New Years Eve
December 31, 2005
Vicar Michael Monterastelli
Matthew 1:18-21
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!
Tonight, the people of the world who live and die by the Holy Roman calendar prepare to enter a New Year. That includes us. Some prepare by removing all the old 2005 calendars and by hanging new 2006 calendars. Others may also prepare by making New Year resolutions. They resolve to do all sorts of nice things for themselves and others: to stop smoking, to stop drinking so much alcohol, to start loving more and hating others less.
Tonight, many Christians will hopefully prepare in similar ways. But one thing is different for the Christian. As Christians enter into a New Year, our hopes and thoughts are caused to be centered on the Name of Jesus. That Name represents all that Jesus is and does, all the new things He makes for the whole world. Jesus makes all things new. By His dying and rising, time is made new. Sinful men and women and children are made new. Wellness and courage are restored. Strength is made new. All things are made new in the Name of Jesus — the God who saves His people.
Tonight, we shake off the dust of the past and by God’s gracious forgiveness in Jesus Christ, we put on new garments of salvation, the robe of His righteousness. As the year of our Lord, 2005, ends, His 2006th year begins. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of how vital His righteousness and salvation are: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.”
As we experienced this past year, this earth is wearing out and vanishing like smoke. Through the media we were witnesses to Earth shattering events like the hurricanes that flooded the gulf coast of our homeland. We’ve witnessed fires that have consumed homes in Texas and Oklahoma. We’ve observed mob beatings and criminals who have shot victims in the streets near our own homes. We’ve heard about or been the victims of robberies, cancer, heart attacks, and car accidents involving those we love. Through the media we’ve witnessed the starvation of those who are unable to feed themselves.
Christian art often depicts the reality of life in this world with a human skull. It reminds us that life in this world is temporary. You can not take anything with you. All of it shall pass away.
In this dying world, we are all sinners. And because of sin in us and sin in the world that affects us no matter what we do, we suffer tribulation, distress, persecution, and danger. There is no enduring hope in this world or in ourselves. We need a sure and certain name we can call on so God will save us.
Hear the name the angel told Joseph to give the Son of Mary, his virgin bride.
“Do not fear to take Mary as your wife. For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Naming things is a god-like power.
It all began back in Eden. The Father of Adam gave Adam his name.
His name means ‘ground’ or ‘land’.
His name tells us where he comes from.
God gave Adam his name.
Adam was then endowed with the authority to name God’s creatures.
His power to give names came from God.
He gave names to all the beasts of the field, even the serpent, even the flesh-of-his-flesh and bone-of-his-bone, he lovingly named Woman.
His name told her who he was.
And her name told everyone who she was, for she was taken out of man.
For most of us today, naming one of God’s creations is not a big deal.
Anyone can do it.
Parents name their children. Children name their pets. Friends and co-workers give each other endearing, and not so endearing, nick-names.
Children call each other names, sometimes mean names. If only sticks and stones are supposed to break our bones, then why does it hurt so much, when people call us bad names.
Since Adam named every beast of the field and bird of the heavens, anyone can name anything he wants.
Or can he?
When the flesh and bones of Jesus were being knit together in His blessed mother’s womb, it was not a man who named Him.
[While a man named all of God’s creatures, this holy Child is no creature. He is the Creator. He is the Alpha and Omega, without beginning or end. More than that, He became the firstborn of the dead. He named Himself. He named Himself, ‘Jesus’, for He saves His people. He saves us from our sins.]
What a name! Every time it is spoken it is the Gospel in a nutshell. Jesus!
He is the flesh and bone of God incarnate. Jesus is more than a mere shell of a man. He is God become man. Jesus is the perfect man we need Him to be.
He is the God who saves your sinful flesh and bone by humbly taking you into His own holy essence.
