It is not Christmas yet, but with our sin we push Jesus to His manger in order that He may die for our sakes. The season of brotherly love sees Zion’s King coming to judge the world on account of evil done to God and to its neighbor.
On this unique First Sunday of Advent, we also have the Feast day of St. Andrew. St. Andrew is the brother of St. Peter and what we celebrate St. Andrew for the most is his bringing of St. Peter, to Jesus.
It was St. Andrew, first a disciple of John the Baptizer, who heard the words, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” and proclaimed this to his brother. It was St. Andrew, the Apostle, who continued to proclaim this Gospel, though he was crucified upon a cross turned on its side. It is St. Andrew that now sits upon a throne of heaven, awaiting the Judgment Day.
Jesus speaks today, proclaiming, “Behold your King is coming to you!” St. John declared that the Kingdom of Heaven was near and that repentance was necessary. Jesus then echoed this same sermon, “Repent! For the Kingdom of the heavens is near.”
We have already described the Kingdom of God and it is a kingdom with one ruler, one will, and one agenda. There is no room for any other voice or opinion. There was a time when two opinions occupied heaven, but one was cast down like lightning and will be judged forever in a lake of fire.
So, as the Kingdom nears, we feel more keenly the contrition and guilt for our sin, which burns brighter and hotter the closer God gets. For, sin destroys Faith. Sin, whatever its form, whatever its act is antithetical to everything pertaining to the Kingdom. Sin is having another will other than God’s.
But what have we to repent over, especially coming off of a national holiday of thanksgiving and moving right ahead into the most magical of holidays: Christmas? What is so important about warning of wars, and abominations, and strife?
What is so important that St. Andrew gives his life for? Why must it be “repent” and not “rejoice”?
St. Andrew knew the answer. He had seen the darkness of this world and even of his own heart and knew there was no escape. Not all the blood of every beast sacrificed could pay for the evils in this world and St. Andrew experienced this first hand, for he was a son of Israel.
He lived life centered around the Temple and the Holy of Holies where forgiveness was promised, if the right sacrifice was offered. Thus, John the Baptizer’s words resounded in his ears. Hearing this prophet speak of the Lamb of God could only mean one thing: God will offer the one, true sacrifice Himself and it will be the true Passover Lamb, Who takes away the sin of the world.
Repent. Your sin places you in darkness and bondage. Your sin dissolves what little good you can do, yet you cling to it, because it is in your power and your nature to do so. Thus, the readings of the Church Year and its hymns. This, your darkness, can not remain. Your nature must be changed. There is no sin in heaven.
The appointed readings teach you and guide you to repent of your sin and receive absolution. For Confession has two parts, first that you confess and second that we receive absolution from the pastor as from God Himself.
Jesus comes to do all that the readings and the hymns, of all year, have promised. For now we hear what St. Andrew heard in the depths of his own sin. We hear that it is not the death of the sinner that God is seeking, but the death of His Son.
Now, this son of Israel looks to the promise of the Servant of the Lord. Now St. Andrew looks to the Righteous Branch who will be wise and reign as King. Now we also look to the Lord, because of the cross. For on the cross, justice and righteousness is executed and we are saved.
Though the Church’s appearance has changed, for Advent, the timbre remains the same. We still hear of the promised coming; we still sing of Jesus’ return and yet now the hymns are all hope. The Hymn of the Day today, was nothing but hope.
Hope, because St. Ambrose (the writer) was looking at the time before Jesus’ birth through the cross. St. Andrew was also looking backwards as he hung on his own cross in the Faith given to him in baptism. We now look back. We look to the cross. We look to God’s fulfilled promise there and hold God to His promise to return.
Thus, our hope in Advent; our hope of forgiveness; our hope for the end is a look to the cross. Advent stands as a preacher, with its four Sundays, preaching the cross of Christ so that, by the time we get to Christmas, we know the real reason for the season. Since the point is Jesus going to the cross, the reason is you.
“Behold” the Prophets say to you. “Repent” St. John and Jesus say to you. “Look back” the Apostles say to you, for the Lord of Hosts hangs on a cross for your sin and rises three days later to give you salvation and fortify your hope.
The King had come to St. Andrew, transferring him from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, where not even being crucified could take that away from him. The Righteous Branch still comes to us today, not to be served, but to serve and proclaim His sacrifice as a ransom for many.
The King comes to us today, having already judged Himself in our place. Jesus gathers all His people, not to judge them, but to rescue them, for the judgment is done. The die is cast. You have already been set in the book of Life by grace. The same grace given to you in baptism. The same grace given again and more in hearing the Gospel. The same grace given in Communion.
In this penitential season of Advent, learn to feel your sins more. Learn to hate them as vile and horrible, because they threaten to remove Christ from you. Learn these things well, but even more so, learn your hymns.
For in your Advent hymns, you hear about Jesus. You don’t hear about a 12-step this or a “do-more” that. You hear of a Savior. A Savior of the nations whose gift of Hope translated St. Andrew and all the Apostles from horrible deaths, to thrones in heaven.
A Savior who, even in the form of an infant, orders the entire universe for you. So that, this day that He has made, would find you in His Church, hearing His Absolution, receiving His Hope, and being served Forgiveness at His Table, of which He is Host and host.
All this, purchased and won on the cross, for you. The Church Year and its hymns are for you. Advent is for you. Christmas is for you.
“From the manger newborn light, shines is glory through the night.
Darkness there no more resides, in this light Faith now abides.”
Amen.
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