Zephaniah 3:14-20; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 7:18-28

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We all have expectations for how we think people should act. It’s not just normal everyday behavior, but expectations for those who take on very specific roles. For example, we expect firefighters to be fit and strong in order to put out fires and rescue people. We expect teachers to be kind and caring for the nurturing of children. We expect pastors to be honest and upright to fulfill the role given to them. Because of the nature of certain roles, we expect certain types of people to fill them.

However, people don’t always live up to our expectations. This isn’t always a bad thing. Perhaps, our expectations are unrealistic or completely misguided. Or maybe certain people have found a different way to accomplish the same task. Or there’s those cases where indeed, someone isn’t fit for the role they’re given and it causes a scandal. Scandals often happen when expectations and reality don’t match. 

In our Gospel lesson, John the Baptist has been imprisoned by Herod. He had been preaching for so long about the coming Messiah and even gets the opportunity to point people to him directly. But now, all the expectations he had for Jesus aren’t matching up with Jesus’ ministry... and he begins to doubt. “And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Luke 7:19. All Israel expected the Messiah to come in power and might. They expected Jesus to come with an army to set them free. However, Jesus isn’t doing that. So, they’re left wondering, is Jesus truly the promised Messiah, or have we been fooled again?

What do we expect from Jesus and God? It’s no secret that many people are offended by the Church and the teachings of Jesus. Many are offended that the church says marriage is between one man and one woman. Many are offended that we say babies shouldn’t be killed in the womb. Many are offended when we say that Jesus is the only way to heaven. No, we shouldn’t expect that God will give us a million dollars. We shouldn’t expect that God will empty our life of all pain and suffering now. We shouldn’t expect that Jesus will only say those things that we agree with. This is why Jesus says, “And blessed is the one who is not offended by me,” Luke 7:23. 

But this is what we call the very scandal of the Gospel. Everyone expected a savior to be a military leader. They all expected triumph to look like a heavy-weight boxing match and the victor to be standing tall over his fallen opponent. People still expect that God will work through strength, wealth, and power to bring his kingdom into our world. Yet, the scandal is that he doesn’t. Rather, God chose to send Jesus in the weakness of the flesh. God sends Jesus to be born as a little babe. God sends Jesus to win the victory, not by slaying his opponent, but by dying on the cross. Jesus is the messiah who scandalizes us because he comes not with power and might, but in weakness and lowly ways. Let us then not be scandalized when God doesn’t heal us, but rather uses our weakness, illnesses, and lowliness to glorify his name! Blessed is the one who isn’t scandalized by Jesus, but sees in the weakness of the cross, the true victory over Satan, death, and the grave!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Malachi 3:1-7b; Philippians 1:2-11; Luke 3:1-20

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

How do you prepare... for company to visit? For a trip or vacation? For a test? Perhaps, you are one that waits until the last minute and then tosses everything together. Or maybe you like to methodically lay everything out, write a plan down, and start it weeks in advance. We learn from life that there’s a certain level of preparation needed for most things. We don’t (often) walk into a classroom on test day without having studied. We don’t wait until it’s time to leave to pack a suitcase for a trip. Many other things too take preparation.

In this season of Advent, we focus on our preparation for Christmas. We prepare for family to visit, getting what food we need for meals, making sure everyone has a bed to sleep on, and so on. But that’s not the only preparation we need. Advent teaches us that we must prepare to greet our newborn king. We must be prepared to celebrate Christmas rightly. 

This week, we hear about John the Baptist as he seeks to prepare the way. “Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me,” Malachi 3:1. John is charged with preparing the people for Jesus to come. What we often find confusing is how John prepares the people. “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Luke 3:7. John has some choice words for the people. But it’s all for the sake of preparing them.

The preparation which God desires is repentance. It was what John preached, a baptism of repentance. Sin must be addressed before the good news may come. God had to remove the roadblocks and barriers to his word before it may be spoken in its sweetness. Or like Malachi says, God must purify us like silver and gold. He must first remove the impurities from our lives. For so we must have those uncomfortable conversations. We must address sin lest it keep us from entering the kingdom of God. Thus, we’re called to repent and change our ways so we may be prepared to greet our Lord aright.

