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[00:00:00] Good morning, St. Paul Lutheran Church. It's a Sunday drive to church for Gaudate. That's the Latin name for why is it rejoice Sunday, the third Sunday in the season of Advent, December 14th, year of our Lord 2025.
[00:00:14] It's a beautiful painting of John the Baptist. He's got this banner hanging off of this staff he's holding. Behold the Lamb of God. It says in Latin. This is John's preaching. And really the season of Advent is the season of John the Baptist. But he really steps onto Sinner St. Stage today and next week, surprisingly, you know, we think that when we're being introduced to John, we might hear of his nativity when he leapt in the womb, when Jesus visited the visitation, or his early preaching of repentance. But in fact, the gospel lesson today From Matthew chapter 11 takes us deep into the ministry of John the Baptist when he's already in prison and he sends his disciples to Jesus.
[00:00:57] And Jesus talks about John to the disciples about. Well, Jesus talks about himself to John's disciples, and then he talks about John to his own disciples. But we'll get to that in due time.
[00:01:08] Let's pray. Oh, I was listening to the Drive to Church podcast from last week accidentally, and really I had a. You know, I spent like five minutes describing this in a matrix of the colics in the season of Advent.
[00:01:23] You guys endure so much with me talking about all this crazy stuff. So no introduction, just the prayer today. Here we go.
[00:01:31] Lord Jesus Christ, we implore you to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by your gracious visitation. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
[00:01:44] Amen.
[00:01:45] I don't think it's by accident that we're praying this prayer. That Jesus will lighten our hearts in the time of the church year when we're getting to the very shortest of days.
[00:01:55] All right, we're into it. The opening hymn, by the way. We'll try something different this week. On Jordan's banks, the Baptist cry announces that the Lord is nigh. It's a canon. And stanza two will sing in canon.
[00:02:06] The women will start and the men will follow. That'll be great. And then not only do we get to sing about John the Baptist, but then we get to have some baptisms. Three baptisms in the early service, three baptisms in the late service. If Lord willing, if all are there. And this will be so Great.
[00:02:23] These are six of our 30 confirmands in our adult confirmation class.
[00:02:30] God be praised. So Absolutely wonderful. It's such a humbling thing to be a part of. So that'll be again, early service three, late service three baptisms, and then we're into Psalm 85. So.
[00:02:44] Oh, you know, someone asked why, Pastor, when we have baptism, do we not have confession and absolution? And the answer is, that's an old custom. I didn't make it up. I never, you know, would make something like that up, that it's handed down in the church. And the reason is because in some ways, confession and absolution is a return to your baptism.
[00:03:05] It is the gift that God gives in baptism when he saves us and forgives our sins. And so to see a baptism is to hear the absolution preached, because that same baptism that's being given to the dear saint, that's being welcomed into the Lord's family right there in front of you, that's your baptism, too. It's the same baptism.
[00:03:23] And when we rejoice in the gift of baptism for others, for ourselves, we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins. I think that's the theological rationale that's behind it. Now, the 85 is our entrance psalm, and it's a beautiful psalm. I was just looking at it. You know, I asked myself, what verses could I highlight in the Drive to Church podcast to make sure we get the high points? But every verse is a high point.
[00:03:51] This is.
[00:03:52] How about this? Lord, you're favorable to your land. You restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people. You covered all their sins. You withdrew all your wrath. You turned from your hot anger all gospel. Restore us again, O God of our salvation. How about that for a name of God, O God of our salvation. Not, O God of our destruction, O God of our damnation. O God of our casting away. No, O God of our salvation. And put away your indignation toward us. Will you be angry forever?
[00:04:25] Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again? Whoo. That your people may rejoice in you. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord. You know, whenever you see that steadfast love in the esv, let's see, in the new King James, it was mercy something. Mercy.
[00:04:42] What was it? I'm supposed to know this? Looked it up. Mercy.
[00:04:49] Steadfast love might capture it a little bit better. The Hebrew underneath it is this word chesed. Chesed. It's all over.
[00:04:58] It's all over the Bible. And it's like every gospel attribute of God, who he is, and what he does wrapped into one, loving kindness, covenant mercy, enduring love and faithfulness. It says, show us your steadfast love, O Lord, grant us your salvation.
[00:05:17] And then let me hear what God the Lord will speak. How could. Look, this is just. I'm highlighting the best verses by reading them all. Look at verse six. Wait. Eight. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak. For he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
[00:05:41] I love this verse. This is steadfast love, verse 10. That's chesed. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet righteousness and peace.
[00:05:52] Kiss each other.
