Midweek Advent Three, December 20, 2023
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
- Christmas Eve Sunday will be a complete Holy Communion service at 10 AM.
- Sunday evening will be a Christmas hymn and Scriptures service at 7 PM.
- New Year's Eve Sunday will be Matins at 10 AM.
- Sunday Evening will be a complete Holy Communion service at 7 PM.
The Psalmody Psalm 1 p. 123
The Lection
The Sermon Hymn #136 Angels from the Realms of Glory
The Lection
The Sermon Hymn #136 Angels from the Realms of Glory
The Prophets Prepared Them - So Did the Stars
The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Prophets Prepared Them - So Did the Stars
The prophets prepared so many ways for people to know about the coming of the Messiah. It goes back to Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:15 and example of the kings. The people wanted a king like the other nations, not just a prophet, though he was a direct contact with God. We discuss this often In Old Testament class. They wanted the prestige of a king, and the kings often disappointed them.
No matter what, the title of king also suggested a concept that is central to the role of Jesus Christ, because the title Christ (anointed in Greek) or Messiah ( the same in Hebrew). These two terms in two different languages recall the tradition of using oil for the coronation, which is still used today (whale oil in England). The unique role of Jesus is recognized in the title - King of Kings. Nothing else is quite as noble and distinctive as that phrase.
I have been reading the history of the Bishop Hill colony, not far from my hometown, built through the efforts of a false prophet and his followers. Because they colonists were Swedish, the King and Queen of Sweden came to visit and honor their hard work in the past, not that long ago. They had a special insert in the booklet about the royal couple.
Even today we acknowledge royalty, though not with the pomp and solemn ceremonies of kings, queens, princes, and princesses. Even now we have all kinds of ways to describe their homes (palaces), royal robes and jewels of uncanny size.
Jesus as King and Lord was destined to rise above all titles and honors, because He came from Heaven to be our Savior and Redeemer. From one small area of the world, one tiny sliver of history came our Savior. The irony is that all the great warriors and kings have nothing in comparison with the baby born among the animals in a stable. Warfare and wealth never had the power of His kingship, because He came to us to show God's mercy and forgiveness, so that we would be fruitful - from believing in Him - instead of trying to earn forgiveness.
As I have said before, some scientists are very annoyed that the Star of Bethlehem, scoffed by them, is conjured up with math and the right equipment. As one said, "How shameful to use the Star of Bethlehem to bring people into the planetarium! Science should be above all that." But nothing will change the reality of that heavenly object appearing when Jesus was born.
Another part of this know-it-all attitude is the declaration that the Wise Men could not have been there in time, because it took so long to get there from "the East." No one has the roadmap they used, and they might have come from Petra, a kingdom only recently discovered - and very mysterious still. Unbelief is so powerful that even the most impressive evidence is hidden from their understanding.
The most powerful message is the weakness and humility of the Holy Family being central to the arrival of the King of Kings. No rewards. No recognition, not even help from the relatives. They came because of the taxation, which was based on their home territory. One famous family from the entertainment industry caused a multi-million arts addition to be added to the Moline High School building because of the origins of their mother and consequently their father. I went by their Bartlett Insurance Company sign downtown Moline, never imagining that it was the plebian origin of a famous couple. (Bonnie Bartlett)
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| Bartlett Insurance sign - on the right. |
Nobody thought much about the sign until everything was revealed many decades later.
In comparison, the advent of our King was so minor, so brushed aside as one more family too insignificant to matter. And this event caused Christmas is honored all over the world.
In our prayers -
- Ongoing medical care - Lori Howell, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Sarah Buck, Kermit and Maria Way, Randy Anderson, Doc Lito.
The end.
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