O Emmanuel

The seventh O Antiphon:

O Emmanuel, our King and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior: Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen.

Emmanuel.  God is with us.  The promise is fulfilled.  The Seed of the woman is here to crush the head of the serpent.  Jesus is born to save His people from their sins.  Emmanuel.  God is with us so that we can be with Him.  Eden is restored.  Paradise is again occupied by humanity.  The Tree of Life is Christ.  Truly that is reason to rejoice with exceedingly great joy!

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. [Isaiah 7:14]

O come, O come, Emmanuel, 

And ransom captive Israel, 

That mourns in lonely exile here 

Until the Son of God appear. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! 

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! 

[LSB 357, stanza 1]

O King of the Nations

The sixth O Antiphon:

O King of the nations, the Ruler they long for, the Cornerstone uniting all people: Come and save us all, whom You formed out of clay. Amen.

“The Stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes” (Mark 12:10-11). The Church begs God to come and save those whom He has made in His own image, but whose features sin has distorted. We await the coming of the Cornerstone, the foundation upon which the Church, the home of all peoples, is built.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. [Isaiah 2:4] 

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:6] 

O come, Desire of nations, bind 

In one the hearts of all mankind; 

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, 

And be Thyself our King of Peace. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to thee, O Israel! 

[LSB 357, stanza 7]

O Come All Ye Faithful

The Nativity of Our Lord

Congregational Christmas Letter

Dearest children of the Heavenly Father:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!  O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come and behold Him born the King of angels!

For more than two centuries those beautiful words have beckoned God’s faithful to come—joyful and triumphant—to Bethlehem and behold Him who was born the King of angels. You are among those faithful, adopted by your heavenly Father in Holy Baptism to be His beloved children.

Christmas encapsulates one of the most profound mysteries of all—God taking on human flesh and blood to save us from our sins. God comes to us as one of us. A tiny infant. He who will one day walk on water cannot yet crawl. He who will one day feed 5000 cannot yet lift a spoon to His mouth. He who will one day heal the crippled and lame cannot yet stand. He who will one day speak words of forgiveness cannot yet talk. Christmas is the Word (who created all things) enfleshed and dwelling among us. John Wade’s Christmas hymn sums up this mystery as follows:

Highest, most holy, Light of Light eternal, born of a virgin, a mortal He comes; Son of the Father now in flesh appearing!

How does a heart cleansed by this King of angels respond?

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God in the highest.

That’s how. We join our voices with the angelic choirs. We give glory to God for fulfilling His promises and sending us His salvation. He rejoice that in Christ there is now peace between God and man, for the Father is now well pleased with us through the merits of His own dear Son.

Remember that as you come into God’s house this Christmas to celebrate the birth of His Son. Remember how He who first finds Himself in a smelly stable will one day free mankind from the stench of sin. How He who first finds Himself lying in the wood of a manger will one day be nailed to the wood of the cross. How He who first finds Himself wrapped in swaddling cloths will one day be wrapped in linens cloths following His death. What else can faith say but:

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be glory given! Word of the Father now in flesh appearing!

On behalf of Lori and our boys, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas. I am honored and humbled to serve as your pastor, deliver Christ’s good gifts to you, and rejoice in the same forgiveness, life, and salvation He has won for us all. Christ will always be at the heart and center of everything we are, say, and do.

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord!

O Dayspring

The fifth O Antiphon:

O Dayspring, Splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. Amen.

The picture here is that of Christ who will return at the end of time and whose radiant light will completely dispel the darkness of our hearts and souls. We also recall Zechariah’s prophecy concerning Christ: “Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. [Isaiah 9:2]

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, 

And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; 

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, 

And death’s dark shadows put to flight. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to thee, O Israel! 

[LSB 357, stanza 6]

O Key of David

The fourth O Antiphon:

O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death. Amen.

It is the Messiah’s privilege to open or shut the gate into the Kingdom of God. We cry to Him to come and rescue us who, because of our sins, are prisoners of death, darkness, and the devil.

Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. [Isaiah 9:7]

And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. [Isaiah 22:22]

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

[LSB 357, stanza 5]

O Root of Jesse

The third O Antiphon:

O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us. Amen.

This antiphon draws its inspiration from Isaiah 11. The prophet there sees the Messiah coming “as a signal for the peoples.” We are also reminded of Jesus’ words: “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die (John 22:32-33).

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. [Isaiah 11:1]

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of Him shall the nations inquire, and His resting place shall be glorious. [Isaiah 11:10]

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree, 

Free them from Satan’s tyranny 

That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save, 

And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

Shall come to thee, O Israel! 

[LSB 357, stanza 4]

O Adonai

The second O Antiphon:

O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai: Come with an outstretched arm and redeem us. Amen.

The Lord made Himself known to Moses by telling him His name (I AM). The holy name in this antiphon (Adonai) will always remind us of the great deeds God has done for the deliverance of Israel. And, more significantly, it puts us in the context of the paschal mystery, for the coming of the Son who dies on the cross is the ultimate manifestation of God’s redemptive work.

With righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins. [Isaiah 11:4-5] 

For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; He will save us. [Isaiah 33:22]

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times didst give the Law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

[LSB 357, stanza 3]

O Wisdom

The first O Antiphon:

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence. Amen.

