Second Wednesday in Advent Service

I would like to welcome you to the Kongsvinger Lutheran Church for our second of three midweek

Advent services.

Tonight we'll be following the Order of Vespers.

The opening hymn is going to be 344, and

if you would like to mark your hymnal, the psalm we will sing

together is Psalm 98.

Psalm 98.

Okay.

Congregation, please rise.

O Lord, open my lips.

Make haste, O God, to deliver me.

Make haste to help me,

O

Lord, to

the

cross.

Psalm 98.

Psalm 98.

O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.

His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation

for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation.

He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the

nations.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of

Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Break forth into joyous song and sing

praises.

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the

lyre and the sound of melody.

With the trumpets and the sound of the

horn.

Make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar and all that fills it.

The world and those who dwell in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands.

Let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord.

For he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples

with equity.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning is now

and will be forever.

Amen.

Hymn 344.

You may be

seated.

Please remain standing.

Word of the Lord recorded for us.

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 1 starting at verse 39.

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah and she entered

the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the

Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your

womb and why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come

to me.

For behold when the sound of your greeting came to my ears the baby in my womb leaped for joy

and blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.

O Lord have mercy on us.

We'll sing the response.

Behold the days are coming says the Lord when I will raise up for David a

righteous branch.

This is the name by which he will be called.

The Lord is our righteousness.

In his day Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell

securely.

This is the name by which he will be called.

The Lord is our righteousness.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy

Spirit.

This is the name by which he will be called.

The Lord is our righteousness.

You may be seated.

In the name of Jesus.

Amen.

So last week we heard the song of Zechariah.

Tonight we hear the song of Elizabeth.

Hers is a short song but it's an important song and as we pointed out last week

it's a little bit odd that at his son's circumcision after

Zechariah was unable to speak for nine whole months the first

person that he talks about is not his son.

First person he talks about is his savior Jesus.

If you think all the way back in the early part of the chapter then you'll remember that the angel

Gabriel the exact same that appeared to Daniel and gave him the prophecy of the 70

weeks.

That same Gabriel appeared to Zechariah while

he was serving in the temple and just by way of remembering let's hear

again what it is that Gabriel said to Zechariah.

Do not be afraid.

Your prayer has been heard.

Your wife will bear you a son.

You shall call his name John which means you don't even get to name your own son.

God does.

Isn't that funny?

He doesn't get to name him Zechariah Jr.

He gets to name him John which kind of stands out and listen to what he says.

You will have joy and gladness.

Many will rejoice at his birth for he will be great before the Lord and he must not drink wine or strong

drink and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.

That's right.

John the Baptist will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's

womb and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

So far so good but then it says this and he will go before him before the Christ the Messiah

and the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the

just to make ready for the Lord the people prepared.

In other words John the Baptist he has a very important ministry preaching repentance and it's in preparation for

the Messiah which means that John the Baptist from before he was even conceived

was known by God to be the one who would play second fiddle to Jesus and it's important

for us to recognize that but something similar is happening between that event and

remember Zechariah didn't quite believe the words of Gabriel he's kind of

sitting there going you know listen my wife she does she she went through menopause decades ago

this isn't going to happen.

What are you talking about.

This is kind of his attitude and he's made to be silent for nine months and in between that time the angel

Gabriel then appears to Mary tells her she will conceive and that she will bear the

Messiah.

And of course she asked the important question how will this be since I'm a virgin and the angel said to her the Holy Spirit will come upon you

and the power of the most high will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born will be called holy the son of God and behold your relative Elizabeth

in her old age has conceived a son and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren for

nothing will be impossible with God.

Note here Mary is unique in all of human history she's the only woman who got pregnant through her ears

through the words of an angel preached to her the Holy Spirit coming upon her.

But here Gabriel reveals to her that well her cousin Elizabeth

the one who's way up in age who's never had a single child in her entire life who's been barren.

She's now pregnant and six months along.

Very interesting stuff.

But here's that what happens next.

No sooner does Mary find this information out.

And of course we'll hear her song next week that immediately after that it says in those days Mary

arose and went with haste to the hill country to a town in Judah.

How pregnant is the virgin Mary at this point.

Well um she's pregnant.

I mean for sure.

But if you were to look for Jesus you'd need a microscope.

Jesus is about the size of a the the tip of a needle.

You know he's a zygote at this point that's how developmentally far along he is.

And so it's very fascinating what's happening here.

She runs basically to head over to cousin Elizabeth's house and she entered the house of

Zacharias.

She greeted Elizabeth.

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby leaped in her womb.

And we'll kind of pause here for a second.

Let me let me kind of work this out.

Have you all ever been to a baby shower.

Now in my lifetime I cannot say that I've had a perfect

record of never attending a baby shower.

I have fumbled the ball on one instance and found myself attending one okay boy was

I grieved at this experience because you'll note the baby showers.

