Posts

Sermon - Trinity VII, 2026 - Mark 8:1-9

-
Image
The Multiplication of Loaves, Daniel Halle, 1664 Those who abide with Jesus will be satisfied by Jesus Jesus has compassion on those who abide in Him Jesus provides for us by means of others Those who sacrifice for Christ shall receive far more later Jesus satisfies our hungry hearts so that we do not faint on the way but have strength to reach our heavenly home St. Paul explains: “ I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. ” We’re simple people, or at least I am, and the way in which the Lord reveals Himself to us is through natural, human things. As such, the miracles of Jesus are always more than meets the eye. Of course the feeding of the four thousand reveals God’s providence for us. Of course each miracle reveals the divinity of Christ. However, the miracles are more than the miracles themselves, and they do more than reveal the divinity of Christ. Each miracle Jesus performs is meant to teach us and reveal to us God’s greater work of redemption for all o...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sermon - Trinity VI, 2026 - Matthew 5:17-26

-
Image
Moses Descends from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, Ferdinand Bol, 1622 The Law of God is His Eternal Will God’s Law is: His good and gracious will for human flourishing Broadly all that He speaks Narrowly ceremonial, civic, and moral The ceremonial was fulfilled in Jesus The civic partially fell away with the exile/captivity/destruction of Jerusalem The moral law continues for eternity God’s Law does: Curb: Dissuade us from evil Mirror: Reveal our sins Guide: Direct our path forward God’s law is wholly fulfilled in Jesus’ active obedience to the Law “ Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ” Sometimes it’s tempting for us to think about the law negatively, to think of God’s Law as a bunch of stodgy rules, and we don’t like stodgy rules, and therefore we like to think ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sermon - Trinity III, 2026 - Luke 15

-
Image
The Return of the Prodigal Son , Pompeo Batoni, 1773 The Joy of God to Save the Sinner In compassion God atones for sinful man Yet God desires children who love Him, not servants, so He gives us freedom to get lost God’s compassion brings back the sinner crushed by sin God, the angels, and the church rejoices over every sinner saved We have no need of jealousy, for the sinner saved only receives what we have already also received by grace When the father saw his prodigal son returning, seeing his pitiable state, he had compassion for his child. Such is the compassion of God to seek and save sinful mankind. “ As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. ” St. Paul writes: “ God our Savior, desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all. ” Indeed, Jesus...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sermon - Proper 6, Series A, Pentecost 3, 2026 - Matthew 9:35–10:20

-
Image
The Wolf and the Lamb , Jean-Baptiste Oudry, 18th century Being Faithful in the Midst of Wolves The harvest is plentiful; there are many unbelievers who need to hear Yet there are also those who hate the Lord, and will persecute us Therefore, we must faithfully bear witness to Christ As secularism increases in our nation and church attendance declines, we faithful Christians can be prone to despair and despondency about the future of the church and our nation. I understand, especially if you’re older than me, because if you’re older than me you remember a time when the church was growing and very different than it is today. So it can be disheartening to see the church across America in decline for the past 40 years.  But there’s another way to look at our current situation. Jesus says: “ The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ” The harvest is plentiful! We are surrounded by many ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sermon - Trinity I, 2026 - Luke 16:19-31

-
Image
Parable of Lazarus and the Story of Job , Erhard Altdorfer, circa 1520 Two Rich Men and Lazarus The rich men of this age who are lovers of money justify themselves by their earthly riches Jesus is the Rich Man who loves mankind, and justifies others by means His heavenly riches, namely His precious blood Lazarus, the poor sick beggar, is all who desire to be fed with the crumbs that fall from Jesus’ table. Earlier in Luke 16 Jesus famously says: “ You cannot serve God and mammon.” Then shortly before telling today’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus, He explains: “ The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. ” Thus, the issue of money and earthly wealth, and how we Christians are meant to treat our earthly riches, is most certainly at the forefront of today’s text. But today...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sermon - Exaudi 2026 - 1 Peter 4:7-14

-
Image
Gossip , Eugene de Blaas, 1903 Covering One-Anothers’ Faults Jesus not only overlooks our sins, but forgives them and covers us up We glorify Christ by forgiving one another, and covering up their shame Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! “ Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. ” Strife is all too common among us and it’s hard to get along with others. Some people are really mean, some are really annoying, and some people are both. Sometimes this comes out after just brief interactions, other times it’s with people you are around all the time. Perhaps this happens most often with those whom we love a lot. So today St. Peter instructs us: “ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ” When considering our sins and the sins of one another, it’s important for us to establish our love for one another in Christ. Jesus teaches us: “ Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ” St. Paul says: “ Wal...
Post a Comment
Read more