been unfaithful as members of the union between God and mankind that He has tried to establish by His redemption. We do not deserve His love.

But then why did Jesus choose a wedding celebration as the location for His first miraculous sign? Often in Scripture, God is portrayed as a bridegroom and Israel as a bride, a very unfaithful and wicked bride, but a bride whom the bridegroom redeems again and again from her unfaithfulness. Could it be that this miracle at a wedding in Cana was foreshadowing the day of God’s marriage fulfillment with His people through Christ? Yes. As God spoke in Isaiah: “You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married: for the Lord delights in You…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

Yes, as the perfect groom who has plotted and planned and made the perfect calculations for marrying His beloved bride, God planned to send forth of Himself, Jesus, the Christ to redeem you and all who would believe. That wedding at Cana points to Himself as the truer bridegroom who provides beyond our need and even our wants. Despite our unfaithfulness along with unfaithful Israel, He pays the price to redeem us from our first father, the devil, by paying with His own blood the contract of our sin. The groom lays down His life at the cross for His bride so that she may live rather than receive the full measure of her trespass. The church, His bride is not beautiful to outsiders and the world, nor according to our sin, but to God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the church is the most beautiful thing in all creation, that which will be restored to her full beauty that is due her at the end of time when believers shall receive the gifts of His resurrected body and all shall become one in purpose and faith.

Jesus is your perfect caretaker and caregiver. When Christ was crucified and His side was pierced what poured forth from His side? Water and blood. He uses the power of water and His blood to wash you and redeem you as members of His bride to be made beautiful according to His righteousness. He has used His Word of command, and the water of purification in Holy Baptism to give you His royal name: to bring you into the unity of faith into communion with God.

As St. Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 5: “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Now you in Christ Jesus are reckoned without blemish, spot, or wrinkle, already decked out in the celebratory garments of Christ’s righteousness. This we received in Holy Baptism, and this is the power and the garment we receive anew by faith when we are returned to Him by repentance and absolution.

The blood which He shed He then gives in the wine during the wedding feast of victory in the Sacrament of the Altar. Therefore, we celebrate that God has not discarded us, but has redeemed us to be His own, to live before Him even now in righteousness and purity. He has a plan for you, a plan for salvation and eternal life in Him.

Let us then eat, confess, and praise His name and rejoice. The bridegroom comes even this day to His bride and we rejoice in His plan for our salvation, soaking in the generosity of His grace, receiving His power to remain faithful to Him as He is to us.

That is the significance of the 6 stone water jars used for the miracle of water changed to wine. These jars were used for the Jewish rite of purification. The making the impure, imperfect, the sinner, pure and whole again. These jars held between 20 and 30 gallons for a total of 120-180 gallons, which Jesus said to be filled to the brim. More than was needed, and it was of the best wine, the finest.

The Lord provides for you the finest wine and gives you grace and grace aplenty for all believers to provide for the cheer and strength of our spirits and bodies. His Word of Law and Gospel which speak His Love, His Divine Service which expresses that love to us from the cross… This is our gladness, for in Jesus Christ we, the Church are not forsaken, but declared God’s delight. We are married to Him, He is faithful to us. He gives us the power to be faithful to Him by His Holy Spirit, to continue to manifest and witness His love to the world around us. Your God now rejoices in you, let us now rejoice in Him. Then in the right and perfect time according to God’s plan we will be brought to the home that the Bridegroom Jesus Christ has prepared for us to live with Him in His joy and love for ever after. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Today, we heard the words, “This is My beloved Son; with Whom I am well pleased”. This was spoken by God the Father to His beloved Son immediately following His baptism in the Jordan River. Why was God the Father pleased with His beloved Son? God was pleased because Jesus was baptized.

This isn’t the same as when we baptize our children or we see our grandchildren baptized or any other person baptized and we are pleased by it. This was different.

WHY was Jesus baptized? Isn’t baptism for sinners who need to be turned from sin? That’s what God tells us in His Word. “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of all your sin” also “Baptism now saves you.” Was Jesus sick and infected with the deadliness of sin that infects each and every one of us? Was He in need of the life-giving medicine of Holy Baptism? No, not by His nature. He was not a sinner, He was not infected with sin like men and women; He was the perfect Son of God. John the Baptizer also knew that. Matthew tells us that John actually would have prevented Jesus from being baptized because he knew who Christ was—the blameless and perfect lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus didn’t need to be baptized because He had no sin to repent of…yet Jesus came to be baptized and was baptized. To John’s objections, Jesus said that this baptism was done to fulfill all righteousness. This answers the question “why did this baptism please the Father?”

This pleases the Father, because in this baptism Jesus, God’s Son, was indeed fulfilling all righteousness. Jesus was taking the place of sinners. He was substituting His righteousness in the place of sinners by becoming the scape goat upon which the sins of all people was laid. Notice also where Jesus comes from in order to be baptized—out of the midst of sinners. Out of the midst of that repentant crowd thronging John, those seeking a baptism of forgiveness of sin, Jesus steps into the waters of baptism. He steps out of the water as the perfect substitute for you and me; He steps out as one placed under the name of “sinner” except He Himself was without sin and guilty of none. In other words, in His baptism, Jesus was repenting in our stead, repenting for all actual sinner, He is the fulfiller of true repentance, true contrition, and true faith. Jesus was not being washed clean in the waters of Baptism as one who needed His sins washed away. Rather, He was fulfilling the Law as the true substitutionary sacrifice for us. Again, He became and was the scape goat placing your sins and mine upon His head so that our sin and our trespasses would be taken from us in Holy Baptism.

As the one who takes our place in this Old Testament baptism, Jesus was sanctifying, that is, He was making holy the water for the Holy NT baptism that He would establish in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit which gives the power of His atoning sacrifice at the cross which was part of the “fulfilling all righteousness”. The baptism of Jesus is now a sign of the power of all Christian baptisms done in His name and by His gracious command. Another way to look at it is that, you could almost say Jesus is in His baptism for our baptism serving as a sin filtration plant. All the filth and death of sinners goes into the water and is absorbed by Christ here at His baptism to be taken away from us and to His cross upon which He would die. Now all that flows through Christ and from Christ is holy, pure, and life-giving, including the gift of Holy baptism which imparts forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit giving faith. 

This last week we celebrated Epiphany, which celebrates the manifestation, the revealing of God and His mercy in the person of Jesus Christ to the Gentile wise men who followed His star and came to worship Him. Here in Jesus Christ’s baptism, God’s plan and promise of salvation for all mankind was being manifested; being revealed in the person of Christ right there in the Jordan River. The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove shows that in Jesus Christ, God and Man are now reconciled in that righteousness that He was fulfilling as the sinners’ substitute as He began His earthly ministry. And the Father’s voice affirms that this Jesus was His Son who was fulfilling His Father’s saving will.

We can recognize the significance of Christ being baptized by John. He fulfills the role of our substitute, the go between. He, at the river Jordan already stands between you and your sin which would condemn you and God in His righteous wrath against your sin. Why? because Jesus wasn’t just baptized and then forgot about it. He took that sign of sinner taking the sin of the world and its burden all the way to the cross to die where we deserved to die forever because of our sin.

Christ then gives us again His victorious righteousness through His means of Grace. This is what St. Paul is talking about in the Epistle lesson for today. We were not wise, nor powerful, nor of noble birth. Sinners admit that they are low and beneath God’s standards. We are not worthy of being saved by our innate “goodness”. Yet this admission of guilt and humiliation is considered foolishness to the world. The world takes pride in sin, and calls that pride “wisdom and power” and even sometimes nobility. But we who admit that we are sinners and need this salvation, will admit to the world, “yes, if you think repentance and faith is foolish, then yes, I am a fool. I am a fool for Christ. And I will boast in the Lord.”