Just as the Woman was made by God from the side of a man, so also is the Church born from God through the blood and water that poured from the side of The One True Man, Her Savior. On the cross, His Name was one of insult and mockery. But He rose from the grave with His Name that is above every name. Now, through the waters of Baptism combined with the Lord’s own Word… in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… you have been united with God’s own flesh-and-bone Son, Jesus. Through Baptism, sinners are made bone-of-His-bone and flesh-of-His-flesh, whom He lovingly names Christian, for Christians have been taken out of the sinful world and united to Christ.
And so the Lord names His children.
Abram’s name became Abraham: the father of many nations.
Sarai’s name became Sarah: the princess.
Simon’s name became Peter: the rock
And you, O Sinner, He calls Saint. In Jesus’ Name, He calls you holy.
On the eve of this night, New Year’s Eve, the Church helps us to remember how our Lord received His human name. He named Himself Jesus, the God who saves. He saves us by giving us His Name. He bathes us in His Name at Baptism. He feeds us with heavenly food in Holy Communion, by the authority of His Name. He absolves us in His Name. His Name is proclaimed into your ears in the Service of the Word. It is no small thing that He calls you ‘Saint.’
As a new age of man began when God took on our human flesh, so now a new year of man begins tonight. The end of the calendar reminds us of the end of our earthly lives and the end of all things.
As Eve became the mother of all the living, so also Mary became the blessed mother of the creator of all the living. Her Son is the heavenly Father’s only begotten Son, Jesus, who at His resurrection, also became the firstborn of the dead.
While a man named all the creatures on earth, man does not get to name the Son of God, because He is no created creature, the Son of God is the Creator. Through Him, God graciously gives us all things, and makes them new. He justifies all things. Who can condemn you? Jesus Christ has already died for all your sin — more than that, He was raised. He sits at the right hand of God, where He indeed speaks to His Father on our behalf. No tribulation, no distress, no persecution, no famine, no nakedness, no suicide bomber, no sword — nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
His salvation is forever. His righteousness is never dismayed. Blessed be His Name!
In + Jesus’ Name, Amen
Vicar Michael Monterastelli
Matthew 1:18-21
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!
Tonight, the people of the world who live and die by the Holy Roman calendar prepare to enter a New Year. That includes us. Some prepare by removing all the old 2005 calendars and by hanging new 2006 calendars. Others may also prepare by making New Year resolutions. They resolve to do all sorts of nice things for themselves and others: to stop smoking, to stop drinking so much alcohol, to start loving more and hating others less.
Tonight, many Christians will hopefully prepare in similar ways. But one thing is different for the Christian. As Christians enter into a New Year, our hopes and thoughts are caused to be centered on the Name of Jesus. That Name represents all that Jesus is and does, all the new things He makes for the whole world. Jesus makes all things new. By His dying and rising, time is made new. Sinful men and women and children are made new. Wellness and courage are restored. Strength is made new. All things are made new in the Name of Jesus — the God who saves His people.
Tonight, we shake off the dust of the past and by God’s gracious forgiveness in Jesus Christ, we put on new garments of salvation, the robe of His righteousness. As the year of our Lord, 2005, ends, His 2006th year begins. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of how vital His righteousness and salvation are: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.”
As we experienced this past year, this earth is wearing out and vanishing like smoke. Through the media we were witnesses to Earth shattering events like the hurricanes that flooded the gulf coast of our homeland. We’ve witnessed fires that have consumed homes in Texas and Oklahoma. We’ve observed mob beatings and criminals who have shot victims in the streets near our own homes. We’ve heard about or been the victims of robberies, cancer, heart attacks, and car accidents involving those we love. Through the media we’ve witnessed the starvation of those who are unable to feed themselves.
Christian art often depicts the reality of life in this world with a human skull. It reminds us that life in this world is temporary. You can not take anything with you. All of it shall pass away.
In this dying world, we are all sinners. And because of sin in us and sin in the world that affects us no matter what we do, we suffer tribulation, distress, persecution, and danger. There is no enduring hope in this world or in ourselves. We need a sure and certain name we can call on so God will save us.
