First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

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.

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.

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.

Text: Isaiah 7:10–17
Theme: This present sign
Other Lessons: Psalm 24; Romans 1:1–7; Matthew 1:18–25

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Old Testament lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, peace, and mercy 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:
→ O Lord, give us grace to walk before You all the days of this our
pilgrimage with a good conscience and pure mind, that when You shall appear
to reward every man according to his deeds, we may rejoice and not be
ashamed before You at Your coming. Grant this for the sake of Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Introduction

A. Louis IX, who ruled France in the thirteenth century, was once
reportedly asked why he signed his name “Louis of Poissy” and not “Louis
IX, King of France” (which would have been the traditional way for a king
to sign letters and documents).
1. He responded by pointing out that Poissy was the location of his
Baptism.
2. Then he is said to have explained, “I think more of the place where I
was baptized than of Reims Cathedral where I was crowned.
3. It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a
kingdom.
4. This last I shall lose at death, but the other will be my passport to an
everlasting glory.”
5. This saying was etched in stone in front of the baptismal font at the
former St. Louis Catholic Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
6. It reflects the Christian conviction that Baptism is the most important
day in the life of a follower of Jesus.
7. It identifies a Christian as a child of God who will live eternally with
Christ.
8. This identity manifests itself daily—not only in the signing of one’s
name, but also in the sacrificial and selfless life of service to others.
B. There is no question: the sign King Ahaz refused to ask, the virgin
birth, was among the greatest signs given to mankind (Isaiah 7:14).
1. But in our Baptism, God has given us the sign that everything the
virgin-born Christ accomplished by his life, death, and resurrection is
personally and eternally ours.
C. “ ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call
his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23).
1. Yes, God is present with us.
1. With a few exceptions, the people of God have often experienced life in
a way that makes them think God is absent.
A. That’s an astounding claim, given the common experience among God’s
people of his apparent absence.
1. Most of us, at some point or another, have wondered whether God is
really with us.
2. We face great difficulties, and we wonder if God cares.
3. We encounter things we can’t explain or understand, and we wonder if God
really exists.
4. We cry out to God on our knees but hear nothing in response other than
our own sighs.
5. We slog through this life, never experiencing much of a spiritual high
or low, and we begin to question if God is with us.
6. With a few exceptions, the people of God have often experienced life in
a way that makes them think God is absent.
2. Ahaz only continued a millennia-old theme of God’s people doubting his
presence.
A. You’re not alone when you wonder.
1. You’re not the first to question God’s presence.
2. It’s safe to say that very few have never questioned God’s presence.
3. In fact, those who question God’s presence are actually only continuing
a several thousand year old theme of God’s people doubting his presence.
B. Before the fall into sin, God walked and talked with his human
creatures.
1. His presence was obvious.
2. Adam and Eve did not doubt that he was there.
3. They doubted his reliability, all thanks to the serpent.
4. But that’s a different problem altogether.
5. His presence was obvious.
C. After the fall, however, God’s people have often doubted his presence
among them.
1. The episode with the golden calf is a good case in point.
2. In , God told Moses to meet him on top of Mount Sinai so that he could
give him his Law.
3. Moses was going to be gone for a while.
4. In the meantime, the people got antsy.
5. They began to question God’s presence.
6. By the time we get to Exodus 32, they’ve concluded that God does not
exist.
A. Or at least, that he is no longer with them.
1. Never mind the ten plagues that God brought on Egypt to deliver them.
2. Never mind the parting of the Red Sea by which God rescued them.
3. Never mind the manna and quail that God provided in the wilderness so
that the people wouldn’t starve.
4. “What have you done for me lately?” the people asked.
5. When God did not respond, they decided he was no longer there.
D. That’s what happened in our reading today from Isaiah 7.
1. King Ahaz doubted God was with him.
2. He had a reason to doubt:
A. foreign armies were mounting around him.
3. But God had promised to be with his people forever.
A. God had promised to protect and preserve them.
4. But Ahaz and the people of God looked around at the present
circumstances and were not convinced.
