December 12, 2021                        Text:  Zephaniah 3:14-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

    “A Wish For Christmas.”  “A Very Merry Mix-Up.”  “The Sweetest Christmas.”  “Heart of the Holidays.”  “Christmas In Tahoe.”  “An Unexpected Christmas.”  “Next Stop Christmas.”

    Those titles are a day in the life of the Hallmark Channel.  All having something to do with Christmas.  But if you read the bio of the website of each of these selections there is not much of Christ or His birth or why we have Christmas in the first place.  Now I am not pooh poohing movies like these.  They are better than a lot of television.  In fact, when they started showing these movies in October, I told Toni that Hallmark figured in our disagreeable, one side of the fence or the other culture we live in, everyone could use the good feeling of Christmas.  Something most of the world still celebrates.

    What gets missed is Jesus.  Oh a family may go to church or sing a hymn or two but the salvation story of the Babe in Bethlehem is nowhere to be seen.  In our text from Zephaniah the people were also missing the message.  The book is a whole lot of judgment.  We also though have the reminder that God did come down here . . . 

“THE LORD IS IN YOUR MIDST”

    The Lord wants us to have a reason to celebrate.  The people of Zephaniah’s day had a lot of sinful rebellion – the reason for God’s judgment.  The Lord was angry and He let them know it.

    Does God ever get angry with you?  When we fail to live up to His expectations do we think He is happy about it?  When we tear His name asunder in our speech does it tear His heart?  When we stay away from his house where He offers the greatest of gifts does He shed a tear?  When we shun our prayer life and don’t talk to Him is He offended?  It is hard to imagine.  Can the Lord be like us?

    We shouldn’t even be talking this way.  The Lord is far superior to man and our emotions that we almost can’t believe it.  God does not treat our sins as they deserve.  He cares for us as His own.  God is not against us.  We offend Him but He doesn’t take offense.  Look at our text, “The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies.  The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.” (v. 15)

    This is what happened when the sin-atoning Jesus came to our world.  God in the flesh went from Babe in Bethlehem to crucified Savior.  From a cherry cheeked infant to skin being torn while beaten.  From sucking at his mother’s breasts to a few drops of wine vinegar to quench his thirst.  From active young boy to “It is finished.”  Zephaniah said of him in verse 17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save.”  He saved us from the words we say.  He saved us from shunning Him in our worship.  He saved us from ignoring him in our prayers.  He has forgiven all of these faults and many others.  The Lord is in our midst and what joy that brings.

    Being in our midst means that when we hear the Scriptures the Word is here.  The Word that became flesh to dwell among us.  Being in our midst means that the resurrected Christ is here in body and blood to pardon our failings.  We get a glimpse of heaven at the Communion rail.  Our full restoration will come at Christ’s Second Coming but we can celebrate now in anticipation of what we know is already ours.

    When we have baby showers and wedding showers we are celebrating before the celebration.  We await the birth with gifts.  As the married couple looks forward to their vows before God we give them gifts in anticipation of their new life together.

    Zephaniah talks about a celebration before the actual event.  He uses words like “sing aloud,” and “rejoice” and “exult.”  He is writing that the Lord is taking away his judgments against the people.  Why?  Because even during those centuries of the “first Advent,” Zephaniah was certain that the baby, the Messiah, was coming.

    We have assurances that are firm.  We are called to celebrate not only what God is doing right now, but also what we know with the certainty of faith He promises yet to accomplish at the end.  Even at a funeral, the death of a loved one, there is an anticipatory celebration for the Christian.  We come to that service knowing that like those at a baby or wedding shower something good is still ahead.  We know that those who die in Christ have gone to be with Him – which is far better.  More than this, they will also rise again on the Last Day.

    Celebrate this Advent/Christmas season as Zephaniah reminds us to do because the Lord is “rejoicing over you with gladness and he is quieting you with His love.”  The Lord is in our midst and the celebration goes on.

                                    Amen.    

