Isaiah 7:10-16 ¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹ Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. ¹² But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. ¹³ Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. ¹⁵ He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶ For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Romans 1:1-7 ^NRS Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, ³ the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵ through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, ⁶ including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, ⁷ To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25 ¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." ²² All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." ²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵ but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Text: Matthew 1:18-25; Rom. 1:1-7; Isaiah 7:10-16

Theme: set apart to see the child

Date: December 23, 2007; Advent 4

Assembly: Zion Lutheran Church

Paul knew that he was set apart for the gospel.

I know that you are set apart for that same gospel.

What does that mean for you in these next days?

How are you set apart for the gospel?

Well, Joseph was set apart for the gospel

Matthew calls him a righteous man

But actually, his justice far exceeded the law

Joseph had decided to dismiss Mary quietly

-already beyond the expectation of the law

And then came the angel to further set Joseph apart

Not only will Joseph let her live

But he will again exceed expectations

and name Jesus

thereby giving him the inheritance of the Davidic Line

this babe will be a king

Here is Joseph, living by the heart of the law—not its letter

He is set apart for the gospel

The Angel is set apart for the gospel

In the gospels, each time an angel first appears to a person,

(Joseph, the women at the tomb,

Zechariah, Mary, the Shepherds)

these words are heard each time

“Do not be afraid”

Evidently an angel is frightful to behold

—these beings, fearfully and wonderfully made

Bring life-changing new news

Yet offer reassurance and hope

The angel is set apart for the gospel, sharing the news that this babe will change everything

Mary—she’s set apart for the gospel

Set apart to be the bearer of Christ in a very particular way

Borne upon to ponder events in her heart

To endure the death of her son

Led in her life to follow this child,

She’d been set apart for the gospel

You’ve been set apart for this gospel

Leading your life to follow this child

They were set apart for the purpose of seeing the child

might we also be set apart to see a child as we ponder in our hearts, “What child is this?”

As a child led Joseph and the Angel and Mary and You to bear the gospel

often times children still lead us in bearing the gospel to the world

this babe in the manger is a marvel

I invite you, today, to marvel at the Christ child

and at and with the children near your hearts

Now, I’m gonna tell you some stories from the past month

of some of the youth who run these halls

But I invite you to fill in the brilliant tapestry

that our youth weave

with your own stories of kids you know and love

I know others marveled along with me last week

During our children’s Christmas program

As baby Michayla

gave such a convincing performance

of the baby Jesus

Peaceful and bright-eyed, no matter how many kids were singing nearby

Michayla stared into our eyes and we into hers

And we were reminded that Christ came to us as a baby

Michayla is set apart for the gospel

And then there was young Tessa

Hauled along to Advent mid-week service

-yes, to the service that is so contemplative and peaceful,

meditative, reflective, quiet, serene…

(you can see where I’m going here)

And, I got to sit with her

So, I heard quite clearly,

As we were singing (of this contemplative service) one of the quietest parts…

And, evidently, Tessera knew it was time to thank the Lord, because she rang out…

E-I-E-I-O

She’s set apart for the gospel.

Grace and Sofia helped announce the first Advent Candle this year

And you have got to take a moment to see their photo

out on the Youth and Family board in the hallway…

As their mom lit the candle, Grace wrapped her arm around her sister

And they watched the Advent light of Christ break into this sanctuary.

They’re set apart for the gospel.

Ranging from 5^th grade-12^th grade,

Maria, Devin, Bryn, Erik, and Paul

Will bless (with their music) those of us at the 7:00 Christmas Eve service.

Despite predictions of wind and rain and snow,

They were here practicing on yesterday.

Pastor Pries rapped on my door and motioned toward the sanctuary

And even before we were there,

We could hear marvelous string music was enlivening the building

Giving glory to God

And to see these ones, with diligence and skill,

playing a masterful synthesis of Pachabell’s Cannon and The First Noel,

was to feel an amazement

at the gifts of the young and of those who teach them.

These are ones set apart for the gospel

And you have seen these children and others

And in them you have glimpsed the Christ Child

Ever created in God’s image,

It is no wonder that a God who would come to us as a baby

Would have us look to the faith of children

To grow in our own faith.

And you have been set apart to see the child

And to marvel

At Immanuel