1st Sunday of Christmas December 28, 2025

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable unto you.

O Lord, our rock in our redeemer.

You may be seated.

Well, good morning.

Good morning.

I'm Teddy.

Uh, I'm filling in for our rector father Tyler, at least in terms of the sermon today, as he and Jane enjoy their, uh, first Christmas together with, with, uh, little Miss Eden and hope y'all are having a great Christmas season.

Thanks for being with us.

Now, my wife's family has several stories they tell around this time of year again and again and again, and I'll hear a few words from her mom or her dad or aunts, and I think, well, here we go.

Here's that story again.

And one of the stories I hear most every year is about one Christmas when she and her little brother were both very young.

He may have been about four, and he still could not say the word close.

He said close.

So one Christmas, the whole family is around and her brother opens one of his gifts and it's not a toy, it's close.

Opens another one, uh, no toy close.

And he is about to open another one.

He starts unwrapping and says, hope it's not closed.

So look, toys and clothes are both good gifts, but the point is some gifts are better than others.

And today we're going to be looking at the good gifts to the Israelites God and fire the better gifts to Christians God in the flesh, and the best gift that is yet to come.

God, face to face.

Now we're continuing our series in the early chapters of Exodus and our text today is in your bulletin, Exodus three, one through six.

Remember where we are in the story? Moses has fled to the land of, uh, median after killing the Egyptian.

And by the time we reach Exodus, uh, chapter three, Moses is 80 years old and Israel has been enslaved for 400 years as far removed from his time as we are from the pilgrims.

There are no priests.

There have been no prophets arise during this time, and there's no written scripture at this point.

It must seem to the Israelites that God is absent.

They must wonder, is God truly present with us? And if we peek ahead a little bit in the story just a little bit, especially in chapter eight, we see that the Israelites had been unable to offer sacrifices to the Lord while in Egypt.

Now I know the sacrificial system and the Old Testament is super weird to us here in the 21st century America.

But we're going to see today that the sacrificial system was the primary way that the ancient Israelites worshiped God and how it was that atonement was made for their sin and how it points to Jesus Christ.

But let's put a pen in that for now.

And so by the time we get to chapter three, we see a people who, one needed to know that God was present, and number two, needed the freedom to worship God and to be given atonement.

Now, open up your bulletin and take a look at our text, Exodus three, which John read for us.

Look at verse two.

Lemme ask you this.

Have you ever wondered why a burning bush? Was it just because it was cool? Was it just because it grabbed Moses' attention? Would a, would a neon sign flashing have worked just as well? Now there, there's, there's symbolism at work here in a burning bush.

And you'll remember that a pillar of fire guided and protected the Israelites is their fleeing Egypt.

See, the fire in the bush symbolizes God's powerful presence, which they had not had for 400 years.

And why isn't the bush consumed? It's because God's presence with the people of Israel will endure.

So much of the Old Testament is about God's steadfast love for the Israelite people despite their continual disobedience.

So the fiery bush that isn't consumed symbolizes God's powerful abiding presence that will lead the people out of bondage and out of Egypt.

But where will God lead them? Well ultimately to the promised land, uh, to Canaan, but they need to make a stop along the way.

And the word for Bush here is the Hebrew word.

Sin.

It's not quite the same word, but it sounds a lot like Sinai as in Mount Sinai.

And we learn a little later that the mountain called Mount Hora in verse one is the same mountain later called Mount Sinai.

Now of course, Mount Sinai is where God gives Moses the law.

And the first thing we think of when we think of the law is we think of the 10 Commandments, and then we think of Charlton Heston, and then really bad special effects from the 1950s.

But I want us to focus on an aspect of the law.

We don't often talk about the sacrificial system.

Sinai is also where God gave Moses the blueprint, the design plan for the construction of the tabernacle.

And you can think of the tabernacle as a big elaborate tent that the Israelites took with them during their journeys, through the wilderness, the tabernacle, and then later the temple in Jerusalem.

Was where scripture says God would dwell among his people, and it's where the sacrifices would be made.

Now again, the sacrificial system I know is mysterious.

Maybe a little bit disturbing to us, but I want us to think like an ancient Israelite for just a moment.

