Throughout Holy Scripture, God brought forth important men from the wombs of barren women. One such woman was the wife of Manoah. Through her, God gave oppressed Israel a great deliverer named Samson. But the greatest son to come from an unlikely mother was the Child born of the Virgin Mary. He was the greatest gift this oppressed world will ever receive. Samson's greatness was evident in feats of incredible strength, but the greatest of Mary's Son was seen in His willingness to set aside His power to deliver us from sin, death, and the devil.

A bulldozer with your name on the blade is coming! Yes, Jesus is coming to destroy sin and sinners. So how are we to prepare? The bottom line, we can't do it. But Christ came from heaven above to give us grace and to show us mercy. He shifted the wrath of God from you and me to Himself. We must recognize our sin, confess it and acknowledge our need to be saved from ourselves. Let us cry out from the pit of our despair and a repentant heart, asking God for mercy and healing of our sinfulness. Prepare to meet the Lord by returning to your baptism and the promises God gives in baptism. We can't stand up and heal ourselves. We need the mercy of God. "God who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it." "Take eat, and drink in the Lord's Supper." Jesus has come, "Your sins are forgiven.�

Zechariah's problem was that he expected too little of God. Our God gives like the God He is! He gives us exceedingly great promises -- forgiveness in this life and a new heaven and earth in the next life. Do you think God is stingy? Let us confess this and open our hearts in faith anew to Him. If God did not spare His Son, he will not withhold any good thing from us. Listen and believe. Take care in how we hear. What Child is this? God was remembering and acting on the greatest promise ever made. Zechariah had forgotten this when he was told his own son would be God's forerunner. Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

God came to die as a ransom to purchase us. We have been bought by the precious blood of God. We cannot see our greatest need. We forget that our sin cuts us off from the One who gives us life and peace with God. Christ gives us this peace. Let us keep Jesus at the center of how we do Christmas. His shed blood is our peace.

The ten lepers were beggars and labeled unclean, but Jesus healed them. We are lepers and in our sin condition, Jesus has forgiven us. All that we need, we receive from Christ, for now, and forever.

Sub Contrario means under the opposite appearance. How often God hides things under their opposite! For example, eating caused our race to fall, yet eating gives life and forgiveness. Things are not as they seem. Let us go to the "hated one" on the cross. Knowing we don't escape death, the question for each of us is, "are we going to be faithful to the end?" Your sins are Christ's. He has taken them all from you. Despite all that appears to the contrary, Christ reigns.

Widows seem to have a special place in the heart of God and this seems to be the theme of this sermon. But there is more.

God's mercies show no boundaries. The One who hears, hears the widow's faith and your faith, and supplies all needs in this life and for eternity. We have nothing to offer God except our faith. In the midst of our famine, God provides all we need, especially our greatest need. For in the Name of Jesus, all your sins have been forgiven.

In this sermon, we get a glimpse into heaven as recorded in Revelation 7, and we see all those "who art in heaven." The ending of life on earth is only a blessed beginning for those who are in Christ. So how shall we enter God's presence and enter without shame? It is only through Jesus. Jesus is the Lamb of God, our good shepherd in heaven, who has taken all our sins away. He will be there to heal us, to wipe away every tear from our eyes and transform our mourning and sorrow into endless joy. See what kind of Love The Father has given us, you and me, that we should be called the Children of God. And so we are! And so we pray, "Our Father who art in heaven." Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 46, On this Reformation Sunday, let us consider the hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, written by Martin Luther, the great reformer. This hymn, based on Psalm 46, is so rich in theology that even if you were born on a desert island and you had never seen a Bible if you came across this hymn, in its ten verses, you would have it all. As Martin Luther was dying, he was asked, "Brother Martin, are you willing to die in the faith which you have proclaimed all your life?" Luther spoke up so that everybody could hear. "Yes, yes," he said. A little bit later he fell asleep. In other words, he fell into the hands of the God who always had been his refuge and strength, a God who was a very present help in trouble. Martin did not fear death. Sooner or later each of us will cross the threshold of death and face our God. Thanks to God we all have been given a Savior who says, "I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine." There is no other God than the Lord God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no other Savior than Jesus, our Redeemer to whom the Spirit of God points us. And rest assured that Jesus stands by us in this life and forever.

Scripture: Mark 10:23-31, Do good works count? God doesn't need our works but He wants them! God wants us to realize the joys of doing heavenly

works because we are part of His family. Our good works help give Christ victory over the Devil -- even the smallest most

private, most humble works are truly divine works because of Jesus. He cleanses our works and gives them meaning and purpose. We will receive one hundred fold in rewards for our works, now and in the age to come.