Sermon for First Sunday in Advent

First Sunday in Advent
Nov. 28, 2010
Romans 13:11-14
Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed

In the name of our coming Lord Jesus, amen. The Epistle lesson from Romans speaks of the life we live in the Lord, of putting on Christ, of not gratifying the desires of our flesh, of walking properly, of realizing how near salvation is to us.

Near and far are very interesting words, because they are such relative terms, extremely relative. Between Nov. 19 and 23 there are three birthdays in our family, and none of them belong to our two year old. His birthday is the last one in our family. He did such an excellent job not being the one in the spotlight. For sure he had his moments, some major meltdowns and some minor ones, but he’s two. He only understands that today is either his birthday right now or it isn’t, it’s far off in the distance. You can’t tell him that it is in two or three weeks- he doesn’t grasp what that means. But he did an overall excellent job celebrating with his sister and his brother their big days.

You know how that relative understanding of time or distance can drive you bonkers. At some point you were in car, on a long ride to the grandparents and hearing that you would be there ‘soon’ was never satisfying.

In the living Word of God, Paul tells you and me that ‘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’. How near? Can I see it, touch it?

Salvation is near. That simply sounds funny to our ears, because it implies that salvation can move. Well, sure. Salvation can move because salvation is a person. It is our Lord Jesus. Salvation moves and lives and breathes. Salvation dies and rises and ascends. Salvation lives and reigns to all eternity. Paul met this salvation on the road to Damascus. Salvation blinded Paul and restored his sight. Salvation sent Paul throughout the Mediterranean world to proclaim that salvation had come from heaven for all mankind. Salvation is near.

And that reality is what we know about from the Gospels of Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus Himself declared that the kingdom of God had come, and when he said those words, I wonder if the hearers realized that the kingdom of God was right in front of them. It was not some far off locale, not some place with boundary stones and borders. The kingdom of God was walking and talking, teaching and saving, loving and forgiving. Hearing Jesus say that the Kingdom of God was near makes me smile as I realize the Father’s deep and abiding love for His people in the sending of His Son, of the King who comes to reign in our lives, in our Church.

Salvation is near, and St. Matthew shares us with this morning the day that Jesus, the salvation of God, rode into Jerusalem the final time, in preparation for His passion. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

The whole city was stirred up, wondering who this was. This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee. This is the prophet, the One who speaks the Father’s message, the message of repentance, the message of forgiveness. This is the One who grew up in the home of Mary and Joseph, his earthly parents. He learned from them and grew in their sight. This is the One that God had promised. This is the One who has come to bring salvation to those in need. And just to be clear- you and I are in need of salvation.

Advent is a blessed season for us in the Church. It is a season for repentance. It is a season for preparation. It is a season filled with wonder. We don’t repent that we do not have the resources to buy all the presents that people expect of us. We don’t prepare for blowout parties or to rock around the tree. We aren’t filled with wonder at the latest smart phone and the smaller but more powerful laptop. We repent of our sin, which are many and grievous and offensive and reek of wretchedness. We prepare for the coming of Christ, for the birth of salvation. And we wonder at the love of God. The Father doesn’t reject us. The Father doesn’t dismiss or spurn us. The Father doesn’t do that.

The Father gives. He gives a welcome to us, to the least of these. He gives an embrace. He gives a certain promise of presence and protection. He gives His very heart in the person of Christ. And salvation is near, nearer now than when we first believed.

Salvation is near. It is as near as the Word, as the water of Holy Baptism, as the bread and wine of Holy Communion, as the word of forgiveness in Holy Absolution. Salvation is near as we live under the Lord’s love, demonstrating in word and action that God’s love has reached us, has claimed us, has transformed us.

With Christ close at hand, let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. That’s a good list of what the Christian ought not engage in. Realistically it’s also a good list of what Christians do engage in. We know Christians, and non-Christians who are sexually immoral, who love to quarrel, and regardless of what color clothing they wear, their true color is envy green.

Wretched man that I am, what am I supposed to do? Put on Christ. Put on the salvation that is so near to you. Wear your baptismal grace. Remind yourself of the brand that has been placed on you, the sign of the cross of your forehead and heart, the brand that marks you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. Taste and see that the Lord is good. When you feast on body and blood of Jesus given and shed for the forgiveness of your sins, believe that Christ did this for you, for your life, for your forgiveness. When you hear me speak the forgiveness of God to you, dear Christian believe the promise of God- your sin is removed from you as far as the east is from the west. Salvation is near! It is here. Through our coming Lord Jesus, our adventing Lord Jesus, salvation is yours. SDG