The uncompromising point I wanted to make was that our salvation depends on Jesus coming; an apt point for advent and every other season and celebration in the church.

This sermon was meant to be uncompromising with the joy of and based upon Jesus' coming; I wanted us to consider and think about Lutherans' focus on our salvation always being only Jesus' work, the choice of God and the perogative of the Holy Spirit.  We stress that salvation is always a one way street from God to us, and then when someone dies we say something that at least sounds different.  No longer is God coming to us, but now "I am going to heaven/be with Jesus..."  What do we mean when we say this?  Is it short hand for something else?  Do we mean something else but say this because of convention?

Two sentences that I enjoyed in the sermon were "...death delivers us from this body and allows us to go up."  Death delivers us?-- surely this is only the world of Jesus who comes and we should be wary of speaking of death as that which delivers. 

The other sentece was "Jesus comes to save when he comes."  As he comes currently through his word and sacraments and the consolation of Christians and when he is yet to come in glory.  The sentece allows an understanding for both.

Jesus comes to save and so we live and wait.