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Sermon text: Mark 11:1-10 Advent 1 B 2023

Blessed is the Coming Kingdom!
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Mark records, those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” Let us pray. Help us Lord, as Your Chosen people by grace to welcome the Chosen One not only in the celebration of His birth, not only in His Return to judge the world, but in our every day lives according to what He needs in Jesus' name. Amen.
     Every Sunday we confess in the Apostles creed, “He shall come to judge the quick and the dead” and in the Nicene Creed, “He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead.” St. Paul writes nearly 2000 years ago, (1C7:29) the appointed time has grown very short and (R13:11) salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. Peter says, (1P4:7) The end of all things is at hand and John closes scripture with Jesus saying, Truly, I am coming soon (Rv22:20). So, when did we become so afraid to talk about or even think about Jesus' return? In the early church, this kind of talk wasn't just an occasional discussion in bible study, or a focus for just a portion of the church year. It was a daily truth giving strength and hope. So what has happened?
     Well, the obvious thing is 2000 years have passed which challenges the thought that Jesus could come any moment. Worse, we are surrounded by earthly pleasures even though Jesus said to His disciples, For the Gentiles seek after all these things. And, not only have these material things clouded our thoughts of Jesus' return, they have caused us to live unchristian lives doing unchristian things. So, what are we to do?
     First, know that these challenges are not new. Peter warned his fellow Christians, (2P3:8ff) beloved, ..with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise....but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Jesus is delaying His return so that you and more, others would repent. Also, the way to combat the temptation of material things is to look forward to Jesus' return, but to do this you must allow scripture to remind you WHO Jesus is. This is why Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and its context is so important.
     These people did not come to Jerusalem to welcome Jesus. They came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They were simply doing what faith does, that is worshiping, praying and meditating on the word. Because they saw their faith as a daily even moment by moment part of their lives they had no problem with all of a sudden welcoming Jesus the Chosen One. In fact it was something they had been hoping for! This not only gave them hope, it changed the way they lived and how they viewed their material things. For example as our text tells us, “what are you 2 doing untying that colt?” What were they to tell the owner? The Lord has need of it, and the owner let them have it! The point is the expectation of the Messiah's coming in every day life changed the way they lived and how they viewed their possessions.
     What does this mean for us? When we live in the daily expectation of Christ's return, it changes our lives. Advent isn't just about looking forward to Christmas which is wonderful in itself, it is also about looking forward to Jesus' return. If you are struggling with materialism, maybe you need to spend more time thinking about Jesus' return. He is both our Judge and our Savior. For me, remembering Jesus' return immediately takes away ALL my worries. I realize how much my worry is just another form of self worship, thinking “it's all about me.” Jesus, sets us free from such trivial things and sets us on a course to love one another as we together look toward the much more important thing. And, there is not a more joyous and carefree way to live and celebrate Jesus return and His birth.
     Therefore, let us so order our lives knowing that this Jesus who returns is the Jesus who has paid for our sins in full. To fear His return is to deny who He is. He wants you to live everyday in the joy of salvation so that your material things would not own you but rather be used in His service in Jesus' name unto life everlasting. Amen.




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Sermon text: Matthew 25:31-46 Last Sunday A Proper 29 2023


The Kingdom Prepared
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Let us pray. Through that which is reserved for us by grace through faith in your Son increase our desire to help those in need. In Jesus' name. Amen.
      In Jesus' day it wasn't hard to convince someone to look forward to everlasting life. Death, sickness, oppression, the threat of slavery and war was all around them. You worked for everything you had unless you could afford servants, but even with servants there was still no guarantees. No matter how rich you were you could die from a simple fever (think of Lazarus). So when Jesus says, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, it meant something. Today, Satan The Liar is continually trying to convince us that there is nothing better than this world. He twists God's blessings and turns them into idols causing us to forget about life everlasting AND resist sharing God's blessings with those in need.
     So, it is really important that Jesus invites us saying inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. With this invitation Jesus points us to something that is untarnished by the sin of this world. As I mentioned a couple Sunday's ago imagine a place where nothing goes wrong, a place where no one gets sick or dies, a place where every action, every conversation, every thought is only good. Imagine not only good but unending contentment with no fear of that every changing. A place there is no boredom, no fear, no misunderstandings, no hunger, nothing negative and only good for eternity. Not only is that place good but getting there is made possible by Jesus our eternal Savior. He has fulfilled all demands of the law, He has paid the price for all sin so that only by simply believing in Him we have eternal life. This is especially important to know so that not only do you look forward to eternal life, but through it because you know of the good that is yet to come, you are willing and able to be a sheep who helps those in need.
     Faith and the use of God's gifts are by God's design connected to the hope of eternal life. As Luther said, “the sons of the Kingdom are being prepared, not preparing the Kingdom; that is to say, the Kingdom merits the sons, not the sons the Kingdom.” Knowing that our true home is life everlasting and that this kingdom is ours by grace and that it and our faith are made possible, preserved and sustained in Christ, causes us to look at life and what we have differently. With every passing day, especially as we age, we grow in the hope of eternal life. So it is also common that the older we get, the more we want to do for others especially those in need. This combined with our personal experiences softened with the continual repenting of our sin and receiving of forgiveness pushes us to help those in need and be wise as we do so. Helping people in need is not always easy, but it is fulfilling and teaches others about the love of God and the hope of eternal life.
     Let us pray. Lord, through your word and sacraments keep our faith alive and sustain us teaching us of the love found in Son Jesus Christ alone, so we may use what you knowingly give us according to our abilities. Point us to life everlasting so that the joy set before us would enable us to help those in need in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 




