Gaudete Sunday was a day of bitter cold and biting wind. If you missed the service because of the weather, here is the sermon that was preached.
Intro
“All flesh is grass,” proclaims the Prophet. And like our flesh, the grass is not always coursing with life. When we see a field of grass, we see areas of green beauty, but we also see many brown and brittle blades. We see grass withered and wasted away by the sun’s searing heat. We see the grass that animals have trampled down, foraging for food. And now in the winter, we see the grass frozen by the ice and cold. All flesh is like grass–and that’s not an appealing sight.
Instead of hearing how we are like grass, we’d rather hear that our hearts are pure like the whitest snow. We’d rather hear how marvelous we are. Instead of grass, we’d rather see ourselves as a mighty oak, an example of strength. We’d like to hear how others admire us. But to think of ourselves as grass, what kind of crazy comparison is that?
Main Body
The truth is that all flesh is like grass. And like the grass, our life here is temporary. Like the grass, which the wind blows, the sun bakes, and the hooves of beasts trample down, our earthly lives are difficult and full of troubles.
We aren’t often strong. We’re not always lovely to be around. And certainly, we’re not pure as the freshly fallen snow. Indeed, our flesh is like the grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it.
This temporary and harsh life teaches us that we don’t have the strength to save ourselves. Does not physical death proclaim this to all? When we see how we really are, we see we are weak, feeble, and infected with sin. Is it not true that our weak works often produce a crop of doubt, despair, and mistakes?
Our weakness and suffering show us that we can’t even control our own surroundings, our own lives. We certainly can’t control other people, although we often try to do that. We often can’t control our circumstances and surroundings.
We are much like the grass, which has no control over its life. Our bodies betray us; they weaken and ache from our fall into sin. Other people distress us. Outside circumstances intrude and turn our plans upside down.
The voice cries in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the LORD.” Turn away from your constant need to be first, to be the one in control. You are not God, the Lord. You are not even a little god. Repent of your sins against the First Commandment. You are grass. You are a sinner. As the grass wilts and dies, so will your flesh, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
With the apostle, we cry out to heaven, “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)
“‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ says your God.” The Word of God rings out like a loudspeaker from heaven. He has comfort for His creatures, whose flesh is like the grass. He has hope for those who suffer. He has peace for the frustrated and the distressed. To sinners everywhere, God sends His messengers with His Word of comfort, hope, and peace.
He tells them to speak comfort to the lonely and downtrodden. To His enemies, God declares that their time of slavery is over. To burdened sinners, the LORD declares that their iniquity is pardoned. The hand of the LORD gives a double payment for sin.
Did God say, “Double”? Does that mean we will be punished twice over for our sins? No, O sainted ones; the LORD does not expect you to pay Him twice what you owe Him. Instead, He gives enough forgiveness to pardon you twice over. It is at the Apostle says, “Where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more” (Romans 5:20).
So worry not, for you need not please Him by the works of the flesh. He has doubly pardoned you. His gift is full and overflowing. The Maker of heaven and earth declares to you that your sins are forgiven because of His Anointed One, the Messiah. “Comfort,” He speaks to you, “Yes, comfort, My people!”
Your God has come to you with a mighty hand. His arm rules all for your eternal well-being, regardless of what you may think of your present circumstances. He brings His reward with Him. He grants forgiveness to sinners!
Such forgiveness is sight for the blind, hearing for the deaf, strong legs for the lame, and cleansing for the leper. He brings life to the dead. He speaks His Word, His Holy Spirit-inspired Word, into your ears. He frees you from your bondage. He brings you into His marvelous light, you who were once trapped in the darkness of death.
The LORD has shown favor to you. He forgives your iniquity. He covers all your sin. He has withdrawn His fury and turned away His burning anger. He has restored to you to the joy of your salvation as He speaks His words of peace to you.
For us, fallen creature that we are, God has us sent His Son to be what we could never be, to do what we could never do. The holy One of God, the Son of the Highest, has come to us. He became a Man to suffer the fullness of our sins. Can you not see that God is not angry with you? From His infinite storehouse of love, He sent His own Son to make you sons of God.
God has come to save us. He has cloaked His strong and mighty arm in humility and shame. He has won salvation for us by the bitter suffering and death of His beloved Son.
Comfort, yes comfort, My people! Your God has redeemed your flesh, even if it is like the grass. As our God raises up the grass in the spring after its long death of winter, so will He raise you up on the Last Day. He will come to bring you before Him where you can behold Him with your own eyes. There, you will see your God and no tears of sadness will flow from your eyes. No heat will weaken or wither you, and the devil will never trample on you again.
“Climb up a high mountain, you herald of good news to Zion! Raise your voice with strength, you herald to Jerusalem! Lift it up! Don’t be afraid! Say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’”
Zion, the holy Christian Church, proclaims God’s life-creating Word to the world. Your flesh may be like grass, but God speaks His life-restoring Word. So look to your God who revives the grass in the spring. Look to your God who keeps giving you life everlasting.
Lift your voice. Strengthen the weak hand. Revive the faltering heart. Do not be afraid. The LORD smiles on you because of His Son. Behold your God, born of a woman, born under the Law. Behold your God, laid in a feeding trough and suckled by His mother. Behold your God who heals your diseases and cleanses you from your iniquity. Behold your God.
Your God comes to you. He gives His eternal Word for your ears to hear. He gives His body and blood, the same that rested in the manger, for your eternal salvation. He revives and strengthens you, and blesses you with His righteousness and peace.
Conclusion
Be comforted by the God of all comfort. Hear His Word. What He declares to you through the voice of His messengers is true. Do not fear the trials that you will have to endure. They are but short-lived events, nothing in the span of eternity.
Know that your trials and labors serve a godly purpose. They are meant to turn you away from your own abilities and strength and turn you toward God. For the God who gave His own Son for you, will He not also guard and defend you and bring you, at last, to the place He has prepared for you? Yes, for He has promised through His Son, Jesus Christ: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). Amen.
