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Good Patterns—2nd Sunday in Advent

12/7/2014

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Readings: Genesis 2:4-25; Ephesians 5:25-32; Matthew 19:3-9

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Last week we heard how God spoke all things into existence. (Genesis 1) Today we hear about a pattern with God. He speaks, both creating things and commanding them. And so we see that where God has not spoken and commanded, or instituted, something we dare not say otherwise. We dare not make laws about things that God Himself has not said. But where He has spoken. That is where His blessing is. By this I mean, so many people make up stuff that they think God wants them to do. And though they have no mandate for it in His clear word, they then bind their consciences to it, and sometimes the consciences of others, even judging on the basis of these self made laws, and they use God as an excuse for why they are doing something. In the past it was things like special fast days and pilgrimages not commanded by God that were taught as though they ought to be done, nowadays its having to sing Silent Night on Christmas Eve, have potlucks in just the right way, have a Sunday School, or choir to properly be a church, or any number of human traditions or personal ideas that get treated as though they are mandates from God . But if God has not commanded it and instituted it with a clear, unequivocal word through His prophets and apostles of old—i.e., in His revealed Word we call the Bible—then just be honest. It isn’t God leading you to do something. Or at least you can’t be certain of that. It is really you who wants to do it.

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I am also talking about these weird ideas each one of us gets in our head from time to time that has no basis in Scripture, but to which we have become convinced if we don’t do it we’ll make God angry, cut ourselves off from His blessing, etc. People all over the world like to blame God for the things they do, when He never mandated or commanded them. We’ve imbibed these ideas from our parents, from Hollywood, Oprah, or from our own hearts or minds. Whatever the source, it isn’t God’s design.

God works in clear ways. He has revealed Himself in His Word. The things He is doing He has spoken about by His prophets. (Amos 3:7) He institutes and gives a blessing to those things that He wants us to be sure He is doing.

Have you ever noticed in the Small Catechism when talking about the three means by which salvation comes to you—Holy Baptism, the Word of Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper—Martin Luther always asks the question “What is it?” Answers the question. Then asks, “Where does God say this?” And then gives you a clear verse where God commands it and promises His blessings through it. This is how God works. He institutes and commands His blessings in His Word. You can be sure of those three means of salvation because they have God’s own mandate and blessing.


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Know the Time: The Day of His Coming—2nd Sunday in Advent

12/8/2013

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The 2nd sermon in a series called "Know the Time":
1st Sunday in Advent: "KtTime: The Day of the Lord"
2nd Sunday in Advent: "KtT: The Day of His Coming"
3rd Sunday in Advent: "KtT: The Present Joy"
4th Sunday in Advent: "KtT: The Time of Fulfillment"

Today's Scripture readings:
     Malachi 4:1-6
     Romans 15:4-13
     Luke 21:25-36

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  
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Anyone who has eyes to see can tell when summer is around the corner.  You can know it by seeing the leaves bud out.  When that begins, summer is imminent.  And gardeners, in particular,  pay close attention to such things.  When they see that they know the schedule of what is about to happen to plants in the gardens they tend.  They also know, that when that happens, a certain number of jobs need to get done in a particular order.  They know the time. 


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Loose Lips That Don't Sink Ships---2nd Sunday in Advent

12/9/2012

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Malachi 4:1-6
Psalm 50:15
Romans 15:4-13
Luke 21:25-36

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.  
Loose lips sink ships.  This was a famous phrase from World War II to remind military personnel not to share or even mention state secrets.  Keep tightlipped.  The reasons for this are obvious.  But in the Kingdom of God His battle plans are not secret.  He tells all the universe His plan.  It is written down in His Word.  In fact, He tells us all things ahead of time, out loud and in writing.  Things like the signs of the time of His coming.  And He tells us: Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.  

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The Groaning of the Earth -- 2nd Sunday in Advent

12/4/2011

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Malachi 4:1-6
Romans 15:4-13
Luke 21:25-36

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. 
Creation waits in eager expectation waiting for the Sons of God to be revealed—God’s sons, His inheritors, you and I, regardless of our gender.  For there is no male nor female in Christ with regards to salvation.  In our salvation we are all equally inheritors of God.  And creation longs for us to be revealed for what we are.  So much so that the rocks will sing to praise Jesus if we will not and the skies poured forth speech the night He was born.  Even now, creation groans longing to throw off the shackles of sin and its misery in the world.  It waits for the Son of God to come, revealing Himself, and all who are His.  

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