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Series A – The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Day) – Sunday, December 25, 2022 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	The holy Gospel
0:29	According to Saint John the first
0:30	chapter
0:31	foreign
0:37	in the beginning was the word and the
0:39	Word was with God and the Word was God
0:41	he was in the beginning with God all
0:44	things were made through him and without
0:46	him was not anything made that was made
0:48	in him was life and the life was the
0:51	light of men the light shines in the
0:54	darkness and the Darkness is not
0:55	overcome it there was a man sent from
0:58	God whose name was John he came as a
1:00	witness to Bear witness about the light
1:02	that all might believe through him he
1:05	was not the light but came to bear
1:07	witness about the light the True Light
1:10	which enlightens everyone was coming
1:11	into the world he was in the world and
1:14	the world was made through him yet the
1:15	world did not know him he came to a Zone
1:18	and his own people did not receive him
1:20	but to all who did receive him who
1:22	believed in his name he gave the right
1:24	to become children of God who were born
1:26	not of blood nor of the will of the
1:28	flesh nor the will of man but of God and
1:31	the word became flesh and dwelt among us
1:34	and we have seen his glory glory as of
1:37	the only son from the father full of
1:40	grace and truth this is the gospel of
1:43	the Lord in the name of Jesus Amen Merry
1:47	Christmas it’s great to see you all this
1:49	wonderful wonderful day you’ll note that
1:51	there’s a lot of noise as it relates to
1:54	Christmas this is an interesting way to
1:55	start but I’ve tweaked a few things in
1:58	my sermon since the last service but
2:00	here’s the idea have you noticed there’s
2:02	a bunch of people out there I call them
2:04	Christmas Karen’s I I feel bad for
2:07	anyone named Karen nowadays these are
2:09	people who sit there and say you you
2:11	can’t celebrate Chris it’s a pagan
2:14	holiday Jesus wasn’t really born on
2:17	December 25th and on and on and on and
2:19	they go I always like to point them to
2:21	the Liturgy you point them to the hymns
2:23	we’re going to sing Point them to the
2:24	biblical texts we’re going to read and I
2:26	said could you point out the Pagan part
2:27	for me right you know just let me know
2:29	which parts the Pagan party when when
2:31	you see it let me know and and of course
2:33	that that never really satisfies them
2:34	and they say well we are nowhere
2:36	commanded to celebrate Christmas to
2:39	which I say and we’re no we’re no we’re
2:41	forbidden to celebrate Christmas either
2:43	so there right you know we’re not
2:46	Jehovah’s Witnesses we’re so we’re
2:47	something different you know and and so
2:49	over and again this is kind of a
2:51	fascinating thing but here’s the thing
2:53	this isn’t about December 25th this
2:57	isn’t about paganism at all in fact if
3:00	anything paganism can only like mimic
3:03	can only like pervert can only like
3:05	counterfeit the real thing this is about
3:08	the celebration the hopeful and
3:12	repentance celebration of the
3:14	Incarnation of the Son of God and he has
3:18	come as the brightest light in all of
3:21	the darkness that we find ourselves in
3:24	you’ll note that when God created the
3:27	heavens and the Earth everything was in
3:30	darkness and that’s really kind of the
3:32	point of Our Gospel text John chapter 1
3:36	is referred to in some places as well
3:39	the uh the the Genesis one of the New
3:42	Testament it is and it reveals something
3:45	kind of behind the scenes in Genesis 1
3:48	that we wouldn’t get anywhere else no
3:50	unbelieving Jew no Jew who doesn’t
3:52	believe that Jesus is the Messiah would
3:55	have this other information in fact they
3:57	can’t quite understand the doctrine of
3:59	the Trinity nor do they understand how
4:01	to deal with those verses in the
4:03	biblical text in the Old Testament that
4:05	talk about God God in a plurality of
4:08	persons kind of a fascinating thing but
4:11	the very first sentence very first
4:13	sentence of the Bible
4:15	begins with these fantastic words
4:24	in the beginning God created the heavens
4:28	and the Earth and it goes on and says
4:32	the Earth was without form and void and
4:36	listen to the word and darkness was over
4:39	the face of the deep the Hebrew word to
4:42	home and there the spirit of God the
4:45	ruach Elohim was hovering medic effect
4:50	was was brooding was hovering over the
4:54	face of the waters like a well like a
