While Scripture gives you such beautiful glimpses of the age to come, the fullness of its glory is beyond our ability to comprehend now, for “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2:9). Still, these things have been revealed to you by the Spirit in the promises of your Baptism, His Gospel, and His Sacrament. God promises, “Behold! I make all things new!” (Rev 21:5). What He promises He does for you and for Bev and all those who wait for His reappearing. 

The third stanza of our hymn “Once He Came in Blessing” tonight focuses on Christ’s coming “soon.” Soon Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. His eminent return is a warning and terror to the wicked whose sin remains unconfessed and trust misplaced. His return soon is a delight to the righteous who live in Jesus’s forgiveness and, with anxious expectation, await His reappearing. For you who live in Christ and grieve this world, sin, and its serpent prince, Jesus’s return cannot come soon enough.

Yes, Isaiah’s prophecy and their hopes are being fulfilled. The great reversal of the sin and its consequence on all flesh is being undone. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are clean, and the deaf hear. Alleluia! Praise God! But there’s more! The dead are resurrected. Not since Elijah and Elisha have they seen that happen. And maybe this Jesus is beginning to fulfill the prophetic vision of Ezekiel and the resurrection of the slain in the battle valley? Hope beyond hope!

Where is home? Maybe it's with Mom and Dad and siblings? Or with your spouse and children? Perhaps you’ll be wrapped up in a warm blanket in front of the fireplace, with a pet curled up at your feet or in your lap? Home and hearth are gifts from God. They are given to each of us differently but are always a blessing of our generous heavenly Father.

The promises of God fulfilled for Mickie are the only thing that can give lasting relief for today, tomorrow, and forever. Remember Mickie’s confirmation verse: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” The apostle Peter is right! There is no one else who can give the promises needed for this day. So hear again Jesus’s promises for Mickie, and all those who trust in Him. 

Jesus’s warning isn’t just for those distracted by all the Christmas celebration (minus the actual celebration of the Nativity in His church, of course). Feasting and revelry, family and work, can easily distract you from keeping your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Jesus is warning you against all the distractions of this life, all the times the hustle and bustle of normal life distract you from the one thing needful, Jesus’s Word and its delivery for you in the Sacraments. 

Jesus has kept His promises for Willis. It took a while, but sometimes that is what the LORD does. For Willis, that was 94 years of life, full of blessings but also difficulty and loss. Through it all, Jesus kept repeating His promises. You are forgiven! You are my beloved child! I will never leave you or forsake you! I promise to keep you in the faith! You will be with me in paradise! Resurrection and eternal life are yours, now in hope and then in sight. And Jesus kept His promises for Willis, who now rests in the peace of Jesus awaiting the Last Day, the triumphant cry of the joy of all the faithful raised to life immortal. So, no matter what twists and turns life took over those 94 years, Willis had Jesus with him to comfort and guide Him. No matter what loss and difficulty this life, world, or even the demonic powers might cause him to suffer, Jesus’s Spirit was there to renew and restore Willis to faith and life in Jesus. The gift of Willis’s baptism into Jesus and the breath of the Spirit received there kept and preserved him, day in and day out.

Who is Jesus? What has He come to do? Those are the central questions of this day and season of Advent. If Jesus on the donkey riding into Jerusalem isn’t about that, what good is He? If He is just another prophet, why listen to Him and not the others? If He is just another Maccabean messiah, why follow Him? If He’s just another son of David, a family has lost both their nobility and status, why acknowledge Him with palm branches and exclamation? Everything rides on the anointed one, Jesus saving you from your sins.

Each morning we begin, and each evening we end with a prayer that goes like this, “I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son…” As you pray those words, think of the blessings of body and life God the Father has given you. But also recognize the more fantastic gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation you have in His Son by the Spirit. And then you can say, “O, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.”

