First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

*Sermon for 12.15.21 Advent Midweek 3 Text: **Luke 19:41**–**44; John 11:30*
*–*
*36 Theme: The Man**’**s Man: Why Would Jesus Ever Cry?*

*In the Name of the Father…Amen.*

*Two texts we focus on tonight are Luke 19:41-44, which was read earlier,
and John 11:30-36, which reads as follows: *

*(30) Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the
place where Martha had met him.*

*(31) When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw
Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was
going to the tomb to weep there.*

*(32) Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his
feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have
died.”*

*(33) When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also
weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.*

*(34) And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord,
come and see.”*

*(35) Jesus wept.*

*(36) So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”*

*This is the Word of the Lord. And for added affect, let us not forget
verse 37:*

*(37) But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the
blind man also have kept this man from dying?”*

*Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the Father through our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.*

*Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:*

*Set our hearts, O Lord, on Your blessings and promises, that we remain
steadfast in our faith during all circumstances. Amen. *

*Introduction*

*As most of you know by now, our focus this Advent is to offer **“**Advent
Answers to Hard Questions Hardly Anybody Is Asking.**”*

*Hindsight says that may sound a bit defensive, as though we Christians are
out of step with our culture, irrelevant and immaterial, as if we**’**re
sort of the Maytag serviceman who spends his days twiddling his thumbs
while the rest of the world passes us by, while other, more pressing issues
are being addressed. *

*After all, there**’**s warfare and conflict almost everywhere in the
world; there**’**s a host of moral and societal issues which cry out for
our response and prayer.*

*So, does anybody really care or remember the question we asked the first
week, **“**How can God take on human flesh, and why?**”*

*Or, what about last week, **“**When Jesus was a boy, did he know that he
was God?**”*

*I**’**m not so na**ï**ve to suggest that most of the people we know either
care or bother about such matters; such questions won**’**t be the hot
topic around the proverbial water cooler.*

*But, I**’**ll tell you, we had better care about such questions, for they
provide: *

*The footing for our faith, *

*The framework for our confession, *

*The foundation for our eternal destiny. *

*To such questions, we had better know the answer, the Advent answer.*

*The first week we focused on Jesus the baby; last week, Jesus the child;
today, the very adult Jesus, the Man**’**s Man, and we ask,*

*Why Would Jesus Ever Cry?*

*I. Because his heart was filled with sadness and compassion over sin
and death.*

*We sometimes portray Jesus as a gentle, sweet person who loved to hold
children in his lap. *

*That**’**s true, and such qualities for sure don**’**t minimize one**’**s
masculinity. *

*But Jesus was also filled with courage; he didn**’**t hesitate to confront
evil; and, as for religious pretense, more than once he called certain
Pharisees hypocrites and a **“**brood of vipers.**”*

*You**’**ve heard the old adages, **“**Big boys and grown men don**’**t cry*
*”** or **“**Keep a stiff upper lip**”** or **“**Hang tough.**”*

*Well, of course we know Jesus cried, quite famously, in fact, and probably
far more than the two references in Scripture.*

*Amid the Palm Sunday procession and before he went into the temple to do
his spiritual housecleaning, as he approached Jerusalem, he wept (Luke
19:41).*

*The people had failed time and time again to heed the call to repentance
and had continued in their woefully sinful ways.*

*Why did Jesus cry?*

*Because his heart was filled with so much sadness**—**like seeing someone
whom you deeply love go astray.*

*I wonder if he still cries when he sees his people, people who call him
Lord, behave or think in ways that fly in the face of discipleship.*

*Jesus also wept when his good friend Lazarus died (John 11:35).*

*Not when he first heard the news, for he knew he had power to raise him,
even after four days. *

*Rather, it was when he saw his dear friend Mary of Bethany weeping in
sorrow over the loss of her brother. *

*Oh, how his heart was filled with compassion and care! *

*Oh, how rich it is to know and believe that Jesus is with us during our
times of sorrow and pain!*

*II. Because, as a Man**’**s Man, he was not afraid to cry**—**or to
sacrifice himself for those who grieve.*

*Jesus**—**the Man**’**s Man. *

*Nowhere in Scripture is his strength and courage more dramatic than when
he was nailed to the cross. *

*Remember what happened during our Lord**’**s Passion:*

He was beaten

He was battered.

He was physically and verbally abused,

*In all this, he never once relinquished his single-minded resolve to
fulfill his mission of redemption for the world, as full and final payment
for all of our sins.*

*In addition to the two references to Jesus**’** weeping, I wouldn**’**t be
surprised if a tear came to his eye when he looked down from that cross and
beheld his mother.*

*Simeon was right when he said; a sword would pierce Mary**’**s heart (Luke
2:35), and it was happening now. *

*Despite his own pain and imminent death, Jesus had to ensure that she,
most likely a widow, would be cared for through his best friend, John.*

*What**’**s a good definition of a Man**’**s Man?*

*Someone who:*

shows unbridled concern and compassion,

someone who identifies with those who grieve,

someone who is not afraid to call evil by its right name,

someone who is totally selfless and willing to sacrifice his own life for
another,

someone who isn’t afraid to cry.

*Conclusion*

*This Advent has been about **“**When Heaven Met Earth.**”*

*Actually, every Advent is about that, for this time and season tells the
miraculous story of God becoming flesh and blood through a baby named
Jesus, about that child**’**s obedience to the will of his heavenly Father,
about the Son of God who is our Savior and Lord. *

*Whatever else is going on in and around our lives, this story is
paramount, for all else will pale in comparison when the Lord comes in His
final Advent. Amen.*

*Let us pray:*

*Hear our daily confession of sins, O Savior, and set our hearts on things
above. Amen. *

*2 Corinthians 13:14* * The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of
God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.*

*The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. *

*In the Name of the Father**…**Amen.*

*Sermon for 12.12.21 Third Sunday in Advent Text: Luke 7:18-35 Theme: Are
you the one?*

*In the Name of the Father…Amen.*

*The Gospel lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.*

*Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the Father through our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.*

*Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:*

*Come, Jesus, come Messiah Lord,*

*Lost Paradise restore;*

*Lead past the angel’s flaming sword—*

*Come, open heaven’s door. Amen.*

*Introduction*

*Poor Freddy! In the musical My Fair Lady, he’s not much of a lover. *

*For the longest time, he pines at a distance for the affections of Eliza
Doolittle, hanging out day after day on the street where she lives. *

*At last, his moment arrives. *

*Eliza is finally fed up with being exploited by Professor ’Enry ’Iggins,
and in the middle of the night she slips away. *

*“Words, words, words,” she’s so sick of words! *

*And there’s Freddy waiting, right where he’s always been. *

*Now Freddy has a gorgeous singing voice, and he speaks almost poetically. *

*But it’s not time for words now. *

*“If you’re in love,” Eliza sings, “show me.” *

*Alas, poor Freddy hasn’t got it in him.*

*Our current culture, for all of its technological marvels, flees from a
foundational question**—**namely, What does it mean to be a human being?*

* A British author, Jonathan Sacks, has aptly described this reality in a
Wall Street Journal article. *

He maintains that secularism has overlooked a hugely important aspect of
humanity: that human beings are, as he says, “animals that seek meaning.”

Providing meaning is something our most familiar secular institutions,
those on which we’ve so come to depend, don’t seem to be doing.

Science explains how things work but doesn’t say why.

Technology enables us to do amazing things, but it can’t offer wisdom into
how that amazing power to build, to harness, should be used for meaningful
purpose.

The marketplace gives us what seem to be almost unlimited choices these
days but not a hint as to which choice has real value.

The government tells us we’re free to live as we choose, but its very
premise means it won’t help us know how to choose.

Science, technology, the free market, and the government have led to
impressive achievements in discovery, personal autonomy, and comforts.

In many ways, they mark great steps forward in history, and we can be very
thankful.

But the big questions everyone needs to ask and answer—Who am I? Why am I
here? How then shall I live?—here they come up empty (Jonathan Sacks, “Swords
into Plowshares,” *Wall Street Journal*, October 3/4, 2015, C1).

