MATTHEW 21:1-9 Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength.

This is the churchs prayer to Jesus on this day, the first Sunday in Advent. This is the only time in the Churchs calendar when we pray that the Lord would stir up his power. What do you think of when you think of Jesus power? Does it surprise you, how he shows his power in todays Epistle and Gospel? Does it amaze you, how he demonstrates his power in a spiritual, not an earthly, manner? Jesus shows his power by taking off our sin-soiled garments and replacing them with the spotless robe of his righteousness in baptism. Jesus shows his power by commanding his disciples to untie a beast of burden and bring it to him, so that he can ride into Jerusalem in utter lowliness. But hidden behind that lowliness is supreme power power to do the work he has come to do: the assignment of serving, and giving his life as a ransom for many. So Jesus comes to Bethphage, a village whose name means, the house of unripe figs. Thats what Israel is: a barren fig tree. He orders Peter and John: Go into the village ahead of you. But the Greek doesnt say, ahead of. It says, opposite you. Peter and John are to go into a village that opposes the Lord Jesus. Even here, he is in control. He is the King, and he is coming into his kingdom, but its not the kind of kingdom we think of. The crowds are exuberant. They believe this is the day theyve been anticipating for centuries. The King in Davids royal line has finally come to establish his kingdom. They shout out, Hosanna, a Hebrew word which means, Please save us, Lord! Its the same Hebrew root from which the name of Jesus comes, for he will save his people from their sins, as the angel had announced to Joseph when Jesus was conceived in Marys womb. During the Advent season, we celebrate the coming of our Savior. But what kind of Savior is he? Thats the question. The cheering multitudes who lined the streets of Jerusalem meant their Hosanna shout as a cry for earthly deliverance, political peace, a kingdom in which every man would sit under his own vine and fig tree here on planet earth. Jesus isnt that kind of king. He didnt come to defeat the Romans. He came to defeat the devil. He didnt come to dethrone Caesar. He came to dethrone sin, death, and hell. So he paints the crowds a picture of his kingdom. He comes, not riding on a horse, as would a general; not riding on a mule, as would a king; but riding on a donkey, a donkey that had never been ridden. This donkey had never felt the weight of a burden before, because this donkey would bear the sacred burden of Gods one and only Son; for thats what Jesus had come into the world to be: the worlds burro, bearing the burden of our sins to the throne of the cross. He would be robed in scarlet, but it would be the scarlet of his own blood. He would wear a crown, but it would be a crown of thorns. He would have a scepter, but it would be a soldiers spear that would pierce his side, releasing from the body of Jesus a flow of blood and water. Sixty years later, St. John would write: This is the one who came by water and blood. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. Jesus came by water. His baptism in the Jordan River announced that he is the Son of God, in whom the Father is well pleased. But he also came by blood, the blood by which he was the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And thats how he still comes to you. Thats how he establishes his kingdom here, in this place in Westland. Jesus comes by water, the water of Holy Baptism. In Holy Baptism he clothe[s us] with the Lord Jesus Christ, and slays the sinful nature, so that we do not think about how to gratify [its] desires. In Holy Baptism, God writes his Law on our hearts and puts it in our minds, as Jeremiah

prophesied in the Old Testament lesson. This means we are free to serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our lives. And he comes by blood, the blood he shed on the cross. He gives us his body and his blood to eat and to drink in his Supper. Before we approach his altar, we sing the same song of praise as the Palm Sunday crowds, for Jesus comes to us. Jesus is here, with us. Really present, just as really present as he was 2,000 years ago. As he rode into Jerusalem seated on a donkeys colt, so he comes to us in the humble garb of bread and wine. Our Gospel sets the entire tone of the Advent season. Advent is lesser Lent. Like Lent, its a time of repentant preparation. The Church observes these penitential seasons before each of the two major feasts, Christmas and Easter. In each case, we devote our thoughts in the penitential season to why Jesus had to come and do his saving work. On Palm Sunday, the crowds cast their clothes onto Jesus path. We, too, take off our sin-soiled garments. We throw them down into Jesus path, for he must trample on them. Our sins must be crushed, or they will crush us beneath their burden. Jesus came to trample our sins in the dust, and to replace our soiled garments with the garment of the merit purchased with his blood. The crowds cut down palm branches. Palm branches are the symbol of victory. St. John saw the victorious saints in heaven holding palm branches in their hands. They had come out of the great tribulation that is life in this frustrating, sin-cursed world. Jesus came into the world, born of a virgin, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. During the Advent season, we rejoice that our King humbled himself, so that he might exalt us: You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. During the Advent season, we hear Gods call to show our thanks to Jesus by living as the saints Jesus already has made us. We cast away the works of darkness, for we are children of the day. We belong to Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world. We do not repent to earn salvation. We do not cast off sin because of any delusion that we earn merit from God by doing so. We repent because God produces repentance by his Law, and comforts us with his Gospel promise, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We cast off sin, because we want to thank Jesus, who redeemed us from its curse and control. After this church service is over today, Jesus will send you into the village that is opposed to you, the whole world, which hates you because you are not of the world, any more than Jesus is of it. But he has come to you. He has hosannaed you. Yeshua, Jesus, the one who saves his people, has saved you. He who comes in the name of the Lord has put the name of the Lord onto you in Baptism. He claims you, and the world cannot any longer. He feeds you with the food of immortality, his body and blood, so that you live for him now, and with him forever. Blessed is he, blessed is he, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest!