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.

Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

     Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

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Sermon - Parable of the Ten Virgins

Last Sunday of the Church Year

November 26, 2017

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

It is written: 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Jesus, Jesus, open to us.’ 12 But Jesus answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Let us pray: Almighty God, grant to Your church Your Holy Spirit and the wisdom that comes down from above, that Your Word may not be bound but have free course and be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people, that in steadfast faith, we may serve You and, in the confession of Your name, abide unto the end; in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year and the parable of the Ten Virgins is to teach and admonish us as to what will happen when Christ comes on the last day ushers in the consummation of the church in the new heaven and earth.

The parable of the Ten Virgins uses an ancient Jewish wedding to warn us Christians.  

An ancient Jewish wedding would go like this:  A young Jewish man, the groom, would be engaged to his fiance without ceremony but as legally binding as marriage is today.  To break off this Jewish engagement would be called divorce.  A few days later, the young groom would arrive at his fiance’s home (her dad’s home) to escort the young lady to his home for two purposes.  First, to consummate the marriage.  Second, to begin a week-long wedding celebration.  Many from the village would join the couple to the groom’s house.  It was a big parade.  It was an open invitation.  These people are the wedding guests.

The wedding guests would not know exactly when the groom would arrive.  They knew he would come within a few days of the engagement.  They knew the groom was coming soon but they did not know exactly when.  So, they had time to ready themselves.  The groom could arrive during the day.  But he could arrive during the night, so to be prepared they needed lamps with oil.

Jesus is telling this parable to warn us Christians to be prepared for His return on the Last Day.  On the Last Day Jesus, the groom, will come for His bride, the church.  Jesus will consummate the end-times and we will celebrate with Him for eternity.  In this parable, we Christians are the wedding guests who are waiting for Christ’s return.

A virgin is symbolic of a Christian, not a non-Christian.  

Ten virgins are symbolic for all Christians in heaven and earth.  

On the Last Day, some Christians will be found wise unto salvation.  Some Christians will be found foolish.  The foolish will cry out “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and cast out devils?  And in your name done many wonderful works?  Lord, Lord, have we not support pastors to preach your word and baptized our children?  Have we not supported wonderful works like missions in Papua New Guinea and Kenya?  Then Jesus will solemnly proclaim to them, ‘I never knew you.  Depart from me.’

The parable teaches us that there is a division among Christians.  Some are well prepared.  Some are not prepared at all.  Both groups make up the whole of Christianity.  

What do the fools lack?  They thought they were prepared.  The parable tells us what they lack by the lamps that they hold.

Think of it like this:

The lamp’s flame is faith in Christ.

The oil in the lamp is the grace of God - The dealer of God’s grace is Moses and the prophets.  Today, the public dealers of God’s grace are the pastors who proclaim the Lord’s Word and administer the Lord’s Sacraments.

The lamp itself is the particular congregation you attend.  This is the outward form of that particular congregation.

Flame, oil, and lamp.  The fools have the lamp; the outward life and conduct of a Christian.  But the fools have no oil.  No Word and Sacrament.

The fools are not like Moses’ brother Aaron.  Aaron committed idolatry. Hearing the Word, Aaron repented and believed in Jesus again.  Aaron was graciously admitted back in through the open door of God’s Word and the Old Testament sacrifices.

The fools are not like David.  David committed adultery and then homicide.  Hearing the Word, David repented and believed in Jesus again.  David was graciously admitted back in through the open door of God’s Word and Old Testament sacrifices.

The fools are not like Peter.  Peter denied the Lord three times.  Hearing the Word, Peter repented and believed in Jesus again.  Peter was graciously admitted in through the open door of God’s Word and His New Testament sacraments.

How will the fools be unprepared for Christ’s second coming?

They will have been active in the outward form of the Christian church (the potlucks, clean-up days, the annual Sunday School Christmas program and the like but they will be the ones who were not hearing the Word of God preached and taught.  They will be the ones who denied the power of Holy Baptism and did not attend the Holy Communion.

On the Last Day, the door through which Aaron, David, and Peter were graciously readmitted to the Christian church will be forever shut.  

On the Last Day, the door which Christ says “Knock and it will be open to you” will have been shut forever.

Today is the day to fill your lamps with oil.

Jesus fills your lamp with oil when He forgives your sin in the Confession and Absolution.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

Jesus fills your lamp with oil when He announces the grace of God in public sermons, Bible studies, and private devotions, and the mutual care and comfort of Christians encouraging each other in the Scriptures which they memorize and remember.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

The Lord fills your lamp with oil when He feeds you His very Body and Blood for you to eat and drink.  Then the lamp continues to burn.  The flame is faith in Jesus.  You will be prepared.

