A child’s first word is usually “mama” or “dada.”  For my son, his first word was “Thank you.”  While he pronounced it “Tay-due,” we knew what he meant.  We started calling him “Tay-due” for his nickname.  What a polite and thankful child! But this is the exception.  Thankfulness is something that needs to be taught.  It’s not something that comes naturally to children.  Self-centeredness is one trait that children have in common. They need to be taught to share or to care for others first. A two year old’s favorite word is “mine.”  Our natural inclination is that of self-entitlement.    More…

“Rooted and Grounded in Love” (Ephesians 3:14-21) On this day when we have the confirmation of our two adult catechumens, I want to take this opportunity to remind all of us of how we have been “Rooted and Grounded in Love.” “Rooted and grounded in love.” This phrase comes to us from our Epistle lesson for today, from Ephesians chapter 3. It describes what it true for all of us who have been baptized into Christ and instructed in the Christian faith. We are rooted and grounded in love, God’s great love for us in Christ, that “love divine, all   More…

This is the fifth in a five-part catechetical sermon series on the Sacrament of the Altar. One of the purposes of the Brothers of John the Steadfast is to promote the faith as it is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Catechism. “Twenty Questions, One Answer: Go to the Sacrament Frequently” Tonight we conclude our five-part series on the Sacrament of the Altar. So far we have followed the outline Luther uses for the Sacrament of the Altar in the Small Catechism: the Nature of the Sacrament, what it is; the Benefit of the Sacrament, what it gives; the   More…

This is the fourth in a five-part catechetical sermon series on the Sacrament of the Altar. One of the purposes of the Brothers of John the Steadfast is to promote the faith as it is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Catechism. “How Do We Receive It Worthily? The Reception of the Sacrament of the Altar” During this series on the Sacrament of the Altar, we’ve been following the outline Luther uses in his treatment of this part of the Small Catechism. And so we began by asking, “What is the Sacrament of the Altar?” And we said that   More…

This is the third in a five-part catechetical sermon series on the Sacrament of the Altar. One of the purposes of the Brothers of John the Steadfast is to promote the faith as it is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Catechism. “How Can It Do Such Great Things? The Power of the Sacrament of the Altar” Two weeks ago we began this series by establishing “The Nature of the Sacrament of the Altar,” asking the question “What Is It?” and hearing Christ’s answer, “This is my body, this is my blood.” Last week we followed that up by   More…

This is the second in a five-part catechetical sermon series on the Sacrament of the Altar. One of the purposes of the Brothers of John the Steadfast is to promote the faith as it is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Catechism. “What Does It Give? The Benefit of the Sacrament of the Altar” In this midweek Lenten series, we’re looking at the Sacrament of the Altar–Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, are other names by which we know this sacrament instituted by Christ. Last week we began by focusing on “The Nature of the Sacrament.” We asked the foundational   More…

This is the first in a five-part catechetical sermon series on the Sacrament of the Altar. One of the purposes of the Brothers of John the Steadfast is to promote the faith as it is taught in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Catechism. “What Is It? The Nature of the Sacrament of the Altar” When the Lord God brought the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and led them up to the Promised Land, he provided for them along the way. He gave them food and drink for their journey, to sustain them as they traveled. He gave   More…

(I’ve been doing this series on the Catechism, especially because we have a Book of Concord Reading Group that has just finished reading the Small and Large Catechisms. This coming Monday, March 30, we start the Augsburg Confession. Anyone in the St. Louis area who wants to join us, our class meets on Mondays, 9:30-11:00 a.m., at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bonne Terre, Missouri.) “The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis” The Ten Commandments The Creed The Lord’s Prayer The Sacrament of Holy Baptism Confession The Sacrament of the Altar “Frequently Asked Questions about an Infrequently Used Practice” (Confession)   More…

“The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis” The Ten Commandments The Creed The Lord’s Prayer The Sacrament of Holy Baptism Confession The Sacrament of the Altar “It Works” (The Sacrament of Holy Baptism) The Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer. Tonight, in our series on the Catechism, the basics of the Christian faith, we come to the sacraments. We begin, fittingly enough, with the sacrament with which we begin the Christian life, namely, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. I think all that I want to say about Holy Baptism tonight I can include under a heading of just two   More…

“The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis” The Ten Commandments The Creed The Lord’s Prayer The Sacrament of Holy Baptism Confession The Sacrament of the Altar “A Prayer That Sums It All Up” (The Lord’s Prayer) Suppose you were commanded by God and invited by God to pray for all the needs you have and all the gifts he has to give you. Think of that! All of your needs, all of his gifts. And you have to put it all into a prayer. How long would it take you to pray for all those things? How many hours, how   More…

“The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis” The Ten Commandments The Creed The Lord’s Prayer The Sacrament of Holy Baptism Confession The Sacrament of the Altar “To Know and Believe in God” (The Creed) The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, in a big national survey last year–the Pew Survey found that 92% of Americans say they “believe in God or a universal spirit.” 92%! Well, whoop-te-do. Big deal. That doesn’t really say much. Who is this God you believe in? Allah, the false god of the Muslims? Sorry, I bear witness that there is no god called Allah,   More…

Getting people to read through the Book of Concord–this is one of the laudable goals of BJS. And so, for example, we have a Book of Concord Reading Group this year at our congregation (St. Matthew-Bonne Terre, MO), meeting weekly (Mondays, 9:30-11:00). Right now we are in the midst of the Large Catechism. In connection with this, for our Midweek Lenten Services this year, we are doing a series, “The Six Chief Parts of Lenten Catechesis.” Last week, on Ash Wednesday, we began with the Ten Commandments, and that sermon is posted below. Last night, we did the Creed, and   More…