Church Year: Advent 3:
Date: December 15, 2024
Theme: Repentance Gets At The Heart Of Christmas
1. Cuts to the heart
2. Comforts the heart
– Luke 3:7-18
– Pastor: John Hein
Bulletin: Bulletin
Liturgy: TLH, p. 5 ff.
Hymns:
TLH 60 : Hark, a Thrilling Voice is Sounding
TLH 63 : On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry
TLH 272 : When All the World Was Cursed
WS 705 : Come, O Long-Expected Jesus
Scripture Readings:
Zephaniah 3:14-17 Philippians 4:4-7Theme: Repentance Gets At The Heart Of Christmas
1. Cuts to the heart2. Comforts the heart
Luke 3:7–18 (Listen)
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.
(ESV)