Sermon in Rockford 25.12.2015

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever. Amen.

Let us quieten this evening in prayer and thanksgiving. Holy and righteous God, our beloved Heavenly Father, this evening, as we gather before your holy and precious word, we pause for a moment to thank you for this Christmas day. This Christmas day when we celebrate the birth of your Son, that Son of yours to whom you sent into this cold and sinful world, to fulfill your measure of love and grace unto us, your children.

Your Son, who was born in that lowly manger many years ago, was sent so that we have hope through his merit work, to one day join you and your Son in the glory of heaven. And on this day, this Christmas day, we have pondered and remembered that which happened so many years ago. And we've also on this day paused to thank and remember the blessings and gifts that God has given us.

And on this day, this Christmas day, we have spent time with our loved ones, our families, our believing brothers and sisters in faith, our escorts, as we journey homeward. You have granted us Christmas peace, that peace that comes through believing. All of these are gifts from your hand. And this evening, dear Father, we thank you for your grace, and dear Father, we are thankful for them.

And as we gather this evening, for a few moments around your holy and precious word, we pray for your service blessing. Come now and lead us and guide us. Feed us with your word, according to the measure of your grace. All of this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

One text for this day, this Christmas day, found in the first chapter of the gospel according to St. John. And I will read the first 14 verses of that chapter. The words are as follows in Jesus' name.

In the beginning, the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Amen.

And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Amen.

Let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

When this beginning of creation took place, Jesus was with his Father in eternity. This is a marvelous matter when we consider, and impossible for us with our own minds to be able to grasp that which was, which is, and which is to come.

It is said that God's Word is an eternal Word. And this Word was with God. As it says in this first chapter of John, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This Word is Christ.

One brother asked one time, why do the ministers often say, when they begin to read a text, they say, and we will hear these words in Jesus' name? And he asked that question because sometimes they read from the Old Testament, sometimes they read from the New Testament. And why do they say in Jesus' name? But it is because of this. Jesus is. Jesus was. And Jesus will be. The Word. And this Word was with God. Meaning that Jesus dwelt with His Father in the beginning. And when God created all things, Jesus was there with Him.

When we read further from the book of John, the Gospel of John, Jesus testifies of this, that He was there with God in the beginning. When we try to, with our own minds, ponder this and comprehend this, it is impossible. But I've thought of it this way myself, that eternity has been, is, and will be. There is no beginning or end to eternity. God is that same kind of God. God was, God is, and God will be. There is no beginning or no end to God.

But in eternity, God chose a time in which He would create a new life: the heavens and the earth. And when God created the heavens and the earth, He created them with His Word. Everything that was created was created out of nothing. He created with His Word.

And so this is God. God is an everlasting God. He is this kind of a being that is omnipotent, omnipresent. He's everywhere and always. I, as a little boy, and perhaps you as a little child also, have pondered these things, or even as an older person, wondered and pondered how could God be everywhere? But He is.

We can trust and we believe now with our own human understanding, but by faith, that God was, that God is, and God is to come. And so when John, in his gospel, writes of this, he says, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. It says, the same was in the beginning with God. So, he places this Word with God. And all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.

So, everything that we see was made by God. That includes everything, of course, that we see, we can feel, and we can touch. Those things that are around us in nature, those things that are around us, even our believing friends, our friends, our neighbors, everybody that is created was created by God.

But God's Word also says that God is the creator of both the visible and the invisible. So, there are those things that He's created that we cannot even see. For example, angels. There are those kinds of angels that are visible. Those kinds of angels that appear to us as a believing friend, a mother or a father, a believing mother or father. Or those kinds of escorts that God sends into our midst that are those kinds of ministering angels.

But there are also those invisible angels. Those ones that God has sent to take care of His children. So, God is the creator of both the visible and the invisible. Not, and without Him was not anything made that was made. And in Him was life.

God is a living God. He's not a dead God. But He's living. There was this question. We can read from it in the book of Acts. When the Apostle Paul was in Athens, he went there to Mars Hill. And he saw this inscription to the unknown God. And he told those people, those philosophers of his day, that you are far too superstitious.

