First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

EPIPHANY 2, JANUARY 15, 2023 Text: John 1:29–42a Theme: A most important
question Other Lessons: Isaiah 49:1–7; Psalm 40:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:1–9
A. In the Name of the Father…Amen. B. The Gospel lesson serves as our
sermon text for this morning. C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God
our heavenly Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. D. Dear
brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray: LSB 527:1 O Savior, Precious
Savior O Savior, precious Savior, Whom yet unseen we love; O name of might
and favor, All other names above, We worship Thee, we bless Thee, To Thee,
O Christ, we sing; We praise Thee and confess Thee, Our holy Lord and King.
Amen. Text: Public domain Introduction A. It’s difficult to determine which
of these two questions of Christ is the more important: 1. “What are you
seeking?” or 2. “Who do you say I am?” 3. The first comes early in Jesus’
earthly ministry and the second in the midst of his ministry. 4. One is
spoken to two who would then begin to follow him, and the other is spoken
to his disciples following years of discipleship. 5. One seems to be
applicable to life in general and the other to saving faith in particular.
6. Both are significant questions to be answered by every follower of
Christ. B. Today’s text draws our attention to the importance of Christ’s
first question, the one addressed to his would-be disciples: 1. “What Are
You Seeking?” C. The would-be disciples to whom Jesus directs this question
are actually already disciples of John the Baptist. 1. John’s original
crowds of hearers were certainly seeking something. A. By this point,
John’s call for repentance and Baptism had gathered a large following. 1.
John was all the buzz. A. He had devoted disciples hanging on his every
word. B. His message had struck a nerve. C. Hundreds, perhaps thousands,
were hearing his preaching and confessing their sins. 2. He was
accomplishing his mission: A. people were eager for the Savior! B. Many
were even asking whether John himself might be that Messiah. B. Then one
day, John turned every head away from himself and declared, “Behold, the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (verse 29). 1. There’s
the one whom you should follow: Jesus (verses 30–34). A. At Jesus’ Baptism,
the Holy Spirit as a dove had descended on Jesus as the signal to John. B.
Jesus would be much greater than John, for he was “before” John even though
he was the younger cousin. C. Announcing Jesus to be the Messiah was the
whole purpose of John’s ministry. 2. It was time! A. Jesus must increase.
B. John must decrease. Two of John’s disciples therefore leave John to
follow Jesus (verses 35–37). 3. One of them was Andrew; A. the other may
well have been the Gospel writer John himself. 4. This was entirely
appropriate, just as the Baptist intended. C. Faithful Jews had long been
seeking the Messiah for a very long time. 1. They were seeking a messiah
who: A. Would bring freedom from the oppressive Romans. B. Would restore
Jerusalem and Jewish power back to the Jews. C. Would heal sicknesses,
which were signs of God’s judgment. 2. They were seeking the Messiah all
right, A. They just did not know what kind of messiah they were looking
for. 3. Therefore the question must be asked: A. “What are you seeking?” 2.
In fact, all of humanity are seeking something— they just don’t know what.
A. Since most people don’t know what they’re really seeking, their best
worst guess is to seek it in four areas: 1. Power A. with power I can have
anything I want. B. If I have to step on people to get what I want, so be
it! 2. Wealth A. money, too, can buy almost anything, certainly plenty of
nice things I can name. B. Money can buy me love! 3. Knowledge A. it isn’t
just for knowledge’s sake, but to impress others, control others, solve the
world’s problems and my own. B. Look at how smart and enlightened I am! 4.
Popularity A. I like people to like me . . . B. and I like what certain
people can give me if they like me. C. It’s all about making and keeping
people happy! D. Therefore I must be a people pleaser! 5. But all of these
lead to a living death. B. Without knowing it, what most people are really
seeking is deliverance from sin and all its effects: 1. Seeking a sense of
identity A. sin confuses me as to my relationships with others and where I
fit into the big picture. 1. I am the center of the universe! 2. Seeking a