4:57	bird getting ready to what we’re
5:00	protecting its clutch you know of eggs
5:02	something to that effect and so the very
5:04	first thing we learn about the creation
5:07	is itself is there’s chaos there’s the
5:10	tohu of a bohu there’s the to home and
5:14	the deep and there God is at work in the
5:17	darkness and the Holy Spirit itself is
5:21	hovering
5:22	and like a bird America fat it’s an
5:25	interesting verb in Hebrew it’s only
5:27	used
5:28	Birds and the Holy Spirit kind of a
5:32	fascinating thing and then the first
5:34	thing that happens is the logos the word
5:39	of God that the VAR Elohim the word of
5:42	God that the VAR Yahweh he then speaks
5:47	let there be light
5:53	and there was light
5:55	oh man and you see that’s kind of the
5:59	thing and so if you were to just take
6:01	that little part
6:03	God spoke God spoke and said let there
6:07	be light well in Our Gospel text it
6:10	begins with these words and RK and
6:13	halagas and protests
6:17	in the beginning was halagas the word
6:21	and the Word was prostitio face to face
6:25	with God was with God and the Word was
6:30	God and now your mind is blown because
6:34	the scriptures say there’s only one God
6:36	I know there’s only one God and yet
6:39	there are three persons in the one true
6:40	God and here we we see two of the
6:43	persons of the trinity in action God the
6:45	Father God the son in the beginning
6:48	going all the way back to where where
6:51	Genesis begins in the beginning there
6:54	was the word of God Jesus the second
6:57	person of the Holy Trinity face to face
7:00	with the father and not only is he with
7:04	God he is God and he was in the
7:07	beginning with God and all things were
7:09	made through him without him was not
7:11	anything made that was made
7:14	and in him was life and listen to these
7:16	words and the life was the light of men
7:19	and the light shines in the darkness and
7:22	the Darkness has not overcome it
7:25	in fact I think a good way to think
7:27	about it is is that since none of this
7:30	our fallen to sin the complete
7:32	destruction and the pandemonium that
7:34	we’ve brought upon ourselves none of it
7:37	is caught God off guard in fact he knew
7:40	it was coming and the Very darkness that
7:43	God creates the Earth the heavens and
7:45	the Earth in is a foreshadow it’s a
7:48	foreshadow of where we find ourselves
7:51	think of it this way you and I were all
7:54	conceived and born in sin as as King
7:58	David says says in sin did my mother
8:01	conceive me Paul makes it clear that
8:03	none is righteous quoting from the
8:05	Psalms and the Psalms say this in you
8:07	know in two other parts that none is
8:10	righteous no not one no one understands
8:12	no one seeks for God all have turned
8:14	aside together they have become
8:16	worthless and this worthlessness of sin
8:20	have you noticed that sin just leaves
8:24	you empty it Hollows you out it makes it
8:28	doesn’t make you a human being it makes
8:31	you less than a human being how many of
8:34	you can look back on your sin and sit
8:37	there and go yeah that was the best
8:39	thing ever man yeah that that sin was so
8:42	great
8:43	none of us can do that in fact every one
8:45	of us look back at our sin and sit there
8:47	and go boy what was I thinking right we
8:51	look back with a shame and guilt and the
8:55	scriptures describe sin as what Darkness
9:00	but see this is what makes Christmas so
9:03	amazing is that Christ he is the light
9:07	and he is the one that shines in the
9:10	darkness if you were to kind of think of
9:12	it in these terms we’ve all received or
9:14	probably even given those Christmas
9:15	cards that kind of wonderfully
9:17	sentimentally depict theirs the city of
9:21	Bethlehem on the night that Jesus is
9:23	born right and the stars are twinkling
9:26	and then you got that one ginormous
9:28	supernova star out in the sky right
9:31	Jesus is that light
9:34	you see scripture says it this way that
9:37	when we we have been strengthened with
9:41	all power because of Christ according to
9:43	God’s glorious might for all endurance
9:45	and patience with joy therefore we give
9:48	thanks to the father why do we give
9:50	thanks to the father because he has
9:52	qualified you he’s qualified me through
9:57	the shed blood of Christ through the
9:59	vicarious sufferings of our great God
10:01	and savior for us on the cross he has
10:03	qualified you to share in the
10:06	inheritance of the Saints
10:09	in light
10:11	you see
10:13	in the earth that is coming the new
10:16	creation the new Heavens the new Earth
