Whatsoever Is Hindered by Our Sins

A sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, by Fr. Josh Leigeber.

On the Fourth Sunday in Advent—anciently known as the Preparation—the Church prays a striking petition: that the Lord would come with power so that “whatsoever is hindered by our sins may be speedily accomplished through the mercy of Thy satisfaction.” This sermon reflects on the breadth of that prayer and the deep comfort it offers.

Sin has hindered every aspect of life—our joy and peace, our bodily life, our life together as neighbors, and ultimately our life with God. We contribute nothing to the restoration of these things but more sin and resistance. Yet Christ, by His satisfaction on the cross, has fully paid for sin and continues to apply the fruits of His work to us by grace until the final defeat of death itself.

Against a merely sentimental celebration of Christmas—one that offers fleeting emotional comfort—the true and lasting significance of the Nativity resounds in our ears: God the Son has come to dwell among us. Christmas is not a temporary feeling but a reality-changing event with ongoing consequences. In Christ’s real, gracious presence—especially as He comes to us now in His Word and Sacraments—what sin has hindered is truly being restored.

Echoing John the Baptist’s witness to “the One who stands among you,” the sermon calls hearers to recognize Christ present in the midst of His Church: restoring joy and peace, renewing bodily life with the promise of resurrection, uniting us as one Body, and reconciling us to God through forgiveness and the gift of faith.

Because of this, Christmas changes everything. The faithful prepare not for a fleeting holiday, but for the enduring mercy of God made flesh—who continues, throughout the year, to grant forgiveness, life, and salvation to His people. Listen to the full sermon below.