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Sermon text: Luke 12:13-21 Thanksgiving 2023


Rich Toward God
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Let us pray. Help us Lord to continue to see the riches found in Your Son Jesus Christ alone, and through Him help us to manage what you give. In Jesus name. Amen.
     While Jesus is teaching someone in the crowd asks Him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Sadly, this man in the crowd reveals how much his possessions or the desire for possessions control him. So much so he asks Jesus not to do a miracle, not to pray for him, not to answer a theological question, but to mediate a family dispute over money. It also shows how the love of money or possessions distorts the way we think. So Jesus warns him and everyone who can hear it, Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
     Notice Jesus doesn't say that possessions are bad, but rather the that abundance of or the want of any specific possession will not guarantee you happiness or satisfaction. It is not wrong to have possessions nor is it wrong to want something, its just wrong to think that those things will guarantee a better life. So lets look at this rich man and learn from his poor example.
     Jesus said, The land of a rich man produced plentifully. I like the way Jesus says this because it tells us that the land produced the abundance not the man. It wasn't due to his hard work or his skill, rather it was just a good year. We might say it this way, “there was a man who won the lottery.” The point being the crowd hearing this story would recognize that this was an “act of God” and therefore God should be thanked. But there is no hint of humility or thankfulness in this man, rather just the opposite, greed and boastful self confidence. So, he comes to this conclusion, I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. Notice, no mention of giving to the poor, no mention of first fruits to God, no mention of even selling any of it, rather he wants to hold onto as much as he can. He even tells us why, And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.
     It isn't wrong to store up things for a “rainy day,” or for the future. It isn't wrong to set things aside which can be used to relax, eat, drink, be merry. However, it is a problem when you think that solely because of these stored riches you can finally do so. This is why Jesus says, one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. If you think “when I become a millionaire, THEN life will be good,” you are going to rob yourself of a satisfying life. You are going to work yourself to the bone and at the same time make everyone around you suffer with you because you are putting your trust and hope in the wrong thing. Just as Isaiah 55 warns, Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Jesus was warning this man and the crowd that getting what you want is not the same as getting what will satisfy. And oddly, getting what will satisfy, will make you happy even if you have nothing!
This is why Jesus warns the crowd, So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Jesus goes on to teach them not to seek after material things, clothing or even food, Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you....Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
     In the early church Christians indeed sold all they had and shared with those in need and the church did great things. But this isn't necessarily a guide to the way we should live, but rather evidence to show what God can do. We are to be rich toward God by receiving the most valuable thing known to both God and man, that is the redemption found in Jesus Christ alone. This gift of salvation is special because it not only gives forgiveness and eternal life, it continually feeds us with the hope found in Christ alone. It is this hope that makes us satisfied or as Paul writes in Philippians 4, I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him [Jesus] who strengthens me. He was talking about our being able to rely on Jesus for the comfort and strength needed to endure all things. Not only to endure all things but to have a stabilizing and moderating influence on our daily lives. Faith in Jesus Christ enables us to pray every day, give us this day our daily bread, trusting that God knows what we need not only today, but tomorrow and into the future. In this way God gives us true satisfaction and protects us from trusting too much in material things for our happiness.
     Also, in this way Jesus enables us to truly give thanks for what God has given us. Whether it be a bountiful harvest, enough to meet our daily needs, or even when we have very little. Jesus is the secret to our contentment giving us the ability to trust in God especially in times of struggle, and more looking forward to the abundance of all things in life everlasting. In this way we are rich toward God in and through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. 





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Sermon text: Matthew 25:14-30 Proper 28 A 2023

Good and Faithful
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The master said, Well done, good and faithful servant. Let us pray. Heavenly Father focus our attention on your Son Jesus Christ so that we may know of your constant love and that we may use what we have been given to bear fruit. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     Today's parable is just as much about what the servant thought of his master as it is about what he did or didn't do. Because he thinks his master to be a hard man, reaping where [he]..did not sow, and gathering where [he]...scattered no seed, ...[he] was afraid, and [he]...went and hid [the]... talent in the ground. But before you start feeling sorry for this servant, notice the story begins with a master who knows his “own” servants (“own” is untranslated by ESV) and more it says he gave them talents each (same word) according to his ability. So, the master knew his servants and knew what they could handle. This is proven by what the first two servants are able to do. Further, the master calls the servant, wicked and slothful, because he knows the servant is lying and was just too lazy. The point is, what this servant thinks of his master is shown by how he feels and what he didn't do.
     So what was wrong with what this wicked servant did? He was lazy for one. The master even says, you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. This would have taken no effort. He could have given his share to one of the other servants to invest. This is why he is wicked. But the greater problem was his claim to be afraid of his master. If he had cared to think about it, the talent which he received ($200,000 today) showed how the master felt about him. The master had confidence in him because the master knew his servant. Perhaps this servant saw what the other two had gotten and was jealous....... I can't tell you how many times I have had to fight jealousy. Why does “so and so's” life seem so care free in comparison to mine? Why does “so and so” have such nice things?...and so on. In this way Satan wants to get you to doubt that God knows you and in love gives to you according to your ability. Satan uses jealousy to stop you from bearing fruit and ultimately to destroy your love and trust in God.
     Here is where we see the importance of the gospel. Without this continual reminder that God knows you like no other, and gives you both blessings and hardships according your own abilities so that you would bear fruit, you would turn out like the wicked....slothful servant. Your sinful flesh battles with you everyday tempting you to be lazy or to have a poor attitude about how God has blessed you. But here is also where Jesus and His cross continually tells you otherwise. It is not just a mere talent or 2 or even 5 tsoundcloud.com/user-462937846/good-and-faithful-servant?si=5afaf89f08574893926bb11971bd18a0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingalents God gives you. God gives you a treasure that is incomprehensibly more valuable than anything on earth, and not only that He gives it to you freely, not by works, lest any man should boast (see Eph. 2:10ff). Why does He do this? So that you would know of His eternal all sufficient love found in Son Jesus Christ which saves you as Paul writes in Romans 4:5 to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. However, the joy of the gospel and the thankfulness that flows from it transforms us lazy slobs into those excited about bearing fruit and by faith in Jesus Christ we become good and faithful servants.
     This is just as Psalm 1 tells us. As we trust in in the Lord and meditate on His word (especially the gospel) YOU are transformed: like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers, or as Jesus says (Mt. 6:33) seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Even more this includes not only blessings, but also hardships and struggle. God is the ultimate economist. He uses ALL things to work for our good and the good of others which leads to eternal life. It is our task to see everything in life as something God uses to bear fruit. This transforms how we see life and how others see you. As you hold onto Jesus your Savior living in the joy of the gospel and the hope of eternal life, you bear fruit. This is just as Jesus said, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. (John 15:5) In Jesus' name. Amen. 