Wake up! Jesus is here! He brings forgiveness for your sins, rescue from the demonic forces, and resurrection from the dead. Awake, arise, and meet Him as He speaks His Word of Life, restoring and renewing you. “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph 5:14). Remain awake, attentive, and vigilant for the day of His coming. Jesus’s Word and gifts are here for our life and salvation; wake up!

Only one can judge with equity and whose verdict is always good, right, and trustworthy. The only one whom the Father has authorized to judge eternally and who once and again stands upon the earth is Jesus Christ. As the Psalmist has given us to sing, “When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence. For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness. You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever” (Psalm 9:3-8).

That’s the message of the Scriptures—God preserving what He has made, joined together, and promised to bless. He preserves the first marriage of Adam and Eve, even as their elder son murders his younger brother. Over and over, God’s people seem to be hell-bent on separating what God has joined together. But God the Father, Son, and Spirit are constantly at work through the saving gift of your baptism and the ongoing nurture of His Word to guard, preserve, and uphold your marriage.

The metaphor of the prophet as “watchman” is frequent (esp. Is 21:6-12; Is 56:10 for false prophets; Hosea 9:8, Hab 2:1, Jer 6:1). God and Ezekiel is not just concerned with natural, temporal life, but also with spiritual and eternal life. Jesus assumes the language in the parable of the ten virgins (Mt 25:1-13) and His summary admonition in Mk 13:37: “What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” The prophet’s role as watchman readily applies specifically to the pastoral office today and broadly, to all Christians. There is risk and serious consequence of death for failure to speak God’s Law and Gospel (3:18). All are held to a high standard to rebuke the erring brother, with particular judgment for the pastor who fails to speak (Office of the Keys; Rev 1:18; Mt 16:19; Rev 3:7).

And Jesus always keeps His promises. He never stops inviting you. The wedding hall will be filled. The whole host of heaven will be numbered. A rich feast of forgiveness, life, and salvation is served. Come and eat and drink. Everything needed is prepared and given. Be clothed and be fed. Jesus is the host, the maître d’, and the meal. This is His service, where He gives Himself entirely and thoroughly for you and your salvation. 

God does not deny the possibility that the Israelites may listen to Ezekiel and repent. But the prophet is not to tailor his message to his audience. If they do listen, believe, and are saved, it will be due tot he efficacy of the divine Word, that same Word that raised up Ezekiel from the ground and sent him to preach. if they do not listen, then the fault will not be God’s nor that of the faithful prophet.

However, what was required for Jesus to call you sons and to forgive you all your sins? This required His own death! For “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). Jesus does the lesser—heal the man’s paralysis—to prove what is more remarkable—His blood-bought authority to forgive sins with a Word! And where Jesus is forgiving sins, He is also working life and love. His life-breathing breath works and renews faith that cannot be seen. His Spirit takes hold of you and works out the love that can be seen in you. 

Apart from Christ, there is no fulfillment of the Law. He kept the His Law perfectly and obediently to the Father. The Lawgiver keeps His own Law. The Judge takes the criminal’s place, and you go home free. 

Without Jesus’ Word and gifts being given, your faith in God becomes starved, and thus your love for one another will also fail. This is why “Is it lawful?” is the wrong question. The Sabbath was not made for you to serve God but for Him to serve you! The Sabbath was given for you, that you would be renewed and refreshed in faith and love. This refreshment comes in the proclamation of Christ crucified for you for the forgiveness of sins and that forgiveness delivered to you with water, Word, bread, and wine.

With all our little deaths dead, crucified with Christ Jesus—sin absolved, the world overcome, the tempter’s voice silenced—we now live raised to new life in the little resurrection—free and forgiven, holy and righteous, hopeful and trusting by the Word of the Gospel. And finally, we know that Jesus has already overcome our death and graves, too. “The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).

Nestled amid the excerpt from Jesus’ sermon is the Word we need: “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” There is a greater need than anything your body wants. There is a pang of hunger that no quick bread can satisfy. There is a covering for your naked shame and guilt that won’t decay and wear out. What you need and what Jesus gives you today, tomorrow, and always is His righteousness.