"Advent Time Preparation!" Romans 13:8-14

First Sunday In Advent (Ad Te Levavi)                   3-December-2023
Sermon Text: Romans 13:8-14
Sermon Theme: “Advent Preparation!” I. Dying To Live! (Vs.8-10) II. Awake and Washed!(vs.11-12) III. Dressed and Following Jesus.(vs.13-14) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert 

I.N.R.I. Mat 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" The beginning is here! History records, Luk 3:1-3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, (2) while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (3) And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,” John, the preacher and baptizer, is a called and sent servant of the Word. He preaches to you. Hear him! Doctor Luke records, Luk 3:7-10 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. (9) And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (10) So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?"
    What kind of preacher calls the congregation that has gathered to hear him a brood of poisonous snakes? Spawn of Satan? Asks why are you here? Who warned you to flee God’s impending wrath? Calls you to be sorry for your sins and bear fruits of true repentance? Shatters the illusion that just because our parents were Christians - it won’t save us from being thrown into the fire of hell? What kind of preacher is John? One sent by God to prepare us for the beginning!
      The beginning of newness in The Lord our Righteousness - in Jesus! The beginning of being a new creation in Christ Jesus. Hosanna! Lord, save us! Draw near! Advent among us! Today in our congregation. Tomorrow and everyday in our homes, hearts, and lives! Repent! Turn from our cold sin darkened world and its perverted wisdom. Repent! Turn from your cold sin hardened heart living only for self. Prepare for the beginning - come to the Crucified! Let the Holy Spirit call, gather, and enlighten you through St. Paul in:“Advent Preparation!”
I. Dying To Live! (Vs.8-10) II. Awake and Washed!(vs.11-12)
 III. Dressed and Following Jesus.(vs.13-14)
 I. The world knows nothing of Advent. Before October 31st, stores were already preparing their Christmas section. Black Friday sales preoccupied the month of November swallowing up even thanksgiving. Many rush to try to buy a “happy holiday.” It is a deception seeded by Satan and clung to by our fallen flesh. The idolatry of stuff. Dr. Luther rightly diagnoses it: “Many a one thinks that he has God and everything in abundance when he has money and, possessions; he trusts in them and boasts of them with such firmness and assurance as to care for no one. 6 Lo, such a man also has a god, Mammon by name, i.e., money and possessions, on which he sets all his heart, and which is also the most common idol on earth. 7 He who has money and possessions feels secure, and is joyful and undismayed as though he were sitting in the midst of Paradise. 8 On the other hand, he who has none doubts and is despondent, as though he knew of no God. 9 For very few are to be found who are of good cheer, and who neither mourn nor complain if they have not Mammon. This [care and desire for money] sticks and clings to our nature, even to the grave. (L.C.; First Commandment )
    Advent preparation is dying to our old sinful selfish nature. This gracious death washed upon you in holy baptism. At the font you died with Jesus. He rides into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey. He by whom all things were created. He who owns all things. Emptied Himself. Came as a Pauper. He has no home, no bed, no beauty that we should desire Him. He rides into Jerusalem as King. The True King of Creation - He reclaims His creation from the prince of darkness. Satan stole mankind, corrupted creation, chained us with his lies masquerading as worldly wisdom, promised us freedom only to enslave us with our sinful desires, and the fruit of unrepentance - death - now and eternally in hell. Jesus rides into Jerusalem fulfilling God’s Word and Promise preached by His prophets from the beginning. We don’t find God - He advents - He comes finding us cowering in our darkness and despair. He comes humbly in His Word preached by sinful men He has called and sent. He comes in simple water, a hand placed on our forehead releasing us from the burden of our sin, guilt, and shame. He comes in simple bread and wine through His Word. His Church isn’t impressive to the world - it is His Kingdom of Grace. He is Love! Love sacrifices Himself to rescue us sinners who hated Him.
    Repent! This new year Jesus calls you back to Himself - to His cross -to be washed forgiven - made new again by His sacrificial death in your place and His resurrection for you! He calls you, ‘Live in Me!”(Romans 13:8) Live in Love! Paul instructs, Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” In Romans 13 Paul echos Jesus’ teaching in the Temple during Holy Week. His enemies tried to trap Him as an insurrectionist and tax rebel. Remember what Jesus did? Luk 20:24-25 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They answered and said, "Caesar's." (25) And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." God the Holy Spirit preaches to us through St. Paul to honor government as God’s institution to punish lawbreakers keeping evil in check by the sword. As citizens of a nation we give honor to whom honor is due.