Jesus is warning us Christians to keep watching for His return.

Keep watch by hearing the preaching of the Word of God and trust that what you hear is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day

Keep watch by being Baptized which is connected with the study of God’s Word and trust that what you hear is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day.

Keep watch by eating and drinking Christ’s Body and Blood and trust that what you eat and drink is for you.  This is wise and you will be prepared for the Last Day.

Keep watch therefore and remain prepared for Jesus Christ’s Second Coming by receiving His Word and Sacrament by faith in Jesus.

You feel that Jesus is delayed.  You will probably fall asleep in Christ before He comes, just like Aaron, David, and Peter.

But your hope is that Jesus will keep His promises given to you.

It is written in the last chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus “testifies of these things saying, ‘Surely, I am coming quickly.  Amen.  Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus’; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Finally, I leave you with the last words written in the Holy Scriptures, which is a blessing for all of you - “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.”

All Saints' Day

                     All Saints' Day

All Saints’ Day

November 5, 2017

Pastor Pautz

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

It is written, “Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.  2And [Jesus] opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  and Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."  Thus far the text.

Let us pray, “Gracious Father, who has assembled a gathering of saints in heaven and on earth, many of us gathered here to mourn the death of loved ones who have died in Christ.  Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may be comforted and rest in Your kingdom of heaven even now by Your grace alone; in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Many of you come before the Lord this morning thinking of a loved one who died believing in Jesus.  It is ok to remember all the blessings strewn by them throughout their lives.  It is ok to again give thanks to God for them.  It is ok to feel a little sad that they are no longer with you. Even Jesus cried when His faithful friend Lazarus died.  

But it is better to remember that the dead in Christ are in Christ.  There is no more tear or sorrow for them.  Their bodies are buried in the ground.  Yet, their souls are fully alive to God.  They have died to all things bad and are alive to all the blessings of God in Christ.

Also, it is better to remember that the dead in Christ are not too far away.  They are in Christ and Christ is not far away.  He is near.  Christ is even bodily present with us in His Supper.  The closest we living saints may bodily get to the dead saints is in the Lord’s Supper.  They are with Christ and Christ is bodily with us in His Supper.  So as you mourn, come eat and drink of the Lord.

Today’s Word is from the Gospel according to Matthew.  Jesus is at the height of His earthly ministry.  Jesus has just spent the night in prayer.  And “seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.”  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is summarizing His whole teaching for His disciples.  This is not evangelism.  Jesus is about to teach those who have already received the Gospel, been taught the Word of God, and continue to have faith in Jesus.  People like you.  You believe in Jesus even as you mourn the Christian family members and friends who have died in Christ.

And Jesus opened his mouth, and taught them as He is also now teaching you, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”.

Poor in spirit is a fruit of the first commandments.  It is written, “You shall have no other gods.  You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.  And, remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”  By repentance and faith in Jesus before these commands, you are the poor in spirit.

Poor in spirit has with it the image of cringing; or the image of crouching like a beggar.  And the poorness means more than a lack of something.  It means nothing.

The poor in spirit recognize they have no power over the Holy Spirit.  The poor in spirit cannot command the Holy Spirit to come or go at their will.  The commandments show us we are poor.

But the Lord has authority to send the Holy Spirit.  The Lord sends His Holy Spirit to the poor in spirit using His holy Word.

By means of God’s Word, you have received the Holy Spirit.

The Law shows you that you are poor and will never have authority over the Holy Spirit.

And yet, the Gospel shows you that by faith in Jesus - yours in the kingdom of heaven.

The blessing is yours now.  You have access to heaven now by faith in Jesus.  Heaven is open to you now even though it is not yet by sight.  The kingdom of heaven is not an outward kingdom like the Kingdom of France or the Kingdom of Thailand.  Rather, the Kingdom of Heaven reigns within you (Luke 17:21) which is an actual present possession.  This kingdom is both a kingdom of grace and a kingdom of glory.  It is the grace of heaven which is now your by faith in Jesus.  The glory of heaven is not yet yours to experience but is partially experienced by the dead in Christ and will be for us all on the Day of Resurrection.  This mornings epistle lesson says as much where it is written that “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

So the poor in spirit are even now rich toward God (Luke 12:21).

The riches you have by faith are the grace of God, the forgiveness of your sins, adoption as a child of God, sanctification, and “all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Not that we are no longer poor in spirit.  The commandments remind me that I don’t own these riches.  Rather, we sin daily but Christ continually keeps us poor in spirit while receiving His riches by His grace; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.