John warns us that God’s wrath is imminent. It’s coming upon all sin and unrighteousness. “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees,” Luke 3:9. God was getting ready to punish sins. He was getting ready to swing his axe at the tree... only to make the cross. God sent John to prepare people to repent, to place their sins upon Jesus so that God might bear his full wrath, not against you, but against his own Son. Jesus bore the full weight of our sin, the full wrath of God by dying on the cross. By Jesus death, God purifies us from all sin. He cleanses us of all unrighteousness. He forgives us our sins so that we might hear the full sweetness of the Gospel, that Jesus’ death has paid the price for all of your sins and that you are now holy in the sight of God!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 19:28-40

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

There’s no one with a better memory than a child who was just promised a treat or extra play time. The child will cling to that promise as long as they need and will remind you until they get it. Of course, as we all know, sometimes we make promises that we just can’t keep. We regularly break our promises for both good and bad reasons. The hurt and harm of a broken promise will become evident with a child through tears, sadness, and possibly anger.

Think about, then, all the promises that God has made. This is just another reason why we regularly say to have faith “like a child.” We’re supposed to cling to it, hold onto it, and let that promise motivate us until it’s received. For consider what Jeremiah writes, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah,” Jeremiah 33:14. Unlike us, God doesn’t break his promises. He doesn’t ever go back on his words to us. He fulfills them all in their proper time.

So, let us also consider our Gospel lesson. As we enter the beginning of a new church year, we read again of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event is so important because it is God finally fulfilling his promise. “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land,” Jeremiah 33:15. Jesus riding into Jerusalem is the symbol of Jesus coming to be their king. Jesus is the righteous branch from David. Thus, the people cheer, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:38. Jesus is coming to be the king that God had long promised. 

This is the foundation for our faith. The past promises of God which Jesus fulfilled should give us hope and motivate us to trust in the future promises of God. In Advent, we focus on the “advents” (coming) of Christ. Just as Jesus came in the manger as long promised and foretold, he will also come again at the last day as he has promised us. Don’t let time keep you from believing in God's promise. Indeed, we must be prepared to greet our coming king. 

As we hear again of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, let us also remember his coming in the manger. Jesus left his throne on high to come to us as God had long promised. Jesus comes with justice and righteousness to be the king long foretold. He comes to reign over you in his holy kingdom. But Jesus didn’t come to sit on some earthly throne. He came to take up the cross. That is Jesus’ throne. It’s what he came for and also why he will come again. God promised that Jesus would heal us and forgive us of our sins and even give us a new heart that we may worship him in holiness and purity forever. Indeed, by Jesus’ death on the cross, he does all this and much more. For so, let us now cling to these promises of God, knowing that he will fulfill them for us when Christ comes to us on the last day! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Isaiah 51:4-6; Jude 20-25; Mark 13:24-37

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hate buying new things just to see them wear out quickly. It’s always my biggest regret to buy something and then see it become trash within a week, month, or even year in certain cases. It just seems like wasted money, especially when it’s something you need like a backpack for school, a winter coat, or a computer. 

It feels like a law of nature that nothing lasts forever. We get used to the fact that anything we buy is momentary. It’s just a matter of how momentary it is. And of course, it’s not just things that are temporary. It’s friends, jobs, happiness, sadness, and even life itself. We suffer the reality of decay and deterioration, the ups and downs of watching new things eventually disappear. Nothing ever lasts forever. 

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus continues to tell us about the decay and destruction of the world as we know it. Yes, even our world will come to an end. “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken,” Mark 13:24-25. When Jesus comes, there’s much terror about all that will happen as our world decays to nothing. However, amidst all the decay and destruction, there’s one thing that will stay: God’s word. Every promise, every word our Lord has spoken, every command of God shall hold true.