Hear the name the angel told Joseph to give the Son of Mary, his virgin bride.
“Do not fear to take Mary as your wife. For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Naming things is a god-like power.
It all began back in Eden. The Father of Adam gave Adam his name.
His name means ‘ground’ or ‘land’.
His name tells us where he comes from.
God gave Adam his name.
Adam was then endowed with the authority to name God’s creatures.
His power to give names came from God.
He gave names to all the beasts of the field, even the serpent, even the flesh-of-his-flesh and bone-of-his-bone, he lovingly named Woman.
His name told her who he was.
And her name told everyone who she was, for she was taken out of man.
For most of us today, naming one of God’s creations is not a big deal.
Anyone can do it.
Parents name their children. Children name their pets. Friends and co-workers give each other endearing, and not so endearing, nick-names.
Children call each other names, sometimes mean names. If only sticks and stones are supposed to break our bones, then why does it hurt so much, when people call us bad names.
Since Adam named every beast of the field and bird of the heavens, anyone can name anything he wants.
Or can he?
When the flesh and bones of Jesus were being knit together in His blessed mother’s womb, it was not a man who named Him.
[While a man named all of God’s creatures, this holy Child is no creature. He is the Creator. He is the Alpha and Omega, without beginning or end. More than that, He became the firstborn of the dead. He named Himself. He named Himself, ‘Jesus’, for He saves His people. He saves us from our sins.]
What a name! Every time it is spoken it is the Gospel in a nutshell. Jesus!
He is the flesh and bone of God incarnate. Jesus is more than a mere shell of a man. He is God become man. Jesus is the perfect man we need Him to be.
He is the God who saves your sinful flesh and bone by humbly taking you into His own holy essence.
Just as the Woman was made by God from the side of a man, so also is the Church born from God through the blood and water that poured from the side of The One True Man, Her Savior. On the cross, His Name was one of insult and mockery. But He rose from the grave with His Name that is above every name. Now, through the waters of Baptism combined with the Lord’s own Word… in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… you have been united with God’s own flesh-and-bone Son, Jesus. Through Baptism, sinners are made bone-of-His-bone and flesh-of-His-flesh, whom He lovingly names Christian, for Christians have been taken out of the sinful world and united to Christ.
And so the Lord names His children.
Abram’s name became Abraham: the father of many nations.
Sarai’s name became Sarah: the princess.
Simon’s name became Peter: the rock
And you, O Sinner, He calls Saint. In Jesus’ Name, He calls you holy.
On the eve of this night, New Year’s Eve, the Church helps us to remember how our Lord received His human name. He named Himself Jesus, the God who saves. He saves us by giving us His Name. He bathes us in His Name at Baptism. He feeds us with heavenly food in Holy Communion, by the authority of His Name. He absolves us in His Name. His Name is proclaimed into your ears in the Service of the Word. It is no small thing that He calls you ‘Saint.’
As a new age of man began when God took on our human flesh, so now a new year of man begins tonight. The end of the calendar reminds us of the end of our earthly lives and the end of all things.
As Eve became the mother of all the living, so also Mary became the blessed mother of the creator of all the living. Her Son is the heavenly Father’s only begotten Son, Jesus, who at His resurrection, also became the firstborn of the dead.
While a man named all the creatures on earth, man does not get to name the Son of God, because He is no created creature, the Son of God is the Creator. Through Him, God graciously gives us all things, and makes them new. He justifies all things. Who can condemn you? Jesus Christ has already died for all your sin — more than that, He was raised. He sits at the right hand of God, where He indeed speaks to His Father on our behalf. No tribulation, no distress, no persecution, no famine, no nakedness, no suicide bomber, no sword — nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
His salvation is forever. His righteousness is never dismayed. Blessed be His Name!
In + Jesus’ Name, Amen
posted by Luther Memorial Chapel at
1/03/2006
