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THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT December 1, 2024 Pastor Tom Steers, Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto Brothers and Sisters, peace, grace and mercy be to you through God our Father, and our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Opening Hymn is: “The Advent of Our King” Lutheran Service Book, 331 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JG6D2FqREM Our Collect Prayer: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Our Bible readings: Old Testament – Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10 Epistle – 1st Thessalonians 3:9-13 Gospel – Luke 19:28-40 The Apostles’ Creed – I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Our Hymn of the Day is: “Saviour of the Nations, Come” Lutheran Service Book, 332 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AwBIhRM28w Text: Ambrose of Milan (340-397) Translation by Martin Luther The Sermon – Advent is a season when the Church is simply out of step with the secular world. Commercial society is preparing to end the year. The Church is already beginning a new one. The world is blaring out commercials designed to increase Christmas sales. The Church is calling for repentance and spiritual reflection. The world is partying and amusing itself. The Church is contemplating our need for a Saviour. Like the light of a single candle in the night, Advent is a time when the difference between the Church and the world is stark. In our Gospel reading the Church fathers chose for this day, Jesus enters Jerusalem on the Sunday before His death. This too is unexpected. The world takes some notice of the account of young Mary and her betrothed Joseph, and the infant who will lie as a baby in a manger whose father is God the Father almighty. The Church is preparing for God’s promised Messiah to come as an infant, grow up, live a perfect life, and die on a cross. The Gospel reminds us of the reason God entered this world and took on human flesh, and that is to die paying for our sins, a blood-bought forgiveness. Advent is a time for contemplating the coming of the Lord to the world and to us personally. Society has little problem with Jesus coming as a baby, but would just as soon forget Christ came to die for its sins, and that He will come again on the Last Day to judge each and every one of us. Many in the world also forget that Christ comes to, and through, His Church to offer God’s true Christmas gifts of forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation. Today we read of Jesus coming to Jerusalem humble and meek, riding on a lowly pack animal to be the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. For this reason, our Lord came down from Heaven. For this reason, the Son of God became the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The message we hear today is the Good News that gives Christmas real meaning and lasting value. The secular world has a great hole in its Christmas celebration, and it tries to fill that empty space with all kinds of things, mostly more and more expensive gifts people can’t really afford. But is that all Christmas is -- a celebration of gifts, toys, holiday parties with too much drinking and the coming of Santa? Or in other words, is it just about us, or is it about Christ, and God’s love? We celebrate Christmas, and we in this country even legally fight at times for the right to say "Merry Christmas,” but we rarely talk about why Christmas is merry. The absence of Christ in our secular world has left a great vacuum. It was the same for centuries while people waited for the Messiah, waited in a spiritual darkness that’s reflected in December’s physical darkness. For about 400 years during the Intertestamental period there had been silence between the time the Old Testament Prophet Malachi spoke and the birth of Jesus. Today we read the account of the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem before Holy Week when the crowds would welcome Jesus with shouts of Hosanna, which in Aramaic means, “save, rescue, Saviour.” Days later crowds of people in the Holy City would shout for Jesus’ crucifixion. But at this time of Advent, we look to the approaching light of Christ. Each Sunday until Christmas another Advent candle lit reminds us of this growing light. The Christ who would become the light of the world, has come, and will one day come again. Despite the pains, trials, losses, and broken relationships of this world. A Saviour approaches for us all to grant a true peace and healing that will last for eternity. For that healing we can’t look to the shopping malls, or to anything else in this world except those things which never change: God’s Word, His Sacraments, His truth. Ultimately, we look in faith to the humble Saviour, true God and true man, who rides into Jerusalem as the ultimate sacrifice – the sinless Lamb of God. In order to fully appreciate Christmas, we need to recover the true meaning of Advent. If we come to a deeper understanding of the repentance of Advent, we’ll grow in appreciation for the peace God gives us at Christmas. The more we understand the destruction we waged against peace with God because of sin, the more deeply we’ll appreciate the work God did to restore that peace and joy. Advent is a season of preparation, a time of assessment and acknowledgment, a time to recognize why that infant child – born to be King – would one day receive a crown of thorns. For the world, Christmas is one big splurge party celebrating a peace that doesn’t yet fully exist. But for Christians, it’s the remembrance of why God sent His beloved only Son into this world. In this season of Advent, let’s prepare our hearts once more for our Lord's coming through repentance and reflection. Let us consider what Christ’s emergence into the world cost God, and has given to us. Amen. Service of the Sacrament – The Lord’s Supper Lutheran Service Book, page 194 Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy,) p. 195 The Lord’s Prayer The Word of Our Lord (Christ’s Words of Institution) p. 197 The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God p.198 Distribution of the Body & Blood of Our Lord The Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) p. 199 Post -Communion Collect (Left-hand column) p. 201 The Benediction – The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. Our Closing Hymn is: “Prepare the Royal Highway” Lutheran Service Book, 343 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD-fmRA196Q 1 Prepare the royal highway; The King of kings is near! Let every hill and valley A level road appear! Then greet the King of Glory Foretold in sacred story: (Refrain) Hosanna to the Lord, For He fulfills God’s Word! 2 God’s people, see Him coming: Your own eternal king! Palm branches strew before Him! Spread garments! Shout and sing! God’s promise will not fail you! No more shall doubt assail you! (Refrain) 3 Then fling the gates wide open To greet your promised king! Your king, yet every nation Its tribute too should bring. All lands, bow down before Him! All nations, now adore Him! (Refrain) 4 His is no earthly kingdom; It comes from heaven above. His rule is peace and freedom And justice, truth, and love. So let your praise be sounding For kindness so abounding: (Refrain)