This is the astonishing thing about what we value. All these things that we know won’t last, that we know will wear out, we protect as our greatest treasure. We place such importance at times on what we wear, what type of phone we have, having the latest gadgets, the nicest house, and so on. We do all this, knowing that these things will fail us and wear out. And yet, God’s word that is eternal, we treat as if it’s worthless. We treat God’s enduring word like another piece of candy on Halloween or an extra present under the Christmas tree.

Seek, then, after that which endures. Seek after God’s word which holds true even when all else fades away. For this is our faith which grants us confidence to face every challenge that awaits us, even the end of the world. Thus, Jesus says, “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come,” Mark 13:33. Jesus calls us to treasure his word above all else because his Word to us is light and life! This is the word of God, that Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. From the cross, God has spoken to us forgiveness, life, and salvation. No amount of time, decay, or even the forces of Satan shall empty the cross of its power, nor God’s word of its strength. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away,” Mark 13:31. Jesus Christ stands at the gates of paradise with the same enduring word of the cross, that you are redeemed by His death and granted entrance into eternity! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-25; Mark 13:1-13

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

“If only God would give me a sign!” I hear this so often whenever it comes to those big decisions in life. We all would like to have a little direction from God every now and then. We just want to know that we’re not messing everything up and also are following God’s path. Of course, we know it’s not that easy. God doesn’t give us a neon sign telling us “This way!”. Hence, we’re left to our own reason and decisions.

No matter how much we wish God would speak from heaven to us, or show us what path we should take, there’s another issue that we must beware of lest we fall away. Just as God seeks to lead us and guide us, so too does Satan use signs and wonders to get us to fall away. We can’t count on any old sign to be God’s guiding hand.

In our Gospel lesson, the disciples are seeking a sign from Jesus as he talks about the end. They want Jesus to give them directions so they know when the end will come. “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Mark 13:4. A sign would be wonderful, right? Give us a warning or show us what we’re supposed to do. But instead, this is what Jesus answers, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet,” Mark 13:5-7. Don’t be led astray! Thanks, Jesus. That’s so helpful. Not really.

Just consider it for a minute though. Don’t be led astray. As much as we want a sign, maybe a sign isn’t really what we’re looking for. When we beg God for a sign or are so desperate that we’re willing to listen to the first whispers of divine intervention, we’re really asking for trouble. Jesus does give us “signs” to watch out for, but these aren’t as clear as we might wish. That’s the point. We shouldn’t be watching out for signs. We should be watching for Jesus. So, don’t be led astray. We need not beg God for a sign when he already gives us Jesus.

When we consider the signs which Jesus gives us here, we realize that Jesus is describing practically everyday life. Jesus could return at any time because we already have wars and rumors of wars. There are earthquakes and famines. There are many false “Christs”. The “end of days” is here now! So, do not be led astray. Rather, we should look back to Jesus. We should see Jesus crucified for us. We should see the one and only sign that we need from God, the cross of Christ. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, we already know that our end has come. The end of our sins by God’s forgiveness. The end of our suffering through God’s salvation. The end of Satan by Christ’s resurrection. And the end of death by the resurrection of the dead and the promise of life to come! For so Jesus says, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved,” Mark 13:13. Don’t be led astray, but look to Jesus who gives us the strength to endure all things that we may see our eternal salvation!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

1 Kings 17:8-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

When people ignore warnings, doing the exact opposite of what it says, sometimes we just have to shake our heads in wonder and amazement. A fence that has a “Beware of dog” sign isn’t necessarily a yard you want to walk into. Nor should we ignore signs that say “DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE”. Watching someone do the very thing for which they were warned often leaves us without much sympathy.

Somehow though, we don’t have the same reaction to the widow in our Gospel this week. Yes, it’s the story that is often repeated when we in the church, need more money for projects or salary increases. The widow gives all that she has left, only two small coins, putting it into the treasury of the temple. Jesus praises her for such generous giving. There’s no doubt that she does a good thing in the eyes of our Lord.

