Dec 29 at Camp Restore

7am Breakfast... breakfast here is very hardy lots of carbs for energy. Randy was asked to work on a van they got in today. He didn't go to the sight till later so I was team leader by default. I had a hard time keeping everyone busy. I tried to get the kids going on mudding. They needed to be taught and had lots else to do. Got them busy on an outside project moving rocks. They found a broken angel that belonged to the homeowner. Lunch was homemade Jumbilia (spelled) Best lunch so far in New Orleans. Randy came at 2pm. We did get quite a bit done.
I stapled my hand today. Bethany and I were going to staple up some insulation that had fallen down. She asked "How do you know if these things have staples in them?" I said you just put the thing on our hand and squeeze the trigger. Later I was trying to staple up the insulation. It was one of those new staplers that look like they are backwards. I couldn't figure out why no staples were coming out, so I pointed it down at the ground and placed my hand under the back end to hold it steady, and pushed the trigger. I found out I was holding it upside down when the 1/2 inch staple came out in the palm of my hand. It wasn't easy to get out either! As I've told every one... it was poetic justice. It didn't hurt really at all... but my pride hurt instantly. Really I think it's quite funny! My fingers are sore tonight and it's a bit of a trick to type.
Jim Likens had devos on at camp tonight. He's the one who wrote "God knows your name."

Special Note: I found out that Waunita had emergency surgery today. She's doing fine. I feel pretty helpless... can't begin back till Sunday. We'll leave after church and have the 22 hour trip home.
Pray for her speedy recovery and my trip home.
Pastor Watt.

My Birthday at Camp Restore

It was a great birthday. Camp Restore is filling up. I met some folks from Norfolk, NE. I told them I was born in Norfolk 45 years ago today. They didn't really seem impressed. I thought it was newsworthy. I switched today to Pastor Sturzenbecher's group. We did dry wall at the house of a woman who works for the New Orleans fire department. She's very nice. Her house is cool duplex. She fed us a lunch today with Hot Wings and Fried rice. Her house was flooded four feet deep. She wasn't here when the water rose she evacuated early. She said she had just remodled her home. Now I guess she'll have to do it all over again.
We almost had an accident today. Randy and I were getting a vent fan out of the attic. We thought it was really light but it was caught on a nail. When the nail let loose we found out just how heavy it was... too heavy. I recieved a glancing blow on my forehead and shoulder a little sore but not bad. Randy got a scrape on his nose.
Still more to do tomorrow.
The camp is full to capacity. 2 to 3 groups came in last night from Nebraska (Pious X HS); California; and Mt. Pleasant MI. Miciah painted with a the other SD folks. They found a stop sign in the owners yard. The homeowner said they could keep it. They're taking it home to hang in the Divine Shepherd youth room.
Dinner and bed. I'll sleep well.
Pastor Watt

Update from Camp Restore - New Orleans

Miciah and I arrived safely after a long bus ride. We got on the busat 9pm Christmas Day and arrived then next day in New Orleans at8:30pm the next night. Thanks to 2 bus great bus drivers the trip wasuneventful. One slept the other drove, back and fourth all the way.A few trip hightlights: It was funny to drive through St. Louis andnot stop after having lived there during the our time at the sem.Driving through Memphsis I thought about a Bob Dillon son "...Mephasis blues again..." as we were driving by a billboard for"Heartbreak hotel" next to Graceland. No we didn't stop there either.The first morning at the camp started at 7am for breakfast. We haveto be seated by seven or we're singled out for "special duty." I'mnot planning on finding out what that is.I was assigned to one of the Laborers for Chrsit named Paul. Wecaulked some leaks on one woman's house and patched the roof at HolyCross Lutheran Church.Holy Cross was under ten feet of water. The inside of the church iscompletly gutted. Bare studs and floortiles. Sometimes as I lookedat the damage I was overwhelmed with how much work there is to do justto get even this church back up to usable. Many of the houses herehaven't been touched since Katrina. Most all of them bear themarkings show when the house was searched for bodies. It's a big Xwith the date and some codes that I can't decipher. One of the mostcommon numbers is 0 at the bottom. I think that's the body count. Ihaven't seen any with anything else. but I'm only guessing.Miciah stayed at camp today and did "housekeeping" as it turns out forher it was cleaning toilets. She took it like a trooper. She'shaving a pretty good time. Tonight two big Orphan Grain Train truckspulled in. There's a farm truck and a van, for use down here. Weended the evening with Devos for the South Dakota Group and then abunch of folks went to Wal-Mart on a needed shopping trip. They weregone quite a while, they said that everwhere seems to be understaffed.I don't know what tomorrow will bring. It's my birthday, I've beenthinking of volunteering to clean toilets... that'll be a change fromthe roof to the can.I've taken some very interesting pictures... but there's not a good wefor me to get them on the blog yet so we'll save them for later.God's BlessingsPastor Watt.

Mission Trip to New Orleans for Hurricane Cleanup

Hello Everyone!

Miciah and I are on the road to New Orleans. We'll be there a whole week doing Hurricane relief through CampRestore. We're traveling with other Christian folks from Rapid City, including Pastor Randy Sturzenbecher, Megan and Ryan (his kids). Pastor Sturzenbecher is Pastor at Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church, Blackhawk, SD

Miciah and I will make some reports during the trip as we are able. Keep this trip in your prayers.

Pastor Watt.

The Nativity of Our Lord, December 25, 2006, Luke 2:1-20,

Luke.2.1-20

Christmas Day, 2006

St. John’s Lutheran Church, Howard, SD

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. (Luke 2:1-20, KJV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Well, it is finally Christmas. The time has arrived; the packages and presents have been opened. It is a joyous season, a very joyous holiday. It’s nice to have family around, all the holiday hassle seems to be worth it as we see our families sitting with us around the dinner table. The hours of work, Christmas baking, shopping and wrapping are all behind us. It all seems, at that moment, to have been worth it. Next month is a different story… But, today is Christmas! It is almost an anti-climax. Our attention has been very focused on our gifts, our families, and wondering if it will really be a ‘white Christmas.’ It’s easy to get wrapped up in the holiday, the family gift exchange, and the Christmas tree. It is wonderful that so many people celebrate this day… the day that a baby was born in Bethlehem. It’s great that people, who don’t even believe, celebrate. It has truly become a part of our American culture.

All the lights, all the carols, all the glitter and decorations, the sense of community… peace on earth; now to be sure, there’s nothing wrong with any of that stuff and it’s great to enjoy it, as a matter of fact we should! We should enjoy it; we should revel in it, even more than anyone else. But don’t forget that for some this holiday is only a time for family… only a time for gift exchanges… only a time to wish peace on the world. But, for us it is different. As we listen to this very familiar story we should remember the most important words that are in it.

For unto you… for you…

It is these words that reach out across time and drag us back to the dark fields where shepherds stood and trembled. It is these words that make the rag wrapped baby shivering in the cold important. It is these words that tell us that something wonderful has truly happened. And that it has all happened, for us.

But still the message of Christmas is wrapped up in the tinsel and paper of the season. Sometimes we find it hard to remember what the season really means… for us. Maybe if we were actually there, standing in that field with the Shepherds, we’d have a better appreciation of that message. Maybe if we understood what it meant for the shepherds maybe we’d better understand what it means for us.

The night was dark, not dark like here, where even the lights of Howard fade out the blackness of the sky, (How many of you went out of town last week to see the Aurora?) but really dark, like black velvet. Each star in the sky can be seen clearly as a pinpoint of light. There is time to notice each one. Shepherds have one single luxury in their lives… time to think, and time to contemplate the universe and especially their place in it. Because, for a shepherd, the world isn’t a very welcome place. It isn’t just the smell of sheep that keeps people away. Their occupation is on the very bottom rung. Little boys didn’t grow up wanting to be a shepherd. People who were shepherds were outcasts. They weren’t welcome in town. They weren’t allowed at social gatherings.

To say that the appearance of an angel to shepherds was surprising is to not say it strong enough. It is nothing short of miraculous. It certainly surprised everyone who heard about it later, And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But maybe the most surprised were the shepherds themselves. They were certainly afraid. They knew their place in the society of the day; they also knew their place before God. Few people would have the perspective of shepherds in that respect. Certainly not people who were accepted.

