“GOD WANTS YOU HERE!”
Saint Luke 2. 41-52
First Sunday after The Epiphany: 10 January Anno Domini 2010
Fr Jay Watson S.S.P.
The Boy Jesus was 12 years old. That's salutary, for the number 12 twice the number of days of "the Creation," for Jesus both creates and re-creates. Twelve is not only the number of the Tribes of the first Israel, God's Jewish disciples, but it now is the everlasting number of the Apostolic Band-the New Testament followers of the Boy Jesus, the Babe Jesus, the now, ever Adult, flesh & blood Jesus. Where once the bodily Christ was found in His stone Temple, tabernacling with His Father, with the Paraclete, and with His people; so too this day He is found BODILY in His wood, stucco, and plaster Temple, tabernacling with His Father, AND YOURS, with the Holy Spirit, YOUR LORD AND GIVER OF LIFE, and with you. If you're here.
To hail the source of every blessing is to realize what the real blessings are; and, to be at the source. Having a job and lots of money is physically and emotionally reassuring, until you have a stroke, heart attack or get Alzheimer's. Going to your favorite vacation spot, entertainment venue or peaceful sylvan forest glade is soothing and relaxing until your old age shows you that nature, popularity, and lounging are fables and mirages.
You need to be here! At this pool of water called the Church. Don't say something lame, inane, and pagan (like I see almost every day in the media, when some American is interviewed about "his" beliefs) that "well, I'm not particularly religious, but I'm very spiritual." What a load of Hades-Hogwash! The demons of hell are spiritual too, and they and their blind "relativist" followers will have all eternity to gnash their teeth and turn their worms while discussing "spirituality." NO, you need to be here where the Religion of the True God, the Triune BEING, is genuine and sure.
"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne: high and lifted up."
If that is not your greatest desire, want, craving, and NEED (along with then eating and enjoying the company of said LORD) then it's not the fault of the pastor, parish, or personalities of the gathered other people…it's your fault…your sin…your lazy stubbornness and black-twisted will.
You won't find the LORD sitting upon a Throne beckoning you into His Presence on the golf course early Sunday morning… or whatever "fills in for your idea" of the serenity, refreshment, fun, and joy, of a "golf course experience." You won't find the LORD's Throne at family gatherings, or large groupings of smiling, slap-happy, "praise-pitchmen" who wouldn't know the LORD's True Teachings and Gifts, if they bit them all on the butt. You need to be here. Here is where is Throne exists for you…just for you. Here and no other place.
"And I heard the voice of a great multitude, saying Alleluia…"
You won't hear the great multitude in your own solitary praying and works of self-righteousness. You won't hear the celestial strains of gathered saints in movie theaters and churches that look like movie theaters. And simply being in the company of your nephews, nieces, grandchildren, and earthly "family-members" is not being in the Companionship and Communion of the Saints, served by the Servant Savior! You need to be here.
Preaching God's Commands: "Thou Shalt Honor the Sabbath Day," to parishioners who ARE sitting in the pews is superfluous (unless they haven't been hitherto sitting in the pews). Pounding a pulpit with proper doctrine: "Thou Shalt Sanctify the Holy Day" is necessary, for those…who don't do these things. But this is most assuredly NOT about obedience, compliance, or being here so you can put money in the plate. A shepherd, and his Master, THE GOOD SHEPHERD, passionately want you here so that you might be washed, fed, and loved.
The Body and Blood of the 12 year old Boy-Jesus, the 12-year old GOD OF GODS and LORD of LORDS, is here at Augsburg Lutheran Church between the hours of 9 and 10 am every 1st Day of the Week, not for His benefit, but for yours. He is not present like this at any other time, place, or way. You should daily meditate on His Word. You should pray and offer intercessions for your brothers and sisters on a daily basis. You should abound in good works for your neighbors and your enemies. But none of these is the heart and soul of being IN CHRIST and having Jesus in you. They are works of the Law. But He is here today most importantly to do the Gospel "to you," and "for you." The Good Shepherd wants His lambs gathered around Him. He wants you drinking from His still waters-which He stirs, moves, and quickens (like the Pool of Siloam) with His appointed angels, His pastors: remember your Holy Washings + adopted brethren! Christ passionately craves you to be here feeding from His Green Pastures of True Doctrine-which simply means True remission of trespasses. He wants you here to eat the finest meat and drink the finest wines, to receive The Bread of Heaven and The Water which truly quenches-the Blood of the Lamb-the Eternal Fruit of the Tree of Life.
When one is truly ill, and not just mopey, petulant, irresponsible, or hung-over… then that lamb cannot be here on the Lord's Day. We pray for physical recovery for our absent comrade, our missing disciple. But short of sickness, or being employed in ones vocation (in the Kingdom of Left) on Sunday in order to provide for one's family, it is hard to conceive of ANY reason which would keep you from being in YOUR FATHER's HOUSE, and being about YOUR FATHER's BUSINESS on this day, and the one which will follow in one week, and the one the Sunday after that, and so on, until you are translated into Glory to be in the ever-presence of the PRESENCE of PEACE INCARNATE.
This dear ones, is what the Catholic Church believes and teaches. The Catholic Church is the Universal Church, the right-teaching Church, the Evangelical Church, the Church which believes, teaches, and confesses that which Dr. Luther and others helped bring back to the fore…the Church of Saint Paul and Saint Peter, the Church of Saint James and of the Blessed Virgin, the Church of Christ Crucified.
No, He wasn't crucified here at Augsburg. But here at this altar, pulpit, and font He gives Himself out for you and your forgiveness and fortifying. God, let me repeat that, GOD wants you here! Not to discipline, harangue or punish; but to bestow upon and love with.
He Who has ears to hear.
In the Name of The Father and + of The Son and of The Holy Ghost