Showing posts with label Advent 1. Show all posts

Friday, November 28, 2025

Saturday prior to Advent 1

John 1:1; Luke 2:30-32- Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is Savior of the Nations Come. (LSB #332). John would remind us that the eternal God, the creator of us all broke into time and space to be our redeemer. This is what the season of Advent is all about. We make ourselves ready to celebrate the fact that God has become human. We celebrate that God has come to visit His people. He came at just the right time and He will usher us home at just the right time. This majestic hymn tells the story of salvation. As you review it think of Christ’s impact on your life, your family, your church and community and then share His story with those you meet.

Ambrose of Milan (c. 340-397) is known as the father of Latin hymnody and standardized the form known in modern English hymnody as “Long Meter”—four lines of iambic tetrameter. Ambrose was a staunch opponent of Arianism and crafted hymns during this struggle that were meant for congregational participation and are characterized by their simplicity, austerity, and objectivity. Though many other hymns have been attributed to Ambrose, it is likely that several of these “Ambrosian hymns” were written by anonymous imitators and disciples. Veni, Redemptor genitum (“Savior of the Nations, Come”) is one of a few hymns that is evidentially attributed to Ambrose. Martin Luther, also writing during a period of great adversity, provided a literal translation of this text into German from which many English translations have since been produced. Fred Precht rightly says of the hymn: “In the history of hymnody this hymn is the Advent hymn par excellence.”[2]

There are twenty-eight examples of different poetic devices in his book and admits his list is by no means exhaustive. Here are some that I observed in “Savior of the Nations, Come” (LSB 332):

-Anaphora—Repetition of a word at the start of successive lines.

“Glory to the Father sing,

Glory to the Son, our king,

Glory to the Spirit be

Now and through eternity.” (Stanza 8)

-Hypotyposis— A vivid description designed to bring a scene clearly before the eyes.

“From the manger newborn light

Shines in glory through the night.

Darkness there no more resides;

In this light faith now abides.” (Stanza 7)

-Oxymoron—Combining for special purposes words which seem to be contradictory.

“God of God, yet fully man” (Stanza 4, 3rd phrase)

-Paradox—A statement containing two opposite ideas.

“Here a maid was found with child,

Yet remained a virgin mild.” (Stanza 3, 1st and 2nd phrase)

-Simile—Unlike objects are compared in one aspect.

“From the manger newborn light

Shines in glory through the night.” (Stanza 7, 1st and 2nd phrase)

Other examples of poetic devices that you may be more familiar with are alliteration, metaphor, personification, rhetorical question, etc.

A helpful tool in Lutheran Service Book is the Scripture reference provided for each hymn. The references provided for LSB 332 are John 1:1, 14 and Luke 2:30-32.[3]

Collect for the first Sunday in Advent: Stir up Your power, O lord and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen[4]

[2] Lovelace, Austin. The Anatomy of Hymnody. Chicago: G.I.A. Publications, Inc., 1965.

[3] https://lutheranreformation.org/worship/savior-nations-come/

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Friday prior to Advent 1

Matthew 24:36-44 — To be ready for the Lord’s Great Day is a “must.” Not to be ready is to be lost just as the people in Noah’s day were not ready with boats for the flood. Jesus is not waiting for us to be ready. Whether we are ready or not, He is coming. Not to be ready spells eternal disaster. What does it mean to be “ready”? To be ready for the end is to live daily in a state of grace. If we are always reconciled to God by faith in Christ, it does not matter when Christ will return.

Remember back to your childhood when you played, “Hide and Seek.” When he finished his count, the child called, “Ready or not, here I come!” The truth behind the game is the same as our reading for this Sunday’s Gospel. As the count-down, which no one knows, Jesus is returning and woe to those who are not ready! Jesus says to us, “Ready or not, here I come!”