Maybe this is where we have trouble with the story. Maybe we don’t see ourselves standing there trembling in the presence of God, like they were. Maybe we don’t identify with them. We more likely account ourselves among the Kings. That’s our pride isn’t it? What the shepherds understood, that maybe we don’t, is exactly what it means to be outcasts, to be separated. Most of us have been in the ‘presence of God’ our whole lives. Most of us were baptized as young children and have never felt ‘apart’ from God. But as surly as their social standing kept the shepherds out in the fields, sin pushes human beings away from God.

From that problem we ourselves are not immune. It’s easy to see the ‘shepherds’ around us. Undesirable people… the lazy and unemployed, who spend their money on lottery tickets and cheap beer. People who don’t care about their appearance. People we prefer to help from a distance. What we don’t like is to see those undesirable traits in ourselves. Well, we know they are there. We just don’t like to admit it in the open. But we know our selfishness, our proud attitudes, our tempers… our sin. Sin is no respecter of social class. The sin that plagues shepherds is the very same as the sin plagues you and me. When we stand in the presence of God, our sin deserves punishment. If we understood that clearly we too, would tremble there with the shepherds.

“Don’t be afraid!” the angels said. In spite of what you deserve, there is Good News for you!” It’s good news for shepherds, outcasts from Jewish society. They were sinful people keenly aware of their status, keenly aware of their sin. “In fact this Good News is so good that it is for everyone!” It’s for shepherds… it’s for me… it’s for you!

For you… today… Christmas day… a Savior has been born. God will not tolerate sin and its effects on people. He can not have his beloved people separated, and outcast from him. What makes Christmas day Good News is that Jesus Christ, God’s answer to sin, is born for you! The very same Jesus, found by the shepherds in the stable, is found there for you. The very same Jesus, who gave himself up to the cross for shepherds, has given himself up to the cross for you. Sin that troubles you has lost its power, because of Jesus, born to Mary and announced to shepherds. Because of Jesus, who’s first home on earth was a place for animals, and whose first visitors were outcast shepherds, you have a place with God, and your sin will not separate you from him.

Do you need more than that? There is more… it’s one thing to look back to a time so far removed from us, to a dark field flooded by the light of angels, and to try to see what that means for us. It is one thing to picture in our minds God made flesh, wiggling in a manger surrounded by shepherds, sheep, and cows. It is quite another thing altogether, to have him here present with us right now. But Jesus Christ is here with us now just as he promises. “I am your Savior, where two or three are gathered in my name I am with you. My very body which was laid in a manger, which was given for shepherds, is given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Take it and eat it. Touch it and feel it.”

So what effect did this message have on the shepherds? What did it mean for them that God had sent a savior for them? They went around telling everyone what God had done. They shared it ‘abroad,’ everywhere! People everywhere where amazed. Maybe you can even imagine what they said. “The Savior of the world has come! He has come for us! He has come for you!” Notice how it doesn’t say that the shepherds shared their story with only other shepherds. They shared it with everyone, regardless of social class and status. They may have returned to their sheep, they may have returned to their regular jobs, but they were completely changed. The angel’s message that first filled them with fear now filled them with joy. That joy overflowed all around them. I can’t imagine the fields around Bethlehem being quite the same ever again.

Have we been changed like the shepherds were? Is our joy in Christmas wrapped up in the gift exchange, the lights and carols? Or do we shout out with joy that a Savior has been born for us. Will we return to our work places the same as we were before, or will we announce to everyone the Good News, like the shepherds did?

Joy to the world the Lord is come! Shout it out loud. Sing it to the rafters. Remember what it means that ‘God and sinners are reconciled.’ Glorify God for what you have seen and heard on this day. This Christmas day when God announces to shepherds and to you that Jesus is born… for you. Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Advent, December 24, 2006, Luke 1:39-45

Luke01v39-45

Advent 4, Dec 24, 2006

St. John’s, Howard, SD

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever been distracted from something that’s important? Of course, you have. It’s easy to find yourself fiddling with the radio or answering your cell phone while driving the car, or paying more attention to the hot dog vender at a baseball game when the winning home run is knocked out of the park, or glued to the computer when your daughter is trying to tell you all about her day. We are so easily distracted from important things. Our attention spans are growing shorter every year. But I’m not just talking about getting older. How long we pay attention to things is shaped by our love for that glowing box that’s at the center of most of our living rooms. We tend to drift away from anything that doesn’t fight to keep our attention. Life has been programmed into one hour segments.

