The Shepherd’s Voice – Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tomah, WI

The Second Sunday after Christmas | Matthew 2:13-23 | Following in the Footsteps of Joseph, Guarding of our Lord

The Second Sunday after Christmas
January 4, 2026
Matthew 2:13-23
 
The Gospel reading this morning feels like an action-packed story: a quick escape to Egypt to protect the Child who would be the Savior of the world, a tyrannical king who kills all male children under two out of fear that one of them might dethrone him, and a safe return home after the evil king dies. 
 
The story is gripping and suspenseful.
 
However, one of this morning’s main characters is someone we don’t often talk about; we know little about him. After this morning’s Gospel reading, the only other time we’ll hear of him is when he and his wife Mary are searching for their son as they leave Jerusalem, only to find the boy in the temple, discussing, as the boy will say, the teachings of His heavenly Father. 
 
The man’s name is Joseph, of course, the earthly father of the Christ Child.
 
In this morning’s Gospel, Joseph provides a template and icon for all fathers to imitate, and his example really began before Jesus was even born, as the angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and said,
 
Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:20b-21)
 
The story goes on that when Joseph awoke from that sleep,
 
He did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)
 
Yes, I know you know this part of the story, so why is it so important for today? Because Joseph always listened to the Word of the Lord and obeyed it. This is the foundation of all fatherhood: to listen, hear, and obey the Word of the Lord.
 
Regrettably, too many fathers neglect to regularly read, listen to, and learn God’s Word outside of the Divine Service each Sunday. Then they wonder,
 
“Where are my children?”
 
“Why aren’t they still in church?”
 
You see, if a man is not exercising his faith regularly, how can they expect their household to do the same?
 
More than ever, the Church needs to regain masculinity, godly masculinity; we need men who walk in the image of the prophets, those godly men who heard the voice of their God throughout the Old Testament and prepared the way for the Christ Child’s birth.
 
In a series of sermons on marriage and the family, the Church Father St. John Chrysostom highlights the faith of fathers throughout the Old Testament, such as Noah, who receives the Word of the Lord and builds an ark to save his family. Or there’s Abraham, who, despite being wealthy, did not seek fame and riches but sought the Lord’s wisdom, listening to and obeying the Word of the Lord as the greatest treasure of all. 
 
As Chrysostom would write regarding the men of the Old Testament, he says,
 
All these great men looked at this present life as nothing; They did not thirst for riches or other earthly attachments.
 
Tell me, which trees are best? Do we not prefer those that are inwardly strong and are not injured by rain storms, or hail, or gusts of wind, or by any sort of harsh weather, but stand exposed to them all without fences or garden to protect them?
 
He who truly loves wisdom is like this and his riches we have already described. He has nothing, yet has everything; He has everything, yet nothing. A fence does not provide internal strength, nor is a wall a natural support; They provide only artificial protection. What is a strong body? Is it not one that is healthy, whether hungry or [filled], cold or warm? Or is it something that is dependent on restaurants, tailors, merchants, and physicians for health?
 
The truly rich man, the true lover of wisdom, needs none of these things, and that is why the [Scriptures] admonish us to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Don't surround them with external safeguards of wealth and fame, for when these fail - and they will fail - our children will stand naked and defenseless, having gained no profit from their former prosperity, but only injury, since when those artificial protections that shielded them from the winds are removed, they will be blown to the ground in a moment.
 
Therefore, wealth is a hindrance because it leaves us unprepared for the hardships of life. (64)
 
How remarkable are these words written by St. John Chrysostom in the 4th century? It’s as if he’s living yet today.
 
What has weakened your family’s faith in the past? How is your faith and the faith of those around you, including your children, being battered by the winds and storms of this life, leaving you and them exposed to the elements of this world?
 
We live in sad times when the home is more concerned with the adornments of life, whether it be, as Chrysostom said, dependence on restaurants, tailors, merchants, and physicians for health. Or in our time, sports, choirs, and social media status.
 
It’s time for the men of the Church to rise and follow in the steps of Joseph, the prophets, and patriarchs.  
 
It’s time for us to arise and prepare the coming generations so they might withstand the hardships of this life with the help of the Lord.
 
And look, this is why Joseph is the perfect icon and image for us to follow, as he received the Word of the Lord, and in a very awesome way, he became the guardian and protector of this, the Word made flesh.
 
Meditate upon this…
 
Fathers who follow in the footsteps of Joseph do so by hearing the Word of the Lord themselves—receiving it, trusting in it, and confessing it to their children and families. Then they guard and protect this deposit in their children’s hearts so the Word can take root, strengthening their dear little ones’ faith to be stronger than all the trees. 
 
In fact, we want the children of the Church to grow up under the tree of the cross, always looking and clinging to it, because it’s there that Joseph’s Son would die for them, for you, ensuring forgiveness and life eternal for all who possess faith in Him who was born of Mary.
 
Still, you say, “Pastor, but I don’t know how to be a Joseph, I don’t know how to lead my children in the faith…”
 
Thankfully, the father of Lutheranism, Martin Luther, wrote before every chief part of the Small Catechism, “As the head of the family should teach in a simple way to his household.”
 
Teach the Catechism. Reclaim Lutheranism. Exercise the Christian faith.
 
As Martin Luther once remarked, “There’s enough in the Catechism to occupy the greatest theologian for a lifetime.”
 
You possess the tools; they just need to be used. 
 
Now, I understand, some have not been given the gift of children, and you might be thinking, “What can I do?”
 
There’s plenty; you can always pray for the families, and specifically for the fathers of the church. In fact, everyone should be doing this each and every day. For those children who are fatherless or whose fathers are absent, how can you confess and impart the Word of the Lord to them, and then protect it? 
 
There are no rules against encouraging one another in the faith; in fact, St. Paul wrote,
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
 
You are to do this because you are a family gathered and united as the holy family was in Bethlehem by the Word made flesh.
 