There is certainty of hiss coming. Jesus says, “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Vv. 37-39 And yes, he will come, whether we are ready or not. “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” V. 44[1]

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Thursday prior to Advent 1

—Romans 13:11-14— When Augustine heard a child’s voice say, “Take and read,” he opened his Bible and read verse 14 from our Epistle for this week. Obediently, he “put on” Christ and he became one of our greatest Christians. To “put on” means to be incorporated into Christ so that one is “a man in Christ.”

To be ready for the Lord’s Great Day, we put on Christ so that in us Christ confronts Himself. We are His people. He is one of us. To be properly dressed for the Lord’s Great Day, we are to put on Christ’s robe of righteousness. This calls for a human response. Christ is coming. We are to be ready by putting on Christ. This we do at baptism.

Today is Thanksgiving, the quintessential American holiday. In the midst of a Civil War President Lincoln declared that American would pause to give thanks to God for the many blessings we have experienced in life. It’s easy to lose sight of the blessings which come from the Lord. Luther’s explanation to the 1^st Article helps us articulate what it means to be shaped by the hand of God. A rough translation follows:

I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. God gave to me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my senses and preserves them as well. God gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, spouse and children, fields, animals, and all I own. Every day God abundantly provides everything I need to nourish this body and life. God protects me against all danger, shields and defends me from all evil. God does all this because of pure, fatherly, and divine goodness and mercy, not because I've earned it or deserved it. For all of this, I must thank, praise, serve, and obey God. Yes, this is true!

Prayer for Thanksgiving: Almighty God, whose mercies are new every morning and whose goodness, though undeserved, still abundantly provides for all our wants of body and soul, grant us, we humbly pray, Your Holy Spirit, that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness toward us, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen[1]

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Wednesday Prior to Advent 1

[1]

—Isaiah 2:1-5— Isaiah tells us what will happen in the “latter” days. This refers to the end of the world. We may be living in the “latter” days now. In the latter days “all the nations” will see God on the highest mountain on earth. God will be the highest value and the center of the universe. They will come to God to receive his instruction how to live. This will result in international peace. The significance of “all” is that world peace depends upon “all” coming to God. Peace is not a unilateral project. Will it be possible to get “all” nations to come to God? If they are to come at the end-time, why not now? Here is one good reason to the church’s overseas missionary program.

The world is ever in pursuit of peace. Each succeeding decade makes peace a greater necessity because of the sophistication and proliferating of modern weapons. The great world powers have difficulty agreeing to limit armaments. Yet, the world longs for peace and fears the coming of the next war. This longing for peace is exhibited by the words of verse 4 carved on the outside wall of the United Nations building in New York City. “And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Why has this dream of world peace not been realized? Our text gives the conditions for peace, a peace the world has yet failed to pay. We need not a false hope of peace now when the nations are far from the Lord. Is peace for the world possible? Not now but in the last days –

Prayer for Harvest: Lord God, heavenly Father, through whose kindness we have again received the fruits of the earth in their season, grant us ever to rejoice in Your mercy that neither prosperity nor adversity may drive us from Your presence; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen[2]

Monday, November 24, 2025

Tuesday prior to Advent 1

[1]

—Psalm 122 —This week’s psalm is what the pilgrims may have sung as they neared the temple gate within the city walls. The pilgrim prays for the peace of the city -the center of worship and the seat of government for the world nation.

Psalm 122 carries the title A Song of Ascents. Of David. It is one of the four Songs of Ascents that is specifically attributed to King David. He wrote it both for what Jerusalem was in his day, and for what it would become under his son and their successors. David perhaps never made pilgrimage from a great distance to one of the major feasts, but he wrote Psalm 122 in the voice of one who did, and who had arrived at the Holy City.

This psalm particularly allows us to see David’s intent to unify the nation under the monarchy and to make Jerusalem the central sanctuary of the people—both key themes of David’s reign as it is described in 1 Samuel 16—1 Kings 1. In the book of Deuteronomy, the LORD had revealed his intent to establish a central sanctuary in the land after the people had made it their home:

“But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock” (Deuteronomy 12.5–6).

