December 27 Worship Service

Our December 27 Sunday worship service is available on video through Facebook. You may view it without being a member of Facebook. All scheduled worship services until further notice will be online only with minimal in-person participation to reduce COVID-19 risks.

Click on picture to view video

The January 3 Sunday worship service will be held without in-person attendance because of the rise in COVID-19 cases in our state. It is scheduled to be streamed live on the DeSoto Redeemer Facebook page. We will post a direct link to the recording here as soon as it is possible after the service.

We are glad to share our worship with you. Click on “Contact Us” above to find out more about our faith family and what we believe.

December 27 Sermon
Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3 Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:22-40


He’s here! But, what does that mean? True, both Mary and Joseph are told by the angel that this child is special, and the shepherds have also been given some insight into the destiny of this child, but what does all of this mean? Who knows? The answer, at this time, one week after his birth, is known only by two people: Simeon and Anna. And they are about to let everyone else in on the secrets. They discover that this child is not really going to be a secret!

It happens one week after Jesus’ birth, at the time of his circumcision and presentation (something which it is expected for parents to perform for their first born male children), and the time of Mary’s purification. Everyone had to do this. It was required by the Law of Moses. Mary and Joseph go to fulfill the Law, but they also go to fulfill something else, the command of God that the child is to be named Jesus. It was at this time that the child also received its name.

While this is going on, Simeon is told to go into the Temple. He has already been told that he would not see death until he had seen the promised Messiah. That too is fulfilled. Simeon takes the baby in his arms and prophesied. His words are sometimes called the “Nunc Dimittis,” or “Simeon’s Song.” They have been used in the Church’s liturgy since at least the 5th century. You can find it on page 93 in your hymnal. Basically, Simeon says that he can now die happy. He has seen the promise of the Lord, the Lord’s Anointed; the Messiah who he has been waiting for. Now he can die in peace. Now, this child will reveal God’s will to all people, Jew and Gentiles.

No doubt, this surprises Mary and Joseph. They were kind of broadsided by this. They had only come to do what was normally expected. This was very unexpected. They are probably worried, and in shock. But, when it is over, Simeon blesses them and well, and warns them. This was probably a bigger surprise than the angels and shepherds, who were more private. Simeon is yelling this out loud in the Temple, in front of everybody. They just came to present their firstborn in the Temple. Now, this rabbi is saying all of these things to them, and anybody that happen to be in ear shot. Mary and Joseph were probably looking for a place to hide. But the Temple was mainly all open area. It isn’t all going to be a bed of roses. Jesus will be the cause of “falling and rising of many in Israel.” Sounds very similar to lessons in Advent, “Raise the valleys and lower the mountains.” He will bring justice. Simeon also warns Mary, “a sword will pierce your own soul too.” She will experience the mission of her son as well. And, as I said the other day, I think, she never really understood it.

But this tour of events isn’t over yet. Then here comes Anna. She is an 84 year old widow, who spends all of her time in the Temple fasting and praying. She is also a prophet. She says about the same things which Simeon has said. She proceeds to talk not just to Mary and Joseph, she also tells these things to “all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Namely, she tells just about everyone who is in the Temple. Joseph and Mary are by now, trying to escape. They are a young couple. They probably don’t know how to handle all of this! But, probably no one could.

Is it any wonder that Mary and Joseph high tail it to Nazareth? They are trying to get out of town, find a quiet place, and hope this all blows over. This is like being on a television reality show. It doesn’t quite blow over. “Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” Things do go quiet, for a while. But it is just another gestation period, like a pressure cooker on simmer, until the time is right. Then, Jesus will start his ministry, as a full grown man. Israel will never be the same, nor will the world.

Jesus’ ministry: The Word of God (as per John’s Gospel) will go forth, and nothing and no one will be able to stand in its way. Although some groups: Pharisees, some of the Priests, and even the Romans try. God’s Word will proceed as it is intended to do. It still does. And it will continue to do so, in spite of all odds, even pandemics. And the world is changed forever.

