Midweek Advent Service. December 12, 2012

Advent, December 12, 2012

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Mid-Week Advent,  Wednesday, 7 PM Central

The Hymn #81   Gerhardt         Thy Manger Is            3.60
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody            Psalm 100                             p. 144
The First Lection                      
The Second Lection           
 The Sermon Hymn #90  Gerhardt   Come Your Hearts 3.83

The Word Brings Christ To Us

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer                         p. 44

The Collect for Peace                                           p. 45

The Benediction                                                   p. 45

The Hymn # 93        O Lord We Welcome    3.40

KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 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: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 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. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

 

The Word Brings Christ To Us

KJV John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This Logos Hymn teaches us about Christ and also about the Holy Trinity. Jesus is the Creating Word, there at the beginning. And yet, we have the Word used three times in the same verse – typical of Trinitarian references. When God is revealed to us in the Word, we often find groups of three. This verse shows us the Unity of the Three Persons and the Three-ness of God. And yet, the Son of God as the Logos (the Word) is emphasized.

The Gospel of John begins with the same words as Genesis, the only book of the Bible to do this.

As Luther taught, the Word brings Christ to us as the Gospel proclamation. This is the One who died for our sins. The Holy Spirit teaches us about the Father/Son relationship especially in the Gospel of John, in the words of Jesus Himself. Simply describing that means naming the Persons of the Trinity.

The Word brings Christ to us, which means the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith in us through that Gospel of Christ. Through that faith we receive forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The text could be translated – That Same Word. It is an emphatic statement, used when there is a possibility of confusion. It creates absolute clarity.

You could ask, “Who was in the beginning with God”?

The answer is  - “He was. Jesus the Son of God, the Word.”

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Not enough can be said about this in a large book. Every single aspect of “nature” of Creation is from the Creating Word, the Son of God. The hymnal you hold in your hand. The gold in the wedding ring. The diamond. The chemicals that make up your body and the give life to your loved ones. Wood, stone, metal, air – every single element came from the Son of God, the Lord of Creation.

The Lutherans grasp this best in their hymns, especially in Gerhardt. Jesus was enclosed in the stone cave, the very stone He created and could destroy with one Word.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Wherever the Word is, there springs eternal life. This is not just biological life, but eternal life. How could ordinary life be the light of men? This can only mean another expression of the Gospel.

As you recall from many repetitions, God created light before the sun and stars. In other words, truth existed before the sources of created light. Those lights are subordinate to the Light of Men – the Son of God. He is truth, as He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This truth illuminates the darkness, but the darkness (evil) cannot grasp or extinguish it. These two must exist until the end – light and darkness, good and evil, those who believe and those who do not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

This is a type of side-bar, to show people that John the Baptist was famous as a prophet, but sent by God to prepare people for the Messiah. These three verses are more like prose in the midst of poetry.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Here emphasis is used again, to distinguish between Jesus as the Son of God and John as the prophet going before Him. This contrast makes it clear – that John was the promised prophet, Jesus the promised Messiah and Savior.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

This is the cross. From the lofty verses of the Creation we come to the rejection of His mission and message of forgiveness. They did not believe. His own people, His own creation, did not receive Him.

Notice the parallel – receive and believe. This is what many miss. Some turn faith into “making a decision” which is not the same as “receiving.”

Some Lutherans do not like the word “faith” and teach against it, as if faith means something other than “receive.”

Jesus comes to us in the Gospel Word – and we receive it. We hear it with sincerity and trust in its truth – because we know and experience that the Gospel is truth itself, light and life.

12 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: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Here faith is clearly the parallel term, the synonym for “receive.” As many as believed in Him. If there is doubt, read John 16:8ff – the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, because they do not believe on Him.

This is the Gospel – saving faith – that trust which receives the promises and blessings of God.

For that reason, the next segment is a great doxology – praise of God and glory in Christ who comes to us in the Word.

14 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. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.