“A Light with a Special Purpose!” Rom. 1.1-7 Advent 4A, Dec. ’25

 

1.       Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word for the 4^th Sunday in Advent is entitled, “A Light with a Special Purpose!” is taken from Romans 1:1-7 and is entitled, “A Light with a Special Purpose!” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.      As we look at the lives of Christians living together and shining brightly the light of Christ, it causes one to consider how the lights on a Christmas tree are used. Over the year’s of serving as a Pastor, I heard of one family having a Christmas ornament that’s a small church that has an opening for a light to be placed inside. As that family unwrapped this simple ornament, hung it on the tree, and placed the light inside, they were always amazed at how this simple church ornament takes on a whole new identity. Displayed among all the other lights, this particular one stands out as a light with a special purpose, as the light shines out of its windows, drawing one’s attention not to the ornament itself but to the light inside.  That’s very much what St. Paul says about himself in our text—and what he says about each of us. He tells us that we are each a light with a special purpose.

4.       Paul’s opening words in his letter to the Christians in Rome bring out the similarity to this simple church ornament: Romans 1:1 says, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” Just as the ornament was filled with darkness until the light was placed inside, so also was the life of Paul. As a young Pharisee, he went by the name of Saul, and, like many of his contemporaries, he lived a strict life of observance to the Jewish religious laws and ceremonies. His life’s goal was to persecute Christ and see to the arrest or murder of anyone, including the apostles, who proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah.

5.       Amazingly, Saul became the great apostle we know as Paul, the author of our text who so beautifully writes about his faith as one who had been set apart for a special purpose in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Set apart in an extraordinary life that wasn’t chosen by himself but as one sent by Christ, a life as a servant with a mission to shine the light of Christ into the lives of the Gentiles.

6.       Paul didn’t choose to be a servant for Christ. It was quite the opposite, he’d chosen a life of artificial shining success within the world. The standard for shining success in the world is different and distorted. Even as Paul refers to his readers as those “loved by God and called to be saints” (v 7), there’s much confusion in the hearts and minds of man. The world would have us to believe in ourselves, to be wise and strong in making our own choices, taking the initiative to be good and worthy first, long before God would even consider loving us. For us, becoming a saint is a challenging work that we must strive for and accomplish. The world would also have us to believe that once you or I accomplish sainthood then we may have earned the right to be loved by God. Isn’t that what Saul was really trying to do through his persecuting of Christ and arresting those who witnessed of Jesus?

7.       By those same distorted standards, Saul and all men are left in the dark and truly unsuccessful in earning God’s love. Success in self-achieving sainthood and earning God’s love is impossible, leaving us in the darkness of our sins, searching for “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 Jn 2:16). If we’re honest, as God’s Word reveals our sinfulness, we’ll humbly admit as Paul writes, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

8.       But God had even murderous Saul in mind when he set apart his own Son, Jesus, for His most special purpose: to be the Light of the world, the Messiah promised through the Old Testament. Jesus is the Good News “who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:3–4). Yes, this Good News message centers on Jesus, who was born of a humble mother and laid in a manger. Born a direct descendant of David through Mary and Joseph. Born to fulfill God’s first promise to Adam and Eve—to send a Savior, the Seed of the woman, to rescue all men from their sins. Born to suffer and die with the burden of every man’s sin laid upon Him on the cross of Calvary. Born to die and be laid in a tomb. But God’s grace didn’t send His only Son into this world to be born and die to the same dead end that death is for every other human. Christ Jesus, after taking our sins upon Himself, put them to death and then was vindicated as the Son of God, conquering death by His resurrection.

9.       For Paul, this all became clear after that unforgettable day when he was on the road to Damascus and the “light from heaven shone around him” (Acts 9:3). From that moment on, life was no longer his own to do with as he pleased. He had been set apart from everything he was and had done before, as Jesus revealed Himself in light and Word. 

10.   As Christ’s chosen instrument, Paul listened and obeyed the words of his Lord. Christ had called him for a special purpose: to be an apostle, set apart to shine the light of Christ’s Gospel through to others. “We have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:5–6).

