Jesu Juva

“The Sound of Creation and Re-creation”

Text: Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a; Acts 2:14b, 22-36; Matthew 28:16-20

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

If you’re like me, when you hear the account of creation from Genesis like we just did, you kind of form a picture in your mind of what God’s new and perfect creation might have looked like. Or maybe you think of pictures you’ve seen in books. But this morning, instead of that, think about this: creation isn’t just something to be seen - creation has a sound to it as well.

Laurie and I spent a few days at a cabin this week and we heard sounds other than car engines, honking horns, construction equipment, and the constant sound of technology dinging, beeping, and ringing! It was quite delightful! We heard birds and animals, water, wind, and rain. Lots of rain! The sounds of creation. And imagine Adam and Eve in the Garden hearing for the first time the sounds of creation around them - the singing of birds, the flowing of water - the joy they must have gotten from that!

But even before that creation had a sound: the sound of the voice of God. Before there was anything else, there was God’s speaking let there be . . . and that sound of the Father, through the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, brought into being all of creation. And then, on the sixth day, no let there be, but instead the sound of God speaking, Let us make man in our image. And when God carefully crafted the crown of His creation, His man and woman, then more sound! The voice of God speaking again - not just instructions, but gifts: Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over every living thing. And every plant you shall have for food. And this voice of God Himself I imagine was more beautiful to the ears of Adam and Eve than anything else they ever heard.

But soon that beautiful voice wasn’t so beautiful anymore . . . when sin distorted the hearing of God’s man and woman. When they heard a satanic mockingbird, imitating the sound of God’s voice, speaking as God did, but not to create - to destroy. To corrupt and ruin all that God created good. You see, sin has a sound, too. It is the sound of doubt, uncertainty, questioning, deception, contradiction. Satan was the first scammer. Like when you get that text, that email, and just for a moment wonder if it’s real, if it’s true . . . Well, Eve clicked. She fell for it. And they got nothing promised in that scam - only pain and grief. And then a sound not heard before: accusing and blaming voices.

But then another sound . . . the sound of the Rescuer. God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day. Sound that before would have brought Adam and Eve joy, now bringing dread and fear. But God didn’t just make the sound of walking in the Garden - God again spoke. This time, a promise. To fix what they had broken. To scam the scammer. To restore the life and innocence he had taken. To make them whole again. And with the sound of that promise, God created again. He created faith in His children. To give them hope.

The sound of that hope and promise was then repeated through the years and centuries, until the sound of God’s very voice sounded forth from a most unusual place: a manger. The Rescuer had come. The Father had sent His Son into our flesh. And once grown, with the sound of His voice He created, He healed, He restored. To many, it was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. But others heard His voice not with joy, but with anger and spite. And they silenced that beautiful voice of God . . . on the cross.

That’s what we heard Peter talk about in the reading from Acts today. His preaching on the Day of Pentecost. Of the Son of God, the Word of God made flesh, silenced in death by men of distorted hearing, which caused them to live twisted and distorted lives. But this Peter also said: that this happened according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Which is to say, according to the promise the sounded forth from God in the Garden. This was the sound of hope from the mouth of Peter. The sound that rescued Adam and Eve, to rescue their descendants as well. The promise of God fulfilled, the rescue of God accomplished, when the one whose voice was silenced on the cross sounded forth again in His resurrection.

And remember what we heard last week: those who heard the sound of Peter and the others preach this were people from all over the world. And they were hearing the sound of this beautiful good news in their own language. Now to appreciate how beautiful that must have sounded to them, realize that up to now, they would bring their offerings to the Temple and present them to the Lord with Hebrew words the priests said and they repeated but didn’t understand! But now they could! Hear and understand.

Because just as creation has a sound and sin has a sound, so too does re-creation have a sound. The sound of the voice of God spoken by His apostles, speaking of His promises and gifts. Of what once was and now is again in Jesus. But not just that. The sound, too, of the splashing of water that gives new life, and the biting and chewing and swallowing of bread and wine that is far more than just bread and wine - but the Body and Blood of God Himself. The one who in the beginning gave every green plant for food, now giving His Body and Blood for food! And with that, the beautiful sound, the good news that the tree of the cross is now the tree of life giving its fruit again.

And with those sounds, Jesus told His disciples, go once again, fill the earth and subdue it! With children born of God, born again, born from above. Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them with the sound of the splashing water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them with the sound of the beautiful good news of a Saviour, a Rescuer. Of a promise made and a promise fulfilled. Of life and new life. Of creation and re-creation. Of hope and a future. The same voice of the Father, through the Son, and in the power of the Holy Spirit sounding forth again through His Church.

And now it is our turn. The sound of the Gospel goes forth from this place. It is proclaimed, it is sung, it is splashed, it is eaten, it is confessed. The sounds of men and women, young and old, gathered together by God and joined together by God into this one holy communion here, this Church. To proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). And the power of the Holy Spirit continues to work through this Word, re-creating, restoring, and renewing by the gifts of forgiveness and faith.

And when other sounds come forth from us . . . other than helpful words, loving words, faithful words . . . sounds that should not be, but are . . . sounds of anger, hate, deception, shame, lies . . . then more sound: the sound of repentance. I am a poor, miserable sinner . . . in thought, word, and deed . . . I deserve present and eternal punishment. But the One who spoke in the beginning and it was so, the One who promised to make things right, the One who came and fulfilled that promise, then speaks again: I forgive you. I am the sinner. I took your sin, I took your punishment - all of it. You are free.

Because the promise, I am with you always . . . it’s really always been so. You may not always realize it, you may listen to voices other than mine, Jesus says, but from the beginning I have been caring for my creation and caring for you. I am with you always, so that you will be with me always - in a new Paradise. That as it was in the beginning, it will be forever. All that you need, I provide. All that you need, I have done. I created you and redeemed you. I died for you and rose from the dead for you. I baptized you and feed you. And I will until the end of the age. And then I will continue in the life of the age to come.

Hear this sound of the voice of your Good Shepherd, all His words and promises, and follow where He leads. For He is leading you to life. The life of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That life that has no end. And what sound then? Well, just as creation has a sound, and sin has a sound, and re-creation has a sound, so too does glory have a sound! And that sound will be unlike anything you’ve ever heard before! Of angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. One great voice of praise to our triune God, more beautiful than anything you’ve ever heard before.

We’ll confess that now, as we sound forth together the words of the Athanasian Creed, the catholic, that is, universal faith that has been confessed for centuries, from places all around the world, and in languages of every kind. That this is who God is. That this is what God has done. That this is what we believe, teach, and confess. That by grace through faith our sins are forgiven and our good works are remembered. That without this faith, we still bear our sins and have nothing good in us. But that our triune God has spoken life into us. That by His wounds - and then His words - we are healed, forgiven. So that when He comes again in glory, we will go with Him to glory.

Until that Day, hear the sound of His blessing, and know that it is true. That even better than the hymn we just sang, Saint Patrick’s hymn of the Trinity (LSB #604), that Saint Patrick bound unto to himself the strong name of the trinity - even better than that, this truth: that the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - has bound Himself to us.

To bless you and keep you.

To make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

To look upon you with favor, and give you peace.

Beautiful words, to give you life. His life. Perfect life. As it was in the beginning.

In His Name, the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.