A Blessed New Year in the "Abundant riches of His goods"

AELW 52:157-158

God be praised, what an abundant, rich, and mighty thing is faith! It makes of man in every respect a god to whom nothing is impossible, as Christ says in Mark 9[:23]: “Can you have faith? All things are possible to him who has faith.” And so also Psalm 82 [:6] says: “You are gods and all of your children of the most High.” Fittingly his name this day is called Jesus, that is, Savior; we call a savior someone who helps, redeems, saves, and who is wholly salutary for everybody; such a one the Hebrew language calls Jesus. Thus spoke the angel Gabriel to Joseph in his sleep, Matthew 1[:21]: “She will bear a son, and you shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people, freeing them from their sins.” Here the angel himself explains why his name should be Savior, Jesus, namely, he is salvation and redemption for his people. We have heard how this comes to pass through faith, to which he conveys all his rights and goods which he has over sin, death, and the law. He makes the believer justified, free, and blessed. Now just as circumcision signifies our faith, as we have heard, so the naming of the children signifies that we, through faith, become known before God through our distinctive names. For all those who do not believe, God does not know, as Psalm 1[:6] says: “God knows the ways of the just, but the way of the unjust will vanish,” and Matthew 25[:12]: “Truly, I say to you, I know you not.” What then is our name? Without a doubt, as Christ bestows upon us all that is his, so he also bestows upon us his name. We all are called Christians after him, children of God after him, Jesus after him, Savior after him; as he is called, so we are called, too, as St. Paul writes in Romans 8[:24]: “You have been saved in hope”; for you are like Jesus or a savior. There is therefore no limit to the status and honor of the Christian estate. These are the abundant riches of his goods which he pours out over us, in order that our hearts become free, cheerful, peaceful, and undaunted, and so willingly and joyously keep the law. Amen."