sense of security A. sin means I’m going to get sick, B. lose my vitality,
C. perhaps even lose my nest egg. D. Therefore: 1. I need to stay healthy
2. I need to amass as much wealth as possible E. But, finally, I’m going to
die. 3. Seeking meaning and purpose A. Since I’m going to die, what can
really come of anything I do? 1. Perhaps it’s best that I “eat, drink, and
be merry, for tomorrow I may die!” 3. What we’re really seeking, God
provides in the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. A. God
calls us to repent of all those “best worst guesses”—which are really false
gods. 1. Power, A. The lust for power demands one get more power. 2. Wealth
A. The desire for wealth means I need to have more of it. B. I will also
need to safeguard my wealth. 3. Knowledge A. Knowledge is power! B. For who
doesn’t like a smart person? 4. Popularity. A. How can I be noticed unless
I am the most popular? B. Or as it was said during our college days: BMOC
(Big Man On Campus) 5. Confessing these to be false gods, sins against God
and one another, we realize that what we really seek is the One who can
take away sins. B. If we’re clear on what we’re seeking, we’ll see that
those two disciples are headed in the right direction (verses 38–39). Jesus
the Christ is the Anointed One of God bringing reconciliation with the
Father. Through his obedience, passion, death, and resurrection, he: 1.
Restores our identity as redeemed children of God A. with sin that
alienated me from God and others forgiven, B. I belong to him, which also
means I belong with others who are his. 2. Restores our security A. having
reconciled me to himself by removing my sin, B. God holds me securely,
while I live and when I die, whatever else may be uncertain. 3. Restores
our meaning and purpose A. since now death isn’t the end, my labors for
God’s kingdom have lasting, eternal value. C. Like Andrew, we go to tell
others of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (verses
40–42). 1. Bringing others also to know forgiveness and everlasting life A.
Therein is our purpose! B. Therein lies, dear brothers and sisters in
Christ, eternal value! Conclusion A. It was not that long ago that
congregations were offering “seeker services” in addition to their regular
or traditional services. 1. The thinking was that those who do not know
Christ can be attracted to a god that offers answers to their temporal
needs A. financial security, B. lasting relationships, C. and so on. B. In
reality, all Christian worship is a seeker service. 1. Our seeking in
worship is characterized by an attitude stated by the prophet Jeremiah: A.
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart”
(Jeremiah 29:13). 2. This attitude finds its source in our thirst for God
as expressed in Psalm 63: A. “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary
land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). 3. This seeking is commanded by
Christ in his words recorded in Luke 12: A. “Seek his kingdom, and these
things will be added to you” (Luke 12:31). 4. And seeking is motivated by
Jesus’ promise in Luke 11: A. “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to
you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who
knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9–10). C. “What are you seeking?” Jesus
asked the two disciples of John who were following him (John 1:38). 1. And,
of course, the “what” is really a “who.” 2. May all of our worship be
seeker services! D. What are you seeking from Jesus? 1. Is deliverance from
all the effects of sin that which you seek? A. If it is, then that second
important question has become the one needs to be answered next. B. We need
the One who takes away our sin, the sin that causes the world and everyone
affected by it with so much suffering. C. But John has already answered
that question in our text, too, hasn’t he?! D. “Who do you say that I am?”
Jesus will later ask his disciples. E. And John answered: 1. Jesus is the
Lamb of God, who does exactly what we need. 2. He takes away the sin of the
world. Amen. E. Let us pray: LSB 512:7 At the Name of Jesus Glory then to
Jesus, Who, the Prince of light, To a world in darkness Brought the gift of
sight; Praise to God the Father; In the Spirit’s love Praise we all
together Him who reigns above. Amen. Text: Public domain F. The peace of
God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. G. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

