SERMONWRITER



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The Third Sunday

of Advent

Year A

December 15, 2019

Volume 23, Number x

ISSN 1071-9962

CONTENTS:

A Thought on Preaching

Title

Sermon in a Sentence

Scripture

Biblical Commentary

Children's Sermon

Sermon

More Sermons on this Text

Thought Provokers

Hymns & Hymn Story

Bibliography

A THOUGHT ON PREACHING: Avoid fancy writing. The most powerful words are simplest. "To be or not to be, that is the question...." (Arthur Brisbane)

TITLE: Faithful in Tough Times!

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: We are often tempted to doubt Jesus, but he promises that we will become great in the kingdom of God if we remain faithful to him through the tough times.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 11:2-11

BIBLICAL COMMENTARY:

MATTHEW 5-13. THE CONTEXT

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus began his ministry in Galilee (4:12-17), called the first disciples (4:18-22), and ministered to crowds (4:23-25), but Matthew describes these only briefly. The Sermon on the Mount really introduces Jesus' ministry and outlines his teachings in detail (chapters 5-7). Miracles (chapters 8-9) constitute the next significant block of material. These two large blocks of material (sermon and miracles) set the stage for verse 4 of our Gospel lesson, in which Jesus tells John's disciples to tell him "the things which you hear and see." What they have heard is the Sermon on the Mount. What they have seen is miracles.

Our Gospel lesson, verses 2-11, emphasizes the healing, saving, and empowering ministry of Jesus, which was a surprise to those expecting a fiery, judgmental Messiah. However, this chapter then shifts to a judgmental tone, including the woes of verses 20-24. The chapter ends on a soft note, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest" (vv. 28-30). In this Gospel, especially, Jesus comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.

"The overall tone of chapters 11 and 12 is negative…. (preparing us) for the judgment parables of chapter 13" (Hare, 119-120).

Luke reports this same story in Luke 7:18-28.

MATTHEW 11:2-3. ARE YOU HE WHO COMES?

2Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ (Greek: tou Christou ––the anointed one), he sent two of his disciples (Greek: pempsas dia ton matheton autou––having sent by way of his disciples) 3and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"

"When John heard in the prison the works of Christ" (tou Christou ––the anointed one) (v. 2a). "Messiah" is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for "anointed" and "Christ" is a transliteration of the Greek word for "anointed." In the Old Testament, kings and priests were anointed or set apart for their respective offices. The Jewish people looked forward to the coming of the Messiah––the anointed one who would bring salvation––but they thought of the Messiah as a great king like David, a warrior who would restore Israel to its former glory. John's question in verse 3 is surely occasioned, in part, by this understanding of the Messiah.

Matthew mentioned John's arrest in 4:12, but offered no explanation. In 14:1-12, he will tell us the sordid story of Herod's marriage to his brother's wife, John's criticism of Herod and his subsequent arrest, and the daughter's dance that leads to John's beheading. Josephus tells us that John is imprisoned at Machaerus, Herod's desert fortress east of the Dead Sea.

"he sent two of his disciples" (v. 2b). A literal translation is "having sent by way of his disciples."

John is imprisoned, so he cannot go to Jesus personally. Matthew doesn't tell us how John gets word to his disciples. Apparently some of them have been permitted to visit him in his prison cell.

"Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" (v. 3). We are surprised that John would ask such a question:

• Luke tells us that, even before John and Jesus were born, Mary visited Elizabeth, John's mother. "It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby (John) leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice, and said, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'"

(Luke 1:41-42).

• Matthew tells us that John preached, "Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight" (3:3).

• When Jesus presented himself to John for baptism, John protested, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" (3:14).

• After the baptism, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (3:17). How can John question whether Jesus is the one who is to come?

The reason behind John's question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because "Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire" (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire" (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone Messiah.

Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John's fire and brimstone preaching.

Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).

Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9––what Bruner calls an "ambulance ministry"––of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John's). People are looking for a voice of authority––for a fire that will purge the dross––for a powerful leader who will restore Israel's former glory––for a Messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.

We have the same problem today. The church shuffles along, preaching mostly to the converted, sending a few dollars to disaster victims, shepherding a family through its grief, and teaching Bible stories to children. It doesn't look like much! Shouldn't the church be shaking the foundations? Shouldn't it look more like an urban renewal developer, tearing down and rebuilding––and less like a handyman patching leaks?

John's imprisonment raises a further question. If God chose John to prepare the way for the one who is to come, what is John doing in prison? If Jesus is the one who is to come, why doesn't he bring down fire from heaven on John's oppressors? Why doesn't an earthquake open the prison doors, as will happen later for Paul and Silas (Acts 16)? Why does God allow God's prophet to sit through long empty days in prison?

We have the same questions today. Why does God allow the righteous to suffer? Why doesn't God answer our prayers for healing? If we tithe, why doesn't God reward us with riches? If we attend church regularly, why doesn't God find us a job––or a spouse––or whatever it is that we feel that we desperately need right now?

But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows––no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say––is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one!

MATTHEW 11:4-6. TELL JOHN THE THINGS WHICH YOU HEAR AND SEE

4Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling (Greek: skandelisthe––also translated "scandal" or "stumbling block") in me."

"Go and tell John the things which you hear and see" (v. 4). As noted above, what John's disciples heard was the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), and what they saw was Jesus' miracles (chapters 8-9).

"The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them" (v. 5). John will surely recognize the scriptural allusions in Jesus' answer. Isaiah 29:18 speaks of the deaf hearing and the blind seeing. Isaiah 35:6 speaks of the lame leaping like a deer. Isaiah 26:19 speaks of the dead living. Isaiah 61:1 speaks of good news for the oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives and prisoners. These are signs of the Messiah's coming (Bergant. 20).

"The interesting thing is that all four of these (Isaiah) passages also go on to speak of a work of messianic judgment, the very thing that John had been proclaiming, but which Jesus pointedly leaves out" (Boice, 190).

"The end of the old age has arrived, the new age is dawning. The eschaton, announced by the prophets, is not about to dawn; it has dawned (Is. 34; 61:5-7). The new age is being manifested by word and deed. Yet miracles evoke both faith and doubt, for faith is personal response to evidence" (Augsburger).

In chapters 8-9, Jesus has given sight to the blind (9:27-31)––made the lame walk (9:2-8)––cleansed lepers (8:1-4)––healed a mute (and presumably deaf) man (9:32-34)––and raised the dead (9:18-26). He also worked miracles that were not part of the Isaiah list: healing a centurion's servant (8:5-13)––healing Simon's mother-in-law and many others (8:14-17)––stilling a storm (8:23-27)––and exorcising a demoniac (8:28-34). Jesus will get to fire-and-brimstone soon enough (see Matthew 24-25), but first he is establishing a healing, saving ministry. "His primary activity is the restoration of the needy and the giving of life to the lifeless" (Brueggemann, 26).

In his catalog of miracles, "the poor have good news preached to them" (v. 5b) seems minor by comparison with giving sight to the blind and cleansing lepers (v. 5a). Most people save the best for last, and the most dramatic miracle was raising the dead (9:18-27). Why not stop there? Because the poor, the oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives, and prisoners matter to Jesus! There are so many poor people–– like the dust of the earth. Their poverty (oppression, imprisonment) squeezes life from them. Just imagine if someone could breathe into that dust the breath of life––allowing them to experience their full humanity! Jesus does that! He did it as he walked the dusty roads of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. He continues to do it today through the ministry of the church.

Jesus' answer demands much of John. He asks John to stretch his understanding to fit a very different Messiah than the one whom he expected. We must admire John for not breaking with Jesus at this point. Jesus asks us, too, to stretch our understanding to fit a different model of the Messiah than the magic problem-solver and giver-of-good-things that we would prefer.

