Dec. 14, 2025 - Psalm 71:14-18 - Advent 3

Back at the beginning of President Trump’s current term in office, he tasked Elon Musk with working to eliminate government waste. One of the tactics Musk implemented was to have a number of government departments and agencies direct their employees to justify their continued employment. They had to write up a report of the various things they did and how they contributed to the overall mission of the agency. It’s a pretty hefty tactic to use, but it isn’t the first time someone has come up with that sort of thing. Whenever you have a major change in a company or organization, whether new leadership, new mission parameters, or simply a need for an overhaul, you’re probably going to take stock of what’s already going on there and what will still be a benefit.

It isn’t always the case that this sort of project is directed at waste or fraud or something like that. Sometimes it’s just a way to take a deep look at what every employee does and getting a better sense of how to make those employees more effective. In Musk’s case, the belief was that many government agencies were bloated by waste in various ways and that many employees contributed nothing of substance to their employers.

I’m not going debate here whether he was justified in his belief or not, that’s something you can decide for yourselves. Instead, I want you to think about being on the receiving end of this directive. You’re sitting there at your desk doing, whatever it is that you do, and you get a note from your boss that says you have to write up a report on all of the things you do in the day. If the higher ups aren’t satisfied, it’s very likely you’ll be tossed out.

It would be one thing to be planning and actively looking for a new job. You’d have some time to look for a good fit out there in the world. This is very different. If you don’t make the cut, you’re out and there’s no leeway in the process. You’ll have to work fast to find another source of income and that assumes there are places suitable for you. If you have a specialized job or the company fills a narrow market, you may have an especially difficult time.

The psalm selected for this Sunday in Advent is all about salvation, praise, and work. Verse 9 says, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.” “I can still work, Lord! Don’t just throw me away now!” Verse 6 says, “Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.“ “I’ve been working for you for so long, even from before I was born. I talk about how great an employer you are all the time. I’ve been a dedicated employee ever since.”

God wants workers, not slackers and layabouts. If you’re old and not able to contribute very much anymore, then he may toss you out in favor of those who are more active, more capable, more connected on social media, better able to help out around the church or be involved in evangelism or community outreach or any of the other things God might want someone to do. As in the past, if people are unwilling to do the job given to them, God finds others who will.

Except that this isn’t a simple matter of getting fired, which would be bad already. If God casts you out, that’s a much bigger problem. It means be separated from God entirely. It means being cast out, only able to look in as the rest of God’s people continue working like they’re supposed to while enjoying all of the benefits of being with God, benefits now denied to you. That means you have a pretty good reason to stay on God’s good side, to make sure he knows you’re worth keeping around. If you don’t measure up, you won’t be any better off than pagans who reject God outright.

One of the attitudes that these kinds of directives are trying to combat is complacency. Sure, back when you first applied, you got the job. Great! Your enthusiasm when you accepted the job may have been completely genuine. You may have been the perfect fit for what was required. Maybe you still are. But, once you get the job, you start to get pretty comfortable there. You start to think that your employer won’t want to fire you because going through the hiring process and training a replacement will be more work than he’ll want to go through. You worked hard to get the job, but maybe you don’t have to work so hard now. Don’t stress so much. If they didn’t like you, you wouldn’t have gotten the job in the first place.

As any employer would argue, hiring new people is meant to make productivity go up, not down. If the boss can afford to be picky, then you’re in real trouble. It’s a problem for anyone in the business world. If there’s someone more qualified out there, then your position isn’t as secure as you might like it to be. But, we aren’t talking about the business world here. This is about you and your place in God’s kingdom. This is about you and your qualification to be numbered among the saints. This is about your life in eternity.

You can argue that you’re a good worker. You can point to all of the great things you do. You’re generous with what you have. You take time to help out your friends and family. You have compassion on those around you who are having a tough time. You try not to be greedy. You don’t get mad all that often. You try and keep coarse language, well, at least to a minimum. You don’t let yourself lounge around all day except every once in a while.