Again, how cool is this?
 
Now, circling back to the beginning today, the truth is, this morning’s Gospel is in fact the start of an action-packed, gripping, and suspenseful story. It’s the story of a father protecting a child who would grow into a man—a Man who would heal the lame, walk on water, and raise the dead.
 
A Man whose faithfulness to His heavenly Father was so strong that He fulfilled His Father’s will, even dying upon the tree of the cross - for you.
 
And this man’s name is Jesus, because He was sent to save His people from their sins.
 
My friends, you have received the most incredible story ever told, so go ahead and tell it to all who have ears, because it’s this Word that permits all of God’s children to withstand the storms and trials of this fleeting life and be led in Holy wisdom to eternal life. +INJ+
 
 Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Christmas 1 | Luke 2:22-40 | Jesus' Parent's Fulfill God's Will - An Icon for All Christian Parents

Christmas 1
December 28, 2025
Luke 2:22-40
 
***Today, we had a baptism at the beginning of the Divine Service***
 
Have you noticed how everyone rightly focuses on the birth of Jesus at Christmas, but then forgets how the days that follow His birth are also important and continue to tell the story and purpose of the Christ Child’s arrival into the world?
 
To start with, we hear about Mary and Joseph’s faithfulness to God’s word as they brought the baby Jesus to the temple this morning. The Gospel says they took Jesus to the temple according to the Law of Moses, and it wasn’t until the law was fulfilled that they would depart and return to Galilee. 
 
This image of Mary and Joseph’s faithfulness should motivate all parents to be just as faithful in hearing and listening to God’s Word and bringing their little ones to His temple and sanctuary, just as Gabe and Leah have, bringing Ellowyn to where God is present for her today. 
 
Now, when Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple, they were greeted by Simeon, a devout and righteous man who had been in the temple specifically to wait for and receive the Lord’s consolation, to see the Christ.
 
But let’s take a moment to consider what it truly means to receive the Lord’s consolation. Yet, it might be helpful to start by thinking about what the opposite of consolation is. 
 
It’s a harsh world of desolation, of indifference, ruthless disdain, and complete mercilessness, a lack of compassion and forgiveness.
 
Not a world one would typically desire to bring a child into.
 
But this is the world that Simeon knew and was waiting for consolation from. 
 
As you look around, is the world you live in much different from the world of Simeon that first Christmas?
 
To ask the question differently, has the devil ceased to attack the faith of God’s children?
 
The answer is no, of course.
 
You still live in a world of desolation; indifference has become the Devil’s playground. The talking heads on television and social media often teach you to have ruthless disdain for the neighbor you disagree with, and forgiveness is seen as a weakness. 
 
Maybe this is a world you witnessed this Christmas as you gathered with family? A reminder of how near the wildernesses of this world are. 
 
But Simeon, a member of God’s faithful remnant of Israel, is waiting in the temple for the consolation of Israel to come, and he sees the Christ child as Mary and Joseph enter the temple, takes Him into his arms, and speaks the most comforting words anyone can say. 
            Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
                        according to your word;
            for my eyes have seen your salvation
            that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
            a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
                        and for glory to your people Israel.
 
These are the words of Simeon’s consolation, God’s comfort and peace, His forgiveness. These are the words of fulfillment as the prophet Isaiah had written,
 
It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
                        This is the LORD; we have waited for him;
                        let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)
And this confesses why Jesus was born into this world, to save us, to save you.
 
This is also what Anna the Prophetess confesses in the verses that follow Simeon. You see, just a few days ago, the Shepherds announced the birth of Jesus, but the words that Prophetess Anna now speaks are about His death, as St. Luke records,
 
And coming up at that very hour [Anna] began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
 
This redemption would occur through the means of the cross.
 
Now, while the Bible doesn’t specify the type of wood used for the cross, there might be a little sermon for young Ellowyn here (and the rest of you).
 
The name Ellowyn is of English origin. It carries several wonderful meanings, such as purity, joy, or, in some cases, it refers to the Elm Tree. When associated with an Elm Tree, the name symbolizes resilience and beauty. An Elm tree is known for its large canopy, which offers shade to those seeking shelter beneath it. It’s also a hardwood, signifying strength beneath its bark.  
 
Of course, Ellowyn’s last name is Oakes, which is an even sturdier tree and name.
 
Yet, there is a tree stronger than both, and this is the tree that Leah and Gabe must point their little Ellowyn to every day: the tree of the cross. Because this is what faithful parents do—they humbly bring their children into the courts of the Lord and guide them to look beyond this world, beyond themselves, and to their Savior.
 
Why does this matter?
 
Because little Ellowyn has been born into a harsh world of desolation, of ruthless disdain for one another, complete mercilessness – a world lacking compassion and forgiveness.
 
Merry Christmas, huh?
 
But look, as she was baptized today, like the rest of you, she became a member of God’s faithful remnant on earth.
 
A remnant that’s always walking and approaching the tree of Jesus’ cross, because that is how and where He won eternal consolation for Ellowyn and for all of you.
 
Here’s the thing: just as Jesus’ journey to the cross began at His birth, so the Christians’ journey to eternal life begins at the font, where you are joined to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
 
From this day forward, every journey from the font to this altar follows the way of the cross; it’s a rehearsal for singing with Simeon and praising God with Anna in paradise.
 
Think about that when you sing Nunc Dimittis in a few minutes…
 
Having come or been brought into this sanctuary, you approach, take, and receive the flesh and blood of Jesus into your hands and upon your lips, and then you sing again with Simeon,
 
Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
                        according to your word...
 
How cool is that?
 
Here you are given the Lord’s consolation, His peace. And how would a child ever know this if their parents did not faithfully carry out their responsibilities, to walk in the shadows of Mary and Joseph, and to bring their little ones into the presence of God as He has instructed.
 