"Blessed is anyone who takes no offense (skandelisthe) at me" (v. 6). John has not taken offense, but he has expressed doubt. He must now try to "understand that he was correct in his recognition of Jesus as the promised one but...he must also be prepared to accept the fact that the kingdom Jesus brings does not, for the time being anyway, entail the judgment of the wicked. Indeed, on the contrary, the message of the kingdom goes precisely to the unrighteous (cf. 9:13)" (Hagner). The doom that John expected will "go into fulfillment not now but at Christ's second coming" (Hendriksen & Kistemaker, 484).

Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John's expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)––hometown people who take offense (13:57)––Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)––and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting.

Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense––all who do not stumble––all who are not scandalized. "It is always the miracles that Jesus does not perform for us that easily form a stumbling block for faith" (Holwerda, 66). Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.

MATTHEW 11:7-10. A PROPHET! AND MUCH MORE THAN A PROPHET!

7As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses. 9But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'"

"As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John" (v. 7a). Jesus has been responding to the messengers from John, but now, as John's messengers depart to take Jesus' response to John, Jesus turns to address the crowd.

"What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses" (vv. 7b-8). Jesus has been quick to define himself; now he defines John. The references to a reed, soft robes, and royal palaces point to Herod Antipas. Herod's coins include the symbol of a reed. He wears fine clothing and lives in palaces, including Machaerus. The irony is that John now lives in Herod's Machaerus palace, but he occupies only a prison cell there.

John is not a reed leaning in whatever direction the wind happens to blow, but an oak standing tall and strong. He is dressed, not in soft robes, but camel hair and a leather belt. Everything about him exudes strength.

"But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet" (v. 9). Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. "The people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins" (3:5-6).

"For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you'" (v. 10). Jesus says that John is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1a, which says: "See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple."

Morris draws attention to a small but significant change that Jesus makes when he quotes this Malachi verse. When Malachi said, "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me," the word "me" referred to Yahweh. Jesus changes "me" to "you," applying the verse to himself. Morris concludes, "Jesus is the manifestation of Yahweh" (Morris, 279-280).

John differs from other prophets in that he:

• fulfills prophecy as well as prophesying

• is an end-time messenger and

• is a forerunner of the Messiah.

John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive's ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus' entry into the world by calling people to repentance.

MATTHEW 11:11. HE WHO IS LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

11"Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he."

"Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer" (v. 11a). Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel's pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.

There is a great dividing line down the center of history, with the prophets on one side and Jesus on the other. John is a transitional figure (see vv. 12-14). "He is the one in whom the expectation has finally been distilled into one final, definitive arrow pointing to the presence of the Messiah. Thus from a human point of view no one greater than John has ever been born, no one of the old order supersedes John in importance" (Hagner).

"yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he" (v. 11b). "The issue here is not John's personal salvation, but his place in the scheme of salvation history" (France, 429). John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today's space-based telescopes.

Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus' forerunner––not his disciple.

If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.

CHILDREN'S SERMON: With Our Own Eyes

By Lois Parker Edstrom

Matthew 11:2-11

Objects suggested: Picture of the earth or a dinosaur as suggested below and email messages.

Picture of the earth taken from space available at:



Picture of dinosaurs available at:



Some things are so wonderful and magnificent that we say "I can't believe it!" Sometimes we have to see things with our own eyes to be able to believe what has happened.

A few years ago no one would believe that there would ever be a man on the moon, but we saw pictures of astronauts walking on the moon and we heard their stories of what the earth looked like from space - a very beautiful blue globe. (Show photo)

Before that dinosaurs roamed the earth and we can't imagine what that must have been like, but we can visit museums and see their huge bones. We see with our own eyes that dinosaurs really did exist. (Show photo)

You are growing up with computers in your homes and schools, but doesn't it amaze even you that you can send a message to someone in another part of the world and it arrives in an instant? We send email and receive email, seeing with our own eyes that it happens. (Show emails)

John the Baptist had been waiting for something very wonderful to happen. His work was to tell people about Jesus. John was waiting for Jesus to arrive; the one who had been sent from God. John heard about some of the things that Jesus had been doing and he sent disciples to ask, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" (11:3).

Jesus said to the disciples, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them" (11:4-5).

The disciples had seen these miracles of healing happen with their own eyes and they told John what they had seen. In this way John the Baptist knew the truth, that Jesus had arrived and was sent by God.

SERMON:

John had been faithful, but was beginning to doubt.

• God had called John TO MAKE THE PATHS STRAIGHT for Jesus, and John had done that.

• God had called John TO GO INTO THE DESERT WILDERNESS, far from the villages and cities, and John had done that.

• God had called John TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF THE MIGHTY WORKS that the Christ would do, and John had done that.

John had told people to expect great things of Jesus, but Jesus had not yet lived up to his billing. John felt certain that he had heard his call correctly––and that he had done what God had called him to do––but it hadn't worked out as John had expected.

Furthermore, John was in prison. A man of the desert and open skies, John was locked in a dungeon. He seemed to have no future. He was experiencing tough times. He was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake.

John told his disciples to go to Jesus and ask if he was the one––or whether they should look for someone else (v. 3).

It took John's disciples many days to go to Jesus––to ask if he was the one they had hoped for––to ask Jesus if John had been wrong. Then it would have taken John's disciples many additional days to go back to John––to gain access to him in his prison cell––and to relate that they had learned.

Stop and think how you would have felt if you had been John––if you had been sitting day after day in that barren cell––if you had been waiting for your disciples to return––hoping for good news, but steeling yourself for the possibility of bad news. Wouldn't that be hard! Wouldn't it be depressing! John had bet his life on Jesus, and now he was wondering if he had made a mistake. He was beset with doubt.

We, too, are sometimes beset with doubt. We have waited two thousand years for Christ to come again in glory, and are still waiting. We live in a nation and a world that are increasingly hostile to Christians. In this nation, Christian are sometimes tolerated––but increasingly under attack. In much of the world, Christians are tortured and persecuted.

Even worse, we see a nation headed in the wrong direction, and no one seems to care:

• We see a nation coarsened by Hollywood values.

• We see a nation where young men leave fatherless children in their wake.

• We see a nation in which races are polarized.

-• We see a nation in which the gulf between rich and poor is widening.

And so we wonder!

We too experience tough times!

• We find ourselves with too much month and too little money.

• Our children disappoint us with decisions fraught with ruin.

• Our bodies sometimes betray us. I'm reminded of a helicopter pilot who caught a glance of something falling from his helicopter. He didn't know what it was. He said, "There aren't many spare parts in a helicopter." Our bodies don't have many spare parts either.

• A woman's husband died as a young man. Cancer. It took him quickly. That was many years ago. They had no children. She has never remarried. She said, "It was a challenge to my faith." Fortunately, she has passed the test. She is in church every Sunday. Her faith was tested by fire, and the fire made her strong––tough. She refused to succumb to doubt. I admire her a lot.

We too are tempted by doubt! Bad things happen, and we wonder if we have made a mistake. Like John the Baptist in his prison cell, we want to ask Jesus if he is the one, or if we must look to someone else to save us.

When John's disciples asked Jesus if he was the one, Jesus said:

"Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

the BLIND receive their sight,

the LAME walk,

the LEPERS are cleansed,

the DEAF hear,

the DEAD are raised up,

and the POOR have good news preached to them" (vv. 4-5).

Jesus' point, of course, was that no one could do the things he was doing––except by the power of God.

• "The BLIND receive their sight!" Amazing!

• "The LAME walk!" By the grace of God!

• "LEPERS are cleansed––and the DEAF hear!" Thank God!

