“Your Redemption Is Near”
Second Sunday in Advent—Populus Zion
St. Luke 21:25-36
December 4, 2011
[Jesus said,] “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten
up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” [v.
28]
IN NOMINE JESU
Many years ago there was a musical movie called Funny Lady, the sequel
to Funny Girl. It starred Barbra Streisand, James Caan, Omar Sharif,
Roddy McDowall, and Ben Vereen. This 1975 movie met with moderate
success at the box office and mixed reviews from the critics. The
soundtrack was certified gold. One of the songs on the soundtrack has
remained popular, one called “Great Day.” Most of us don’t know the
words to this song; I admit I don’t and probably won’t, but we are
familiar with the first few lines to the song: “When you’re down and
out Lift up your head and shout There’s gonna be a great day….” While
one may think this song could possibly have something to do with the
power of positive thinking, it is, in fact, a song that sings of the
end of the world. That’s the great day that is sung about in this
song, perhaps with a few liberties taken (a practice often called
“artistic license”):
And on Judgment Day
If you believe he will receive you and me
Gabriel will warn you
Some early morn
You will [hear] his horn, his horn
It’s not far away
Lift up your head and say
There’s gonna be a great
We’re gonna see a great
There’s gonna be,
Be a great day.
This song is a bit similar to many of the hymns we sing during Advent,
in that it encourages us to lift up our heads and look forward to the
Last Day, when our Lord will make His final coming, descending on
clouds with great power and might. But there is no need to fear. Let
not your heart be troubled. We believe that He shall come to be our
Judge, and our heavenly Father has declared us forgiven for His Son’s
sake. This is cause for us to rejoice, to lift up our heads, for our
redemption is near.
When you’re driving down the road, you know you can’t look down at
just the control panel or the floor. You need to look up, so you can
see what is coming toward you, whether it’s a car, a truck, or even a
deer. You need to be on the lookout. You need to be aware. You need
to watch. Lift up your heads, for an accident may well be near. You
don’t know when or where those deer will appear or when or where your
car’s appearance will be severely altered. It’s crucial to keep your
head up, to be alert, whether you’re on the road or as you wait for
the Last Day.
Our Lord has warned us numerous times to watch, because we don’t know
when He will come for the final time. He’ll come quickly, like a
thief in the night. For that reason we are to watch, to be ready, to
be alert, to lift up our heads. You see, when He does return on the
Last Day, He will gather all the faithful to Himself. The Lord
promises us through the prophet Malachi in our Old Testament Reading
for today: “But for you who fear My Name, the sun of righteousness
shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like
calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they
will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act,
says the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 4:2-3). Behold, your salvation comes,
and blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!
But are we ready to receive our Lord as He comes to us, both
sacramentally (as He does today) and eschatologically (that is, on the
Last Day)? Are we alert and watchful for the return of the Lord?
It’s really hard for us to get our eyes fixed on Jesus, especially at
this time of the year. It’s hard enough to do that anytime. But as
we make Christmas preparations, it gets even harder. We seldom, if at
all, look for the Lord to come to us, but we are busy looking at other
things. We’re looking at all the sales that the stores are having
because we’re looking at our gift lists and what everyone on it wants
for Christmas. We’re looking at great buys on groceries, especially
if we’re hosting that big family get-together this year or even if
we’re bringing a dish or two for it. We’re looking at the Christmas
light displays and ooh-ing and ahh-ing over them. Some of would
travel considerable distances to look at the pretty lights. We’re
looking school programs and gathering at friends’ places for parties.
All of these things are worthwhile; please don’t misunderstand me.
It’s wonderful to be able to do all of these things, but we cannot do
so at the expense of the coming of our Lord. We like to look at
nativity scenes and see some doll dressed as the baby Jesus lying
there, but are we ready to see this same Jesus come on clouds
descending to judge both the living and the dead? Are we ready to see
this same Jesus as He comes to us today? Our sinful nature would have
us look at everything else but Him. Satan would have us look at only
those things that concern ourselves, our wants, and our desires—to
look in at ourselves. And so we are curved in on ourselves, seeking
to satisfy the desires of the flesh, rather than the needs of the
soul. To this our Lord warns us in our text: “But watch yourselves
lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and
cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth”
(vv. 34-35).
Take heart, fellow redeemed, for that Day, the Last Day, will be a
great day for us, for the Lord will come one last time and gather all
the faithful, including us, to Himself in heaven, thanks be to God the
Holy Spirit, who has created, sustained, and strengthened this saving
faith within us. We confess that we cannot by our own reason or
strength believe in Jesus Christ or come to Him; so He comes to us,
bringing His redemption with Him. This is the same redemption He made
for us on the cross, when He purchased and won us “from all sins, from
death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but
with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and
death” (2nd Article). He paid for us, paying the price of our great
and many sins, with His very life. His body was pierced as He was
nailed to the cross, and His blood poured out from the whipping, the
piercing, and the crown of thorns. His body was on the cross,
bruised, beaten, and bloody—and dead. Christ bled for you. Christ
died for you. Christ also rose for you, leaving the grave behind and
empty, as the Victor over sin, death, and hell forever. Christ
redeemed you from the throes of hell when He took your place on the
cross and died. That redemption He won for you on Mt. Calvary He
brings to you this day, as He comes to you in His Means of Grace.
Lift up your heads, for your redemption is near. See it at the font,
where your sins were washed away and the Holy Spirit made His entry to
work in you saving faith in Christ. Lift up your heads, for your
redemption is near. Hear it from the chancel step, from whence you
heard me announce to you that God has forgiven you all your sins for
the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ, from whence you once again lived
your Baptism in the forgiveness of sins, and we continue to pray with
the Psalmist in our Introit, “Restore us, O God; let Your face shine,
that we may be saved” (Ps. 80:3). Lift up your heads, for your
redemption is near. Hear it again from the lectern and the pulpit,
from whence you hear your redemption is near—and here—in the person
and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is present among us
now! Lift up your heads, for your redemption is near. Look to the
altar, where your Lord desires to feed you on His body and blood, His
true body given on the cross and His very blood shed there—His body
and blood—given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Where
there is forgiveness of your sins, there is also eternal life and
salvation—there is your redemption! Lift up your heads, and taste and
see that the Lord is good. Lift up your heads, and hear the Lord
place His Name on you in the Benediction, that you, forgiven and
blessed, would be strengthened to face the uncertainties of this life
as well as the certainty of the resurrection of the body and the life
of the world to come, that you would be ready for our Lord’s final
coming on the Last Day and to stand before the Son of Man.
In a few moments we will get to receive the body and blood of the
Lord, and so it is fitting to “say to the daughter of Zion,” to the
people of Zion, to the saints of Zion Lutheran Church, “Behold, your
salvation comes.” Amen.
SOLI DEO GLORIA
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