David was the one who captured the ancient city of Jerusalem and made it his capital city; later in his life he established the tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant as the place of central worship (2 Samuel 5–6).

Both of these events are referred to in Psalm 122: The city is the place “to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD” and it is the location of the “thrones of the house of David” (the capital city) (vv 4–5).

This psalm ties together the prediction of God in the Law that there would be a central sanctuary for the celebration of the three major feasts; this city would bind together (v 3) the nation into a political and religious unity.

The central sanctuary was called the “house of the LORD” (vv 1, 9) because it was, by God’s designation, the place where he would be present among his people when they came to worship and petition him. The Israelites knew that the LORD didn’t only dwell there since he was the LORD of heaven and earth. [2]

Collect for Psalm 122: Lord Jesus; give us the peace of the New Jerusalem. Bring all nations into Your kingdom to share Your gifts, that they may render thanks to You without end and may come to Your eternal city, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen [3]

[2] http://psalmreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/psalm-122.html

Sunday, November 23, 2025

Monday prior to Advent 1

[1]

The Day of the Lord

Advent begins a new church year and is designed to prepare us for Christ’s coming both personally and cosmically. Advent 1 deals with Jesus’ Second Coming. It is the one Sunday of the year that is totally given to the doctrine, although the Epistles lesson in Advent urges us to patiently wait for the Lord’s return. The Prayer of the Day cries for the Lord to come. The Hymn of the Day calls for us to prepare for Christ to enter our lives. The Gospel lesson emphasizes the need of constant preparedness for Christ’s return because the time of his coming is unknown. The Epistle lesson urges us to put on Christ as preparation for his coming which Paul considers to be soon. When God comes to us, according to the Old Testament lesson, all nations will have their differences settled and peace will return.

—Psalm118:25-28; antiphon, Zechariah 9:9b —In the Introit for Sunday, we pray Behold you king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation. Fulfilled prophecy is one feature which makes Christianity so appealing. Throughout the season of Advent we will find prophecy after prophecy which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Here is one among so many that the Lord as king would come to His people. During this busy and important season we prepare for Christ’s return in glory and we make ready our hearts and minds to celebrate His birth. If we prepared for the former we will be in the right frame of mind for the latter.

This week finds us preparing both for Thanksgiving as well as the start of the Advent season. There is much for us to plan, organize and get ready for the celebration which will soon commence. In the midst of all of your arranging take time to ponder the importance of this season. Christ has come to set us free from the bondage of sin, while at the same time He continues to provide for all that we need to support this body and life. Your life is ordered by Him who loves you. He provides for all you would ever desire. Fare thee well child of God. Fare thee well!

Collect for Psalm 118: Lord God, your Son, rejected by the builders, has become the cornerstone of the Church. Shed rays of your glory upon your Church. that it may be seem as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring our from its courts to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection, now and forever. [2]

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Advent 1 Series - A study notes

Advent 1 Series - A

Isaiah 2:1–5
Romans 13:(8–10) 11–14
Matthew 21:1–11 or Matthew 24:36–44

Stir up Your power O Lord, and come that by Your Protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

The Lord Comes in Meekness and Humility to Save Us Now

The Lord Jesus enters Jerusalem “humble, and mounted on a donkey,” riding on “a beast of burden” (Matt. 21:5), as He Himself bears the sins of the world in His body. Now He comes by the ministry of the Gospel to save us from sin, death, the devil and hell. Therefore, we sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9).

For we are called “to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,” His holy Church, “that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3). By His Word, we “walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). That is to live in love, which “does no wrong to a neighbor” (Romans 13:10).

