Advent 1C Sermon: Blessing, Peace, and Glory

Preached on Luke 19:28-40
First Sunday in Advent
29 November AD 2015

Title: Blessing, Peace, and Glory (MP3 Audio)

Summary: It was certainly right that Jesus’ disciples gave Him such an enthusiastic welcome as He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Without them realizing it, their song of praise was faith’s fitting response to the angelic song at Bethlehem. Heaven’s blessing, peace, and glory came down to earth at Christmas and on Palm Sunday, it was sung back to heaven.

To this day, as we bless God, praising His glory and giving thanks for the Prince of Peace, we do so in response to God’s love come down to us. Yet unlike Jerusalem, Jesus comes to us again and again through Word and Sacrament.

Just as the disciples, so we praise the Christ because of His “mighty works” — particularly the work of salvation. He valiantly resisted temptation, obeyed the Father’s will, and suffered terribly on our behalf. He stayed faithful unto death and won for the crown of life. He left the tomb a conqueror and blesses us with the fruits of that victory.

Now we eagerly await His bodily return. He entered time through virgin’s womb and Bethlehem’s stable. He entered Jerusalem’s gates on the back of a donkey. On the Last Day, He will enter His creation accompanied by the heavenly host and will grant us the final, great, and everlasting blessing of life with Him in the New Creation.

Text: And when [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”

And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near — already on the way down the Mount of Olives — the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:28-40

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 the Advent 1C sermon Blessing, Peace, and Glory

NB: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 25:1-10; Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13