Mothers and fathers, fathers and mothers, have an enormous responsibility in raising their child in the faith, and the greatest joy they will receive is by presenting them to the Lord, where He shall place His name, granting them not only consolation now, but eternal peace when they leave this world and enter the heavenly courts.
 
Remember this, because there’s no greater joy than receiving the peace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and being made ready by Him to live with Him forever. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Christmas Day | John 1:1-14 | Christmas is a New Beginning

Christmas Day
John 1:1-14
 
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
 
In 1968, the space shuttle Apollo 8 was orbiting the Moon. But on that Christmas, the astronauts onboard this space shuttle broadcasted a short, brief greeting from high above down to Earth below in one of the most watched television broadcasts at that time. Some of you may remember huddling around a TV or radio for this mesmerizing event. As the astronauts orbited, and the lunar sunrise approached, they spoke the words “In the Beginning…” The three astronauts read the first ten verses of the book of Genesis, the beginning of creation. 
   
Imagine what those three astronauts experienced. What a sight to see the Earth below as the sun rises and they read these Words of God, these Words of creation. What awe and wonder to witness the beauty of Earth and God’s creation as they begin their new day with, “In the beginning….” How small the world must have seemed, with its problems and challenges, to these astronauts at that moment as they orbited in space. 
   
Today’s Gospel, John 1, in many ways paints a cosmic picture for us. The tone and makeup of the Christmas readings have shifted. No longer are you hearing about cattle lowing, angels from on high, mangers, or room at the inn. Today’s Gospel points you to creation.
   
How often do you reflect on the words of creation, “In the beginning?”
 
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The truth is, most days you forget how awe-inspiring the world God created is. Instead, you focus on the world often shaped by you. Why is this the case?
   
You are a fallen creation; a child separated from their Father. In Adam and Eve’s fall into sin, you fell too. Just as your first parents became concerned and even consumed with their needs in this life, so have you.
   
It must have been a fleeting moment in time when those astronauts read the words of Genesis during Christmas in 1968. We might like to think the sense of awe and wonder lasted, but surely children soon after this event longed for Red Ryder Range Model 1938 BB guns to shoot and baby dolls to dress. Before long, this moment in history became just the past, and man and woman on earth were once again consumed by their own wants, needs, and desires. They were preoccupied with their own world.
 
Things haven’t changed much since 1968. 
   
Our lives continue to be filled with daily events. When a man and a woman become engaged, their days and world are shaped by wedding plans. As couples welcome children into the world, new parents feverishly prepare to care for this gift, this child of God entrusted to them. In the face of job loss, one is overwhelmed with concerns about how to provide for and care for their family. Likewise, when death occurs, you must bear the burden of planning a funeral and returning your loved one’s body to the earth. These are the joys, the challenges, and the sorrows of life; they have not changed over time but remain constants. 
   
Yet, in the joy and sadness that so often shape your lives and the world you live in, you have a promise that remains with you. A promise first made to Adam and Eve in Genesis, where God said, “And I will put enmity between you and the women, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15) Amidst the crumbling world around Adam and Eve, God came to them, spoke to them, and offered hope through a promise, through His Word. 
   
If the world around you feels like it’s crumbling, or God seems distant and uninterested in you, don’t listen to the flesh or the lies of the serpent. Instead, listen to this Word of God. Hear the promise made to send a Seed, an offspring to conquer sin in this world, to defeat and destroy the devil, and to undo death with life. This child does not abandon you in your struggles or leave you in loneliness. Rather, this promise has been fulfilled in the Word that became flesh, the Word incarnate that was nailed to a tree and became a curse for you and every child. 
   
Your joy today is these words, “In the beginning…”
 
Because as we hear “In the beginning” from the Gospel of St. John, we hear the beginning of God’s promise to man being fulfilled through the redemptive and regenerative work of the Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ.
   
For every child born of God, this promise is given. In baptism, Jesus penetrates your world as a child, uniting Himself with you. Our text says, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (NKJV) Blood and flesh are the ways of earthly birth and earthly death, but the birth given in Holy Baptism is a heavenly birth, a birth that leads to eternal life in Jesus.
   
In the midst of this world, Jesus comes to you. He becomes man and takes on your flesh, joining Himself to you. He does not sit high above the heavens as a God who does not love His creation or is indifferent to your prayers and petitions. Instead, He humbles Himself, enters into this world, and bears the crosses of your life in His flesh, taking them upon the cross He bore for you, dear child of God. And He continues to bring renewal and His forgiveness to you. How wonderful this is—soon, we will gather not around a television but here around this altar, Saint Augustine writes. 
 
What you can see here, dearly beloved, on the table of the Lord, is bread and wine; but this bread and wine, when the word is applied to it, becomes the body and blood of the Word. That Lord, you see, who “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” was so compassionate that he did not despise what he had created in his own image; and therefore “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Because, yes, the very Word took to himself a man, that is, the soul and flesh of a man, and became man while remaining God. For that reason, because he also suffered for us, he also presented us in this sacrament with his body and blood.
 
This very flesh and blood are for the comfort, encouragement, and forgiveness you are so desperately in need of. At this rail, something truly amazing happens: heaven fills this earth. You are joined with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as our voices unite in praise with the angels, archangels, the saints who now rest from their labors. We rejoice and praise the one who comes and enters our world.
   
The miraculous aspect of Christmas is that your Savior comes to you. In Him, you find forgiveness and salvation. He is your hope in this life, a light that shines in your darkness, and your joy during times of sadness. Through Him, you were created, and in Him, all things are fulfilled, giving you eternal peace. 
   
As you journey through life until your final day on earth, let your days be shaped by the Word that was made flesh and now dwells among us. When you pass by the font, remember the new creation you are through holy baptism. As you approach this rail, rejoice that your Savior lives within you as you live in Him. Rejoice, for this is not just a fleeting moment, but the joy of eternity extended to you. God bless you and keep you this Christmas Day. Merry Christmas!
 
