Advent 1, 2024

Rev. Thomas Van Hemert

St. Matthew 21:1-9

Advent 1

December 1, 2024

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Behold, the Lord, Jesus Christ is coming. Though He has not yet come in the fullness of His glory, with all the angels with Him, it is our constant prayer that He would come in glory. Because then, He will execute justice upon the unbelievers and the scoffers, the workers of darkness, the revelers, the drunkards, those who are lude and who lust, those who are envious, and those who persecute the faithful. Jesus will come in His glory. But for now, for the time being, He comes in humility.

Once, He came in blessing. He came in humility. He came in meekness. He came, as we will remember in a few short weeks, as the Babe of Bethlehem. He came so that He would take our sins away; that He would pay the ultimate price, not by laying down His head in a manger as a baby but that He would lay down His head on the cross in death. 

He came as the Babe of Bethlehem, but He is no longer the Babe of Bethlehem. He is grown. He took on our flesh and became a man. And He still is a man. And still, even now He comes to us in humility. If He is coming, and He is, the questions, then, become, “How shall we meet Him? How shall we welcome Him among us?” Because for the New Man, the New Adam in us, who has been awakened and reborn in Holy Baptism, delights in the Lord’s coming. For He lights the lamp of faith within our breast so that we might do all that pleases Him. If our Lord comes to us and makes His dwelling place among us, then prepare through repentance. It is a new church year so let us start anew. Let us let go of old grudges and forgive those who have hurt us and sinned against us. Let us repent and let us forgive. And let us also prepare. For the Lord comes to us, not yet in glory, but even now, even this day, in humility.

It may seem out of place that at the beginning of the church year we jump all the way to Palm Sunday. Green boughs and fairest palms line the road as our Savior rides on into Jerusalem to die on the cross for the sins of all men. This is the essence of the Christian Religion. That is why He came. He came and dwelt among us to die as a lamb goes silently to the slaughter, so Jesus Christ did not open His mouth. He rode humbly, with the crowds cheering Him on with songs and Psalms upon their lips. For this is what makes our hearts bloom with joy and this is what causes us to sing praises and to give Him the honor due His name. For His name is “Jesus.” He saves His people from their sins.

He came to earth and was made man because He needed to. We were held prisoners of sin, the devil, and our fallen flesh. In these last days, with so much public sin, so many false penitents, so much obvious corruption, so much oppression, wars and rumors of wars, Christ, our Lord hears our groaning. He does. He hears our prayers and our laments. He truly does care about us. For we are members of His Bride, the Church and He gave Himself for His bride. He went to the cross for Her and rose from the grave so that He could return to His bride. Earthly riches are fleeting because what Jesus gives us is greater, holier: honor, glory, heavenly treasures, and these things will not fail or leave us because we have been united with Him in a death like His. So we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection and heavenly life, like His.

He also came to earth and became a man because He loves us. We could not come to Him. Because of sin and shame, Adam and Eve could not stand in God’s presence in Eden, so they were banished. They could not approach God. We cannot of our own reason or strength come to God. So He comes to us. And He comes to us in the most intimate way. He takes on our flesh. He becomes a man and rides into Jerusalem to His death for us. His love for us is what caused His incarnation. His love for us is what brought Him down to us. His desire and goal was salvation for all of our lost and fallen race, and by death on the cursed tree, our liberty was procured.

There is nothing left to do but to rejoice. Rejoice, ye sad-hearted. Rejoice, you who are depressed, you who sit in deepest gloom. Rejoice, you who mourn over joys that are behind you, over days gone by. Rejoice, and do not despair. Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem in humility. Do not despair because Jesus went to the cross for you and came out of the grave for you. Even now, He comes to you in Word and Sacrament. He hears your prayers and He is near you. He bids you weep no more even as He wipes away the tears from all those who now stand in His greater presence in heaven. Nor do you need to toil or languish or ruminate on your own situations day and night. For He comes to you, for you. He comes willing and ready, moved by His love to still your fears and your woes. Because He knows what ails you. Jesus knows what troubles you better than you yourselves know. He has taken all of your sorrows, all of your shortcomings and failures, all of your sins upon Himself as His own burden. 

We need not distress, because the Lord pardon’s our iniquity. As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our sins and transgressions from us. He pardons us. That’s why He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. That was His mission. He comes to us so that He might take our place and take our sins upon Himself. And by this, He has secured our heritage in heaven.

Even though He has secured our heritage in heaven, we are still here. Even this day, this morning, we are fighting the good fight of faith. We are soldiers of the cross. We fight against sin, the devil, and our fallen flesh by repentance but also by our faith in Jesus. And in faith, Jesus comes to us. He is with us. So we need not fear the battle or the enemy’s craft or weapons. Because the King has ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey, on a beast of burden, first to be crowned with thorns. But now, because He accomplished salvation by dying a sinner’s death, He has been given a new crown, which proves that all kingdoms, principalities, dominions are His. Now we await His coming as our heavenly and eternal King.

On the Last Day, our heavenly and eternal King will come to judge the nations. Surely, it will be a terror to His foes. But not for us. Unfortunately, not everyone will go to heaven. Some, in fact, will be judged. But not you. You will not be judged on the Last Day because you have already been judged. Your judgement took place at the Baptismal Font when you were claimed as God’s own child and welcomed into His family by grace. And at the communion rail, you are given a preview of what awaits you when Jesus comes on the Last Day and guides you safely home. 

Behold, the Lord is coming. But the question remains: How shall we meet Him? How shall we welcome Him into our presence during this new Advent season and throughout the church year? How ought we receive Him? By receiving Him as He comes to us still in humility: in repentance and by receiving His Holy Body and Blood as He comes to us in humility. By receiving Him in faith. And by praying that He would come again soon in His glory.

In +Jesus’ name.