Tag Archives: Birth

Implanted – Sermon on James 1:16-21 for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

James 1:16-21

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Even as we live in a broken and fallen world, God continues to shower His good gifts upon us. Everything good in your life – your family and friends, the air you breathe, the tasty food waiting for us downstairs, the green leaves on the trees, and the cushioned chairs under your posteriors – all of it comes from the Father of lights, the almighty Creator of the universe. And your heavenly Father isn’t stingy. His good gifts started immediately at the beginning of your life, the moment of your conception. He intricately weaved you together in your mother’s womb, and He has and will sustain you all the days of your life with His good gifts (Ps. 139:13-16). And God still gives more.

On top of His good gifts, God gives perfect, complete gifts that also come ‘from above.’ In these verses, James uses language that echoes what Jesus says in Jn. 3. That only those who are born again, or ‘from above,’ (same word) by water and the Spirit will see the kingdom of God. The greatest and perfectest [sic.] gift God has given you is the new, from-above birth that James mentions in v. 18. This new, spiritual birth is yours through faith. “Of [God’s] own will, He brought you forth.” And God didn’t even wait for you to begin living to give you this gift of new birth and salvation. Before God created all things, even before the foundation of the world He had inked your name in the Book of Life (Mt. 25:34; Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9).

Dear saints, you didn’t earn your place in God’s family. God freely gave it. That’s how you were and are and remain saved. It isn’t your work; it’s God’s perfect gift. Period. In your Baptism, God gave you the gift of faith as He implanted His life-giving Word into you. And the Holy Spirit has watered and nurtured that Word so that it would grow, mature, and bear fruit. Micah and SidaLee, today you aren’t earning God’s gift or approval. Instead, you are simply publicly acknowledging the gift you have received from Him as you stand, rooted where God has planted you.

Micah, SidaLee, and all you saints, count on God continuing to give His good and perfect gifts to you. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you can reach out and grab those gifts before God gives them. Our reading starts, “Don’t be deceived.” It’s a good translation, but the word James uses has a nuance to it of following the wrong path.

You would be utterly and sinfully deceived to think that you can snatch God’s good gifts before God gives them. That is the path of filthiness and rampant wickedness where those gifts cease to be gifts. It is the path of darkness that only leads to more darkness. The devil, the world, and your own flesh will try to lure you down that path of darkness to your eternal death. Do not go down that path.

But that is not the path you are on, Christian. Your path is to recognize the good and perfect gifts for what they really are – gifts from your Heavenly Father, your merciful Savior, and your comforting Holy Spirit. Your path is illumined by the true, eternal, inerrant, infallible, Word of God that is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Ps. 119:105). And you can know without a doubt that Word will never fail you.

Christ Himself is that Word, and there is no shadow, no shiftiness, no variation in Him. The sun sets, and the moon goes down. But Christ does not. Even though Christ describes this path as narrow and difficult (Mt. 7:13-14), you can confidently and safely run down that path with your eyes fixed your eyes on Christ, the Author and Perfector of your faith (Heb. 12:1-2). That confidence comes because He has implanted His Word in you.

I have to apologize for mixing metaphors about going down a wrong path on the one hand and being planted on the other hand. But it’s what the Holy Spirit inspired James to do. So, I guess, I’ll do it too.

Receive the implanted Word. A tree doesn’t need go off on a journey to find more nourishment to grow taller and bear more fruit. Instead, it stretches wider – both with branches and roots. That stretching enables that tree to receive more and more. And the more it receives, the more fruit it bears.

By God’s will, you were brought forth, planted, and are continually nourished because your God is a giver. With a giver, you can receive or reject, but you can’t make a deal. The giving-God doesn’t play around with negotiations, and you cannot make a deal with Him because you have nothing to offer that isn’t His already.

Be comforted. God doesn’t tire of giving. He just gives more. He would have all of you open your hands wider to keep receiving His good and perfect gifts. And if you are worried that His gifts will get too big and overwhelm you, there is a simple solution: Join God in His giving game.