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Sermon text: Matthew 25:1-13 Last Sunday of the church year 2023


Watch
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Let us pray. Fill us heavenly Father with the hope that is found in your Son alone so that we can be protected from temptation and live in the anticipation of His Return. Amen.
     Jesus uses the wedding celebration over and over not only because it was a very important event in the lives of God's people, but also because it served as a wonderful illustration of what was yet to come. The wedding celebration is something people spend months even years to plan. The anticipation of it alone fills the heart with purpose. It centers around the blessed relationship of husband and wife which is designed by God to prepare us for our relationship into eternity with Him. Not only that, the hope of eternal life and the anticipation of that blessed celebration gives our lives purpose and fills us with hope. When thinking of heaven, nothing but good thoughts should come to mind. What I want to talk about today is how the gospel is essential for your “watching” for Jesus' return. It not only fills us with purpose, it has a quality that not only enables us to live differently but also continuously especially in times of trouble saves us.
     God has built into our Christian faith aspects which help us to “watch.” The communion of saints for example. The body of Christ is a fellowship that is based on forgiveness. We come together knowing and confessing that we are sinners in need of forgiveness. Built into this communion is the understanding that mistakes will be made, as Luther teaches concerning the actions of others, “put the best construction on everything.” We all together are preparing for the wedding celebration and we recognize that sometimes we “fall sleep.” Satan, the world and our sinful flesh get the best of us but through forgiveness relationships are not only mended, they are strengthened. I can tell you from personal experience that when I offended someone, I repented, and their love and care for me increased because of it. This is an essential part of “watching.”
     Another part of watching is living by the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. This hope has as its goal eternal life. To have this hope doesn't pull us out of the world, but just the opposite, it enables us to dive head long into the problems of this world. The hope of eternal life doesn't take away the world problems, but it does give us objectivity. It reduces the pain so that we can deal with it properly. This is why Paul tells us in our epistle lessons today, (1 Thess. 4) we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. Death IS terrible, but through Jesus Christ it becomes a reason for hope. This not only helps us deal with death, but ALL issues. Climate change, politics, wars, economic hardship, a health crisis, natural disasters, are all bad, but the hope of eternal life keeps us from being overcome by them. Rather they become a reason to trust in God more.
     But there is one final and most important way in which we are enabled to watch, or as Jesus actually says, continually watch! Have you not wondered why Jesus would tell a story where both the prepared and the unprepared fall sleep? Ultimately, our ability to “watch” isn't about us, it's about Jesus. There will always be bad days and good days. The question is, WHO does the saving on the bad days. Those days in which your sinful flesh is nothing but rebellious. Those days where you identify with Paul as he says in Romans 7, For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing, and Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? The point is, Jesus is and will always be our Savior. To believe in Jesus is to believe in the One who continually saves. This not only saves us when we are down and out, on “good” days it fills our hearts with praise. Jesus' love which is most apparent in the gospel draws us not only to believe, but live differently. The hope of eternal life which is only possible through Jesus Christ indeed transforms our lives and gives them the greatest of purpose. In these and many more ways Jesus our Savior enables us to “watch” continually as we trust in Him and are transformed in Him unto life everlasting. Amen. 





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Sermon text: Matthew 5:1-12 All Saints Sunday 2023