*Who are you? *

*That is a necessary question, isn**’**t it? *

*How we answer it defines our core identity and shapes our life and
activities. *

*And yet, answering that question**—**Who are you?**—**is not necessarily
so easy.*

*3. You know who you**’**re often told you are.*

*Many come to us with beckoning answers.*

A popular answer among many elites and multiple segments of society is that
you are but a moment in an evolutionary process that’s utterly erratic and
without purpose.

In the grand scheme of things, you’re just a drop in the big pool of
primordial ooze.

Another view is that you’re defined by what you acquire, namely, your
possessions and wealth.

“Shop ’til you drop” or “He who dies with the most toys wins” captures this
sentiment.

Yet another voice suggests understanding yourself in terms of entertainment
and pleasure.

“Whatever makes you happyà do it”

Finally, some people are drawn to power and prestige as the heart and soul
of their lives.

*B. Who of us hasn**’**t felt the influence of some of these answers to the
question, *

Who are you?

*C. What these questions have in common is that God is not the answer!*

To the extent that we adopt one of those answers, we are imitating and
following Adam and Eve in their effort to become their own masters and be “like
God” (see Genesis 3:5–6).

Luther called this foundational sin *incurvatus se*, that is, “turning in
upon one’s self.”

D. All of those answers are not only false; they are also reduce and view
humans as mere material,

“Here today and gone tomorrow.”

“Death is the next logical step in the cycle of life.”

*2. Here is the wonderful truth about who you are.*

*“**God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them**”** (Genesis 1:27). *

*“**The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature**”**
(Genesis 2:7).*

*Without any merit or worthiness on our part, God created us in his image
and positioned us as the very peak of his creative labors.*

*Your identity is a gift! *

*You are made for fellowship with God**—**the Blessed and Holy Trinity! *

*The next time you look at your driver**’**s license, think about this for
a moment:*

It has your personal information on it.

Your picture (mug shot) is there.

The seal of the state that issued the license is imprinted.

Imagine if God had put this on your license these words: You are blessed.
You are loved. You are mine and I am yours.

* 1. And this priceless gift of identity is restored to us by the one who
is **“**the one to come**”** (verse 19).*

*John the Baptist**’**s question about Jesus**’** identity, **“**Are you
the one?**”** is crucial for every human being.*

Jesus points to his actions as proof of his identity.

“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their
sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, the poor have good news preached to them” (verse 22).

These actions fulfilled what Isaiah prophesied concerning God’s future
deliverance in the Messiah. (29:18; 35:5–6)

Jesus’ identity fulfilled the promises of a saving deliverer—the seed of
the woman (Genesis 3:15),

the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

the seed of David (Matthew 1:1) dying, rising, crushing Satan.

* God gives you your new and wonderful identity in the identity of Jesus.
As Jesus says: **“**Blessed is the one who is not offended by me**”**
(verse 23).*

You are who you are, through Christ, in the gift of your Baptism (Romans 6:3
–4).

You know who you are, because of Christ, by the gift of his living voice
through his prophets and apostles (John 8:31–32).

You taste who you are, with Christ, in the gift of his true body and blood
in his Supper (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20; 1
Corinthians 11:23–25).

You live who you are, in Christ, as the gift of eternal life in him (John
6:40; 10:27–28).

*By Faith in Jesus, Trusting Him in His True Identity, We Receive Our True
Identity as God**’**s Forgiven Children.*

*Conclusion*

*When the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus asking, “Are you the
one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20), Jesus could
have answered with one simple word: *

“Yes.”

Or, “Absolutely!”

Or, “You bet I am!”

Or he could preach a sermon.

Instead, he declared: “In that hour he healed many people of diseases and
plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.”
Then he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard”
(7:21–22).

