The Blessed Song Luke 1:67-79

Series: The Spiritual Songs of Advent

December 02, 2021
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

"Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Christ Jesus advents through His Word. The Church sings the true "spiritual songs" as it joins with Zecharias, the Virgin Mary, and the Holy Angels in praising Jesus. Midweek Advent series theme: "The Spiritual Songs of Advent!" Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-79. Sermon Theme: "The Blessed Song" preached for the first midweek Advent vespers, 1 -December-2021, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Tell City, Indiana by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

Episode Notes

1st Midweek Advent Service                     1-Deceomber-2021
Series: The Spiritual Songs of Advent           Sermon Theme: The Blessed Song! by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-79

I.N.R.I. Have you ever lost your voice? Suffered laryngitis? It isn’t easy not to be heard, for God created us to be social, dwell in community. To talk with one another face to face. How about if you lost your voice for nearly a year? How would you cope? Texting, writing, fall short of getting what you want to say aside.
        Imagine being mute for nearly a year and then having your voice fully restored. What would be your first audible words? Maybe you’d say, “Listen, I can speak again!” For near ten months the aged priest Zacharias had been unable to speak. Doubting the promise of God preached by the archangel Gabriel the priest’s voice was sealed. Sealed until his son would be born and eight days later circumcised and named.
Zechariah teaches us to sing: “The Blessed Song!”
          “His name is John.” Zacharias had written to settle the family squabble about his newborn son. The Virgin Mary had been there three months pregnant with Jesus when John was born. St. Luke records her eyewitness testimony of what happened. Luk 1:64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.” We learn from David to sing: Psa 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” Unless God the Holy Spirit opens our lips through the good news of Christ Jesus we cannot sing forth God’s praises.
            True spiritual praise songs sing forth God’s mercy rescuing us lost sinners in Christ Jesus alone. Pseudo worldly praise songs only play on our fallen human emotions and could be sung to any false idol. (Vs.67-69) The blessed song flows from God the Holy Spirit and preaches Christ alone. All glory and honor is given in blessing the Lord God of Israel - The Creator God who had called and set Abraham’s descendants apart to be His own people. He set them apart to fulfill the promise made to our fallen parents on the day their sin filled this once very perfect world with death and enslaved us to Satan. The Lord God visits His people - He is Jesus - a three month old fetus growing in the Virgin’s womb. His coming into our flesh trumpets forth His mission - He comes to redeem His people. To purchase and win us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil.
          Who are “His people”? Just physical descendants of Abraham? Christ Jesus is the Creator - His people are all of humanity. He comes to die for all sinners. He is the “horn” the power “ of salvation” in David’s House within the Virgin Mary’s womb - she is David’s descendant. The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in the fetus Jesus in her womb.
      Sing the blessed song. God draws near to you in the flesh and blood of Jesus to rescue you. (Vs. 70-71) God’s promise in Christ Jesus cannot be broken. Since the world began the Lord God invited us to feast on the Tree of Life in communion with Him. When we rejected His life sustaining Word - He sent forth the promise of Jesus - the Seed of the woman - the Head Crusher - who’d save us from all our enemies - Satan, sin, and death. Sing forth of His unchanging promise. (Vs.72-75) God’s merciful promise was passed down from generation to generation. Entrusted to Noah and his family on the ark when the world of old perished. Promised to be fulfilled through Shem’s descendants. Given to Abraham and sealed with a fleshly bloody sacrifice made by God alone. A promise that it would be the Lord who would lay down His life to rescue us from Satan, sin, and death. He paid your price in full, not with gold or silver, but with His own precious blood and His innocent suffering and death that you might be His own.
      Washed forgiven in Christ’s blood. Made new by His resurrection victory - you serve Jesus without fear. Serve Him where He has called you to be His hands to care for others. He has clothed you in His holiness and righteousness. He sustains your life in this death filled world, until He brings you to the land of the living - eternal life with Him in your body raised from the grave and the last enemy death forever destroyed.
        How do you know this is for you? (Vs.76-79) The Lord sent John the Baptizer to prepare the way for Jesus. He would point all away from himself to trust in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - Christ Jesus. The Lord’s way is prepared by calling sinners to turn from slavery to sin, fear, death, and Satan’s lie. Salvation isn’t something you earn - it is free gift in Christ Jesus. Jesus comes to remit our sins - He pays our bill in full on Calvary.
        Sing forth the blessed song of God’s tender mercy in Jesus. The Dayspring - who called all things into being out of nothing - has lowered Himself to visit us. Risen from the dead. Ascended into heaven. He fills all things. He draws near to visit us as fearful of the darkness of sin and death in this world. He is by your side in the midst of the darkest of your days. He is Immanuel - God with us always as our victorious Brother and Lord. He is the Good Shepherd leading you in the way of peace - under the cross to life eternal by His Name.
          The aged priest most likely sung this song to his newborn infant son as a lullaby, then taught him to join him in this hymn of praise as he grew. Perhaps John standing near his dying father sang his father to sleep with this same song. Then he preached it, until the blessed song would give him peace in the darkness of Herod’s dungeon. Peace as he the executioner came to decapitate the preacher - to guide his feet into everlasting peace. John’s voice cannot be silenced - His preaching still echos through Christ’s Church as we sing the “blessed song” beholding the Lamb of God Jesus who has taken away the sins of the world. Amen.



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