Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and may our Lord and Savior sanctify you in the truth, for His word is truth. Amen

First Sunday in Advent (2009)

The Lord Comes to Redeem Rev. Toby Byrd

Luke 19:28-40 (ESV)

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. [29] When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, [30] saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. [31] If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” [32] So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. [33] And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” [34] And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” [35] And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. [36] And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. [37] As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives— the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, [38] saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” [39] And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” [40] He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Currently, our country is experiencing turmoil and stress with economic chaos, high unemployment, and an elected legislature that seems to be unable to resolve the problem. However, this is nothing many have not already lived through. Truth is we live in a changing world. Ours is a generation of restlessness, confusion, and upheaval. We see it everywhere in the world, in the rise and fall of nations, in the shifting opinions and ideals of men, in the passing of customs and traditions, and in many changes that are often mistakenly called progress. In every field of human activity, social, scientific, political, industrial, and commercial, there is an instability that sometimes leaves man without any hope of permanence and rest.

As much as earthly things change, divine things remain the same. Buried deep beneath the noisy turmoil of the world lays the same fundamental needs the human soul has always had; peace, security, and love. However, fundamentally, we are subject to the winds of change. Only God is impervious to change. This truth is most important because, for every human question, God has the final answer; for every human problem God has the perfect solution; and for every human need God has a full supply.

Thank God, divine things stay the same. That fact confronts us this morning with special emphasis. Today is New Years Day in the holy catholic church. Today the hearts of Christians return to the beginning of God’s story of salvation. Then, as we progress through the Church year, each of the tremendous events that chronicle God’s love and His marvelous plan to lead us to a glorious, heavenly home is revealed to us as they are passed before the eyes of our faith. On the Sundays and festivals of the church year that lie ahead we will meditate on the eternal truths that stand unchanged and unchanging in a restless and transitory world. There is something deeply satisfying in this annual pilgrimage to the holy places of our Christian faith. This is what we need.

Therefore, we welcome this first Sunday of a new church year with quiet joy and gladness. May the Spirit of our God be with us as we listen to the words that sound the keynote for another season of God’s eternal grace; The Lord Comes to Redeem.

In St. Matthew’s account of the Triumphant Entry of our Lord Jesus into Jerusalem, he states, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet” (Matthew 21:4 ESV). Seven-hundred years before this glorious event, the prophet Isaiah had pronounced the coming of our Lord when he said: “Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes” (Isaiah 62:11 ESV). The revelation of the Lord’s promise is continued through the words of the prophet Jeremiah which we heard in the Old Testament Reading for today. Then, two-hundred years after Isaiah, the prophet Zechariah repeats the promise of God, adding several details as to the manner of His coming. In the voices of the prophets, God gave a promise; here He fulfills it. Thus, the Gospel Reading for today is an instance of the truthfulness of God, of Holy Scriptures, and of our holy Christian faith. Moreover, this fact has a deep and comforting significance for us. In a day when men are eager to make many promises considering them as nothing more than mere tools to gain their selfish objectives; keeping them only as it proves convenient, we know that our God is faithful, that treachery and deceit are impossible with Him, and that we may confidently trust Him for everything that He has promised. Again, in a time when the knowledge and wisdom that man has so painfully accumulated over many years is constantly being revised, when fact and fiction are often only a shade apart, when today we think we know and tomorrow we don’t, there is this one thing of which we may be certain; God’s Word cannot and will not fail, that here we have eternal truth, and that our faith can build and rest securely on this foundation. In a time when the human soul has become a guinea pig for the experiments of a thousand different religions, each offering some vague interpretation of spiritual things and some foggy hope of divine blessing, we know that in the holy Christian Church we have the revelation of the mind of God and the one certain way to a blessed life in this world and in the next. What a comfort all this is for us when faith would fail, what an encouragement in moments of doubt that come even to a Christian, to recognize once again the firm foundation on which we stand! “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness” (Psalm 33:4 ESV).

The Lord Comes to Redeem, there is certain comfort in these words for another reason. You and I have little understanding or appreciation of the importance of a king. However, there have been times and circumstances when the message of our text had significant meaning. For an ancient nation to be without a king meant tragedy and disaster, this was the condition of Israel at the time of our text. Its former glory had departed, its power was broken, it had lost prestige among the nations, it was open to foreign invasion and oppression, its people lacked leadership, and its future was hopeless despite the intense longing of its patriots for a restoration of former power and glory. Israel had no king; it was a lost nation, just as we are by nature without a king in the spiritual sense of the word. Man is by nature lost, his glory departed, his spiritual power and strength broken. He is exposed to the tyranny and the oppression of the devil. He is without leadership and with an eternal future that is worse than hopeless. True, man has a natural knowledge of God but he does not honor Him (Rom. 1:21) therefore, there is no hope of success. Without God mankind is a lost generation. However, here is a message of comfort, The Lord Comes to Redeem. Now, we have hope, now we can take comfort, now we have someone to look to for defense, for power, for blessing, for protection, for deliverance, and for glory.

