4TH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Text: Philippians 4, 4-7
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Quote the text here: Philippians 4,4-7.
Dear friends in Christ Jesus!
" The Lord is at hand ! " is what the Apostle Paul exclaimed in the midst of the admonition of our today's epistle. What he means to say is not hard to determine. Since the apostle adds nothing, as e.g., Ps 145 does, where we read, "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth," Ps 145,18; rather since the apostle without any addition speaks very generally, " The Lord is at hand !" beyond a doubt he means to say this: Christ's promised return is near, namely, his return on judgment day. Not only has Christ assured his disciples that he would leave the world to return and take them to himself, that they could be with him forever (Jn 14,3), but when Christ had ascended into heaven, the angels who were present also said to the apostles, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Act 1,11.
After this event all the apostles preached that the last times, or the eventide of the world, had come and that Christians should expect only Christ's visible return, his coming again in divine majesty and glory, and that this great was not far distant but " at hand". Thus for example says James, "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh.... Behold the judge standeth before the door." Jas 5, 8b.9. Moreover Peter writes, "The end of all things is at hand.: 1 Pet 4,7. Yes, John writes, "Little children, it is the last time." 1 Jn 2,18.
Nowadays many who do not earnestly consider the words of the apostles as God's Words believe that the apostles had the wrong idea about the nearness
4th Sunday in Advent 26
of Chris t’ s return. Since the times of the apostles·1900 years have gone by. They must have erred when they wrote, " The Lord is at hand !" "The Judge standeth before the door." "It is the last time."
But that is not true; this was no error but the absolute truth. Even though Paul wrote in our text, " The Lord is at hand !" he also wrote to his assistant, Timothy, "The time of my departure is at hand." 2 Tim 4,6b. Beyond a doubt, this means that Paul could not have meant that he would live to see Christ's return. Moreover Paul writes about the Christians of his time, "Upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor 10,11b. But when some in the congregation at Thessalonica let themselves be persuaded "that the day of Christ was (already) at hand," 2 Thess 2,2 Paul replied, "Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," namely the antichrist. 2 Thess 2,3.
Yet why could the apostle say, " The Lord is at hand !"? Peter tells us when he writes, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Pet 3,8. Since the time of the apostles, almost 2,000 years have flown by; yet these are no more than two days as far as the Lord is concerned. Hence, haven't the apostles spoken the truth when in the name of the Lord they said, " The Lord is as hand !"?
Perhaps you will now say, Why have the apostles spoken thus? I answer: Being moved by the Holy Ghost, they had to speak that way, because no person can know beforehand the day of judgment; all men are to keep themselves ready at all times, every day and hour of their lives, for this last day. Woe to him who says in his heart, "My Lord delays his coming!" Christ calls him a "wicked servant" whom he will cut asunder and whose reward will be the same as the hypocrites (Mt 24,40-51). On the other hand, blessed is he who is ready every day, yes every hour to receive the Lord joyfully! Christ will also receive him joyfully, set him at his right hand, and crown him with the crown of eternal glory.
Permit me therefore on the basis of our text to answer the question:
WHAT SHALL THE CHRISTIAN DO WHEN HE HEARS THE CRY: "THE LORD IS AT HAND!"?
I answer this cry should move him to do three things:
1. To Rejoice Alway in the Lord,
2. To Let his Forbearance be Known to All men, and finally,
3. Not to Worry, but in Everything with Prayer and Thanksgiving Make His Requests Known unto God.
I.
" Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice !" V. 4. The apostle begins his admonitions in our text with these words. And what does he add? He cries out, " The Lord is at hand !" Hence Christians should always rejoice in the Lord because the Lord is at hand. Is not-that amazing? Is not the nearness of Christ's return for judgment really a reason for fear and trembling than rejoicing?,
For the unbelieving world there can be no more dreadful words in all of Christian faith than the words of the Second Article, "From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead." Woe to the world, when judgment day which it has mocked will come upon it asj unexpectedly as a snare! Woe to the world when
4th Sunday in Advent 27
it will see Christ, in whom it had not believed, but despised and rejected, coming as suddenly as lightning out of the blue in the clouds of his glory and all the holy angels with him, and see him sitting on the throne of his, glory! Then all the.Rations of the earth will howl and say to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev 6,16.17.
Accordingly, can not the apostle exclaim in our text, " Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say. Rejoice !" and add, " The Lord is at hand !"? Yes, indeed my friends! The apostle does not write these words to the unbelieving world but to Christians. Learn from this, therefore, what blessed people Christians are. The coming of the Lord for the last judgment, this most terrible event for the unbelieving world, is the most comforting and happy time for Christians.