Because God continues to pour out His gifts and blessings on you, you know that you are free to bless others and join God in giving His gifts away. Your giver-God pours out His good and perfect gifts on you because He has made you His child. With each gift, He nudges you to open your hands wider to both to receive from Him and give to others as well.

So, Micah, SidaLee, all you saints, open your hands wide to receive God’s good and perfect gifts (Ps. 81:10). Always continue to receive the implanted Word which saves your soul and delivers the righteousness of God to you now and always. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Pleased – Sermon on Luke 2:1-20 for Christmas Eve 2024

Luke 2:1–20

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

14 “Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace among men, with whom he is pleased!” 

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Grace, mercy, and peace is yours this night from God our Father and from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The one thing you should learn from Christmas is that God’s greatest, most earnest desire and purpose is to be with you. That’s the “true meaning of Christmas.” Hollywood will give all sorts of other answers about what the “true meaning of Christmas” is – hope, joy, giving, family togetherness, whatever. To one degree or another, those are only related to God’s desire to be with you. Each of those things is only on the fringe of the purpose of Christmas. The birth of Jesus proves that God doesn’t want to be far away or disconnected from you. He wants to be with you. Each day. Every day. God wants to be with you, as close as possible – even within your own heart (2 Co. 1:22).

I say that because of how Luke records the event. The actual birth of Jesus only takes up a tiny fraction of the reading from Luke 2:1-20. In the first five verses, Luke tells us about the census that Caesar Augustus decreed. All the details in those verses – about Augusts, the fact that it was the first registration while Quirinius was governor in Syria, the fact that Joseph was from Nazareth but had to go to Bethlehem, etc. – all of that seems to be there because Luke wants you to know that what he records has been carefully researched. He’s paid attention to the details. He wants you to know that he got all of this exactly right.

Then, Luke simply records Christ’s birth. It is while Joseph and Mary are in Bethlehem that the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth, wrapped the Infant Jesus in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in the only place available – a manger – because there was no other place for them to be, except in that stable.

It’s remarkable, the way God inspired Luke to write this. The most important thing that has ever happened or will ever happen in all of history – the birth of Jesus – is simply stated. “She gave birth.” That’s it. The thing that gets the most focus, and what we will focus on tonight, is the announcement Jesus’ birth, which starts at v. 8.

Some shepherds are nearby watching over their flocks that night. It was an otherwise normal night for these shepherds. We don’t know how many shepherds there are, but we do know the number of angels that appear to them. At first, it’s one. One angel appears, but that angel isn’t the only thing that appears. The “glory of the Lord” also shines around the shepherds. And because of this, the shepherds are afraid. They are filled with a great (the word in Greek is μέγας), a mega fear. Why?

The source of their fear wasn’t that single angel. No, they are afraid because the glory of the Lord was shining around them. That’s the closest reference to their fear. Why would they be so afraid of God’s glory shining around them? Well, they’re afraid because even though God’s glory is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but it is only wonderful if sin isn’t part of the equation. When there is sin, we can’t stand in God’s presence. In Scripture, sinners are always terrified when they find themselves in God’s presence (Ex. 20:18; Jdg. 13:22; Is. 6:5).

Now, I’ll admit that the text doesn’t mention sin. God didn’t inspire Luke to tell us that the shepherds were filled with mega fear because they remembered that they were sinners. Sure enough. But Luke didn’t need to tell us they were afraid on account of their sin because he records what the angel tells them.

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great (there’s that word μέγας again). Good news of mega joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:10). 

This angel gives two reasons for the shepherds to not be afraid – the two “for” statements. The first because the angel gives to not be afraid is, “Because I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” The source of this great joy is now (present tense) for these shepherds, but it’s not for the shepherds alone.

The angel makes it clear that this great joy that will be (future tense) for all people. That includes you! The good news was given to those five or ten or however many shepherds then, but the good news of mega joy continues to be given throughout the millennia. What the angel said then still echoes to all mankind, even right now, even as you are hearing it.