December 5, 2021                                  Text:  Malachi 3:1-7b

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Here’s a story for you:  “An optimist said to a pessimist, ‘isn’t this a bright, sunny day?’  The pessimist replied, ‘Yes, but if this heat doesn’t stop soon, all the grass will burn up.’  Two days later, the optimist said to the pessimist, ‘Isn’t this rain wonderful?’  The pessimist replied, ‘Well, if it doesn’t stop soon, my garden will wash away.’  Later the optimist invited the pessimist to go duck hunting.  The optimist wanted to show the pessimist what his hunting dog could do.  The pessimist looked at the dog and said, ‘Looks like a mutt to me.’

    “At that moment, some ducks flew over.  The optimist shot one of the ducks and it fell in the lake.  The dog ran out on the water, picked up the duck, and ran back on the water.  The optimist took the duck from the dog and said to the pessimist, ‘What do you think of my dog now?’  The pessimist replied, ‘Dumb dog – can’t even swim!’”

    Are you the optimist or the pessimist?  How do you see God’s love for you in Christ Jesus?  How do you view God working in your life?  Do you ever wonder . . . 

“WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE?”

    That is a question posed by the people of Malachi’s time.  It comes in chapter 2 right before our text.  Israel was not ushering in the glorious and prosperous reign they had hoped for.  Israel had internal problems and external problems.  Pagan people were prospering because of their wickedness.  The people questioned God and thought he delighted in all this.  The believers were burdened, the wicked rejoiced.  Things were upside down.  People began to think that God was unlike His promises.  Had He forgotten His people?

    Our text is God’s answer to these wearying accusations.  God will act and soon.  Yet God’s coming will not be as the people expect and hope.  The pagan will not be the first focus of God’s judgment.  Rather, god’s coming will be in the purification of his own people.  They must be upright before God judges the outsider and brings in the everlasting victory.

    The Lord expects better of His people.  As silver gets tarnished in the open air, we easily adopt the ways of the world.  We are influenced by what we see and hear.  We buy into the babble and as we do the image of God starts to be hidden in our lives.  We sing with the world:  “Where is the God of justice?”  We start believing that God doesn’t care.  We start believing that God will no longer intervene with his justice.  We think God has become like certain big city cops who are told to let bad behavior go.  Our world like Malachi’s is turned upside down.

    God could have destroyed Israel for not paying attention.  But He didn’t.  God has every right to destroy our society for not paying attention.  But He doesn’t.  He rebuked them.  He rebukes us.  He warned them and us of God’s imminent coming with purifying fire.  They needed to repent and so do we.  If we do we can endure the coming of the Lord.  He promised the people they would once again be “pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old.” (v. 4)

    Luke announced the “way of the Lord” was the coming of Jesus.  Jesus’ sufferings, going to the cross, were the purifying fire and the fullers’ soap.  Jesus endured the day of His coming and He stood under the judgment of God.  Jesus obedient passion was the offering “pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old.”  Being united in Christ by His death, we return to God, as He returns to us.

    Where is the God of justice?  He is right here with us.  He never left.  Our text, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (v. 6)  He’s consistent, we are inconsistent.  He’s a rock, we are sand.  The Lord has control, we spin out of control.  God is the same, we blow like the wind with whatever news we hear that day.  God smiles.  “Dear child, there you go again.”

    In our world God is very near.  This God of justice is fair and righteous.  He has purified us in Baptism.  He has given us endurance to stand in the strength of His body and blood.  He has re-created us in his image so that we can shine clear and bright in the darkness of the world.  

    Like in the time of Malachi the Lord is refining us.  He is making us stronger for the upcoming journey.  He wants us to have a healthy fear of who He is and what He can do.  He reminds us again today that a primary aspect of His constancy is his desire to save.  His willingness to forgive.  His gift of hope.  

    Where is the God of justice?  He is never far away.  He draws near to your heart and mind.  I’m so glad I know that, aren’t you?

                                Amen.