*We need to be careful not to ask for Jesus to show us who he is with
miracles on demand; our time now is, in God’s perfect wisdom, the time for
words—and sacraments. *

*But the words Jesus gives us come from one who did indeed first show us by
actions of love—including the greatest action of love, dying for our sins
on a cross. *

*Who are you? You are God**’**s child joined to Jesus**’** atoning, saving
death and his resurrection life. Amen.*

*Prayer*

*Let us pray:*

*Come, Thou long expected Jesus, *

*Born to set Thy people free;*

*From our fears and sins release us; *

*Let us find our rest in Thee.*

*Israel’s strength and consolation,*

*Hope of all then earth Thou art,*

*Dear desire of every nation,*

*Joy of every longing heart. Amen.*

*2 Corinthians 13:14* * The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of
God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.*

*The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. *

*In the Name of the Father**…**Amen.*

Sermon for 12.05.21 Second Sunday in Advent
Text: Luke 3:1-20
Theme: The glad sound of faith

*In the Name of the Father…Amen.*

*The Gospel lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.*

*Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God the Father through our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.*

*Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:*

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,

The Savior promised long;

Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne

And ev’ry voice a song.

He comes the pris’ners to release,

In Satan’s bondage held.

The gates of brass before Him burst,

The iron fetters yield.

*Introduction*

*John the Baptist exhorts his hearers to bear fruits worthy of repentance
by caring for the poor and the naked. *

He urges believing tax collectors and soldiers to treat those under their
power with honesty and decency. Such life-changing repentance is
demonstrated beautifully in the stories of two men.

*Consider Zacchaeus, the short, dishonest, rich tax collector who climbed
up in a tree to see Jesus passing by. Surprisingly, Jesus did not pass him
by. He called Zacchaeus by name, visited with him in his home. Zacchaeus,
moved to repentance by Jesus’ mercy and love, cried out, *

“Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if
I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the
amount.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house,
because this man, too, is a son of Abraham (cf Luke 3:8!). For the Son of
Man came to seek and to save the lost” (cf Luke 19:1–10).

*Later in the history of the Church, there is the story of a man named
Martin of Tours. *

Born to a pagan family, Martin later became a Christian and was a soldier
in the Roman army.

One afternoon, approaching the gate of a city, Martin encountered a beggar,
cold and half-naked.

Martin drew his sword and cut his heavy soldier’s cloak in half, wrapping
it around the shivering man.

*These are concrete ways in which Jesus’ mercy shaped the lives of a tax
collector and a Roman soldier.*

What fruits of repentance will Jesus’ mercy bring forth in your life?

*“**Hark the glad sound!**”** we sing during Advent.*

“Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!

‘Christ is near,’ we hear it say.

‘Cast away the works of darkness, All you children of the day!’ ” (*LSB*
345:1).

*Listen! There is something thrilling to hear! *

But don’t just *sing about* listening to the glad sound;

don’t just *sing about* listening to the thrilling voice.

May we also ourselves *listen * to that glad and thrilling voice!

*What does it sound like? *

Well, the glad and thrilling sound in our text this morning sounds
something like this:

“You brood of vipers!

Produce fruits worthy of repentance!

Share your clothing and your food, don’t cheat others out of money, and be
content with what you get paid.”

*At this point you may be saying to yourself: Pastor Bacic, now, hold on
right there! *

This was supposed to be a glad sound, a thrilling voice.

But when you actually listen to John the Baptist, it just sounds like he’s
preaching at us.

And who likes to be preached at?

We don’t much care for somebody standing up and telling us we’re bad and
wrong and telling us we need to do this or that.

That’s preachy, some might say.

And to the sinful human heart, there’s nothing worse than being preached
at.

Who does that person think he is to tell me what to do?

That’s how our sinful hearts react.

*However, faith,, the faith in Christ which God has granted us in our
hearts:*

when *faith* hears preaching from God’s Word . . .

when faith hears that there’s a better life to be lived than the one I’m
living right now . . .

when faith hears that there’s a new King coming and a new Kingdom to live
in . . .

when faith hears that this King is merciful, that he does not condemn us
for our sins and our weakness, but that he is also the Lamb of God who
bears our sins on the cross . . .

when faith hears that this King comes not only to forgive us but also to
raise us up to newness of life . . .

Faith hears all this as a glad sound . . . as the most thrilling voice.

*Yes, my dear fellow sinners and brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ:*

confess along with me today that God’s ways are better than our ways.

Confess with me today that our lives leave much to be desired before God.

And rejoice with me today at the glad news that Jesus Christ has come into
the world to grant sinners like us mercy and forgiveness, and to lift us up
to living a new and better life!