There are other ways we can be distracted, too. Sometimes we just don’t see the important thing. Sometimes we look right past it. Have you even seen those pictures that you stare at for a few min and a 3D picture pops out at you? I’ve never been able to get them to work. Maybe it’s because I’m too distracted by the unimportant details of the picture, the details that don’t mean anything, they’re not a part of the real picture.

And of course, nothing is more distracting than this time of year. How many trips have you made to go Christmas shopping? How much time have you spent decorating your house, your tree, your car, for Christmas? How many dozens of folks are you cooking for tomorrow? For many families it’s time to get that Christmas letter written, and get all those Christmas Cards sent. There is so much to do to help make the season a joyous season. Oh yeah, don’t forget Advent Services, decorating the church, Madison Master’s concerts, school programs, and Christmas parties, and maybe just if there’s time how about some Christmas caroling. All of these activities are important, all of them are wonderful, and help to make the holiday “bright” (as the song says). But it’s easy to be so involved in all of those things that we loose sight of Christmas itself. It’s easy to be wrapped up in wrapping presents and miss the meaning of the holiday.

So, let’s not do that today. By the time we’re done here they’ll only be a few hours of shopping time left anyway. So let’s pay attention to God’s Word written in the Gospel lesson for today. Let’s focus here and make sure we understand what it’s saying. Let’s not get distracted by all the other things that we’ve got to do, weather you’re making another Christmas shopping trip, preparing a meal, or putting the finishing touches on your travel plans. Let’s look at this text and find what’s important in it.

³⁹In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴²and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:39-45 (ESV)

So what’s really important here? Is Elizabeth important? After all, she is the one who is “filled with the Holy Spirit?” She is the mother of St. John the Baptist. That’s an important person to be, don’t you think? After all without Elizabeth there would be no John; without John one preaching on Jordan’s banks, no forerunner to Jesus to prepare the way. And Elizabeth is a good example of faith, too. She believes everything she is told about her son. Her husband Zechariah had doubts and the Angel told him he wouldn’t be able to speak until John was born and named. And Elizabeth believes all the things she learns out about Mary and her Baby. Just look at her acceptance of Mary, who was considerably younger. She is honored by Mary’s visit. “Who am I that I should be favored in this way?” She is humble even though her own child is going to be an important player on God’s world stage. She puts herself below Mary and even more below Mary’s Baby. So, Elizabeth is important. Is she the most important thing in this text? No!

Now I think we can all agree that Mary is very important. Is she the most important thing to think about in this text? We spoke about Elizabeth’s humility and faith. Mary has all that and more. Mary was facing ridicule, in her hometown (even possibly death!) Yet, she wants to see Elizabeth because of the Angel’s message. She rushes out to see her, so that together they can be together with someone who is a part of the wonderful thing that is happening. Mary’s faith is unquestioned. How many teenagers do you know who would say something like this, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” In fact, Mary is the first person in Luke’s Gospel to hear, accept and proclaim the important Good News of Jesus. Really, she stands right there where we want to be; maybe right there for all of us as the first person of faith, the first New Testament Christian. What and example to us of faith. There is no doubt that Mary is important.

Now some of you might be getting just a little squeamish here, because you don’t want be accused of being Roman Catholic and holding Mary up to the same level as Jesus. But it is true that without Mary there wouldn’t have been Jesus. She was an important, actually essential, part of God’s plan of salvation. She nurtured the growing baby Jesus in her body. She nurtured the baby Jesus and cared for Him through out His life, in fact. It is Mary that God uses to give Jesus His humanity. It is in her womb that God and man come together in Jesus. And there is no better way to confess the fact that Jesus is true God and true man than to say that Mary is the mother of God. (Theotokos) And don’t forget Elizabeth is honored at her visit. She is clearly an important part of this text. Are Mary and the example she gives the most important thing we can find here? No!