Well let's just say there's not a lot for guys to do and the women seem

to have like a certain energy in these baby showers that just just

a guy can't quite understand.

Okay let me explain like when everybody comes in oh it's oh it's so good to see

you.

And they talk like this their voices are way high and all this kind of stuff.

I kind of picture here that vibe.

And I'll explain why Elizabeth is really well advanced in years and the fact

that she's going to be able to have the joy of having a child six months along and she's

showing.

Right.

And so Mary shows up and I can only imagine it says here that Mary greeted

her and what that must have sounded like oh my goodness it would have been high

pitch you know you know what I'm talking about.

Right.

And of course the fact that she's has the joy of being able to have a child this late in life.

It's like the entire pregnancy regardless of whether or not she's throwing up and having morning sickness or anything like that

the whole thing is just one big thing of rejoicing and joy and

all of that being said.

And here's the thing the one baby shower I was not able to dodge and I

had to go to.

Okay I can legitimately say that the focus of

everybody is on the baby.

Right.

Everybody is buying clothes for the baby making blankets for the baby maybe

pitching in and having a few people buy a very expensive stroller for the baby.

I'm not sure how they got along without those back in the day those are very handy by the way.

But all of that being said you're going to note something well

odd is going to take place here.

It's as odd as when Zachariah opens his mouth for the first time in nine months and

the first person he talks about is Jesus.

It's that same thing.

So Elizabeth hearing the greeting of Mary the baby

in her womb leaped.

That wasn't just a bump it was a whoo Jesus is here kind of

thing.

And you'll note that John the Baptist begins his job of pointing to the

Messiah.

And he does so while he is still in the womb of his mother Elizabeth.

And if you remember what Gabriel said that John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit

even from the womb.

Which kind of begs the question.

Okay if you've ever heard people talk like this a little bit of an aside bunny trail if you would.

Okay have you ever heard anyone say.

Well you know listen you know you can't become a Christian until you reach the age of

accountability.

And then and only then are you capable of making a free will decision to ask Jesus

into your heart.

This is how people talk.

Right.

Here's the issue.

There isn't a single biblical text that talks about this nonsense.

And then when you sit there and say hey when Peter is preaching his Pentecost sermon

and he says to the crowd repent be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises for you and for your children.

Sit there and go look at baptism is for children too.

They will say uh -uh can't do that because a child cannot make a free

will decision for Jesus.

And so my question then is this.

Is it possible for an infant to be filled with the Holy Spirit if they're not a Christian.

Well no you can't be filled with the Holy Spirit unless you unless you're a Christian.

Right.

How'd John the Baptist pull it off.

Right.

You'll know he's filled with the Holy Spirit just like the angel Gabriel said.

In fact a couple of verses just to kind of make the point.

We'll start with the Psalms.

Psalm 22 verse 9 it says this.

Yet you are he who took me from the womb.

You made me trust you at my mother's breasts on you was I cast from my

birth.

And from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Is the psalmist saying that one can have faith in God even from his mother's womb.

Yeah that's exactly what the text is saying.

Because here's the reason why if you kind of think about it this way remember what Paul says in Ephesians 2.

Y 'all were dead in trespasses and sins.

And when she once walked y 'all were dead.

You know you know how dead dead is.

I mean it's really dead.

Okay just came back from uh doing a a prayer

service for Phyllis McGregor.

And she was there and she was well the best way I can say it.

She looked like she was sleeping.

But she was dead.

You know what she did tonight.

Nothing.

The dead don't do anything.

And so we come into this world because of Adam's sin dead and trespasses and sins.

But God is the one who makes us alive in Christ.

And you'll note that Ephesians 2 8 9 and 10 says this.

You are saved by grace through faith.

This is not your own doing.

It's the gift of God so that no one may boast.

For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has prepared in

advance for us to do.

So you'll note then that anybody who believes in Jesus who trusts in him it is God who has

worked that miracle given them faith and regenerated them.

And can God regenerate an old person.

Yes.

Can God regenerate an infant in the womb.

You betcha.

Right.

And who are you to say that he cannot.

So psalm 22.

You are he who took me from the womb.

You made me to trust you at my mother's breasts on you as I cast from my birth and from my mother's

womb you have been my God.

Similar text in psalm 71 says this for you.

Oh lord are my hope my trust.

Oh lord from my youth upon you I have leaned before my birth.

You are he who took me from my mother's womb.

My praise is continually of you.

And if that's not enough you sit there and go.

Yeah.

Well what do you got in the new testament.

Well I got a good one for you.

Are you ready.

Jesus himself.

I want you to consider what was happening here in Matthew chapter 21.

Jesus is in Jerusalem.

He's in the temple.

And you know what people are doing.

They're bringing to Jesus people who are blind

who are lame who are sick.

And you know what Jesus is doing with all of these people that they bring to him.

He is healing them.

And the sight got the attention of the local children of Jerusalem.

And with each and every healing the children were crying out Hosanna to the son

of David.

