Rejoice God Himself Is Present Matt 11 2 11

Gaudete, The Third Sunday In Advent                           14-December-2025

Sermon Text: Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon Theme: Rejoice! God Himself Is Present! I. He Is Present In His Works! (Vs.2-6) II. He Is Present In His Preachers! (Vs.7-11). by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Words from an imprisoned preacher. If you were arrested, beaten, and jailed for telling others that ‘Jesus is only Savior of sinners! The only true God! The only true Man!” Would you rejoice? Or quickly post on-line on the unjust treatment of the mob? Why does the preacher named Paul rejoice from prison? Not because he had found a good lawyer to argue his case before Caesar. He rejoices for he is not alone in his suffering for the sake of the Name. Php 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

      King Jesus had not abandoned the preacher. He is with Paul in prison, as He had been while the apostle had been whipped, beaten, shipwrecked, and facing perils. Jesus’ grace alone was sufficient for Paul’s weak and thorny flesh. The Lord is at hand! Jesus is Emmanuel - our God who abides with us through the dark death filled valley of this world - our Good Shepherd. He leads us. He feds us - in the fortress of His Church - our local congregation.

     Learn from the preacher Isaiah, the preacher Paul, the preacher John to rejoice in the Lord Jesus always. Isaiah was comforted for the Word of God stands forever - even as, according to Jewish tradition, wicked King Manasseh ordered him sawn in two.  Paul was comforted in his final imprisonment as Nero ordered his execution by beheading.

     John the Baptizer is comforted from prison. As a six month old infant in his mother Elizabeth’s womb he leapt with Holy Spirit given joy. The God of all Creation drew near as an embryo in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Hearing Mary’s voice - John leapt for joy for Messiah Jesus had come near.  Therefore learn this morning to: Rejoice! God Himself Is Present! I. He Is Present In His Works! (Vs.2-6) II. He Is Present In His Preachers! (Vs.7-11).

I. The third candle on our Advent isn’t the royal violet of repentance, it is a light rose color - for King Jesus comes to lighten our darkness. We learn to pray this week, Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.. Take the Scripture inserts in your bulletin home, read the Scriptures out loud as part of your daily devotions, and pray the collect of the day throughout the week.

    We need Jesus to lighten the darkness of our hearts! (Vs.2-3) John was imprisoned by King Herod Antipas near the Dead Sea in the fortress Machaerus. Antipas is the son of Herod the Great who ordered the slaughter of baby boys two year old and under in Bethlehem and the surrounding countryside, recorded in Matthew 2. Why was John imprisoned? Matthew accurately records history reporting, Mat 14:3-5 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. (4) Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." (5) And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.”  John was called to be a preacher of repentance. He called both paupers and kings to repent - turn from their sin, turn from their imagined goodness. Be baptized by God for the forgiveness of their sins - Be prepared to meet your God! What is the price of being a faithful servant of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries? Imprisonment. John has been locked up. If you won’t repent - you seek to silence the preacher. Still John’s students visited him, they report back to John about the works of Christ. John sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

     Does John doubt Jesus is the Messiah? At the Jordan he points to Jesus testifying, Joh 1:29-34 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (30) This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' (31) I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." (32) And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. (33) I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' (34) And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." Later John testifies that Jesus is the Christ and Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. Why is John now asking the question if Jesus is the “Coming One!”

     We are like John. The first Sunday in Advent we see King Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey to be enthroned upon the cross. He alone bears the burden for our sins. The second Sunday in Advent tells us that King Jesus is coming again soon to Judge the living and the dead. Now we live in the now, but not yet period of the last days. Often we wonder - “How long, O Lord?” Like the Psalmist in the 73rd Psalm we know that God is good to His Church - Israel, but our feet almost stumble, our steps slip - evil people seem to have an easy life - never held accountable for their actions and sins - their eyes bulge with abundance - they have it made. We can’t make any sense of it - Psa 73:12-17 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches. (13) Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. (14) For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning. (15) If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. (16) When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me— (17) Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. John had preached Jesus coming in grace and in judgment. He heard Jesus’ works, but where is the axe wielding, fire burning wrath of God against the ungodly? Is another Coming to send fire from heaven upon the evil and wicked? It is our struggle.

