12242014 Christmas Eve Early Service

Sermon Audio

December 24, 2014

Christ our Light and Life Preserver!

Gracious God, as we gather this Christmas Eve night may we not only come to celebrate Jesus birth, but worship our King of Kings and Lord of Lords that lies in the manger.  AMEN!

When Christmas Eve was celebrated by some families in cultures across the globe, the one thing that all could do was light candles.  Even here in Northwest Kansas, some members of Emmanuel recently shared their remembering actual candles being lit on the Christmas trees at church and having to have a bucket of water handy and a watchman just in case the candles tipped.  Candles when used on trees to celebrate Christmas or cakes to count years always had a purpose.  This Christmas Eve the candles we use here in the church have a purpose as well.

Tonight, we light not only the four candles that form the circle of the Advent Wreath, but we add an additional candle.  A white Candle symbolizing the birth of Jesus Christ.  This White Candle sits in the center of the circle of light, because Jesus Christ should be at the center of each of our lives.  Jesus Christ came into the world in a lowly manger in Bethlehem not only to fulfill the promises of the prophets of the Old Testament, but to be the all atoning sacrifice for all of mankind.  Jesus Christ remembered with this white candle is the spotless Lamb of God that came to take away the sin of the World.  The White Candle is a symbol of Jesus Christ purity from conception, to birth, in life and especially in His death on the Cross of Calvary for all of mankind.

Jesus Christ is represented by this white Candle, because Jesus Christ is the light of our world.  Jesus Christ is the light that brightens the darkness that surrounds us and is the beacon we need daily.  Just as ships need the light from a lighthouse to not only warn of the danger of reefs and shoals, Jesus Christ is the light shining into our darkness.  This is why lighthouse keepers jobs were extremely important, they insured the light given off by the lighthouse would not go out no matter the conditions.  This helped prevent ships from hitting anything that would sink them and cause the loss of revenue, but especially life.

The War story from the Battle of the Java Sea is told of how a ship of sailors on stormy seas was torpedoed by an enemy ship.  116 sailors jumped into the water in order to escape certain death and clung to rafts and floating debris in the oil filled water to stay afloat and alive.  Three rescue ships tried in desperation to help, but were helpless, until the actions of one man.  The man began to throw life preservers to the survivors who could be heard in the darkness.  Normally in daylight one could see the life preserver easily, but in the darkness, it seemed only like desperation.  But the life preservers used were special, they had a light attached.  The light attached guided not only the men to the life preserver, but also guided the three ships to the survivors from the torpedoed ship.  Those 116 lights were beacons in the darkness that surrounded those men and saved all of the survivors of the sunken ship.

Brother’s and Sisters in Christ, Jesus Christ is our life preserver, for us and all of mankind.  Jesus Christ is the light for each and every one of us in the darkness of our world.  Tonight we come to celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ.  In a few minutes we will light our individual candles.  Our candles are our individual and collective reminder for each of us of how Jesus Christ is our light for each of us in this world.  May we as we light our candles, do so to be the beacon for our world in order that others might be saved, just as Jesus Christ has saved each of us.  For Jesus Christ is our life preserver and came in a manger in order to save us and be the light for all of mankind, but especially each of us who light our candles this Christmas Eve night here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

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12212014 Advent 4 - Rorate coeli - The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sermon Audio

December 21, 2014

How do you show your love?

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord our Rock and our Redeemer.  AMEN.

It is intriguing that every week in the Fall of the year, the networks carry football games that are filled with clear expressions of brute strength.  Last night my mother and I watched some of one game where the trainers consistently were on the field because of injury.  The players hit one another with a clear sense of determination, intensity and strength that even some televisions resonate with the hits through the stereo surround sound.  But on the sidelines and up in the stands, there are some who watch the event who hold up signs that are the polar opposite of the at times seemingly brutal hits on the field.  The signs are common place today that say, “John 3:16”.  It is one of the best known passages, because it simply states the Gospel message clearly and can be shown and recognized quickly.  The passage reads, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” 

So well-known is this passage that I would venture it is the most translated passage of the Bible.  But for we who gather here this morning, it has a different meaning.  In our series on the Advent Wreath, we come to the last of the four candles.  In previous weeks we have learned about the Hope we have in Jesus Christ, Preparing Him room in our lives for Jesus and the Joy we can find in His Gift to us of His life, but now we reach the last and greatest of the four candles.  The Candle of Love.  This candle clearly epitomizes the feeling of this season of the Church Year.  For in Jesus Christ coming to the earth, His love is clearly manifest and unmistakable of His willingness to come to save mankind.

This is why so many people not only gravitate to and memorize John 3:16, but use it to tell the truth of the Gospel for all of mankind.  This is why Jesus Christ came to earth over 2000 years ago.  Jesus came because of His great love for all of us.  Jesus Christ love for us cannot be measured because Jesus love for all of mankind is limitless.  In mathematical terms God’s love would be represented by the infinity sign, the one that looks like an eight on its side.  For God, Who has no beginning and no end, has a love for us that has no beginning and has no end.  If you would ask someone who has lived surrounded by trees all their life and all of a sudden move to a place like Montana or even here in Northwestern Kansas where trees are rare, they would say they felt like they could see for miles or to the ends of the earth.  God’s love also will never end.

