SERMONS

LCMS Lectionary Summary B
 
Sunday – Divine Services:  10: 15AM
Holy Communion Each Sunday
 
Advent Midweek Divine Services:  3:30PM
 
Christmas Eve Service: 5:00PM
with Holy Communion
 
Christmas Day Service: 10:15Am
with Holy Communion
 
 
 
 
 

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

15 December 2024

 

Zephaniah 3:14–20

Philippians 4:4–7

Luke 7:18–28 (29–35)

 

The Coming of Jesus Enables Us to Rejoice

 

The Third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called by the Latin word Gaudete, meaning “Rejoice!” For as you are called to repentance, so also are you urged to rejoice in the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. By His own cross, He has accomplished salvation for you; “he has cleared away your enemies,” “taken away the judgments against you” and come to reign in your midst. Indeed, He rejoices over you with gladness and song (Zeph. 3:15–17)! Therefore, even from prison St. Paul encourages us to “rejoice in the Lord always,” knowing that the peace of God will guard and keep us in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:4, 7). We find an example and encouragement in the case of John the Baptist. As he languishes in prison, he calls upon Jesus and is strengthened by the Word of the Gospel that he receives. The same good news is preached to you, by which all things are made new and even “the dead are raised up” (Luke 7:22). Do not be offended by the cross, therefore, but let your life be one of prayer and thanksgiving (Luke 7:23; Phil. 4:6).
 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the seventh chapter.

 

 

18The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
 
20And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
 

24When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written,

          “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
              who will prepare your way before you.’

 
28I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
 
Sermon:  “Our Coming LORD And Justifier”
 
 
 
 
Old Testament   Genesis 3: 1-7
Magnificat         Luke 1: 46-53
Gospel               Luke 4: 1-13
 
Divine fellowship damaged by man and yet retored by God.

God not only created Adam and then Eve in His image ( holy, righteous and innocent), but
breathed His very life into them. God’s creation was first damaged and divided by the rebellion
of a number of angels. God tested Adam to remain faithful in the face of evil and the lies that
spewed out of the mouth of the evil one who appeared as light but was a murderer. Adam
proved unfaithful to God, to Eve, and to all humanity by not rebuking Satan with the words God
spoke to him. This rebellion is Original Sin that is passed from the father to the children,
resulting in all being born sinful and need the salvation God provides through Jesus the Christ.
God’s divine counsel and foreknowledge before the foundation of the world is revealed in both
the announcement of the Savior’s divine/miracleous conception but in the birth of His beloved
and only begotten Son, the God/Man Jesus the Christ. Unlike the first Adam who had all the
advantages of time and location, Jesus was stripped of any advantage, exposed to evil attacks for
an extended time, and renounced and rebuked the evil one as true Man but without any power as
true God. Our heavenly Father divinely begets and makes the children born of the flesh His
children who struggle in this Time of Grace with our sinful nature even as our heavenly Father
and Creator, our LORD and Savior, and our Helper and Comforter all declare us holy, righteous,
and innocent here in time and also in eternity.
 
Gospel               Luke 4: 1-13
The Temptation of Jesus

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days.  And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3
   The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”     4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not 10 live by bread alone.’”
 
   5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of
      time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it
      has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me,
      it will all be yours.”  8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the
      LORD your God, and him only shall you serve.’” 

    9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to
       him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
       “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ 11 and “‘On their hands
       they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus
       answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the LORD your God to the test.’”
 
   13 and when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an 
        opportune time.
 
Sermon:  The Coming Of Our LORD And Faithful One
 
 

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

8 December 2024

 

Malachi 3:1–7b

Philippians 1:2–11

Luke 3:1–14 (15–20)

 

The Preaching of Repentance Prepares Us for the Coming of the Lord

 

The preaching and Baptism “of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3) prepare us for the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ. The historic work of John the Baptist was completed with the first advent of our Lord Jesus in the flesh, but the ministry of the forerunner continues in the preaching of Law and Gospel and in Holy Baptism. Through His messengers, the Lord calls people of all nations to “see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). Our haughtiness is removed and our mountains of pride are brought low, but the Lord humbles us in order to exalt us in His mercy. As the Lord has begun this good work of repentance in us, so also does He perfect it by His Word and Holy Spirit, and He “will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). He purifies us to be His priestly people, precious in His sight and abounding in faith and love, so that we offer our very lives in righteousness to the Lord (Mal. 3:3–4).

 
FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
1 December 2024

Jeremiah 33:14–16
1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
Luke 19:28–40 

The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us

The season of Advent focuses on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and this first Sunday establishes this theme for the rest of the season. The Son of God came long ago to be our Savior, “a righteous Branch” descended from David (Jer. 33:15). As He then came into Jerusalem, riding on a lowly donkey to sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world (Luke 19:28–40), so does He come to His Church today in the humility of Word and Sacrament to deliver the fruits of His Passion: the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He absolves us and establishes our hearts “blameless in holiness before our God and Father” (1 Thess. 3:13). The same Lord Jesus, who came to Jerusalem then and who comes to us now in peace, will come again with power and great glory on the Last Day. Then there will be “distress of nations in perplexity,” with “people fainting with fear.” Yet, as we anticipate that great and terrible day, He bids us to rest securely in Him: “Raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:25, 26, 28).