Blessed are You
      Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to His disciples, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Let us pray. Help us Lord to rejoice and be glad not only because great is our reward in heaven, but you call us blessed even in the midst of troubles through your Son. Amen.
     I often must refocus my thoughts when during the Lord's Prayer we pray, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. I must refocus because my sinful flesh must be overcome by my new man and not allow the struggles of the world be left “unchecked.” Rather, I pray and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil with faith in hand. Meaning, right now, because of Jesus Christ I am blessed and not only that, even when trouble comes my way, I am blessed. This is the opposite of what the world thinks. The world runs from trouble, it is unnerved by trouble, because trouble tells them they are not in control. Trouble reveals their need for God and they don't like that one bit.
     It is possible that when Jesus says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, it's just an introductory statement for all that follows. As if Jesus is saying, “here is how everyone is poor in spirit, they mourn, they are the meek, they hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are merciful, they are pure in heart, they are the peacemakers (therefore they are vulnerable), and they are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Because of this they suffer both internally and externally. But here is where we need to get used to thinking differently. We need to get use to thinking that when we are “led into temptation” God intends to “delivers us from evil.” This is just as Jesus said, In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
     In our text today, Jesus teaches His disciples that through hardship people are prepared for the Christ, for God's “delivering them from temptation.” In their case He is trying to get them to not be afraid to minister to those in need. In our case He is trying to get us to look at trouble differently. As Hebrews 12 says, For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. For example, when trouble comes it helps a lot to recognize that this trouble is temporary especially when comparing it to eternal life.Especially on this All Saints Sunday what a comfort it is that those we love who were suffering are now with the Lord. But that, even more shows that in and through Christ trouble has a purpose. Indeed because of the world we live in, because of our struggle with the sinful flesh and because of the crafty evil of Satan will experience trouble and temptation, but in this very same circumstance Jesus is saying WE ARE BLESSED! Why? Because through it we see our need for Jesus our Savior. Either we need forgiveness, or need to be reminded of what is yet to come; be it God's intervention on this earth, or the eternal life Jesus will bring on the Last Day. In this way God delivers us from evil as our attention is focused on Jesus our Savior. We are blessed as faith is not only protected, but also sustained and even strengthened.
     This is not only good for us, it is good for others. When someone comes to you in trouble, YOU can help them by pointing them to Jesus. You can be God's instrument as you show them how you know that God's love in Christ is not separated from you especially in trouble. You can show them how God's love in Christ makes you more than conquerors by simply continuing to believe despite the troubles of this world. You can show them how they are blessed because their troubles point them to Jesus. May God continue to work in us and through us so that all nations would be blessed in His Son unto life everlasting. Amen. 




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Sermon Text: John 8:31-36 Reformation Sunday 2023


The Son Remains Forever
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Let us pray. Help us Lord to live by knowing that we are your children by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
     Jesus says to the believers among the Jews, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Jesus both promises and warns them knowing how difficult things will become as He is arrested and crucified. Even His own disciples will be filled with doubt because they think too much about themselves and the earthly kingdom. These Jews have yet to learn their need for a Savior. In contrast to many tax collectors and sinners who knew Jesus was their only hope of being saved.
     So the Jews answer, We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'? We celebrate the Reformation today. How blessed we are that we have been reminded since birth that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Our church is founded on and stands on this gospel. We see the danger of claiming “we...have never been enslaved to anyone.” We know what Jesus is talking about when He says, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. We know that the sinful flesh must be drowned daily in the waters of our baptism. Therefore, we wake every morning by God's grace and thank Him for the forgiveness found in His Son. The outward God given sign of this truth is our baptism through which our sins not only have been but continue to be washed away in Jesus Christ our faithful eternal Savior.
     This is why in today's text Jesus is not only speaking to these Jews, He says to us, Truly, truly, I say to you.....The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. He is telling us it isn't about what you do, it is about WHO you are. Slaves cannot remain in the house, but sons can. So, Jesus the incarnate Son, makes you slaves into God's children. As long as Jesus is God's Son, we by faith are His children. This is just as John writes in the 1st chapter of His gospel, He [Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (This is talking about the very people in our text today!) But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. We gather today because we have been born of God and we know that there is only one way to be saved. That is to know just as John tells us, [Jesus] the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
     The best way to celebrate the Reformation is to live in the joy and strength of the gospel. That is to know that you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is your continual Savior, you are no longer a slave to sin. Jesus the eternal Son not only makes you a child of God, but through Him you are equipped to meet every struggle the sinful flesh, the world and Satan throw at you. All because Jesus has already won the victory given to you in your baptism. His suffering, death and resurrection give us a solid footing in an unstable world and enable us not only to be prepared for but to look forward to His return. Amen.   




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Sermon text: Matthew. 22: 15-22 Proper 24 A 2023


Render unto God
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. Let us pray. Help us Lord to understand what we should do with what you have given us by knowing that we are yours by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
     The Pharisees and Herodians attempt to trick Jesus and unwittingly reveal what is most important to them that is their money. Also, as we struggle with our sinful flesh Jesus' answer to their question gives us the impression that what is rendered to Caesar is equal to what is to rendered to God. However, both difficulties are fixed when we we understand what is God's and why.
     First, what we render to Caesar is not equal to what we render to God, but as I say this the numbers don't always show it at least not in my life. For example as a self employed pastor according to the US tax system, over 22% of my salary goes to pay taxes, however volutarily I give only a little over 10% to the church. Also, that doesn't include the sales tax I pay or the financial help I give to others out of my own pocket. The problem is by looking at it this way we have already fallen into the same trap the pharisees and Herodians. That's because it's not about "how much" goes anywhere, rather it's about WHO what you have belongs to.
     The truth is none of what we see is OURS! Hebrews 11 tells us, By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God. That means by faith we recognize everything is God's because He made it. In God's eyes don't own anything, rather He has given us responsibility for it. And more, because we are responsible for it as the parable of the talents teaches we will be called to give an account of what we have done with what God has given us. That's pretty sobering, but also that means when we "render unto Caesar" Caesar will be accountable to God as well. But it doesn't stop there, the same is true for us as a church. We as the body of Christ are responsible for how our offering is used, how our church building is used and cared for and even what the church has in it's savings. All of these things are blessings from God, but all blessings are to be used according to God's will and that is where the accountability lies. ---When you give this the proper weight it deserves it is overwhelming. So, what are we to do?
     Here is where the gospel is needed. As I hinted in the prayer before the sermon it isn't about what we have, it's about WHO we are. We are God's redeemed people, redeemed not by means of some earthly treasure but by the precious eternal blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. His redemption is more than just a comfort. It is a power that transforms us and what we have. By grace we live in continual service to God and what we have becomes available for God to use. Now, I know you may be thinking, "pastor, I can tell you that I have used many things God has given me contrary to His will!" Yes, that may be true, but this is why we need forgiveness. In the waters of baptism God washes away our sin so that we may rise daily to serve Him. This washing must be continuous and is why what Jesus does for us never stops just as God's love never stops.
     It is our task and challenge every day to allow God's word and promises to open our eyes and through trial and error, sin and forgiveness, struggle and His help we learn to use what God has given us according to His will. This not only helps us manage what God has given us it helps us trust in Him to give us what we need. In this way we are protected from abusing our possessions or, as Jesus said on another occasion, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (including how to use them) will be added unto you. In Jesus' name. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/our-wedding-garment?si=47ad3a1666234cc5b8e5ec5477e03c83&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matt. 22:1–14 Proper 23 A 2023