We have been baptized into the blood of the One who was considered the lowest of the low, the most despised and foolish One, the One who suffered death and humiliation though He deserved none of it. Yet it was by this lowly man who was also the Son of God, that God in weakness shows His strength, in whom and through whom the wisdom and the revelation of God are made known. To the world; foolishness. To those who are being saved, the greatest of knowledge, salvation, and wisdom: Jesus Christ crucified and raised for our sin. Through this same Jesus, God will bring to nothing the pride of this world and its Satanic prince.

Dear brothers and sisters, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

The victories of Christ’s death and resurrection continue to flow into our lives and are made ours by Christ Himself through the waters of Holy Baptism. We cannot ascend into heaven and secure this eternal victory for ourselves. We cannot overcome our sin, the temptation of our flesh, the accusations of the devil, nor the threat of death. That’s why in baptism, God brings the victory of the cross to us. Through it the Holy Spirit has come to us by the power of His Word working through the water and we are anointed with His name. We were baptized into Jesus Christ’s death, buried with Him, so that we would die to sin. This was done so that just as Christ was raised from the dead we too might walk in newness of life and be united with Him in a resurrection like His. In baptism, Christ’s victories are, in God’s eyes, made our victories. Now we are set free from sin as we live with Christ.

For the faith that clings fast to the promise and Word of God in baptism, there is nothing to fear on this side of eternity; not sickness, not suffering, not even death! Why? Because we are baptized by God into Christ, He who overcame and crushed all of these things for us. Death no longer has dominion over Him, the same is now true for baptized believers who have been baptized into His death, His resurrection, and now live by faith in Him as He lives in them.

A baptismally alive faith in Jesus Christ also can’t help but freely share this Good News with others. God has chosen to use the simple means of the faithful confession of each and every baptized person to make known the wonderful news that all mankind is forgiven in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He uses that simple confession and witness to bring others to the waters of Holy Baptism. Will people mock you, tell you that you are so preachy or a foolish fanatic? So be it! Through you, God is still manifesting and making Christ known to a world buried in sin and darkness. God doesn’t call you to give a grand dissertation or offer up your opinion or offer up some mathematical proof to the world regarding His working of salvation in Christ. He doesn’t call you to speak about anything other than what He has already done for you and for the entire world in the work and person of Jesus Christ: namely forgiveness, joy, life, and freedom from sin, death, and the devil. 

God grant you the strength, the courage, and the peace that comes with sharing and living in the blessed realities of the life that has been baptized into our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What have you to fear? You ARE baptized into Christ. You ARE a child of paradise. As you confess and stand firm in that faith in Jesus Christ and for His sake the Father says to you “You are My beloved child, with whom I am well pleased”! In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

A blessed Christmas to each of you! Today is the 12th and last day of the Christmas season, but tomorrow or tonight at sunset, begins Epiphany! Therefore, a blessed Epiphany to you all, as well!

Epiphany is the Gentile Christmas. It is the day when we celebrate the fact that God manifested, “Epi Phany” that is, shone upon the world and publicly revealed Himself to the Gentiles as their God and Lord. Yes, salvation is from the Jews, but not just for the Jews. On Christmas we remember how God had shown His glorious heavenly glory to the Jewish shepherds so that they would know about Jesus being born in Bethlehem and would go and see their Savior. So, on Epiphany we celebrate the historic event and reality that God also enlightened the Gentiles with the message of their salvation by the guiding of the Star to lead them to the greatest of all light and truth, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, on January 6th, which we are observing today, we give thanks and praise that what Isaiah wrote in chapter 9 has come true: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” And in chapter 60
“the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

In the Gospel text we read that sometime after Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, Magi, often translated as “wise men” from the East came to Jerusalem.

We don’t know much about these wise men. We don’t even know how many there were. It could have been 2, 3, or 23. We just know there was more than one, and they made a big enough of a scene in Jerusalem to warrant an audience with King Herod. The Greek refers to them as magi, which means they most likely were coming from the regions of Babylonia and Persia (modern Iraq and Iran) and they were astrologers, teachers, seers, interpreters of dreams. They were pagan sorcerers and star gazers. Yet to the chief city of Israel they came. Why? They said “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” They came to see the King of the Jews. Yet if they did not search the royal house of Herod. They were looking for one greater than he. No, they understood that this King of the Jews had command over the stars and creation. They recognized that the great star and celestial sign which they had seen rising in the sky belonged to this one who had been born. It testified to the birth of a god king.

Herod heard of these strangers who were asking these questions. He was greatly troubled because he was afraid of usurpers, he was afraid of losing his power. Historically, we know that Herod killed his own sons, and various relatives to hold on to the title of “king” which had been a position given to him and his line by the Romans. This jealousy drove him into all kinds of evil acts including the slaughter of innocent babies of Bethlehem after this epiphany.

After consulting experts in God’s Word, which could have been an opportunity for Herod to be converted, except for the hardness of His heart. They found that this promised one was to be born in Bethlehem. He was going to be a king who would shepherd God’s people. After finding this out, then Herod called the magi, wise men, to consult them and find out when this star had appeared so as to figure out how old this baby king was. Then King Herod directed them to Bethlehem and expressed an interest in a pious way. He said, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

Really, he desired for them to spy out this rival so that He could then deal with it according to His murderous plan.

We are told that the magi, listened to Herod and went on their way, when behold the star which must stopped shining for a while reappeared and went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Where was the child. Often, we place this visit of the wise men as coming to the manger scene in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, but the text in Matthew implies that it was a good amount of time before the wise men came to see Jesus. In fact, it is possible that the reason the star appeared to lead the wise men on, was to lead them to Nazareth and not Bethlehem, for as the Gospel of St. Luke tells us and we heard last week. “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.”

 We are told that when the magi saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. God confirmed their travel of faith, that He was going to lead them to their object of devotion! What joy was theirs.

So then, going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

They went into the house and saw the young child which the Greek calls paidion or toddler. When the shepherds found Jesus, he was a brephos or newborn. So, they saw the toddler Jesus, with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. They prostrated themselves: laid themselves right out. For they knew that this was no ordinary king, but the Son of God. The creator of the universe. And the gifts they brought were inspired by God’s light and direction even as He directed them to Scripture, and here to their Savior. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts pointed to the 3 fold office Jesus the Christ was anointed to fulfill. Gold for His kingship, frankincense for His office of priest, and myrrh for His office of prophecy, signifying that He would die a prophet’s death. For myrrh was often used as a burial spice and ointment. Then they returned a different way having been warned of Herod in a dream.

So, what do we make of all this? We see that God in His mercy comes and shines His light: the light of His Word, His Law/Gospel, and the light of His Son even to those who walk in darkness.

So that we too who have sinned, many who do not have the heritage of Abraham’s blood, we who have so often fallen into the trap of the wisdom of this world, the weakness of the flesh, who all too often have been jealous and selfish and self serving like Herod, carrying on in the darkness that surrounds us. Great sinners that we have been, we too have been called to God’s light and gathered by His truth to see and behold the great light of salvation in Jesus Christ. Though we so often fall back into the darkness of our sin, and the world, God awakens us again. Reminding us of what Jesus has accomplished. He is the glorious morning star. He is the rose springing up from the line of David. Son of God and Son of Man to take our place of judgement by being the prophet of prophets revealing the will of God in Himself, and He is the fulfillment of all priesthood by becoming the chief and perfect sacrifice for sin on the cross so that sin and death were defeated.