10:18	not only is there no sin
10:21	we are described as existing in an
10:24	inheritance that is bathed that is
10:27	marked by nothing but
10:30	light
10:33	it goes on
10:35	he Christ he has delivered us from the
10:39	Dominion from the kingdom of darkness
10:44	yeah that’s right he has you see we were
10:48	born in the darkness of sin conceived in
10:52	it we’ve we’ve all lived in it I hate to
10:55	say this but many times we’re guilty of
10:57	like adjusting ourselves to the darkness
11:01	and thriving in it enjoying it but see
11:05	Christ has delivered us from the
11:07	Dominion of Darkness he has transferred
11:09	us to the kingdom his own kingdom
11:12	in whom then we have Redemption and the
11:15	Forgiveness of our sins we have been
11:17	transferred out of the kingdom of
11:18	darkness and we all know a thing or two
11:20	about the darkness think of it this way
11:22	uh you know how many of you like see
11:25	here it’s it’s the dead of winter now in
11:27	in North Dakota and oh I always like in
11:30	at the end of the day getting into bed
11:32	in the winter time why because the bed’s
11:35	just a little cool the sheets are a
11:38	little cold right and you know there it
11:40	is it’s dark at night we’ve got the
11:43	shades drawn and I pour myself into bed
11:46	and oh it’s just a little cold at first
11:48	but then my body heat catches up and the
11:51	then I’ve got this nice cozy little warm
11:55	spot right and there I am just enjoying
11:58	my little warm spot in the darkness and
12:01	then somebody turns on the light in the
12:03	in the hallway
12:07	right what what turn that thing off I’m
12:11	trying to sleep here I was enjoying all
12:14	that was and here’s the thing
12:16	is that in a similar way like the
12:18	hallway light annoys you in the middle
12:20	of the night when you’re trying to sleep
12:22	sadly the Light of Christ annoys us
12:26	sinners because we’ve grown accustomed
12:30	to the dark
12:31	we like the dark and and as scary as it
12:36	is we we’ve become well Monsters of the
12:39	dark because of sin
12:41	so the Light of Christ is the thing that
12:44	shines at Christmas the light shines in
12:46	the darkness and the Darkness has not
12:48	overcome it and oh the darkness tries oh
12:51	the darkness tries to overcome the light
12:52	man I I I’ve been saying this since
12:55	covet have you noticed that the world
12:57	has completely collectively lost its
12:59	mind right so you know here in the
13:01	United States uh you know our our our
13:03	Congress and our Senate they just
13:05	recently passed it I A A bill supposedly
13:09	to protect the sanctity of marriage
13:12	and by that what they mean is they’re
13:14	protecting the sanctity of marriage for
13:16	people who marry who are of the same sex
13:19	and and the lawmakers in Washington are
13:23	talking about taking this gender
13:25	ideology that that says you know it
13:27	doesn’t matter what your plumbing is it
13:29	doesn’t matter what you were assigned at
13:30	Birth uh you know that you can choose
13:33	your gender you know and you got to
13:35	choose your pronouns and they’re they’re
13:37	going to take this ideology and RAM it
13:39	down our throats you can see this coming
13:41	in the days ahead which will create all
13:43	kinds of conflict
13:45	um in the Earth but here’s the thing the
13:48	darkness always tries to overcome the
13:50	light and it never succeeds I think of
13:53	the assigned psalm for Christmas today
13:56	and the assigned Psalm is an appropriate
13:59	one a good one if you were to think
14:01	about it it is Psalm 2. it tells the
14:05	story of the kings of the earth plotting
14:08	against God and against Jesus Christ the
14:12	Messiah here’s here’s how it goes it
14:14	says it says why do the Nations rage
14:19	why do the people’s plot in vain
14:22	and it is in vain if you’re plotting
14:23	against God right the kings of the earth
14:26	they have set themselves and the rulers
14:28	they take counsel together against
14:30	Yahweh and against his Messiah saying
14:33	let us burst their bonds apart let us
14:36	Cast Away their cords from us and you
14:39	just sit there and go that’s happening
14:41	today it’s listen this is a time-honored
14:43	tradition for Humanity sinful as we are
14:45	born in the dark that we are in the
14:47	darkness of sin under the power of the
14:50	Dominion the kingdom of darkness we
14:53	don’t want God to tell us to what to do
14:56	at all in fact we don’t even want God
14:58	defining what we are or who we are okay
15:01	not only do we not want God telling us
15:04	what to do we don’t want him telling us
15:06	what we are if I want to be a cabbage
15:09	then I’m going to be a cabbage and you
15:11	can’t stop me right this is this is how
15:13	this goes but the psalmist is clear on
15:16	this this is just nonsense why are the
15:19	Nations raging why are the people’s
15:22	plotting in vain saying let us burst
15:25	their bonds apart let’s cast apart the
15:28	cords of God but he who sits in the
15:30	heavens he laughs
15:32	the Lord holds them in derision
15:35	then he will speak to them in his wrath
15:37	he will terrify them in his Fury saying
15:39	as for me
15:41	I have set my king on Zion and on my
15:44	Holy Hill
15:47	well uh oh now we’ve got a problem here
15:50	at least the the gender people who are
15:52	down with the patriarchy and all this
15:54	kind of nonsense have you ever stopped
15:56	to consider that Jesus Christ is King of
15:59	kings and Lord of lords he sits on the
16:01	throne of David
16:03	forever that means he’s a king and yes
16:07	he he definitely is a king that means
16:10	the universe is run by a patriarch the
16:12	grand patriarch of all Patriarchs Jesus
16:14	Christ himself oh man the nation’s
16:17	raging right now in all of their
16:19	Darkness
16:21	and annoyed by the Light
16:24	they’ve got another thing coming when
16:25	that light becomes visible to them right
16:29	so I will tell of the decree Yahweh said
16:32	to me you are my son today I have
16:34	begotten you ask me ask of me and I will
16:37	make the Nations your heritage the ends
16:39	of the Earth your possession you shall
16:41	break them with a rod of iron Dash them
16:43	in pieces like a Potter’s vessel now
16:45	therefore o Kings be wise be warned o
16:48	rulers of the earth serve Yahweh with
16:50	fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the
16:52	sun lest he be angry and you perish in
16:54	the way for his wrath is quickly kindled
16:57	and blessed are those who take refuge in
17:00	him and that is us we are truly those
17:02	who are blessed to take refuge in God
17:05	and so we’ll note the Light of Christ
17:08	This Christmas and every Christmas every
17:11	Lord’s day every day as the gospel
17:14	continues to go out to all nations
17:16	announcing to them pardon and Grace and
17:19	forgiveness in Jesus Christ the light
17:21	continues to shine and the Darkness will
17:24	never overcome it even though it tries
17:26	in fact if you were to think about it
17:28	when Jesus was hanging dead on the cross
17:30	Darkness couldn’t say that it won
17:33	because Jesus says I freely lay down my
17:36	life nobody takes it from me but I lay
17:40	it down from my friends for you for me
17:43	and so now Our Gospel text reminds us of
17:46	the messages we heard during Advent
17:48	there was a man sent from God whose name
17:51	was John he came as a witness to Bear
17:53	witness about what the light that’s
17:55	Jesus so that all might believe through
17:58	him he was not the light but he came to
18:00	bear witness about the light
18:02	but the True Light
18:04	which enlightens everyone it was coming
18:06	into the world
18:08	and he was in the world and though the
18:10	world was made through him yet the world
18:12	did not know him what a strange thing if
18:17	you think about it you know that I I’ve
18:20	said it before I’ll just keep saying it
18:22	if Jesus were walking down the streets
18:24	of Downtown Grand Forks here in North
18:26	Dakota and I was driving by in my pickup
18:28	truck I wouldn’t stop I wouldn’t
18:31	recognize him I wouldn’t sit there go oh
18:33	wow there’s my Creator there’s Jesus
18:35	right I think about that song that you
18:37	know was it all the way back in the 90s
18:39	terrible lyrics by the way what if God
18:41	was one of us just a slob like one of us
18:44	just like a Stranger On The Bus trying
18:46	to find his way home every time that
18:48	song would come on the radio I’d sit
18:49	there and go he is he became one of us
18:52	that’s the whole point of Christmas
18:53	that’s the whole point of the
18:54	Incarnation God has become one of us why
18:59	to save us
19:01	to live that sinless life for you and
19:05	for me so that he can impute his
19:07	righteousness to us as a gift
19:10	he received our sin our iniquity bore in
19:15	his own body on the cross that’s why he
19:18	came if you were to think about it
19:19	there’s a there’s a certain sadness to
19:23	the celebration of Christmas and that is
19:25	is that we can all picture little baby
19:28	Jesus wrapped up in swaddling claws
19:31	lying in a manger and we know exactly
19:35	how this is going to end remember the
19:38	movie Back to the Future right when when
19:41	Marty McFly goes back in time to the
19:43	1950s and he sees what he sees his uncle
19:46	right he sees his uncle and his uncle is
19:48	still an infant and he’s in one of those
19:50	playpens you know so he’s got he’s he’s
19:53	in one of those kid playpens and back in
19:55	the 50s they made him out of wood and
19:57	they and they looked like little prisons
19:58	and he says to he says to his uncle
20:00	who’s this infant he says get used to
20:02	these bars you know why because you’re
20:04	going to be in you’re going to spend a
20:05	lot of time in prison
20:07	he knows the future but when it comes to
20:10	Jesus we know how the story ends
20:13	this this infant this completely
20:15	helpless infant born under these mean
20:19	circumstances in abject poverty who’s
20:22	going to about have his life snuffed out
20:24	by Herod who has to flee to Egypt but
20:26	his parents have to flee take him and
20:29	then he grows up and and obscurity in
20:31	Nazareth we know how the story ends it
20:33	ends with him on a wait a second
20:37	that’s not where the story ends is it
20:41	it ends with him walking out of the
20:43	Grave on the third day just as he said
20:47	proving that he is who he claimed to be
20:49	God of God light of light very God of
20:52	very God Emmanuel God With Us
20:55	that’s the point and so even though he
20:59	comes to his own creation although the
21:02	world was made through him the world
21:04	didn’t know him I didn’t know him that’s
21:07	because of the darkness of our sin he
21:10	came to his own people the people of
21:12	Israel if anyone would have recognized
21:13	him it would have been the Jews right
21:18	who is this man that he even forgives
21:21	sins was one of the first questions out
21:24	of the mouth of the people who are The
21:26	Chosen
21:27	tribe of the world
21:29	the people of Israel
21:30	came to his own people his own people
21:32	didn’t receive him
21:34	but to all who did receive him
21:37	to all that’s including you yes you
21:39	Aussies too that includes you Aussies
21:41	can you believe it right to all who
21:44	believe him who received him he gave the
21:49	right to become children of God
21:52	you and I now adopted being united with
21:55	Christ and his death and his
21:56	resurrection and the Waters of baptism
21:58	we being forgiven by God we are the
22:01	children of God and we were not born of
22:04	blood nor of the flesh nor the will of a
22:07	man but we were born of God as Jesus
22:10	says in John chapter 3 that which is
22:12	born of the flesh is flesh that which is
22:14	born of the spirit is spirit and you
22:16	anyone who is born of water in the
22:18	spirit baptism truly truly
22:22	is
22:23	born from above
22:26	he came to give us that second birth
22:28	born of God
22:30	and so the word the logos became flesh
22:34	he is dwelt Among Us
22:37	we have seen his glory glories of the
22:39	only son from the father and listen to
22:41	these last words of Our Gospel text
22:43	because it tells us everything about
22:45	Jesus Jesus he’s full of grace
22:50	and Truth have you noticed that we human
22:53	beings because of the darkness of sin we
22:56	can’t really say of each other I can’t
22:58	say this of any of us that we’re full of
23:00	grace and full of truth right we human
23:04	beings are full of rancor of hatred of
23:08	malice and lies that’s kind of the way
23:13	it goes and especially so of all of our
23:15	politicians just saying right you you
23:18	get the idea that uh but Jesus is not
23:21	like us at all and thank God
23:25	he is instead full of grace and truth
23:29	so this Christmas as we contemplate The
23:33	Mystery of the Incarnation the great
23:35	rejoicing that we that we go through
23:37	today as we as we share with each other
23:41	gifts and we sing to each other these
23:44	great Christmas hymns let us remember
23:47	that we were all born in darkness but
23:50	God said to you he said to me let there
23:53	be light in fact not only do you say let
23:55	there be light he is the light that has
23:57	come to us so that we can now be
24:01	transferred from the Dominion of
24:02	Darkness have an inheritance in the
24:04	Kingdom that he has established and
24:07	there will be no darkness in what is
24:09	coming and finally the darkness that’s
24:11	even in you and me because of our sin
24:13	will be driven out of us on that day
24:15	that he returns in glory to judge the
24:17	living and the dead let this be the
24:19	Christmas of lights because Christ is
24:23	the light that has come in the name of
24:25	Jesus Amen

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