The second reason the angel tells them to not be afraid is, “Unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Remember that the shepherds fear because God’s glorious presence makes them keenly aware of their sin, but the angel is quick to announce to them that there is a Savior from sin. So, let’s shorten the entire message from the angel. “Don’t be afraid; you have a Savior. He’s just been born.”

That proclamation is the solution to the shepherds’ fear. For the shepherds, the message was that very night that their Savior is born. For you here tonight, you also have nothing to fear because your Savior was born, about 2,021 years ago.

Every one of you here has a Savior. Maybe, you have believed that as long as you can remember. God be praised! Maybe, you used to believe that, but don’t believe it anymore. Maybe, you’ve never believed it. Your belief or unbelief doesn’t change the fact that your Savior is born, and I’m here tonight to tell you to believe it. Believe it because that’s how it benefits you.

Next, this one angel gives the shepherds a sign as proof that their Savior is born. They’ll find a Baby swaddled up and lying in a manger. And at the end of the text (Lk. 2:16-17), the shepherds find exactly that. There, swaddled up in a feeding trough, was the Savior of the whole world. What the angel announced to those shepherds and what that angel is announcing to you now is true. The sign proves it.

We need to go back, though, to what happens just after the shepherds hear this good news of mega joy. Right after the angel’s announcement, there appears with that one angel a huge army of the heavenly host.

The text doesn’t say that they this angel army came, arranged themselves into a choir, and began to sing. Instead, this army of angels appeared to the shepherds. From this, we are to understand that that massive troop of angels was there in that field the whole time. They just weren’t visible to the shepherds for a period, but now they are. This angelic host was present because they wanted to be there and listen to that one angel announce to the shepherds this good news of mega joy.

Angels aren’t like God. God is everywhere all the time. But angels aren’t; they aren’t omnipresent. But it is true that there are angels all around us even though we can’t see them. The Bible has all sorts of examples of angels being around people, but those people can’t see them (Num. 22:31; 1 Kg. 6:17). The night of Jesus’ birth, that angelic army choir wanted to watch as all humanity receives her King.

That angel army sings, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men, with whom He is pleased!”

This song reveals that God is pleased with all mankind. The Greek word there for ‘pleased’ is εὐδοκία. It’s two words combined together. The first part is εὐ, which means ‘good,’ and δοκία, which means ‘thinking.’ In other words, the birth of Jesus proves that God is thinking good toward all humanity – every man, every woman, every boy, every girl. You. Everyone. God is pleased with you, and you can know this because He has sent a Savior to become one of you. That is your peace. Your peace is that you have the goodwill, the good-thinking of God in heaven.

Now, I don’t know all of you here tonight. I don’t know if all of you believe this or not. But I’m here tonight to tell you from God’s Word, from the mouth of God Himself, this message: The eternal, almighty, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing God has come to dwell among you in your flesh and blood to save you from your sin. You can believe it without a doubt.

God thinks good things about you. Even though you have sinned against Him and others whom He loves, God isn’t disappointed with you. God should be. Without a doubt He should be, but He isn’t. He isn’t shaking His head and regretting that He created you. No! He is pleased with you. He loves you. That’s why He comes to save you.

Jesus, God in the flesh, your Savior, has come to you, and that is why the angel choir sings.

Again, each one of you here tonight, if you know anything, know this: God doesn’t want to be far away or disconnected from you. He wants to be with you. Each day. Every day.

Your Savior is born. He is born to shed His blood, to redeem, to ransom, and to rescue you from your sin. God is pleased to save you, to remove your sin and my sin. He has come to remove your guilt and my guilt. That is why and how you can know that God is pleased with you. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A Great and Mighty Wonder – Sermon on Luke 2:1-20 for Christmas Eve 2023

Luke 2:1–20

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

14 “Glory to God in the highest, 

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Life is often repetitive and mundane. It fills up with schedules, to-do lists, and errands. You make plans to get everything done as efficiently as possible. You get up, get ready, and get yourself to work or to school or to that appointment. You do what is required of you. Then, you go to bed and sleep only so you can get up tomorrow and do it all over again.