Okay.

Anthropologists tell us that sacrifice, both of livestock and crops was basically universal.

In ancient societies.

There was this universal recognition that we are not solely responsible for the food on our tables.

We cannot make our sheep give birth to healthy lambs.

We cannot control whether it rains or our crops can grow, so we need to give back a portion of our food to the being or beings responsible for giving it to us.

And so the primary way that ancient people worshiped their gods was by sacrificing their livestock and their crops.

Now, this could often lead to a sense of entitlement in the pagan world.

Okay, Jupiter.

Uh, we've given you your sacrifices.

We have now earned your favor.

The pagan sacrifices were bribes so people would get upset when things, uh, didn't work out.

And y'all will remember that Neptune, uh, was the Roman god of the sea.

And, and one time, uh, after storm prevented the Roman fleet from invading Britain, the emperor, uh, Caligula, uh, actually ordered his, ordered his soldiers to go attack the water to go attack the sea.

So you had Roman soldiers literally plunging their swords into the sea.

But in contrast, scripture makes clear that the God of Bible of the Bible cannot be bribed.

In Psalm 50, God says, I do not eat the flesh of bulls and, and all the beasts of the forest are mine, all the cattle on a thousand hills.

And note that the Bible, uh, the God of the Bible did not say, all for me sacrifices.

And then I will deliver you from slavery.

Now you don't earn the favor of the God of the Bible.

He first delivered the Israelites by Grace, and then he required obedience.

It's the same way in the New Testament.

First he saves us and then he requires obedience.

Okay, well of course now the biggest problem with the Pagan sacrifices is that they were offered to the wrong gods, to non gods.

However, even though their sacrifices were misdirected, the underlying impulse to show gratitude is good, so long as it's directed to the one true God.

And in fact, you'll hear an echo of this God-given impulse.

Later, after we give our tithes and offerings, all things come from you, oh Lord, and of your own.

Have we given you and note this.

The sacrifices of Thanksgiving in the Old Testament were joyous occasions.

A portion of the meat would be burned up and dedicated to the Lord, and a portion would go to the priest.

But most of it was returned to you to be shared with your family.

And when you think about it, it's not all that different than the Thanksgiving meal that we all celebrated last month in which we expressed our gratitude to the Lord and then enjoyed a meal with those closest to us.

And a number of the Psalms are about recounting the past blessings of God while feasting and celebrating before the Lord.

Look, listen to the Psalm 1 0 7.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man, and let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and tell his Ds and songs of joy.

So in the Old Testament, there were sacrifices of Thanksgiving, but there were also sacrifices of atonement around 1530.

Uh, William Tindell was working on the very first English translation from the original Hebrew of the five books of Moses, and he was struggling to find the right English word to use when he was translating the Hebrew root kfar.

So he used the word that he coined himself at one mint at one A-T-O-N-E-M-E-N-T.

And we say it differently now, or, but we do spell it the same.

And so this really shows you what was working the at work in the atoning sacrifices.

Sin creates a breach in the relationship between us and God.

But God gave a gift to the Israelites that if they offered their sacrifices with true faith and uh, repentance, there could be reconciliation.

They could be at one with God.

Now, these are pretty good gifts to the Israelites, right? God's presence, the freedom to worship atonement.

But let's go back to the burning bush, into our text.

What do we know about fire? Yeah, it gives light, but it's also dangerous.

And scripture teaches us that it's dangerous for fallen, sinful people to be in the presence of an absolutely holy God.

The holy and the unholy just don't mix.

And as a matter of fact, when Moses is about to go up Mount Sinai to meet with God and receive the 10 Commandments, the Lord warns him, don't let the people go up the mountain.

Don't even let them touch the mountain lest they die.

So given this, there were three areas of the tabernacle.

There was a courtyard, there was the holy place, and then there was the most holy place, otherwise known as the Holy of Holies, where the ark of the covenant was kept.

Now, the average man could go into the courtyard, but only the members of the priesthood could go into the holy place, and then only the high priest.

Could go into the Holy of Holies, and he could only do that once a year.

The Israelites were kept at a distance.

