"Hear Him, Here Speaking!"
On St Luke 2.1-20
the Sermon Preached at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church—UAC
for the Eve of Holy Christmas
by the Rev. Frederick E. Davison, Pastor
December 24, 2008
+ + +
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ
our Lord, [Amen.]
Today's sermon speaks from the Gospel appointed, according to John
chapter 20th with particular focus on these words:
". . . the shepherds said . . . 'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made
known unto us.' And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph,
and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made
known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."
Thus far our text. Please be sit.
In the Name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Ghost. [Amen.]
To these shepherds God spoke. And the Word they heard gladly, even
rejoicing! There was no debate, and without hesitation, God spoke and
they believed. Yet, my old man asks, "Why?" Is it because they were
so shocked that someone would entrust them with such glorious news?
Their witness cast aside by the world as worthless, God chose them to
be His witness. And yet, who'd believe a shepherd? Their testimony
was worthless in Jewish courts—unless they saved the sheep's fleece
*everyone* assumed every loss was to their thievery and ill-repute.
Joseph's brothers saving his coat-of-many-colors shows for just how
many centuries was the tradition that a shepherd's witness was
worthless—even Jacob's sons.
And its' easily to identify with them. As shepherd under God, who
puts His Word in my mouth, I see how swiftly, how quickly God's Word
is cast off, disregarded, and worse, ill-spoken of; the Word God
commands to come from my mouth and by which He intends to work
repentance in the hearers' hearts, some act like, it's not only NOT
God's Word, but the means by which I'm trying to tear your Church
apart. But it's *not yours" any more than it is mine—it's *His.: And
His Word is the only Word that holds forth here in this place. And
this is to serve again as your stern warning.
There is a sin that cannot be forgiven. Plainly put, it's despising
the Holy Spirit and especially, the Spirit ways and the Spirit's
working of killing the old man and raising the new. Without this, man
cannot be saved. So take heed how ye hear. You must not mock God's
Word.
But this is not the first time this has happened, nor are you the
first of God's people to put Him to the test. It's nothing new—but
it's still not good. The prophets of old shared the scorn of many
just like these shepherds—both old and new. Isaiah shared our
frustration, "Who will believe our report?" he asks God.
God answers clearly, "I'll give you a sign. . ." To Isaiah He says,
"a virgin conceiving and bearing a son," and to the shepherds, , "you
shall find Him in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." They
went. They saw. They believed. They glorified who had shown it.
And now, also for you. He's likewise given signs. First to you is
His Word, a stern Word of warning, "Take heed how ye hear." He says,
"blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see and hear the
things that ye hear." When faithless teachers leave you helpless and
hopeless—so happy in your sins that will kill you—God calls out more
loudly, "Take heed—repent—watch out how ye hear!"
And what's more now, He says, "Listen and believe!" God who fills
the whole Heavens and Earth and under with His Glory, grants stony
hard hearts, true and living Faith. First in a Flesh and Blood Jesus
raised by His Infinite Power and Might. And He gives men signs of His
Presence, His Being, His Mercy and Grace. And why?
To convert the unbelieving old Judas, who is yet living and by God's
will dying in you and in me. There is in us—every one—a dead, old
man, a man—and yes woman—who is mad at God, who shakes the fist at the
heavens "I will never believe you! I will never forgive you for all
you have allowed to happen to me."
And what would you expect? It's all that old man in you CAN do. It
cannot *ever* believe God. He's born dead in sin and trespass, can't
*ever* believe!
So to make unbelieving hearts believing, you need a miracle, God's
acting, is the only acting that can get *that* kind of thing done. So
to St Thomas, He said, "Thrust in your fingers, Feel My hands and My
feet. . . thrust here in My wounding, a holy Heart that yet beats".
Christ holds forth to unbelievers miraculous signs that convert the
dead and dying and makes dead men to live.
And so much the more He connects the giving of His Spirit with these
signposts, "Breath and receive. . ." Here He foreshadows and
prefigures, how now, we who hear the same Promise, "whosever sins ye
forgive are forgiven" we likewise are converted, and dead hearts get
His Spirit and the valley of dry bones stand up walking by the Signs
of His Life.
He blesses water, saying, "Be born again . . ." And the unbelieving
say "How?" Yet His Apostles, teach this is a "washing of renewal and
regeneration of the Holy Spirit" and by this "He doth now save us"
These are signs of His coming, of His converting dead men to life.
And the greatest appears least, to simple Bread and Fruit of the
Vine, His "Let there be light creating Word" says, "This is my Blood"
"This is My Body" "given and shed for many for the forgiveness of
sins.
Facts are facts and Faith's Facts are endlessly reliable, we never
ought doubt for in that He commands these requires our believing and
when God says "Let there be. . ." What was becomes as He wills it.
"It's as if He were here to say, "Signs, sign, everywhere a sign, my
hands and feet are no longer for your viewing or touching but in these
signs you can still see my heart." There's not a single one I have
caused to be baptized that I did not want to save. Not a single one
who's heard "I forgive you." That I did not forgive. Nor one single
eater of my Body or who has drank of this Cup, who, from earth unto
Heaven my Supper brings up. And so "blessed are they that have not
seen, and yet still have believed."
And you, who don't see Him, but know Him; who can't touch Him, but
are touched *by* Him. Blessed are ye, who can't see His mouth but hear
His Voice speaking, saying, "Peace be with you! My peace I leave with
you, not as the world giveth, let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid." "Blessed are they that have not seen . . .yet
believe."
[Matthew 13.16] Indeed, "blessed are your eyes, for they see: and
your ears, for they hear." And yea, Believe, and "Receive ye, the
Spirit" in His "Body broken," His Blood "poured out" for Jesus' most
holy passion's sake, Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of + the Son and of the Holy Ghost. [Amen.]
The peace that passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus,
[Amen.]
--
the Rev. Frederick E Davison, Pastor
St Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church--UAC
the Pastor's E Mail: [email protected]
the Pastor's Cell: 608-475-0860
Box 230 23357 CR AA
Richland Center, WI 53581
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"For the question is not (to borrow words from Cyprian) what someone
before us has done but what He who is before all both did before and
commanded us to do." Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of
Trent, vol. II, p. 250.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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