The last of the Advent Candles clearly sums up all of the candles on the Advent Wreath in a simple four letter word of LOVE!  God’s love overflows and overcomes all not out of coercion, but out of the sheer reality that God’s love is clearly manifest in Jesus Christ coming in the manger in Bethlehem.  As we have seen throughout these four weeks each candle has a different and unique meaning and understanding, but this week we come to the center of God’s core, His love for all of mankind.

We see and experience today the mercy of God for mankind from the Garden of Eden made manifest for each of us that is fulfilled and made complete in the manger.  When we see all four candles lit and fully understand the significance of each of them and the fullness we find with all of them aflame, we are overcome with the reality that God loves each and every one of us so deeply and profoundly.  God’s love is so complete we can only be overcome by God’s grace and respond on bended knee at the manger where His Son Jesus Christ lies wrapped in swaddling clothes.

For only on bended knee at the manger can we clearly see and understand the depth to which our God will go to bring us home to be with Him in His Kingdom.  God’s sending His Son into the world to save all of mankind has one goal in mind, our being with Him to learn from Him the unconditional love He has for all of mankind.  This especially includes all of us saints gathered to light the Candle of Love on this the Fourth Sunday of Advent here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

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12172014 Wednesday of Advent 3

No Sermon Audio - Due to Cancelled Service

December 17, 2014

What spices your life?

May the offering of our time to be in the presence of our Lord be a blessing not only for our lives, but also our souls as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the entrance of the King of Kings!  AMEN.

One of the most cherished items I have as a Pastor here at Emmanuel, I received, not at my ordination, nor on an anniversary or milestone event in my life.  It isn’t something that takes up a lot of room.  But the significance of it brings full circle the last three weeks of our Advent Series.

We began talking about Gold and how we should offer, not materialistic things, but our very selves to God.  Last week we asked, what do you smell?  When frankincense was offered to Jesus Christ, it was a prophecy of His future as our High Priest.  And finally this evening we come to Myrrh.

For me as a Pastor, my most prized possession that I carry to minister to the saints of Emmanuel is the oil of anointing I have in a communion set bought for the church.  Anointing with oil is an ancient practice in the church that even the Apostles alluded to after Jesus return to heaven.  The Apostles would send the elders of the church to sick members to read scripture, but also make the sign of the Cross over their foreheads and hearts.  It was a clear reminder for the people that they were the redeemed children of God.

Not only were they redeemed, but the sick would have read to them from the Gospels, Psalms and sung hymns to remind them of their baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  This reminder is where the people of God are clearly connected, not only to the Apostles, but to the last gift given to Jesus Christ by the Magi.

For the Magi’s gifts, all three, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh are important, but this last gift takes on special significance.  Myrrh was not only used as a means to make people’s clothes smell better, for they did not like our current culture take showers or baths every morning or evening.  But Myrrh was used by families specifically at a time of an individual’s life that was at the exact opposite of birth.  Myrrh was one of the spices used for embalming.

The Magi in inspiration from God brought the gift of Myrrh as a further prophecy of Jesus death.  Not only was this a foretelling of Jesus death, but for Jesus it was meant to be a clear reminder of His life as a sacrifice.  Jesus coming down from heaven was a clear sacrifice of epic proportions.  Jesus Christ chose to come to the earth, be born of a virgin, live in poverty, be baptized by John the Baptist, heal the sick and minister to the poor.  In Jesus Christ coming down from heaven He fulfilled the plan of salvation for all of mankind.  For in Jesus Christ being born in a manger and receiving the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, He received not only the gifts, but chose to die in order that we might live.

For this gift of Myrrh given by the Magi points clearly to His death over 30 years later.  And this gift was given not only as a reminder for them, but for us as well.  One day we will die.  But for we who have been baptized into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection, death no longer has dominion over us.  Because of Jesus Christ, death no longer has sway over us, we are set free and this gift of Myrrh is the reminder for us of this fact as we gather here this last Wednesday night of Advent.

Recently, I visited one individual who certainly needs not only our prayer, but also the reminder of their baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  You see death is very close for them and my visits are the opportunity not only to remind them of God’s promises, but to retell why Jesus Christ came into this world in a lowly manger.  When I visit them there is one song that clearly reminds them of this fact and reality and I share it every time.  “Jesus loves me this I know”.  This song not only reminds them of Jesus love for them, but also of Jesus willingness to come in a lowly manger and receive the three gifts of the Magi of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

May we as we prepare for our celebration of Jesus birth, be reminded and comforted with the reality that we are only sojourners on this earth and the Gifts of the Magi are but reminders of another sojourner, Jesus Christ.  For He came to sacrifice Himself for us in order that we might have eternal life with Him in His kingdom.  And His gift to us of Himself was for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on this last Wednesday of Advent in 2014.  AMEN.

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