It is significant that the magi spoke of “seeing His star when it rose” and that it seemed to cease shining for a time to rise and shine again. For our glorious morning star, Jesus Christ seemed to have his light and life darkened at the cross on Good Friday when He died and then was buried into the ground, but this star, this Jesus Christ, rose again. He showed that the evil jealousy of the devil could not win. That death was truly defeated, that the price of sin was paid at the cross. Now the light of light eternal shines in Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead so that we can see Him as our Savior and our king. For now, He reigns with His righteousness, by His wisdom and grace through His Word and Sacraments. We who were far off have been brought near through baptism into His blood and have been purified and declared forgiven by His name. We are brought to the place of His presence where the King of Kings an Lord of Lords, the creator and redeemer, redeems us again in this Divine Service. Where we too are invited to cast off the so-called wisdom of this world, and behold Him and receive Him in His body and blood given in the bread and wine for us to eat and to drink, and be sent again into the world a different way: a way of life, a way of love. So that we have been freed to live in hope by faith, to be led by the cross of Christ which is our victory. So that as He has shown us His great love we may show the light of His love in His love.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Let us like the wise men come into His presence with thanksgiving. We have seen His light, we behold here our God and Savior in His flesh and blood. We see His light which has shown upon us in His grace. Now that we see Him our star of beauteous wonder and grace, let us also rejoice exceedingly with great joy. Your Savior is come. A very blessed and joyous Epiphany through Jesus Christ!

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Last year for the 1st Sunday after Christmas I emphasized vs. 22ff of Luke 2, but today I am going to focus on Luke 2:21. The Advent midweek theme was all about the names given to the promised child of Bethlehem. In today’s text, we hear again that name given above all other names. In one little verse in Luke, easily overlooked in the midst of the narrative of Jesus’ birth and infancy and the account of Simeon and Anna. We have “at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” Luke 2:21 

Up until this verse, Luke does not refer to Jesus by name. In Bethlehem’s manger he is simply a baby, a swaddled newborn with no name. When the shepherds visit, they don’t ask what most people ask when a child is born, “What’s his name?” He didn’t have a name at Christmas. But He received His name the name the day He got the mark of the covenant: circumcision.

The official day which the Church observes this festival of His circumcision is Jan. 1, eight days after Jesus’ birth. While the rest of the world will be nursing its new year’s hangover and wishing one another “Happy New Year!” and settling in for some college bowl games and parades, we of the Church see January 1, the eighth day of Christmas, as a day to celebrate the naming of and the Circumcision of Jesus. Unless you are Jewish by background, this seems like a really weird thing to celebrate.

The 8th day is prescribed in the Levitical law by God’s command. There was no notion of waiting until the child was old enough to decide for himself whether or not he would be circumcised. There was no sense of an age of accountability or any such thing. Circumcision was God’s way of teaching about humanity’s sinful and helpless condition. God was showing the OT believers that sin was something that was part of them from birth, something that needed to be removed in order for them to belong to God’s people. All people are sinful by nature and need to have their sin taken away and destroyed in order to belong to God. You need someone else’s help to overcome your sinful nature, and that help needs to be drastic – drastic like taking a knife to the one body part that least wants to feel a knife. No eight-day-old baby is going to grab that knife and circumcise himself. It had to be done for him, when he could not do it himself, before he could be God’s. Therefore, on the eighth day every baby boy born in Israel received this sign of the covenant and became a son of the covenant, an Israelite, a son of Abraham and an heir of promise redeemed from the curse of his father Adam, cut out from the world. With this identity, he now was to get a name.

And so it went with this child. He is given the name Y’shua: Jesus, which literally means “Yahweh is salvation”, as the angel had said “for He will save His people from their sins.” How will He accomplish this? How will He save His people from their sins? By becoming obedient to the Law, by becoming a son of the covenant, by shedding His blood under the Law to redeem those who were under the Law, those held captive by sin and death. This is precisely why the Son of God became Flesh and was born. He was “born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law.” And here is His first act of obedience for the redemption of mankind.

The sweet little Christmas lullaby speculates, “but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.” I doubt that was true when He laid Him in a manger. I doubly doubt it was true on the eighth day when He experiences in His own infant flesh what it means to be “under the Law.” Think of this as a prelude to the pain and cries of the cross. In order to understand this day and the significance of Jesus’ circumcision, you need to understand fully who Jesus is as the Son of God become flesh. He really is the second Adam, the truer Adam. He’s all of humanity in one Person. He is the Stand-in for the entire human race, and He embodies all of humanity in His own body.

The apostle Paul explains this for us in his letter to the Colossians. “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Col 2:9-12)

What’s Paul saying? First, that in Jesus the fullness of divinity dwells bodily. That means that even as an 8 day old baby boy, Jesus is fully God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Fully divine as well as fully human. And that union of divinity with humanity means that He is able to embrace others into Himself so that what happens to Him also happens to them in Him.

Now in that truth understand this, that in Him, all of you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in the circumcision of Christ by the power of God. That includes the boys and the girls. This cutting out wasn’t done on you, it was done on Jesus, and being done on Jesus, for His sake, you were included. In other words, you might say that when Christ was circumcised and became a son of Israel, so did you in Him. And that’s why circumcision was no longer a binding law in the New Testament, it became something completely free, optional, and religiously unnecessary. Because, when Jesus was circumcised, the old Law was fulfilled in Him and all believers in Him are now assumed into Israel.

Circumcision represented the putting off of the body of the flesh, the mortification of the old Adam. Adam has to die, sin needs to be cut off and cut out. Circumcision signified that, but now something more has accomplished this, for you were buried with Christ and had the old Adam drowned in Holy Baptism. So not only did you become an Israelite in Christ, you were also joined to Him in His death and burial through Holy Baptism. You were raised with Him through faith from your weakness, death, and sin to His life, pure, and holy. In a way, you are even exalted, seated and glorified at the right hand of God in Christ, but only in Christ.

You are still existing in this body of death, in this old Adam that needs to be threatened, punished, disciplined, and put to death in confession and absolution remembering your baptism day in and day out. But now you, by faith in Christ, are reckoned perfectly free, perfectly alive, justified, forgiven, sanctified, and even glorified in Christ.

In His circumcision two gifts from God in Christ are extolled and glorified: His obedience under the Law and His Name. His obedience is the undoing of Adam’s sin. As Adam brought all of humanity into Sin and Death, so Jesus takes all of humanity into justification and life. As in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. He kept the Law perfectly in your place. That perfect obedience is yours, your clothing, your covering, your justification before God. You have been baptized and now the name of the Triune God and Jesus Christ identify who you are as a Christian believer, and you can stand before God, forgiven, rescued, redeemed for His sake alone.

Now you are free from the selfishness of Adam and your flesh to be who you really are in Christ, to do the goodness and mercy of God for your neighbor, for those around you. You are free to lay down your life in service of others, not to please God nor to earn His favor and forgiveness, but as one redeemed and saved in the name that is “above every name.” An ordinary, common human name. But joined to His divinity, the name of Jesus becomes the fulfillment of “Yahweh is salvation” for you. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we are saved.
With His Name comes the promise of His presence, that where two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is in their midst. With His Name comes the mandate to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to the ends of the earth. With His Name is the promise of prayer, that whatever you ask in His Name, His Father and your Father in heaven will grant it. With His Name is the promise of forgiveness, of life, of salvation, of peace: Peace which the world cannot give, but can be given in His name, in His body and blood given and shed for you for your good, for your life unto eternal life.

Baptized with Jesus Christ circumcised on the eighth day and raised on the eighth day of the week, you also have the sign of eight upon you. That is the sign of the new day of the new creation, of eternal life for soul and body forever redeemed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which is our hope.
None of us knows what the new calendar year will bring in terms of health, wealth and love. The days and the seasons are the Lord’s, and everything we do always is within the framework of “If the Lord be willing” as James rightly says.