CIRCUMCISION AND NAME OF JESUS, JANUARY 1, 2023

Text: Galatians 3:23–29
Theme: Free from the guardian
Other Lessons: Numbers 6:22–27; Psalm 8; Luke 2:21

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Epistle lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be your from God our heavenly Father through our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 898:5 The Ancient Law Departs
All praise, eternal Son,
For Thy redeeming love
With Father, Spirit, ever one
In glorious might above.
Text: Public domain
Amen.

Introduction

A. It is the end of a year and the beginning of a new one.
1. Our thoughts may be on the past year and its joys, sorrows,
accomplishments, and sins, or on the year ahead and our hopes for it.
2. It doesn’t matter that this date is somewhat arbitrary for reckoning a
new year, or that calendars have changed in human history.
3. At least this day reminds us of the passing of time.
4. Those who are not Christian come to this day, and sometimes they lament
and curse the year past for their unhappiness, and they hope to be happy in
the year to come.
5. They lament over the fact of all the celebrities who have died, that war
is still rampant, that change is not happening like what they want it to,
6. Christians, however, should use this day to remember that their days and
years are in God’s hands,
A. to give thanks for his blessings in the past year,
B. to repent of their past sins,
C. and to pray for God’s future blessing.
D. It is a good night and a good day for us Christians.
B. The Judaizers, no better than that of the pagans, had backed Paul in a
corner.
1. He had just finished proving from the Old Testament in Galatians 1-2
that God’s plan of salvation left no room for the works of the law.
2. But the fact that Paul quoted six times from the Old Testament raised a
serious problem:
A. If salvation does not involve the law, then why was the law given in the
first place?
B. Paul quoted from the law to prove the insignificance of the law.
C. If the law is now set aside, then his very arguments are worthless
because they are taken from the law.
1. Are Christians obligated to obey the entire Law of Moses?

A. The Epistle for today has nothing to do with the New Year.
1. It does, however, say something about today’s festival, the Circumcision
and Name of Our Lord.
2. On the eighth day after his birth, our Lord was given the name Jesus and
was circumcised, in order to fulfill the Law of Moses.
3. Now here in Galatians 3, St. Paul is writing against the false apostles,
those who were teaching that in order to be saved, you have to keep the Law
of Moses, particularly the ceremony of circumcision.
4. Is circumcision still an obligation for Christians?
5. If so, are Christians obligated to obey the Law of Moses in all its
aspects:
A. the Ten Commandments,
B. dietary laws,
C. circumcision,
D. and the like?
2. The false apostles’ argument makes salvation dependent on human efforts.

A. Those false apostles had a pretty strong argument.
1. Jesus was circumcised, after all.
2. And God commanded circumcision to Abraham and had it written down by
Moses.
3. Circumcision was the sacramental sign of God’s people.
4. So if the non-Jewish people, the Gentiles, want to be saved, they would
have to join God’s people, and that would mean they have to become Jewish
and be circumcised.
5. They would have to keep the Law of Moses.
6. That’s how their argument ran.
7. It’s a rather attractive argument, and even in our day, some Christians
think the same thing.
8. But it’s completely wrong.
9. It makes salvation dependent on our performance of the Law of Moses, and
takes away salvation as God’s free gift.
10. So Paul argues against the false apostles, and Galatians is Paul’s
masterpiece, in which he demotes the Law of Moses and proves that salvation
is through faith in Jesus Christ, not through the works of the Law.
B. When we Lutherans say “Law,” that usually means the eternal will of God
for our behavior:
1. which functions as:
A. a curb,
B. a mirror,
C. and a rule,
D. and which is written in the hearts of mankind.
2. That is, we usually mean the moral law of God, which is also the natural
law.
A. But in the Bible, “Law” often means the Law of Moses in the broad
sense—the first five books of the Old Testament.
B. “Law” in the broad sense is how the false apostles at Galatia were using
the word “Law”: everything that God spoke to Moses, that’s the Law.
C. It includes:
1. the eternal, moral law,
2. the ceremonies of the tabernacle,
3. and the civil ordinances of ancient Israel.
4. And that brings us to Paul’s main point.
3. The Law of Moses is not the way of salvation. Instead points to the way
of salvation.

A. Paul’s main point is what we hear in Galatians 2:15–16:
1. “We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know
that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in
Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be
justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works
of the law no one will be justified.”
B. In chapter 3, then, he proves what he said, both from Scripture and from
the experience of the Galatians.
1. But the false apostles had what seemed to be a strong argument:
A. “The Law of Moses was given by God; therefore you have to do it.”
2. Yes, says St. Paul, God gave it, and it is holy and good, but only if
you use it the right way.
A. The Law of Moses was never meant to be a way of salvation.
3. Instead, it points you to the way of salvation.
A. It does this in two ways:
1. First, the Law of Moses has prophecies and types of Christ and of our
salvation through faith in him—his life, death, and resurrection.
2. Second, the Law of Moses has the moral law, such as the Ten
Commandments, which reveals our sin, and curses and damns all sinners.
3. It shows us our need for Christ the Savior.
4. So indeed the Law points to Christ, both by prophesying and by damning.
4. Since Christ has come to you, you are now free from the guardian.

