Sermon in Minneapolis 27.11.2016

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 morning in opening prayer and thanksgiving. Amen. Hearts of thanksgiving in prayer. Thankful that you protected us through the night as your children. Amen. That you sent those heavenly angels to watch over us. And we have awakened with this knowledge and joy in our hearts that we today are yet your own, traveling in your kingdom toward our final destination there in the glory of heaven.

You have called us, dear Father, to be your children, and you have gifted us with everything that is necessary for this body and life. You have provided our daily needs in abundance. You have given us our dear families and loved ones. You have blessed us with believing friends and escorts. And you have given us your kingdom where we can gather those blood drops of your Son to strengthen us as we journey.

Dear Father, on this first Advent Sunday, we are mindful of how you fulfilled, through your promise, the way and hope of salvation, through your Son. That Son who had been waited for, for generations. And when it came to pass, your children rejoiced to be able to see such a Savior.

Dear Father, we are also the children of Advent, waiting now for the second coming of our Savior. And when He comes, He will bring with Him His reward for those who loved Him. Protect us, dear Father, in this begun faith, that we would one day be able to see the glory of heaven. Amen.

So as we gather today before your holy and precious Word, we pray for your service blessing. You know the hearts of each of us, and you know that which is necessary for this day of grace. So we simply and humbly ask now, dear Father, for your service blessing. All of this we ask in the name of your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, today, the first Advent Sunday, I will read from the Gospel text for this day, found in the 11th chapter of Mark. And the words are in Jesus' name as follows:

And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent forth two of His disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you, and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat. Loose him and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him, and straightway He will send him hither.

And they went their way and found the colt tied by the door, without in a place where two ways met, and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye loosing the colt? And they said unto them, Even as Jesus had commanded, and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, sang, Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

The time of Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for Christmas. It's a festive time in your homes perhaps, as it has been traditionally in our homes. In our home, shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday is over, then the Christmas decorations come out, and the house takes on a different appearance, and preparations then are made. And anticipation builds for that day of Christmas.

I'm sure you children so much enjoy, as I did as a young boy, and I still do, I enjoy the Christmas season. So many childhood memories are from the Christmas season. It is a time when we pause to reflect on the great love that God had for his own.

When we remember the fulfillment of the promise that God had made way back from the time when Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden. When, because of the sin and corruption that came upon man, he promised that a Savior would be sent into the world.

The prophets spoke of that promise. They wrote of it. Prophet Isaiah, Prophet Jeremiah, Ezekiel, all of the prophets spoke and wrote of this promise that God had, that he would send into the world this Savior.

The men of old would have read and heard of that promise that God had. They would have gathered there in their homes. They would have gathered at festivities and feasts as we also do. And there would have been read and spoken of this promise that God had, that Jesus, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, is coming.

But it required of them patience that they would wait for that King. Perhaps every year that went by, there were those that would have tired in waiting for this King. Others were given strength to endeavor and believe upon that promise.

Generation after generation came. They lived their lives, waited for that promise, and so many passed away before seeing the fulfillment of this promise. But yet, they traveled by faith.

So, when that King finally came, which we will celebrate in a few weeks, that King of glory, born into that lonely, lowly manger in Bethlehem, God, his fulfillment came to fruition. The fulfillment of his promise.

Brothers and sisters, we are also today children of Advent. We also wait for that second coming. We read from scriptures about how it will be when Jesus will come a second time. We read of how, as we just finished up the church calendar year, and today is the first Sunday of a new calendar year.

We followed the life and suffering of Christ through the last year, which ended the last calendar year last Sunday with Judgment Sunday. And it in some ways follows the cycle in life of man.

But now springs forth a new dawning, a new day, a new year. And it's a marvel as we are visiting on the way here this morning how another year has gone. And we are beginning another new year.

At some point these days and years will end. But we don't know of that hour or that moment when God will send his Son a second time. But we wait. We wait with patience. We wait with hope. We wait with this faith in our hearts knowing that when God sends his Son it will then be that all of the numbers of God's kingdom have been fulfilled.

The last soul has been called into his kingdom. And the end of this world will be. It will be a great day of great victory for the child of God. The tired traveler gets at that point to go home.

That's what we as God's children today wait for. When we can lay aside these weapons of the journey and go to our Father's home that is prepared for us in the glory of heaven. That's the promise that we today as God's children wait for.

But we are still waiting. We are endeavoring by faith. We have not yet received that reward. But it's coming in God's time.

So this waiting for those Old Testament believers ended when Jesus was sent into this world, and he lived his life in perfection, living according to God's holy and righteous plan, fulfilling every last drop of God's word and the prophecies, fulfilling God's will in all things.

And there he took upon him the burden and sin of the whole world. And this text that we read is both read at the time of Advent and also at the time of Lent, leading up to the time of Easter.

And it speaks of Jesus's triumphal return to the city that he knew well, the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a dear city for Jesus. There he began his public ministry. He took the Bible to the temple, opened the Bible to the book of Isaiah, and there he read of how today God's will is fulfilled in your eyes.