Now this morning, all of you pulled into the parking lot outside, and then you went through the front door and you walked through the North X and into the nave.

And later you're going to come up to this railing, almost to the altar, and you will will receive the Eucharist.

Now imagine instead that you pulled into the parking lot this morning with a goat in the backseat on a leash, and you and the goat walk up to the front door, and instead of going in you hand, father Tyler the goat, and he closes the door, and then you wait on, wait on him a bit, and maybe he brings you back a piece of meat.

That was what worship was like under the old covenant.

How different would that feel than how we worship now? Look back at verse six in your bulletin.

Did you notice this? And Moses hid his face before he was afraid to look at God.

We're told in chapter 33 that no man can look at God and live.

And a number of Old Testament passages say pretty much the same thing.

Now, Moses as the appointed mediator of the people was a bit of an exception to that.

But you'll remember that even Moses could not see God's glory.

He could only see God's back from the cleft to the rock.

Now, what do we mean when we say, I would really like to see you for Christmas? We don't mean text me a picture on Christmas morning.

What we mean is I want to have that intimacy with you that can only come from your actual in-person presence.

And despite the wonderful gifts they've been given the.

Israelites could not have that level of intimacy with God.

They were kept at a distance they could not see God.

And now the better gifts to Christians, God and flesh.

Let's listen to a passage we often read around Christmas time and rightfully so.

John one, verse 14.

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And we have seen His glory.

Glory as of the only son from the Father full of grace and truth.

Now I owe credit to Tim Keller for this section.

We all know not to look directly into the sun.

At best, the sun will be blurred and you won't really see it.

And at worst, you'll burn out your retina to see the sun's glory.

To see the sun spots and the solar flares, you need special lenses.

You need some sort of filter.

Now here, this good theology.

From the second verse of Hart, the Herald Angels sing by Charles Wesley.

It's probably been in your head this week, veiled in flesh, the Godhead.

See hell, the incar incarnate deity.

Now we normally think of a veil as something that obscures, something that hides, but Wesley says, veiled in flesh, the Godhead.

See? See, God told Moses, you can't see my glory.

You won't be able to stand it.

It will overwhelm you.

It will burn out your spiritual retina.

But God sent his son veiled in flesh so that we can see him, so that we can know what he is like, so that we can relate to him, so that we can have a personal relationship with him and see his glory.

See, the Israelites could take comfort in seeing the pillar of fire, knowing that God was present, but you can't have a personal relationship with fire.

So when it came time for God to fully disclose himself, to fully show what he was like.

He came as a human being.

So if you ever begin to wonder, does God love me? See that God's son gave his own life for you on the cross, if you ever wonder, does God care about human suffering? See that Christ entered into our suffering and suffered for our on the cross.

If you want to know what God is like, look to Jesus.

He came in the flesh so humanity could see him and know it, but Jesus came not only to be seen, but to offer an atoning sacrifice to end all atoning sacrifices.

The atoning sacrifices of the Old Testament had to be offered daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly on behalf of the whole people.

And if you have to commit sin yourself, which you of course always did, you had to make your own repeated offerings for your sins as an individual.

So the Israelites knew in their heart of hearts that their sacrifices weren't, not, weren't enough to fully atone, to make them fully, and finally at one with God.

Now listen to the author of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 10, starting at verse one.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

The law quote, can never by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year make perfect.

Those who draw near otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered since the worshipers having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins.

But in these sacrifices, there's a reminder of sins every year for it's impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.

Verse 14, for by a single offering he has perfected for all time, those who are being sanctified, God's perfect sacrifice, the sacrifice of his son fully, and finally takes away sin and the penalty of sin in our consciousness.

Consciousness can be at rest, and because Christ sacrificed purifies.

Us, our very bodies, our suitable place for holy God to dwell.

Thus, in one Corinthians Paul says that we as believers are God's temple and that the Holy Spirit dwells within us.

So whereas the sacrifices of the Old Testament allowed God to dwell among the Israelites in the tabernacle and in the temple, Christ sacrifice makes way for the Holy Spirit to dwell within us within all who believe in Him.