Matthew 21:1-11

"The Triumphal Entry"

Matthew 21:1-

Καὶ ὅτε ἤγγισαν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Βηθφαγὴ [a]εἰς τὸ Ὄρος τῶν Ἐλαιῶν, τότε [b]Ἰησοῦς ἀπέστειλεν δύο μαθητὰς

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

“when they were near Jerusalem they came to Bethpage to the Mt. Of Olives”

Bethpage near Bethany SE (2 miles) of Jerusalem...this is Sunday of Holy Week

Matthew 21:2-

λέγων αὐτοῖς· [c]Πορεύεσθε εἰς τὴν κώμην τὴν [d]κατέναντι ὑμῶν, καὶ [e]εὐθέως εὑρήσετε ὄνον δεδεμένην καὶ πῶλον μετ’ αὐτῆς· λύσαντες [f]ἀγάγετέ μοι.

saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.

"go to the Village 'opposite,' 'against,' 'ahead,' of you"

The Lord is in control of His own Passion. He knows where the donkey is. He Orders everything.

Matthew 21:3-

καὶ ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ τι, ἐρεῖτε ὅτι Ὁ κύριος αὐτῶν χρείαν ἔχει· [g]εὐθὺς δὲ [h]ἀποστελεῖ αὐτούς.

If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”

“say the Lord has need of them.”

Jesus the Creator has/owns everything, yet he has need of it. He knows what will happen before it does...yet everything is " borrowed" - manger, donkey/colt, tomb...

The donkey was the one animal in the OT to be redeemed...

Matthew 21:4-

Τοῦτο [i]δὲ γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Matthew 21:5-

Εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών· Ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι πραῢς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὄνον καὶ [j]ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου.

“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”

Everything is done to fulfill prophecy - only Matthew will quote the prophecy.

Matthew 21:6-

πορευθέντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ καὶ ποιήσαντες καθὼς [k]συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

The Disciples did as Jesus instructed them

Matthew 21:7-

ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν [l]ἐπ’ αὐτῶν τὰ [m]ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν.

They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.

“They brought colt/donkey, the placed their cloaks and He sat on them.”

See Solomon 1 Kings 1:32-34, a king after David, one of wisdom

Matthew 21:8-

ὁ δὲ πλεῖστος ὄχλος ἔστρωσαν ἑαυτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ἄλλοι δὲ ἔκοπτον κλάδους ἀπὸ τῶν δένδρων καὶ ἐστρώννυον ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ.

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

Matthew 21:9-

οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι οἱ προάγοντες [n]αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἔκραζον λέγοντες· Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυίδ· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου· Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις.

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

See Psalms and wave offerings in the OT - singing the same Psalms as the Passover Liturgy Ps. 112-118 the Psalms of assent - this would be the people's only response, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord... Hosanna"

Matthew 21:10-

καὶ εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ πόλις λέγουσα· Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος;

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

Matthew 21:11-

οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι ἔλεγον· Οὗτός ἐστιν [o]ὁ προφήτης Ἰησοῦς ὁ ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲθ τῆς Γαλιλαίας.

And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus enters, the people ask, the city is stirred ~ Jn.12:17 The crowd that gathers had just witnessed the raising of Lazarus...it continues to increase...

Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus Your Coming King

He came, He comes, He Will Come

"No one knows of that hour..."

Matthew 24:36

Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τῶν οὐρανῶν [a]οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ [b]πατὴρ μόνος.

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 24:37

ὥσπερ [c]γὰρ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Νῶε, οὕτως [d]ἔσται ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:38

[e]ὡς γὰρ ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς [f]ἡμέραις ταῖς πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ τρώγοντες καὶ πίνοντες, γαμοῦντες καὶ [g]γαμίζοντες, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν,

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,

Matthew 24:39

καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ἕως ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἦρεν ἅπαντας, οὕτως ἔσται [h]καὶ ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:40

τότε [i]δύο ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, [j]εἷς παραλαμβάνεται καὶ [k]εἷς ἀφίεται·

Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.

Matthew 24:41

δύο ἀλήθουσαι ἐν τῷ [l]μύλῳ, μία παραλαμβάνεται καὶ μία ἀφίεται.

Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

Matthew 24:42

γρηγορεῖτε οὖν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ [m]ἡμέρᾳ ὁ κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται.