 
“The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
 
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Christmas Eve | Christmas is not dependent upon you, but it is because of you

Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols
December 24, 2025
 
 
+INJ+
 
It’s clear that the Christmas season began nearly two months ago, as stores began displaying their holiday decorations in the days leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween, as some call it. 
 
It was slightly after the beginning of November that Starbucks began selling its holiday coffees.
 
But don’t get me started on the Hallmark channel, which began its 24/7 programming of Christmas movies on October 17th that make you wonder every two to three hours if the down-on-her-luck girl will find Mr. Christmas in a small town or if the big city accountant who runs away from life will ever find the true meaning of Christmas.
 
Now, I love a good Christmas movie, a Frosty the Snowman or a little Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but have you noticed how the whole Christmas season, as the world sees it, conditions you for nearly two months?
 
And it’s about how Christmas begins with you—what you do, how you find and create purpose and love.
 
This idea really stood out to me in the movie, The Polar Express. It features a boy who has lost his belief in the Christmas stories of the world, so he boards a train on Christmas Eve in the middle of the night to go to the North Pole with other children for a magical experience. 
 
The climax of the movie revolves around the train arriving at the North Pole just in time to see Father Christmas off, allowing one of the children to receive the first Christmas gift of the night. The challenge for the young man who plays a central role in the movie is that he cannot hear the sleighbells ring when Father Christmas appears because of his lack of faith in Father Christmas. You see, the boy no longer believes in him.
 
Only when the young man finds it in himself to believe in Father Christmas again does he hear the joyful ringing of the sleigh bells.
 
In a way, this is how you’ve been conditioned over the past two months: that the “spirit” of Christmas begins with you, that it depends on you.  
 
That’s a heavy weight for anyone to carry, let alone a child.
 
But it also misses how Christmas comes to each of you…
 
So, what did we hear in the lessons we just read tonight?
 
The Angel Gabriel told Mary when she questioned the miraculous birth of the Savior,
 
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)
 
Mary didn’t do anything here; she simply received the Word of God, and the Christ Child was conceived in her womb through the work of the Holy Spirit who came upon her.
 
If you fast forward, the Angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the field, who seem to have been just doing what shepherds do, and announced to them,
 
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
 
There’s nothing the shepherds did to solicit this great news and the joy that overwhelmed them; it came to them through the words of the heavenly angels.
As the prophet Isaiah wrote,
 
            For to us a child is born,
                        to us a son is given… (Isaiah 9:6)
 
Ponder these words…
 
The good news of Christmas doesn’t start with you; it’s not a feeling or emotion to be recreated from childhood. It’s given and announced to you through the words of God’s messengers. 
 
To say all of this differently, Christmas is not dependent upon you, but it is because of you.
 
Again, Christmas is not dependent upon you, but it is because of you.
 
The truth is, if a successful Christmas depends on the number of gifts given or received, falling in love under the mistletoe like in the movies, or digging deep into oneself to find or create a feeling of “Christmas Spirit” so you can hear the ringing of magical bells, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. 
 
No, the joy of Christmas comes to you; it comes because of your heavenly Father’s heart and great love for you that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be born of the Virgin Mary—to redeem and rescue you.
 
This is why Martin Luther is correct when he said, “The manger and the cross are never far apart.”
 
In other words, when you approach the manger, you are already starting your journey to the cross of Good Friday, where the Christ Child dies for you.
 
How wonderful is this?
 
You have a Savior who came from heaven above to this earth below. He came for you, to save you, to forgive you, and to give you eternal life – His life.
 
For this reason, the Church remains His manger, where He comes to you through His Word.
 
The Church is His manger as He comes and is present to feed you at this altar with His flesh and blood, the food of pardon and peace.  
 
The Church is His manger, because it’s here the true Spirit, the Holy Spirit, gathers, creates, and sustains faith in the hearts of all God’s children.
 
How great this is that Christmas and the Church do not depend on you, but they are for you.
 
Remember this….
 
Christmas and the Church do not depend on you, but they are for you.
 
+INJ+
 
 
Merry Christmas!
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Advent 4 | Philippians 4:4-7 | Jesus Comes to Remove the Bah! Humbugs! of Life

Advent 4 – Rorate Coeli
December 21, 2025
Philippians 4:4-7
 
 
Bah! Humbug!
 
It’s believed this saying first appeared around the 1750s, about 100 years before it was made famous by that cold, miserly, selfish, and cynical old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, in Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol.”
 
Bah! Humbug!
 
To define the well-known saying from the classic, let’s start with the Humbug, which is meant to say something is not genuine, that it’s a deception, a con, a fraud, a hoax, it’s fake.
 
The Bah! in Bah! Humbug! acts as an annoyed interjection to emphasize the contempt behind “Humbug.” Because of this, the Bah! is meant to be the finishing touch on the Humbug, the exclamation point!
 
For these reasons, when Scrooge says, Bah! Humbug! - he is genuinely and emphatically dismissing Christmas joy, equating it with foolishness and hypocrisy. He’s calling Christmas a hoax, nonsense, or a scam.
 
Old Scrooge saw Christmas as a waste of time and his money; he lacked sympathy towards others, and his lack of cheerfulness isolated him from both his acquaintances and family.
 
In many ways, I’m sure Charles Dickens wants the reader to see themselves in Scrooge.
 
Can you? Can you see yourself in him?
 
As the season of Advent approaches its end, people’s prayers must grow more intense, asking God for a change of heart—one that admits how they, you, have imitated Scrooge in both what you say and what you fail to do for others.
 
