The Armor of Light

The Armor of Light

The Armor of Light

First Midweek In Advent

December 5, 2018

Romans 13:8-14

The Armor of Light

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

It is written: The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Thus far the text.

Let us pray:  Creator Father, whose only-begotten Son is the armor of Light, the day of faith in Jesus is at hand therefore grant us to believe in Jesus who is coming to protect us against the night; in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

The Holy Scriptures teach us that Christ is coming to us.  Christ the Savior comes into this dark world not in bright sunlight at high noon but in the dark of night.  The Christ comes conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Christ comes born of the Virgin Mary. The Christ comes when all the world is asleep.

It is natural to sleep at night.

It is also natural to do works of darkness at night.  

I remember as a teenager working on my blessed and sainted mother for a curfew later than 12 o’clock on the weekends.  She always had the same response - nothing good ever happens after midnight. So I was home by midnight.

This text is not given to teach us something new that we haven’t heard in the Gospels.  Rather, the Lord uses this text to exhort you who believe in Jesus to love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. This is why it is good to be reminded of the good things you learned in your youth because they are still good today.

For all the works of darkness can be lumped into one heading - unbelief.

Notice how our Lord describes works of light as armor against the darkness.  

As we prepare to receive our coming Lord on Christmas Day, it is good to be reminded to put on Christ, that is put on the armor of Light who protects you from the darkness, the wickedness, the evil of those three enemies - Satan, the world, and your own sinful flesh; making you bold to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Why does the Lord describe the works of Light as armor?  He is reminding you that a Godly life is maintained at the cost of conflicts, pain, danger, and labor.  Satan, the world, and your own sinful flesh strive against you remaining in the Gospel of Jesus.

So the Lord reminds you to keep on the armor of Light.  Continue looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of the Christian faith.

And put it on you do.  You trust Jesus to perfect your conflicted faith.  You welcome Jesus to comfort your pain and protect you from danger.  You believe Jesus labored all the way to death on the cross to bring you holy and righteous to God our Father.

So cast off your unbelief and put on Jesus the armor of Light which will make you holy and also, slowly, to make you bold to treat your neighbor the way you wish to be treated.

Jumping to the Old Testament, do you remember how Abraham, the father of ancient Israel, put on this armor?  Abraham did not labor in the Law of Moses (the Ten Commandments) because the Law of Moses first came 430 years after Abraham.  Rather, Abraham believed the promise of God, and God counted Abraham’s faith in the coming Christ - as righteousness. That is Abraham put on the armor of Light by faith in the coming Jesus.

Abraham’s faith is the same faith you now have.  For faith was not discarded with the coming of Jesus, but just the opposite, faith is established because of the work of Jesus.  His life and death. His resurrection and ascension.

Abraham only knew the promise - that Jesus would come and Abraham believed the promise was for him.

You know the promise - but you also know Jesus has fulfilled the promise at His first coming.  

So Abraham was wide awake in the Gospel of Jesus and protected with the armor of Light just like we are, but under different conditions.

The Scriptures taught the coming of Christ even though He was already with the fathers.  However, He was not publicly proclaimed to all mankind until after His resurrection from the dead.

Thank be to God our Father- not only for the Christmas tree lights but for the armor of Light who is Jesus Christ His only-begotten Son who comes to us this evening in His gracious and powerful Word.

This Advent season, remember this, believe in Jesus Christ and in the armor of His Light you will grow bold in treating others as you would have them treat you; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Christmas according to Isaiah

Christmas according to Isaiah

Christmas according to Isaiah

Part 2: Servant of Yahweh - Isaiah 42:1-9

Midweek Advent Service

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

It is written in Isaiah chapter 42, Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law.  Thus far the text.

Let us pray:  O Lord,  No nation, including Israel, is Your Servant.  No individual within any nation is Your Servant.  Your Servant is Jesus born of the virgin on Christmas morning.  Grant us You Holy Spirit to hear of this Christmas according to Your prophet Isaiah; in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Behold My Servant

There are two kinds of servants.  A worldly servant and the Lord’s Servant

On the one hand, a servant labors for his master.  Here the master has a burden to carry but he places that burden on his servants, employees, slaves for them to carry.  The master receives the benefit of their work.  This is a common understanding of servant even in religion.  The people work for the god. The god receives the benefit of the people’s work.  The people then remain in good standing with that god.  

