Sermon: Ad Te Levavi (Advent 1) – 2023

3 Dec 2023

Text: Matt 21:1-9 (Jer 23:5-8, Rom 13:8-10, 11-14)

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

We have begun a new year in the church, and a new season in the church year: Advent.  The church looks different.  We see different sights and colors in the sanctuary.  Our prayers, hymns, and readings are different.  They all point to the coming of Jesus.  In fact, “Advent” means “coming.”

And even surrounded by all of this imagery that points toward Christmas Day, our Gospel reading has to do with Holy Week and the coming of Easter.  It might not make a lot of sense at first, but it really does.  Because in these four weeks leading up to our celebration of our Lord’s coming at Christmas, we are going to consider the various ways our Lord Jesus comes to us. 

And in this Gospel, Jesus “is coming to you.”  And He is coming “humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”  This is one of the many comings of Jesus.  And it might seem strange that St. Matthew, quoting the prophet Zechariah, describes this entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem as “humble.”  For here we see Him entering David’s Royal City the same way that David’s eldest son Solomon – who became one of the richest and most famous men in the world.  For Solomon also rode into his father King David’s Royal City.  In fact, King Solomon was riding his father’s donkey in demonstrating his own claim to the throne.

So how can the prophet Zechariah, and the apostle and evangelist Matthew, call this entry of Jesus “humble”?  But, dear friends, it is true.  Jesus is entering the city humbly.  Although the crowds cheer Him, although they hail Him as their King, although they spread their garments on the road before Him, although they strew palm branches along His path, although they shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the Highest!” – Jesus comes to the city not to begin his reign from a golden throne, but on a wooden cross.  Jesus comes to Jerusalem not to judge, but to be judged.  Jesus comes to the people not on a white stallion, but on a donkey, a foal.  Jesus comes not to wear a crown of gold, but a crown of thorns.  Jesus comes not to hold a scepter, but to carry a reed which will be used to strike Him.  Jesus comes not to be adorned with jewels, but to be beaten and inflicted with sores and wounds dripping with His very blood – His royal blood, His saving blood, His blood given to us humbly in the cup, by which He comes humbly to us, in the Sacrament.

Jesus does not come to Jerusalem like a conquering Caesar or general.  He comes humbly.  But, dear friends, nevertheless, He still comes as a conquering God and ruler of the universe.  He comes to defeat sin, death, and the devil.  He comes to take command over His enemies and to reign over the entire world.  And He comes in what appears to us as humility.

It is fitting that we think about Jesus coming to us humbly on this first week of Advent.  For He first came into our world, humble, within the womb of Mary.  He came on what we today call “Christmas” as a newborn baby, and He came nine months before that, even smaller.  And when Jesus came on Christmas, there were no crowds shouting “Hosanna,” only poor, humble shepherds who saw and heard the strange sight of angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.”  And the shepherds said, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.”  And what they found was a young mother, her husband, and a baby in such humble conditions, that He was lying in a manger: which is a food trough for donkeys and colts and other beasts of burden.  Later, wise men from the east would come, and bow humbly before this little child in worship.

Jesus came in His mother’s womb.  Jesus came as a baby, lying in a manger.  Jesus came as the Son of David, “humble, and mounted on a donkey.”  Jesus came as a man of sorrows, a condemned criminal, beaten and humiliated and nailed to a cross.  Jesus came as a victorious man of flesh and blood who left behind His own tomb.  Jesus came as one who gave authority to the apostles to make disciples by preaching and administering sacraments. 

Jesus comes to us week after week, in the Divine Service, in His Word, and in His sacraments, coming humbly through the work of the men He calls: forgiving us, and saving us, with His Real Presence among us.  And Jesus “will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.”

In all of these comings of Jesus, past, present, and future, He comes in love for us: His beloved people, His redeemed, His sheep whom He has ransomed.  And we, dear friends, come humbly as well.  For we have nothing to offer our Lord and our King other than our worship, our thankfulness, and our praise.  We celebrate our Lord’s coming into our world, for in forgiving us, Jesus fulfills the prophecy we heard from Jeremiah: “The days are coming… when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” 

When we reflect upon the Word taking flesh, we reflect upon His humility.  When we reflect upon His crucifixion, we reflect upon His love.  When we reflect upon His resurrection, we reflect upon His mighty power.  When we reflect upon His coming in Word and sacrament, we reflect upon His divine nature.  When we reflect upon His coming again, we reflect upon His rescuing us from a world that is falling apart.

We reflect upon Jesus’ coming, and we do so with joy and wonder and gratitude.  We reflect upon His limitless power, and with His boundless mercy. 

Because Jesus has come into our world as a man, because Jesus comes among us now under the forms of bread and wine, and because Jesus is coming again in glory as the Lord of all, we are given the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. 

Dear friends, this is a busy time of year.  It can be frustrating, tiring, and maybe even a time of sadness for you.  But let us remember that this season is all about Jesus and His coming.  And that He has come to save us, to forgive us, to give us eternal life, and to bring us a new world that will never again see sorrow.  While we are tempted to focus on ourselves, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, for He has come to bring us Good News!  “Besides this, says St. Paul, “you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.  For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” 

Jesus has come.  Jesus comes to us.  Jesus is coming again.  “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!”  Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.