11.   Rightly so, Paul refers to himself, in v 1 of our text, as a “servant of Christ Jesus,” taking great joy in being a slave for his Lord and Master. No longer did he wish to achieve his own glory but sought to share the light of Christ with those living in darkness. Paul realized the light that was now shining through him wasn’t based upon his own worthiness, but was rather a pure and holy gift of grace. A gift of loving grace from God, a gift that changed his life and the life of all men as “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

12.   We, too, have been called by God’s free gift of grace in Christ for the special purpose of living and sharing with others, through word and deed, this Gospel message. It’s entirely a matter of grace that we are among those “who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). Loved and called by grace through His Holy Spirit in His Word and in the washing waters of Baptism, making us His own, in faith, and setting us apart to be witnesses for Him. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10).

13.   Being loved by God and called as a saint to shine the light of Christ on others isn’t always easy. There are many fears and doubts that overshadow the light of Christ in our lives, just as there were for the prophets, evangelists, Paul, and the other apostles. Man’s sinful nature will always welcome the temptations of the devil to pull down the shade on sharing and living the light of Christ. Yet in God’s grace, there’s peace and assurance of strength. The angels announced that peace over the shepherds as they sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:14). Their message of peace wasn’t one of drying our tears in comfort for the moment.  Instead, their message of peace was anchored in the redemptive work of Christ. His redemptive work is given to us in His Word and through His Sacrament of the Altar, where we receive the forgiveness for our sins, the strength in faith to endure temptations, and the assurance of life everlasting. Their message of peace calls us to seek our rest in Christ when overwhelmed by temptation, to call upon Him, to answer our prayers, and to grant us comfort when challenged by life.

14.   Paul was called by Christ to be a light with a special purpose. He was “set apart for the Gospel of God” (Romans 1:1), to shine the light of Christ into the lives of the Gentiles. We, too, have been called by Christ to be “light(s) of the world” and to let our “light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:14–16). Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.

 

“And Mary Sang” Luke 1.46-55 Advent Mid3 Dec. ‘25

 

1.      Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. In our Advent midweek series, “All About Mary,” we have discovered that as we learn about Mary, we learn about Jesus. That has been true all along in Luke’s Gospel, and it is especially true today. In our text from Luke 1:46-55, Mary has just finished her astonishing conversation with the angel Gabriel. She does not linger. She rises and goes quickly to the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is six months pregnant with the child who will be known as John the Baptist. The message today is entitled, “And Mary Sang,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.      Do babies in the womb respond to things outside the womb? Every mother here knows the answer to that question. They most certainly do. Mary arrives, bearing the Christ Child. At this point Jesus is no more than a fertilized ovum, and yet He is already fully human, already fully divine, already the Savior of the world. Scripture speaks clearly and beautifully here: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jer. 1:5), and “You knitted me together in my mother’s womb” (Ps. 139:13). These are holy mysteries, beyond our reason, yet clearly confessed by the Word of God.

3.      When Mary greets Elizabeth, something remarkable happens: “The baby leaped in her womb.” (Luke 1:41) It’s not in the Bible, but I bet you a nickel she said, “Ouch!” or “Uff da!” or something like that first. John the Baptist, not yet born, already does what he was sent to do—he points to Jesus. And Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks words that echo through the ages: “Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43)” By the Spirit’s inspiration, she knows exactly who dwells within Mary’s womb.

4.      Then Mary speaks—really, she sings. And the words she sings have been sung by the Church for nearly two thousand years: the Magnificat. Beautiful words. Holy words. And words filled with joyful surprise. Because the Magnificat is really about holy comic reversals—the way God turns the world upside down.

5.      God Lifts the Lowly. Mary begins with joy: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Why? Because God has looked upon her humble estate. She is not royalty. She is not wealthy. She is not powerful. And yet God has chosen her. She marvels that from now on all generations will call her blessed—not because of who she is, but because of what God has done. At the heart of this song is a confession: “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. (Luke 1:46–48a, 51b–53). God is mighty. God is holy. And because He is holy, He judges rightly. Because He is mighty, He carries out His judgment.

