JoyToTheWorldIsaiah40 10 11
Series: Christmas Sermons - Old Testament
December 24, 2024
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Christmas Eve, Children’s Program 24-December-2024 Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:10-11 Sermon Theme: “Joy To The World, The Lord Is Come!” I. Behold Earth’s King Comes In Perfect Weakness For You! (Vs.10a) II. Behold The Savior’s Reward The Cross For You! (Vs.10b) III. Rejoice! He Shepherds You With Truth, Grace, and Love! (Vs.10c-11) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
Episode Notes
Christmas Eve, Children’s Program 24-December-2024
Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:10-11
Sermon Theme: “Joy To The World, The Lord Is Come!” I. Behold Earth’s King Comes In Perfect Weakness For You! (Vs.10a) II. Behold The Savior’s Reward The Cross For You! (Vs.10b) III. Rejoice! He Shepherds You With Truth, Grace, and Love! (Vs.10c-11) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. “Psa 130:1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;” The Psalmist has fallen into a pit. Despair swallows him. Joy feels far distant. From the deep darkness his heart cries out.
Rejoice! Christmas is here! Lights, decorations, and joyful music! Don’t you feel it! Apathy or despair’s pit may be your reality. Christmas doesn’t feel the same. We cry from the pit of a grave into which a loved one was lowered - grief what we feel. Cast into the pit of loneliness we cry for family far removed. Maybe we have dug our own pit, crying over broken marriages, lost friendships, promises to stop sinning never kept.
Like Charlie Brown in the 1965 cartoon special, we may confess, “ I feel depressed. I know I should be happy, but I’m not.” Busy-ness doesn’t fill the pit. When the world mocks us for the twig of a Christmas tree we bought, like Charlie we may exclaim, Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I don’t really know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?” In the cartoon Linus takes center stage and recites from Luke 2. Tonight you heard what Christmas is all! Rejoice! Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. Our children told you the Truth!
Christmas joy is found only in God’s Word - The Holy Bible. Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Tonight our Lord Jesus breathed joy into your ears by His Holy Spirit through His Word spoken by children. Hear Him! Sing from the depths! “Joy To The World, The Lord Is Come!” I. Behold Earth’s King Comes In Perfect Weakness For You! (Vs.10a) II. Behold The Savior’s Reward The Cross For You! (Vs.10b) III. Rejoice! He Shepherds You With Truth, Grace, and Love! (Vs.10c-11)
I. In Advent our Good Shepherd has been speaking His Word of comfort into our hearts through the prophet Isaiah. He preaches God’s Word to Judah and Israel beginning in 740B.C.. God is moving to judge His children for their idolatry. In 722B.C. the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel snuffing out the majority of its people. Judah, the southern kingdom didn’t listen, learn, and repent. It’s exile to Babylon began in 587B.C., after Jerusalem and its Temple was turned into a pile of waste - like Gaza today. The Lord places words of comfort upon the prophet’s lips beginning in the 40th chapter. God was their God, they were His people - He had not forever forsaken them.
The Judean captives cried out from the pit of despair! The Word of the Lord is sent forth to comfort them a century before they’d listen! (Vs. 10a)
“Behold!” turn from despair, grief, lonely brokenheartedness! The dark pit of lowly shepherds in Bethlehem’s fields suddenly floods with light! History records: Luk 2:9-11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Look up see the truth! View historical reality with your ears! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King:! Isaac Watt wrote this hymn based on Psalm 98 Psa 98:1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.”
Behold! Earth’s Creator and King comes in perfect weakness FOR YOU! He humbles Himself! Clothes Himself with your skin from the moment of His conception by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin’s womb. His strong hand develops and grows for 9 months in the womb. He does it covering your sinful conception and birth from fallen father Adam. His infant arms are swaddled as He nurses at His Mother’s breast. He comes in perfect weakness FOR YOU! Satan, the fallen angel, the devil, who lusted for God’s power and control - couldn’t imagine our Creator rescuing rebellious mankind by the weakness of our flesh and blood.
Jesus, the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, forever lowers Himself into the pit of despairing humanity rescuing you with His mighty infant arms. Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. He hears you! Joins His divinity to your humanity reconciling you with your God and Father. He takes His first infant breath to breathe the Holy Spirit to renew you. His Word sanctifies , comforts, and restores real sinners with real forgiveness! Heaven and nature sing!