Now, there is another man in Scripture, a truly zealous, well-educated, get-things-done type, whom some might have seen as similar to Scrooge, except this one was serious about it in a very different way and took it to another level. He persecuted Christians, arrested them, and even participated in stoning them for their faith in Christ Jesus. 
 
His name was Saul of Tarsus.
 
You know him as the Apostle Paul. Yes, it was he who persecuted Christians, sought to arrest them, and was there when St. Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned to death for confessing his faith in Jesus.
 
But then something miraculous occurred: Jesus came to Saul, not through ghosts or spirits in the night, but He called him to faith through His Word and gave Saul new life in the waters of Holy Baptism. 
 
In this way, Saul was no longer the same, as his heart of stone was transformed into a heart of flesh. Later, he would be known as St. Paul, and he would become someone who suffered for Jesus, proclaiming the gospel everywhere he traveled. He would encourage other apostles in their faith. He would be shipwrecked, beaten, and left for dead. In fact, the epistle this morning was written while he was imprisoned. 
 
And what did he say?
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
No one writes these words from prison, no less, unless they truly believe them and have faith in their Savior, Jesus Christ. No one writes these words unless their heart has been miraculously transformed.
 
Throughout this season of Advent, have you permitted your heart to be transformed? Have you cast aside the Bah! Humbugs! of your life for joy in Christ? Have you learned to pray regularly and faithfully, so that the anxiety of your heart might receive the peace of God that surpasses your understanding of this mortal life on earth, the peace that guards your hearts and minds from the cold, miserable, selfish, and cynical ways of old Scrooge? 
 
If not, the time is now; hear the words of John the Baptist from today’s Gospel,
 
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”
 
These words are a call to repent of the sin that has led you away from Christ this Advent season. The ways your path has become crooked—the road where joy is not found.
 
Today is a call for the heart of mankind to be reconciled in the cross of Jesus – His death and resurrection.
 
In a way, Advent is meant to be a battleground for the heart and mind of every Christian. But the peace you desire will thankfully not be revealed to you by spirits throughout the night, but through the same transformational Word and Gospel spoken to St. Paul on the road to Damascus. 
 
It’s this word of Christ that removed Paul from the crooked path and set him to walk in the way of Jesus, and this was his cause for joy – faith and trust in Jesus.
 
Old Scrooge saw Christmas as a waste of time and his money; he lacked sympathy towards others, and his lack of cheerfulness isolated him from both his acquaintances and family.
 
Is this you?
 
Are there sorrows that continue to fill your heart as we approach this Christmas? Are there broken relationships that you have not reconciled? Do you grieve your lack of charity in word and deed? Have you failed in keeping your prayers this Advent season?
 
If so, the time is at hand; put away your anxious heart and go to the Lord in prayer.
 
Pray for a generous heart.
 
Pray for peace in your life.
 
Pray for reconciliation with one another.
 
Pray for your Lord to remove the cold, miserly, selfish, and cynical old man within you.
 
Because when you entrust the needs of this life to God in prayer, there you exercise your faith, and where there is faith, there is peace, and there is joy in your heart.
 
So let us gather now in these waning hours of night and pray, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
 
Come and be with us, O Emmanuel, transform us into your likeness, so that we might rejoice in your presence forever. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Advent 3 Midweek | Luke 2:8-20 | Confess the Good News the Shepherds Received

Advent 3 + Midweek (The Angels and the Shepherds)
December 17, 2025
Luke 2:8-20
 
Tonight, we conclude our meditations on the Angels of Advent as we reflect on the Angels who appear to the Shepherds. 
 
It’s interesting that shepherds are among the first to learn about Jesus’ birth since He will be the great Shepherd. In a way, the angels are not only announcing the birth of the Savior but also revealing the work He will perform to protect, keep, and lead you, His lambs, to springs of living water.
 
But one of the things that prevent you from being led to the springs of living water, eternal life, is your rejection of His Word—lips that do not confess His name both here and in your daily life, whether you’re going to work or school, taking children to practice or rehearsals, encountering neighbors at the store or out to eat, or gathering around the table at home. 
 
But right from the beginning, as soon as Jesus is born of the Virgin Mary, the angel of the Lord appears to the shepherds to do what we find difficult: to announce the good news, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. 
 
However, this angelic announcement is met with the same fear as each of the previous two announcements to Mary and Joseph. In each case, fear appears in the person receiving the good news, but it quickly vanishes with the angel’s words. 
 
In a way, I wonder if the shepherd’s fear diminishes partly because of the words of the angel as he said to them, 
Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
 
This news is for all people…
 
Have you ever noticed that you’re usually less afraid in life when you’re with others? When you’re part of a group? When you’re in a crowd? 
 
Some people call this strength in numbers, right?
 
Speaking of numbers, joining the angel of the Lord is a multitude of heavenly hosts in saying,
            “Glory to God in the highest,
                        and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
 
How wonderful it is to witness heaven and earth united in celebration. 
 
The joy comes from the peace of heaven that has descended upon earth in the baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. It is this child who will take away all fear from man’s heart. 
 
But let’s return to the idea of fear again. Throughout our readings this Advent, fear is always present in the hearts of the receivers, whether it’s Mary, Joseph, or the shepherds. But when someone hears the Gospel for the first time today, do they experience fear? 
 
Maybe…
 
Honestly, though, for all the wrong reasons, fear usually rests in the one who has the chance to confess not only the birth of Jesus but also the purpose for which He was sent: to take your sins to the cross, to die for you, and to rise again so you could receive eternal life. 
 
Consider this: it’s your fear that stops you from sharing Jesus with everyone you meet — at the bus stop, school, work, or even around your dinner table. 
 
However, reflect on what the shepherds did after receiving the good news—the gospel of Jesus from the angels. They went to Bethlehem to see this Babe in the manger, and the text says, 
 
And when they saw [Jesus], they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
 
Having seen Jesus, these shepherds could not keep from confessing the good news of His birth; they told everyone, praising their Lord for revealing Himself to them. 
 
