First Sunday After Christmas (B) 2017

+ In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti + Amen.

Text: Luke 2:29
Theme: “Released In Peace

Dear friends in Christ Jesus,

The certainty of God’s love is never in doubt. It cannot, however, be verified by human measurements. Often it may seem that God has turned away or is inept. Only the eyes of faith see Him during times of adversity. Even Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem can appear pretty unimpressive in spite of the sentimental applause it garners. But remember, Jesus’ identity is underpinned by countless miracles, and finally resurrection from death. Christ brings the great reversal of the spiral into sin and death. His presence brings light, and joy, and peace.

Today the Christmas story progresses. Mary and Joseph were faithful Jews. They took the baby Jesus to the temple according to the custom. He was received there by Simeon and Anna. They had long awaited the fulfillment of the promise. The world has now come to expect the advent of the next big thing; a ground-breaking technology or a life-changing innovation. New medical breakthroughs, new fashions, new entertainments, and on and on it goes. But the next big thing has already arrived and nothing bigger will ever come. Simeon and Anna understood this. Faithful servants, they were blessed to see Jesus, the Suffering Servant.

From the Spirit-inspired lips of Simeon we have a liturgical song of praise that has long held a prominent place in the church’s liturgy. The “Song of Simeon”, or, in the Latin, the “Nunc Dimittis”, is the believer’s response to having received the same divine blessings that Simeon and Anna enjoyed. Sung, after communion in the Divine Service, it expresses thanksgiving for having received Holy Communion, which carries the fulfilled promise of the coming Jesus. The emphasis is on peace. “LORD, NOW let your servant depart in peace according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation…”1

As in baptism and absolution, we receive the fulness of God’s love in Christ. You see, Christ is not present with us in a piecemeal fashion. We don’t get little bits of Jesus here and there, sometimes getting forgiveness, other times getting hope, and still other times strength. Yes, as mortals, we can only receive in finite measure. We have limited capacities. But God is not limited and it’s a great encouragement for us to understand that. The entire Christ, God and man, with all His gifts and all His blessings, the infant of Bethlehem and the Creator of the universe, the One who died and the One who lives is present with us according to His promise.

Now, to be sure, He attends to us according to our needs and our capacity to receive. Otherwise we would be overwhelmed by His majesty. To one He gives hope, to another, strength against temptation. The person racked by doubt seeks fortification of his faith. The person burdened with regret seeks relief from her guilt. Those living in fear need the certainty of divine protection. The living Christ grants all these according to the need. And, God always speaks to us according to our eternal need. This is so because God is always true to Himself. God does not see myopically, think short-sightedly, or fail to consider all the necessary parameters. He suffers no ignorance so there are no variables He needs to consider. He knows all things, and most relevantly, He knows we are sinners.

Because we are sinners He must speak to us His word of rebuke as well as His word of grace. The smug, idolatrous heart has no desire for a Saviour. Therefore, the law of God speaks not only to our reason, our intellects and wills; it speaks to our hearts. It’s an important concept. Consider how the Lutheran Confessions correct the common falsehood that we can be saved by our good efforts. “Here the scholastics, having followed the philosophers, teach only a righteousness of reason, namely, civil works, and fabricate besides that without the Holy Ghost reason can love God above all things. For, as long as the human mind is at ease, and does not feel the wrath or judgment of God, it can imagine that it wishes to love God, that it wishes to do good for God's sake. [But it is sheer hypocrisy.]”2

You see, the word of the law cannot woo the heart, it cannot transform it, because the law does not forgive, it does not show grace It cannot. No one can know the favour of God through the strength of the law. No one can be assured, therefore, of God’s acceptance of them based on their obedience. Trying harder or giving more effort, striving to be more pious or generous...it’s like trying to steer the Titanic away from other icebergs when it is already sinking.

Remember, the purpose of the law is to drive us to repentance but never to despair. The Scriptures are full of examples. Two will suffice. “The LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground”3 “When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." “Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.”4 Cain’s mark was a warning to others and it helped to protect him.

Or consider the case of David, the adulterer. Nathan said to David, the self-righteous King, “You are the man!”5 And through these words the Holy Spirit did not commend him; the Spirit convicted him. Yet, it was not to drive him to despair. Soon the word of absolution came, “You shall not die.”6 So we see with what precision the Holy Spirit works, like a master surgeon. It is the same way with us. He seeks to purge us of our hypocrisy, idolatry, and unbelief, but always with the purpose of restoring us.

The law is not the final word of God. Of course, if in arrogance and unbelief, people reject the work of the Holy Spirit, they will be left under the condemnation of the law. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. But the Scripture says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”7 And today, “God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law…”8 When the nails were being driven into the cross there was an echo ringing through the halls of hell. Satan knew he was finished. The plan of salvation could not be derailed. The light of Easter was waiting to burst through.

Christmas is the fulfillment of centuries of expectation. In a manger the immortal God took to His possession a fragile human body. In so doing, He made possible the redemption our bodies condemned to die. The body of Jesus was never relinquished. He possesses it now in eternal majesty. It is the same body conceived in Mary’s womb, crucified under Pontius Pilate, laid in a tomb, and raised in glory. His bodily resurrection is a preview of our resurrection from the grave. The great day of the resurrection will be our full experience of Christmas. Amen.


+ In nomine Jesu +

First Sunday After Christmas
31 December 2017
Reverend Darrin L. Kohrt

1 LH, p.20 2 Book of Concord
3 Genesis 4:9-10 4 Genesis 4:12-15
5 2 Samuel 12:7 6 2 Samuel 12:13
7 Romans 8:1-2 8 Galatians 4:4-5
9 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24