In your efforts to be efficient, organized, and keep it all together, you get into a grove – or, sometimes, a rut. Like a horse pulling a carriage, you put blinders on yourself so you can focus squarely on the next task at work, planning the week’s meals, finishing that big assignment, whatever it is that needs to get done. 

But from time to time, something wonderful happens. Your professor cancels the final. Your adult kid surprises you by coming home. The doctor tells you that the cancer is gone, and you don’t need any further treatments. These wonderful things pull us out of our monotonous lives. And those wonderful things remain wonderful. Five minutes after it happens, it’s still wonderful. If an hour passes, it’s still just as amazing as when it happened. A week, a month, a year, later still has zero effect on the wonder of the thing. Sure, the memory of exactly how it happened might fade, but the wonder stays.

When Sarah and I were dating, I remember meeting her grandma, Hazel. I don’t remember the context of our conversation, but she told me a story of when her kids were young. The family was having serious financial troubles. Hazel didn’t know how she should put supper on the table. There was no food in the house and no money to buy anything. She bumped into one her friends that afternoon who stopped her and asked, “Have you come down from cloud 9 yet?” Hazel didn’t have any idea what her friend was referring to, so her friend told her she had won a drawing at the local grocery store. The prize was a used car that was full of groceries. Suddenly, supper was covered – as well as the next several days of meals. She packed up her kids and picked up the prize. And Hazel told how my father-in-law rode home in the back seat of that car eating cookies and chips that were part of the prize.

When Hazel told that story to me, her voice was excited and filled with wonder. I could see the tears of joy welling up in her eyes. It didn’t matter at all that the food was long gone and the car in the junk yard because it had happened decades before. The wonder of that event hadn’t faded one bit. Hazel would retell that story to me many more times. It wasn’t as though she had forgotten that she had already told the story to me. She just loved telling it, and every time she shared that memory, the joy and wonder the whole thing was still as fresh as though it had happened yesterday because time is irrelevant to the wonder of a thing.

Now, you can probably see where I’m going with this. Jesus was born two-thousand-twenty-some years ago. But the wonder of God entering creation and taking on a human body is still as wonderful and amazing as it was when it happened.

Now, the devil wants to steal that wonder and awe because it was by the birth of Jesus that Satan’s head was crushed (Gen. 3:15). For the Son of God to die and rise again for the forgiveness of your sin, He first had to be born. But Satan thinks you’re stupid. He wants you to adopt an apathetic attitude toward Jesus’ birth and Christmas for the simple reason that it happened a long time ago. He wants to put all sorts of convoluted ideas about the meaning of Christmas into your head so you start to think, “Why should I be happy or joyful about something that happened in the distant past?” If that is the case for you tonight, or any night, you can tell the devil that he’s stupid for thinking you’re that stupid.

Once, a manger had something in it that was bigger than the whole world (C.S. Lewis). The Creator of the universe, who made all things by simply speaking, squeezed Himself into the 8 lb. (give or take) body of an infant boy, and yet He wasn’t cramped. Or more accurately, God became a baby – who couldn’t feed Himself or even lift His own head. And He did this for you.

Tonight, in an effort to regain some sense of the great and mighty wonder of Christmas, put yourself into the account Luke has given us (Lk. 2:1-20). Imagine it from the perspective of Joseph and Mary. Imagine being there among the animals. Jesus has just been born, so they wrap Him up and put Him in the manger because there was simply nowhere else to put Him.

Every parent should have a sense of awe and amazement when a child is born because every birth is a divine gift and miracle. But Joseph and Mary both knew that this particular birth was especially unique. Mary had been told by the angel Gabriel that, though she was a virgin, she would conceive the Son of God (Lk. 1:35). Joseph was also told that the Child in Mary’s womb was the fulfillment of the prophecy we heard from Isaiah 7. Joseph was told that this Child is Immanuel which means “God with us” and that His name was to be Jesus because Yahweh had come to save His people from their sins (Mt. 1:18-25). They knew all of this, so that song, “Mary Did You Know?” the answer to the title of that song is, “Yes.” Maybe she didn’t know all the details about some of the specific questions that song asks, but by and large, the answers to the questions in that song are a resounding, “Yes. Mary knew.”