6.      All people of all time have appreciated comic reversals. For example, let’s say we have a cartoon mouse. He’s being chased by a cat. The cat is about to pounce. Just then, the mouse sees the mousetrap. He flips it up into the air. The trap snaps shut on the cat’s nose. “Yeeeoww!” The cheese falls out of the trap. The mouse grabs it and runs away laughing. The cats of this world love to torment the mice, don’t they? It’s so satisfying when the tables are turned, the cat gets his comeuppance, and the mouse gets away with it. Dante called his epic poem the Divine Comedy. And properly so. The world will end like this. Just when the powers of Satan are about to destroy the church, Christ comes down from heaven with his angels and throws the devil and his angels into the lake of fire forever and ever (Rev 20:7–10).

7.      But here is the surprise: His judgment is mercy for the humble. “His mercy is for those who fear Him.” For those who know they are not holy. For those who repent. For those who cling not to themselves but to His promises. Mary herself is the picture of this faith. “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Scripture repeats this truth again and again: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He may exalt you.” (1 Peter 5:6) And nowhere is this more clearly seen than in Christ Himself, who humbled Himself unto death—even death on a cross—for you (Phil 2:7–8. He takes your sin. He gives you His holiness. That is the great exchange.

8.      God Brings Down the Proud. Then come the reversals. God scatters the proud. He brings down the mighty from their thrones. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18) This is not new. Mary knows her Scriptures well. Think of Jezebel. She was the wicked wife of King Ahab. She browbeat her husband until he confiscated Naboth’s vineyard. But when Jehu overthrew Ahab’s son, he had Jezebel thrown out the window to the street, where her body was eaten by dogs. The runaway number one bestseller in Shakespeare’s day was, “Concerning the Fates of Famous Men.” It contained story after story of ambitious men who managed to be lifted up rapidly by the Wheel of Fortune in terms of wealth or fame, only to be tossed off by another turn of the wheel just when they were about to triumph.

9.      But the greatest example is Satan himself. Once a glorious angel, filled with pride, he sought to make himself equal with God—and was cast down. And when Satan later tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus defeated him—not with power displays, but with the Word of God. Jesus did this for you, to rescue you from your own pride and from the devil’s accusations.

10.   And then there is King Saul and King David. Saul, tall and impressive, chosen by human eyes, rejected because of pride and disobedience. David, the youngest, the shepherd, overlooked and forgotten—chosen by God. As 1 Samuel 16 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7).  David is exalted, and from his line comes the true King—Jesus Christ, whose kingship was proclaimed on a sign above His cross. This is how God works. Faith, not flesh. Promise, not power. Grace, not pride. And even faith itself is God’s gift, delivered to us in the waters of Holy Baptism.

11.   God Feeds the Hungry Mary speaks of hunger because hunger was always near. Famine was never far away. And so she sings: “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:53) And how does God fill us? With the greatest meal of all. With the true Body and Blood of Christ, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins. Here the hungry are filled. Here the empty are satisfied.

12.   Mary ends by confessing that God has remembered His mercy. He has kept His promises to Abraham—and He has kept them for you. (Luke 1:54-55) The promises of forgiveness. Of peace. Of rest. Of eternal life. Promises spoken by Christ Himself and sealed by His cross and resurrection.

13.   The Lord has come to rescue Israel from her enemies. How has he done so? By sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for us. God has remembered his promises to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And to you. Listen: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer 31:34). “In my Father’s house are many rooms. . . . I go to prepare a place for you” (Jn 14:2). “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:27). “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43). And finally this: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:3–4).

14.   Sing it with Mary!  And so we sing with Mary. We rejoice with Mary. We magnify the Lord with Mary. Because God’s holy comedy ends not in tragedy, but in joy—joy that carries us all the way into eternity. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.