Our Wedding Garment

     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, protect us in our faith that we may live everyday knowing that we are clothed in your Son's righteousness and completely prepared at all times by grace to enter eternal life in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
      I don't think I need to point out to you the reason this comfort is so important to us today as we face the possibility of world war, nuclear attack, terrorism or closer to home the death of loved ones. This is why knowing what Jesus has done is so important and how His salvation is given in baptism as a gift. This is also why we gather as believers in Christ who have been given their wedding garment. We especially in times of struggle are prepared to meet death or deal with the threat of death because of what Jesus has done. In this way Jesus changes our lives.
      This is not at all like this man in our gospel lesson. Everyone is given a wedding garment when entering the hall yet this man is found without his. Talk about a way to offend the king! But then think, how much does it offend God, when anyone ignores what He makes possible through His Son? Our wedding garment, our Christ given righteousness is not just any gift but a gift made possible through His suffering and death. It could be said that this wedding garment we have is the most expensive outfit ever made. Yet there are people who call themselves Christians who often leave it behind. Who like this man in the parable think of it is optional or worse beneath them or embarrassing. So, if the king is angry with the man because he went to all the trouble to prepare the feast and give the garment, how much more will God be hurt and angry because people reject or make light of what was given through the suffering and death of His Son?
      Also, think of the purpose of the wedding garment. This garment allows enterance into the presence of the king and His celebration. For us this not only happens in life everlasting, but also every Sunday as we gather. This is why we begin with the invocation, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we enter God's banquet hall so He can feed us through His word and sacraments. We gather with our wedding garment knowing that we are saved by faith alone through Christ alone. He is the One who was slain, who took upon Himself our sin, and so that we can we take upon ourselves His righteousness. So also, the heavenly food of forgiveness is served that we would be strengthened to live in Christ. Sadly, many Christians disregard their wedding garment and see these weekly wedding feasts as optional. Jesus speaks to this danger saying, Mat_13:12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
      But here we are also reminded that the benefits of the wedding garment are received not just on Sunday, but every moment we live. Because of Christ's righteousness we have the ability to approach God in prayer especially when we are alone. This robe of righteousness is made possible by what Jesus has done and His continuing intercession for us before the throne. Therefore, because of Him we can pray, we can spill the contents of our hearts, pleading, complaining, sharing and God listens! Not only that, this robe of righteousness is a continual comfort, as it covers us even when we don't think about it. A big part of being in church is to be reminded that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. So, when we are sleeping we are protected, when we are going about our business we are protected, and especially when we are struggling with our sinful flesh and this sinful world, we are protected as Christ's righteous covers our unrighteous as we believe in Him.
      One final thing. If you want to make an impact on others especially those who do not know Christ, simply remember your wedding garment. The way this garment was purchased through Jesus' suffering and death, is both humbles and strengths. The eternal life this garment gives fills us with hope and right now hope is what the world needs. Live this way and you and all around you will benefit greatly from it and through it you will point others to Christ. Amen.



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/marvelous-in-our-eyes?si=91c43f2a31154873bc49b22418cb6393&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 21:33-43 Proper 22 A 2023


Marvelous in Our Eyes
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: " 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Let us pray. Increase faith and fill us with hope dear Lord knowing that Jesus who was rejected has become the cornerstone. Amen.
     God chooses to save mankind in a way that not only glorifies God, but also causes us to marvel. This is really something when we consider all that happened to Jesus. He was arrested, beaten, suffered shame, was crucified and died. Yet, we call it marvelous. Why? This is what I want to talk about today.
That quote, it is marvelous in our eyes is taken from Psalm 118. The whole Psalm is about trusting in God. It says for example, It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes, a very good reminder for us especially now. But in Jesus this Psalm becomes even more focused. In Jesus we see just how far we can take it and what that means in our daily life.
     In this parable, the vineyard owners Son is killed. Yet, Jesus says, we will say, it is marvelous! This is because Jesus is rejected resulting in His suffering and even death, but we know that is not the end of the story. Jesus rises on the 3rd day and becomes the cornerstone. He now is on the throne of God to intercede and save us.
     God's plan of salvation is marvelous for so many reasons. First and foremost because of what it accomplishes: forgiveness and eternal life! But, what is also marvelous is the way He does things. Jesus' enemies think they are getting exactly what they want, but unknowingly do everything according to God's plan. Jesus, appears to be completely defeated even dies, even more stays in the tomb 3 days, but then rises to life glorified. It is marvelous not only in what it accomplishes, not only because it happened just the way Jesus said it would, but also because this is the way God continues to work among His people!
     Each day we live, we live knowing that God was faithful to Jesus. Even though the world threw the worst at Him, God's promised to raise Him on the 3rd day and He did! Jesus invites us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. He tells us that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Through these promises fulfilled in the cross, we not only are filled with hope, but we see the cross as the eternal evidence of God's love. Because He loves us we can and are enabled to trust in Him. That is how God has designed us and for this reason Paul tells us the greatest of these is love.
     But this also transforms our lives. In this “marvelous” way of God's doing things we are given something that enables us to endure suffering. We can without doubt say, “what is the worse that can happen to me? I might die?” and through Jesus' even death becomes but a door from this world of suffering to eternal glory. The day to day application is that if the worst thing in our lives is made into nothing, all the little things are defeated as well. In fact, more, Jesus promises to work them all for our good!
     By living in these promises, God enables us not only to fight with and defeat our sinful flesh, He enables us with just our attitudes alone to live as conquerors as Paul tells us, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us! The best way to witness to unbelievers is to live in this hope as we trust in the living God who continues to save His people even though they die for in Christ we all will live and it is marvelous in our eyes. Amen.  