Moreover, what a King! The words of Zechariah give us additional qualities about our Lord that bring comfort and hope to our hearts. The prophet tells us four things about the King: He is just; He has salvation; He is lowly; and He is meek. In Him is perfect righteousness and sinlessness; by which He covers all sins, by which He grants us peace and pardon, and by which He makes us holy and acceptable before God. In Him is complete salvation, a perfect redemption prepared by God for His people. Moreover, all of this is not out of our reach and set impossibly high for mortal man to attain. This King is not unapproachable and inaccessible, for instead of requiring us to seek an audience with Him through His courtesans; He comes to us in all lowliness and meekness. Here, we see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the fullness of His glory, in His majesty and exaltation as a righteous King and Deliverer, as well as in His lowliness as our humble Brother. It is He to whom we lift our eyes at the beginning of a new church year. Moreover, here again is divine comfort for us. We are not left desolate and forsaken, we are not abandoned by God to the cruelty and tyranny of our enemies and the bitter fate of eternal damnation, but we have a King, a glorious and magnificent King and Savior. With full confidence and perfect trust we may look to Him in faith for all our needs. In His service we may be supremely happy and contended.

The Lord Comes to Redeem. That glad announcement is also an appeal to us for faith and service. Unlike His days in Jerusalem, when our Lord walked with man; He no longer assumes his human identity to be with us. Instead, today He comes to us in His Word and blessed Sacraments; Baptism and Holy Communion. It is also true today, just as at Jerusalem, many see a lack of majesty and power in His coming. This is why the Gospel remains an object of widespread human ridicule, and the Sacraments are often despised and neglected. However, that should not cause us concern. We should not be misled by humble appearances. As humble as our Lord Jesus is, He still comes in all His divine power. His Word leads us to faith and He reaches out and touches us through the Sacraments, cleansing of us of our sins while strengthening our faith. In Christ, as He comes to us in the means of grace today, we still behold the “Son of David,” prophesied by God as the world’s only Savior and Redeemer. He is still the One “who comes in the name of the Lord” (v. 38), in whom also is revealed all the wisdom, love, and mercy of God. It is He we welcome by faith. Moreover, ours is a constant, persevering, and true faith that is not subject to the influence of popularity and human opinion. It is not like the faith of those multitudes at Jerusalem who glorified Him on Sunday and crucified Him on Friday. Rather, let your faith be like that of the apostles, who were with Him at the beginning and who to the very end of their lives found in Him their only hope and salvation. In Him alone we find hope and blessing. Recognizing our desperate need, humbling ourselves before Him in penitence over our unworthiness and sinfulness, casting aside all else, let us forever look to Him alone for peace and pardon.

However, upon this appeal for faith there follows another appeal; an appeal for worship, it is indicated in the name that is given Him, “the King” (v. 38). Moreover, there are several directions that our worship to this King should take. St. Luke tells us of the multitude of disciples that gathered to rejoice and praise Him, paying homage to Christ while singing His praises. The voices of those ancients speak to us today and call us to gather together for our church services, where we also worship Him and sing to Him our hymns of praise and adoration. That is surely a fitting appeal at the beginning of a new church year. Sunday after Sunday our God and Savior would have us gather together about Him, to hear His Word, to enjoy His blessed presence, and to bring to Him our reverent worship. Our King expects it of us. Therefore, let us gladly respond by faithful worship attendance in the coming year.

In this Gospel we find the conduct of the Lord’s disciples to be a beautiful example of service. Jesus gave them instructions, placing them under command to carry out His will. He sends two of them ahead into the village, telling them: “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” (vv. 30-31). This is so often the succession of events in Holy Scripture. God gives the orders and His people obey; the Lord commands and His followers listen. We pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us to such obedience. Too often there is in our hearts an unwillingness to serve Him; an unwillingness to obey Him. Perhaps our old Adam doesn’t agree with what our Lord requires of us from Holy Scripture, or perhaps the service He asks us to perform seems too burdensome, or perhaps it is some other objection we can think of. However, there are no objections that are legitimate. As the disciples obeyed the word of our Lord’s to retrieve a donkey, they found His words proved true. I pray that this will also be said of us, that as we welcome our King, as we worship Him, as we expect of Him the greatest gifts of time and eternity, we will also bring Him our willing service and our loyal obedience all the days of our life.

The Lord Comes to Redeem, offering us divine comfort and supreme hope. Not a hope that fades, but one that endures forever. One that knows His promises are faithful and His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins is the fulfillment of His promise to save us. Amen.

May the Peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.