Though unbelievers may tremble when the last trumpet will sound throughout all lands, Christians will hear this as the happy resounding of a trumpet of victory. Though the unbelieving world may be terrified when it will see Christ come in the clouds of heaven clothed with divine majesty, for alas! it was his enemy on earth, and now he comes as their enemy, Christians will see him as their friend, in whom they believed and whom they loved and confessed before the world, at whose majesty they will rejoice as a bride rejoices to see her bridegroom. Though the unbelieving children of the world may be filled with dread when they will see Christ sitting on his throne of judgment and their account book open, for all their countless sins will then arise against them as countless accusers, the Christians will rejoice at Christ's verdict, for they know that their sins are forgiven; yes, their account book will also be opened, but behold! the guilt of all their sins is recorded as being already paid and canceled by the blood of reconciliation.
The unbelieving children of this world may become frightened when they see the Searcher of the hearts, whose eyes are like flames of fire which see into their sinful hearts; they will feel that the sins which ruled in them on earth now also live in them there before God’s throne; the believers however will discover with heavenly delight, that not only all the sins which they committed are hurled into the depths of the sea, but that also the very last roots of sin are erased from their hearts; they are awakened according to God's image, whether their bodies were awakened from the dead on judgment day, or were changed and glorified in a moment while still alive.
Though the unbelieving children of this world will become frightened when they glance behind them and see the world which they loved so much disappear with all its glory and then look ahead and see hell opening its jaws for them to swallow them forever, the Christians will with rejoicing see the world with all its woes being destroyed by fire and see the heaven of eternal glory open its doors wide and hear Christ's friendly voice, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Mt 25,34.
You see, that is why Christ himself, after he had described the terrible signs of his return, said to his disciples, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Lk 21,28. Then the apostle can also write in our text, " Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again 1 say, Rejoice! The Lord is at hand !" In view of his nearness nothing else can more urgently demand that the Christian always rejoice.
4th Sunday in Advent 28
II.
And yet, m y friends, the apostle adds also this admonition, " Let your moderation be known unto all men." V. 5a. The cry, " The Lord is at hand !" should also move Christians to let their forbearance be known to all men. Permit me to speak to you of this.
The forbearance to which the apostle admonishes us in our text is not flying in the face of truth and righteousness, to make light out of darkness, sweet out of sour. No; the forbearance is that which is worked by the Holy Ghost. It is the characteristic of a true Christian which flows from faith, according to which he first of all does not lovelessly judge his neighbor in his
'heart, but with forbearance; secondly, he is not cold in words and deeds but is gracious; he especially greets the fallen with comforting words who has confessed his fa11; and in the third place he does not insist on his rights in his dealing with his neighbor, but would rather give up some of his rights than tear the bond of love and peace.
We see this virtue shining perfectly only in Christ. Isaiah had long ago predicted of him, "He will not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." Is. 42.2.3a. He alone could say of himself, "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart." Mt 11,29.
The apostles followed his footsteps. Paul could say of himself, "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more....I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Cor 9,19.22. Paul's great forbearance we see when he writes to Timothy, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." 2 Tim 4,16.
If all true Christians have made a beginning in this forbearance, in most it is very imperfect. Many even suppose they show their progress in Christianity by judging their neighbor strictly, weighing his words, desires, and works; they demand of the weak the works of the strong, overlook no weakness, accept no excuses; they explain something suspicious in an evil way and judge
most
A Christian has reasons enough which should move him to let his forbearance be known to all men. First of all, there is the command to love everybody; Christ says, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." Mt 7,12. What strictly according to the letter of the law. person does not wish that his fellowmen would show him forbearance in thoughts, words, and deeds? Moreover, the express command of the Lord should move Christians to show forbearance to everyone, "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Lk 6,36. Finally, Christians should be moved by their own weaknesses, failings, and lapses, knowing that they live only by mercy; the apostle therefore cries to all Christians, "The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation." 2 Pet 3,15a.
However, the strongest of all inducements to practise forbearance is without a doubt that one which the apostle in our text presents to Christians in the words, " The Lord is at hand !" Tell me, what kind of a verdict do all Christians desire from the Lord on the day of his return? Is it a stem one according to the law, or a lenient one? Must not Christians confess that if the Lord would not judge by mercy he would have to condemn them, as David sighs, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified"? Ps 143,2. "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" Ps 130,3.