And he went on to explain that God was the creator and God also maintains the creation and the life that He's created. Some thought that it was so that God created everything and they just ignored it. But Paul wrote or spoke differently that God has created all things but He orchestrates and He gives life and He keeps life moving and going. And we believe that by faith.

So, God is a living God. And the life was the light of men. And then he says, and the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.

If we would go back to that first page of the Bible when that light was created the first day, what was that light? I have read many things from biblical scholars that discuss this light that is created on the first day. And very few of them get it right.

This light was the spiritual light that divided darkness from the light. It is that light, of course, of Christ. It is the brightness of God through His Son. And that spiritual light now that dwells even still today among God's children here upon earth. The light of the Spirit.

And this light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.

When God created all things, He knew that at some appointed time He would send His Son into this world. The prophets spoke of that. We have heard of those prophecies now during this time of Christmas, Advent and Christmas, how the prophets of old spoke about what was going to take place.

They spoke of this son of David, this son of Jesse. They spoke about this righteous branch. They prophesied of God's Son being sent and His name would be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace. Prophet Isaiah testified of this.

And when people read from those words and heard that word preached, some believed, but many more didn't. And at God's appointed time then, He sent His Son into this world. And baby Jesus was born in that manger so many years ago.

And when we recount those events of Christmas, we have heard, read that familiar story in the second chapter of Luke. Those timeless words and those encouraging experiences that those of old experienced: Mary and Joseph.

When they went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, onto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because He was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary as a spouse, wife, being great with child.

And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

When we read of these words, these words are timeless. And when I read them from year to year and from even now from decades to decades, those words bring such comfort to the heart of the child of God.

That God chose in this way to send His Son. This Son who is with His Father in glory. He was there in heaven with Him. And God could have chosen any which way to send Him into this world.

God, the living God, the all-powerful and all-knowing God, could have sent Him. He could have sent Him in a blaze of glory. He could have sent Him as a King. He could have, in any way, shape or form, He could have chosen to send Him.

But God chose rather to send baby Jesus into this world as a little child born to Mary in that manger in Bethlehem. And it says He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, wrapped in the swaddling clothes of God's Word.

He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

What does John say? And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

There were those people around that were able to see baby Jesus. But so few were able to believe that this was the Son of God.

But then also, when those shepherds, as we've heard so many times during these Christmas days, these same, there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night.

I've pondered that, those shepherds going about their work, their everyday work, probably no different that night than any other night that they worked. And then being awakened or surprised when the whole heavens opened and erupted.

It says, And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

So this angel came. And the glory of the Lord shone. They were fearful. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you. And this gets so easily, in my mind anyway, when I read this, so quickly glazed over. For unto you this day is born in the city of David.

We don't pause to think that what this angel is saying unto those shepherds, for unto you is born this day. That's to each of you, dear brothers and sisters today, this baby Jesus was born and sent for you and for me. Your own personal Savior that God chose and saw fit to send Him in this way of a little child.

If He had been sent in the form of a king, who of us, sinners as we are, could approach Him? We are those kinds of people that are often in awe of that kind of power. And we may even feel too shy or timid to approach someone that we think is honorable or powerful. Especially young children.

It's not easy for a child to look up to someone of authority and to approach that person. But can very easily shy away. Or what about the poor ones or the weak ones? And so these are the ones that can approach a baby.

Even in a temporal way today when we see babies, oh, it's so easy to go to a baby. And we can approach that baby. There's nothing fearful about a baby. But a baby draws people to it.

How often have you mothers been there in the supermarkets or in town shopping with your little ones? And how often people will stop and recognize, oh, a little baby. They're approachable.

And this is how God chose to send his son into this world. As a little baby born in the city of David. And the sign that they gave that you would find this babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.

So they told these shepherds this. And once the shepherds were told, then suddenly, they're going to be told, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

Today, brothers and sisters, have you experienced that timeless Christmas peace? That Christmas peace that comes through believing. The world seeks for peace, but does not find it. Because they seek for it in the wrong places.

We have sought for peace as a grace beggar in God's kingdom. And God has given peace to those to whom he has chosen and to whom he has called.