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/no-then-yes?si=1ff16718868d4cc2b2a65f4dca4aa175&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon Text: Matthew 21:23-27 (28-32) Proper 21 A 2023


No then Yes
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, through your holy Word continue to reveal our sin, and our salvation so that our every 'no' would be followed by your “yes.” In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     The chief priests and the elders of the people work up the courage to ask Jesus, By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority? For three years now Jesus performed miracles, taught throughout the land of Israel and most recently turned the tables over in the temple. The point is Jesus through all these things has shown them Who has given Him His authority. Their question was not an honest search for the truth but just another form of hypocrisy. This is why Jesus says, tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
     So Jesus tells them this parable, A man had two sons....... You already know who the two sons are, because you are one of them. The Jewish nation especially their religious leaders, first say “yes” to their father as the are more than willing to call themselves God's Chosen People, but then when it comes time to do the work, they reveal what is truly in their hearts and say “no” to believing in Jesus. You and I and everyone who believes in Jesus have said “yes.”
     What I want to talk about today is how you went from saying “no” to saying “yes.” How do the rebellious turn into the faithful? The answer is simple. By the grace of God through His word and sacraments. As John the Baptist cries, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, or repent and be baptized God's law and His gospel do their work. God's law reveals their sin and calls them to repentance, while the gospel enables them to do it. John is saying to them, “this is not how God called you to live,” and both law and gospel begin to work. God's holiness and love is revealed causing them to repent and be baptized. This is also why it is so damning for these religious leaders who are not only afraid to be honest with the people, but with God. God wants them to simply admit, “yes we are sinners,” so that He through His Son could love them.
     We are all gathered here today, so that God's law and His gospel would continue help us go from saying “no” to saying “yes.” God says to us, “this is not the way I called you to live.” We still struggle with being honest with God. We want to make excuses even though God has done so much for us, and yet we still hesitate. So, let's be honest with God today, let us admit our struggle with the very things that make us children of God. Let us cry out to Him, Lord, I believe, but help me with my unbelief. I admit I struggle to love as I am loved. “I admit, I am afraid, I am selfish, I am distrustful, I hold others sin against me, I am lazy, I easily give up, even though your Son did and continues to do all these things for me.” But this is the key to my salvation. Jesus, continues and will continue to say “yes” to all He has been called to do. He said “yes” to taking upon Himself my punishment, and now says “yes” to all my needs as He intercedes for me before the throne. His “yes” is the gospel that enables me to say “yes.” “Yes, Lord,” I am a sinner, but Christ has come to save me.
     In this way, Jesus brings to life what He told His disciples, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. You bet we struggle, but by simply believing in Jesus God washes our sins away, not just to justify us, but breath life into all that we do. God is very willing to work through sinners such as you and I, who carry in jars of clay this treasure of the gospel. In our brokeness made in whole in Christ, we say “yes.” God's love found in Christ pulls us forward, pushing aside all our struggles with love and fear, apathy and laziness and fills us with hope. This hope is our strength, a hope that looks forward to eternal life, but also a hope that trusts in the living God who works for our good each and every moment of our lives.
     Now, keep in mind, as we grow in faith, the world, Satan and our sinful flesh become our greater enemies. But Jesus has already won the victory. As Paul says, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. As our troubles increase Jesus and His love increases, or perhaps it is better to say, we see it better, it is always much greater than we know. As you struggle God will not forsake you, His Son has already taken your struggles with Him to the cross and as you remain in Him you will bear much fruit as Jesus' “yes” is always greater than our “no.” In His name unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/whatever-is-right?si=d60640c4fd0a4eaeb1b7c27eafab6dc5&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon Text: Matthew 20:1-16 Proper 20 A 2023