A dominant theme of the Old Testament is that of “Wisdom” (especially in Proverbs). Wisdom proceeds from God, creates and establishes order, and leads His faithful people in righteousness and holiness. From its beginning, the Church identified Jesus, the Word of God, with the Wisdom of the Old Testament. In this antiphon, we call upon the Son to teach us and lead us in the way of justice and righteousness.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. [Isaiah 11:2-3a]

This also comes from the LORD of hosts; He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. [Isaiah 28:29]

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high

Who ord’rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel!

[LSB 357, stanza 2]

The O Antiphons

Advent is one of my favorite seasons of the church year. The wreath with its four candles bears more and more light as Christmas is about to dawn. The purple paraments remind us to prepare the royal highway for the King of kings. The midweek services teach us more about “God with us” in the person of Jesus Christ. And the tranquil hymns remind us of the Christ who once came in Bethlehem, still comes in Word and Sacrament, and will come again on the Day of Resurrection.

Here at Divine Shepherd, the common thread that runs through the fabric of this season is the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” [LSB 357]. This hymn is based on the ancient O Antiphons (dating at least as far back as the fifth century) assigned to the seven days preceding the Church’s celebration of Christ’s birth:

• December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
• December 18: O Adonai (O Lord of Might)
• December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
• December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
• December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
• December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
• December 23: O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)

The first letters of the Latin titles taken backwards form the acrostic “ero cras,” which translates as “tomorrow, I will come.” As will be shown in the days ahead, each of the seven O Antiphons uses a prophetic Messianic title from the Old Testament Scriptures (specifically Isaiah).

I encourage you to pray these during the final week leading up to Christ’s birth!

Three Kinds of Love

God makes distinctions between the different kinds of love, and shows that the love of a man and woman is (or should be) the greatest and purest of all loves. For He says, “A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife” [Gen. 2:24]. ... Now there are three kinds of love: false love, natural love, and married love. False love is that which seeks its own, as a man loves money, possessions, honor, and women taken outside of marriage and against God’s command. Natural love is that between father and child, brother and sister, friend and relative, and similar relationships. But over and above all these is married love, that is, a bride’s love, which glows like a fire and desires nothing but the husband. ... All other kinds of love seek something other than the loved one: this kind wants only to have the beloved’s own self completely.

Martin Luther
“A Sermon on the Estate of Marriage”
Luther’s Works, vol. 44, pp. 8-9

The Protection of Marriage: A Shared Commitment

On Monday, 6 December 2010, the following letter was released by religious leaders to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. I am thankful that the President of my own church body, the LCMS, signed this letter. PDF versions for downloading and printing are available here.

Dear Friends,

Marriage is the permanent and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family. Marriage is an institution fundamental to the well-being of all of society, not just religious communities.

As religious leaders across different faith communities, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We honor the unique love between husbands and wives; the indispensable place of fathers and mothers; and the corresponding rights and dignity of all children.

Marriage thus defined is a great good in itself, and it also serves the good of others and society in innumerable ways. The preservation of the unique meaning of marriage is not a special or limited interest but serves the good of all. Therefore, we invite and encourage all people, both within and beyond our faith communities, to stand with us in promoting and protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Sincerely yours,

Leith Anderson
President
National Association of Evangelicals

Dr. Thomas E. Armiger
Dr. Jo Anne Lyon
Dr. Jerry G. Pence
The Board of General Superintendents
The Wesleyan Church

Dr. Gary M. Benedict
President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance

Glenn C. Burris Jr.
President
The Foursquare Church

Bishop H. David Burton
Presiding Bishop
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr.
Presiding Bishop
International Pentecostal Holiness Church Ministries

Nathan Diament
Director, Institute for Public Affairs
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

Most Rev. Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York
President
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Most Rev. Robert Duncan
Archbishop, Anglican Church in North America
Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh

Rev. Jim Eschenbrenner
Executive Pastor
Christian Union

Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Gammon
Conference Minister
Conservative Congregational Conference

Rev. Matthew C. Harrison
President
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

John Hopler
Director
Great Commission Churches

Dr. Clyde M. Hughes
Bishop
International Pentecostal Church of Christ

Ken Hunn
Executive Director
The Brethren Church

Bishop Harry Jackson
Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church
Bishop, Fellowship of International Churches

The Most Blessed Jonah
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Orthodox Church in America

Dr. Richard Land
President
Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Rev. Frederick J. Moury Jr.
National Conference Chair
Evangelical Congregational Church

Dr. James Murray
Interim Executive Director
General Association of General Baptists

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Manmohan Singh
Secretary General
World Sikh Council – America Region

The Rev. Paull E. Spring
Bishop
North American Lutheran Church

Dr. Joseph Tkach
President
Grace Communion International

Rev. Phil Whipple
Bishop
Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA

Dr. George O. Wood
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God

Man Has to Control Himself

The whole basis and essence of marriage is that each gives himself or herself to the other, and they promise to remain faithful to each other and not give themselves to any other. By binding themselves to each other, and surrendering themselves to each other, the way is barred to the body of anyone else, and they content themselves in the marriage bed with their one companion. In this way God sees to it that the flesh is subdued so as not to rage wherever and however it pleases, and, within this plighted troth, permits even more occasion than is necessary for the begetting of children. But, of course, a man has to control himself and not make a filthy sow’s sty of his marriage.

Martin Luther
“A Sermon on the Estate of Marriage”
Luther’s Works, vol. 44, pp. 10-11