[00:05:54] This is like what Paul says, so that he might be just and the justifier of all those who have faith in Jesus, that the Lord is righteous and merciful at the same time. And how can you do it? Because to be righteous to sinners is to destroy them. To be merciful to sinners is to not destroy them. So how can you be both? Well, he's both. Because he takes on the destruction that we deserve in his death on the cross and gives us so he is just, and he gives us his mercy and kindness and the justifier of those who have faith in him. And then a perfect summary of Long gospel in verse 11. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.
[00:06:35] So heaven and earth are meeting together in Christ and his death on the cross. The Lord will give what is good, the land will yield its increase.
[00:06:43] Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps away. And that righteousness going before him is really kind of an echo of what's happening in the ministry of John the Baptist. So, turning to our scriptures, Isaiah 40, I will use this verse oftentimes at ordinations. You know, when a pastor is ordained, the other pastors are supposed to bless them with a Bible passage, and I love this one.
[00:07:12] Isaiah 41. 2. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. 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. Now that seems like double for all your sins. That means like you get this for all your sins, but the Lord has even given you more. But what it's saying is the opposite. Not only does the Lord take away your sins and forgive your sins, but he gives you his righteousness. Can you imagine this? Is this imputed righteousness of Christ? We normally think about the Forgiveness of sins, like the Lord just wipes away all that we've done wrong. So imagine like a whiteboard or a chalkboard, and all your sins are up there. And we think, oh, forgiveness. That means the Lord takes a bucket of water and sploosh. And washes it clean so they're not there. That's only the first half of forgiveness. The Lord gives us double for all our sins. He washes away all that we've done wrong. And then he writes in. In everything that Christ has done right, he imputes to us the righteousness of Christ.
[00:08:15] A voice cries in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.
[00:08:19] And then look at verse eight. This is the famous, very famous Luther verse. This was quoted by Peter.
[00:08:27] This verse became the shield of the small called league. That was all the princes that got together to say, hey, let's make sure we can fight so we can keep the gospel. The word of the Lord endures forever. Verba, domine, manat aeternum, VDMA. You sometimes see, grass withers. Verse 8. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
[00:08:55] And then down in verse 10, there's these contrasting pictures.
[00:09:01] So verse 10 says, hey, look, your king's coming mighty strong, victorious. And then you look and you see in verse 11, it's just a shepherd who's taking care of his sheep.
[00:09:12] Behold, the Lord God comes with might. His arm rules for him. Behold, his reward is with him. His recompense is before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd. He'll gather the lambs in his arms. He'll carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young.
[00:09:30] So here comes this mighty king, gently holding the little baby lamb.
[00:09:35] I don't know. I've not seen a baby lamb in real life. Maybe it's probably worthwhile to look at that because, you know, baby cats are pretty cute and baby dogs are pretty cute, and baby grandsons are pretty cute. But I imagine of all the cute things, baby lambs have got to be up there on the list.
[00:09:56] I don't know, maybe they're not. Maybe they're like. You look at a baby lamb and you're like, bleh. But I imagine it's a pretty tender, precious picture. And that's the picture of Jesus here. He's the mighty king who's holding to his bosom the little baby lambs. Sheesh.
[00:10:12] That's. Who's that? That's your Lord, that's your Savior. That's the comfort he wants you to have first the Epistles. 1 Corinthians 4.
[00:10:21] This is a really important verse for the office of holy ministry.
[00:10:25] Paul says in verse one, this is how one should regard us servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
[00:10:33] That word mystery. I think in the Greek it's just musterion, but it becomes in the Latin sacramentum. This is one of the verses for close communion, admittance to the table, etc. But he says, look, this is what the pastors and apostles are called to do. Servants of Christ and stewards of God's mystery. In other words, we're not making the stuff up, but a steward is a guy who hands it out.
[00:10:58] It's required of stewards that they be found faithful, trustworthy. Paul says, that's an easy thing for me.
[00:11:04] It's a small thing that I should be judged by you or any human court. I don't judge myself. I'm not aware of anything against me, but I'm not acquitted by that. The Lord is the one who judges me. So don't pronounce judgment before the time before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and disclose the purpose of the heart. Each will be will receive his commendation from God.
[00:11:26] I am not the judge. I'm not worried about that, says Paul. We're waiting for the Lord to return on the last day then to the Gospel.
[00:11:36] This is adjacent to the gospel reading that we hear on Reformation Sunday. Also one of them, John, is in prison and he hears about what Jesus is doing. So he sends the disciples to check on Jesus and say, are you the one? Are we to look for another?
[00:11:52] And Jesus responds, go and tell John what you see and hear. Blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news preached to them. Blessed is the one who's not offended by me. In other words, I'm the one. I'm the one promised. But notice the Messianic promise, because all those things that Jesus listed were listed in the promise of the coming Messiah in the Old Testament. But they're included with that list is he'll set the prisoners free. And Jesus does not mention that.