When I think of this peace of Christmas, I hearken back to a time when I was a little boy when we traveled in West Africa. We went to a little home north of the city of Balime.

Brother Nicholas had met this girl named Ethonam on the street that morning. And there was something in this Ethonam that Nicholas recognized that we should go and visit her.

So we went to her home. We found her there in that little village north of Balime. And we went there and we started to visit with her in her home.

And we told her of the purpose of our visit, which is the custom. We gathered in her little front porch area. And we told her that we are ministers that have come from both Finland and Sweden.

And our mission here is to preach the gospel of forgiveness. And we call sinners on to repentance. And Nicholas asked them for a short devotion.

And it's so difficult in those settings to know that what is appropriate and what is important for this individual to hear. Then we find so often that we quickly and often resort to prayer. That God who knows the hearts of all would reveal what His will is in this situation.

So I spoke to this Ethonam and I told her that all of us born into this world are born as God's children. It doesn't matter if we're born in Africa, the U.S., Europe, wherever. But every child born into this world is born as a child of God.

But we're also born with that old portion. That portion that is corrupt. And as we grow in age and years, if we don't have that teaching and that instruction and that forgiveness that is in God's kingdom, then because of this corruption we are separated from God.

And when we're separated from God, then we're in unbelief. And if we die in that condition, then we become eternally separated from God.

And as we spoke, we also spoke about the peace that comes through believing. And when our sins are forgiven, there's nothing that convicts us and we are then joined together again perfectly with God.

And as I was speaking and it was being translated to this young Ethonam, she was a college student there, early 20s. She asked this question: But what can you men do? How can I find peace? You men have peace, but I don't.

And she went on to explain that she's been seeking for peace for a period of time. At one point, she was quite worldly and she was in those places where there was loud music and there was that kind of lifestyle that was very raucous and it was very worldly. And she was a part of that.

But she said this became strange to her. And her ears even revolted or rebelled against that music. And she left that kind of life. But she found herself, although she had left that life, she was still not at peace with God.

And she was sure that this was going to be her life, her demise. That she was always going to feel this separation with God.

But we told her that she doesn't need to be separated. That God is entrusted to His kingdom here upon earth.

This word that is living. That word that is sent from God. And if you want, we could preach that gospel to you.

And when we asked this question, she said, this is what I've been yearning for for a long time.

So we preached that gospel to her. And as we were leaving, we encouraged her to come to service that evening and we saw her that evening in services in Balime. She found her way there somehow.

But before we left, she said, now I feel at peace. A peace like I've never experienced before.

And I thought how simple it is for God. God sees everything as an eternal God. He sees everything as an eternal God.

And I thought, now, there is no yesterday and tomorrow with God. But God sees everything on a flat plane. There's no corners that He has to see around. There's no tomorrow that He has to see. But God knows all of those things.

And how easy is it for God to take this person and that person, even from across the sea, to be joined together in that exact spot so that His word can bring life. She was granted grace to believe.

When we were there just over a year ago, I asked about this young sister, Ethonam. And they said it wasn't long after we had been there that she passed away.

Today, she lives, but waiting for that eternal Christmas celebration in the glory of heaven.

This is that which here John writes about. How this Christ child that was sent into this world, this light that shineth in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not.

But later on he says, but he came unto his own and his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

So this is that which God has done for us. Jesus was in the world. The world was made by him. And the world knew him not. He came unto his own. His own children, those children of Israel. He came to them and they rejected him.

When Jesus returned to the city of Jerusalem the last time, he paused there on his trip there to Jerusalem and he looked at that city. And he wept.

I wonder, I've wondered why Jesus wept there. But I think it was probably because of this: That he was rejected by his own.

I know, for example, you mothers who have given your children life and you fathers who have with you mothers attempted to raise those children. There's nothing more that you would like than for your own children to be able to remain as a child of God.

It's been my hope. Oh, I was so joyful that morning on the way home from the hospital when my oldest daughter, my first child was born. I couldn't wait to get home to call all of my friends and tell them that God gave me a beautiful gift.

And on the way home, I also thought in a moment of realization that now I have to raise this child. And a certain fear came over me that would I be able to do that?