And yet, the way the Scriptures record the moment of the birth of Jesus, we get left with the impression that it wasn’t any more wondrous than the birth of any other child. In fact, Jesus’ birth was probably a bit of a letdown. Here in Lk. 2, the actual birth of Jesus gets only a verse and a half of ink (v. 6b-7), “the time came for [Mary] to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son, wrapped Him swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger.” In Mt. 1:25, Jesus’ birth is even more understated; it’s just, “[Mary] gave birth to a Son.” It’s as though we are to imagine Joseph and Mary looking at this Child, whom they know is God in the flesh, but they look around at the animals and their surroundings and say to each other, “Huh. There’s no glowing. No halo over His head. He’s supposed to be God, but He’s just a baby. So this is it?”

But then, shortly after, some shepherds arrive, and one of them pokes his head from around the corner and asks, “Excuse me. I know this is a barn, but does there happen to be a baby in here?” Joseph or Mary (you can pick which one responds) says, “Well, um, yes there is.” 

The shepherd responds, “I really don’t mean to bother you, but is that baby swaddled?” 

“Yeah. That’s kind of what you do with babies.” 

“Was He just born today?” 

“That’s right, just a few hours ago.” 

“Sorry. I just have one more question. It’s a bit dark in there, and I just have to know – is the baby lying in that manger there?” 

“How did you know?” 

And the shepherds just bow down to the ground and worshipped.

You have probably gotten so used to hearing Lk. 2 on this night each year. It’s good to hear and read it again and again. But it’s so wonderful. Take your time considering all of it. Slow down, look at the details, and meditate on the fact that God became flesh and blood for you.

Imagine it from the angles’ perspective. Imagine how confused the angels must have been that night. They had gotten a break from their regular patrol and angelic duties and sent to this field where the shepherds are. Those angels look up, and there is God on the throne of all creation. So, they sing, “Glory to God in the highest.” But then they look down into that manger and see God is there too. So, they keep singing, “And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke tells us that those shepherds made known the saying that had been told them concerning this Child and, “all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” That includes Joseph and Mary. They heard about the angel who announced it, and they heard about the song that the multitude of the heavenly host sang. And they were filled with wonder.

Dear friends, it doesn’t matter how old the story of the birth of God is, Christmas is wonderful. Treasure this great and mighty wonder. Jesus has come, and He has come for you. Tonight and always, ponder in your heart that unto you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Merry Christmas! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

How Can Water Do Such Things? – Sermon for Midweek Lent 3

Listen here.

III. How Can Water Do Such Things?

It is not the water indeed, that does such great things, but the Word of God, connected with the water, and our faith which relies on that Word of God. For without the Word of God, it is simply water and no baptism. But when connected with the Word of God, it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says to Titus, in the third chapter: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior; so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement.”

Martin Luther Small Catechism

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

To recap what we have covered so far: We heard how Jesus says disciples are made – baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching God’s Word. Last week, we considered how Baptism works the forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives salvation to all who believe. With all the things that Scripture says Baptism does, we rightly wonder, “How can water do all this?”

This is the same question that Naaman had (2 Kgs. 5:1-14). Remember Naaman, the commander of the enemy Syrian army? He had leprosy, but he went to Elisha God’s prophet in Israel. Elisha told Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River and he would be clean. Naaman wasn’t too happy with that prescription. He figured the rivers of Syria were better than all the waters in Israel. So, he wasn’t going to do it until one of Naaman’s servants basically said, “Why not give it a try? If the prophet has said this, it’s at least worth a shot.” Naaman went and washed, and he was cleansed. God had indeed spoken through His prophet, Elisha, and the waters of the Jordan became a life-giving and life-restoring stream. It wasn’t that the waters were special or healing, but because of God’s promise. When he exited the Jordan, Naaman’s skin was like the skin of a child. Smooth as a baby’s bottom.