Well, then it must be John. If this text is about anything, it’s about John. We all know about him, that camel haired, locust eating, desert dweller, who made as many enemies as friends. We sing a great Advent hymn that’s all about John. “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cries!” For lots of people John the most important part of Advent. If Elizabeth is important as John’s mother, then surely John is important! John is out there telling everyone that they had better be ready because God is coming! John is very important! He’s out there preaching the Good News before anyone. John is joyful about Jesus coming even before he is born. “…the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” Isn’t this one of those texts we use to support infant baptism, proving the infants (even unborn infants) can have faith? And Jesus even calls John the greatest prophet! Clearly, this text is about John. He’s active here, as he is all his life, telling us of the Coming Christ. So, is John the most important thing we see in this text? No!

Well, if it’s not Elizabeth, it’s not Mary, and it’s not John, there’s only one thing left, there’s only one person left and that’s Jesus. But, wait as second, Jesus isn’t really even mentioned. No name, no Baby in the womb, nothing. How can this text be about Jesus if He’s not even written about?

Well, just think about it. What is Elizabeth excited about? Mary’s visit? Exactly where is Elizabeth putting her faith, in Mary? No, Elizabeth hasn’t missed the point. She says it very plainly, as a matter of fact. “Why am I so favored that the mother of MY LORD, should visit me.” She’s glad to see Mary, all right, but only because of Mary’s status as Jesus mother. Only because lying in Mary’s womb is Elizabeth’s Lord. There in the womb of Mary is the Savior of the world. Even her own pregnancy, blessed as it was, was not as important as that baby Mary brought to her was. Elizabeth is focused on Jesus.

And that’s exactly where Mary is focused, too. She rushes to Elizabeth, not for a place to hide out, (it seems too early for that) but to bring the Good News about the child, and in fact, the Child himself to Elizabeth to see and feel. It’s Mary’s way of saying, “Look! It’s all true, God is bringing forgiveness to us, and it’s all right here inside me!” Mary is focused on Jesus.

But as much as everyone is focused on Jesus, no one is more focused than John was. I don’t think there ever was a person as well in tune with his calling in life as John was. Just look at how he is focused on Jesus. He leaps for joy just to know that Jesus was near him. John is so anxious to tell the Good News; he is so joyful that he leaps for joy while still in his mother’s womb. You see, John too is focused on Jesus.

In fact, I looked at some Renaissance art on this very subject. And one painting in particular struck me as very telling. Elizabeth and Mary are standing close together. Elizabeth has her hand place over the child in Mary; and Mary is looking on intently. But the most fascinating thing about the picture is the artist’s depiction of John and Jesus. Right there painted as if the viewers had X-ray glasses, you can see two little infants. And the infant John isn’t curled up, as we would expect, instead he is kneeling with his hands folded in front of him; kneeling facing Jesus recognizing what everyone in the picture knows. Jesus is the center of the picture. Jesus is the most important thing that going on.

The funny thing is I could spend a lot of time telling you, “Be focused on Jesus like Elizabeth, Mary and John.” But, the truth is you know how often you’ll fail. There are many important things to attend to and Jesus is left out of your life more than you’d ever want to admit. And as for Elizabeth, Mary and John, though they are good examples here they aren’t perfect. There were times in there lives they weren’t good disciples either. There were many times, as many as you have, that they were focused on other things besides Jesus. So telling you to focus on Jesus as they did isn’t going to help you much. And besides if we say be like Elizabeth, Mary and John we’d be taking the focus off Jesus again! Forgetting what He came in Mary’s womb to do.

So, the story here isn’t that Elizabeth and Mary and John were focused on Jesus. They aren’t the most important things there. Jesus is. And He’s not the focus because He’s our example of how to live. He’s the focus because He came to do what you can’t do. Even though you can’t always focus on Him, He is always focused on you. That little unborn infant came the way He came for you. He was conceived there in Mary for you. He was born in that cold dark stable for you. He lived a perfect human life for you. In fact, He is so focused on you that He even died on the cross to pay the punishment for your sin. Because your focus falls short, He focuses on you. He did what you can’t do. He lived the way you can’t live. His focus was on our death. He came to die in your place and mine, and for Elizabeth, Mary and John. God’s love and focus are so much on you that Jesus gave up His perfect life for your imperfect, unfocused one. And with your punishment paid, He rose again to bring you a new and re-focused life. That’s the real joy of the season.