The Lord’s Servant is entirely different.  The Lord’s Servant is God.  This true God does not burden His people.  Rather, His people are to place their burdens upon the Lord’s Servant who is God.  God will work to carry the burdens for the people.  The people benefit.

Isaiah, when he is speaking of the Servant of the Lord, is speaking of the coming Jesus.  But to grasp Christmas according to Isaiah we need to step back to what was already written and in the hands of Isaiah.  The Book of Exodus.  Exodus records the battle of the servants.  

On the one hand, Pharaoh was a god-like figure in Egypt.  His most important duty as the god of Egypt was to hold a religious ceremony every morning and evening to control the rising and the setting of the sun.  Pharaoh’s servants/slaves were all the people in Egypt, even the Hebrews served at the pleasure of Pharaoh.

On the other hand, Moses was not a god but spoke the Word of the Lord’s Servant to Pharaoh.  The message to Pharaoh was, “Let My people go.”  The Lord’s Servant wanted His people to conduct a religious ceremony at Mt. Sinai every morning and evening too.  Except, the purpose of the religious ceremony was not to control the rising or setting of the sun or to control anything else in creation.  The ceremony was a means for the people to cast their burdens on the Lord’s Servant. The work of the Lord’s Servant was to carry away the burdens of the people.  

Jesus is the Lord’s Servant at Mt. Sinai.  Jesus is serving His people.  Jesus is carrying the burden of sin for the people.  Jesus is the Servant of the Lord.

The Divine Service is the religious ceremony that God gave at Mt. Sinai.  The Divine Service was first enacted as written in Leviticus chapter 9.  The Divine Service is the Word and Sacraments given as a means for the people to unburden themselves of sin and iniquity.

Jesus is the Servant of the Lord in Moses’ Day.

Jesus is the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah’s Day.  Isaiah is promising that the Servant of the Lord who let His people out of Egypt is the Servant of the Lord who will be born of a virgin on Christmas morning.

Our Father delights in Jesus THE Servant of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit is upon Jesus THE Servant of the Lord.

Jesus, THE Servant of the Lord, will carry the sins of Israel and all nations upon His shoulders and atone for the sins of many by His death.  Jesus serves you buy dying the death you deserve so that you may burden Him with you sins, and iniquities, and debts to your heavenly Father.

Now the Father delights in You because you unburden yourselves upon Jesus by repentance and faith in Jesus the bearer of your sin.

Jesus did not cry rather He serves you to save you.

Jesus did not refuse to be lifted up on the cross rather He serves you to save you.

Jesus did not cause His voice to be heard in the street but He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is silent, so Jesus opened not his mouth. (Isa. 53:7 KJV)

This is Christmas according to Isaiah - Jesus is the Servant of the Lord.  He does not serve you as if you were His master telling Him what to do.  Jesus is not your slave.  Rather, Jesus serves you according to His Father’s will.  And what is our Father’s good and gracious will?  It is this: that Jesus breaks and hinders every evil and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.  This is His good and gracious will. (Small Catechism).

Your faith may be weak this Advent season.  But hear this according to Isaiah: 3 A bruised reed shall Jesus not break, and the smoking flax shall Jesus not quench … Jesus shall not fail nor be discouraged.   

And 700 years after Isaiah prophesied, the last prophet - John the Baptist - solemnly declared, Behold the Lamb of God, who carries away the burden of your sin (Jn. 1:29 KJV); in the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Christmas according to Isaiah - Part 1

Christmas according to Isaiah

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Advent Midweek 1

Christmas according to Isaiah

Part 1: The Ideal Davidic King

Isaiah 9:1-7

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Welcome to the first Midweek Advent Service.  Christmas according to the Prophet Isaiah is the theme for this year’s midweek Advent Services.  Isaiah lived 700 years before Jesus was born.  Yet, Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’ coming.  Tonight the focus is on a the new King Jesus and His kingdom.

It is written in Isaiah 9: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.  (Isa. 9:1-7 ESV)  Thus far the text.