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Matthew 24:43

ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ φυλακῇ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴασεν διορυχθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.

Matthew 24:44

διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι, ὅτι ᾗ [n]οὐ δοκεῖτε ὥρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται.

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. -

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Advent 1

Advent 1 Series A
27 November 2022
Jesus, Your coming king
Matthew 24:37-44

“No one knows of that hour…”

Stir up Your power O LORD, and come that by Y9our protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sin and saved by Your mighty deliverance; [1] Reigning and returning LORD Jesus; bless Thy Word that we might trust in Thee -

Oh, the Places you’ll go!” – Happens to be the last book written and illustrated by children's author Dr. Seuss. A young boy. Referred to simply as “you,” initiates the action of the story.

Dr. Seuss tells us “The Waiting Place” isn’t fun for anyone. Here people wait for other people...For people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go. Or a bus to come. Or a plane to go. Or the mail to come. Or the rain to go. Or the phone to ring. Or the snow to snow. Or waiting around for a Yes or No....

Waiting…is a part of life. And no. It isn’t fun. In life we wait. - For anything and everything. - Even second chances.

In Advent it seems as if the saying or slogan is “Ready, set, Wait!” Yet, vigilance is the price of preparation. Be on your watch. The end will come according to the Father’s appointed hour.

Vigilance is needed. Because the return of Christ will be unexpected for many living in this world. It is a common failure among some people to ignore the signs of the times of impending disaster.

It is confirmed at the time of an earthquake or hurricane. Such events were well documented and demonstrated in the storms and in forest fires in which people ling in the path of impending disaster were warned repeatedly to evacuwate from the pressing present danger.

Yet, they would not heed the warnings and suffered mi9serably as a result.

These victims. Didn’t think things could get that bleak. They didn’t leave when they were supposed to. And then. It came to a point when evacuation was impossible. There was no escape. At first, they would not leave. Then they could not leave. Refusing to heed the warnings. They suffer the consequences of the disaster and storm.

Today Jesus teaches vigilance is the price of preparedness.

1. There is a danger of preoccupation – “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;” -V. 38

It was that critical difficult time. Absorbed and engrossed with their own life there is no time to enquire concerning the future.

For the people of Noah’s day, it was a case of business as usual. They thought nothing. Of a possible flood. The warning signs were all about. Noah would preach judgment.

The approaching flood. And continued to build the ark. His message fell on deaf ears. The people were preoccupied with the business of living.

In this world. There are people constantly thinking about their future. They plan for retirement. They pre-arrange for their funeral. They make provisions for financing their children or their grandchildren’s education. – Planning. Investing. Saving for future events. Years in the making. Yet. They fail to make provisions for their immortal soul.

Every stage of life has its own set of priorities and purposes. Especially in Advent. There can be so many distract ions. Demanding our attention. No wonder some persons this time of year have the attention span of a demented squirrel!

Why all this concern? Why the investment of time? Because there are people living in our own community “without a prayer” of tomorrow. Or of their future destiny. They are missing. – Missing from fellowship. – Missing from a connection with Christ. –

Missing from spiritual union with the Savior. They are on the outside looking in. – And they don’t even know it.

Make provisions for the eventual return of Christ. Like Noah. Speak about the eventual return of Christ. And His visitation. Build and invest in ministry now. “Work while it is day. Night is coming. When no one can work.” – John 9:4

Work now. Make disciples for the Kingdom. For there will come a time. When opportunities will cease. And their e will be no more time. Or hours to work. But only night.

Transition: There is the danger of preoccupation of time. There is also a danger in the danger of judgment.

2. Danger of judgment – “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” - Vv. 40, 41

One will be taken into glory. The other will face judgment. The one taken. Was prepared for the Lord’s coming. The other? it was too late. Their time of grace was wasted.

How many shattered lives? How many misspent years? attempted to gain the whole world only to have lost their soul?