If that was all the story was, we could end it there. She does a good thing by giving to the temple even when she doesn’t have the means to do it. But what astonishes me is what comes immediately before it. Jesus was just teaching, saying, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers,” Mark 12:38-40. Notice the end. Jesus was just warning his disciples and any who were listening about the greed and wickedness of the scribes. He even mentions their affinity for “devouring widows’ houses”. So, why does she give? Why does Jesus praise her for such lack of stewardship, wasting it in a needless place?

If this story was all about the money, I doubt Jesus’ teaching would be placed immediately before it. The widow is so often held up as an example for us all. We should be more like the widow who was willing to give all that she had to the care of the Lord. Indeed, there’s a time and place that we should discuss good stewardship, proper handling of the resources God has entrusted to us. But the widow isn’t an example that we’re capable of following. Jesus doesn’t praise her, and then tell his disciples they should be like her. Quite the opposite. Jesus pointed her out because we can’t ever live up to that type of sacrifice.

What’s the point then? It’s not that God requires us to give all that we have for the sake of his Church, especially one that is greedy and ravenous. It’s that Jesus has already done this for us. The widow becomes a type of Christ, an example or foreshadowing of the great sacrifice which our Lord will make on our behalf. Consider these two verses, “For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put everything she had, all she had to live on,” Mark 12:44. And, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich,” 2 Corinthians 8:9. Jesus gives himself to these ravenous wolves in his Church, everything that he is, so that he may make us rich in his grace! By the cross, Jesus offers up all that he is and has to us. He gives us his own body and blood that we may no longer be poor in spirit, but rich in the forgiveness and grace of God! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Grant us so firmly to believe in Your Son Jesus that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Does knowing the ending of a book or movie make it more enjoyable? That might seem like a strange question as we often talk about not spoiling the endings of such things. We all want to experience them for the first time ourselves. We like the surprise and amazement we get when we reach the ending, seeing how all the troubles of the characters are worked out. Yet, sometimes, the endings aren’t what we imagined. Endings don’t always tie everything up in a nice neat little bow. Then all that we read (and enjoyed) before is spoiled by a potentially bad ending.

Consider the same question with life. Would knowing how your life plays out make life more enjoyable or would you be afraid to find out? That’s a much different question. If we knew that everything turned out alright, that all of our gigantic troubles now were really just a footnote, then wouldn’t we be able to relax and enjoy things more? 

Now, I’m no psychic, nor can I tell you the future. But I do know how everything will end because God has told us. This is our focus this week as we celebrate All Saints’ Day. As Christians, we know the end of our story. Even as we mourn those who have died, we remember that there is yet more to the story. Just as Revelation says, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” Revelation 7:14. As Christians, we know that death isn’t the end for us. The conclusion of our story is not the grave. Rather, the end of everything, the end of our lives shall be meeting Jesus Christ when he returns in glory. The end of our story is the resurrection of the dead and life in the world to come!

This is why we, as Christians, do not weep at death like the rest of the world. We mourn the loss of loved ones because we know death is evil. But we also rejoice because we know that death has been defeated! All the struggles and suffering we endure here on earth is finite. There will be an end to it all. For this is our hope even in the midst of our present struggles. As Christians who know the end of the story, we are free to enjoy life more as God intended of us. We are free to place our worries and our cares in God’s hands knowing that He will care for us and see us through to the glorious end that awaits us!

On this All Saints’ Day, we remember that those who have died did so in faith. They believed in Jesus Christ as they’re savior. They believed that Jesus’ death on the cross paid for all of their sins. And they believed above all else that though they die, yet shall Jesus return to raise them from the dead because Jesus himself was raised from the dead. Indeed, this is the end of the story for all who believe. Thus, as we live here on earth in this life, we are able to trust in God that even death shall become a footnote for us. By Jesus’ death and resurrection, He has secured for us the best ending of all, the resurrection unto life everlasting! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!