Whatever is Right
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus taught them saying, You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. Let us pray. Heaven Father, we rejoice because you do what is right according to your standards and continue to call us to repentance in our 11th hour making us who deserve to be last the first. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     When Jesus talks about doing whatever is right, or His generosity, He is talking about the things of God verses the things of man. This parable is all about showing how different God is for our sake. In connection with this Our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 55 tells us specifically about God's way of saving us from our sins and how it makes no sense to humans saying, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Our parable shows us that there is nothing greater than the difference between the way we think and the way God thinks on how to save us, and the way He saves us changes our lives!
     As you may already know, I always like to point out where you and I fit in this parable. We all identify with the thoughts of those who have worked all day. Americans have been taught from birth “work hard and you will be rewarded!” But there is an inherent problem with this way of thinking. Hard work is good, but the sinful flesh twists pride in what we do turning it into false independence. The problem is, God did not create us to be independent. God created us to rely on Him. The workers who grumbled because they worked all day ignored the fact that they still depended on the master. He gave them the opportunity to work, protected them while they were working, hired more workers so they didn't have to work so hard, but most importantly kept his promise to pay them. They got into trouble because they focused on this one little thing, “we worked longer than they did!” Even though the master kept his promise their greed causes them to grumble.
     Now I said, we all understand this way of thinking, but really, who are you in this parable? Jesus targets Israel filled with pride because they have been “God's people” for thousands of years. The truth is, you and I are barely a part of this parable even though most of us have been life long Lutherans. Really the issue isn't judging recent converts, but rather seeing who you really are. In actuality you are I are the 11th hour workers. The Christian church has been around for 2000 years and according to that we have just barely endured the heat of the day, and “payday” (Christ's Return) could be tomorrow! Think how that changes your perspective. You and I are the workers who are filled with amazement because the master has given us the same as those who worked ALL DAY! We also are humbled, because we understand the frustration of the others and say to ourselves, “I wouldn't have done it that way, but I am thankful He did!”
     Now, the problem is we still grumble. We are still especially after a long week or even only a long day are filled with pride. We think we deserve better, we ask God “why hasn't He come yet?” BUT the wonderful truth is God is STILL CALLING! God comes to us today with His word and sacraments. He comes to us because we have wandered into the marketplace and forgotten who we are. Jesus comes to us today and calls us back saying, “come work in the vineyard” Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; [forsake] wicked[ness] ... and ... unrighteous[ness]...return to the Lord, ... for he will abundantly pardon. We come together so God can breath life into us, remake us enable us to forsake our human way of thinking and behold His way of thinking. Here He reminds us that WE are the 11th hour people, who do not deserve what we receive AND have been made first even though we deserve to be last. We are “helpless,” we ARE little children, embarrassed but thankful we have received undeservedly just as He has promised forgiveness and eternal life. This identity frees us from judging others BECAUSE WE ARE ALL SAVED BY GRACE! All do not deserve but still receive, and are filled with thanksgiving. Therefore let us we continue to welcome all who have answered God's call to receive what is right according to His mercy. Unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/forgive-from-your-heart?si=d204fc16872d422daad896b16b602771&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 18:21-35  Proper 19 A 2023

Forgive from Your Heart
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, have mercy on us and teach us of your abundant love found in your Son so that we may be enabled to forgive from the heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     Is there anything more important than eternal life? Eternal life is the reason God sent His Son to die on the cross. Eternal life is the reason God's love is revealed in His Son. What is often not talked about in today's parable is the fact that the unmerciful servant symbolizes everyone who rejects God's mercy found in forgiveness. Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door to eternal life. When Jesus tells His disciples whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven, He was also talking to you. The only difference between your pastor forgiving sin in the stead of Christ and you forgiving sins is your calling. When someone comes to you asking for your forgiveness, it is your calling as a Christian, to loose the chains of sin from that person and forgive them. This is why forgiveness is the language and the way of a Christian.
     Imagine this, someone who has sinned against you has just received a life sentence of solitary confinement with no chance of parole. Whatever they did to you and to others will not happen again. But, this person is asking for your forgiveness and what hangs in the balance is his understanding of God's mercy and eternal life. So, do you forgive him? The point is sometimes we are unwilling to forgive because we don't want to be hurt again or allow others to be hurt. God understands this, but this is where we are called to trust in God more than our fellow man. Also, forgiving someone isn't just about us, it's about Jesus and what He has done for us. When someone repents and asks for forgiveness they are wanting to throw off the chains of sin. Forgiveness, your forgiveness is an important part of them being able to change their lives and be kept safe in their faith to eternal life.
     However, forgiveness is not just beneficial for those who receive it, it is beneficial to those who give it as well. When the unmerciful servant shows no mercy to his servant he reveals what life is like without Jesus. His heart could and should have been filled with peace and joy knowing that an unpayable debt had been forgiven. Instead his heart is filled with uncertainty, shame and vengeance ready to pounce on the first person he finds. I ask you, “Is that any way to live?” See how much easier it is to live each moment knowing that through Jesus all sin has been forgiven and eternal life is yours! This parable isn't just about forgiving someone who is sorry for their sin. It is about living continually in the grace of God and how that enables you to love especially those who have sinned against you. In this way, forgiving someone is the best gift you could give yourself! By grace you are declaring that sin no longer has a hold on you including the sins of others! That's real freedom! One last thing, if you have trouble forgiving someone because you don't know if you can trust them keep this in mind. If you can't trust them, you can trust God who is much bigger and knows the hearts of all man. Trust that He will work it out for the good so that faith (yours and those who you forgive) ultimately would be protected unto life everlasting. In Jesus' name. Amen.






Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/becoming-little-children?si=3fa9593e7de34fc4a18af88ac4207bde&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing   
Sermon text: Matthew 18:1-20 Proper 18 A 2023


