Dear Christian friends:

Advent is coming. Jesus comes constantly to His people through His Word and Sacrament to our hearts. Jesus will come again on Judgment Day. He came a long time ago as a Babe to live and die for our sins.

Today we consider that He comes to His people through His Holy Word. To our hearts: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelations 3:20)

Your King comes unto you. He knocks at your heart's door and wants to forgive your sins. That means that you confess them. People often get ready for an honored guest by hiding the faulty things and making a good show. When the guest is gone they return to their old ways and things.

For Jesus this will not work. If we want Jesus, the guest from heaven, to come into our hearts we must open them and honestly confess all our sins. He is God who knows and sees all, even the deep thoughts of our heart and the hidden things of darkness. We cannot hide anything from this Guest. So let us humbly with honest hearts confess our sins unto Him.

He will not be angry with us if we do that. He came once long ago that first Christmas to take our sin, shame and punishment on Himself. He has suffered and paid to God for our sins and for the whole world's sin.

"For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men's sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others." (2 Corinthians 5:19 TLB)

(Tell the story of the girl who broke a chair and was afraid to tell her father for fear of his anger and punishment.) We need not fear God like that. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)

So Jesus comes to our hearts door and knocks. Don't be afraid or ashamed to open your heart, though it is very sinful. He comes with mercy and comfort for the sorry and broken-hearted. "A broken and sorry heart, O God, thou will not despise" says David in Psalm 51:17.

But if you because of fear or pride close your heart to Him, He will not come in. Then your heart will be sad, dark and empty of His joy and peace. Open your heart to Him today. Don't be afraid to confess your sin! Don't be stubborn and proud and try to argue and hide your sin.

Now, how does Jesus come to our hearts? In our text He came to the people of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. He did this to fulfill what Zachariah the prophet had said. He came riding a donkey in agreement with God's Word. Everything Jesus did on earth, He did that exactly as God's Word said. By God's Word of the Prophets he came to the people in our text long ago.

Today also He comes to our hearts through God's Word in the Bible. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) When we read or hear God's Word we know the truth and confess our sins and trust in Jesus Christ for mercy and forgiveness. Without God's Word Jesus cannot come to live and rule our hearts and lives.

Are we happy to go to church and the Lord's Supper? Or are we more interested in a "Turkey Thanksgiving" and a "Cookie Christmas?" Last Thanksgiving only thirteen of our members came to Church to hear God's Word and by His Holy Spirit give thanks.

And you know how many come for Christmas Day. We don't even want church on Christmas Day. Turkey, ham, and gifts we want on Christmas, not the Babe born of Mary.

This first Sunday of the new church year is a good time to think about our hearts. Jesus stands at the door and knocks. Will you open up to Him and let Him come in to live and rule in you? Or will you shut Him out of your thoughts and plans and life during the next year?

May God help us to open our hearts wide and through His Word daily confess our sins and look to Him for forgiveness and peace.

Amen.