The good news of a new life may sound a little preachy, it may sound
irritating, to the sinful heart.

*But To Faith, the Voice That Urges Us to New Life in Christ Is a Glad
Sound.*

*Today, let**’**s consider John the Baptist**’**s thrilling call to a new
life in Christ by reflecting on three phrases from our text*

*1. 1 Faith, the Voice That Urges Us to New Life in Christ Is a Glad Sound
. . .Even when it calls us **“**You brood of vipers!**”*

*Phrase 1:* *“**You brood of vipers!**”** (verse 7). *

John the Baptist apparently wasn’t much of a charmer!

There are a lot of polite and acceptable ways to extend a greeting to
someone:

Welcome!”

“How are you today?”

“It’s nice to see you.”

“Thank you for coming.”

“Ladies and gentlemen . . .”

Calling people the offspring of poisonous serpents, on the contrary—not so
courteous!

*1.2 **In Matthew**’**s Gospel, Matthew emphasizes that John was especially
making this accusation against the Pharisees and Sadducees, but here in our
text from Luke, the Scripture shows us that John was also rebuking the
entire crowd of people who came to him with this stinging accusation: **“**You
brood of vipers!**”*

*And so this morning, John the Baptist aims that sharp accusation at each
of us as well: *

*“**You brood of vipers! *

*You children of snakes and of that ancient snake, the devil!**”*

*What on earth would possess this man to greet his guests in such a manner?
*

*And who was he, anyway, to say something like that about them**—**about
us!**—**this wild-looking man in the wilderness?*

* 1.3 **John was the messenger sent by God to prepare the people for the
coming Jesus Christ by leading them to repent of their sins, and through
repentance to find forgiveness for their sins in Jesus. *

*Calling people to repentance is just what John is doing by this
accusation: **“**You brood of vipers!**”*

*There is no path to true repentance that does not run through this
recognition: **“**Brood of vipers truly describes me!**”*

*This isn**’**t just a colorful way of speaking; this isn**’**t an
exaggeration just for effect. *

*Rather, in truth, I was, in my sinfulness, a child of the devil. *

*The sin which still pulses in my heart and veins is serious and vile,
poisonous and deadly. *

*Because of my sinfulness, I deserve no more kindness and clemency from God
than would be shown a venomous viper slithering on the ground. *

*The true repentance to which John the Baptist calls us is a repentance
which looks on our own sin as horrifying and repulsive**—**a repentance
which confesses, **“**I am a poor, miserable sinner.**”*

*Repentance does not look on sins with indifference or amusement, and
certainly not with pride, as if to glory in one**’**s shame. *

*Repentant hearts look upon our sin with dread and willingly agree that we
are indeed a **“**brood of vipers!**”*

* 1.4 **You could say that John**’**s harsh greeting, **“**You brood of
vipers,**”** framed up a narrow gate there by the Jordan River. *

*At that gate, some people, including many Pharisees and teachers of the
law, turned away and refused to believe John**’**s message. *

*But many others entered through that gate; they owned up to the label
**“**brood
of vipers.**”*

*They came to John in repentance to hear the good news of the forgiveness
of their sins and to be baptized.*

*2. 1 Faith, the Voice That Urges Us to New Life in Christ Is a Glad Sound
. . . . Surely as it commands us to **“**Bear fruits in keeping with
repentance.**”*

*Phrase 2: **“**Bear fruits in keeping with repentance**”** (verse 8). *

John warns that true repentance and forgiveness is the only escape from the
severe judgment that is soon to come.

Don’t you dare think that a casual repentance that goes through the motions
without a genuine sorrow and turning away from your sins will save you.

Don’t you dare think that just because you are children of Abraham or
Missouri Synod Lutherans (minus having faith in Christ and trusting in Him
as your Savior) you are secure.

The judgment is coming; the axe is already laid at the foot of the tree.

