St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church

Sermon by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Christmas Day, December 25, 2006 Isaiah 9:6,7

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from this time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

Did you ever see the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”? It’s an old movie—made back in 1961—when I was 9 years old. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s—a very pretty—very elegant—very petite young lady named Audrey Hepburn—plays the part of Holly Golightly. And she wears this little black dress. Oh, it was designed by Hubert De Givenchy—so it’s very nice. But it is a very simple—little black dress. Do you know what it’s worth? Oh, it was to be sold at Christy’s Auction House in London. Estimates as high as $130,000 were reported. The fact is—that little black dress sold for over $807,000! Can you imagine that? The better part of $1 million for one little black dress. The fact is—that garment pales to insignificance—compared to the robe of righteousness that Jesus came to purchase for you and for me! Jesus was born a little baby in a stable—so that one day we might be dressed in the righteousness that Jesus paid for with his innocent life and his tortured death on a cross.

Our Heavenly Father promised his Son—through the prophet Isaiah some 650 years before the fact. And yet—talks about it—as if it is already accomplished fact. That’s how sure and certain God’s Gospel promises are. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. About this time each year—there are reports of all the wars—the armed conflicts that are happening in our world. There are more than 8 major wars—that is war where more than 1,000 people die on battle fields every year. Did you know that? There are—altogether—some 41 armed conflicts—41 places in our world—where people—often times children who are only 13 or 14 years old—are fighting with AK-47 rifles. These places include 4 different conflicts in Indonesia—which make it difficult and dangerous if not impossible for missionaries from this country to preach about the Christ child there. Since the year I graduated from High School—a group called Shining Path has used automatic weapons and kidnapping and murder to try to achieve their political aims in Peru. There is armed conflict in Moldova and Namibia and Sri Lanka and Uganda and Angola and Nigeria. Can we find these places on the map? Do we remember that Jesus was born to save those people half way around the world—or do we mostly think about our football games and video games and our snacks and how many days off we have between now and new year’s? Of all people—we need to work for peace and pray for peace—not for the sake of social justice and economic prosperity. But pray for peace—so that the Prince of Peace can rule in the hearts and lives of people everywhere! Pray for peace so our missionaries can carry the essential gospel without needing to be concerned for their physical safety!

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from this time on and forever. The Christ child will rule in the hearts and lives of his people everywhere. The Christ child will rule in our hearts for some 60 or 70 or 80 years here. Then we will be with him forever in heaven. They had one of those TV specials they often have about this time of year. News people trying to report about spiritual concepts like faith and forgiveness and heaven and hell. It is painful to watch. I heard a person from Hollywood say—“I know people who are intoxicated by anger, bitterness, hatred and violence. That is hell. I know people who are filled with love and compassion—with grace and mercy and forgiveness. That is Heaven!” It’s not! Hell is not a state of mind—no matter how depraved or horrible or painful or hurtful or evil. Heaven is not a state of mind—no matter how pure and sweet and compassionate and giving! Hell is a place—real—not imaginary—not make believe—not pretend. It is a place of unspeakable horror and judgment and suffering. Words fail to convey the absolute agony and unrelenting suffering. Hell is the place where Satan and all his evil angels are in agony. And it is the place where those who die in sin and unbelief will suffer without end. Heaven is real. It is not dry ice smoke and pudgy angels with naturally curly hair and little harps pointlessly float from cloud to cloud. Heaven is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. If they said anything true on TV the other night it was this—that if we really understood and believed how wonderful Heaven is—we would not cling so desperately to this sin infected world. The fact that we do sometimes want this world so desperately is one more evidence of how like a mustard seed our faith often is!

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Zeal is a passion for something. Michelangelo had a passion for painting—so he work endlessly hour after hour on the Sistine Chapel ceiling—painting and painting—until exhausted—he would fall asleep. And then when he woke up—he would start painting again! Tiger Woods has a zeal—a passion for hitting golf balls down 400 yard strips of lawn into little holes in grass meticulously mowed exceedingly short. He practices again and again and again—until there is no one in this whole wide world who can do it consistently as well as he can. There is a movie out this past week—about a boxer—who is too old and too arthritic to be quick. What he is able to do—is to punch so hard—each punch is “like kissing a train!” This of course—required the discipline the apostle Paul wrote, “To the weak I became weak to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some…Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it for a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:22f When zeal for the Gospel filled Jesus’ heart—Jesus not only cleansed the Temple with a passion—he bled and suffered and died to save us. Jesus endured the shame and humiliation of the cross—to rescue us from our sins. Jesus died and rose again—so that we should be children of God by adoption—by grace through faith. The LORD, the Great I AM, the Holy One of Israel—promised to save us—and by grace alone our Heavenly Father kept that promise. God always keeps all his promises!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz