CW 301 - Savior of the Nations, Come

We are now in the season of Advent. The word “Advent” means “coming.” So, during Advent we focus on the coming of Jesus.

In Advent, we are directed to watch for Jesus to come again from the sky at the end of the world. This is why the altars, pulpits, and lecterns in our churches have blue cloths on them for the blue sky during the Advent season. This time Jesus will come in power and glory. Jesus says of his return, “Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26). We lift our heads during Advent to watch for our Savior to return: “Look, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him” (Revelation 1:7).

We also celebrate another Advent of Jesus. This is the one most people in our culture are preparing for right now – Jesus coming to earth as a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). With this first coming, the Son of God comes in humility and very few people see him or celebrate him.

Our hymn of the day for the first Sunday in Advent begins with the first coming of Jesus. “Savior of the Nations Come” is a very ancient hymn written in the 4th century by an early church father named Ambrose of Milan and translated by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

Verse one: Savior of the nations, come; Virgin’s Son, make here your home. Marvel now, O heav’n and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth.

Our culture may want Christmas to come with all the decorations, parties, and presents. But do they really want Jesus Christ to come? They might feel that his presence would ruin their parties since he would expect certain behaviors that would curb their sinful desires. But we Christians want Christ to come. We want Jesus to make his home here on earth with his birth. More than that, we want Jesus to make his home in our hearts by faith. It is a faith that marvels that the royal, divine Son of God would choose such a lowly birth.

Question: Why do you want Christ to come?

Verse two: Not by human flesh and blood, by the Spirit of our God was the Word of God made flesh, woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

Verse three: Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child of the virgin undefiled, though by all the world disowned, yet to be in heav’n enthroned!

Jesus could not be tainted by sin when he was born. That’s why he was born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Jesus is the same Word that God the Father used to call creation into existence. Now he is that Word who takes on the flesh

and blood of a little human baby. A perfect human baby to save sinful babies, children, and adults. Though the world disowns and opposes Jesus, we love him and make him our king.

Question: Why did Jesus need to be born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit?

Verse four: From the Father’s throne he came and ascended to the same, captive leading death and hell. High the song of triumph swell!

The Son of God could have stayed in heaven, never taking on human flesh. But he came to be born, live, die, rise, and ascend. In doing this, Jesus defeated sin, death, and hell.

Question: Why did Jesus come to earth?

Verse five: Praise to God the Father sing, praise to God the Son, our King, praise to God the Spirit be ever and eternally.

We finish the hymn with a doxology of praise to the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

With Advent we pray for Jesus to come in the past in the manger, in the present in Word and Sacraments, and in the future in the clouds. Together we pray, “Savior of the Nations Come.”

Question: Why do we praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for Jesus coming to earth?