But we do know this and have it as our certainty in the midst of uncertainty: We have Jesus’ obedience under the Law, His perfect righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. And we have His Name which is now our name, the Name by which we are saved from our sins.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

In the beginning…
John begins his Gospel of Jesus Christ with the same words that start the creation account of Genesis. “In the beginning”.  It’s no accident, of course. The same Son of God who was there in the beginning is the one who comes in the flesh to save us born at Christmas. Yet, Bethlehem is not His beginning, nor even is the womb of Mary. The origins of Jesus Christ are from of old, even, from before the beginning.

What was at the beginning? Secular Quantum physicists have tried to reason out and discover the secrets of the universe. They examine how the smallest particles that make up our world might fit together. Using their intellect, they’ve come to the conclusion that everything had a beginning, but not by the will of an intelligent Divine creator, but by chance at the Big Bang. There and then, they believe, everything started with an explosion and all matter spread out from a single point. Of course, this is from their own fantastic theory. No one was there to see it. When pressed, even they admit their best theories break down into absurdity when pushed to the limit. Time itself becomes meaningless as they begin to speak of billions and trillions of years.

That’s their word on the subject. But we Christians have another word about the beginning, and that Word is Christ. He was with God in the beginning, for He is God. All things, therefore, begin with Him. By Him all things were made. Nothing exists that wasn’t created through Him. Not even smarty-pants physicists. Not even you or me.  

That this Baby born in Bethlehem is the Creator of all things is not something to lightly pass over. The ultimate being, the holder of all reality, God of gods, Lord of Lords, Eternal, all-knowing and all-powerful would bring Himself down to come down, to be one of us, to be conceived and born, born in the most usual way we humans are. He of such glory and majesty that even to look on Him before was surely death, but now He’s a baby and everything that it means – crying, needing his mother, making dirty diapers and all. God of the universe, here in time, for you. The one from before the beginning, now makes His fleshly beginning as one of us. Wonder for a moment at that.

John calls Him the “Word”, the “Logos” (in the Greek). How can a word be alive? How can a word be eternal? How can all things depend on this word?

In our everyday experience, words can mean very little or be tainted with sinful intent. You say something, but you don’t mean it. You hear words like advertisements. The latest words of politicians. The store checker trying to sign you up for their credit card. None of these words mean all that much. Gimmicks. Words to lie and lead and take advantage of people. But they are the words of man.

So often we use words in a negative way. We say things that aren’t true. We make promises that we know we won’t or can’t keep. We curse, swear, lie and deceive. We tear others down while acting like it is for their good. Our words are so often poisonous, bubbling out of the polluted heart and doing nothing but spreading the chaos of sin and death. We must confess with our unclean lips, that we are ruined if not for the saving Word of Christ, the very living Word of God.

The Word of God is wonderfully different. This word is creative. It made all things. This Word is powerful and has the authority of God. The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword. It cuts away the lies and false words of pride and self-justification with the law’s accusations, but it also severs us from guilt and shame by the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is eternal: none of His words will pass away even though the heavens and the earth will. This Word stands alone.

Jesus Christ is that living Word. This is John’s Christmas account: a more theological word of explanation of the events of Luke 2. It explains the meaning of the incarnation. In Jesus Christ, God became flesh. There in the manger, the silent Word is pleading for us. There in the manger, the Word that one day will be pierced by nails and spear, has come to speak the word of comfort.

In Him was life and that life was the light of men… Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is both Life and Light. He is the source of all Life, since by Him all things were made. He is the Light of Lights, from whom even the first light shone.

“Life” mystifies the scientists and philosophers. It’s hard to define, and far harder to explain. They madly search for life on other planets, yet do not value human life here on earth. Those steeped in Darwin’s theories of evolution cannot grasp any explanations for life’s origin and purpose. Is life so complex? Where did this information tattooed on the cells of each being come from? DNA, RNA, microscopic systems that exceed the most cutting edge technology we can design. Life, which is designed to overcome obstacles and seems adapted for every challenge to its existence. Life in all of its wonderful variety yet miraculous order. Human life is in a category of its own. A PhD in biology won’t even scratch the surface of the mysteries of life. But we Christians know from whence life comes. It is from Him, the ever-living one. Life was in Him, from the beginning. The life that is the light of men. And all life and light is found in Him, even today.

But the fulfillment of life is not where we “live”, in our sinful nature in this fallen creation. The First Adam brought death because of sin. It broke God’s design. Therefore, every new life here on earth has a beginning but a tragic end: in death. We sinners know little of life, but we are well acquainted with death. We see it all around us and we fear its effects creeping in on us. We hear of this shooting and that cancer. Though we often speak of death in whispers, or hide it in hospitals, or try to sanitize it with euphemisms like “pass away” or “no longer with us”, still it exists.  We know well the wages of our sin.  It’s like a dark cloud that follows us everywhere and eventually swallows us up.  

But Christ is the life. And He brings that life to us through His death. But He is so much life, that death cannot hold Him. Risen from the dead, He gives life to all who believe on His name. He gives them the same life, making them, making us: children of God. We’re in the family. We’re of shared blood. Not of regular flesh and blood, but born of God. Because He was born of flesh and blood, for us. He has poured that blood out from the cross as a sacrifice that now covers us in Holy Baptism.

Another thing of mystery to the scientists: is light.  It’s nature, still not fully understood. It’s speed is constant, and nothing can go faster. Yet light can bend and warp. It’s a wave and a particle, depending on when and how you’re looking.  One of the simplest and basic elements of creation, still its true nature eludes our brightest and best minds. So common, so necessary to our experience as humans, and yet a mystery.

Who can see anything without light? Who can see anything without Christ? All else is sitting in darkness. Like death, we know the darkness well. Our sin loves the darkness, for in the darkness, it thinks it can hide: afraid of exposure. Woe to anyone who tries to cast the light upon our sin! “Who are you to judge me!? You’ve got your own sin, too! Your darkness is worse than my darkness”, I tell myself, and the darkness makes us more dull and blind.

The light of Christ casts out all darkness. It shines through and not only exposes sin but chases it away with the light of His truth. The true light, the source of all light comes into the world to dispel the darkness, ignorance and the lies cast by sin and bring hope and faith in its place.

John the baptizer came, preparing the way and making straight the path for the greater one to come. The one whose origins are from of old, even from before the beginning. John wasn’t the light, but he testified to it, pointed to Him, Jesus Christ the light of the world. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  The Glory of God now revealed in human flesh.

Some will see Him, with eyes enlightened by faith.  Others will remain in the darkness. He came to His own, the people who should have known Him, but they did not.  Many others who you wouldn’t think would, would come to the light. Some will prefer the shadows of sin and death, but others will believe in Him and live. This is the meaning of Christmas for you who believe: Life. Light. And an eternal word of salvation.

In the love and hope and joy and peace that God gives this Christmas, we see a child, born to die, a perfect little one: truly innocent in every way. The Word made Flesh. The Light of the World. The Life of all mankind, wrapped up in this little bundle of Bethlehem joy. Thanks be to God for this one, this Jesus, the Christ, who brings us grace and truth, even today. In the beginning, at the manger, from the cross, in the fount, in His Holy Supper, and in His Word always for your salvation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him
Born the king of angels:

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!

A very Blessed and merry Christmas, it is good to be gathered here tonight. Christians the world over gather on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to remember that all that we may be joyful tonight in Jesus Christ. Jesus who was born of Mary 9 months after the messenger of God, Gabriel, announced the into flesh visitation of God’s Son through her. A baby boy who would be named Jesus: literally “Yahweh saves”. In the town of Bethlehem, the city of David was born and gulped his first gasps of air, the Savior of all humanity. As we sang in verse 2: “born of a virgin, a mortal He comes”. The everlasting light, the immortal Divine, Son of the Father now places Himself in flesh that not only with a potential to die, but He has come for that very purpose: to die. To for us. To die for even us who have not been faithful to God’s Word, It is in Him that we can be joyful and triumphant, because as we will sing: “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Him tonight.”

