This Midweek Advent Sermon Series tells the stories of the clothing of the King. Stories that describe a wardrobe at once splendid and sin-stained, with fabrics that reveal who we are and cover us all the same. The clothing of the King is tattered and worn and glorious in its incorruptibility. It isn’t ours, yet He gives it to us freely.

Rulers plan and administrate and govern. They typically do not save. If your house is on fire, it will not be the mayor who shows up to save you from the flames. If America were attacked, the President would serve as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The President would not pick up a weapon, go to the front lines, and fight to save you from the enemy. Jesus is different. He is both infinitely greater than all other rulers, yet also infinitely humbler. He does not consider it beneath His rank as King to risk His life for His subjects. He is willing to fight for us. He is willing to die for us. For King Jesus came into our world for one reason—to save us.

The Sunday – Today the Church hears strains of the distant triumph song and affirms, “Blessed are they who are called to the marriage feast of the Lamb.” So while we wait, the Church prays, “Keep us ever watchful for the coming of your Son that we may sit with Him and all your holy ones at the marriage feast in heaven.” Lord, keep us watchful for our triumph!

The Season – The focus of the season is fulfillment of Christ’s promises and encouragement for the Church of the End Times.

The Lord came to His city and His temple to teach His people, but the leaders of Israel rose up against Him. When they questioned His authority, Jesus responded with three parables meant to drive the leaders to self-evaluation and self-condemnation. The stories speak of family ties, contractual obligation, and the favor of a royal invitation. Each should have led to a proper response, yet each parable showed that Israel’s leaders were refusing to give God the fruits of faith He patiently sought. Our God patiently seeks fruits.

What is our God like? Over the next four Sundays, the Church hears Jesus tell four parables which reveal characteristics of our God. Today’s lessons cause the worshiper to ask: Is God fair? No, He’s not. He doesn’t give us what we deserve, and that’s called mercy. In fact, He gives us what we don’t deserve, and that’s called grace. Our God is incomprehensibly gracious.

Anytime we try to imitate God, we quickly realize our inadequacy. Yet today God tells us to model our forgiveness on His: a boundless, free, and loving forgiveness based on the sacrifice of Christ. How could our sinful hearts ever forgive like that? The Prayer of the Day asks that the mercy and grace of God precede us and follow after us, that we might love God with undivided hearts–hearts always ready to forgive as God does: sins are forgiven, forgotten, forever. The Church forgives as God forgives.

The Christian lives as wheat among weeds as he waits for the harvest. In the Prayer of the Day, we ask for the spirit to live like wheat–to think and to do what is right–even while we live in this sinful world. Living with an eye on the coming harvest gives us encouragement, comfort, and hope. The Christian lives as wheat among weeds.

The Sunday is summarized in the Prayer of the Day, which thanks God for the implanting of the Word and asks for the Spirit’s help in producing fruits of faith. The Christian is planted by the Word and produces fruit.

From the beginning of time, God provided rest for His creation. He blessed the seventh day and set it apart, that man might learn to find his rest in God alone. In Jesus, the Christian finds rest from his burdens, rest from his battles, and rest forever in heaven. The Christian finds rest in Jesus.