• "The DEAD are raised up!" Praise the Lord!

• "The POOR have good news preached to them!" How wonderful!

Those were miracles. Usually, the BLIND stayed blind, because no one could help them. The DEAD certainly stayed dead.

But Jesus, working by Godly power, was the exception who proved the rule. Only the Messiah could make these things happen. If Jesus could perform these miracles, even greater miracles were likely in the offing.

When Jesus told John's disciples to tell John that these miracles were happening, he knew that John would understand. John would know that he had not lived in vain––had not served God in vain––would not die in vain. John had prepared the way for the Messiah, and Jesus was that Messiah.

John had told his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one––or must they wait for another. Sometimes we ask the same question. Our world is full of turmoil. Sometimes it seems as if our lives are full of turmoil. So we wonder. We doubt.

Lovette Weems told of a group of Christians who went on a mission project to South America. They had been briefed on conditions there, but were unprepared emotionally for what they found. Children being buried every day. Hunger everywhere. Political oppression.

That little group of Christians looked around and saw only darkness. They became so depressed that they could barely function. One day, one of the local Christian leaders said:

"You Americans,

you only know how to help folk when you are winning."

He said:

"Look in our faces and you will see faces of hope.

Not because we are winning; we've been losing all of our lives.

These are our CHILDREN we are burying.

These are our STOMACHS that are empty.

These are our NECKS that have the heavy foot of political oppression upon them."

And then he concluded:

"We are hopeful not because we are winning.

But we are hopeful because we are convinced that we are being faithful

to what God is calling us to in this moment,

and because of that we have hope

that when victory comes, it will be ours.

It may come tomorrow.

It may come in three hundred years.

But when it comes, it will be ours."

Those people refused to succumb to despair. They refused to allow their circumstances to cause them to stumble.

Jesus promises, "Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me." (v. 6). In other words, Jesus is promising to bless us when we refuse to allow doubt to conquer us.

Earlier, I mentioned a woman whose husband died far too early, leaving her alone––broken hearted. She said, "It was a challenge to my faith."

Like John, I'm sure she sometimes asked Jesus if he was the one. But she refused to allow her doubts to win. She refused to give in to her pain. She kept looking toward the light rather than the darkness. She determined not to stumble and fall into the abyss.

I can assure you that Jesus has blessed her. She still grieves––but not as one who has no hope. She has maintained her faith through her painful journey. I think of her as a modern martyr. She has not died for her faith, but she has lived her faith through a torturous journey. Who could ask more?

Jesus said that John the Baptist was a prophet––and more than a prophet (v. 9). To understand the significance of that statement, you have to remember that, in that setting, prophets walked point. Anyone who has served in the infantry knows the significance of walking point––walking at the front of a patrol. The soldier who walks point does so because it's his duty. The soldier who walks point is the one most likely to trip a mine or to take a bullet.

That's what prophets did. They did what God told them to do, because it was their duty. Very often, the forces of evil concentrated all their powers to destroy the prophets. Prophets died young. Prophets were (and still are) God's Medal of Honor candidates.

Jesus says that John was a prophet––and more than a prophet. He went on to say:

"Most certainly I tell you,

among those who are born of women

there has not arisen anyone greater

than John the Baptizer" (v. 11a).

That's high praise. Coming from Jesus, it's the highest possible praise. But be sure to hear what Jesus said next. He said:

"Yet he who is LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven

is GREATER than (John)" (v. 11b).

Be sure to hear that. Jesus said:

"He who is LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven

is GREATER than (John)."

Who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven? I am! You are! We are ordinary Christians, leading ordinary Christian lives. But Jesus says that we are greater than John, who lived in God's service and who died in God's service.

How can that be? How can you and I be greater than John. I have two answers to that question:

• First, we are greater than John by the grace of God––not by anything we have achieved on our own.