Every child conceived in this world is fragile and precious. Why? Because they are born under the curse of sin, hence the fragility, for sin comes with the curse of death. A descendant of Adam and Eve we have an inborn fear because there is an immediate knowledge of death, therefore fear often controls and motivates a desire to live only for self, and in living for self, we sin. This selfish perspective is an attitude that only can inevitably leads to disappointment and sadness, anger, strife, despair, and emptiness and finally that feared death. Without true hope, this life can be wearisome and full of fear.

But tonight we are reminded that there is hope outside us, there is reason to live in joy. A hope that the Old Testament believers ached and yearned to see, a hope that comes from God as He had promised so many many years before. Instead of death and separation, God promises life, reconciliation, and unity with Himself for those who do not refuse His grace. That is why we rejoice in awe and wonder this night. The salvation of mankind through the flesh of Jesus Christ began to be realized here in time on this day.

So we by faith behold Him in the manger: The eternal Son of God, now a Son of Man: fragile and soft, like every new born baby of all times in all places. This fragile flesh of this new born baby Christ child, so much like every baby we have ever seen, this fragile flesh came to be fragile for you and me. He came in fragile but sinless form, to give of Himself, to be broken so that you and I and all believers would no longer have to be broken in our sins, our heart ache, our broken dreams and hopes that were placed in and for ourselves. No longer destined for eternal death, we have a hope far greater and far more eternal, because that new born babe of Bethlehem was fragile for you and me. He grew up sinless in our stead to be broken and die on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. The immortal one dies in the place of mortals so that by His sacrifice, we might gain eternal life by faith in Him. To show His power over death, Christ was raised bodily from the dead, to show the resurrection that believers shall also receive.

Our troubles, our sins, our failures and fears and all that would overwhelm us from the past and even the future when they cast upon and meet Jesus, they are overcome. Sin, death, and the power of the devil are also overcome and crushed by Jesus the Christ. The same baby voice which cooed and cried from the manger now speaks with command over our spiritual enemies. In the voice and comfort of His Word as He speaks to us giving us already a peace on earth and in our hearts by the forgiveness of our sins.

So we laud and worship, adore and give thanks to God as we marvel at the miracle made known to the Shepherds. On this Christmas night we think on this, that God did not forsake His people of old; He will not now forsake His people today. Jesus comes into the darkness of our sin and our clouded minds and becomes our light of hope. Baptized into Him, with the Word of God coming to us, we may be startled at first, and our flesh like the shepherds may become afraid at His light dispelling our darkness, but the message of Jesus Christ born, crucified and raised is glad tidings of great joy. It is the message of courage, of life, of hope. Listen and hear the voice of the Angel who speaks from God to you: “Fear not!” Let go of the fear. Hope in Him: for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. Tonight, by the power of the Holy Spirit let the Christ be born anew within you by faith as when you were first baptized. Let His peace envelope and swaddle you by the forgiveness of sins and be warmed by His love. You have seen and do see this Savior in the sacraments in water and bread and wine where the Christ comes to you and continues to enter in. He promises to abide with us as our Emmanuel through these means throughout the year and our lives to eternal life.

Tonight, as we ponder the mystery of God’s love, the wonder of the angels and shepherds. As we sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Silent Night”, listen to that sound which speaks in the silence: peace, love, joy with God in Jesus Christ, your Savior, your hope and the answer to all your fears, not only for tonight but for all your years until we meet Christ at the last. He will take us to heaven to live with Him there; to abide with Him and sing forever with the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men and women who are made faithful believers for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

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.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

I am sure that at some point you have heard the Popular Christmas song called “Mary did you know”. If you haven’t heard of it, the singer asks the Virgin mother if she knew that her baby boy was going to do many of the various things that Jesus ended up doing His earthly Ministry including walking on water and so on. Eventually the singer asks: “Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?” The song of the Virgin Mary which we heard today answers that question. She may not have known all the specifics of what all He was going to do during His earthly ministry, because she could not fully know the future, but she knew that the boy growing inside her was her Savior and the Savior of the world. The message that the angel had given, along with her knowledge of Holy Scripture, and now spurred further by the greeting of Elizabeth, tells us that she knew. She sang the song which we heard read today. That song is called the “Magnificat” because of the first word in its Latin translation of her first words referring to her soul magnifying the Lord. Mary’s song is the first song recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, and its placement is like an aria in an opera or a musical number within a musical or movie. The action stops and the song is sung so that the hearers and readers may stop and reflect and meditate on the situation; so that they too may better savor the moment and message that is taking place.

Surely this is the work of the Holy Spirit, not only in moving Mary to sing, but in moving Luke to include this song right where it is so that we today and believers of every generation may savor the message of God’s grace.

The Magnificat is sung after the two mothers of promise are brought together; Elizabeth who was pregnant despite her old age and previous barrenness, and Mary pregnant by the power of the Spirit of the Lord even as she remained a virgin. Elizabeth would bear the great prophet who ushered in the age of salvation, John the Baptizer, the one who prepared the Way of the Lord. John was already filled with the Holy Spirit enough to leap at the sound of Mary’s voice. She who bore in her womb the Good News carrying the Word of God made flesh, God Himself, the very Son of God as the Angel Gabriel had just announced to her. In response to the Angel’s announcement and the greeting of her cousin Elizabeth, Mary was moved by faith to sing this song which has been and still is sung by believers ever since.

As I said, part of Mary’s inspiration for her song came from her knowledge of Scripture. So, she carries within her song many of the same themes and messages from not only the Psalms and the poetry of the prophets, but also the song of Hannah from the 1st book of Samuel. Mary, by the Holy Spirit, was realizing her role within salvation history. She was overcome with joy in what God had accomplished in the past, and what He was establishing now in her womb, and the fact that God was and is ever faithful. He remembers His promises and He remembers those who suffer and cry out to Him. To them He shows mercy, both now physically and spiritually now and hereafter in eternity.

This is very much the theme of the Nativity songs of Christmas, but it is also the theme of the Beatitudes, within all the miracles of the Gospels, the very theme of the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ. Which theme? The theme of remembrance and mercy, the theme of lifting up the humble and broken hearted, even as God also brings down the proud and arrogant, the rich and mighty of earthly power. This theme is often called “the great reversal”. The Great Reversal describes how God works within His Fallen creation. It is the paradox that God in His mighty power might reveal Himself in weakness. That He who is master of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and thunder bursts would reveal Himself in a still small voice. The Great reversal echoes the paradox that the Son of God, the King of Kings would come as a suffering servant to sacrifice and be sacrificed for those who don’t deserve salvation. The Great reversal explains the power of God’s Word working through His Law and Gospel. Through the Law He tears down the arrogance and hypocrisy of self-righteousness, He tears down those who have placed themselves above Scripture as though they ruled over God’s Word, those who have been filled with the junk food of this world’s treasures and priorities. They are truly empty and are revealed to be empty by God’s Word. If this reversal in the spiritual realm is not clear to earthly eyes now, I assure you it will be fully revealed when Jesus Christ does come again in judgment and those who remained arrogant in the thoughts of their heart will be scattered to Sheol, that is Hell, and those who thought they were mighty will be cast down into Hell, and those who filled their bellies and lives with the priorities of this life will be turned away empty into the eternal abyss.