A. This is shown by the example of a “guardian,” or disciplinarian.
1. In our Epistle, Paul gives this example of the right use of the Law.
A. “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned
until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian
until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now
that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (verses 23–25).
2. The Law of Moses was our guardian, or daisciplinarian.
A. The Greek word is paidagogos, which is where we get the word
“pedagogue.”
B. It doesn’t mean a teacher of children, though.
C. A pedagogue was a slave in charge of disciplining the sons.
D. He would lead them to school and make sure they behaved, and if they
didn’t, he would punish them.
E. A pedagogue, a guardian, a disciplinarian—that’s what the Law was.
F. It’s good, it’s given by God, but it was never meant to be a way of
salvation for sinners.
G. God set forth the Law through Moses to do the opposite:
1. not to save,
2. but to discipline,
3. to reveal sins,
4. to rebuke,
5. to curse,
6. and to damn.
H. By doing so, all our excuses are removed, and all we can do is confess
ourselves guilty before the holy God and pray for forgiveness.
I. The guardian points to the way of salvation.
1. We cannot be saved by obeying the Law of Moses, because we cannot obey
the Law of Moses perfectly.
B. Thanks be to God, you are now free from the guardian.
1. Faith has come, that is,
A. “the word of faith that we proclaim” (Romans 10:8).
B. This proclamation has gone out into all the world.
C. The message of Christ’s person and saving work has come to you, and
through it, the Holy Spirit has created faith in your heart.
D. So you are now free from the guardian.
E. You’re not a little kid anymore; you have grown up in Christ.
F. You are no longer under a guardian.
5. So rather than being under the Law (that is, coerced and condemned),
Christians walk in the Law (that is, freely loving what God commands, freed
from condemnation).
A. What does all of this mean?
1. Two things:
A. First, the ceremonial and civil laws of Israel are not applicable to
Gentiles.
1. They have served their purpose and are no longer in effect, now that
faith has come.
B. Second, even though the moral law, such as the Ten Commandments, is
still God’s will for our behavior, as it always has been (forever and
ever), its curse has been removed through Christ.
1. Christ:
A. obeyed the Law perfectly,
B. loved God perfectly,
C. and shed his blood as an innocent sacrifice—the first blood of which was
his circumcision.
D. Yes, with Jesus’ circumcision, we see a prefiguring of his blood being
poured out on the cross.
2. So you are no longer under the Law, under its curse.
A. Instead, with the Holy Spirit within you:
B. you now walk in the Law of the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:21),
C. and in his Law, we are drawn and called to meditate day and night (Psalm
1:2).
B. Through Christ:
1. We Are Free of the Ceremonies,
2. Civil Ordinances,
3. and Condemnation of the Law of Moses,
4. but We as Christians Do Not Set Aside God’s Commands but Walk in the Law
of the Lord.
C. Not under the Law,
1. but in it,
2. because you are in Christ,
3. were baptized into Christ,
4. and have put on Christ.
5. You are free from the guardian, for faith has come.

Conclusion

A. Dearly beloved, in this new year of the Lord, be comforted
1. by the kindness of him
2. and give thanks to him, who became your Brother in the womb of the
Virgin Mary and fulfilled the Law for you, including circumcision, in order
to establish your salvation securely.
3. To him be glory forever. Amen.
B. Let us pray:
LSB 382:1 We Praise You, Jesus, at Your Birth
We praise You, Jesus, at Your birth
Clothed in flesh You came to earth.
The virgin bears a sinless boy
And all the angels sing for joy.
Alleluia! Amen.
Text: © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no. 110000247
C. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
D. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Sermon for Christmas Eve 2022

Text: Luke 1:38-56
Theme: Promises made, promises kept

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The text for our consideration this evening is the Gospel of Luke,
chapter 1, verses 38-56, which was read earlier.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 933:1 My Soul Rejoices
My soul rejoices,
My spirit voices—
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
For God my Savior
Has shown me favor—
Sing the greatness of the Lord!
With praise and blessing,
Join in confessing
God, who is solely
Mighty and holy—
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
His mercy surely
Shall rest securely
On all who fear Him,
Love and revere Him—
O sing the greatness of God the Lord!
Text: © 1991 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by
permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000247

Introduction

A. Have you ever taken a walk or driven somewhere just to take in the
sights, sounds, smells, etc. of the day?
B. Tonight’s series of short homilies will be like that walk or drive.
1. In preparation for the yearly festival of Christmas, where we remember
the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let us for a few moments
stop and think, to ponder anew on the promises God has given us as
believers that find their fulfillment in Christ.