     Where is the answer found? Not in man’s imagination of following the Jewish fable of a 1,000 year reign of Christians on this earth - the millennium. The answer is found in Jesus alone! John sends his disciples to ask Jesus. Search the Scriptures and study Jesus’ Word from Genesis to Revelation! Come into God’s sanctuary and rejoice in Jesus’ Work! (Vs.4-6) Listen! What do you hear of Jesus? He preaches as no man every preached with authority. He speaks the very Word of God, not like the scribes and pharisees. See what Jesus has done. He lays His hand on the blind opening their eyes to see. He speaks His Word and the lame take up their bed and walk - leaping for joy for their sin is forgiven. He wills it and unclean men full of the incurable disease of leprosy are fully healed. The deaf who cannot hear His Word have their ears opened by His signs and healing Word. A mourning widowed mother’s march to the grave is stopped and Jesus says, “Arise.” The dead comes to life. Again the 12 year old dead daughter Jarius is restored to life by His Word and touch.  

    His works of grace are greater than the prophets and apostles. They performed miracles in His Name at His Word. He speaks and life reclaims the dead, corruption flees, ears, and eyes are opened to see the Savior of sinners. His greatest work - “the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Men, women, infants, and children who are spiritually bankrupted by sin and in debt to God’s just wrath - hear the good news. He has come to bring us sinners life.

     Jesus is the Coming One - He is God in our skin. He draws near to bring us life eternal through the forgiveness of sins in His flesh and blood. Learn well to confess: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. Hear and see Him in His works and Word here and now present in His Kingdom of Grace - the Church! He lightens the darkness of your heart by drawing near to you - no matter what prison sin entrapped you. Don’t be offended by His grace - for now is the rule of His grace in this world.

II.  Where? How? On the sixth day of Creation the Lord God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, breathed into him His life giving Spirit, and entrusted him with His Word, planting His Church - the Tree of Life for man to have communion feasting with God and being sustained by His life giving Word. Adam failed in his preaching office not defending his beloved bride from the lies of Satan. A second Adam came in the cool darkness of that day to enlighten their sin darkened hearts. He called them to repent and believe the Gospel - the Kingdom of Heaven drew near. Our first parents were saved by God’s grace through Promise given Faith in Jesus the Coming One! When Adam’s first born son would not listen to the voice of Adam preaching God’s Word - and murdered his brother Abel. Adam’s third born son Seth took up the preaching office to speak God’s Promise of Jesus to his many sisters and brothers, and their offspring.

      Why come to Church? Why remember the Sabbath day? Not to rest - any lazy unbeliever can sleep in on a Sunday. Why? To hear the voice of Jesus echoed through John the Baptizer still proclaimed through the preaching office here and now - FOR YOU! (Vs.7-8) Why did the crowds flock to the desert to hear John’s preaching? He wasn’t trying to win people meeting their felt needs. Matthew records, Mat 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" When the good people of the congregation of Jerusalem show up - he calls them the offspring of Satan - a brood of vipers. He calls the crowds to live their faith in the Christ by lovingly giving their extra cloak to those with none. He calls tax collectors to live their faith by lovingly collecting no more than which is owed. He calls soldiers to live their faith in love by soldiering, but never falsely accusing people and being content with their wages.  John doesn’t test the waters. He isn’t a reed giving the people what they want to hear - he preaches the Truth. The Law in it’s severity exposing our sinful hearts. The Gospel in its sweetness -washing away all our sins in God’s gift of baptism.

     John doesn’t wear designer suits and live in king’s houses. He preaches the Truth and the cross comes. He is clothed like a beggar, eats wild locusts and honey. Calling the king to repent of his sin against marriage - he is now in prison. (Vs. 9-10) John is the last and greatest prophet. All others preached of Christ Jesus to come. John baptizes Him. John sees Him! John preaches Him - the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He prepares the way of Jesus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy. He had a miracle birth from aged parents. He is prophesied by the Old Testament prophets - Isaiah and Malachi. He stands the immediate forerunner of Jesus.

      John’s preaching didn’t end with King Herod beheading him. His voice still echos in the Church on earth - through the preaching office - pastors are called by the Holy Spirit to be servants of Christ Jesus and stewards of the mysteries of God! No preacher is greater than John the Baptizer, but all preach his word - “Repent! Turn away from sin! Look only to Jesus - the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin - your sin and mine!” (Vs.11) How are we the least greater than John? We are baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection by the preachers He sends. Jesus is present in preaching and His Word. We don’t come to Church to hear a preacher - we come to hear Jesus speak Easter Words of victory to us here through our pastor. Let Jesus enlighten your dark hearts as you confess: What is the Office of the Keys?* The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. Where is this written?* This is what St. John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven' (John 20:22-23).

What do you believe according to these words?* I believe that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.

    No matter what prison, illness, or grief you face: Php 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (5) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.Jesus Our God and Lord Himself Is Present! He Is Present In His Works! - Baptism, absolution, the Lord’s Supper - He Is Present In His Preachers! Amen.