E. That’s when Isaiah entered the scene.
1. God sent Isaiah to give a message to Ahaz.
2. His message was simple:
A. God is with you, Ahaz, whether you believe it or not.
B. He promised he would be with you.
C. Believe him. If you have doubts, simply ask him for a sign—anything you
want—and he will show you that he is with you.
3. Can you imagine that?
A. An invitation from God to ask him for a sign?
4. But Ahaz wouldn’t do it.
A. Why not? Because he didn’t want to trouble the Lord with such a request
B. No, it was because he had already lost his faith.
C. He had already put his faith in a “golden calf”:
1. this time it was an alliance with a foreign army.
3. Despite his and our doubts, Isaiah spoke God’s Word that promised his
presence.
A. That’s when Isaiah spoke those words that Matthew would quote seven
hundred years later.
1. You don’t trust God enough to ask for a sign?
A. “The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (verse 14).
B. God Promises to Be Graciously Present in His Creation through Jesus.
4. God’s presence in Christ is a hidden presence.
A. Isaiah’s response to Ahaz’s lack of faith was to promise a peculiar sign
of God’s presence.
1. He promised a child who would be born to a maiden.
2. This is hardly the kind of sign that one would expect from the Almighty.
3. But this would be no ordinary child.
4. He was to be called Immanuel:
A. “God with us.”
B. Moreover, God would be with his people to save them from their sins.
B. Immanuel is Jesus. Jesus is Immanuel.
1. The child who was also the eternal Son of God.
2. He is God’s sign.
3. He is God’s proof.
4. He is God’s guarantee that he is with us.
5. That is what makes Christmas such a big deal.
6. That’s why we’ve been getting ready to celebrate Christmas since the day
after Thanksgiving.
7. On December 25, we celebrate the fact that God is with us:
A. that he is with us to save us.
C. But God’s people of every age question whether God is with us or not.
1. We have our own golden calf episodes.
2. God doesn’t behave in ways that we think he should, and our faith slides
into disbelief.
3. We don’t see God solving our problems or healing our diseases or fixing
our families or answering our questions when we want, and we are tempted to
conclude that he is not with us.
4. God’s presence in Christ is still often hidden from us.
D. That’s why God gives us another sign.
1. That sign is Baptism.
2. The Lutheran Confessions speak of Baptism (and the Lord’s Supper) as
signs of God’s gracious disposition toward us.
3. The Augsburg Confession describes the sacraments as:
A. “signs and testimonies of God’s will toward us” that “awaken and confirm
faith” in us (Augsburg Confession 13, paragraphs 1–2).
4. The Apology draws on the Early Church when it says:
A. “It has been well said by Augustine that a Sacrament is a visible Word,
because the rite is received by the eyes and is, as it were, a picture of
the Word, illustrating the same thing as the Word” (Ap to the Augsburg
Confession 13. paragraph 5).
E. When we think of Baptism as a sign of God’s grace toward us as we ought
to, we begin to see the importance Baptism has for every day of our lives.
1. Just as Louis IX thought so long ago.
5. God’s presence in the world today is made known through his people as
they love and serve one another.
A. Baptism is not only a sign of God’s gracious will toward us.
1. It is also a sign to the world.
2. Baptism signals to outsiders what we are as Christians (Augsburg
Confession 13, paragraph 1), but it is our baptismal living that makes
them stop to notice.
3. As Paul writes in Romans 6, our Baptism means newness of life.
4. This life manifests itself in sacrificial service to others:
A. both to fellow believers in the Church
B. and to those in need outside the Church.
5. When the everyday lives of God’s people are shaped by their Baptism into
Christ, the watching world sees the hidden presence of God.
6. God’s presence in the world today is made known through his people as
they love and serve one another.

Conclusion

A. It’s exactly one week until Christmas, and we all have an awful lot yet
to do to get ready for it.
1. As you hurry through all that remaining business, remember that in
Christ, God is present with us.
2. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
3. And just as important, he is God with you.
4. You know that because of your Baptism.
5. You were baptized into Christ.
B. Running, scurrying, hurrying on this errand and that, to this mall and
that store, as you welcome guests and make your social rounds, remember
your Baptism:
1. in the way you treat clerks and other shoppers,
2. in the way you treat visiting loved ones who may be hard to love,
3. in the way you think about the gifts you select for others.
4. Remember your Baptism as a sign that the babe in the manger is not only
the Savior of the world.
5. He is also your Savior from your sin, and now he is your strength for
faithful living in his name. Amen.
C. Let us pray:
→ LSB 361:4 O Little Town of Bethlehem
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Immanuel!
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.