And throughout Jesus's life he preached about that promise that God had for his children. And when we think of the teachings that Jesus did we marvel. We study his word. It's a lamp and a light for us. It's a guide that leads us to heaven, his word.

And Jesus's teaching was that which was of grace and truth. He loved the sinner, but he also hated sin. And that's important also for us in our day that we love the sinner but we also hate sin and ungodliness.

It is that for the child of God to speak of what God's word says. God has entrusted his word to his kingdom to reveal the way that leads to heaven. The Holy Spirit is that which God has given to his kingdom which divides to each of us accordingly, according to what we need.

And so this was also that which Jesus taught. He preached. He forgave. And now, as Jesus came to Jerusalem for the last days of his life, as they neared the city of Jerusalem, they were in Bethphage near Bethany.

Bethany was that city where his dear friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. Just a few miles away from Jerusalem. He had spent many, many days, many hours in that friend's home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. They were those kinds of dear friends for him.

It would have been one of those safe havens perhaps that we also enjoy as God's children. There are those homes that you have that are not only your own home but even close friends of yours when you can go there. And when you're there, it feels like you're at home.

One of those homes where you feel like you can put your feet up on the coffee table and sit and simply relax and visit about anything and everything. This was the kind of home that Jesus enjoyed.

And Lazarus was a dear friend. And you remember how shortly before this, Lazarus had died. His sisters were in mourning. Even accused that Jesus, if you would have been here, our brother would not have died.

But Jesus went there, and when he saw his loved one, he wept. But he said, Lazarus is not dead, but he's sleeping. And Jesus awakened him, and he arose from the dead. One of the last miracles that Jesus performed.

And so then from there he now came towards Jerusalem. And when he neared Jerusalem in Bethphage, he told two of his disciples that go your way into the village over against you. And as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied whereon never man sat. Loose him and bring him.

These ways of Jesus are such a mystery to me. It shows and reveals to us his majesty and his power and his knowledge. How would he know that there was this colt tied where no man had sat?

It was as if Jesus could see around corners. In a different village there was this colt or ass tied. And it was one that had never been ridden or used for work. And Jesus knew this. And he told his disciples to go.

And the disciples would have asked these questions as we would ask, that how will we know? When we read from God's word and we study the life of the apostles, the disciples, we see so much in them us. How do we know? When will we know? And so on were often their questions.

You remember when Jesus in his farewell sermon in the 14th chapter of John, there were three different questions asked of Jesus. In that first part of the 14th chapter, Jesus says, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.

And whither I go, you know, and the way you know. Jesus is telling this to his disciples. Well, then Thomas asked this question, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way?

Have you ever asked these same kinds of questions in your life? Have you, young ones, as you've grown in life, pondered and wondered that what direction does God have for me? What kind of career? Will I be married? Will I have a family?

We have these kinds of questions because we can't see into the future. But Jesus could. Because he was God. Jesus was able to see so many things that his Father was able to give to him to see.

There's one thing that God has kept from his Son. That Jesus didn't know. And that was this, that when will he return a second time? This is one thing that Jesus wasn't given to know or understand.

Jesus said not even the angels in heaven know but only my Father. But in so many other ways, Jesus was given to know the will of his Father. And if you didn't know the will of his Father, he was obedient to him, and he believed.

So this also, when Thomas asked this question, and how can we know the way? Jesus told them, said unto him, that I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto me, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

And later on Philip also asked this question when Jesus said that he would reveal himself. Philip saith unto the Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. He wanted proof of the Father.

But Jesus told them, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?

We see with these disciples, as we are, so often doubting and fearful and unknowing.

Brothers and sisters, today, may it be that we can believe and think well of God. He knows us, he's promised us everything that we need for this life. And we don't need to know everything.

In fact, what do we need to know? One very small thing which is actually a very great thing, that God sent his Son into this world for us, that we might believe through him.

The question was the disciples asked, that what must we do to work the works of him that sent you? Jesus said, believe. Believe on him of whom God has sent. That is all that is required of us, that we would believe.

So these disciples were sent, the two of them were sent into this city. And when you find this colt tied whereon never man has sat, loose him and bring him. And if any man say unto you, why do you this? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him, and straightway he will send him hither.

So they did. They went. They went their way. And they found exactly as Jesus had said, they found this colt tied by the door, without the place where two ways met, and they loosed him.

Prophet Zechariah wrote hundreds of years previous to this. And this is also the marvel when we consider how God works and works in mysterious ways. Paul has written that God's ways are not man's ways.

As high as the heaven is above the earth, are God's ways higher than man's ways. It's comforting to be able to believe this, that God's ways are so high above our ways that we can simply believe upon him.

But these prophets wrote in such perfect detail, if you were to read from prophet Isaiah when he accounts or writes of the time when Jesus would be taken and tried and how he would be beaten and persecuted and crucified, the prophet six, seven, eight hundred years before it happened wrote so precisely how things were going to happen.

And so also prophet Zechariah, he says, rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy King cometh unto thee, he is just and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.

And so when Jesus said, go into this city, Bethphage, and you will find this animal tied. So they went there, and they found the colt tied, and then certain of them that stood there said unto them, what are you doing? Why do you loose the colt?