II. Behold! Our Savior rules! Psa 98:2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. (Vs.10b) Look up! His throne is the cross! A crown of thorns is His reward! Lifted up He draws all sinners to Himself. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ,.” To lowly smelly shepherds the angel preaches, Luk 2:12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Jesus comes in poverty to make you rich. Wrapped and laid in a feeding trough FOR YOU. His work is before Him FOR YOU. From conception He lives a perfect life - a true human life perfectly following the Father’s Will - FOR YOU.
Wrapping Himself in my sin, your sin, the world’s sin to be the Lamb of God - the One and Only Sacrifice to wash away our guilt, shame, and sin. Look to the Crucified! Rejoice! See His tender Baby hands destined to be nailed to the tree - He is made a curse FOR YOU - that you may be blessed in His Name! Your Savior rules in grace for you! Lay your sins upon Him. Hear Him speak.‘Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven! My peace I give unto you!”Psa 130:3-4 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (4) But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” His cross, His empty tomb repeat the sounding joy - in Him alone is forgiveness newness of life!
III. No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found,” “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Behold! (Vs.10c-11)
Jesus’ Work saves sinners - like me - like you! Yesterday, today, and forever! Blessings forever flow from His spear pierced and risen side. Baptismal water floods from Him calling you by name, redeeming you! His life sustaining blood washes you a new creation every morning!
The Good Shepherd comes to lay down His life for His sheep! He has power to it lay down and power to take it up again! Psa 98:3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” You are Jesus’ little lamb, ever glad at heart, even when you cry in the pit of despair, and when your brief life is ended, by His angel hosts attended, He shall press you to His breast there within His arms to rest. Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” is often seen this time of year. One scene fascinates me. The Ghost of Christmas Past has just paid a very discomforting visit to Ebenezer Scrooge. Clearly the old miser is shaken by the entire ordeal. When he awakens from his sleep does he take the message to heart. No, he simply dismisses it by saying: “Bah, humbug, it wasn't real."Just a bit of last nights undigested beef," he says to himself, "There is more gravy about you than the grave."
Will you remain in your pit tonight? Is all you’ve heard from our children speaking God’s Word simple indigestion or a vision you take to heart? You tell me! Psa 130:7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Receive your King! Merry Christmas! Amen.
Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:10-11
Sermon Theme: “Joy To The World, The Lord Is Come!” I. Behold Earth’s King Comes In Perfect Weakness For You! (Vs.10a) II. Behold The Savior’s Reward The Cross For You! (Vs.10b) III. Rejoice! He Shepherds You With Truth, Grace, and Love! (Vs.10c-11) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert.
I.N.R.I. “Psa 130:1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD;” The Psalmist has fallen into a pit. Despair swallows him. Joy feels far distant. From the deep darkness his heart cries out.
Rejoice! Christmas is here! Lights, decorations, and joyful music! Don’t you feel it! Apathy or despair’s pit may be your reality. Christmas doesn’t feel the same. We cry from the pit of a grave into which a loved one was lowered - grief what we feel. Cast into the pit of loneliness we cry for family far removed. Maybe we have dug our own pit, crying over broken marriages, lost friendships, promises to stop sinning never kept.
Like Charlie Brown in the 1965 cartoon special, we may confess, “ I feel depressed. I know I should be happy, but I’m not.” Busy-ness doesn’t fill the pit. When the world mocks us for the twig of a Christmas tree we bought, like Charlie we may exclaim, Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I don’t really know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?” In the cartoon Linus takes center stage and recites from Luke 2. Tonight you heard what Christmas is all! Rejoice! Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. Our children told you the Truth!
Christmas joy is found only in God’s Word - The Holy Bible. Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Tonight our Lord Jesus breathed joy into your ears by His Holy Spirit through His Word spoken by children. Hear Him! Sing from the depths! “Joy To The World, The Lord Is Come!” I. Behold Earth’s King Comes In Perfect Weakness For You! (Vs.10a) II. Behold The Savior’s Reward The Cross For You! (Vs.10b) III. Rejoice! He Shepherds You With Truth, Grace, and Love! (Vs.10c-11)
I. In Advent our Good Shepherd has been speaking His Word of comfort into our hearts through the prophet Isaiah. He preaches God’s Word to Judah and Israel beginning in 740B.C.. God is moving to judge His children for their idolatry. In 722B.C. the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel snuffing out the majority of its people. Judah, the southern kingdom didn’t listen, learn, and repent. It’s exile to Babylon began in 587B.C., after Jerusalem and its Temple was turned into a pile of waste - like Gaza today. The Lord places words of comfort upon the prophet’s lips beginning in the 40th chapter. God was their God, they were His people - He had not forever forsaken them.
