Advent 1C 2015 (Lk 19:28–40)

Service Canceled Due to Weather

INI + AMEN.

Advent. New Church year. Advent. Adventus: “He Comes.” Jesus comes. He comes to save His people from their sins. It’s why He’s named Jesus. Jesus, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: “Yahweh saves.” This Savior Jesus is also King Jesus. As the prophet Zechariah preaches, “Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” He is the greater Solomon, who first rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and, as his name was “peaceful,” so also Jesus, Savior-King Jesus, is the Peace-maker, “having made peace through the blood of His cross.” This Peace-making Savior is King not just of Israel but of all, as was prophesied about Him: “Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.” (Ps 72) “All the families of the nations Shall worship before You. For the kingdom is Yahweh’s, And He rules over the nations.” (Ps 22) 

Under the impulse, guidance, and working of the Spirit, Luke’s account today brings this all together. Luke tells us:

KING JESUS COMES.

Now, when KING JESUS COMES,

(I.) He comes just as He said.

Think of the promises that He made: “I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” “The Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall His name Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” And so it happened that these promises were kept. Gabriel was sent from God to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he told her, “You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son.” “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’” The womb, in which no one was carried, carried Jesus the Christ according to His plan and promise. He came just as He said. The promise was made, “your King comes, riding on a donkey.” His Word was given, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied. Untie it and bring it here.” “So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.” The donkey, on which no one was carried, carried Jesus the Christ into Jerusalem. According to His plan and promise. The promise was made, several times, by our Lord, that He “will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” Jesus, born of Mary and borne by the donkey, came to Jerusalem and it all happened according to His plan and promise. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, and died. Then He was taken “down and wrapped in a linen shroud.” Then the tomb, in which no one else had been placed, held Him who died for us, and then “the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures.” The Lord always uses things that have been set apart, that have never been used before, to bring about His promises. That’s how KING JESUS COMES—just as He said.

Now, when KING JESUS COMES, He doesn’t only come just as He said, but

(II.) He comes humbly, bringing peace.

As King, He doesn’t quite seem like a good king. He doesn’t come in power and might. Countless angels continually praise Him, and He could easily call twelve legions of angels to His command and defense. Yet, no power plays with the Lord. Which, I think, is something we’d like to see. Wouldn’t it be nice if He’d whip the world into shape. That’s how we like to get things done. Get a little power and get things done. We’d render our judgment to remain on top. We’d even use our own humility to gain the upper hand. “I’d never do that. I’m not like those types of people.” Thanks be to God that Jesus doesn’t do it our way! For if He did, we would be in a lot of trouble. With power comes judgment, and no one would escape that. “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Moreover, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

Jesus is humble. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” He is humble.He “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He comes being borne by a donkey. No mighty steed for Him, but the lowliest of servants to bear God who is lowly for you. He still comes to you humbly as He did then. His forgiveness and righteousness come through water. His body and blood for forgiveness and eternal life through bread and wine.

And there’s joy when He comes humbly. For when He came, “the chastisement that was for our peace was upon Him.” His humbly coming now in Water, Word, Body and Blood brings peace. He is our peace, and He wins and gives us peace in heaven and on earth. Coming to die, the crowds praised Him by saying, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” He wins and brings us peace with our heavenly Father fulfilling what even the angels sang at His birth, “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

KING JESUS COMES, just as He said, with humility and peace. This means our salvation. It’s why He’s called Jesus. Jesus, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: “Yahweh saves.” He’s our King who saves. He comes to do it. Advent. New Church year. Advent. Adventus: “He Comes.” He comes to you always according to His promise and plan: with His body and blood given and shed for you. Always humble. Always saving. As Zechariah preaches: “Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

INI + AMEN.