So, speaking of babies and water. Let’s consider the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in our Gospel lesson (Jn. 3:1-17). Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness and has an incredibly interesting discussion with Christ about salvation.

There is too much going on in this text to cover everything. We’d be here until morning. We’re simply going to stick to one thing, and that is the fact that Nicodemus keeps thinking one way while Jesus is talking another. I’m going to translate these verses differently than the ESV does to try to bring out some of the nuances of the conversation because it helps us see what Jesus is teaching and how Nicodemus misunderstands. The first thing Jesus tells Nicodemus is, “Truly, truly, I say to you unless one is fathered/begotten from above he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Greek has two words for how kids come about. Here Jesus uses the Greek word γεννάω. Now, γεννάω is typically the word that refers to the father’s contribution to how a child comes into the world. For example, when Gen. 5 goes through the genealogies of the first people, the Septuagint, which is Greek translation of the Old Testament, will use the word γεννάω. It talks about how Adam γεννάω’d Seth. And Seth γεννάω’d Enosh. And Enosh γεννάω’d Kenan, and so on. Γεννάω means ‘fathered’ or ‘begat.’

The other Greek word for how children come into existence focuses on the mother’s action in bringing a child into the world. That word is γίνομαι or ‘birthed.’ When I was in seminary, Sarah and I lived in the brand new housing units on campus. Shortly before our one year anniversary, the kind woman who donated the funds for those units to be built came to tour them. We had our house cleaned up and gave her a tour. As she was about to leave, we again expressed our gratitude for her generosity. Right before walked out the door, she asked Sarah, “And when will you begin birthing?” If I had had quicker wits back then, I would have responded, “About nine months after I begin begetting/fathering.”

In these verses, Jesus repeatedly talks about begetting/fathering, but Nicodemus continually stays in birthing mode. Jesus says that we sinners must be γεννάω’d begotten/fathered from above, but Nicodemus can’t imagine being γίνομαι’d birthed a second time. “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Even though Nicodemus is using the same word Jesus uses, γεννάω, he is still thinking about being birthed γίνομαι’d by a mother.

So, Jesus further explains. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is fathered of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is fathered of the flesh is flesh, and that which is fathered of the Spirit is spirit.” What Jesus is saying here is that there is another way to be fathered – a water and Spirit kind of being fathered.

We need this mode of being fathered because we have all been fathered/begotten by sinful fathers. Ephesians 2 says that we are dead in our trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1) and because of that we are children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). 1 Corinthians 15(:22) says that because we are descended from Adam we will all die, but in Christ we shall be made alive. Adam is the father and begetter of all sinners. But God desires to give us a new begetting from Christ who bore our sins on the cross. He took your sins from you because He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Through Baptism, Christ begets and fathers you so that you are children of righteousness.

In other words, when God connects His Word to the waters of your Baptism, you are begotten anew from above – from God.

Which brings us back to our Epistle text (Tit. 3:1-8). “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us.” So, please notice. God is the one who saves. We aren’t saved because of works or prayers done by us in righteousness. God saves us by His own mercy. How does God do this saving? “By the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by [God’s] grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit. 3:4-7).

Dear saints, what God’s Word is saying here is that we are begotten/fathered by God through the washing of regeneration in our Baptism.

Christian, through your Baptism, you have been made an heir of God. You have been begotten from above and are poised to inherit everything that is God’s. John 1:12-13, which you hear every Christmas Eve service, puts it this way, “[T]o all who did receive [Christ], who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born (but the Greek word there is γεννάω ‘begotten/fathered’), not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of [the will] of God.”

By the power of God’s Word connected to the waters of your Baptism, you have a new begetting. With this begetting, God has given you all of Christ’s holiness and righteousness. You have been begotten by God and made and heir with Christ. Live as a child of God as our text from Titus stated. God has delivered you from your old, sinful, foolish, disobedient ways. He has rescued you from your various passions and pleasures.

So, you Baptized child of God, live out your calling as God’s beloved child as you devote yourself to good works. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

God Makes Room – Sermon on Luke 2:1-20 for Christmas Eve 2020

Listen here.

