The Second Sunday of Advent

<)) Listen to the sermon here and here.

[Romans 15:5-6] “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“…to Live in Such Harmony with One Another”

Of the many heartaches parents may face, one of the worst is when their adult children are not living in harmony with each other. Because they love their children, parents want siblings to get along.

The same is true of God. He loves His children. Therefore, His anger is stirred up against those who disrupt harmony in the church. God has made peace, and therefore wants you to live at peace with one another.

God’s will is what was spoken in today’s Epistle reading, in verses five and six, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Romans 14:5-6]

Such harmony glorifies God’s name and honors Christ’s blood shed for your reconciliation and redemption.

We are not, by nature, at peace with God or one another. From the time we’re born, original sin affects our will. Without having to be taught, we know how to insist on doing it our way. How to be selfish. We know how to be demanding. We know, by nature, how to get mad at our brothers and sisters for doing the same sort of things we do.

What is true of us as children should not be true as adults. But it is. And I’m talking about our maturity as Christians and how we act toward our siblings in Christ. Our baptized brothers and sisters. Our family in God’s house.

We are adult Christians. Still growing, yes – but you are the grown-ups in Christ. Your maturity in the faith means no longer treating each other according to the flare-ups of the flesh – quick to anger – quick to assume – imposing my own way – but instead treating each other according to how God has treated you in the Advent of His Son Jesus.

What has God done in Jesus? God, in sending His Son Jesus, has reconciled you to Himself and redeemed you – without you being worthy of it or asking for it.

Here was our condition (and this flesh still clings): “We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy – quarreling, speaking ill of others, lacking in courtesy – hated by others and hating one another.” [Titus 3:2-3]

And here was God’s response (and still is): “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” [Titus 3:4-5]

Without our asking or wanting it, God responded by sending Jesus for our reconciliation. God came in His Son with His grace, His undeserved love: “In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” [2 Corinthians 5:19]

In His Son Jesus, God the Father – the one offended against by your sins - took the initiative to bless you by His grace. He gave Christ (and Christ gave Himself) for you: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” [Ephesians 1:7] 

What we’ve done – what we’ve left undone – who we’ve been – who we’ve fallen short of being – when we’ve deserved the consequences, He has instead sent Jesus our Savior. Jesus has arrived with God’s grace.

And Jesus still arrives with God’s grace. When we’ve been children instead of adults, Jesus arrives with God’s grace and forgiveness. Seventy times seven times a day, He forgives. That’s Advent: He has arrived. He still arrives.

Any parent’s wish for their adult children is that they would love each other just as mom and dad loves them. God the Father’s will for you at Trinity is that you continue to love each other as He has loved you.

This means doing the daily work of putting down what comes from the flesh and taking up what comes from the Spirit: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” [Galatians 5:22-23] — “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” [1 Corinthians 13:7]. This is what His love for you looks like when you then apply it to each other.

Love does no wrong to its neighbor. “It does not insist on its own way” [1 Corinthians 13:5]. But love does endure wrongs from brothers and sisters – because your love is the love of Christ, and He endured wrongs. It wouldn’t be the love of Christ if it didn’t endure wrongs from brothers and sisters and yet still love and forgive. Rejoice to have the love of Christ in you.

Since the love God’s adult children are called to love each other with is God’s love, that love itself is therefore His work, not your own. He is forming you in His love as long as you are where the Advent of Jesus keeps happening.

He keeps coming to you in His Word and in prayer. He keeps coming to you in His Supper. He is forming His love in you when you are listening, repenting, and believing. He comes with His love; He comes forming His love in you; He brings honor to His name.

It’s to the glory and praise of parents when others see what harmony their adult children live in – when people see the family that has formed. When people see you living in harmony and in the love of Christ it helps them believe that God is good and that they might want what you have from God. It brings glory and added praise to His name.

Lastly, what God has begun in you now – which is, some days, very hidden under our flesh, but is still there, the love of Christ – God will bring it to completion in you at Christ’s final Advent. When He returns, He will complete His work as Scripture promises:

“I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” [Philippians 1:6]

“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him.” [1 John 3:2]

Christ redeemed you and reconciled you. He continues to come and form His love in you. He will come again and complete His work in you. By His advent, we are and will be evermore His children living in harmony, to the glory of His name. Amen.