So the better gifts to Christians are that we now see God in Christ, and that his spirit is not kept at a distance but dwells within us.

We are truly at one with God.

Well, how do we claim these gifts in our daily lives? Well, first, eat your spiritual carrots.

Take care of your spiritual eyes.

And we've already mentioned one way of doing that.

Again, if you need, reminding what God is like, look to Jesus.

This means studying the gospels to see his life, his wisdom, his love.

But it also means studying the entirety of the scriptures.

Because ultimately, as I believe we've seen today, they all point to him.

And another way of eating your spiritual care is to take part of Christ in Christ's thanksgiving feasts.

You know, the meaning of the term Eucharist is literally giving thanks.

Well, and you hear an echo of the Old Testament thank offering in our communion liturgy.

You notice that the liturgy says, we celebrate the memorial of our redemption of Father in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

And we offer you these gifts, meaning the bread and the wine.

And then later you'll hear during the liturgy that Father Tyler will pray, uh, that quote, we may worthily receive this holy sacrament and be made one body with him so that he may dwell in us and we in him Communion is a joyful thanksgiving feast by which we dwelled in.

And see Christ.

Secondly, always remember that the best gift seeing God face to face is yet to come.

There will be times of deep joy in your Christian life, which come from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

But if you've ever, if you've lived the Christian life for any time at all, you know that those times won't last forever.

You will become sick, inev.

Inevitably, you'll lose those closest to you sometimes long before you think it was their time to go.

And you may witness those dear to you suffer.

And, uh, without getting into the details, my family's experiencing that right now.

As great as the gifts we have as Christians are these low points in life will leave you with questions.

But the good news is that the best gift is yet to come.

One John three, two says, beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.

But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is.

And in one Corinthians Paul says, for now we send a bearer dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

See, scripture teaches at that in the new creation, we will see God face to face.

In a sense we can see Jesus now, but the vision we will have of him in the new creation will be direct and surpass beyond imagining our vision of him on earth.

And the medieval theologians really struggled with this.

How do you see a spiritual being? But they created a term for seeing God face to face.

They called it the beatific vision, beatific as in beauty.

Because there's nothing more beautiful than God who is the source of all beauty.

Listen to Saint Augustine, we are to see a certain vision, my brethren, a vision surpassing all earthly beauty of gold, of silver, of groves and fields.

The beauty of sea and air, the beauty of sun and moon, the beauty of the stars, the beauty of angels surpassing all things because from it are all things beautiful.

And from time to time, both in scripture and in church history, some of God's children were given just the slightest foretaste of the beatific vision.

One was Thomas Aquinas, who lived in the 13th century and is still regarded as one of the greatest theologians ever.

He was a prolific author and intensely rational and analytical.

And his crowning achievement may have been the, the Summa Theological, the summary of theology.

It's written in a question and answer format.

For example, can it be demonstrated that God exists? And then Thomas would give his answer.

But Thomas Aquinas never finished the Summa.

On December 6th, 1273, during a mass at the Chapel of St.

Nicholas in Naples, he was given a foretaste to the beatific vision, and he never wrote another word.

His secretary urged him, brother Thomas, you need to finish the summa.

It's so good.

But Thomas replied, all that I've written seems to me like straw compared with what has now been revealed to me.

And Thomas wasn't saying that what he had written was wrong.

He never retracted any of his words.

It was just that he had been struck mute by the beauty of what he'd seen.

He could not formulate any more questions.

And in the new creation it may be.

That we get to ask the Lord, Lord, why? Why did that happen? Lord, why was this your plan? And he may answer, well, okay, here's why it had to be that way.

But I think it's much, much more likely that in the new creation, that unimaginable beauty of God will banish all the ugliness left over from this world, and that our questions will just fall away.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace, how much more true will this be as we gaze into God's beauty for eternity? Let's close in prayer.

In the words of Saint Ann Samuel Canterbury, Lord, teach us to seek you.

And as we seek you, show yourself to us.

For, we cannot seek you unless you show us how, and we will never find you unless you show yourself to us.

Let us seek you by desiring you and desire you by seeking you.

Let us find you by loving you and love you in finding you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.