Now, there are many important things to do before Christmas. You may have some shopping to do. You may have some presents to wrap, and maybe even a party yet to attend. Those things are great; they are an important part of the season. It’s very important to get together with your family and have a wonderful time together. And don’t forget that it is important to remember other people, even people you don’t know at this time of year. It’s great time to give food to the food bank, buy a toy for toys-for-tots. Take a plate of Christmas cookies to your neighbor. But, in the middle of all of those important things, don’t forget the most important thing about Christmas. Don’t forget the baby in Mary’s womb. Don’t forget how He was born, lived, and died for you. Don’t forget Jesus’ focus on you. Don’t forget that it’s Jesus who makes all those important things important. Amen.

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

Weekday Advent Service Four, O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

Weekday Advent Service Three
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Howard, SD
The Hymns of Advent
O Lord, How Shall I Meet You LW 19
By: Paul Gerhardt

O Lord, how shall I meet you,
How welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
My hope, my heart's delight!
Oh, kindle, Lord most holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please you best.

Your Zion strews before you
Green boughs and fairest palms;
And I too will adore you
With joyous songs and psalms.
My heart shall bloom forever
For you with praises new
And from your name shall never
With hold the honor due.

I lay in fetters, groaning;
You came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
You came to honor me.
A glorious crown you give me,
A treasure safe on high
That will not fail or leave me
As earthly riches fly.

Love caused your incarnation;
Love brought you down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
That led you to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race.

Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn your joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not; he is near you,
There, standing at the door,
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.

He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to his foes,
A light of consolations
And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord's appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

There’s something special about a Hymn that is also a prayer. There are a few that are like that. One of my father’s favorites was Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me. I like it too. And that’s the very first thing that you notice about this one.

O Lord, how shall I meet you,
How welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
My hope, my heart's delight!
Oh, kindle, Lord most holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please you best.

It is the classic advent question. We think we know how to prepare for Christmas. The gift giving frenzy gets really hot as the last minutes are ticking away, especially with the threat of bad weather. And last week we had a wonderful telling of the reason for the season right here, given by the children of the congregation. We heard of angels and shepherds, magi and gifts, mother father and of course the Child. We are reminded that He was born to die for the sins of the whole world. We know that one of the best ways to prepare for Christmas is to re-tell the story of what God has done through the Best Gift. But this hymn really is asking a larger question. With the on going preparation for the Christmas and the picture of God-in-the-flesh lying in a manger in fresh in our minds; how do we prepare for the self-same Lord, to return again?

It begins an answer to that question by reciting who we are. Your people long to greet You. Your people, is a very warm and wet idea. In a way it is a phrase pulled right out of the Red Sea. God continually told the Israelites that they could know they were His people because of what He did for them by bringing them out of Egypt through the Red Sea waters. He said, “I will be your God and you will be My people. You remember, God parted the sea and they walked through on dry ground, while the Egyptian army was drowned. In our case we are His people through water too, our Adoption in Holy Baptism.

Speaking in the context of the work of the Holy Spirit in Baptism St. Paul tells us:

so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7, ESV)

We are God’s people having been justified through faith in Jesus Christ, given to us through our adoption in Baptism.
Oh, kindle, Lord most holy, Your lamp within my breast To do in spirit lowly All that may please you best. (There’s so much packed in these lines, I think we could do a whole Advent series right here!) They say, in essence, Lord, through the Work of Spirit and Word in me (gifts of Holy Baptism!), produce good works in my life, and keep my sinful pride out of the way. Do that in me, then be prepared for your coming.

Your Zion strews before you
Green boughs and fairest palms;
And I too will adore you
With joyous songs and psalms.
My heart shall bloom forever
For you with praises new
And from your name shall never
With hold the honor due.

These words put us on the road with those who honor Jesus on Palm Sunday waving Palm branches and shouting Hosanna! We shout though knowing the whole story. The Palms lead to Passion. Jesus goes to Jerusalem not to sit on a throne of gold but to hang on His heavenly throne of wood. And I too, means especially because we know the outcome. We see His bloody death we’ll shout all the more, and adore. Because of what He does there (and I just love this picture of eternal life with God) My heart will bloom forever for you with praises new…

I lay in fetters, groaning;
You came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
You came to honor me.
A glorious crown you give me,
A treasure safe on high
That will not fail or leave me
As earthly riches fly.