The purpose of the preaching of the Law here in time is to prevent the final condemnation for people. So that the arrogant might become as the humble, that the proud and self-righteous might realize they have no righteousness within themselves, so that those who were filled with the evil of this world might become empty of it, to become filled again with that which is good: God’s righteousness and forgiveness. This is what Martin Luther meant when he said “God breaks what is whole, and makes whole that which was broken. It is God’s purpose to break so that He might make whole again.” This wholeness is what Mary is singing about.

Mary knew that she was a sinner, she knew that she needed a Savior. Now the announcement that her Savior was near, that she was going to be the vessel to bear her own Savior amazed her, even as the miracle of the incarnation, God made flesh continues to amaze us. Therefore, she praises the Lord for her salvation, that the Mighty One, Yahweh, has descended upon her, and upon humanity in the flesh that was growing within her. He has done great things for her, but then she, in her song, quickly turns to listing all the things that God does and has done for others and us. His name she declares to be Holy even as the angel told her that her child would be holy, the Son of God, whose name “Jesus” bespeaks the task of salvation which He would accomplish. Mary speaks of God helping His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and His offspring forever. Jesus was sent to bring God’s mercy to earth, to be the offspring of Abraham through which the world would be blessed, to be the Israel that Israel could not be in His perfect life of obedience to God’s covenant and laws.

Because of Jesus Christ’s incarnation and His crucified death, God and man may be reconciled, and through the righteousness of this true servant Israel, all believers, Jew and Gentile alike, can be accounted as God’s people of promise by repentance and faith in Him.

God has lifted us up from our sin, He has washed us in Baptism and feeds us His Word and Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Now we may also rejoice and praise Him as we await His final return. This is the joyous message of Christmas, that God has come to those of low estate to those entrapped in the slavery and imprisonment of sin and rescued them by His Word in Jesus Christ. So today, this last Sunday of Advent, we can be excited and joyful. Joyful as we are amazed looking at our place in salvation history: that God would come and save us. That the baby boy come from Mary is indeed the Son of God and Lord of all creation. That God would come and suffer all, even death, for you and me, in order to rescue us and forgive us our sins by His own death on the cross. The same one born in Bethlehem comes to us at His Christmas each and every time that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Now we have the privilege to receive Him again on Christmas morning to witness His presence in His Divine Service, but think of it. We have the privilege to know even more than Mary did as to the specifics of our salvation through Jesus Christ. What a blessing. Mary’s song of wonderment and joy is now our song. Christ has come to serve and to save. And He continues to serve and to save. Our Emmanuel, God with us, does come to us in our weakness, to exchange our weakness for His strength, to take our sins away and forgive us. He continues to send forth His Holy Spirit by His Word and sacrament, calling you, me, and all people to believe His promises, to confess His name, and to wonder at the marvelous things that God has done for us, and continues to do for us, even our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

It is entirely possible that John the Baptizer, locked up in Herod’s prison, was struggling in doubt when he sent his disciples to observe Jesus and ask if He was the Christ. It’s very easy for us to understand why John the Baptist may have struggled with his doubt. When things were good, at the height of his ministry, people were coming from all over to be baptized by John. It seemed like he was making a difference. And John was a very faithful man. He knew (and he had faithfully proclaimed) that Jesus—the Messiah—was coming to put evil to death, and bring life and salvation to all who believe. He cried out: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He knew (and faithfully proclaimed) that Jesus the Messiah was sent to rescue and bring people from death to life, from sin to salvation. He knew (and faithfully proclaimed) that Jesus the Messiah was coming to “set the captives free.” And yet one year later John finds himself sitting on death row for proclaiming the Truth of God’s Word regarding Herod and his sexual infidelities. One year later and John was himself very much a captive, and things weren’t looking good for the immediate future. 

This is when the devil does some of his best work for you and me, when you’re down and out and feeling the crushing weight of the cross you’ve been given to bear. That is when the devil goes to work exploiting the fear and weakness and the doubt. He tempts us to ask Jesus, “if you really are the Messiah, how’s about setting the captives free! Or…have I made a mistake? Are you not ‘the guy’?” When things in life are difficult, we understand this kind of doubt.

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about expectations. I could, at this point, again, go into the many and various ways we doubt and despair when God doesn’t meet our expectations. We’re all guilty of it. I’m not going to get into all of it though. I don’t need to. You all know how and when you have doubted God, when you have let the devil and the world get the better of your flesh. So, repent of it, and take heart. Rejoice, in fact. No longer be down cast. Looking to your own sinful doubts and despairs will never give you the comfort and peace that your Lord desires for you.

Even though John may have been tempted to despair that Jesus had not met his own expectations, Jesus said to see John’s disciples, to tell John, and now to tell you and me, when we may feel overwhelmed by life, disappointments or frustration. “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 

That is why you are here today, to observe and see the proof that Jesus is the Christ for you. Look here. Look to this crucifix. Here is where almighty God Himself brought His plan of redemption to completion. “It is finished!” I don’t care who you are: No human would ever draw up the plan for victory over sin, death, and the devil with this as the centerpiece; the goal. This looks like the devil won! And yet…here is where God won the victory. Here is how God won the victory. 

Look to this baptismal font. Here is where this same God and Lord brought Christ’s victories over sin, death, and the grave to you. Here is where the bonds and prison of sin and death, which held you captive, were rent asunder and unlocked. Here is where God set you free from your sinful captivity and adopted you into His royal household. Ordinary water with His mighty name and Word. It doesn’t seem miraculous. It doesn’t meet expectations for appearing powerful, does it? The devil whispers in our ear: “There has to be more to it than this!” And we say, “I’m baptized, and yet bad things still happen to me.” The problem isn’t with the baptism, but rather with the flesh that needs daily drowning. We still live in a sin sick world with a fallen flesh that clings to us. But it is in this simple Word and God’s name with water, where spiritually blind are made “to see” by faith, the truth of Jesus Christ, where spiritually dead are raised to newness of life by the forgiveness of sin.

Look to the lectern, pulpit, and Bible. Look and listen. What do you hear? What do you not hear? You don’t hear the mere opinions of men. You don’t hear what you need to do. You don’t hear how your salvation is only potential, provided you meet all the goals to meriting such a gift. “‘It is finished…’ but now here’s what you still need to do.” That is not how God works His grace. Unfortunately, though, this is what so many people expect. After all, this is what Old Adam wants to hear. Sadly, there’s always someone there to scratch that itch and tell you what you want to hear. Test the spirits! Discern. LISTEN. What should you hear? Christ speaking. You hear His Law, regardless of who you are, who you’re related to, or what you put in the plate. You hear His Gospel, regardless of who you are or what you’ve done or not done. You hear Christ crucified for your sins and for the sins of all the world. Here is the Good News! Do you hear? Be encouraged. If all is well, rejoice and give thanks, but all of us in one way or another should recognize the lame Christian walk that we walk as we have fallen into sin. So, we hobble here to the cross, maybe we are carried by our brothers and sisters. Here to learn to walk again. How? By faith in Jesus Christ. To walk in Him and His Word. Not by following a 5-step plan of self-improvement, meditation, and navel gazing. No, by looking to the cross. Hearing the voice of Jesus, and receiving the riches of His grace and wisdom, we who were poor in spirit become rich by His Spirit and are led by Him through faith.

Begone all the worries and doubts and fears of this life and world. So many ‘good Christians’ aren’t worried about receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. My fellow redeemed: Look to this altar. Look to the rail. Here is Christ, kneeling down from heaven to nourish you with His own body and blood; giving to you His peace that surpasses all understanding. Here is where heaven is intersecting with earth. Here is where angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven join with us in communion with our God and Lord rejoicing in His victory.