Promises made, promises kept (part 1)

Promise #1: Promise of the Savior

Luke 1:37-38, 45
(37) For nothing will be impossible with God.”
(38) And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me
according to your word.” And the angel departed from her…
(45) And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of
what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
A. Only God can make this or any other promise to Mary or us and keep it.
1. Why? God is able to do so and has the power to back up His promises.
B. The Lord seeks to bless His people with the Savior.
1. The Lord is not hungry for power or vindictive;
2. He longs to use His power to bless us with everything that is perfect,
holy, and good.
Promise #2: Promises of physical and spiritual blessings.

A. Psalm 37:3
(3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend
faithfulness.
1. Trust in the Lord–> He never fails us!
2. Do good by helping others along the way.
B. Proverbs 3:5-6
(5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding.
(6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
1. God gives you blessings wherever you are.
2. Example: Short story of my car breaking down while attending seminary.
Promise #3: Promise of unlimited blessings.
A. Psalm 31:19
(19) How great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear
You; You have worked for those who trust in You before the sons of men!
1. God blesses us with faith, trusting in Him for salvation!

B. 2 Chronicles 20:6
(6) and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You
rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and
might, so that none is able to withstand you.
1. God has all things and I mean all things under His control!
→ We sing the hymn.
Promise #4: Promise of prayers answered.
A. 1 Kings 18:37-38
(37) Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O
LORD, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.”
(38) Then fire from the LORD fell from the sky. It consumed the offering,
the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench.
B. Luke 1:13
(13) But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your
prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you
will name him John.
1. This then is the prayer of faith: Thy will be done, O Lord, and not
mine. Do to me what You see as best. Amen.
Promise #5: Promise of spiritual fullness.
A. John 10:9-11
(9) I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will
come in and go out, and find pasture.
(10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so
that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
(11) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep.
B. John 14:6
(6) Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.
1. In these verses, there are three “I Am” statements:
A. They describe of who Christ is and what He does.
B. These verses take us back to what we hear in Exodus 3 (Moses and the
burning bush; “I Am” was first used).
C. Jesus is Life and He gives life!
Promise #6: Promise of spiritual light in the darkness.
A. John 1:4-5
(4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
(5) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not
overtake it.
B. John 9:5
(5) As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
1. Christ is the Light of the world and in Him there is no darkness at all!
2. What is the purpose of the Light?:
A. To expose our sins
B. Provide the remedy that is needed
→ We sing the hymn.
Promise #7: Promise of power for service.
A. Matthew 5:16
(16) Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
B. James 2:17-18
(17) Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.
(18) But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your
faith without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works.
1. The power to believe in the Lord comes from God himself!
2. The power to do good comes from God Himself (the power of the Holy
Spirit) working through our faith!
Promise #8: Promise of eternal life in heaven for those who trust in Christ.
A. We know what John 3:16 says, but what about John 3:14-15 and 17-18?
B. John 3:14-15, 17-18
(14) But even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of Man be lifted up,
(15) so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
(17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but
so that the world might be saved through Him.
(18) He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the
only-begotten Son of God.
C. John 5:24
(24) Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him
who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but
has passed from death to life.
1. Without Christ, there is no salvation.
2. Without Christ, you have absolutely nothing.
3. With Christ, there is no condemnation.
4. With Christ, you have everything.
Promise #9: Promise of salvation (tied in with promise #8).
A. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 27-31
(18) For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those being lost,
but to us being saved, it is the power of God.
(27) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty;
(28) and God has chosen the base things of the world, and things which are
despised, and things which are not, in order to bring to nothing things
that are;
(29) so that no flesh should glory in His presence.
(30) But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom
and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
(31) so that, according as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory
in the Lord.”
B. Matthew 28:18-20
(18) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to
Me in Heaven and in earth.
(19) Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(20) teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And,
behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.
C. 2 Corinthians 8:9
(9) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was
rich, for your sakes He became poor, in order that you might be made rich
through His poverty.
D. Matthew 7:24-27
(24) Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will
liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
(25) And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and
beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.
(26) And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them
shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
(27) And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the wind blew and
beat on that house. And it fell, and great was its fall.
1. Don’t be ashamed of God and His Word!
2. This Word (Law and Gospel) is for ALL people, not for a select few.
3. Make sure your foundation is secure, grounded in the Rock and not the
sand!
4. The Lord has blessed us with the best gift anyone could have ever given:
A. Jesus Christ Himself, true Man, born of Mary, True God, born of heaven!
B. Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Amen.
E. Let us pray:
LSB 384:5 Of the Father’s Love Begotten
Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Public domain
F. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
G. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
→ We sing the hymn.

