Dennis Tuuri

Rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ, your son, and in all that he has accomplished. Father, we thank you that the stem from Jesse has indeed budded and brought forth life and redemption for your covenant people. We thank you that his rest is indeed glorious, and we rest in it this Sabbath day in the finished work of him who came so many years ago to do thy will and to redeem thy people. Almighty God, we pray that you might glorify yourself through this service, accept our honor, worship, and praise toward you, Lord God, this Sabbath day.

And forever. Father, we thank you for forgiving our sins through the shed blood of your son of yours and our savior and lord who came. We thank you, Father, for calling us forth into your presence to sing forth your praises and honor and glory and the praises of the King. We pray that you would enable our mouths and hearts to do that this day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of man. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came into his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. When as his mother Mary was a spouse to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost, and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.” Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife. And he knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name Jesus.

We meet in joyous assembly this Sabbath morning in the presence of God to celebrate the birth of his son and all that entails. One of the great truths proclaimed in the Christmas story is the incarnation. Jesus Christ became fully man while yet being fully God. This great truth elucidated so well at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 needs to be proclaimed to God’s people again in our day and age.

God became flesh and so redeemed man in the flesh. There are not two gods, one God of spirit and one God of the flesh. Neither is existence in its physical life to be deprecated. Jesus became flesh and yet walked in perfect obedience to God’s law. God does not save us by removing us from our humanity, but by redeeming us so that we are once again truly human. We do not live on earth in a vale of tears.

We live in the created universe of our God and our Father and of his son Jesus Christ. Our bodies are not simply bags of bones to carry around our soul while we live in this vale of tears. They are creation of God, and Jesus Christ came to redeem us bodily and in soul as well. We walk in the redeemed life that Jesus has bought for us with his blood. We meet in joyful assembly this Sabbath morning in the presence of God to celebrate this.

Christmas is a happy season, a time of joy and goodwill. I would like us this morning to join the assembly of the firstborn of all the ages in rejoicing of so great a salvation. We should be comforted that our iniquity is pardoned. That we, former prisoners to sin and death, have been delivered by the strong arm of the Lord. That we who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light. We have been visited and we have been redeemed.

We have been delivered out of the hand of our enemies and we shall be kept by the strong arm of our Lord and Savior and King. May we then join the entire created order in offering praises and songs to our great God and Savior. May we then serve our Lord Jesus Christ in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives and in all the earthly tasks he has called us to do. It is to this end that we meet this morning.

And now the Lord says, “He who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself. For I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has been my strength.” He says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

This is what the Lord says, the redeemer and Holy One of Israel. To him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers. Kings will see you and arise. Princes will see and bow down because of the Lord who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you. This is what the Lord says.

In the time of my favor, I will answer you. And in the day of salvation, I will help you. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, “Come out,” and to those in darkness, “Be free.” They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them.

He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. See, they will come from afar, some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Syene. Shout for joy, O heavens, rejoice, O earth. Burst into song, O mountains, for the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture, declares the Lord. Therefore, thus says the Lord God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who are tending my people. You have scattered my flock and have driven them away and have not attended to them. Behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the Lord. Then I myself shall gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and shall bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply.

I shall also raise up shepherds over them, and they will tend them, and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing, declares the Lord. Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will reign as king and act wisely, and do justice and righteousness in the land. In his days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely, and this is his name by which he will be called, the Lord our Righteousness.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. And he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from old, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

Certainly also then one of the reasons for our joy as we celebrate Christmas is in the coming of the covenant keeper promised by the covenant God of Israel, promised to bring forth the Gentiles also into covenant relationship with God. How blessed is the man whose iniquities have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. We celebrate this season the birth of the Lord our Righteousness. In the book of Matthew, we’re told that Joseph named the babe Jesus.

We’re also told of the reason for this. We read that the angel of the Lord visited Joseph and instructed him to do this because he shall save his people from their sins. We meet this morning as members of Christ’s part of his covenant community, and we meet as those who have been saved from sin and death by the covenant keeper. Now most of us know that the Bible places great emphasis and importance upon names, and the passages relating to the blessed advent of Jesus the covenant keeper are of no exception.

In the book of Matthew we have the name Jesus, or Savior, and Emmanuel, which as the text tells us means God with us. And in Jeremiah the name the Lord our Righteousness is used. This is very important. It should be a reminder to us, an instruction to us, that our salvation is not based on our now being able to keep the law in every detail to live lives fit for heaven. No. Nor is our salvation based on our faith.

Our salvation is based on the object of our faith. It is the object of our faith that is all important. It is Christ’s doing and dying. That is our righteousness before God imputed or declared to us by God in his mercy and love. Christ alone is the covenant keeper of perfect righteousness. And he alone was able to fully pay the debt due God by us covenant breakers. Let us now raise our voices in song as we reflect on so great a salvation.

This day, the day of rest, symbolizes our perpetual rest in Jesus Christ and in the covenant of grace. A rest and absence from works that would merit us salvation. The Lord is our righteousness, and in that we should rejoice. Let’s stand as we rejoice before God.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. They that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy. They joy before thee according to the joy in the harvest. And as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of the burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

For every battle the warrior is with confused noise, and the garments rolled in blood, as this shall be with burning and the fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

And all dominion shall serve and obey him. And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin, a spouse to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and was cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Finally, we rejoice today in the fulfillment two thousand years ago of the great prophecies throughout the Old Testament of the establishment of God’s kingdom. I thank God that we meet not today as other churches do in schizophrenic rejoicing of a king who is not yet ruling or in an escape from reality, rejoicing in that which is totally otherworldly. No, we have seen a great light, and we rejoice this morning in the advent of the King, the ruler of all heaven and earth whose kingdom has been established and whose kingdom is without end.

That stone cut without human hands that’s talked about in the book of Daniel continues to grow, and the kingdom it represents continues its filling of the entire earth. Let us say with Mary in the portion of scripture referred to as the Magnificat that he hath showed strength with his arm. He hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent away empty.

He hath helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy, and he hath spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever. Let us say with Isaiah, “O Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength. Lift it up, be not afraid. Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord God shall come with strong hand and his arm shall rule for him. Behold, his reward is with him and his work before him.”

In one of the liturgies of the early church, we read the following. The virgin today cometh into a cave to bring forth ineffably the Word that is before the ages. Dance thou universe on hearing the tidings. Glory with the angels and the shepherds. Him that willed to be beheld a little child, the God before the ages. Prepare thyself, O Bethlehem. Eden is open to all. Make thyself ready, O Braatha, because in the cave the tree of life hath budded from the virgin.

For truly in intellectual paradise is her womb become, in which is the divine plant, whereof eating we shall live and not as Adam die. Christ is born to raise the image that was formerly fallen. This is the great message of Christmas that God in Jesus Christ came to earth to reconcile all things unto himself, and that he is now working that reconciliation throughout all the created ordinances.

That we sometimes may not see with the eyes of faith, that we sometimes do not see that God is indeed blessing and cursing. But we rather see things in seeming isolation from God and his decree. Yet he is faithful, and he is the sovereign Lord of all history. Though the nations around us be ground to dust by that stone that fills the earth, still we shall rejoice in this work of the Lord.

We know that he has sealed his elect, that he’ll act in covenant faithfulness to us, his beloved, as we act in obedience to his law word. And we know that this land will indeed in time manifest righteousness throughout it. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken, and his zeal will accomplish it.

All the great truths of Christmas that we’ve reflected on this morning are also preached forth weekly at Reformation Covenant Church through our communion service. We talked about the advent of Jesus Christ, the presence of Christ on earth, God with us, Emmanuel. And certainly in communion we have a special presence of Christ contained in the elements and in the service as we preach forth his word.

We talked about Jesus coming as the covenant keeper and the salvation that he brought, keeping the covenant of God and establishing and finalizing the covenant of grace. Certainly in communion, justification by faith is preached forth as we emphasize the finished work of Jesus Christ two thousand years ago and his perfect righteousness before the Father in our stead.

Communion speaks then to the covenant and to the coming of the covenant keeper. Communion also speaks to the victory over sin and death accomplished by Jesus Christ and his coming to earth to do the will of the Father. Communion speaks to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and he has called us to sit around the table, the communion table, as fellow partakers of the riches of the blessings and glory of Jesus Christ, the King, who came two thousand years ago and established his kingdom with his covenant people reigning in the earth.

We preach forth the gospel in the communion every week, the gospel of the ascension of the savior king to the throne. So I think it’s particularly relevant now to go ahead and have communion during our service. And what I’m going to ask you to do at a certain point in time is for the head of the household to come forward, and at that time to take both wine and bread for your family and take it back, and we’ll have the elements together.

Because communion is a covenant sign, we also read weekly during our communion service an admonition or recharge to those people who are not covenant keepers, who are covenant despisers, or whose children have not yet been administered the covenant sign of baptism, or if they themselves have not received the covenant sign of baptism—that sign being the sign of covenant initiation—to refrain from the table.

If you are visiting here this morning, we welcome you. If you’ve been baptized, if that covenant sign of baptism has been applied to you, if you’re walking in covenant obedience to God, if you’re not under discipline from another church and profess faith in Jesus Christ, we invite you to participate also in our communion service. I do solemnly charge and warn all idolaters and covenant despisers to refrain from this table.

I also charge all fathers to examine their children and to administer the sacraments to them, making allowance for their foolish hearts. We thank God for his inclusion of our baptized children into his covenant community and its blessings. We pray that they may persevere in faith. I also charge any person here who has not received the covenant sign of water baptism to refrain from this covenant sign and seal.

The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me.” And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Let’s pray. Almighty God, we thank you for this day of rejoicing in the coming of Jesus Christ. And we thank you, Lord God, that he was obedient to the point of death throughout his earthly walk. That he went to the cross for our sake and that you are faithful to him in raising him from the dead on the third day. Almighty God, we thank you for King Jesus and for the establishment of his kingdom.

And we thank you for calling us forth on earth to eat at his table. Now, Father God, we pray that you would set apart these elements from common to sacred use and nourish us with them spiritually as we eat them and drink them, meditating upon the benefits of Jesus Christ, our savior, Lord, and King. And at this time of his birth, in his name we pray. Amen.