Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
We have celebrated the Feast of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and are moving towards the end of this year. This has been a year filled with uncertainty as the world continued experiencing the pandemic. Even, in these anxiety-filled modern days, the words of scripture speak to us in unique and contextual ways. Our watchwords invite us to examine these ancient words and derive meaning and application from their wisdom, laws and gospel for our days and our lives.
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapter Two verse Thirty Five, “You say: I am innocent; surely His anger has turned from me. Now I am brining you to judgment for saying: I have not sinned, “(NRSVB). In the first chapter of the Book of Jeremiah we are told of God’s calling on the life of Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew and approved of you as My chosen instrument,” ( NRSVB). God promised the prophet that the words of the Lord will be given to him and he must not be afraid to speak these words to the people of Judah. In the second chapter of this book, Jeremiah received the first prophecy that he had to deliver to the people, reminding them of God’s gracious care and loving-kindness to Israel, their deliverance from Egypt and the guidance they received in the desert as they moved towards the promised land. There, in the desert, God gave his laws to Moses who faithfully taught Israel, but even then they rebelled, however, God brought them to the promised land.
After the rise of the nation of Israel under the leadership of King David and his son, King Solomon, Israel entered into a golden period. In this time the Temple in Jerusalem was built and the glory of the House of the Lord and the blessings from the hand of the Lord were experienced in the land, for Israel was faithful to the Lord God. Slowly but surely Solomon lost his zeal worshipping the Lord of Israel and became idolatrous. As time went on Israel fell further away from the Lord and his commandments. Prophets warned the kings of Judah and Israel that they would be taken into captivity and Jerusalem would fall to invading forces. The leaders, even the temple leadership, refused to mend their ways, or turn back to the Lord, for they did not believe the words of the prophets. Baruch, the secretary of the Prophet Jeremiah, wrote down his prophecies and letters, these were delivered to the king. The king did not acknowledge his disobedience to God, nor his wrongful acts regarding the worship in the temple. He was certain that the prophecies were doom prophecies and would not be fulfilled. At that time, outwardly, it still seemed as if the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were enjoying peace and prosperity.
When God’s ordinances are deliberately trespassed He cannot turn away and pretend that these acts of disobedience are not committed. He is a just God and has to act in order to set wrongs right. God can only turn away from his indignation when people come and confess their wrongs and turn towards God, instead of turning their backs on him. Jeremiah, throughout his ministry that lasted forty years, continued to call Israel back to the Lord. He is described as the “crying prophet” for he wept for the people, confessed on their behalf and prayed for Judah’s turning back to their God. He was taken with the last remnant of the Jews to Egypt when they fled from the invasion and destruction of Jerusalem.
The prophets did not see their prophecies of redemption being turned into reality in their life-times, however, they remained faithful and brought God’s word to the people. Unlike the prophets, we have experienced the good tiding of the good news to all people. The Son of God was born in Bethlehem to redeem the people of the world. This good news has been celebrated for the past two thousand years by the hosts of believers. The Apostle Peter wrote in his First Letter in Chapter One verse Thirteen, “Discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed,” (NRSVB). Peter wrote these inspiring words to the congregations who were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. He reminded them that Jesus Christ was revealed in the manger and on the Cross and has promised that he will return again, this is our Christian hope. This hope burns within us just as it burned in hearts of the faithful throughout the ages. Our hope will not be disappointed, we will see our Lord face to face, when he comes again. Let us not grow weak, nor weary, but wait for our Lord, for he will surely come to take us home to life with him in the Father’s house. Until that time we do not have to fear for he is the Light of the World for has come to redeem his people.
Father, we thank you that you have called us by name. Through your Son’s work on the Cross for us, we have become your redeemed and beloved children. You love us with an unconditional love. We thank you that you work to set all things right on earth, so that your will can be done on earth as it is in heaven, Amen.