[00:12:26] So that John is wondering, is this the, you know, am I going to sit here in prison? This is my read on things.
[00:12:33] Are you the one that's going to set the prisoners free?
[00:12:37] And Jesus answers John, yes, but not you.
[00:12:42] You're going to. Your, your race is just about over.
[00:12:47] And John receives this, I think faithfully. The question that people Ask is, did John really doubt his own preaching or was he just sending his disciples to reconfirm the preaching?
[00:13:00] And I go back and forth every couple years about what I think about it. I think probably it's both. He was doubting, but he did just the exact right thing when he was doubting. He turned to the Lord Jesus. And Jesus delivers to him the word that strengthens his faith. And the disciples have it too.
[00:13:19] And then as the disciples leave, Jesus is going to speak to all the crowds and his own disciples about John. That's great. What did you go out in the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind. What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing.
[00:13:35] There's a euphemism there.
[00:13:39] What would our euphemism be?
[00:13:42] A man dressed effeminately.
[00:13:47] Then Jesus kind of makes a joke. Behold, those who dress effeminately are in the king's houses, especially Herod's. Sheesh.
[00:13:56] What then? Did you go out to see a prophet? Yeah, I tell you. And more than a prophet, this is he of whom it was written. Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you.
[00:14:08] Truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there's arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who's least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
[00:14:16] Now, this is a bit of a riddle. And what does Jesus mean by it? We'll talk about in the sermon, but it's a hint here that John is the greatest of the prophets, and yet it belonged to the prophet to have the death and resurrection of Jesus by promise, not by memory.
[00:14:37] So that John is the. Is the only one that stays dead with when Jesus is alive, everyone else gets to look back on the death and resurrection of Jesus, John has to only look forward.
[00:14:49] That's the prophetic burden, prophetic office to look forward to that death and resurrection. But now the least in the kingdom of God looks back on it.
[00:15:02] So that's it, the hymn of the day. Hark, A thrilling voice is crying. It's another one of these hymns about John the Baptist and this stunning preaching that he was doing, dressed in camel skins, out in the wilderness, crying out, repent, the kingdom is near.
[00:15:18] It's beautiful. And then comfort, comfort my people, and hark the glad sound and prepare the royal highway. And these are all these great John the Baptist hymns. The pink candle is going to be lit tomorrow, indicating that it's a little bit of relief in the midst of this season of preparation. Advent and Repentance and fasting.
[00:15:41] It's a little relief.
[00:15:43] Gaudate is before the last bit of intense preparation for the Lord's coming that we celebrate at Christmas time. So that's to make note of there. And also, just by way of announcements, don't forget we have the old fashioned Christmas. That'll be during Sunday school hour. We'll have the presentation of all the kids. I saw them practicing. We'd barely fit on the stage. It's so amazing, all these kids up there singing and I didn't see what the presentation is. So I'll be just as surprised and delighted as you all. And then the luncheon will be after the second service, which also, not only did it smell good at church in the kitchen, but some of it is smelling good right now in my house in the kitchen.
[00:16:21] So you're not going to want to miss that old fashioned Christmas. You're on your way to that as well. So God be praised. You know, maybe you're driving in earlier and you're thinking to yourself, I forgot about old fashioned Christmas. We'll go to the program, but then we'll have to leave. Here's my suggestion. You can, you know, leave for a couple hours, go to a little Christmas shopping, come back for lunch.
[00:16:40] It'll be great. In fact, if you come back, if you go to the early service and you come back for lunch, you can just arrange to be the first in line.
[00:16:48] Just saying.
[00:16:50] Also, I thought about this the other day, some of you, you know, we're trying to contain ourselves here with the Sunday drive to church podcast. Not get too carried away, leave a little bit to say in church. You know, that's the idea. But some of you have these long drives and I wonder if you knew that there's two other podcasts that you can listen to. I mean, there's lots of podcasts, issues, et cetera is great, and all these other ones. But every Wednesday we do the worldwide Bible class studying the life of Jacob together with Martin Luther. And that's a podcast that you can subscribe to and listen to also.
[00:17:22] And also Pastor Packer and I have the theology Q and A podcast that we record every week. You can listen and subscribe to that podcast as well. So if the, if the Sunday drive to church is just doesn't get you all the way to church, then you got options there. You got options. I don't, you know, dreaded silence. We want to avoid that. Well, if we could fill the silence with good doctrine, then God be praised. All right, Sunday drive to church for the third Sunday in Advent. December 14, 2025. God be praised. See you soon.