Let us pray: Almighty Father, Your prophet Isaiah proclaimed the coming of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever should believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life in Your government; Your kingdom.  Grant an increase of Your government this Advent season and uphold us through faith in Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Listening to Isaiah you wouldn’t know that the country of Israel was at peace with its neighboring countries Assyria and Egypt.

Listening to the prophet Isaiah you wouldn’t even guess that the country of Israel in 700 B.C. was richer and stronger on the world scene that it ever had been in its previous history.

What would you hear listening to Isaiah in 700 B.C.?

You would hear that the Lord God was preparing Assyria to invade Israel and enslave all the people.  You would hear death and destruction proclaimed from the mouth of Isaiah when the king, the priests, and other the other prophets were proclaiming ‘Peace! Peace!  The Lord God is on your side.  All is well.’  When all was not well.

What else would you hear listening to Isaiah in 700 B.C.?

You would hear about the first Christmas; a Christmas that was 700 years in the future.

You would hear about the coming gift of God’s own Son.  For to you a child is born, to you a son is given.  This Child will be the head of a new government of peace; a new kingdom without strife.  This Child will stand against the tyrants of affliction, darkness, and the shadow of death.  The greatest of these tyrants are not physical but spiritual.  The most oppressive tyrants are the Law, sin, and death.

And the government shall be upon his shoulder.  The Child is the head of a new government.  You are that new government.  The Child carries you upon His shoulder.

The world’s kings are carried by the king’s people.  For example, Caesar sits on a throne is lifted up on poles.  His servants carry Caesar on their shoulders from place to place.  Another example, the U.S. President sits in a bullet proof limo.  His servants drive him  from place to place.  

Therefore, there is a difference between the manner of ruling in the kingdom of the world and in that of the kingdom of the coming Christ Child. In the kingdom of the world the prince or king alone is free, all others are servants. But in the kingdom of the coming Christ Child, Christ alone is a servant, and you, by faith in this Christ, are free.

This is Christmas according to Isaiah.

What kind of gift is this coming Christ Child?

Isaiah says the Child’s name is called Wonderful.  

He is too Wonderful to grasp by our own reason and strength that we might receive Him.  He is received by faith alone.  We believe life, glory, righteousness, and peace. On the other hand we feel death, shame, sin, and trouble.

Isaiah says this Child’s name is called Counselor.

This Counsel is His written Word.  When we fall short in matters of faith, we have His Counsel in a written text that He promises is living and active; strong to save in times of trouble.  The Holy Spirit is promised to accompany this Counsel.  The Holy Spirit is promised to give what you are counseled to have.  The Holy Spirit is promised to accomplish for you what is written.

Isaiah says this Child’s name is called Mighty God.

The coming Child gives strength to triumph through the Word and Holy Spirit.  Through the Holy Word, the coming Child both preserves all His own and overthrows all His enemies; even though it might look different according to our experience.

Isaiah says this Child’s name is called Everlasting Father.  

The coming Child is not a tyrant.  He never will be a tyrant.  He loves His children always.  This beyond doubt the most delightful government.

Finally, Isaiah says this Child’s name is called Prince of Peace.

In the kingdom of Christ there is grace, comfort, forgiveness of sins, joy, peace. He does not deal with the sinner in sternness, but as a gentle father. Faith in the Coming Christ Child is justification, and peace follows justification. This peace is not only peace of mind but also good health of the body.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom.

King David’s reign over the Jews was physical, but the coming Christ Child has now begun the spiritual reign over the people which will last forever. What is Old Testament Isaiah saying?  He is saying there will be a resurrection of the dead.

Isaiah is saying the coming Christ Child will establish His government (you) and to uphold His government (you) with justice and with righteousness.

In the language of our small catechism, justice is the Law of God which condemns and righteousness is the Gospel of God which forgives breaking the Law.

In the government of the coming Christ Child the ungodly are condemned whereas the godly are justified, saved, and set free from sin and death. A government in which mercy flourishes.

700 years later, “the angel said to (a few shepherds tending their flocks at night saying), “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11); in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The peace of God, which passes understanding, will guard and protect you in body and soul through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Amen.