Worry, fear, and frustration are the very things that the devil uses to separate us from Christ. And here where Christ speaks and He is proclaimed, heard, and received under the bread and wine is the answer to that fear, to our trouble, to our doubt, our grief, and disappointment. It is the victory call, the joyous sound and taste of triumph and hope in the name of Jesus crucified and raised triumphing over our flesh, the world, the devil, any given situation, and the threat of death.

Dear friends, here is something to think about. It is possible that John was doubtful as to Jesus, but it is also possible that he desired to see the Christ and He desired his disciples to see Jesus and point them to this promised Messiah. No doubt He rejoiced and found comfort in their report. He probably said to himself and his disciples. “Yes, He is the one. Rejoice, give thanks, now you go and follow Him.”

Therefore, let us also rejoice and point people to Christ and where He is for them. Do not let fear, doubt, discouragement, or pride overtake you and or them. This life is not the end. This is not the only life we are given. We are given and promised a life beyond this one. A life guaranteed to be perfect and eternally joyous and free. An eternal life purchased and won by Jesus Christ. Therefore, the sufferings of this life are able to be endured by His strength, and the joys of this life are only a foretaste of the life to come; to nourish us, encourage, and strengthen us on the way. Christ continues to come to us. To hear the message of the Gospel, the message that our passage from Isaiah declared.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
        and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
        that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
        double for all her sins.
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
        he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
        and gently lead those that are with young.

And so, God continues to do for you and me through Jesus Christ. Through the One who has conquered, who has brought our ultimate warfare to its end at His cross and given that victory to us in baptism, and by faith leads, guides, and carries us through any difficulties even to eternal life with Him in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

It’s getting to be that time of the season when schedules are getting tight, people’s energy is getting squeezed. So much to do before Christmas and the end of the calendar year. Shopping, working, deadlines, sales, deliveries, finals and tests at school or at work, concerts and program rehearsals, basketball and other sporting games, the actual concert or program performance. Food preparation, getting ready to visit; getting ready for visitors. And so much more, I am sure. So, I ask you: How is your endurance holding up?

Sometimes it does seem like life is a race; even as Scripture has said in various places. But life is not a sprint, nor a marathon, but in fact, it seems more often than not like a long-distance obstacle course. But like in any kind of race, any kind of stress and strain on our bodies or our minds, the end result often depends on endurance. How much can you handle? How much can you be pushed before it is too much, before all stamina runs out and you collapse?

The devil, the world, and the flesh are always trying to push us, and try us, and prey upon our weaknesses. In addition to the elements of time and responsibility that are often pushing us, these spiritual enemies are constantly trying to wear us out and wear down our stamina, whispering or yelling in our ears: “you can’t do this! You will fail. Just give up on doing what is right, but do what feels good. Serve yourself. You have worked hard all week, so stay home from church, sleep in: go shopping instead. Go out with the boys or girls all the time, forget about your family and what is right or wrong. Abuse alcohol, get high! Whatever!” Give in to these impulses and yes you will fail: in life, in love, and in faith.

When a person is exercising and training; it is much harder to do it alone. Left by yourself, you might find it easier to focus on the pain, to focus on how easy it would be to quit, to turn around and go back to bed and skip it. If you do this, you and your body will only get weaker, your stamina shortened, and mentally you will feel more a failure than had you gone even for a while. But if you have a training partner or a trainer with mutual goals, you are more likely to go, and go further, to go faster, and push each other while encouraging one another and keeping each other accountable. That is why even in long distance races athletes often travel in packs for various stretches of the race to help pace each other, perhaps in competition, but quite often in mutual aid as they exchange words here and there to help distract themselves and each other from the strain and approaching weariness.

Don’t go it alone. Don’t find enablers who enable bad habits, bad thoughts, and temptations that draw us away from all that is good and honorable in this life to pursue pleasures and goals that are fast fleeting and will not last. Most especially, do not listen to the voices of our culture and our flesh which would tell you to take faith and church attendance for granted; that in comparison to all your other responsibilities or commitments, attendance to God’s Word and receiving His gifts are low on the list of priorities. The devil will use your flesh, maybe other family members or friends, or television or internet shows and blogs or whatever to discourage you and other Christians from being where you need to be. He will plant excuses in your mind or as you get ready in the morning or even on your way here to say, “Why not go home? or go back to bed? you can go back next week or next month or whenever. I didn’t like that pastor or those people anyway.” But this is what has happened to many and their hearts have grown cold and their faith unhealthy or dead. This is the devil’s ploy to ensure discouragement, spiritual injury, loss of hope, harmony, joy, and eternal life. The end result of loss of faith is all too permanent: eternal fire and death. Yes, what is given here is far more important than the exercising or strengthening of the body alone.

And that is why we are here together. Because as we repent of our failures, admitting together our weakness, our sin, our spiritual laziness and lack of stamina, we know the end goal and who gives us the hope and strength to make it.

As St. Paul said in today’s Epistle: this is why God sent Jesus, the root of Jesse, the Son of God and promised Savior. Jesus served to show God’s truthfulness and confirm His promises to the Old testament patriarchs and believers, but also, that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. God knew that you, me, and everyone else who has ever lived could not finish this life reaching the goal of keeping the Law and living a perfect life. Nobody had the ability, the stamina, or endurance. But Jesus, God’s own son, did. He came so that humanity might have hope: hope in Him: hope in God; and finally understand that God is and has always been serious about loving and redeeming His creation. That is the message of Christmas. This Savior being born, to share our flesh, to go though the human life cycle in perfection and purity, to endure every temptation known to mankind, to take every assault of the devil and resist him, to be persecuted and rejected to show in Christ’s flesh, the sadness of man’s rejection of God and the blame they so often unfairly put upon Him. Jesus took upon Himself your sin, and the sins of the world, so that at the cross, Jesus endured the suffering of God’s wrath in His own flesh alone and forsaken until His blood being spent, He breathed His last, His goal of sacrifice accomplished, and died. Then in 3 days, He was raised to show that Jesus did not endure the cross in vain, but that He had crushed death beneath His feet, and in His death, the Devil would not see all condemned like himself. Jesus is victorious.

Jesus said in the Gospel lesson today, there will come a time when He shall return and we who believe are to be ready. There will be times of difficulty in this life and before His final return, obstacles before us, which would try to destroy, dishearten, and shake us from the faith. But do not fear. “When you see these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus said referring to our final redemption at the end of time.

But even now you are redeemed. As Jesus also said, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away”. You have been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. You have been given His Word and His name as a sign and seal that He has claimed you and will strengthen you and keep you by His Word in that faith in Jesus Christ unto life everlasting. You were baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but hear what other names and titles He reveals that He is for you. St. Paul said them in Romans 15. He is the God of endurance and encouragement. He is the God of hope.

He encourages you here. His Word has been written for your instruction, and with the Sacraments you are given endurance and hope. Here we can take all that is distressing and troubling us and lay it upon the Lord. This is where you can rest upon the Lord and remember that Jesus Christ died for you, that God does still love you and has redeemed you from all your sins.

Advent is a season to forsake bad habits and begin anew. In order to do that, here is where He gives you living water and the bread of life from God Himself. So, drink up through your ears the Good News of Christ’s victory which is now yours. Drink His blood outpoured and eat His body given for you in with and under the bread and wine, and your stamina will be increased. Your body, spirit, and mind refreshed by His Holy Spirit, you are able to stand and endure the obstacles and challenges of this life, not by your strength, but by God’s strength. You are not alone, but together you are united to God and to your Brothers and Sisters in Christ to live in harmony by His Word.

So, let us encourage one another here with God’s Word. And let us encourage those who are willfully absent from attendance today to return, that together, by faith we can continue onward by the cross of Jesus Christ to our mutual goal: to be with our Lord and Savior in His eternity prepared for us.