Luke 2:1-20

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

14 “Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace among men, with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Merry Christmas!

The first twenty verses of Luke 2 are extremely well-known. Some of you might be able to recite them word for word, and many of you can probably recite them with a little help here and there. Sure, you might need a little help remembering that Quirinius was governor of Syria. (It’s a hard name to remember.) And it is good that you remember this passage. These verses record for us the most significant event in human history. The only other event that would be tied with the birth of Christ would be His death and resurrection.

But one of the problems with our familiarity with this text is just that – we are familiar with it. With that familiarity comes certain ideas that aren’t part of the text. And those things can get ingrained in our minds. Some of the beauty and brilliance of this event fades away when some common misconceptions about the event overshadow the reality. Well, tonight, I’d like to take this magnificent gem of a text and get it cleaned and polished to remove the haze of one of those misconceptions. We’re mainly going to focus on one verse of the text. And I hope and pray that you are blessed. 

The birth of Jesus takes up one verse and is simply recorded for us in v. 7, “And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

First let’s lay out the misconception. Unfortunately, we have gotten the idea that Tom Bodett for Motel 6 didn’t leave the light on for Joseph and Mary. (I really hope most of you are old enough to get that reference; if you don’t, you didn’t listen to enough Twins games on the radio in the mid ‘90’s.) All the familiar English translations use the same word there, ‘inn,’ which gives an idea of a hotel. So, we get the idea that, by the time Joseph gets the very pregnant Mary to Bethlehem, it’s late and all the hotels were booked because so many people were there for the census. And it isn’t too hard to imagine that being the case. Anyone who has traveled with a very pregnant lady knows you have to stop for bathroom breaks – a lot of bathroom breaks. The picture in our minds is that Joseph and Mary check at all the hotels, find no rooms available, and end up staying in a stable or barn.

The problem with this is that the word that gets translated as ‘inn’ doesn’t refer to a hotel. In fact, Bethlehem was so small that the little town probably didn’t even have a hotel. Now, the word that gets translated as ‘inn’ here only occurs two other times in the New Testament. The other two times this word gets used are once by Mark and also later at the end of the Gospel of Luke. And both of those times is in the context of Jesus telling His disciples to follow a particular man to his house and say to him, “The Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room (not ‘inn’ but ‘guest room’ – same word), where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” (Mk. 14:14, Lk. 22:11). And Jesus didn’t institute the Lord’s Supper in a hotel conference room. Also, Luke knows the typical word for an ‘inn’ or ‘hotel’; he uses it in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:34), but it’s a very different word. If Luke had meant to say there were no rooms in the hotels of Bethlehem, he would have, but he doesn’t.

So, we should understand that Luke isn’t talking about hotels. Instead, when Luke says there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the ‘guest room,’ he’s telling us that the couple had arrived at a home – probably the home of one of Joseph’s relatives – but other members of Joseph’s extended family had lodged there and that there was no longer any place for them in the guest room. In fact, it might be even worse. Maybe, when Joseph and Mary get there, the pious, religious relatives learn that Mary is pregnant out of wedlock and they aren’t willing to make a place in the guest room for her even while she is in labor. So, Joseph and Mary only have one option for the birth of the Child and that was the part of the house where the animals were kept. And, just so you know, it was typical back then for houses to have a place for their animals in a lower part of the house.

Now, don’t go home and throw away your nativity sets. Please don’t. They’re good. But it would be good when you look at a Nativity set to tweak your thinking just a little bit. Add this picture to it: Joseph and Mary aren’t out in a pasture away from everything else. Instead, they are inside a full house where relatives are likely talking, eating, drinking, and laughing – just like at a family reunion. And Mary is off to the side, giving birth, wrapping Jesus in swaddling cloths, and laying Him in a feeding trough.

The Messiah, the One whom all of God’s people were waiting for, is finally born, but there is no place for Him to lay His head except for that manger.

