Sermon: Advent 2B (OT)
4 December AD 2011
Sermon Theme: Dead Grass, Living Word
Summary: Because of our sins, we deserve to be dried out, cut down, and incinerated by God. Yet instead of condemning us to an eternity of suffering, the Father parched His beloved Son’s body, mind, and spirit, cut Jesus off from the land of the living, and condemned Him to suffer hell’s burning pains while hanging on the cross.
However, the Word of God became flesh and lived among us, carrying our sins to the cross. Now we, who deserve the fate of “all flesh,” instead receive the blessings reserved for the Son of God. We are given forgiveness, life, and salvation for Jesus’ name’s sake and need not fear Judgment Day.
Because the eternal Word became flesh, we who are flesh have eternal life in Him. And just as Isaiah and John prepared the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, so Jesus prepares our way to life forever in the kingdom of God.
Text: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:1-11
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Dead Grass, Living Word, preached to the saints of God at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Saline City (Slater), Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8
Technorati Tags: Advent 2 | Second Sunday in Advent | 2nd Sunday in Advent | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series B | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Old Testament | Gospel | grass | judgment | Incarnation | VDMA | Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum | Advent | 4 December 2011 | December 4, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Isaiah 40 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Dead Grass, Living Word | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
Sermon Theme: Dead Grass, Living Word
Summary: Because of our sins, we deserve to be dried out, cut down, and incinerated by God. Yet instead of condemning us to an eternity of suffering, the Father parched His beloved Son’s body, mind, and spirit, cut Jesus off from the land of the living, and condemned Him to suffer hell’s burning pains while hanging on the cross.However, the Word of God became flesh and lived among us, carrying our sins to the cross. Now we, who deserve the fate of “all flesh,” instead receive the blessings reserved for the Son of God. We are given forgiveness, life, and salvation for Jesus’ name’s sake and need not fear Judgment Day.
Because the eternal Word became flesh, we who are flesh have eternal life in Him. And just as Isaiah and John prepared the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, so Jesus prepares our way to life forever in the kingdom of God.
Text: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:1-11
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Dead Grass, Living Word, preached to the saints of God at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Saline City (Slater), Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 85; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8
Technorati Tags: Advent 2 | Second Sunday in Advent | 2nd Sunday in Advent | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series B | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Old Testament | Gospel | grass | judgment | Incarnation | VDMA | Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum | Advent | 4 December 2011 | December 4, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Isaiah 40 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Dead Grass, Living Word | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
posted by Xrysostom | 18:00
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