• Second, we are greater than John because we stand on this side of the cross. John didn't live to see the risen Christ, so he couldn't draw people to the risen Christ. We have not seen the risen Christ either––with our eyes. But we have seen the risen Christ with our hearts, and we witness to the risen Christ every time with gather together for worship.

So we are great in the kingdom of God. Never forget that. Don't allow your humility rob you of accepting your greatness.

FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT, GO TO:



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THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

The greatest thing is to be found at one's post as a child of God,

living each day as though it were our last,

but planning as though our world might last a hundred years.

C. S. Lewis

* * * * * * * * * *

If studies had been taken in the Roman Empire in 65 A. D. on religious preferences,

they would have shown 51 percent for Jupiter,

30 for Zeus,

about nine for Mithra

and about one percent for Jesus.

So St. Paul, who was promoting Jesus,

might have just gone home and said the heck with it.

But St. Paul stayed––and that made the difference.

Harry Golden

* * * * * * * * * *

I am God's wheat;

I am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts

that I may end as the pure bread of Christ.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

* * * * * * * * * *

Be not afraid of life.

Believe that life is worth living,

and your belief will help create the fact.

William James

* * * * * * * * * *

When Madeleine L'Engle's husband died of cancer, she commented:

"Someone tells me a story of a bishop

who lost his wife and child in a tragic accident.

And he said to his people, 'I have been all the way to the bottom.

And it is solid.'"

* * * * * * * * * *

HYMNS:

Baptist Hymnal (BH)

Chalice Hymnal (CH)

Collegeville Hymnal (CO)

Common Praise (CP)

Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW)

Gather Comprehensive (GC)

JourneySongs (JS)

Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW)

Lutheran Service Book (LSB)

Lutheran Worship (LW)

Presbyterian Hymnal (PH)

The Faith We Sing (TFWS)

The Hymnal 1982 (TH)

The New Century Hymnal (TNCH)

United Methodist Hymnal (UMH)

Voices United (VU)

With One Voice (WOV)

Wonder Love and Praise (WLP)

Worship & Rejoice (WR)

GATHERING:

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me (BH #465; CH #627; CP #512; ELW #325; PH #363; TNCH #490; UMH #521; WLP #805; WOV #660; WR #506)

Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates (BH #128; CH #129; JS #169; LBW #32; LSB #340, 341; LW #23-24; PH #8; TH #436; TNCH #117; UMH #213; WOV #631; WR #176)

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (BH #206, 216; CH #5; CP #306; ELW #886; LBW #559; PH #466; TH #493; TNCH #42; UMH #57; VU #326; WR #96)

PROCLAIMING:

Blessed Be the God of Israel (BH #79; CH #135; CP #11; ELW #250, 552; TH #444; UMH #209; WOV 725; WR #158)

Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light (BH #114; CP #147; LSB #378; PH #26; TH #91; TNCH #140; UMH #223; WR #202)

Emmanuel, Emmanuel (BH #82; CH #134; UMH #204; WR #178)

Hark, the Glad Sound! (CO #177; CP #98; ELW #239; LBW #35; LSB #349; LW #29; TH #71-72; VU #29)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (BH #88; CH #150; CO #222; CP #138; ELW #270; GC #348; JS #195; LBW #60; LSB #380; LW #49; PH #31; TH #87; TNCH #144; UMH #240; VU #48; WR #185)

Jesus Shall Reign Where're the Sun (BH #587; CH #523; CO #508; CP #383; ELW #434; GC #482; LBW #530; LSB #832; LW #312; PH #423; TH #544; TNCH #300; UMH #157; VU #330; WR #341)

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (BH #80; CH #124; CO #377; CP #48; ELW #490; GC #540; JS #203; LBW #198; LSB #621; LW #241; PH #5; TH #324; TNCH #345; UMH #626; VU #473; WR #232)

Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming (BH #78; CH #160; CO #191; CP #117; ELW #272; GC #368; JS #168; LBW #58; LSB #359; LW #67; PH #48; TH #81; TNCH #127; UMH #216; VU #8; WR #190)