So, play this out a little: When the company of angles come to proclaim the greatest news in all of history, they announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. But the shepherds aren’t the first to know about Jesus’ birth. Joseph’s family would have already known. Joseph and Mary probably tried to give an explanation to the family, but they didn’t believe that Mary was miraculously pregnant with Jesus. And, so, they did not make room for the birth and arrival of the Son of God.

Now, this is nothing new. Because of our sin, all humanity is opposed to God’s presence, and in our sin, we have no place for God. That is what we see when Adam and Eve fall into sin. They hear God walking in the garden in the cool of the day but try to hide themselves (Gen. 3:8). It’s what happens after God speaks to His people on Mt. Sinai; they hear His voice and ask Moses to tell God to not talk to them anymore (Ex. 20:18-21, Dt. 18:16). It’s why the scribes and Pharisees reject Jesus even though He repeatedly proves that He is God (see esp. Mt. 26:59-66). It still happens today when people use any and every excuse to not be where Jesus is present with His gifts. In his Gospel (and you will hear these verses in a few minutes), John says it more bluntly than Luke. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (Jn. 1:11).

In the end, we see the sad reality that sinners have no place for the presence of God.

Now, please, don’t finish my sermon for me. This isn’t meant to be a guilt trip. I’m not going to give you a sales pitch appealing to you, “Please, make room for Jesus in your heart.”

Just because God took on flesh and was a helpless Infant, don’t get the impression that Jesus is a fickle, desperate god who is just waiting around for you to make room for Him. Even when He is rejected, when He is pushed out, even when the very people He came to save have no place for Him, He doesn’t twiddle His thumbs and wait for you to make room for Him. Instead, God in His great love for you makes room for Himself.

Don’t let the humility of Jesus’ birth lead you to diminish His power. Even as a little Infant, Jesus is the eternal Son of God, King of kings, Lord of lords. Rather let the humble birth of powerful Jesus lead you to recognize His great love and mercy for you.

Jesus knew what He was coming to and wasn’t surprised that there was no place for Him. But He came anyway. He came to make a room in eternity for those who did not make room for His birth. He knew that the infant hands, feet, and body that Mary swaddled up to keep Him from getting cold would be the same hands, feet, and body that would be nailed to the cross. And He did all of this voluntarily and out of love for you so that He could make an eternal place for you with Him in heaven.

That is the moral of this reading, the whole blessed idea of Christmas, and, in fact, the teaching of all Scripture. God doesn’t wait for you to make room for Him. If you don’t make room for Him, He just nestles in anyway. Whenever He comes, He comes to you to bring you His love, mercy, and forgiveness. Jesus made room in His heart for you. All of your life and salvation is not about how open you are to God rather on how He is open to you. And the the birth of your Savior shows, proves, demonstrates, and manifests how open He is to you.

And Christmas then is the time when we do nothing but watch our God come in the flesh and simply say, “Thank you.”

One more thing and then I’ll stop. Luke is a historian. He is detailed and precise. He mentions all the details about it being the first census when Quirinius was governor, etc. which helps prove the factuality of his Gospel. And Luke does this in all his writings. But notice how Luke is fairly vague in v. 7. He simply and briefly records the fact that Jesus was born and laid in a manger because there was no place in the guest room, and he leaves it at that. Luke doesn’t name names or give addresses. He doesn’t criticize, scorn, or belittle Joseph’s relatives for their rejection of Jesus. He doesn’t throw them under the bus. He simply says, there wasn’t room.

Here’s the point: It isn’t a stretch of the imagination at all to think that the very people who refused to make a place for Jesus when He was born became Christians by the time Luke wrote his Gospel. So, Luke covers their sin and doesn’t call it out. Jesus does the same for you.

Because of what Christ has done by coming to earth, being born in such a humble manner, by giving His life on the cross, and by rising again for you, your sins are removed from you as far as the east is from the west.

And God be praised. You are here tonight. You have rightly made room in your celebration tonight for the birth of the Savior who has made room for you.

People loved by God: Merry Christmas! Amen.[1]

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] I am thankful for a sermon by Pr. Jared Melius for the direction of this sermon.