The coming day is not to be put off. What words can more strongly describe the suddenness of our Savior’s coming! Men will be at their respective businesses. Suddenly. The Lord of glory will appear.

Women will be in their place of employment. But in that moment. Every other work will be laid aside. And every heart will turn inward and say, “It is the Lord! Am I prepared to meet him? Can I stand before Him?”

And what, in fact, is the Day of Judgment to the whole world, but the day of death to every one? Thus, the Savior reminds us, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24:42 -KJV)

Transition: There is the danger of preoccupation. The danger of judgment. And the danger of the unexpected.

3. Danger of unexpectedness – “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have left his house be broken into.” - V.43

A thief strikes when least expected. A Christian need to live on the alert for Jesus’ coming. There needs to be a heightened awareness. Christ could return at any moment. Or. His return may be delayed. No one is certain of the day or the hour. Pay attention!

Jesus reminds us that the time of His return is unknown to men. “No one know about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” – V.37

Those who spend their time attempting to predict the date are like those who spend their hours attempting to break the bank at Vegas. Yet, know this; the date in time has been fixed.

Thus, we live between two realities. The Savior’s first and second Advent. He came in meekness to bear your sin. He will return in glory. The reign as King. In the meantime. Keep your gaze heavenward. For soon and very soon you shall see the King.

Words – 1,188
Passive Sentences –8.2%
Readability – 81.3%
Reading Level – 3.7

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Advent 1 Series A

Advent 1 Series - A

Isaiah 2:1–5

Romans 13:(8–10) 11–14

Matthew 21:1–11 or Matthew 24:36–44

27 November 2022

The Lord Comes in Meekness and Humility to Save Us Now

The Lord Jesus enters Jerusalem “humble, and mounted on a donkey,” riding on “a beast of burden” (Matthew 21:5), as He Himself bears the sins of the world in His body. Now He comes by the ministry of the Gospel to save us from sin, death, the devil and hell. Therefore, we sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9).

We “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,” for “salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11, 12). Hence, the entire Christian life is a time to wake and watch, “for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42).

The Lamb Begins the Year – First Sunday in Advent
(Matthew 21:1-11)

Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Brege

As Christians begin another sacred church year, realize that for centuries before Christ the Jews had their sacred “church year”. God initiated this Jewish ecclesial calendar when at the Passover event He directed, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.” (Ex. 12:2). This new “first month” was the seventh month of the secular year. So the Jews in effect celebrated two “New Year’s Days”: The sacred New Year was initiated by the celebration of the Passover, and the secular New Year began with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, which itself marked the beginning of highly sacred events in the seventh month of the Jewish church year. Interestingly every seven months the Jews celebrated New Year’s Day, alternating with the sacred New Year’s Day and the secular New Year’s Day.

Some believe Christianity should begin its sacred New Year with Holy Week. Instead, most in the U.S. begin it with Advent, the penitential time preparing for the celebration of Christmas. The traditional Gospel for the First Sunday in Advent is usually a Palm Sunday reading—a reading connecting Christ’s work to that of the Passover. Psalm Sunday was the day when many at the time of Jesus—imitating that initial Passover—selected their Passover Lamb to be sacrificed at the Temple later that week. On that first Palm Sunday God thus “selected” His Beloved Son to be the eternal Passover Lamb, so by His death, death would truly pass over mankind in resurrection.

Jesus was riding into Jerusalem to fulfill His life’s purpose—to die as our Passover Lamb. This was why He was born, and thus His birth, which we will soon celebrate, is directly associated with His sacrifice as our Passover Lamb. How appropriate that we begin Advent with this Passover-related reading!

Shepherds were among the first to see the newborn Christ. These shepherds, tending their sheep only a few miles from Jerusalem, had as their primary occupation the raising of sheep for Jewish sacrifice—primarily sheep for the Jewish Passover celebration. The Jewish historian Josephus states that at a single Passover at the time of Christ 250,000 Passover lambs were slain at the temple. What a grand event and a grand feast this was for God’s people! But God’s ultimate Passover Lamb and His ultimate feast were, uniquely on Palm Sunday, arriving in Jesus of Nazareth.

