Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
December 1, 2024
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras
Advent 1C
Anticipation
And when he had said these things he continued his ascent to Jerusalem; and as he neared Bethphage and Bethany towards Olive Mountain he sent two of his disciples with these instructions, "Go to the village ahead of you where, upon entering, you will find a colt tied, upon which no man has ever sat. Untie him and bring him here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it,' say to him, 'The Lord has need of it.'"
So those whom he sent went, and found things just as He said to them. Now 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." So they brought it to Jesus, and when they had thrown their garments on the colt they put Jesus on it; and as he rode along they would spread their garments on the road. As he was coming closer - already on his descent from Olive Mountain - the whole multitude of disciples began rejoicing and praising God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen; they were saying,
"Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest." (Luke 19:28-39) DKV
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The church made a brilliant connection when she assigned the same gospel for both the First Sunday of Advent, and for Palm Sunday. These are the 2 Sundays each year that you will hear this gospel read aloud in the church because it so perfectly describes the Lord’s Advent.
His first Advent was into the world that he created and ordered with divine perfection. He came to re-create and re-order it when sin-infested man, inspired by the devil, got hold of it. Everything that God touches is good, but everything that sinful man touches crumbles. And so God himself comes to earth to intervene into the wretched affairs of men; and to make a new paradise for humanity, the crown of his creation.
Now please note that the LORD did not do this by remote control – though there is no reason he could not have. The Bible states in several places: “that with God nothing shall be impossible.” He did not use Artificial Intelligence to do it, because our God is Actual Intelligence and needs no artificial version of it. He is “omniscient” which means that he knows all things. And nothing is hidden from him, including the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
But God chose a different course. He gave his Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, to become a man and to suffer and die as a sinner, in place of sinners. A feat only he could perform because he had to sin of his own, for which to die. Our God and Father did this to demonstrate his pure and cleansing love for us all. Our Great God and Father is a “hands on” Lord, who loves us and desires more than anything else to be with us, and to have us be with him unto the ages of ages.
Yes, Jesus came the first time to assume humanity. To take into himself all that is wrong with us. He assumed time into himself so that he is now our bridge between time and eternity. Between now, and the next life, which will be glorious for all who believe and are baptized (Mk. 16:15) but not so for those who will have nothing to do with the Beautiful Savior.
Our readings today, in a word, are about anticipation. First to be freed from our sins and from their horrible effects; and to be healed and led each day by the Spirit of Jesus, to walk the straight and narrow path of peace.
In the Old Testament lesson the LORD says by Jeremiah, “Behold! The days are coming says the LORD when I will RAISE UP the Good Word that I Promised the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ is that “Good Word” who was raised up on the cross for us, then raised from the dead to give us eternal life, then raised to heaven where he ever intercedes for us; holding his wounded hands, and feet and side as a banner of love over us. And so this Advent let us anticipate our Savior and Lord who came once, who comes to us at each Eucharist, and who will come again in glory unimaginable when this world has run its course.
In today’s epistle Saint Paul encourages Christians to increase and abound in love for one another; and indeed for all men everywhere as opportunity arises. And his reason? So that those who anticipate his return will be found blameless and holy before our God and Father, and the LORD Jesus Christ at his coming with all his saints.
But what is Paul’s referent? Is the talking about the End of the World? Or is he talking about this Divine Service? The answer is: Yes. He comes now, and he comes later.
He comes in Holy Communion with his angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven. And he will do the same again. At this time not every eye sees him, only the eyes of faith.
But he will also come again: and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. And every ear will hear him say at one and the same time, “I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
The church doesn’t only recount these gracious actions of God by words, but also by liturgical gesture. As we process in at the start of worship we, now, are the crowds on Palm Sunday who threw down their garments in humility before the Lord as he enters the New Jerusalem, the church and her altar.
We also demonstrate the Lord’s Advent liturgically by use of the Credence Table. It is the place where the vessels and elements reside, and from which they are then brought to the altar which symbolizes the Lord’s manger, cross and grave by which he atoned for our blunders.
Where do we learn to do these liturgical actions, so that we worship with our bodies as well as our minds and hearts? From the Lord’s command to the disciples to go to the town ahead of them; where they will find a colt tied up, one upon which no man has ever sat. He told them to untie it, and bring it to him. And he prepared them in case there was any objection, which there was by the owners of it who asked, “Why are you untying the colt?” They answered: The Lord has need of it. Then they allowed it. This was no pre-arrangement that the Lord had secretly made with these men. Not at all. For you see, they too were taught of God, and anticipated this day.
Let us, too, live expectantly, waiting on and for our Lord to impart his gifts of remission, life and salvation, peace, joy and consolation to us as he comes to us by seemingly humble means – but which are in fact more colossal than anyone will ever know, until of course the Final Return happens happens.
Then no one will miss it.
Amen