“The Samaritan Woman: A Well-Known Story” (John 4:5-26, 27-30, 39-42) Does God really accept me? I mean, I’m able to hide my faults and shortcomings from people–well, most of my faults from most people, at least. And I’m able to … Continue reading
“The Catechism in Six Parts: The Creed” The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, in a big national survey a few years ago–the Pew Survey found that 92% of Americans say they “believe in God or a universal spirit.” … Continue reading
“When the Tempter Comes Calling” (Matthew 4:1-11) What are you going to do when the tempter comes calling? Oh, be assured, he will come. The tempter came for Adam and Eve. The tempter came for ancient Israel. He even came … Continue reading
“The Catechism in Six Parts: The Ten Commandments” Tonight we start a Lenten series on “The Catechism in Six Parts.” We’ll be following the six chief parts as Luther lays them out in the Small Catechism: The Ten Commandments, the … Continue reading
“Not One of His Bones Will Be Broken” (John 19:31-37) It’s Friday, and darkness falls over the land. On a cross, a man who has been nailed there is dying a shameful and agonizing death. Yet this is no criminal. … Continue reading
March 25 Luke 1:26-38 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of … Continue reading
“Love One Another, as I Have Loved You” (John 13:1-17, 31b-35) “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” So said Jesus to … Continue reading
The following is the third sermon in a Lenten series on the hymn, “I Walk in Danger All the Way” (LSB 716): And death pursues me all the way, nowhere I rest securely. Death turns us into beggars by giving … Continue reading
“He Humbled Himself” (Philippians 2:5-11) Have you ever been humbled? Yes, humbled, brought low. Maybe you were humbled when you got beat really badly in a game of Scrabble. Maybe you won that game of Scrabble, and you got the … Continue reading
“Love God, Love Your Neighbor” (The Ten Commandments) “Love God, Love Your Neighbor”: Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? And it is. It is simple. And it is good and right and holy. This is how life is meant to work. … Continue reading
“The Prodigal Celebration” (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) Our text today is the Holy Gospel from Luke 15. It is the famous and well-loved Parable of the Prodigal Son. But today I want to suggest to you that we might also call … Continue reading
“Loving God with Our Mouth and Ears” (The Ten Commandments) We started off this series on the Ten Commandments with, obviously, the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods.” There is but one God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, … Continue reading
“Examples from the Exodus” (1 Corinthians 10:1-13) Some good examples can be instructive for us on what to do. We learn from watching others. Children learn from their parents, about how to speak, how to tie their shoelaces, about how … Continue reading
On one occasion after Jesus finished teaching in the synagogue, a number of his disciples were offended at His teaching and said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” and many of His disciples turned back and … Continue reading
A good devotion for Lent, and really any time of the Church year, is to review the Introit for each upcoming Sunday. At Trinity and St. Paul we use the Historic Lectionary, and the following is a poem I have … Continue reading
“Our Citizenship Is in Heaven” (Philippians 3:17 – 4:1) Citizenship is a big deal in our country right now, especially since this is an election year. There is talk about how to keep non-citizens out, how to keep them from … Continue reading
“The First Commandment: Have No Other Gods” (The Ten Commandments) “You shall have no other gods.” OK, that sounds pretty simple. “Have No Other Gods”? Yeah, I can do that. After all, I don’t bow down to any idols of … Continue reading
Ash Wednesday February 10, 2016 “Father, Forgive Them” Luke 23:32-34 “There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the … Continue reading
Adam did battle with Satan in the Garden Paradise and lost. It was a no-contest, really. By the time round two came around, Eden had been a distant memory and Satan had home-field advantage. The desert wilderness couldn’t have been … Continue reading
“What Great Love!” John 18-19 When we began the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, we prayed: “Almighty and everlasting God, You hate nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new … Continue reading
“Eloi, Eloi, Lema Sabachthani?” (Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Psalm 22; Mark 15:1-47) “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” This is one of the seven words from the cross, that is, one of the seven times Jesus spoke during his crucifixion. “Eloi, Eloi, … Continue reading
“Washed and Fed to Love” John 13:1-15, 34-35 A new commandment I give to you, Jesus said, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (Jn. 13:34). That’s were we … Continue reading
“Blood of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:3-11; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Mark 14:12-26) “Blood” and “covenant” go together in the Bible pretty much all the time. Whenever God establishes a covenant with people, generally it is sealed with blood. And tonight is … Continue reading
“Ride On…to Die!” Philippians 2:5-11 & Matthew 27:11-54 St. Paul sums it up well. Jesus “made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7). You see, the “likeness of men” comes … Continue reading
“Your Committed and Determined King” (Mark 11:1-10; 14:12-26) Today is a Sunday that goes by two names, “Palm Sunday” and the “Sunday of the Passion.” As such, we get readings for both of these emphases. There is the Palm Sunday … Continue reading