Now think about this: Have you seen Jesus? Have you heard His voice? Has He revealed Himself to you?
 
Absolutely!
 
He does this every time we gather here in this sanctuary. As you walk past the font, you remember where He claimed you as His own. As you sit in the pew, you hear His voice, the good news of forgiveness, and at this rail, you join the angelic choir of heaven in receiving a foretaste of what’s to come.
 
How could you not want to confess this great news to everyone you come in contact with in how you speak and what you do?
 
Think about this: if you read a book and found the story to be delightful, would you not tell others?
 
Or if you went to a restaurant and enjoyed a wonderful meal, would you not tell others?
 
I mean, these days, if the Chick-fil-A trailer shows up in Tomah, Facebook is all a clatter with people saying the best chicken sandwiches are in town!
 
So why wouldn’t you be moved to confess the good news of the angels more boldly with those you encounter? 
 
Because you live in fear.
 
You worry about what others think. You’ve fallen for the lies of the devil, believing it’s inappropriate to speak of faith in Christ Jesus. You’ve closed your heart to His Word. 
 
But listen to these words from St. John,
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
 
In other words, set aside the fears of this world, such as the fear of rejection. Fear God and the eternal punishment He can bring. Allow Jesus to dwell in you, because with Him, love overflows, dispels earthly fears, and works within you. In return, you receive the greatest gift of heavenly peace – His forgiveness. 
 
As we conclude our meditations on the Angels of Advent, remember that the definition of an angel is to be a messenger of God. While you are not angels, nor will you ever be, you are called to be messengers of God—to take the great news the shepherds heard and make it known to all who will hear. 
 
In the end, you cannot separate your confession of Jesus from faith, as St. Paul wrote,
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10)
 
In the days ahead, cast aside your fears, and do not keep the good news of your Savior’s birth to yourself. Learn from the shepherds to confess His birth, remembering that this news is for all people. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
 
www.goodsheptomah.org

Advent 3 + Gaudete | Matthew 11:2-11 | The Traditions of Advent Help Point Us to Jesus

Advent 3 + Gaudete
December 14, 2025
Matthew 11:2-11
 
In the latest issue of the Lutheran Witness, the magazine of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the topic of “Traditions” is discussed, which is fitting as we go through the season of Advent and approach Christmas. Every family has its own traditions. Every congregation has its traditions. In the end, every tradition we observe and uphold should help us confess the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 
 
In the opening article of the Lutheran Witness, our synod president, Matthew Harrison, reminded readers that tradition is a Scriptural idea, taught in both the Gospels and the Epistles.
 
St. Luke wrote,
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:1-4)
 
The idea here is that Luke would “Deliver” or pass down what he received to others.
 
Or as the St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians,
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
 
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:1-5)
 
The use of the word “delivered” here is rooted in the Greek word for tradition, so St. Paul is truly saying, “For I gave to you, the tradition of what I received.”
 
And this is none other than the tradition of passing down and sharing the story and good news of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 
 
But we don’t think of words being passed down from one generation to another in the same way we think of Grandma’s sugar cookies at Christmas, the trimming of the Christmas tree, or the family games played around the table on Christmas Day.
We tend to see tradition as things we do.
 
The Lutheran Confessions address the idea of traditions, the things we do, too, by saying,
Our churches teach that ceremonies ought to be observed that may be observed without sin. Also, ceremonies and other practices that are profitable for tranquility and good order in the Church (in particular, holy days, festivals, and the like) ought to be observed.[1]
 
From this, the traditions and ceremonies of the Church, such as the pastor wearing robes, lighting candles, making the sign of the cross, Gospel processions, and celebrating the festival of Christmas, are all for the good of the Church. There’s nothing wrong with them.
 
So, what does any of this have to do with today?
 
Well, there’s a tradition during the season of Advent that we’ve usually just accepted without knowing the story behind it, and that is the rose-colored candle in the Advent wreath. The rose-colored candle represents the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday.
 
Gaudete comes from the Latin word for “Rejoice!”
 
Soon, the Sunday School choir will sing the musical piece Gaudete. While it’s a sacred Christmas carol written in Latin, it is believed to have actually been composed around the 16th century as part of a Finnish or Swedish collection of songs. It’s not as old as one might have believed.
 
But getting back to that rose-colored candle and the history of Gaudete Sunday. The season of Advent originally began around the 5th century as early as November 11th, when it was known as St. Martin’s Lent. No, this was not for Martin Luther; it was for St. Martin of Tours, a Soldier turned pastor, known for his generous heart and love of Christ.
 
It was around the ninth century when the season of Advent was shortened to the current four weeks, and with this shorter season, Gaudete Sunday occurs in the third week to reflect that we are now more than halfway through the penitential season, it provided a brief reprieve from the traditions and discipline of increased fasting, prayer, and alms giving. 
 
You see, Advent didn’t used to be as commercialized as it is today; it has long been a penitential season, much like Lent. But over time, the world has snuffed out the penitential aspect of Advent to get a jump-start on the Christmas festivities. In light of this, Gaudete Sunday has lost some of its importance. There’s no need to have a respite from the toils of a penitential season if all you are doing is partying and rejoicing already.
 
In a fascinating way, while the church is adorned with the tradition of an Advent wreath to help us mark time and properly prepare our hearts for the coming of our Savior, do we keep this tradition correctly so that we might stay focused and receive Christ’s coming properly? 
 
Or do we permit the more recent traditions of the world to imprison us with “parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling in the snow?”
 
You see, the season of Advent, like Lent, is a time set aside for Christians to examine what sins and tribulations of life have imprisoned them (You).
 