Yay for Jesus.

Right.

And this really annoyed the scribes and the chief priests.

The text says in Matthew 21.

The blind and the lame came to him in the temple and Jesus healed them.

But when the chief priests and the scribes and the law saw the wonderful things that Jesus

did and the children crying out in the temple Hosanna to the son of David they were

indignant.

And so they said to Jesus.

Do you hear what these children are saying.

Kind of reminds me of like a bad like children's player movie.

Right.

So Jesus said to them.

Well yes have you never read out of the mouth of infants and

nursing babies.

You have prepared praise.

Jesus quotes Psalm 8.

It's a pretty good text.

Jesus makes it very clear.

Oh yes children even the small ones even the ones in the womb can praise him.

And that's what's happening in our text.

There is John the Baptist.

He's beginning to do his work.

He sees he somehow knows he's in contact with Jesus.

He can't see him.

Of course nobody can.

Jesus is microscopic.

At this point he leaps in the womb.

Elizabeth because John the Baptist her son is filled with the Holy Spirit.

She's also filled with the Holy Spirit.

It's like the Holy Spirit just spilled out all over the place.

And she exclaims then with a loud cry

prophetically blessed are you among women.

Indeed what a blessing it had to be to carry your savior in your womb

to be the one chosen by God to bear the son of God.

Indeed blessed she is.

But I would note that blessing probably had to feel like a curse while she watched Jesus die on the cross.

We know that she was there.

We know that she was there because while Jesus was suffering for your sins for my

sins and for Mary's sins Jesus made sure that his own mother was

taken care of and assigned the task of looking after her for the apostle John.

Which means she was there when her son didn't feel

like a blessing at that time.

For sure most likely a curse.

But even with Christ's death it was the greatest blessing of all.

Because then and only then could she know.

And you and I know that our sins are forgiven because of what Christ accomplished.

Blessed are you among women.

Blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And then why.

Why is it granted to me that the mother of my lord should come to me.

What a great question.

Note the theology.

Holy spirit inspire.

Mother of my lord.

Are you saying that Jesus Jesus is the son of God.

Right.

That's kind of the point.

Right.

So Mary is the mother of our lord.

Then she says for behold when the sound of your greeting came to my ears the baby in

my womb leap for joy.

Now hold on a second here the first things

we hear from Elizabeth are not about her own

son for real.

So who's she extolling the praises of.

Who is she glorifying.

Who is she invoking.

None other than the messiah.

The baby she can't even see because Mary hasn't even got a bump yet.

Right.

Exactly.

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the lord.

And I would note then here this blessing that is spoken by Elizabeth

in the song of hers that she invokes the blessing that Mary has.

This is a blessing that we all can have.

Now you and I don't get to bear the messiah the way she did not at all.

Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the lord.

And here's the deal.

We are saved by grace through faith in each of us having heard the good news the glad tidings

delivered to us through Christ's holy apostles in the word of God.

Having heard that Christ has bled and died for our sins and that he has promised us full

pardon grace mercy forgiveness and inheritance in the world to come that he will

establish when he returns in glory to judge the living and the dead.

And in that world there will be no sin there will be no death and there will be no end of that world.

We will enjoy it forever and ever.

Blessed are you who believe that there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to you from the lord

through his prophets and through his apostles through the word of God.

This blessing spoken over Mary is also yours as well

because she was told and she believed that she would bear the one who would who would cover

the sins of the world by his blood.

You and I believe that he has covered our sins by his blood.

This blessing is for you and for me.

As far as baby showers go it's probably not really a baby shower but it has the baby shower vibe.

This is the most interesting baby shower I've ever seen.

We're the one that's going to be born just three months away from popping into this world and beginning his course

it's barely spoken of.

But the baby you can't even see is the one being praised.

Think about it.

Isn't that how it should be this Christmas.

As we get close to Christmas we again remember the great gift that God has given us in the son of

God.

And it is good right salutary and befitting that we should invoke his

praises his name glorify him and take a back

seat to his glorious grace which we remember at this season

in the name of.

Amen we rise

for the canticle.

Let my prayer rise before you as incense

our

father

who

art

in

heaven.

Hallowed

be

thy

name

thy

kingdom

come thy will be done on

earth as it.

Is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

forever and ever.

Amen.

The lord be with you.

Let us pray stir up our hearts oh lord

to make ready the way of your only begotten son that by his coming we may be enabled to serve you with pure

minds to the same jesus christ your son our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god now

and forever.

Amen.

Oh god from whom come all holy desires all good counsels all just works.

Give to us your servants that peace which the world cannot give that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments

and also that we being defended from the fear of our enemies may live in peace and quietness through

jesus christ your son our lord who lives and reigns with you in the holy spirit one god

now and forever.

Let us bless the lord.

Thanks be to god.

The grace of our lord jesus christ and the love of god and the

communion of the holy spirit.

Be with you all.

Hymn number 342.