CHRISTMAS DAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022

Text: Isaiah 52:7–10
Theme: The Lord Has Bared His Holy Arm
Other Lessons: Psalm 2; Hebrews 1:1–6 (7–12); John 1:1–14 (15–18)

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

B. The Old Testament lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.

C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:

LSB 384:1 Of the Father’s Love Begotten

Of the Father’s love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore. Amen.

Introduction

A. “The Lord has bared his holy arm” (Isaiah 52:10).
1. He has revealed His Son, Jesus, to the world!

B. Matthias Flacius Illyricus (a defender of Luther’s teaching in the
sixteenth century) says that in the Scriptures “arm” means the following:

1. First, since men have their strength and instrument of actions in their
arms, therefore by metaphor this word is transferred to all power, might,
resources, and glory, as in Psalm 44[:3]: “Nor did their own arm save them
but your right hand and your arm.” Job 35[:9, Vulgate]: “Because of the
strength of the arm of tyrants,” that is, because of their power.
A. Thus it is predicted that that arm of the wicked shall be broken (Job
31[:22]; 38[:15]; Psalm 10[:15]).
B. Psalm 37[:17]: “The arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord
upholds the righteous.”
C. It is understood in this way in Jeremiah 48[:25]; Ezekiel 30[:21–22];
Zechariah 11[:17], where the arm is said to be withered.
D. Moreover, in Isaiah 33[:2] the prophet prays: “Be our arm every morning,
our salvation in the time of trouble,” that is, our Helper and Strengthener.
2. Second, in the same way Scripture uses the word “arm” about God’s power,
as in Job 40[:9]: “Have you an arm like God?”
A. And Psalm 89[:13]: “You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high
your right hand.”
B. That is, his arm is strong.
C. And in the greatness or the extending of his arm, it says that God frees
either the godly or the wicked (Exodus 15[:16]; Psalm 77[:15]; 79[:11];
89[:10]).
D. Psalm 136[:12]: “With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,” because
warriors when fighting, or even others when in hard labor, bare their arms,
both to remove the impediments of the clothing and to be less hot, or
rather, to be cooled.
E. It is found in this way in Jeremiah 32[:17, 21]; Ezekiel 4[:7]; 1 Kings
8[:42].
F. In the aforementioned passage of Ezekiel it says: “with your arm bared,
and you shall prophesy against” Jerusalem, that is, like a strong, hot
warrior you shall fight against Jerusalem with your sermons.
3. Third, because the chief power of God for destroying the kingdom of
Satan is his incarnate Son, through whom also he made the world, the “arm
of God” is used for the Messiah himself (Isaiah 51–53; 59; 63).
A. You can also take the words of the blessed Virgin in this way as being
about the Messiah: “He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered
the proud in the thoughts of their hearts” [Luke 1:51], that is, through
the Messiah he will destroy the kingdom of Satan and will free his people.
(Matthias Flacius, Clavis Scriptvrae S. seu de Sermone Sacrarum literarum,
vol. 1 [Basel: Episcopius, 1580], 90–91. Translation by Benjamin T. G.
Mayes.)
C. When we hear today’s Old Testament Reading from Isaiah 52, we should see
it fulfilled in the Christmas story.

1. Angels from on high, like messengers upon the mountains, have sung to
the shepherds:
A. bringing good news,
B. proclaiming peace,
C. bringing good news of happiness,
D. proclaiming salvation,
E. saying “Your God reigns.”
F. Maybe they didn’t say those exact words, but they indeed said:
1. “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ
the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
G. Shepherds (the first missionaries) proclaimed this to friends and
family, running off to tell everyone what they saw:
1. the sign of the Christ Child wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a
manger.
2. “Your God reigns. . . . The Lord has bared his holy arm” (verses 7, 10).
D. Therefore:
1. rejoice in mind and voice;
2. rejoice by means not of leisure, pleasures, and new diversions,
3. rejoice by living in peace
4. rejoice by bringing the good news of Christmas to others.
E. Today, you are invited to learn about the Arm of the Lord, so that your
true, godly Christmas joy may be increased. For True Christmas Joy Comes
from the Salvation That God Has Worked by His Holy Arm.