What’s interesting about the Gospel reading today is that while John the Baptist is in a physical prison, his disciples might find themselves in a mental and spiritual prison of sorts. They have followed John the Baptist and heard his teaching about the coming of the Messiah, but now their excitement likely turned to disappointment because John the Baptist, their leader, is in captivity and will die soon.
 
So, from his prison cell, John the Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus. Some believe this is because John’s faith had weakened or that doubts began to arise in his mind about Jesus. Still, I’ve joined those theologians who see this event as John the Baptist, not seeking his own confirmation of who Jesus is; he knows who He is but continues to point his disciples, who are in a weakened state, to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who will go to the cross to take away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
 
And I believe John the Baptist knew his disciples would need this lesson, so they might seek the comfort of Jesus as they approach their time of mourning and sadness, the day when John the Baptist would be beheaded.
 
So, what has imprisoned you this year?
 
Has the tinsel of the season blinded you and caused you to lose sight of your Savior? Has an illness hindered your ability to walk and serve your neighbors? Has cancer made you feel like a leper, cut off emotionally and physically from friends and family? Have you noticed yourself drifting away and ignoring Jesus’ voice and words? Has depression and anxiety made you feel poor and dead inside? 
 
If so, the words Jesus spoke to the disciples of John the Baptist are for you, too.
 
 
Jesus said to them,
Go and tell John what you hear and see:  the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. (Matthew 11:4-5)
 
This is what the traditions of Holy Scripture do when they are handed down correctly: they deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ to those imprisoned, whether by ailment or sin. The Good News of Jesus grants you forgiveness of sin and raises you to new life, eternal life. 
 
This is why the traditions of the Church, such as those observed during Advent, include acts like penitential self-examination and confession, as well as the simple details of the Advent wreath that mark the passage of time, preparing you for the coming of your Savior on the last day. The day when you are not only raised out of sin but also out of the grave, the day when you shall join the heavenly choir, rejoicing eternally. 
 
For this reason, the lessons of John the Baptist, like the traditions of the Church today, must always point you to your Savior, Jesus Christ. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
 
 
www.goodsheptomah.org
 
 
 
[1] Paul Timothy McCain, ed., Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2005), 39.

Get to Know Us | Interview with Dave and Barb Scardino

On this podcast, we get to know another family of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Dave and Barb Scardino!
 
Please take a listen and learn how they moved to Tomah and became members at Good Shepherd over thirty years ago!
 
www.GoodShepTomah.org
 

Advent 2 Midweek | Matthew 1:18-25 | The Birth of Jesus Beyond Human Reason

Advent 2 – Midweek
December 10, 2025
Matthew 1:18-25
 
When you were born, God gave you the ability to understand life’s matters. When you were young, you didn't use this ability well; it needed to be developed. Therefore, God placed adults in your life to help you learn how to think clearly in your daily life.
 
Reason is the ability or capacity to use logical thinking and draw conclusions from existing information.
 
In our second reading this evening, Joseph used his reason to conclude that the woman he was betrothed to, Mary, was pregnant through sin and a relationship with another man.  
 
It’s not hard to see how he would arrive at this conclusion if he had not yet slept with Mary.
 
But here God intercedes for the sake of salvation. He sends His angel to Joseph in a dream, and like when the angel Gabriel visited Mary, the angel says, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear.”
 
If you think about it, even before the angel appeared, Joseph was probably full of fear. What was his family and friends going to think of him now that Mary was pregnant and not by him? Would he be shunned? Would he be an outcast? Would he be looked down upon?
 
Could he not lead a household?
 
But at the core of the angel’s message is the reality that man cannot understand the ways of God apart from Him and His Word.
 
Now, just as the experience Mary had with the angel is beyond human understanding, God uses His messengers to begin revealing the meaning behind these events that first Advent, as he says, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
 
The first part of the angel’s greeting connects Joseph, the baby in Mary’s womb, and his lineage with the line of David. This is important because it fulfills the prophecy spoken to David in our first reading this evening, as we heard, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.” (2 Samuel 7:12) 
 
This prophecy will take time to be fulfilled, but it begins to find fulfillment in the womb of Mary, where the offspring, Jesus, now resides.
 
But the second part of the angel’s message conveys the origin of the Christ child, that He has no human father. That through the work of the Holy Spirit, sent by the heavenly Father, the child was conceived.               
 
Again, this was difficult for Joseph to reason and rationalize.
 
However, the way to understanding the birth of Jesus begins with the source of the child’s conception, the Holy Spirit.
 
Likewise, you received a new birth from above when the Holy Spirit came upon you in the font of Holy Baptism and ignited faith within your heart. This faith continues to be revealed through God’s Word, and in this Word, human reason is brought into submission because God’s ways are not the ways of man.
 
As the prophet Isaiah wrote,
            For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
                        neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
            For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
                        so are my ways higher than your ways
                        and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
 
In a glorious and comforting way, you are not tasked with reasoning or rationalizing the will of God. Instead, you are to be as Joseph and receive the messenger and Word of God as it is spoken to you. Through this word, permit the Holy Spirit to create faith within you and lead you through the trials and unknowns of life, faithfully trusting Jesus, who came in the womb of the Virgin Mary to redeem you upon the cross.
 
And look, faith can be difficult at different times in life, but as we read in the book of Hebrews, remember, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
 
But as Martin Luther wrote,
One of the noblest and most precious virtues of faith is to close one’s eyes to this, ingenuously to desist from exploring the why and the wherefore, and cheerfully to leave everything to God. Faith does not insist on knowing the reason for God’s actions, but it still regards God as the greatest goodness and mercy. Faith holds to that against and beyond all reason, sense, and experience, when everything appears to be wrath and injustice (AE 43:52).
 
What a marvelous gift!
 