And they then said exactly as Jesus had commanded, and they let them go. And so now they brought this colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him, and he sat upon him.

And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

Jesus' way was being paved for his entry into the city of Jerusalem the last time. Before he arrived in the city, he stopped. Whether he stopped, I don't know, but he looked over, he looked at the city of Jerusalem, and he wept.

He wept because the people had rejected him. Those of whom he had come for, his loved ones, he came to shed of his innocent blood for the sins of mankind. But his own had rejected him.

It must have cut to the very core of Jesus' being that the very ones that he came for had rejected him. How can we possibly understand the rejection that Jesus felt?

Perhaps in a small way, I thought in this way, that you mothers and fathers who have received those gifts that God has given to you, those children, their blessings, and their gifts.

And as we grow older, we recognize even more how great those gifts of children are. The joys, the happiness, the blessings that those little ones bring into our homes.

We don't have little ones anymore. I didn't ever think it would happen. But we are now aging as life goes. And we don't hear the pitter-patter of little feet any longer on a regular basis in our home. And I miss those days.

When those little ones were there gathered, and even would come and welcome and greet their dad after work. The dads are able to feel like some heroes, even some champion, when those little ones come and welcome you into the home.

Those children bring such blessings. And those of you that have given your life for those little ones, raised them, taught them, did what you knew to do, preached the gospel to them, instructed them around God's word, brought them to services, brought them to the hearing of God's word, hoped and prayed on their behalf that would God protect them always as their own.

Only to see at some point in life where that child may reject the teaching that you've offered them. You sowed that word in weakness, and you wanted that word would bear fruit.

Of course, that is the most sincere hope and prayer of a parent. But when that child denies faith, goes into the way of the world, how much that cuts to the very core of the love that the parent had for that child.

Maybe in some small way we can experience what it must have been when Jesus himself was rejected. That very city that he loved turned their back on him and rejected him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings, as God's gift to mankind.

But not all rejected him. And we read of those believers who with joy as they saw their King coming to the city, they strew palm leaves and branches in the road and they welcomed their King and their Lord.

And they sang Hosanna. The singing was so wonderful for those who were believing. But for those who were not believing, they rebuked the disciples and told them that oh if that singing would stop.

But Jesus said and Luke records for us that even if their mouths were stopped, the very stones on the ground would sing out, it is God's Son of whom God has sent into this world.

And so we see as they neared there and they spread their garments in the way and others cut down branches off the trees and strawed them in the way and they that went before and they that followed cried saying Hosanna blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

When we read about this we read about this lowly King and that's what the gospel writers have often referred to him as this lowly King. But what does the prophet say? Thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation.

So the prophet adds even more than the gospel writers. Jesus is just and also having salvation but also lowly. Jesus brings with him salvation and he came in a lowly way.

He didn't ride upon that great stallion or steed that the kings of this world would have ridden in on. But rather he rode on this work animal, this ass that had never been used but it's an animal that is non-threatening.

It is an animal that is a work animal and one that is very durable but it's not glamorous as a stallion or some mighty steed.

Today brothers and sisters Jesus still comes in the same way as a lowly King.

The Old Testament it writes of the prophet when he was there in the cave. Thunder and lightning and wind even wind so strong that it would break the rocks but it says that the Lord was not in the wind or in those storms but finally it came in a still small voice.

God still approaches his children in a still small voice. It needs to be a small voice. The weak child of God could not possibly approach a mighty King but this baby Jesus is found in his kingdom here upon earth.

That is a lowly kingdom. It is a kingdom that's not filled with glamour and beauty on the outside but inside it's a place of refuge. It's a place of comfort. It's a source of joy where the weakest and the poorest traveler can be cared for in this inn that has healing.

Jesus can be seen in our brothers and sisters in faith. In those lowly ones, those weak travelers.

Isn't it remarkable that God's kingdom is a kingdom where the sinners are taking care of sinners. It's not that there's any good ones in God's kingdom but only those weak ones that God has called God.

So, dear brother and sister this morning, you find yourself to be the weakest and the poorest in God's kingdom. You have come to a good place, God's kingdom, wherein there is grace and forgiveness, where there is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

So uplift your heart today on this first Advent Sunday. Look to that which Jesus has done. He has come in a way that each of us can approach him with confidence and faith in our hearts.

He gave his life for us that we needn't worry or doubt or even perish, but all to be able to come one day to the glory of heaven.

Remain believing all of your sins and shortcomings forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood. The message of God's kingdom resounds now and it will to eternity.

We have also this morning we have communion which is being prepared. Jesus instituted that for his children so that we would be strengthened in our journey of faith.

Do that, do in remembrance of me. And so when we come, we remember all of that which Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

Come as you find yourself weak and doubting and fearful perhaps, others finding joy in the day. There is great reasons for joy, but then always come with a believing heart to be refreshed and encouraged to take another step towards heaven.

Brothers and sisters, I also came before you this morning with my own doubts and fears, my own temptations, and asked that can I also believe with you my sins and shortcomings for you. I want to believe just as you believe. In Jesus' name, Amen.