"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The human race spends untold millions of dollars and man-hours on the business of preservation. This church's mailbox is regularly littered with offers from tuckpointing companies offering their services. The home-improvement industry is a massive force in the American economy. Even more behemoth is the market for anti-aging creams, pills, potions, and products. We are a culture saturated and infatuated with preservation.

Preservation is a natural instinct, it may be argued. For the good of the individual and the of the species, we are driven toward acts of self-preservation and toward things that will ensure the continuation of the human race. Two things drive a great deal of the decisions the average person makes: food and procreation.

Almost everyone wants to live longer and better. Sit and watch television on an average weeknight, and you will be bombarded with advertisements for a seemingly endless parade of healthcare products. Pills to cure what ails you. Creams to hide your wrinkles and blemishes. Exercise products and diet gimmicks to tighten things up. There is a supplement to fix just about any dysfunction you might think your body might have.

But none of this lasts. You have to keep taking the pills or rubbing on the cream. The roof only holds up for a decade or so. The gutters you cleaned this year will need to be cleaned again next year. The snow will pile back up where you just shoveled, until the grass comes back and needs to be mowed. “The grass withers, the flower fades.”

The Prophet cries, “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.” Self-preservation is an illusion. Nothing you can do can stop the march of time, the force of entropy, the destruction of this world. Everything will fade and wither. Fads will come and go. Your money will continue its steady march out of your pockets.

The Lord's judgment against sin makes it so. Nothing in all creation can stand against the Spirit of the Lord when He blows in hot judgment. Just as the wind turns the green meadow into barren wasteland overnight, so He withers and burns all who stand against Him. No fancy potions will save you here. To think that you can stand on your own is nothing short of idolatry. The Lord is God, there is no other, and none can stand when He appears. All flesh is grass, and all mankind shall fade away.

As Luther wrote, “In the very midst of life Snares of death surround us; Who shall help us in the strife Lest the foe confound us? Thou only, Lord, Thou only!” (LSB 755.1). The Psalmist writes, “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” (Ps. 119:89) Heaven and earth may pass away, all humanity may fall and be destroyed, but “the Word of our God stands forever.”

But you more often than not would prefer that the Word of the Lord not stand so immovably fixed. It makes life difficult. You are not free to do whatever you please while the Law stares you down. You must face the Law and its accusations, and you must confess that you have failed, and yet it still stands.

How often would you like the Word to apply to someone else? If only some of those people had been here to hear that sermon. If only more people would hear God's Word and pay attention. If only those people would be more nice and godly and Christian and like us. After all, God's Word says that you are a pretty good person, and those people are sinners and heathens.

Or perhaps you would simply rather ignore or push aside the uncomfortable parts. Let's not think about the part about being persecuted for righteousness' sake. Or the part about trials and tribulations to come. Or the part about having no other gods. Or keeping the Sabbath. Or keeping your word. Or any of the other parts that you decided you do not like. If only the Word of the Lord would stand firm somewhere else.

Repent. The Word of the Lord remains forever, and it will not change to suit you. The only thing that changes is the particular assortment of warts and wounds that your sin places on the reflection the Law shows you.

“The Word of our God stands forever”, and shall never change. This promise is for you and for your children after you. And the Word that stands “is the Good News that was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25). The cross stands forever, as a testament to the Word of God who hung upon it. The sacrifice that Christ made for you stands forever. His blood washes away your sins, and they are gone forever. He lives, and you shall live with Him forever.

The Word of the Lord remains forever, and this is a great comfort to you. When He calls out, “Comfort, comfort My people!”, that comfort is for you. Jesus is for you. The forgiveness of sins is for you. He comforts you by being your God. He comforts you by being God for you, God with you.

The Word of the Lord remains forever, and this means pardon and peace for you and for all generations. The Word that He speaks to you is that your iniquity is pardoned. Your sins are forgiven, obliterated as darkness by the light. The Word stands as a lamp in a dark place, destroying the power of sin, death, and the devil over you.

The Word of the Lord remains forever, and this means that you shall remain in Him forever. His Word stands: “You are My beloved son; with you I am well-pleased.” The Word that He spoke to create you still stands. The Word that He has spoken to call you as His own is still true. He has chosen you from among all the peoples on earth, and you are His. The Word stands, and nothing in all creation can separate you from that love and promise.

“The Word of our God stands forever.” His Word stands forever as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. His Word is your refuge and strength. His Word establishes you, and will lead you home into your Father's house. His Word will never leave you nor forsake you.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who ord'rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go. (LSB 357.3)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.