It all starts with a child, and a promise delivered by an angel from God to a young woman. A child, whose birth we celebrated this past week, and the promise of God, echoed by a rabbi and an old prophetess; but one tirelessly, steadily, heading towards its own fulfillment. God’s Word made flesh, God Incarnate, Emmanuel, God’s promise fulfilled and made manifest, even unto us.
Pastor Rose

Christmas Day Service

Merry Christmas! Our December 25 Christmas Day worship service is available on video through Facebook. You may view it without being a member of Facebook. All scheduled worship services from Thanksgiving through the end of the year will be online only with minimal in-person participation to reduce COVID risks.

Click on picture to view video

The December 27 Sunday worship service will be held without in-person attendance because of the rise in COVID cases in our state. It is scheduled to be streamed live on the DeSoto Redeemer Facebook page. We will post a direct link to the recording here as soon as it is possible after the service.

We are glad to share our worship with you. Click on “Contact Us” above to find out more about our faith family and what we believe.

Christmas Day Sermon
Isaiah 52:7-10 | Psalm 98
Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12] | John 1:1-14

“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.” That’s what the author of Hebrews tells us, and echoes the words of St. John this morning as well. What they are trying to describe to us is the Mystery of the Incarnation. Notice, it is called the Mystery of the Incarnation. It is a mystery.

For millennia now, the Church has tried to describe the mystery. We find it in all of the Creeds. Christ is conceived of the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary. How? Ah, that’s the mystery. God, who created everything, has now performed another act of creation. And all of the lessons for Christmas Day deal indeed with creation, Creator, and a new creation – Christ. Does our Savior come to us first in all of his heavenly glory? No. He comes in a quieter, gentler but even more amazing fashion. In many and various ways we would say as nothing out of the ordinary. But it is quite extraordinary. He comes to us first as a human baby, helpless. He comes to live a full human life. The Author of Creation comes to us as part of the creation; he comes as one of us. How does this take place? In the normal fashion, but also it is still very much a mystery. He, through whom creation comes, comes in the form of a creature. Do not try to figure it out. It’s a mystery.

Why does he come? That could also be considered a mystery. He comes in the form of a babe also with a mission. He comes to redeem humanity, and the very world itself, from the darkness into which we have fallen. The mystery of salvation is that God works our salvation through His Son, whose birth we celebrate this day. Through the life whose birth we celebrate, we are given new life in faith. He, who began Creation with the words, “Let there be light,” commences our salvation by entering into the darkness into which we have fallen through the light of new life, a newborn babe. Darkness cannot bear light. Light shatters it. Just as Christ crushes our darkness, and that of the world, through his own light; sin, death and evil are destroyed as they will try to extinguish his light. They cannot hold him. He breaks through their power, and so reclaims us as his. As a matter of fact, we are made new creations through his creative power. We are given, and share in his light, our darkness is broken and taken from us through his grace, and our faith in him.

As we celebrate Christ’s birth this day, we need to remember that he continues to come to us daily. His life and light are always breaking into our world to dispel the darkness into which we find ourselves. It is worthy that we should remember that today. Not just because it is Christmas Day, and we celebrate the birth of Jesus. But also because it is a day which reminds us also of the first day of Creation, when God said, “Let there be light,” and that Christ is the life, “and the life was the light of all people.” God in Christ becomes manifest, Incarnate Word, and so God’s new creation, bringing God’s New Covenant. And, really every day is a day in which he rises as the first fruits of the new Creation. Every day, in a sense, is a Christmas, and an Easter, the day on which he utterly destroyed the powers of darkness; sin, death and the devil. Today is the day upon which our faith is vindicated. Our salvation is begun. God’s plan has commenced. He comes to us still, anew, every day.

He comes to us now in his Holy Supper. How? In the words of Luther, “It is a mystery.” But Luther said Christ is present in the Supper because he promises to be. And it is on the promises of Christ, born this day, that our faith and hope have and always will rest. For Christ, the Author of Creation, is also the guarantor of our redemption. To Him be all glory, laud and honor, this day and always, Amen.
Pastor Rose