Advent 2 - December 8, 2024

“What the Fathers most desired, What the prophets’ hearts desired, What they longed for many-a year, Stands fulfilled in glory here.” – Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord v. 2

Jesus, the one who is both human and divine, Son of God and Son of Mary, came to save us from sin and death. And He has done it! Not only that, but He has promised us everlasting life in glory with Him.

How should we respond Jesus’ salvation? How should we react to the miracle of the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb along with everything that means for us?

Psalm 66 might be helpful as we consider this.

-        Three parts, each with a different reaction.

-        Selah -  pause

Psalm 66:1-4 – Exaltation and Excitement – “Our God is powerful!”

Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
²     sing the glory of his name;
    give to him glorious praise!
³ Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
⁴ All the earth worships you
    and sings praises to you;
    they sing praises to your name.”

“How awesome are Your deeds!” – like the resurrection! Creation! Storm and earthquake!

You are so powerful even your enemies come cringing to You!

-        “Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”

o   And you better get to it!

But it is all at arm's length. There is a God out there who is pretty darned impressive so that even the earth worships Him … “they” sing praises … but what about you? What about me?

That God is powerful is not necessarily good news.

Psalm 66:5-7 – Come and See – Invitation

Come and see what God has done:
    he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
⁶ He turned the sea into dry land;
    they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
⁷     who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
    let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Reminds the hearer of the story of salvation – not just power, but key moments that God acted on behalf of His people – parting the Red Sea, drying up the Jordan River to allow Israel to cross.

We do this, we regularly retell the story of salvation. But it is possible to tell it as this grand overarching story about the past that may or may not apply to you. It becomes this great myth that we love to tell that leads us to believe that God is just generally good and there for us in the big things of life. Notice that it says “they” passed through the river, and “we” rejoice because of what God did for them. There’s something missing.

Psalm 66:8-12 – Bless our God – It turns into a humble reflection, and it is very personal.

Bless our God, O peoples;
    let the sound of his praise be heard,
⁹ who has kept our soul among the living
    and has not let our feet slip.
¹⁰ For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
¹¹ You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
¹² you let men ride over our heads;
    we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

-        God keeps our souls among the living

-        He has not let our feet slip.

God has drawn us into a community – a body of believers – to rescue us, preserve us, and … to shape us … together. (13-20 take the next step and make it personal, “I” live in a relationship with God, but God makes us part of the body of Christ, and the congregation is a key place for His work in our lives – both to comfort us with the story of our salvation, but also to confront and discipline us. Look at the language of the Psalm

            “You, O God, have tested us.” – unity, our faithfulness to the pure teaching of the Word, keeping the sacraments.

            “You have tried us as silver is tried.” – Silver is tried with fire. Difficult times, even disasters and deaths.

            “Brought us into the net.” – Caught in a difficult place. Finances of a congregation?

            “You laid a crushing burden on our backs.” – Love one another. Bear one another’s burdens.

            “You let men ride over our heads.” – Persecution.

“We went through fire and water, yet You have brought us out to a place of abundance.”

-        Covid – Thanks be to God!

-        Fire and water are used to purify

o   Work of the Holy Spirit – in the Lord’s Supper

o   Waters of baptism.

§  Baptized into Jesus’ death (talk about trial by fire!)

§  To be united with him in his resurrection.

o   Repentance

§  John the Baptizer.

How should we respond to Jesus’ salvation? Faith (Believe!) and Repentance. That is what Advent is for. Christ is coming. How shall we greet him? Believing and Repenting. Amen.