Here we have in more depth the reason for the joyful response to Jesus and what He has done. I lay in fetters, groaning; I stood, my shame bemoaning; You came to honor me. That’s where sin always leaves us, bound-up, in slavery, groaning our lives away because we are helpless to remove its chains. But our coming Lord has set us free. Jesus says it like this:

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:34-36, ESV)

But instead of what we should receive, punishment for our guilt and sin, we receive a King’s prize; a crown of eternal life. And not only that but one that is safe from theft and decay and that will last forever. (Matt 6:19ff)

Love caused your incarnation;
Love brought you down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
That led you to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race.

God is love (1 John 4:8). The word incarnation means coming in the flesh. Nothing shows us the true nature of God more clearly than His becoming a human being willing to suffer and die on the cross for us. It is His love that compelled Him to do that. It is His love that was not content to leave us in our sins forever to be separated from Him. He came down to us to retrieve us out of the mess of our own making. The hymn uses the wonderful phrase Your thirst for my salvation to purposely remind us of the way that our liberty was procured. It’s a play on the words of Our Lord on the cross. “I thirst.” (John 19:28) What He did there, as He was speaking those words is the love beyond all telling, the love that is above all other love excelling.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10, ESV)

There is no better way, the hymn says in answer to its own question, than to think about, speak about, shout about, and live in the salvation of our God brought to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And that’s what the rest of the hymn says, too. It shifts from question to response. It’s only natural, because whenever God’s people hear the Good News of our salvation in Jesus Christ again (God’s Word spoken or sung!) We can’t help but respond in joy. It’s not really so much commanding us to rejoice, but describing the source of it.

Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn your joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not; he is near you,
There, standing at the door,
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.

We are realistic people, and yet, especially at this time of year we pretend to set aside the worlds cares and troubles, as if just saying the words Peace on Earth can make it true. But it all comes rushing back into our lives round about January with the new credit card bills. Our reason to rejoice in a troubled world is much deeper than looking for an easy life. Our peace in an un-peaceful world is found in a life where God really is near to us. He is near you There, standing at the door. And the picture of the Lamp-Holding-Jesus knocking has probably popped into your mind. That’s a picture of the incarnate, God-in-the-Flesh, Jesus coming to help and cheer you. Unfortunately we think of that picture as Jesus asking unbelievers to come to faith, it’s much more than that. It’s Jesus, promising to be near you who already believe. It’s Jesus bringing His Word to be placed into your heart.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20, ESV)

The context of this verse in Revelation is clear, Jesus is speaking to the church, He’s speaking to you and me. It’s Jesus inviting us to listen to His Word and eat with Him. Despair not Jesus is here in this place right now. Here is where you hear His voice and eat the food that He provides. Jesus says, “Bring your cares and troubles, your pain and sorrow here, and I will comfort you; I will help and cheer you with my presence.” You, dear Christian, are not alone, Jesus is here.

He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to his foes,
A light of consolations
And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord's appearing.

Jesus is coming; a baby born in a Bethlehem stable; a judge to judge the nations. From the moment of His first breath He had enemies. King Herod, who thought Jesus was a threat to His place in the world, was willing to commit infanticide to kill Him. The religious leaders of the day, who couldn’t accept Jesus’ Words about forgiveness for all, had Jesus nailed to the cross to stop Him from speaking. And people today, from those who want Jesus to be a self-help guru, or as simply an example of a purpose filled life, to those who only want Jesus to be their path to prosperity, and those who want no Jesus at all, the day Jesus comes will be a terror, because they haven’t heard His voice at all, but were following their own hearts.

For you and me and all who love the Lord’s appearing, in the stable, in His Word and Sacraments, in His coming soon, it is a blessed hope a light of consolations knowing that this world of troubles will come to and end and we will live with God forever.

And so we end where we began, a prayer.

O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.

Come Lord Jesus, be our guest… Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come… or as the Beloved Apostle says in response to Jesus promise:

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21, ESV)