Fourth Sunday in Advent (2024)

Philippians 4:4-7 & Psalm 111

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ we draw near to the day of the celebration of the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was born into this world to be our savior. This is the day that creation had longed to see since the fall, and it reminds us at all times, that no matter how dark or difficult the days, no matter how greatly we are afflicted, that we have nothing to fear in this life, we know that the Lord is at Hand, and the Works of the Lord are great and wondrous, and as the Psalmist glorifies God, His name is Holy and Awesome!

Rejoice in the Lord Always?

Sinners hear this and wonder.

How can one rejoice in God who makes so many demands of us, who deals with mankind in his terrible fury, who knows not just what I do in the daylight, but also who knows what transpires at night and behind closed doors. Who sees into the hearts and minds of men, and demands from this absolute perfection. Who could rejoice in a God such as this who holds my eternal soul in his hand? That is why

Without faith, it’s impossible.

For without faith all you have in the Law of God which offers heaven only to those who have earned it and done all that the Law requires, and if what you have is the law, then that means

You only know God as Judge.

Who will way weigh your deeds, and you will be weighed and measured against God’s own holiness, this is why all who rely on the Law are under a curse, and never dream of their being salvation.

To rejoice is to trust the Lord.

To trust the Lord is to rely not upon your works, your merits, or anything that you have accomplished but instead to rely upon what God has promised to give you through His Word. For when God’s Word, and His promises dwell within the heart, then you find a heart that is full of every reason to rejoice, for our joy, and our hope is not found in who you are, but rather in what God has done for you, and what God has promised to you.

God’s Fatherly Love

God has called you His child.

The creator of all things has shown to you a Father’s heart, now if your father was not good, kind, or loving, then this can be difficult to understand, but if you cannot understand through a good example, then you can understand through what was missing, and what was needed, and then you begin to understand that where your earthly father failed you, your heavenly one doesn’t. For your Father in Heaven is a good Father, and that is why

The Father has provided for you!

Now in the first article of the creed we confess that God has given me clothing and shoes, food, and drink, my reason and all my senses and still takes care of them. The Father in heaven is not absent, nor has he abandoned his creation, but provides from the birds of the air, to the lilies of the field, and you are more valuable than they. When it comes to our sins,

God has dealt with you patiently.

Quite often we wonder why it is that God doesn’t deal with the wicked much more quickly, and yet we forget that we rely on his mercy and grace. For if God dealt with us in the fashion we want evil and wickedness to be dealt with who amongst would be left here? A professor at Seminary told us if you plan to remove all sinners from the Christian Congregation, then you had best start in the pulpit! It is from this mercy and longsuffering that what is mentioned here in Scripture grows in our hearts.

Christian Gentleness

This Good Work flows from faith.

It does not flow out of the Law, for the Law demands perfection and those enslaved to it, have no patience, they are unwilling to suffer any loss for the sake of their neighbor, for they are working hard, why can’t others just get things right and quit being so stupid and wasting their time. There’s not kindness, no gentleness, no reasonableness, you are known for your wrath, not your mercy, but this mercy

This is what God showed you.

Or have you earned your way into heaven? Have you never fallen, never slipped, are you able to make full amends for your sins without Christ? When you pray forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, do you pray that without any fear because you have no sins that God has to forgive?

We are to be merciful as our Father is.

For when we consider what the Father has provided for us, it wasn’t because we’re good or righteous. The reason that the Father in heaven sent His Son Jesus to be born in Bethlehem isn’t because we are good, but because He was showing us steadfast love and mercy. He gave to us undeserved grace, that He washed away your sins, and fed you with the food of heaven, that you may not perish eternally.

Don’t let faith be only on your lips.

Don’t say one thing, but not have it touch your hearts, for Jesus was known for His gentleness with sinners, and isn’t that same kindness what He has shown to you dear sinner. When you had wandered far way from God’s grace and mercy, and by your sins deserved to perish, that Jesus sought you out, and rejoicing carried you home on His shoulders. The same shoulders that carried your cross. This is what brings to us

The Peace of God

This comes from faith in the heart.

That is where the promises of God ought to dwell in you! They ought to be held close each and every day so that no matter what happens you may be of good cheer in all that Jesus has accomplished for you. But when something else dwells there, there will be no end of anxieties, worries, and distress.

This why God forbids idols.

Idols take up the place in the heart that is meant for Him. Those idols can be any number of things, and I would encourage all of you to read Luther’s Large Catechism on the first commandment to see what those idols include, they can certainly be statues, but they also be your works, be it your good works done to earn God’s favor, or in our narcissistic age, it’s working on your perfect self. But if you chase after those things, you won’t know the peace of God.

Consider all that God has done.

The psalms frequently reflect on God’s majestic works, and all that He has accomplished and done, and how God not only fashioned the heavens above and everything in them, but also provides for all creation. His words are faithful and just and keeps all His promises. That’s why you

You can bring him your worries.

God has shown to you a Father’s heart by calling you His child. We aren’t worshipping an idol or ourselves, we can bring our concerns before the creator of all things and lay them at his feet. So bring your worries before him, like a child concerned about the troubles of this life.

Lay them down at his feet, and unburden your heart to him, prayer is a precious gift that God gives to His children. God invites us to bring these worries to Him and entrust the outcomes to His care. For you aren’t just bringing your concerns to another fallen creature, you aren’t looking for the unfeeling vibrations of the universe, or even tackle all of your problems through the meditative practices of the east. You are approaching your Father in Heaven who not only made all things, but ordered your days, and when you were in desperate need sent His only-begotten Son to save you. God cares about you as your Father in heaven.

This my Brothers and Sisters in Christ is why we can rejoice in the Lord always, looking at God’s many promises, and seeing the love that He has shown to us. For even when we had fallen deeply into our sins, God showed remarkable restraint that we might not perish, but sent Jesus to save you. With these blessings we may now peace which the world does not. May that peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.