Tag: Matthew 1:18-25

Absurdity

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Biblical Text: Matthew 1:18-25

Most things in life are predictable. Partly because we usually stay in safe zones: our homes, our ruts, our habits. But occasionally something from outside breaks into our safe zones. Something absurd shakes us up. Some of those absurdities come from sin. They can come from the sin that we desire. Even worse they can come from sin that we had no part in. The absurdities of sin are the devil attempting to cancel or nullify the good creation of God. Now the Word of God also comes from outside of us. The Word comes and shakes us up. But it shakes us up for life, for eternal life. The Christmas story in Matthew is one absurdity after another. And yet those absurdities come together to save us. God – Immanuel – comes to us to save us from those sins the nullify. The sermon is a reflection in absurdity. How it can be a sign of Satan, but also how it is God doing a new thing.

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Would You Call Him Jesus?

Biblical Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Full Sermon Draft

Luke’s nativity accounts are Mary focused. Matthew’s are really involved Joseph more, including the decision about what to do with a pregnant girl when you know the child isn’t yours. The Bible is always more gritty that our romantic construction of it. Our romantic construction is earned by its ending – the dragon is slain and the Kingdom established – but there are lots of adventures along the way. There is an Old English Carol – The Cherry Tree Carol – that captures the same moment that Matthew does. It is a fun Carol, but the theology is horrible. This sermon is a little compare and contrast. The Carol represents our idea of the best way to answer the problem of the pregnant bride. The gospel is God’s invitation to a different way.

Worship note: The opening and closing hymns have been included. LSB 349, Hark the Glad Sound, is on of my personal favorite hymns. It combines the themes of Advent with the ways of talking about justification that resonate most with me, release of the prisoners and enriching the poor and needy. And it does this with a snappy hymn tune. The ending traced the paths of the sermon better than any and summarized the service intended. LSB 333, Once He Came in Blessing, addresses how he is named Jesus. He frees his people from their sins. He does this through word and sacrament flowing from the cross. This sacrificial grace calling for faith looks for its resolution when the day of grace turns into the day of resurrection and triumph. I’ve also included below a version of the Cherry Tree Carol

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