The Judean captives cried out from the pit of despair! The Word of the Lord is sent forth to comfort them a century before they’d listen! (Vs. 10a)
“Behold!” turn from despair, grief, lonely brokenheartedness! The dark pit of lowly shepherds in Bethlehem’s fields suddenly floods with light! History records: Luk 2:9-11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Look up see the truth! View historical reality with your ears! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King:! Isaac Watt wrote this hymn based on Psalm 98 Psa 98:1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.”
Behold! Earth’s Creator and King comes in perfect weakness FOR YOU! He humbles Himself! Clothes Himself with your skin from the moment of His conception by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin’s womb. His strong hand develops and grows for 9 months in the womb. He does it covering your sinful conception and birth from fallen father Adam. His infant arms are swaddled as He nurses at His Mother’s breast. He comes in perfect weakness FOR YOU! Satan, the fallen angel, the devil, who lusted for God’s power and control - couldn’t imagine our Creator rescuing rebellious mankind by the weakness of our flesh and blood.
Jesus, the eternally only begotten Son of the Father, forever lowers Himself into the pit of despairing humanity rescuing you with His mighty infant arms. Psa 130:2 Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. He hears you! Joins His divinity to your humanity reconciling you with your God and Father. He takes His first infant breath to breathe the Holy Spirit to renew you. His Word sanctifies , comforts, and restores real sinners with real forgiveness! Heaven and nature sing!
II. Behold! Our Savior rules! Psa 98:2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. (Vs.10b) Look up! His throne is the cross! A crown of thorns is His reward! Lifted up He draws all sinners to Himself. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ,.” To lowly smelly shepherds the angel preaches, Luk 2:12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." Jesus comes in poverty to make you rich. Wrapped and laid in a feeding trough FOR YOU. His work is before Him FOR YOU. From conception He lives a perfect life - a true human life perfectly following the Father’s Will - FOR YOU.
Wrapping Himself in my sin, your sin, the world’s sin to be the Lamb of God - the One and Only Sacrifice to wash away our guilt, shame, and sin. Look to the Crucified! Rejoice! See His tender Baby hands destined to be nailed to the tree - He is made a curse FOR YOU - that you may be blessed in His Name! Your Savior rules in grace for you! Lay your sins upon Him. Hear Him speak.‘Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven! My peace I give unto you!”Psa 130:3-4 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (4) But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” His cross, His empty tomb repeat the sounding joy - in Him alone is forgiveness newness of life!
III. No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found,” “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Behold! (Vs.10c-11)
Jesus’ Work saves sinners - like me - like you! Yesterday, today, and forever! Blessings forever flow from His spear pierced and risen side. Baptismal water floods from Him calling you by name, redeeming you! His life sustaining blood washes you a new creation every morning!
The Good Shepherd comes to lay down His life for His sheep! He has power to it lay down and power to take it up again! Psa 98:3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” You are Jesus’ little lamb, ever glad at heart, even when you cry in the pit of despair, and when your brief life is ended, by His angel hosts attended, He shall press you to His breast there within His arms to rest. Psa 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.
Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” is often seen this time of year. One scene fascinates me. The Ghost of Christmas Past has just paid a very discomforting visit to Ebenezer Scrooge. Clearly the old miser is shaken by the entire ordeal. When he awakens from his sleep does he take the message to heart. No, he simply dismisses it by saying: “Bah, humbug, it wasn't real."Just a bit of last nights undigested beef," he says to himself, "There is more gravy about you than the grave."
Will you remain in your pit tonight? Is all you’ve heard from our children speaking God’s Word simple indigestion or a vision you take to heart? You tell me! Psa 130:7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Receive your King! Merry Christmas! Amen.
Content Copyright Belongs to Emmanuel Lutheran Church
5761