If you are going through a difficult or uncertain time in life, resist the urge to weigh your heart down with trying to reason and rationalize this period. Instead, learn from Joseph to rise and put your faith and trust in God’s words, entrusting Him to care for you today and always. 
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

Advent 2 | Luke 21:25-36 | Creation Tells How Jesus is Drawing Near

Advent 2
December 7, 2025
Luke 21:25-36
 
 
In preparation for this Sunday, I revisited and reread Martin Luther’s sermon for the second Sunday in Advent, and in it, you hear a message about how God uses nature to tell the story of the end times— the end of days, the end of this life, and the end of this earth.
 
This story of the end days is described in the Gospel as Jesus said,
And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world.
 
And then a few verses later, Jesus says,
Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
 
In a beautiful way, God’s creation is always the teacher, whether through disaster or new life, guiding you to prepare for the arrival of His kingdom. 
 
But how often do you observe its lessons?
 
How often do you see eclipses of the moon or shooting stars and think, “God is coming?”
 
How often do you hear of hurricanes tossing waves to and fro, destroying anything in their path, and think, “God is coming?”
 
How often do snowstorms trap you in your homes and think, “God is coming?”
 
How often does a budding leaf in the warmth of spring stop you to ponder and think, “God is coming?”
 
God’s creation is always telling and preparing you for His return.
 
And in this way, it’s the darknesses that descend upon your life, the tossing waves of trials and tribulations, the coldness of your hearts that often keep you bent over and looking down, so you cannot see the budding fig leaf of spring, telling you summer is near. 
 
New life is near.
 
Christ is near.
 
Every Advent, I like to reread the book, God is in the Manger, which includes excerpts from the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In one of his devotions from this past week, he wrote, 
Let’s not deceive ourselves, ‘Your redemption is drawing near’ (Luke 21:28), whether we know it or not, and the only question is: Are we going to let it come to us too, or are we going to resist it? Are we going to join in this movement that comes down from heaven to earth, or are we going to close ourselves off? Christmas is coming – whether it is with us or without us depends on each and every one of us.
 
The question Bonhoeffer poses is, are you going to permit Christ to come to you, or are you going to ignore the signs that you need a Savior and close your heart to Him?
 
Jesus says, “Your redemption is drawing near.”
 
And this is what the Advent season prepares you for: like the changing seasons of this world, Advent prepares you not only for Jesus’ birth but also for His coming again on the last day, the day when He will gather you into His eternal presence. 
 
So, how do you prepare for the coming of Jesus? You do as Jesus instructs, “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.”
 
These words should be understood in the context of the fig tree sprouting leaves and summer approaching. It signifies that the old, dying life is cast aside so the new man can emerge.
 
Or through the lens of Holy Baptism, the Old Adam is drowned along with all his sins so that a new man might arise, and this occurs through Confession and Absolution.
 
This can also be seen in a Christian’s posture. In some traditions, a Christian continues to kneel for Confession and Absolution. They kneel to confess their sins in humility, which demonstrates how sin burdens the heart of man. But after receiving the absolution, the forgiveness of sins, they rise to new life because they see the nearness of their Savior as they hear His voice in His Word or approach this rail to receive His flesh and blood.
 
Reflect on how Martin Luther also teaches this truth in the Small Catechism and how the Christian should arise each morning; he says you should make the sign of the cross to remember your Baptism, that drowning of the Old Adam and the raising of the new man, then pray the Morning Prayer like we do at the beginning of Sunday School and then conclude with the Lord’s Prayer before going about your tasks.
 
Remember, in the Lord’s Prayer, you pray, “Thy kingdom come.” With these words, you are always asking for Jesus to come with His grace and mercy.
 
But how often do you give attention to what you are asking for when you speak these prayers?
 
When you follow this Lutheran practice of prayer in the morning, you not only use your words but also your entire body, which was burdened by sin and needed sleep, to rise from bed to embrace the new life of the new day. 
 
But of course, you must also pay attention and be aware of how the darkness of each night yields to the rising sun of each new day, how the slumber from the past night’s sleep gives way to the sounds of the new morning. And how your first words of each new day either confess the life of a curmudgeon or the joy of one who looks to the coming Savior who has protected you through the most dangerous part of your life, the time of night, the time while you sleep unaware.
 
In a marvelous way, every aspect of God’s creation and this life is a reminder of the coming of Jesus.
 
Look, the Gospel readings for Advent can be startling to many because the world has convinced you that it’s already Christmas, but it’s not. Christmas lasts twelve days, starting December 25th. It’s not time yet.
 
It’s Advent now, a season of longing and preparation. The readings remind you to look around, observe the fallen world, and see how creation is telling you that God is coming, see the signs of cosmic events and the storms in your own life. Learn again to confess your sins, because only then will you be ready for the coming of Christ.  
 
As we come to a close today, I want to share the final part of Bonhoeffer’s meditation. He wrote,  
Such a true Advent happening now creates something different from the anxious, petty, depressed, feeble Christian spirit that we see again and again, and that again and again wants to make Christianity contemptible. This becomes clear from the two powerful commands that introduce our text: “Look up and raise your heads’’ (Luke 21:28). Advent creates people, new people. We too are supposed to become new people in Advent. Look up, you whose gaze is fixed on this earth, who are spellbound by the little events and changes on the face of the earth. Look up to these words, you who have turned away from heaven disappointed. Look up, you whose eyes are heavy with tears and who are heavy and who are crying over the fact that the earth has gracelessly torn us away. Look up, you who, burdened with guilt, cannot lift your eyes. Look up, your redemption is drawing near. Something different from what you see daily will happen. Just be aware, be watchful, wait just another short moment. Wait and something quite new will break over you: God will come.”
 
And He does come; He comes to you here, around this altar.
 
So come on bended knee and then arise to new life, to the redemption found in Jesus Christ.
 
My friends, as you look forward to the coming of the Christ child in the manger this Advent, see Him also on the cross, and then see how the happenings of daily life and the world are reminders for you to “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your Savior [is near].” +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
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