Eternal Jesus
Well today we start a new year; you may be surprised to hear me say this since today is December 2nd and not January 1, 2008. Today is the official start of the new Church Year. The church calendar starts with the celebration of Advent.
Advent specifically focuses on Christs coming, but Christs coming manifests itself among us in three ways--past, present, and future. The readings which highlight Christs coming in the past focus on the Old Testament prophecies of his incarnation at Bethlehem.
The readings which highlight Christs coming in the future focus on his second coming on the Last Day at the end of time. And the readings which highlight Christs coming in the present focus on his ministry among us through Word and Sacrament today.
The traditional use of Advent candles (sometimes held in a wreath) originated in eastern Germany even prior to the Reformation.
As this tradition came down to us by the beginning of this century, it involved three purple candles and one pink candle.
The purple candles matched the purple on the altar (purple for the royalty of the coming King).
The pink candle was the third candle to be lit, the Third Sunday of Advent means Rejoice in Latin, which is taken from Philippians 4:4.
Rejoice! the Lord is near a pink candle was used to signify rejoicing.
Some also included a white Christ candle in the middle to be lit during the 12 days of Christmas (December 25-January 5).
The concept of giving each candle a name, i.e., Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherd and Angel, etc., is a relatively novel phenomenon
Years ago Advent meant we would start to fast just as we do for Lent but times change and so do waistlines. It seems we can not wait to celebrate the Advent season and so we tend to indulge ourselves rather than wait and fast.
Jesus was accused by the Pharisees that His Disciples did not fast during certain Jewish Holy days. Jesus replied that when the bridegroom is taken from them then they would fast.
Just what is fasting and why talk about it during the Christmas season when we know we are going to do anything but fast. Well fasting was a way to demonstrate that we were willing to make a physical sacrifice for God as we awaited a special day of celebration.
You see sacrifice needs to cost us something more than just dollars out of our bank account. It needs to cost us something personal. We need to be physically involved in the act of sacrifice.
God demonstrates this for us with the sacrifice of His son Jesus. Jesus leaves His throne in Heaven to become a lowly human being. Thats quit a demotion for the God of the Ages. He did not become an angel or a giant, or an earthly king even though he was meant to be the King of the Jews.
He became a baby, not a young man, not an old man, but a baby. Jesus allowed Himself to be cared for by creatures that were greatly inferior to Him. He allowed Himself to be born and raised as any other human being might be. How many of you grand-parents would be willing to sign over your financial affairs to your four year old grand-son? Thats kind of what Jesus did.
Jesus trusted Joseph and Mary with His protection, nurturing and care as he arrived as we all do helpless and dependent. You see God wanted to demonstrate that He was and is willing to trust us even with His life as a human being so that we too should be willing and able to trust Him with the care and protection of our lives and eternal souls.
It seems that through out history man has waited for a Saviour. If we trace back our ancient beginnings we can find culture after culture that sought freedom from the oppression of Kings and rulers as well as freedom of conscience and freedom of the soul.
Man has wrestled with his humanity and in so doing found that he was an imperfect being. He seemed destined to repeat the mistakes of past generations and man never seemed to rise to his full potential. It was almost as if there existed in man an innate flaw.
We in the Christian church have come to learn through Gods word that the flaw is sin and it is this sin that keeps us from being what God truly intended us to be. This underlying problem could not be solved by those who had the disease for they were already infected.
It would take a power that was pure, pristine and perfect it would take a sacrifice for only through the blood can a vaccine be made that could be used to inoculate the sick.
In all, the world there did not, exist a perfect man or woman. The entire world was sick with this disease of sin. It is at this time in human history and in our collective human consciousness that we realized only a power greater than ourselves could save us from this terminal infection.
And so God gave us His son and entrusted Him to the care of imperfect human beings. God would dwell amongst us and know us completely. He would teach us a better way a higher plane a greater truth than we had ever come to know.
God in the person of Jesus Christ would demonstrate for us what the word love means and we could escape our disease by the power of love if only we would accept His sacrifice.
This is what we are celebrating this Advent, the coming of Gods love to our earth in the bodily form of Jesus Christ. He is the promised one of old the one that many expected and longed for. Listen to the voices of those who desired to see His day come.
So as we wait to celebrate the coming of Jesus as a baby so long ago let us try to understand what a great sacrifice He made and gave us just by arriving as a baby.
While, we no longer fast during this season it might be a good idea to make a sacrifice in honor of Jesus sacrifice. He left His glory in heaven to do the hard work of saving mankind. Maybe we can give just a little more of our valuable time or position and reach out and reach down to those who are in need during this time of year.
