First Sunday in Advent (2025)

Jer 23:5-8, Matthew 21:1-9

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. This cheer went up from the crowd on Palm Sunday as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, entered into the holy city of Jerusalem. They rejoiced at His advent for they thought the days spoken of by the Prophets were coming to pass. That the Romans would be evicted and that His Kingdom would be established forever. They looked forward to that day. They did not fully understand that these prophecies like the one in Jeremiah, and Zechariah, were pointing to a Kingdom that is far greater than all the kingdoms of the earth.

The Joyful Procession

This is what had been foretold.

They had longed for this day that the messiah would enter into the holy City and come to save God’s people. When you have prophecies like we have in Jeremiah you can understand their excitement. For the righteous branch, the son of David shall reign as a king and bring about Justice and righteousness, and the people of God will dwell securely. Who wouldn’t want to join in this cry of Hosanna. Now

Hosanna means God save us.

It is a cry for help and a plea for mercy that God would be our rescuer since we cannot rescue or save ourselves. So we turn to the one who promises to send a savior and be our rescuer. For at this point the people of Israel had been suffering for a long time, ruled by kings who tended towards evil, and by their sins had brought the land into slavery and exile during the days of Jeremiah. So here in Jerusalem, they rejoice at the coming of Christ, because

They trusted God’s promises.

That He would not turn a deaf ear, and that his wrath would not continue forever. He would remember His people and save them from their sins. They saw that in Jesus who by His ministry was showing that He is the messiah, God in the flesh, the long promised offspring that would save mankind. For

We Needed Saving

First from the power of the devil.

This is our ancient foe, who led Adam and Eve astray in the garden. He cleverly tempted Adam and Eve to break God’s one command and corrupt the creation that God had called very good. Now what happens from here. The consequence for breaking God’s commandment was the second thing we need to be saved from,

Second, from death.

Death is not natural, it wasn’t supposed to happen. When God created us, mankind was meant to live forever and be in God’s presence. However, when Adam broke God’s command, he brought death to all mankind. This is hard to wrap our mind around, because death has become so common and so normal as all of us are afflicted by it, that we try to embrace it as being fine.

Ultimately, from our sin.

This is the reason that we die. Yes, people die of cancer, heart attack, accidents, and many other reasons, but they aren’t the main problem. The reason we age, the reason we wear out is because of the sin that has been inherited and the punishment that lays upon mankind. Sin reveals the painful truth about mankind and all the ways we try to prolong our life. It doesn’t matter if you are young, old, rich, poor, wise, or a fool. You suffer the same fate, for sin has corrupted us all. We cannot outrun death, and that is why this cry has continued. Hosanna.

Our Continued Cry

When do we sing hosanna?

It comes in at an important part of the service, and has been used for centuries to teach and bring home a special point so that Christians may know when their Savior enters into our midst to save you from your sins. So

How does Jesus come to us?

Well God has established that He comes to us through the Word and Sacrament, and He doesn’t deal with us outside of the Word. It isn’t about looking for a feeling, or a random event. For those can leave one looking for something that may or may not happen. The Word of God that is reliable and has been given to you that you might know God’s will. So when we sing Hosanna blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, we sing it right before Communion. At that moment,

Does Jesus come to save you?

What does Jesus say? This is my body, if we receive the body of Christ through the Sacrament, and whoever eats his flesh has eternal life. So what does that mean when we are at that altar? Jesus is coming to save you. Why is it that we kneel and lift up our hands as beggars? Now I know not all can kneel, but why do we teach people to kneel, just like teach folks to fold your hands and close your eyes to help focus on prayer. Each part is meant to teach us what is going on. For your King comes to you to save you. God has heard our cries of Hosanna and comes to forgive our sins and give us eternal life.

Is That Good Enough?

As people, we want more.

There are many who say, well if Jesus were there, I would be there, and we point to the altar and say. He gives to us His body and blood. That’s not the Jesus nor the religion they want, they want a god who will operate on their terms and accommodate them. To which we have to say, He already descended from heaven, became flesh, and was born, and lived as we do, and suffered a painful death for your sake, and promised that if you receive these gifts then everything he worked for is yours, but that’s not good enough for you? You need to repent, and realize you aren’t in a position to judge God. Rather realize

God’s word is what we need.

For it is in his word that God makes these promises of salvation and tells us what He has done. For many will claim to hate God and reject God, but they never took the time to read what He said. Which should serve as a reminder to us, that if we are not in the word we can make the same mistake so study your Bibles daily. For

Faith trusts God’s promises.

If you aren’t in the Word then you won’t know what promises God has made, and you will miss the salvation that God has promised, and the hope that he gives to us poor sinners. This is important because too often do we as people put faith in our feelings, in our experiences, and in what we imagine God would do. That is not the same as faith, that is trust in God’s word. This is why many people end up falling away from the faith, for they think that God has failed them, when they don’t know what God has said. So if you are not in the Word, I cannot emphasize this enough, you need to be. For then you will understand the

The Divine Service

Every Sunday is reason for joy.

Not because we have the most excitement music or because church is lots of fun. That’s not what Church is about, and God doesn’t promise that to us in the Scriptures. You know what you will find?

God answers our cry of hosanna.

God save us, and at the start of service you will hear again the Words that were spoken over you on the day you were baptized, followed by the pastor who in the stead and by the command of Christ says promises that Jesus forgiveness is for you, you will then not only hear the word, but sing to God praising him with the songs that are sung by angels, prophets, men and women rejoicing in God’s salvation. To those who are prepared they will receive the supper of the Lord, and then all will receive God’s blessing before they head out.

So invite the whole town.

If they say why? Ask them, well have you worked off all your sins and freed yourself from death? Of course the answer is no, and then you can say, well since you haven’t done that. You should come check out church. For like you, I have not been able to free myself, but that’s why I’m at church because God sent His Son to save me. So join me in the pew.

So my brothers and sisters in Christ, as we gather today and receive the gift of the Sacrament once again. For Christ our Lord and our Savior comes once again to us, in, with, and under the bread and the wine to give us the gifts of salvation and his promised redemption. So when the time comes lift up your voice in unison as we all sing together Hosanna, as our Lord comes to us today to forgive our sins. In jesus name. Amen.