  We are also citizens of King Jesus’ Kingdom of Grace. He has paid our price in full. Now in Him we rise daily to a new life. Our only debt - Love! (Rom.13:9) Our sin darkened world doesn’t know the Light of True Love. It perverts human sexuality. Takes the gift of sex outside of God’s gift of marriage - the union of one man and one woman for life - it adulterates that which God created as a blessing. It isn’t love to adulterate God’s gift of sex for selfish lewdness, lust, and desires. Our sin darkened world hates human life, for Satan hates human life - so we slaughter babies and call it health care. Ohio enshrines death into its constitution calling it “love.” We love stuff so we steal - families are shattered over inheritance. We love self - so we post, comment, and explain every action of those we disagree in the darkest coldest way. We never tire of trying to fill our lives following desires for more stuff or someone else’s position and power.
    Repent! Daily die to the old sinful adam in you! Rise forgiven made new in Jesus!(Rom.13:10) Let Jesus live through you in loving service to your neighbor - in your home - in your congregation - in your community.
II. As the darkness increases in nature and days grow shorter. It is easy to think it’s bedtime only to see its only 7p.m.. The darkness increases our slothfulness. We tire easy, want to hibernate. Spiritual darkness has the same effect on our human soul, psyche, fallen reason, and strength. We just want to sleep - ignore the time!(Rom. 13:11-12) The Time! Paul doesn’t use the Greek word “chronos” which means measurable time - as we look at the chronometer on our wrists to see how long the sermon lasts. He uses “kairos” - the opportune seasonable time - the right time!
    The darkness of the world isn’t the time for Christians to shudder in fear - it is our time to shine! Light shines brighter in the darkness. The darkness hates the light and tries to extinguish it. It cannot - it isn’t our self-made light - it is the Light of Christ which shines through us into the dark world around us. St. John preaches Jesus to you: Joh 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
  Repent! Stop looking to the sin darkened world for approval. The Light of the world - Jesus has made you His own! Wake up! Hear His Word! Let His Holy Spirit shake you out of sinful slumber with the Gospel. Salvation is nearer than when you first believed at the font. Look around the night is far spent! In nature it is the coldest as dawn breaks - don’t loose heart. The coldness of our world is opportune time to rise - throw away the world’s works of darkness. Clothed with the armor of Light - speak this good news to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and especially to your enemies who hate you. Washed forgiven daily by Jesus as He clothes you with His armor of light -forgiveness, life, and salvation - speak His Hope - His Word to a world dying in darkness!
III.   We get up in the morning. Put off our bed clothes. Wash up and get dressed for the day. Then we go about the tasks of our callings. This is true also of our advent preparation! Each day - rejoice - the beginning is here! (Rom. 8:13-14). Hans Christian Anderson wrote the tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothe’s” Remember it? Two swindlers arrive in the city and convince the emperor that their clothing was of the finest weaving. Only the truly wise and intelligent could see it. All pretended to see their pretend clothing as the swindlers pretended to weave, cut, and sew it together. Then came the day for the emperor to parade through the streets in his new attire. All oohhed and ahhed at such exquisite clothing - until one little boy shattered their illusion by saying, “He’s naked!”
      Prepare for Advent! Don’t believe the illusions of wisdom flashing on your screens - the world is “naked” in unbelief and headed for hell.
      You are in this world, but not of this world. Be clothed with the Lord - Yahweh Who Created your body. Jesus - the Savior who Redeemed your body and soul from sin, death, and the devil. Christ- the Messiah the only King who draws near to save sinners. Repent! Return daily to your baptism as He advents to walk with you! Walk - follow Jesus - in the Light of the Truth - In His Way - by His Life. The world celebrates the darkness of December in parties and drunkenness - in lewdness and lusting for more and more stuff - not you!
    Be clothed with Jesus! Don’t follow your feelings, your lusts - follow Jesus singing out “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” Hear Him, “Take eat this is My body given for you!” “Take drink this is My blood shed for you!’ “You are forgiven!” The beginning is here! Rejoice! Hope! Shine! Amen.