Todays scripture helps us to remember that Jesus is Eternal and that His birth in Bethlehem does not represent His birth as God but does acknowledge His birth as a human being. We sometimes forget that Jesus always was. We all have a hard time with the Trinity and in trying to comprehend it. Even the great church fathers of old wrestled with it.
In Jesus time the religious Jews could not comprehend it nor accept it even when Jesus tried to explain it. Read with me as I try to paraphrase what is being said.
John 8:18-59
18I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.
I am the final authority
19Then they asked him, Where is your father?
You do not know me or my Father, Jesus replied. If you knew me, you would know my Father also. 20He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.
Dont you guys read your bible? The prophets told you I was coming yet you do not believe your own eyes!
21Once more Jesus said to them, I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.
Im going to redeem mankind as promised and return to my heavenly throne all the while you will not have realized I have come and gone back to heaven you will still be waiting for the wrong Messiah and for the wrong reasons. For this reason you can not come to my house since you do not know the owner of the house.
22 This made the Jews ask, Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, Where I go, you cannot come?
23But he continued, You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be,[a] you will indeed die in your sins.
I am Messiah that you say you seek but you dont understand. You think you know what your looking for but in fact what you are looking for is as different as you are from me since I am not a sinful human being I am God in the flesh you will die because of your sins the very sins I have come to pay the penalty for.
25Who are you? they asked.
Like I said I am God in the flesh, what dont you understand?
Just what I have been claiming all along, Jesus replied.
26I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.
I am the word of God made flesh I am the word of God made audible so that you might hear. I only repeat all that God has said and wishes to say to you concerning saving you.
27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28So Jesus said, When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him. 30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
Once you kill me on the cross then you will finally realize who I am. Then you will put together all the pieces of prophecy and connect the dots that lead to me. I am God, I am the Father and I am the Son and I am the Holy Spirit. All of the Godhead rests in Me. I can not do something contrary to what the Father wants done since I am also the Father, I am the Living God.
The Children of Abraham
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
33They answered him, We are Abrahams descendants[b] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?
34Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know you are Abrahams descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Fathers presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.[c]
I know who you are I created you, all of you and your forefathers. But sin is an infection that also plagues the descendants of Abraham. Destroying that sin was also part of the promise I made to Abraham. Only someone who is free from sin can free you. Abraham was not free from sin but I am because I am the Son of God who is perfect and without sin. I am telling you that this is Gods plan because it is My plan I am doing the will of the Father because I am the Father.
39Abraham is our father, they answered.
We dont know who your related too buddy but we are definitely related to Abraham, maybe you heard of him? Hes the father of the entire Jewish nation?
If you were Abrahams children, said Jesus, then you would[d] do the things Abraham did. 40As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41You are doing the things your own father does.
Look if you claim to be Abrahams children why do you not act like he did towards me? He knew who I am why dont you guys get it? You want to kill me. Abraham would Never want to kill His God but you seem determined to do it so therefore there is no way you can be Abrahams children.
We are not illegitimate children, they protested. The only Father we have is God himself.
The Children of the Devil
42Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your fathers desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why dont you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.
The Claims of Jesus About Himself
48The Jews answered him, Arent we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?
49 I am not possessed by a demon, said Jesus, but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.
52 At this the Jews exclaimed, Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?
54Jesus replied, If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing.
If I was trying to bring glory to the man Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth then that would be wrong.
My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.
But God the Father whom you also claim as your God and Father is alive in me and it is He who glorifies me since all you physically see is Jesus the carpenter from Nazareth. The greatness of Gods glory can not be hidden under the flesh that I am wearing for Gods glory shines through it. It can not be helped, that is just the way it is. God is alive in me, I am God in the flesh but you only know me as Jesus the carpenter from Nazareth.
55Though you do not know him, I know him.
Unfortunately you do not really know God or you would recognize Him since God dwells in me I know God intimately since God the Father and I are one and the same person.
If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.
You want to talk about Abraham, let me tell you he was thrilled to see me leave heavens throne knowing that my becoming a man was for your salvation and that of the world. It was in fact another part of the promise I made to him so long ago.
Remember how I said Abraham would be the father of many nations and that the whole world be blessed through his act of faithfulness? You should have seen the look on his face when I became Jesus the baby of Bethlehem.
Genesis 22 NIV 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.
57 You are not yet fifty years old, the Jews said to him, and you have seen Abraham!
58I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am! 59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
Now you got it! Before Abraham was I am. Thats right I am the living God that created Abraham and all things seen and unseen. I am (Yahweh) the name of God. Unchanging Nature The Most-High God. Period!
Let us pray.