And a prayer was sent, not only for that child, but for every child that God has given. The same kind of prayer that would God keep my children as his own.

With prayer that they wouldn't reject that great blessing and gift that is Christ.

It must have pained God so much when he sent into this world his only son. He sent Jesus, this innocent child, and he was rejected.

The world had other things that were more important. They had other things that they felt to be more timely. They had those kinds of opportunities to believe, but they rejected him.

May it be that we would never reject that greatest gift that has been given into this world. Namely, this gift of life. This gift of God's dear son. That baby Jesus that was sent.

And there was no room for him in the inn. The world had rejected him. There wasn't room in the manger of their hearts for this Christ child. They were so full of themselves.

They didn't need, as Jesus later said, he didn't come for the well or the healthy, but he came for the sick. Those that are well are in no need of a physician.

And I thought how God's kingdom is such a place where it's the sick taking care of the sick. The weak are taking care of the weak ones. The poor are feeding the poor.

It speaks in this text also of John the Baptist. John the Baptist.

How it says there was this man that came, was sent by God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe.

John was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light. The same John, a cousin of Jesus, who was sent before Jesus to pave the way to make those rougher places plain.

And he was to preach that acceptance of the Lord. The sermon of repentance that Christ is coming.

He pointed to Jesus once and said it is he who is the son of God of whom shoes I am not even worthy to latch. I can't even tie his shoes.

And he pointed and he said this is my savior also.

But what was John? This John the Baptist in prison nearing the end of his life. He sent his own disciples in the midst of the world in the midst of heavy doubts and worries and fears.

That is it so that you are the one or do we wait for another?

And Jesus sends his disciples or John's disciples go back and tell him that the lame are able to walk. The blind receive their sight. And the gospel, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

This is that which we are brothers and sisters the lame, the poor, the weak ones. We are caring for the lame and the poor and the weak ones. This is God's kingdom.

And we have been gifted that even on this Christmas day. We've been called to be his own. But as many as receive him to them gave he power to become the sons of God.

God gave power. It is not our own power. You haven't ever in your life been able to say it is me or it is I that is strong enough to believe. Or it is I that have called or chosen God.

Jesus says you have not chosen me but I have chosen you. A grace gift from God.

Today the world rages. It goes to and fro. But in God's kingdom there is righteousness, there is peace and there is joy.

And brothers and sisters you and I have been called to share in this joy. Is there a greater gift on this Christmas day than this to be able to believe that I am one of God's own?

And that even on this day of grace I can believe that all of my sins are forgiven in the name and precious blood of Jesus.

It is God who has given us strength and power to believe. Which are born as he says not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God. We are born of God. He has given us this life.

And this word then as he concluded in our text and the word was made flesh. So in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the word was God. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

And we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.

God's word is full of grace and truth. Enough grace there's abundant grace for all sins. There's abundant grace for you dear brother and sister.

There has been never a time where the gospel and grace hasn't been given to those who have asked. Have you ever been denied when you went begging for grace? Oh no there's no more forgiveness. There's your you're the greatest sinner. There's no more left. You've exhausted every bit of grace.

There's never a time that grace is insufficient. It is abundant and it is without end. Paul writes where sin abounds grace abounds all the more.

So if you find brothers and sisters you to be one of those sinners in God's kingdom you have also found yourself to be a grace beggar.

You also found yourself to be so fortunate that on this Christmas day you have been also forgiven. That great debt of sin baby Jesus dwells in your heart as a little child.

And you remain living and believing with him. This gospel this grace will carry us till the end of our journey when we will then be able to lay aside this crown of faith or this faith that we own in our heart and exchange it for a crown of life in the glory of heaven.

So this evening on this Christmas day remain believing as one of those little children in God's kingdom with that Christmas peace and joy in your heart that your sins are all forgiven in the name and precious atoning blood of Jesus.

You can believe on to peace and joy. It is God's gift for us his children.

This evening can I also at the closing of this day still be reassured of that same gospel. Can I believe my own sins and doubts forgiven? I want to believe with each of you dear brothers and sisters in faith and may God grant us Christmas peace now and always. In Jesus' name Amen. Amen.