Only through true repentance and forgiveness will sinners escape *“**from
the wrath to come**”** (verse 7).*

*2.2 **Our own Lutheran Confessions are very clear on this point. *

*They declare that good fruit, good works of every kind in life, should
follow repentance. *

*There can be no true conversion or repentance where resistance of sinning
and good fruits do not follow. *

*True repentance does not permit the indulgence of the body in lusts. *

*True faith is not ungrateful to God. *

*Neither does true faith hate God**’**s commandments. *

*In a word, there is no inner repentance unless it also produces the
outward turning away from sinning. *

*This, the Lutheran Confessions declare, is what John the Baptist means
when he says, **“**Bear fruits worthy of repentance**”** (see Apology to
the Augsburg Confession, XII 131**–**32).*

*2.3 **Yet it is also important to remember, dear friends, that John**’**s
message is described in our text as **“**good news**”** not bad news. *

*Just a few verses after today**’**s Gospel, we read: *

*“**With many other exhortations, [John] preached good news to the people*
*”** (verse 18, emphasis added). *

*And the good news is that whoever does repent of their sins finds
forgiveness as a:*

* free gift of God, *

*a free gift which does not depend on our own good works or good fruits,
but rather depends on the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.*

*3. 1 Faith, the Voice That Urges Us to New Life in Christ Is a Glad Sound
. . . . So that we gladly reply, **“**What shall we do?**”*

*Phrase 3: The eager question of the people: **“**What then shall we do?**”**
(verse 10). *

For those who acknowledged their sins and received the joy and power of God’s
forgiveness, John’s words were not a threat, but rather a thrilling
encouragement and promise: “Now you will bear fruits worthy of repentance!”

Among those coming out to John, there were many who repented and were
baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.

Their hearts, relieved and exuberant, begged John to tell them: now what?

What shall we do now that we are forgiven?

What shall we do now that God has graciously welcomed us into his kingdom?

*3.2 **And John answered them:*

*“**Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever
has food is to do likewise**”** (verse 11). *

*Luke writes that **“**even**”** tax collectors and soldiers were asking
John, **“**What shall we do?**”** (verses 12, 14). *

*Luke seems amazed at this! *

Even tax collectors and soldiers, two occupations particularly known for
dishonesty and harassment,

even they were transformed by the thrilling news of the Messiah.

They gladly asked this prophet of God what they could do to express the
gratitude filling their hearts.

What kinds of things could they do that would be worthy of such great and
free forgiveness?

*3.3 **John**’**s answer to these questions was that the good fruits of
repentance and faith are changes in our daily lives. *

*Show others the same kind of generous and merciful love that God has shown
you.*

*St. Paul often wrote in this way, when he was encouraging the saints in
various cities. To the Colossians, Paul writes that he prays they may:*

“walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit
in every good work” (Colossians 1:10).

*To the Philippians, he writes:*

“Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians
1:27).

*To the Ephesians:*

“I therefore . . . urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to
which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).

*And to the Thessalonians: *“Walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you
into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessa. 2:12).

*Conclusion*

*By faith, we, too, desire to live lives worthy of our great Savior, worthy
of the great salvation which has been proclaimed and given to us. *

Not that our lives, in themselves, *are* worthy of the Lord.

We will never bear enough good fruit in our lives that we can say, “There,
now *that**’**s* the kind of life worthy of the Lord.”

All Christians fall short, and that is why we live always in repentance,
and that is why our confidence and trust must always be in Christ alone.

*This Advent, then, we listen anew to the glad, thrilling message of John
the Baptist: *

“The Savior is near!”

“The kingdom of God is near!”

“Repent, and live out your new life in Christ!”

“Produce fruits worthy of repentance!”

*To some, it sounds preachy. *

*But by faith, we bow in repentance, we behold the mercy of Christ, and we
gladly reply, **“**What shall we do?**”** Amen.*

*Let us pray:*

*He comes the broken heart to bind, *

*The bleeding soul to cure,*

*And with the treasures of His grace *

*To enrich the humble poor. *

*Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, *

*Thy welcome shall proclaim,*

*And heav’n’s eternal arches ring *

*With Thy belovèd name.*

*Text: Public domain*

*2 Corinthians 13:14* * The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of
God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.*

*The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds in Christ Jesus. Amen. *

*In the Name of the Father**…**Amen.*