Rev. 22:16: I am the Root and offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.
I’m Venus, known as the morning star. What an honor to be associated with the true and bright Morning Star, Jesus Christ. Though I am actually a planet, I appear as the morning star in the east before sunrise or as the brightest evening star in the west after sunset. When I set below the horizon, you can count on me to come again, as even as you can count on Jesus coming again.
Jesus coming is what advent and Christmas are all about. In Advent we read of Christ’s coming in power and glory. “The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” Even I, Venus, will no longer shin e on that day. I’ll not be needed.
On that day the Son of Man will come in the clouds, the dead in Christ will rise, the living will be changed and all mankind will be gathered before His throne. That’s the traditional emphasis of Advent-not Santa Claus, parties and Christmas trees, but his coming as judge meting out the wrath of God against sin and sinners. Then, when you wonder where next to turn, the Mighty One does come, born as a helpless Baby, homeless, spending His first night in a crude shelter, sleeping in a manger. He’s nursed at His Virgin Mother’s breast. His body is wrapped in rags. But where’s the gathering of the nations for this coming? A few shepherds straggle in. Then, a year or two later some wise men, a few Gentile magicians, from Persia or Babylon arrive. By the time they show up the little family is in a small house. There’s probably not much in the house except for their gifts. This is the coming of the Messiah, the Day of the Lord long foretold by the prophets? Yes, in part.
Christ does promise to come in power and glory at the end of the age. And He comes as a Baby in Bethlehem, the city of David. In accordance with a Divine plan, a great census would bring Joseph, descendant of David and Mary, the Virgin Mother of Jesus, to Bethlehem to be born there. Thus Jesus is born of the house and line of David, in the hometown of Israel’s greatest king.
But there’s more. It was near Bethlehem that sheep destined for sacrifice in the temple were grazed. It’s likely that the very sheep. The shepherds watched that night would be offered on the temple altar, their blood shed to placate the wrath of God against sinners. Over the centuries thousands of sheep, bulls, goats, pigeons and doves, were slaughtered and burned on the altar as to appease God’s wrath against sin.
If the killing of animals saved sinners, there’d be no need for Christmas. The sacrifices reminded the people of their sins and their need for the Savior, “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” On Calvary’s cross, the Lamb of Bethlehem died in your place that you might look forward to His coming on the last day and experience it with joy, even as a troubled soul looks forward to the dawn of a new day and the shining of the bright morning star.
There is more to Christ’s coming than Bethlehem, more than the cross, more than the last day. He also comes through His word and sacraments into the hearts and lives of all who receive Him in faith. The very same Christ through whom God created the world, the very same Jesus born in Bethlehem, the very same Lord who died on the cross, comes to you as you hear His word and believe its promises.
He comes in the sacraments, the holy mysteries He has given His church as the means of grace. In Holy Baptism, the death of Jesus becomes your death, His burial becomes your burial and His resurrection becomes your resurrection. In baptism, the power to live a new and upright life like that of Jesus becomes yours as water and word come together and you are joined to Him by faith.
In the Lord’s Supper, the coming of Christ continues to unfold. As you partake of the Supper you remember that He has already comes-as a flesh and blood Baby born as the righteous Man He grew up to be, as the sacrificial Lamb whose body was pierced and whose blood was shed on the cross. More than that, in a great mystery according to Jesus own institution, under forms of bread and wine, you receive Him personally. In the simple act of eating and drinking, Jesus comes to you with all His gifts of forgiveness, righteousness and certain hope of heaven.
And so, the sacrament is not only a remembrance of things past. It looks forward to His coming again at the end of the age. Remember His word to the disciples as they ate and drank at the Last Supper? “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s Kingdom.
Though He came to Bethlehem as a Baby and as a sacrifice during Holy Week, and though he comes into human hearts through His word and sacraments, all is still not perfect. All about us there is still mourning and crying and pain. There is still death and destruction. There are still floods, earthquakes and famines. The animal is still red in tooth and claw. There is still in justice, poverty, racism, war, and yes, slavery. There are still villains who rule by tyranny, corruption and violence.
But not for long! “Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord Jesus Christ. It is time to repent and wash your robes, to return to the calling and gifts of your It is time to put aside everything your baptism contradicts: drug and alcohol addiction, sexual immorality, murder, idolatry and deceit. But you won’t be just giving up something. Christ promises to fill the void with something better, the water of life. “Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the Water of Life.”
The writers of scripture pile of up the words, but words can only come close to describes the wonders in store for those prepared by faith for Christ’s coming. “The dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them.” What will it be like to dwell with God? Can you imagine that God himself, “will wipe every tear from eyes…? That there will be no more mourning or death or crying or pain?” Isaiah adds, that feeble hands and knees will be steadied. The fearful will be made strong, the blind will see, the deaf hear, and the mute tongue will shout for joy.
Jesus the bright Morning Star comes! As surely as you see me, Venus, shining at dawn or twilight, it will happen. You k now where to look for His coming in all the ways Scripture reveals: at Bethlehem and Calvary, in Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and at the end of the age when He comes in the clouds with power and great glory. This Christmas time you can see Him, with the special gift of faith. Peer through the lens of faith and you’ll see Jesus, your Bright Morning Star.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Bright Morning Star, come into my heart today. Come to me as Bethlehem’s Child. Come to me in Your word as I hear and believe. Come to me in the promises of my baptism and with your forgiveness and righteousness in the sacrament of the altar. Come to me at the last day and take me home to be with You forever. In Your name I pray. Amen.
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