First Sunday in Advent Sermon: Matthew 21
Pastor Mark Loest
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Frankentrost
Saginaw, Michigan
Advent 1 (December 2, 2007)
Text: Matthew 21:1-9
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Beth-phage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once. This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21 (ESV)
Since late Friday, the weathermen have been promising us the possibility of our first significant snow of the season—whatever that is supposed to mean. And late last evening it appeared promising—at least from the kids’ perspectives. But this morning, however, has turned out to be a disappointment. With little snow—and that changing to freezing rain and ice—and it all eventually turning to all rain, December will in its first two days—not have delivered all that it was hoped for—at least from my kids’ point of view.Perhaps it was the same for you, having ventured out on this rather treacherous morning.
This first Sunday in the month of December may not look to you right now like it is going to deliver what we hope for from this month. No trees or decorations, no nativity or poinsettia’s, not much in the way of Christmas music. Even the readings may seem off queue—the Gospel Lesson describing Palm Sunday rather than Christmas. Outside of the questionably wintry weather, it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Which is good, because it is not Christmas yet. This morning is the first Sunday in Advent. It is the beginning of the Season of Advent.
And even if we are to think of Advent as a time to prepare for Christmas, then we are also wrong. For it is not. Advent is not a time for preparing for Christmas, as if Christmas was something in and of itself. Advent is a time when we prepare for Christ’s coming.Now granted, we prepare for Christ’s coming at Advent with His first coming in mind—when he came as a baby born in Bethlehem. But we are also too far removed from that time and event to do it much justice by our own efforts—and as much as we might to try to replicate that first Christmas and hope to convey the “peace on earth” the angels first sang to shepherds, we simply cannot because we are sinners—and no shepherd’s costume or angel dress can hide that.
To our world the story of a baby born in a stable long ago appears as something quaint. Which his why the world hasn’t thrown it out completely from its Inn of celebrating and general self-indulgence.
In the news is a woman right now—and English teacher—who Moslem extremists want to kill because she allowed a student in her class to name a teddy bear “Mohammed.” The extreme reaction of this mob is “built into” their extreme form of the unforgiving nature of Islam. But I wonder, “how is it that Christ’s coming can be portrayed by Homer, Marge and Bart Simpson? without a word of protest.” Somehow our world has accepted the news of Christ’s first coming long ago because it has been made acceptable. No mention of the serpent, Eden’s curse, and our sinful disobedience and wickedness. No mention that this One Who comes to us is sent from God and is God Himself in human flesh appearing. No mention that His death will be an atoning sacrifice for sins, and not just our sins but the sins of the whole World. No mention that He will come again one day to judge all mankind. Banning civic nativity scenes aside—people accept the popular notion of Christmas so willingly because it has little to do with Christ’s coming into the world. All they know and are told is that a little baby was born under dire circumstances and that that is a reason for hope. But hope from what? The downward spiraling economy? Michigan’s high unemployment rate? Increasing energy prices? Out of control healthcare costs? Alienated lives and relationships? Murder and theft. Abuse and neglect. Scandal and offense—all are a part of our lives—even as they brought into our lives form the outside by way of television, radio and newspaper. The message is doom and gloom and it brings the same to the fear driven, sin scarred, unrepentant heart.
Our world around us so desperately needs Christ to come to it. But more than ever we need to be told that He comes as the one Who saves us. Unlike the Kingdom of the Muslim and the market-driven world of the capitalist the Kingdom of Christ is already fulfilled. Christ’s coming long ago was real. His coming again will happen. His coming to us today, here and now in Word and Sacrament is our participating in all these events, past and future in a wonderful and mysterious way that gives us the Kingdom in the here and now. Christ doesn’t need angry mobs to avenge Him, like Mohammed. Indeed, as we hear in our Gospel Lesson this morning when people gather at His coming it is to sing sweet praises and welcome Him.
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
The only death that they cried for on that Palm Sunday was His own—and it was by those whom He came to save! And He rode into Jerusalem for that purpose—and on purpose. Just as He was born a baby on purpose and for that purpose. And He comes in the forms of bread and wine on purpose and for that purpose to save us sinners Who so desperately need Him. But we can’t rejoice at the word that Christ is coming unless first we are prepared—prepared to receive Him. Luther points out in the Catechism that bodily preparation for the reception of the Lord’s Supper is a helpful thing. But more so is inward preparation and believing the promise “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” And that is what Advent is all about. Hearts made ready to receive Him. To receive Him of whom, prophets spoke millennia ago; to receive Him as He comes today in Word and sacrament; to receive Him as He will come again and receive us unto Himself. Amen.