Thus the Passover Lamb marks the beginning of both the Jewish Church Year and—because of the Palm Sunday reading and because Jesus is THE Passover Lamb—the beginning of the Christian Church Year. On that first Palm Sunday the Jews were preparing for numerous unwilling lambs to be sacrificed. For Christianity that Palm Sunday beheld the willing Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Now we regularly (often weekly) celebrate our Passover feast: “Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast…” (1 Cor. 5:7b,8a)

Matthew 21:1-11

"The Triumphal Entry"

Matthew 21:1-

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

“when they were near Jerusalem they came to Bethpage to the Mt. Of Olives”

Bethpage near Bethany SE (2 miles) of Jerusalem...this is Sunday of Holy Week

Matthew 21:2-

λέγων αὐτοῖς• [c]Πορεύεσθε εἰς τὴν κώμην τὴν [d]κατέναντι ὑμῶν, καὶ [e]εὐθέως εὑρήσετε ὄνον δεδεμένην καὶ πῶλον μετ’ αὐτῆς• λύσαντες [f]ἀγάγετέ μοι.

saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.

"go to the Village 'opposite,' 'against,' 'ahead,' of you"

The Lord is in control of His own Passion. He knows where the donkey is. He Orders everything.

Matthew 21:3-

καὶ ἐάν τις ὑμῖν εἴπῃ τι, ἐρεῖτε ὅτι Ὁ κύριος αὐτῶν χρείαν ἔχει• [g]εὐθὺς δὲ [h]ἀποστελεῖ αὐτούς.

If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”

“say the Lord has need of them.”

Jesus the Creator has/owns everything yet he has need of it. He knows what will happen before it does...yet everything is " borrowed" - manger, donkey/colt, tomb...

The donkey was the one animal in the OT to be redeemed...

Matthew 21:4-

Τοῦτο [i]δὲ γέγονεν ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος•

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Matthew 21:5-

Εἴπατε τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιών• Ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι πραῢς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὄνον καὶ [j]ἐπὶ πῶλον υἱὸν ὑποζυγίου.

“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”

Everything is done to fulfill prophecy - only Matthew will quote the prophecy.

Matthew 21:6-

πορευθέντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ καὶ ποιήσαντες καθὼς [k]συνέταξεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

The Disciples did as Jesus instructed them

Matthew 21:7-

ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν [l]ἐπ’ αὐτῶν τὰ [m]ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν.

They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.

“They brought colt/donkey, the placed their cloaks and He sat on them.”

See Solomon 1 Kings 1:32-34, a king after David, one of wisdom

Matthew 21:8-

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

Matthew 21:9-

οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι οἱ προάγοντες [n]αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἔκραζον λέγοντες• Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυίδ• Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου• Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις.

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

See Psalms and wave offerings in the OT - singing the same Psalms as the Passover Liturgy Ps. 113-118 the Psalms of assent - this would be the people's only response, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord... Hosanna"

Matthew 21:10-

καὶ εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐσείσθη πᾶσα ἡ πόλις λέγουσα• Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος;

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

Matthew 21:11-

οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι ἔλεγον• Οὗτός ἐστιν [o]ὁ προφήτης Ἰησοῦς ὁ ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲθ τῆς Γαλιλαίας.

And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Jesus enters, the people ask, the city is stirred ~ John.12:17 The crowd that gathers had just witnessed the raising of Lazarus...it continues to increase...

____________________

Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus Your Coming King

He came, He comes, He Will Come

"No one knows of that hour..."

Matthew 24:36

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Matthew 24:37

ὥσπερ [c]γὰρ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Νῶε, οὕτως [d]ἔσται ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου•

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:38

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,

Matthew 24:39

and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:40

τότε [i]δύο ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, [j]εἷς παραλαμβάνεται καὶ [k]εἷς ἀφίεται•