4th Sunday in Advent 29
Who can expect a mild sentence from the Lord on the day of judgment, if he has been hard and strict over against his neighbor? Does not Christ command his Christians to pray every day and every hour, "Forgive us our trespasses, las we forgive those who trespass against us"? Does not Christ call him and Unfaithful servant" who, after the Lord had forgiven him his debt of 10,000 talents, took his fellow servant who owed him 100 pence by the throat and threw him into prison?
My friends, let the word of the apostle, " The Lord is at hand !" enter deeply into your hearts. Bear that in mind whenever you are tempted by your corrupt heart to be loveless over against your neighbor and then pray that God would have a mild heart toward you. If you insisted on the letter of the law here on this world and had been loveless over against your neighbor·, could you really hold the outrageous hope that God would pass a mild sentence upon you, a loveless judge? Must you not really expect that God will do to you what he once said, "For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again"? Lk 6,38b.
Yes, he who is in the true faith does not enter into judgment because "there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Rom 8,1. But bear in mind, that on judgment day Christ will not recognize you as true believers because you said, "We believe," but Christ will call your works as witnesses as to whether your faith was a true or a make-believe faith. If you showed no J forbearance over against your neighbor, that will testify that your faith was on \your lips but not in your heart, and you will then experience what James writes, "He shall have judgment without mercy, that showed no mercy," Jas 2,13; and Christ will say to you, "I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Mt 7,23.
My dear Christian friends, " The Lord is at hand." not to judge you but to absolve you and that is it above all which should move you to let your forbearance be known to all men. Think of that day and night; it will make; your heart ever softer, friendlier, sweeter, milder over against your neighbor, be he friend or foe; Christ will recognize you as his own and joyfully lead you into his kingdom of eternal love.
III.
My friends, there is one more thing to which the cry of the apostle, " The Lord is at hand !" should move Christians; it is to be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known unto God. In the third place this it is which I want to present unto you.
Christians seem to have the greatest reasons for giving in to great worry; they live in the last times and the cry, " The Lord is at hand !" continually resounds in their ears. According to the prophecies of Christ and the apostles the last times in which the Christian Church lives since the days of the apostles are most trying times, times of severest temptations, sometimes to unbelief, sometimes to a false belief, sometimes to fall from Christ through security and worldliness, sometimes to fall through fear of persecution and despair. Christ says of the last times, "There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Mt 24,24. Paul writes, "Know this also that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Tim 3,1.
4th Sunday in Advent 30
But far be it that the cry, " The Lord is at hand !" that is, these are the last times! should cause Christians to become anxiously worried; the apostle writes in our text, " Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests, be made known unto God." V.6. " The Lord is at hand !"
Christians should consider themselves people who find themselves in a fortress surrounded by countless mighty and well-equipped foes, continually under seige, but who are certain that the Lord is near with this angel host in order to bring relief to beleaguered Christendom when his hour is come, to conquer all her foes, and to celebrate with her the triumphant festival of eternal life. Instead of anxious care the Christians should let themselves be moved at the thought of the nearness of the Lord to cast all their care upon the Lord, make their requests known unto him, cry to him day and night, praying him to give them everything good as well as averting all evil, and thanking God for all the benefits they have already experienced and praise and glorify him for them.
Oh my friends, let us then, when we experience in the days of our tribulation that we live in the last times and that the Lord is at hand, not be so foolish as to give in to worry. Let us rather recognize that next to God's Word we have an invincible, yes, an almighty weapon in prayer; if we use this weapon every day and every hour our victory is assured. With these three weapons, the Word, prayer, and tears, the Church has conquered in all ages. Lot us think of- that word of that poet of heroic faith and experience,
By anxious sighs and grieving
And self-tormenting care
God is not moved to giving;
All must be gained by prayer. (520,2)
Above all, whenever misery appears to be about to pour itself over our souls like a flood, remind ourselves in faith of the saying of the Lord, "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." Lk 18,7.8a.
That Christians might let themselves be moved to do this by the cry, " The Lord is at hand !" the apostle in our text adds as the concluding admonition a most comforting wish, " And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your heart and minds through Christ Jesus." V.7. If we will rejoice at the certainty of the nearness of the Lord, let our forbearance be known to all men, and casting all our care upon the Lord appear before him praying in all our great and small requests, " the peace of God which passeth all understanding " shall and will enter our hearts; for that is a peace in the midst of a warfare which will guard our heart and mind, our will and understanding, like a wall which reached to heaven, so that neither the flesh, nor the world, nor the devil can rob us of our treasure, and we will not fall from our fortress.
May Jesus Christ, "which is, and which was, and which is to come," praised to all eternity, grant that to us. Amen.