Continue to hope in Christ. During this hectic season or whatever season, put all things into this perspective. Be encouraged in your vocations, to be faithful as the Lord has been and is faithful to you. You can do this, because Christ has already done it all for your salvation. Praise and sing to God’s name. Rejoice Gentiles with his people

May the God of endurance and encouragement; the God of Hope grant you to live in such harmony with one another and fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope unto life everlasting, in Jesus Christ Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Expectations. We all have them. We have them for the people around us. And others have them for us. Have you ever heard “You didn’t live up to my expectations!” Have you ever said it or thought it? Parents and children have expectations for each other. We have expectations for the government. They may not be great expectations, but we do have them, otherwise we wouldn’t be disappointed. You can’t be disappointed if you don’t have expectations.

And then there’s expectations we lay on God. We expect Him to be there for us when we need Him. To alleviate all suffering, no matter what the cost. To right all wrongs, avenge all injustices, reward every good for us, punish every evil of our enemies, redirect all destructive storms way from our area. Bring rain when convenient and sunshine on demand. We do have expectations of God whether or not they are right.

The Israelites also had expectations. They were God’s “chosen people”, His “holy nation” after all. They had been selected, protected, and set apart from all the other nations. A people given a land, a covenant, a Law, a Promise. No other nation in the history of nations was quite like Israel of the Old Testament. Let’s be clear, no other nation will ever be like it again in this world and this life. God is finished with nation building. Now it’s all about His kingdom of Word and Sacrament.

When Israel grew faithless and idolatrous and adulterous, God punished His nation, His people. He sent the Assyrians to ransack the northern kingdom. He raised up the Babylonians to capture the southern kingdom, to depose the earthly Judean king from his throne, that “son of David” to cast him into chains and captivity, to destroy the temple, God’s house, and to cart the people off into exile.

Jeremiah the writer of our OT lesson prophesied during those latter days of the south. He looked ahead to their coming destruction and exile. He warned the people of what was coming. But they ignored him. In fact, they actively tried to silence him. They said “He was depressing. Unpatriotic. God would never let such a thing happen.”

He spoke of desolations. Jerusalem and all the towns of Judah utterly laid waste. But he also spoke of restoration and healing and resurrection. Exile and return. Destruction and construction. Death and life. Where the streets were deserted, they would again be filled. Where there was silence, there would be music and joy and laughter. Where the pastures were empty there would be flocks and herds. In the place of death there would be life.

That’s the background for today’s reading from Jeremiah.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” God keeps His promises. Even as He permits destruction and desolation and death, He keeps His promises. A righteous Branch. A sprout from King David’s family tree. A Son of David will return to the throne forever. He will do justice and righteousness in the land. “In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.”

The Israelites clung to that promise. When they lived in exile during the time of Daniel, they clung to those promises of God that a Son of David, a righteous Branch would sprout from David’s line and deliver His people. They believed that there was a coming day when Judah would be delivered and Jerusalem would live in peace and safety. They longed for it, they hoped for it, they lived in expectation of it.

Then came the decree of Cyrus and the return to Judah, the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah, the temple rebuilt. Not as good as before, but still…. They were back. Yet they found it wasn’t the same. It was kind of a cheap copy of the glory days. When the old timers looked at the rebuilt temple they wept and said, “It isn’t as good as the old one.” And it wasn’t. There was no longer an ark of the covenant. No glorious presence of the Lord. And no freedom, really. They lived on borrowed land under the grace of Persia, then Greece, then Rome. But the faithful Israelite never forgot the words of Jeremiah the prophet, the promise of a righteous Branch from David’s line. One who would do justice and righteousness and bring salvation. They remembered and looked forward in hope even in the darkest of their days. There were great messiah type figures who came along: Judas Maccabeus, who rescued the temple from the hands of the Greeks. There were others who gathered their armies of well-intentioned holy warriors bent on liberating Israel from her captors and bringing in the kingdom of God. The royal robes were always at the ready, kept in the temple. Every Israelite was watching expectantly for the coming One, the son of David, the messiah, the righteous Branch who would do justice and righteousness in the land, but what kind of justice, righteousness, and salvation? Their expectation was an earthly reign and rule.

Then comes Jesus, riding into Jerusalem on top of a borrowed donkey. His disciples formed a welcoming party, as though a victory parade was passing from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. They hailed him as a king. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” It was true. Everything they said was true. This was the One, the righteous Branch of David’s line.

What were the expectations of Jesus’ disciples that day? Most likely it was a holy war, the coming of the kingdom of God and the eternal establishment of the throne of David. That’s precisely what happened. But not in the way they expected. Jesus rode into the city to suffer and die. He came to make a sacrifice to satisfy justice to sin for you and all people, He came with steadfast love and faithfulness for a people who did not love God nor their neighbor faithfully. For all people who did not live up to the righteous expectations of the Law, Jesus came as to do righteousness, to fulfill the Law. He came to fulfill what you and I would not and could not. Jesus, the king, came to execute an exchange – your sin for His righteousness. He came to be the true faithful Israel reduced to One, the true righteous Branch of David’s line. Called and chosen to be the tree chopped down and burned in the fire of God’s wrath against our sin upon the cross. He came to do holy war all right, but not against nations or people but against Sin, Death, and the devil along with all the powers of darkness that threaten to consume us. He came to die so that we might have life and salvation in His victorious death and resurrection to bring people from the captivity of sin and exile from God in their unbelief and sufferings into an eternal kingdom with God in belief and joy.

We have expectations of our leaders, projections of what a proper and respectable leader should look and act like. We might be surprised at how short the founding fathers of our country were. Or how the great figures in history actually looked in real life. Or the great figures of the Bible – Moses, David, Paul, yes even Jesus looked and were perceived. I think we’d really be surprised and our expectations would be turned upside down.

It is curious that nowhere in the Gospels or the epistles do we get a description of Jesus. We don’t know how tall he was, whether his hair was long or short. Forget all the images of religious art, bulletin covers, and movies portrayal of how Jesus looked. We just don’t know. We do know that the prophet Isaiah said that men would hide their faces from the suffering servant, though that was probably more of a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion.

The only description we get of Jesus is in the Revelation, and then it is a terrifying, unearthly picture. Perhaps it is better for us that we don’t know exactly, that we don’t see Him as He was in the flesh nor as He is in the resurrection. Faith is about hearing, not seeing. This righteous Branch who does justice and righteousness is not for us to see, at least not yet in full, but for us to hear and to trust that He is mighty to save and to expect that we shall see Him at the last day when He rides triumphantly in power from the sky to assemble His saints: soul and body and judge the living and the dead.

That is the theme for Advent, it is the looking forward to and the preparation for His final return, knowing that He promised to come once and for all, and that we are called to be prepared, to work, to study, to be faithful until His final reappearing. This is what we are called to do not just during Advent but throughout our lives. For in Jesus and in Baptism, we who were scattered by sin, darkness, and unbelief have become a new nation, a new people. Your sins have been covered in Christ your righteousness. His Spirit has given you faith to see His workings in this His kingdom which has no end.

But you know what? We do see Him, we do hear the voice of the King. It is just not where and how we might expect. Your king still comes to you with righteousness and salvation. He comes and speaks to you in His Word, through the called and ordained office of the pastor to give absolution for your sins, in that physical presence of a man who may also not meet your expectations. You also get to see your crucified and raised king coming to you not on a donkey, nor in great power, might, and fanfare, but in the simple means of bread and wine where He delivers His body and blood crucified and resurrected for your sin to strengthen and keep you forgiven, faithful, and bearing witness to His truth until He does come again in His full glory.

Soon He will come in power and glory at the end of the days to raise you in Righteousness. Your King will come at the dawn of the new creation. Expect Him. Wait for Him. Hope in Him. “Behold Your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas