SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2025 | FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT YEAR A
Isaiah 7:10–17 | Psalm 24 | Romans 1:1–7 | Matthew 1:18–25
Re-claimed by Immanuel (Matthew 1:18-25)
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Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
There’s a fancy Greek word that’s used to describe the appearance of God. It’s called a theophany. And throughout the Old Testament, a theophany, especially a sudden, unexpected theophany, is considered a frightening and deadly thing for sinners like you and me.
It began in Eden after the Fall. Prior to their sin, the appearance of God in their midst was a joy. But when they had sinned against God, they feared Him and hid from him. And so it was ever after.
Whenever people saw God, they were frightened. Jacob was astonished that he had seen God, even wrestled God, and yet was allowed to live. Moses hid his face when God appeared in the burning bush. The Israelites at Sinai begged God to never appear to them in frightening fire and lightening. Isaiah cried out “woe is me” when he saw a vision of the throneroom of God. And indeed, even the appearance of angels, whose glory is derived from God’s own, caused people to fear and tremble and fall down before them. And we could give countless other examples of this from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
The fear of God is a sensible thing. Isaiah states it clearly in his vision. When he sees the Lord in His glory he says, “Woe is me. I am lost for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)
Why is Isaiah afraid? Why is he “lost?” Because He is a sinner, who has seen the Holy One, the King, God Almighty. The imperfect has met the perfect. The unholy has faced the Holy. The weak and feeble has seen the Mighty One. And as the author of Hebrews says when he urges even you Christians to be reverent in worship, he says, “our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)
Throughout the Scriptures, a theophany, especially a sudden, unexpected theophany, is considered a frightening and deadly thing for sinners like you and me. The thought of seeing God, of being exposed to the one who is perfect, is terrifying.
Yet here, in this season of Advent, leading up to Christmas, we are told of a new and special theophany, an appearance of God, which is not deadly or frightening, but rather it is joyful, it is good news, it is life and salvation.
This new theophany is the miracle that we will celebrate in just a few short days, as we gather here for Christmas Worship. This new theophany, this appearance of God, is the one foretold long ago. And this new theophany has a name, prophesied of old and ordained by God. Two names, in fact, in our Gospel reading. The first name given there is Jesus. It is a Hebrew name and it means YHWH saves. YHWH is the name of God, which is translated into our English Bible, by tradition as, the LORD. But what does it actually mean, this name of God, YHWH?
This name was first revealed to God’s people in the Old Testament. When He appeared to Moses in the theophany of the burning bush, He said, “I am who I am.”And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)
“This is my name…I AM.” YHWH means I AM. And it refer to the self-existence of God. He always was and He always is and He always will be. He is the eternal one, who depends on nothing else for His being. And He is the mighty one who created all things and who does great things for us.
The people at the time of Moses saw these great things. When they were enslaved by Pharoah and the Egyptians, the Mighty one came and visited His people. He came in glory and power, battling against Pharoah. Pharoah resisted God.
But the Lord is always more powerful than His enemies. It can be no other way.
Finally after the 10 plagues, Pharoah released the Israelites, only to pursue them again. So it is with our enemies in this broken, sin-sick world. Finally, on the shores of the Red Sea, the mighty one stepped between God’s people and the armies of the Pharoah. We read in Exodus 14 that, the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel (Exodus 14:19-20)
Isn’t that great? This marvelous and terrifying presence of God. This gloriously frightening and infinitely powerful theophany, comes between the army of Pharoah and the people of God, to protect them, to save them.
And then through the waters of the sea, the LORD, YHWH, opens a way for them to escape this slavery and enter the land of His promise. His people were saved by this glorious appearance.
But still they remained slaves. In the days and years that followed their Exodus from Egypt, their true slavery was revealed. They remained as the children of Adam have always been…poor sinners who are constantly tempted and constantly turning away from the God of their salvation.
But the Lord is always more powerful than His enemies. It can be no other way. The mighty one is more powerful even than the sinful rebellion of His beloved people.
And this mighty one has come to us in Christ. His name is Jesus and He IS the salvation of YHWH, the Lord. But He is also known by another name, Immanuel, which means, God with us.
Think about that. God with us. Even the phrasing here feels different from the other theophanies. God with us is different from the theophanies of the past, where God appeared with glorious power to terrify his enemies and redeem his people, Israel.
When God comes to be with us in Jesus, there is a sense of Him sharing in our situation, side by side with His people. And indeed, this is exactly what happens, this is exactly what God does. In the miracle of the incarnation, God takes on our flesh. He is not only a God far off, a God high above. He is truly with us, one of us.
This miracle was promised in Genesis, chapter 3. The seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent and defeat all the enemies of God and man. The curse of sin that made God a terror to all mankind would finally and completely be undone by the baby born in Bethlehem and laid in the manger, Jesus, the son of Mary.
This humble child, steps between you and your enemies. He appears so weak, veiled in flesh. And that never really changed in the years of his sojourn among us. He was a man of humble circumstance, who preached good news, but who was finally arrested by the Jews and crucified by the Romans. There we see what appears to be even more weakness.
But the humble appearance veils the power and purpose of the glorious and mighty God to save you.
For on the cross, He did what no one else could ever do. He bore your weakness, your failure, your shame. He fought and defeated your true enemies: sin, death and the devil, who have enslaved you in deeper and more profound ways than Pharoah ever enslaved the Israelites.
And behold, though He died, yet He lives. On the third day, Christ our Lord rose from the grave and death no longer has victory over Him, or over you, if you believe in Him.
And all of this is the miracle of God with us. God with us in the humble Savior, Jesus Christ.
And today that miracle draws near to you and to me. God comes to be with us here and now in the Divine Service.
Whatever you bring here into this Holy House…If you bring sorrow and sadness because of a loss. If you bring weakness and doubt; if you bring fear and uncertainty. Even if the guilt and shame for your failures, your sins against God and your neighbor. Whatever you bring, God draws near to you. He is Immanuel who is with you.
And you His voice today in the Holy Absolution, where it is HE that declares the forgiveness of your sins through the voice of your pastor. It is not my power, not my authority, but instead it is the power and the authority and the very word of God for you. Because God is with us in Christ.
And you see the signs of His presence all around us, as you hear His Word read and proclaimed. As you gaze upon the font and remember that you are baptized into His name. He has made you His child, doing the impossible, bringing you from death to life, through these waters, just as brought His people through the Red Sea and into the promised land. Yes, He is God, with us.
And above all, you experience God with us in the Sacrament of the Altar, which is the pinnacle of our Worship. Here at the altar, God comes to be with us. He invites you to His table and serves you true spiritual food, which is His body and blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.
For behind the veil of these humble and mundane things is the power and presence of God to save you. Immanuel comes to reclaim you, as His very own, now and forever.
And for all this it is your duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.
How do you respond? Listen to Him. Believe Him. Come reverently before Him and receive these gifts with faith. And go out for this faith strengthened for the vocations He has called you to. The Work of God for you strengthens you for the Work He intends to do through you.
So go out from this place as Isaiah did. When he received the gift of God’s forgiveness, he said, “Here am I, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) And go out from this place as Joseph, the guardian of our Lord, did, when he obeyed the voice of the angel who instructed him to fear not. You too, dear Christians, who have met this day with Immanuel and experienced His power and love, you too are to go our from this place with joy and to gladly follow Christ and do as He says.
For the mighty one has done great things for you. He is your salvation who has freed you from your enemies. And He has made you His very own. Your life is His, now and forevermore. Thanks be to God. Amen.
The Peace of God, which surpasses understanding guard your hearts and minds as you walk in the one true faith unto life everlasting. Amen.