That all may be fine. It certainly could be worse, but if you have to justify your position as one of the saints, things start getting a little gloomier. You can say you’re generous, but there are assuredly people out there who are more generous, more giving, some of them are even unbelievers. You can point to all of the times you were compassionate, but so can others and there are probably many with a much longer list of compassionate works. Others are more industrious, less greedy, less angry, less prone to bad language, less prone to jealousy, more willing to make peace and heal divisions. The list goes on. And all of that just says there are people out there who are better at it than you are. It doesn’t even account for the fact that the goal is not better, but perfect. When your job performance is seen in that light, things look pretty grim indeed. It doesn’t look like God may need you here after all. Surely there have to be more qualified individuals out there, people who will be more willing and able to do the jobs given to them by the Almighty. It’s just a matter of time before you’re out.

There are those in the world who don’t think God is serious about condemning sin. Maybe he deals with the really bad people, but most folks will do ok. God wouldn’t demand perfection. That’s completely unrealistic. If that was really the requirement, none of us would be here in the first place. God’s Laws apply whether you believe them or not, whether you think they’re realistic or not. Sometimes people who think this way realize their mistakes in time to do something about it. Sometimes not. Plenty of people go through life thinking everything is just fine, only to find out too late that it isn’t.

Here we’re also talking about people who realize what a precarious position they’re in. It may be that the only reason you’re still allowed in here is because God hasn’t gotten around to dealing with you yet. It’s just a matter of time though. You can work your fingers to the bone, but it probably won’t make a difference. You’re just not cut out for this. You aren’t up to God’s exacting standards. You gave it your best shot and he’s sorry to have to let you go, but there’s work to be done here and he’s going to make room for more qualified individuals. What are you supposed to do not? Well, whatever you want, I guess. The fact that the church and God’s presence here is the only way to eternal life is more of a “you” problem.

The request, the petition in v. 18, “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come,” sounds a bit like wishful thinking. “God, just give me another chance, give me a little more time. Let me show you how useful I can be.” It’s a wish that comes with no guarantee, but the Psalm continues, “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.” Not a wish, but a certainty, the sure knowledge of someone who understands how God works.

My efforts are feeble. My work is meager, and that’s when it isn’t outright destructive. If I had to work to be part of God’s people, I wouldn’t even bother sending in my resume. I already know I’m not getting in the door.

Advent looks forward to the coming of Jesus. Here as we consider the Psalm, as we consider Jesus’ words in the Gospel reading, we get a sense of what his arrival means. Does Jesus come to earth to help people? Yes, he does a lot of that. Does Jesus come to deal with sin? Yes, that’s central to what he does here. But, from the beginning of his ministry to the end, and beyond, Jesus is working. He’s working constantly. He’s teaching. He’s caring for people. He’s proclaiming forgiveness. He’s healing people. He’s working, working, working. He’s not working for himself, though. He’s not working to earn a paycheck or to earn anyone’s favor. He’s working on behalf of the people he helps and he’s working for you. He’s working for you not because you’re the boss, but because, without him, you would have nothing at all to show for all of your time here.

There’s a lot packed into this Psalm. Assurance and hope, assurance built upon God’s promise that we are his. Hope for the future, because we follow him to it. Christ comes into the world to do the work of salvation, to live, die, and rise again. The Advent season that reflects on sin gives way to the Christmas season of joy at the birth of the savior. Sin gives way to righteousness. We see that especially this morning as we see the work of Christ before us in baptism. The righteous acts and deeds of salvation of Christ are brought before us. Where before was sin and death, now, through Christ, there is only righteousness and life. It is his righteousness, but he gives it to us. His work, credited to us. His life, given for us.

The end of this passage today sounds like wishful thinking, a plea to God. “Do not forsake me until I do the work of proclaiming your righteousness!” Seen through Christ, we know this is not wishful thinking at all. It is a call to God that stands upon his on Word of promise. Advent is a preparation for Christ’s coming, but it is also the transition time. The church continues to look forward, whether it be to Christ’s first coming or his second. We cry to God, “Do not forsake me!” and Jesus replies to his disciples, “and behold I am with you always, to the end of the age.” As baptized disciples, God’s unbreakable promise continues. Do not worry about doing the work of salvation. It has been done for you. Do not worry about earning God’s favor. You already have it. Do not worry about living forever. You already will. You’ve been baptized. You are his disciples and you will follow him as we do every year, through his birth, his death, his glorious resurrection, and his even more glorious return.