Also known as Lo, How a Rose is Growing

Once in Royal David's City (CH #165; CO #212; CP #123; ELW #269; GC #372; LSB #376; LW #58; PH #49; TH #102; TNCH #145; UMH #250; VU #62; WOV #643; WR #183)

Savior of the Nations Come (CO #184; ELW #263; GC #334; JS #172; LBW #28; LSB #332; LW #13; PH #14; TH #54; UMH #214; WR #168)

SENDING:

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light (ELW #815; GC #507; LSB #411; TH #490; UMH #206; WOV #649; WR #248)

Open My Eyes (BH #502; CH #586; JS #448; PH #324; UMH #454; VU #371; WR #480)

JS #448 is a different hymn, but is appropriate for the same reasons as the other hymn.

That Boy-Child of Mary (BH #110; ELW #293; PH #55; UMH #241; WR #211)

HYMN STORY: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

The German pastor, George Weissel, was inspired by Psalm 24 to write this hymn. That psalm says:

Lift up your heads, you gates;

yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors,

and the King of glory will come in.

Who is this King of glory?

Yahweh of Armies is the King of glory! (Psalm 24:9-10).

In that psalm, David was calling the people of Jerusalem to prepare for the coming of the Ark of the Covenant into the city––the Ark that was destined to reside in the Holy of Holies, the holiest part of the temple––the Ark that represented the presence of the Lord among the people. David was calling his people to open the gates so that the Lord could enter their city––so that God could dwell among them and be Lord of their lives.

In like manner, this hymn calls us to open the gates of our hearts so that the Lord can enter there. It calls us to make our heart a temple––a holy place fit for the Lord's presence––a place "adorned with prayer and love and joy."

As we sing this hymn, consider whether you have invited God to dwell in your heart. Consider whether you have invited God to dwell in your home. Consider whether you have welcomed God to be a part of your life.

FOR MORE HYMN STORIES, GO TO:



Click on a letter of the alphabet to see the hymns that begin with that letter.

SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Augsburger, Myron S., The Preacher's Commentary: Matthew (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982). Formerly known as The Communicator's Commentary.

Barclay, William, Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1957)

Bergant, Dianne with Fragomeni, Richard, Preaching the New Lectionary, Year A (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2001)

Beker, J. Christiaan, Proclamation 6: Advent-Christmas, Series A (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995)

Boice, James Montgomery, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1: The King and His Kingdom (Matthew 1-17) (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001)

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Borsch, Frederick Houk and Napier, Davie, Proclamation 2, Advent-Christmas, Series A (Fortress Press, 1980)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year A (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995)

Bruner, Frederick Dale, Matthew: Volume 2, The Churchbook, Matthew 13-28 (Dallas: Word, 1987)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, A (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1992)

France, R.T., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007)

Gardner, Richard B., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Matthew (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1990)

Hagner, Donald A., Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 1-13, Vol. 33a (Dallas: Word, 1993)

Hamm, Dennis, Let the Scriptures Speak, Year A (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2001)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Interpretation: Matthew (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1993)

Harrington, D.J., Sacra Pagina: Matthew (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1991)

Hauerwas, Stanley, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible: Matthew (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2006)

Hendriksen, William, and Kistemaker, Simon J., New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, Vol. 9 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1973)

Holwerda, David E., in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Hultgren, Arland J. Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Matthew: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977)

Johnson, Sherman E. and Buttrick, George A., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Long, Thomas G., Westminster Bible Companion: Matthew (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997)

Morris, Leon, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1992)

Pilch, John J., The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle A (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1995)

Senior, Donald, Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Matthew (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998)

Soards, Marion; Dozeman, Thomas; McCabe, Kendall, Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Year A (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993)

Wylie, Samuel and McKenzie, John L., Proclamation: Advent-Christmas, Series A (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1974)



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