Note: The story of "the man" included in this sermon comes from a fine sermon from Pr. Paul Willweber from some years ago.
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, He Loves Me! The Nativity of Our Lord Christmas Day Saturday, December 25, 2010 Zion Lutheran Church, Beecher, IL Sermon Text John 1:1-14 Old Testament Reading Isaiah 52:7-10 Epistle Reading Hebrews 1:1-6 Gospel Reading John 1:1-14 In the name of Jesus Christ the Son of Mary the Babe of Bethlehem the Word made flesh Immanuel, God with us your Savior! [Amen.] Our sermon on this Christmas morning is based on the Gospel reading just read from the midst of Gods people. Dear friends in Christ Jesus, I once heard a story told about a man who had reached the height of success. Power. Wealth. Popularity. Wonderful family. He truly had it all! He had a problem, though and it was a big one. His problem, was that he believed that there was no such thing as sin. So he did whatever he thought necessary in order to get what he wanted. Eventually he got caught in criminal activity, and after going to trial, was found guilty. His life became a shambles. You can pretty much guess how it played out. He lost his position, his wealth, his power, and even his family. His wife divorced him. His children gave up on him. All everything that hed acquired and accumulated was lost. His good life had become a disaster. As you might well imagine, he became bitter and disillusioned. He did get married again; but, it was far, far from perfect he and his new wife constantly fighting and bickering. Someone he met had pity on him and gave a book to him entitled: Loving God. And with that, the mans new friend told him: To get right with God, you must first acknowledge that you need to love God. The man responded: What do you mean? Im down and out, and youve given a book to me to read entitled: Loving God. Dont you get it I cant love God! I cant do anything! I need a God who will love me! And with that outburst he fell onto the floor sobbing defeated dejected totally despondent... sure that there was no hope for him anywhere. That is a heart-wrenching story of what happened to that man. Its tragic, to be sure. Its tragic because the man selfishly lived life on his terms with no thought toward anyone else other people and especially God! But, its also tragic on another plain. Its tragic from the standpoint of what he was told by his friend who tried to help him. The first man was at the end of his rope. He had no place to turn. And his well-meaning friend gave him a book and directed him to love God and by him doing that action, he was told that he could straighten out the disaster that his life had become. But the first man knew that his friend although he meant otherwise he knew that he really offered him no help at all! Do you remember the words that he cried out: I cant love God. I cant do anything! I need a God who loves me! Dear people of God, that man speaks for us all! Each one of us, if we honestly evaluate ourselves, each of us also needs a God whos bigger than us and who loves us! Not one of us is impervious to the trials and even heartache of this world. Its not a question of if there are difficulties in your life. No the question is What are the difficulties that you face? Most likely your life doesnt have the extremes in it that the main character in the story had; yet, on a certain level we all can relate to his cry: I need a God who loves me! You know what I mean It might be a bout of poor health or economic reversals that have come upon you. Perhaps one of your children seems to be listless or even following the wrong path in life. Such things as that come upon everyone and when they do they wear us down and threaten to swamp our little boat as we sail the sea of life. We need a God who is bigger than us and who loves us so much that Hell come to our rescue for without His help the tragedy the disaster will never end! Also, and again, if youre completely honest, you know that theres another whole dimension where you hope against hope that theres a God who loves you. For if He doesnt, then your eternal life is a disaster and its a tragedy without end! To what, do I refer? Even if it were possible to remove all the material disasters of this world even if no one had any health issues or economic problems Even if there were no family squabbles or issues there still remains that fear of facing almighty God on Judgment Day knowing that every thought every action every thing that you said and did was known in every last sordid detail by Him who demands holiness and righteousness. Now that is a disaster and a tragedy whose boundaries are impossible for us to define! For what were talking about now is the condemnation of almighty God upon sin and all those who bear it. And that judgment is be cast into hell apart from the love of God forever! But on this Christmas Day, I proclaim to you again the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God in the Second Person of the Holy Trinity the true Light came into this world of sin and death and darkness to bring grace and truth. He came unto His own to rescue His beloved ones so that they might dwell with Him once again! You just now sang of that right after the reading of the Gospel. God in Christ Jesus undertook a great exchange by taking on human flesh and human sin and then in His body bore them unto His death on the cross of Calvary. He underwent suffering the eternal punishment due to mankind due to you so that you might avoid it. And then, as if that werent enough in itself, He then gives you His realm that is out of His love He gives you His glory and even His name. Thats because following your Baptism you emerge from that holy washing bearing the title of Christian! On this Christmas Day we Christians rejoice that God in heaven saw our sorry state and had pity on us. He knew that we couldnt love Him. He knew that in our down and out position, we couldnt do anything to save ourselves! He knew that we needed a God who loved us, who cared enough about us to leave His Fathers throne and come to rescue us! Thats why the historic practice of reading the Gospel from the middle of the nave is so fitting for it shows exactly what God did on that first Christmas! God came into the midst of His people stuck in sin and death and with only hell awaiting them. He came and rescued them! He didnt say: You people got yourselves into that mess. Now get yourselves out! Rather, He humbled Himself and left His heavenly home to die and rise in your place! Most young boys and girls when they come upon their first love, perform that time-honored ritual to try to determine if that first love of theirs actually loves them, in return. You know how it goes. Say its a young girl. She takes a flower in hand, and then pulling the first petal off says: He loves me. Then, pulling the second petal says: He loves me not. That sequence continues until the last petal is removed. If there are an odd number of petals, supposedly the boy returns her love. And if there are an even number of petals well shes still looking for Mr. Right! Dear people of God the eternal Word of God doesnt leave it up to chance for you to know where you stand before almighty God not at all! Rather, at Christmas God opened the heavens declared to the world that He loves us. He loves you from eternity and into eternity! When you hear holy Absolution He declares to you: I love you. When you approach His Table today and every time in the future He declares: I love you. When you hear His Benediction He declares: I love you. Christians, amidst all the presents and all the nostalgia. Throughout all the parties and great food that many will enjoy today, remember this. Remember that through the Babe of Bethlehem your flower has an odd number of petals. You can confidently say: He loves me! Thanks be to God. Merry Christmas! [Amen.] The peace of God that passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. [Amen.] ` ____________________________________________________________ Moms Asked to Return to School Grant Funding May Be Available to Those That Qualify. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d1973946eed5998facst02vuc