1. What does the “arm” mean in Scripture?
A. Besides the obvious meaning, it is also a symbol for a person’s strength.
1. A man’s arm is:
A. his strength,
B. his power,
C. his ability to accomplish deeds and to labor.
2. Illustration:
A. An arm is part of the body.
B. It is one with the body, but is also a distinct part, and by means of it
we do most of our deeds.
C. A warrior uses his arm to fight.
D. A laborer uses his arm to fix things, move things, and produce things.
B. The Jews saw God’s merciful power when he brought them back from
captivity in Babylon.
1. When they came back from Babylon, they knew that the Lord had “bared his
holy arm before the eyes of all the nations” (verse 10).
2. That is, he showed them his power.
2. So then, what is God’s Arm, his Arm with a capital A?
A. The Arm is of one substance with God: “at the Father’s side,” as is an
arm to a man (John 1:18).
B. The Arm is a person distinct from God the Father:
1. “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of
old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
who pierced the dragon?” (Isaiah 51:9).
C. The Arm is the Son of God, who became man, the Son of God Incarnate.
1. Wondrously, the Arm of the Lord is “bared” by putting on our human
nature (verse 10).
2. This comes right before the fourth Servant Song (Isaiah 52:13–53:12):
A. The Arm is the one who grew up as a young plant.
B. The Arm who is the Suf­fer­ing Servant (cf 53:1–2).
3. The Trinity is proclaimed in the Old Testament. God invites you and all
people at all times to marvel in the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
3. Now, what God does with his Arm is all-important.
A. The Arm of the Lord returns to Zion (verse 8). That is, he takes up
residence with his people.
1. “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth?” (2 Chronicles 6:18).
2. Yes! “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
3. Yes, indeed! “Behold, the dwelling place [tabernacle] of God is with
man. He will dwell with them” (Revelation 21:3).
B. The Arm of the Lord works salvation (verse 10).
1. Salvation means rescue or deliverance from all the evils that afflict us.
A. For the Jews, Isaiah prophesied that God would bring them back to
Jerusalem and reestablish his presence among them in the temple.
1. This was a salvation not just from bodily hardships but from God’s wrath
and hostility.
B. Through the Arm of the Lord, our Lord Jesus, God delivers us:
1. from death,
2. from slavery to sin;
3. from His wrath at sin itself.
2. Salvation also means:
A. the possession of health and wholeness,
B. the enjoyment of all truly good things.
C. When the Arm of the Lord works salvation, he also brings us close to
himself, so that freed from everything bad, we may enjoy every truly good
gift by being in close communion and fellowship with him.
C. The Arm of the Lord restores his kingdom.
1. “Your God reigns” (verse 7).
A. The Arm is the one through whom the Lord destroys Satan’s kingdom and
establishes his own kingdom.
2. On the cross, Jesus would be proclaimed as the “King of the Jews” and
crowned with thorns.
3. Marvelously, through his death and resurrection and the sending of the
Spirit, he sets up his kingdom in your heart and among his people, the
Church.
D. The Arm of the Lord God reveals himself through preaching:
1. “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (53:1).
Conclusion

A. Dearly loved children of God, “The Lord has bared his holy arm” (v 10).
1. He has revealed his Son, Jesus, to the world!
2. Take heart! God’s Arm is not the sheer, unpredictable power of divinity.
3. Rather, God’s Arm has become man, your Brother.
4. By the incarnation, God shows his great love for mankind, and for you in
particular.
B. With such a great Giver and gift, should he not be your chief joy?
1. God wants to be the ultimate source of your joy.
2. May He grant us His Spirit so that the joys of this day will be not in
the things and food and drink and parties and events of the season, but
that all these things would point us to himself, the lasting source of all
joy, the Lord’s holy Arm, bared for all the ends of the earth to see. Amen.
C. Let us pray:
LSB 384:5 Of the Father’s love begotten
Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Text: Public domain
D. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

E. In the Name of the Father…Amen.