John 7:25-31; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Psalm 149
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Joy and rejoicing, singing and shouting, are the good and proper response of creation in the presence of its LORD God and Creator. The psalmist says that “the mountains skip like rams” and “the hills like lambs” at the presence of the Lord. They certainly sound joyful! However, the psalmist also says that “the sea looked and fled,” and the “Jordan turned back,” and that the whole earth trembled at the presence of the Lord. Now, that’s quite a different response. The truth is this, all creation knows its Creator and responds in either joy or fear, both of which are proper, yet man, the crown of God’s creation, does not know his Creator, but ascribes the glory, honor, praise, and rejoicing, and reverent fear, rightly due to our God and LORD to created things, idols of wood and metal and stone.
It was for this very reason that the LORD caused Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon to rise up and to destroy Israel and Judah, and to cart away her best and brightest into exile. The LORD did this, not because he hated his people, but because he loved them as a father loves his son or daughter. It is not the LORD’s proper will to cause his children harm or suffering; nevertheless, his judgment was just and righteous – they literally had it coming – but out of his abundant love and mercy the LORD used his judgment as discipline that his people might be turned in repentance to him once again, that he might shower them with his blessings and make them shine with his light once again.
Joy and rejoicing, singing and shouting, are the good and proper response of creation in the presence of its LORD God and Creator. Yet man, the crown of God’s creation, does not know his Creator, but ascribes the glory, honor, praise, and rejoicing rightly due to our God and LORD to created things, idols of wood and metal and stone. This is the fruit of the first sin, the result of listening to a word not of the LORD but of an enemy. “Did God really say?” is not an innocent, harmless question. Embedded within the question is an intentional nefarious suggestion that there could be, that there is, some other word, something that has been said that is not from God. And, of course, the suggestion is that God is not good, that God is not love, that God is holding out on us and intends us harm and evil. We know how that all went down with our First Parents. So it goes down with us each and every day of our lives even now.
We must confess that we are congenital sinners. Our fathers were sinners. Our mothers were sinners. For they themselves were the sons and daughters of sinners, even as our own children have inherited our mortal corruption. Our Divine Service liturgy reflects this truth as the Gloria in Excelsis is sung after confession and absolution, not before, just as joy and rejoicing, singing and shouting, come after contrition and repentance as we rejoice in the LORD’s gracious pardon and forgiveness. The prophet Zephaniah says, “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all you hear, O daughter of Jerusalem!” Why? Because, “the LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies.” It is finished.
We have an advantage over our forefathers, for Jesus has come and he has fulfilled the Law and all that was necessary to make us right with the LORD once again. While we were still sinners, while we were still in open rebellion against him, God died for us. If that’s not cause for rejoicing, then I don’t know what is! Even before the Assyrian and the Babylonian conquest, and the exile into Babylon, the LORD had promised Israel and Judah forgiveness, absolution, restoration, and judgment upon their conquerors. The promise of joy and rejoicing was set before them even before they faced judgment and discipline, just as, for the joy of the birth of a child a mother endures pain, suffering, and labor, and just as for the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, so too, for the promise of joy and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD do we his children endure suffering and sorrow, trial and tribulation, and even death, in the hope of the promise fulfilled in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
You see, this is like a number of seemingly backward scriptural truths: Only sinners can be forgiven. Only the dead can be raised. Only the meek and the lowly can be lifted up. Only the hopeless can find comfort in hope. Forgiveness is meaningless to the self-righteous. The promise of life is meaningless to the living. Being exulted later is meaningless to those who pridefully hold their heads up high now. Hope is meaningless for the content and secure. Advent is about being prepared for the coming of the Lord in all the ways he comes to us. Being prepared is about trusting in the LORD and his word and commandments, law and gospel. The law will always accuse and convict you, that is its job. Let it. Let it break you. Let it do its worst to you. For, then comes the gospel, the Good News: The law has been fulfilled, it cannot condemn you any longer, because Jesus has taken the law’s condemnation upon himself and has suffered and died for you, breaking its curse and setting you free.
This is why the Daughter of Zion, the Church, the Bride of Christ, rejoices: She rejoices because she is forgiven. She truly has something to rejoice in! Joy and rejoicing, singing and shouting, are the good and proper response of God’s children in the presence of our Father God and Creator who has loved us with an everlasting love.
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
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