"Christ Does Come" based on Matthew 28:16-20 (2 of 3)

Advent Midweek - 2, December 10, 2008

Pastor Troy Slater Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Herington, Kansas

Just two short weeks ago this very night we gathered here in this same place to give thanks to God for His many blessings to us. Of course we gathered on that night because it was the evening before the national day of Thanksgiving. Of course the morning after the Day of Thanksgiving there was another gathering of sorts - a gathering perhaps some of us were at. And of course that gathering, it was at the stores! The morning after Thanksgiving has become a shoppers feeding frenzy as we all rush out to get those great deals on those perfect Christmas gifts – it’s often considered to be the kick-off of the Christmas season. And so now, two weeks later, the Christmas season is supposedly well under way, half over in fact. A season that will soon climax with a great explosion of gift-giving - the remnants of which will be but piles of ripped and mangled wrapping paper. That, at least in the world's mind, that is the season we are in.

But in the church, for us, we're not quite there yet, are we? It's not yet Christmas for after all, we're still in Advent. Oh yes, we will get to the Christmas season - there is in one - a season 12 days long in fact. But it doesn't END on December 25th, in fact it only BEGINS on December 25th. So yes we are still in Advent - a season that stresses "the coming" of Christ.

And certainly Christ's coming at Christmas is a part of the Advent theme of coming - in fact we looked at it last Wednesday evening. God becoming man for our salvation is certainly a reason for celebration. But, on the other hand, if the coming of the Son of God stops at the manger during this season of Advent, we will miss out on contemplating the other ways that God comes to us – and we certainly don’t want to do that.

For you see it is a part of God's nature to come and to be with His people. In fact we can see the coming of God throughout Holy Scripture. Even right after the Fall God came to be with His people. Even though Adam and Eve tried to hide – in shame - because of their sin – God came to them and declared His promise of a Savior. He even clothed them, covering their shame. God came to them.

And of course that was not the only time God came to His people. Among other times He came to Noah and spoke to him; He came to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses. God came to His people Israel at Mt. Sinai – hid Himself among them in a tent – also known as the tabernacle. Later, He was there in the temple – a building made of stone. God came to His people again and again and again.

And then finally, when the time was just right, God came in flesh and blood. The Hoy Spirit performed a miracle and the Son of God came in a new way in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God was born into our world, lived among us as one of us in order to take our place under the law. Of course He did that even all the way to the cross where He took the punishment we deserve, where He experienced the full guilt of our sin. He became “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” And to show that indeed, that was the case, that He is the sacrifice for all sin, He rose on the third day. And for forty days He continued to come to His people - His disciples - appearing to them, teaching them, forgiving them. For forty days He came to them until He then ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

And so now, He’s now in heaven, right? Left us here on earth .. Well, not exactly. For in our reading for this evening we have an account of Jesus just prior to His ascension. And in this account we have a promise – a promise that our Risen God made to all His people. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” “Surely I am with you always.” Ascended? Yes, certainly. Gone? No, absolutely not. Jesus has not left us. He did not come and then leave us to struggle aimlessly on our own. Our God is a God that comes to His people and He still comes to His people. As we go about His work -making disciples of all nations - baptizing, teaching, He promises He is with us. As we gather around His Word – He is there with us. “Where two or three gather together in my name,” He says, “I am there with them.” He comes to us through His Word.

He comes to us as He pours those waters of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit upon us at the baptismal font. He comes to us with forgiveness and cleansing. He comes.

He comes to us in His flesh and blood of His Holy Supper. “Take eat, this is my body, given for you; drink the blood of the covenant shed for the forgiveness of your sins.” He comes to us. Christ comes to us.

Yes Jesus is a historical figure, walked the dusty roads of this earth just like you and I. But He is also more than just a historical figure. He’s not just the baby born in Bethlehem and who died on a cross – although of course without all of that, as we heard last week, we have nothing. But He is also a real, living and ever-present Savior who comes to you through His Word, through His Sacraments - His means of grace as we often call them. He comes to His people.

And He will, He will until “the end of this age”. He promises. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Our God will continue to come to us until the day of His last coming – the day of the resurrection. And, well, certainly more on that one next week. But for now, this week, we focus on the comfort, we focus on the hope, we focus on the blessing that He gives to us as He continues to come – come yes even to us – to you and to me. Through His Word, through His Sacraments. Christ does come. He does. Christ does come. He has not left us – has not left you. He comes with forgiveness, He comes with hope, He comes with life. He comes. Christ does come, yes even now to you and to me. Christ comes. Amen.