Become Like Children
     Grace and peace are yours From God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Let us pray. Help us Lord to turn and become like little children humbling ourselves that we may enter the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
     When the disciples ask, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, they weren't talking about Moses, Elijah or the angels. No, sadly, they were talking about who among them was the greatest. Jesus therefore immediately responds by taking a child and putting him front and center saying, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
     We struggle a bit to understand this illustration because of how different life is today for children, but you have to think of the contrast Jesus was showing them. Here the disciples are all concerned about being the best. They were arguing about who was the most experienced, the best leader, who could recite the most bible verses, or even who was closest to Jesus. Their understanding of what made them a “good” disciple was completely in the wrong direction thinking more about the ways of man rather than the ways of God. So Jesus shows them how far off they are and puts this helpless, needy and even carefree child before them and says, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
     The fact that Jesus says unless you turn tells us that a change was needed in the disciples. Jesus gets more specific and says, Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Now I don't know about you, but when I think of a child, I don't think humility. But Jesus is not talking so much about attitude here as He is talking about ability. No different now than in Jesus' day, a parent's job was to love, feed, care for and discipline their child. By doing this the child inherently knew that they could not live without their parents but, at the same time these responsible parents enabled the child to live a care free life. Now, how does this translate to these disciples and our lives?
     First of all, let's get this out on the table: there are no perfect parents, but in contrast God is the perfect heavenly Father. What makes us good parents and good children is forgiveness and forgiveness is exactly Jesus' number one concern with these disciples. If they are busy arguing about “who is the greatest” they can't understand their need for forgiveness and because they don't understand their need for forgiveness they can't understand how God is their heavenly Father! What they have yet to learn is God is their Father by grace, not by works. Children don't “earn” their parents affection, their parents love them because they are their parents. In the same way, we don't earn God's affection, He loves us because He is our heavenly Father.
     So, HEAR, what God's love does to us! For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Sure, the law produces sorrow for sin, but God's love found in the Gospel produces repentance and faith! Hearing and believing is what it means to be a 'little child.' We throw off the shackles of the sinful flesh which constantly thinks it must earn God's favor and compete with others as to who is the best. Instead we embrace the love of God found in Jesus Christ and cry, Abba, Father! God our Father shows His love and care through the sacrifice of His only Son and the eternal life He gives. This gift of salvation enables us to live a “care-free” life. Our greatest and most unobtainable need has been paid for in full! This gift of salvation enables us to live differently. This message of the gospel enables us to be God's children receiving forgiveness and giving forgiveness for the sake of faith which leads to eternal life. May we continue to grow in our understanding of what God has done for us, unto life everlasting. Amen. ​



Audio:    soundcloud.com/user-462937846/must-suffer-much?si=902a316f866a45bdad0c965667991d44&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 16:21-28 Series A Proper 17 A 2023

Must Suffer Many Things
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Matthew records, From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes. Let us pray. Help us Lord through the suffering of your Son to understand the severity of our sin, and the abundance of your love. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     As a pastor I often get to visit with people unexpectedly who are not members of our church. It is at those times I often get a look at what Christianity is apart from solid Lutheran theology. This person was suffering emotionally and physically, but did not have the “tools” that good Lutheran theology offers to deal with it. We do not realize how blessed we are to know that Jesus, suffer[ed] many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes. Jesus' suffering helps us deal with our suffering. This particular person concluded that she was an unredeemable awful person and that God was very dissatisfied with her because she was suffering. Now, the problem is parts of what she said were true. God is indeed dissatisfied with ALL of us because as scripture says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It was true that her suffering was evidence of her sin, but what she did not understand is that Jesus because of God's love for her, had suffered in her place and by that suffering changed her suffering.
     We are here today because Jesus HAS suffered much for our sake. His suffering is what changes everything. We all know that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. It is the way He gave His Son that makes all the difference. He gave Him to suffer for our sin and it is through that suffering are redeemed. This truth is essential to the Christian faith. Not only is salvation won by Jesus' suffering, but suffering itself is redeemed. Because Jesus suffered for our sins, Jesus can make good our of our worst moments in life. Take for example Peter. Peter has just confessed and was complimented for saying, you are the Christ the Son of the living God! However, Jesus starts to explain what that means and Peter says, Far be it from you, Lord! These seemingly positive words are revealed by Jesus to be none other than the work of Satan. Peter is saying that he doesn't want Jesus to do the very thing God has sent Him to do!
     The point is, even though Peter is duped by Satan and later would even deny Jesus, Jesus' suffering for those very sins, would not only redeem Peter, but work his suffering for the good of his faith. Not only that, but Peter would point to his weaknesses to show the glory of God found in Jesus Christ as his only true source of salvation. We all gather here today and Sunday after Sunday because we still sin and we still live in a sinful world. Because of sin we suffer. BUT, Jesus has suffered much more and for a purpose. He has suffered not only so you and I can receive forgiveness, but also so that our suffering can work for the good. As redeemed children of God who trust in Jesus for our salvation, our sins do not hold us back from serving God. Also, our sins do not hold God back from using His omnipotent power and knowledge to work for the good in our lives.
     This is how it is possible to do as Jesus says, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Jesus' suffering makes it possible for you and I to follow Jesus. Do I like suffering, “NO!” but Jesus' rose victorious over my sin and shows me what is in store for me so I follow Him. Like Peter, we all take one step forward and then three steps backward, but God uses all to teach us that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and by trial and error He enables us to stop thinking about the things of man, and look forward to and embrace the things of God unto life everlasting. Amen.   ​



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Sermon text: Matthew 16:13-20 Proper 16 A 2023


Bind and Loose
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to His disciples, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, continue to enable us through your Word and Sacraments to confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God in His name we pray. Amen.
     When Jesus calls Himself the Way, the Truth and the Life, we tend to push His words into the realm of theory rather than a literal powerful force. That is a force that can not be ignored and will always have consequences. This is what Jesus is telling His disciples when He says, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. I am guilty of thinking in the past that this applied only to church excommunication when someone sins and does not repent. It does apply to that, but what I have learned is it doesn't only apply to that. Rather, it is something much more common. Something that happens every time God's word points to Jesus.
     Think of it this way. Isaiah 55 describes God's word as something that always works, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Hebrews 4 says something similar, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Jesus preaches, teaches and heals and the people believe in Him.
     Therefore, Jesus asks, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? They answer, John the Baptist, ... Elijah, ... Jeremiah or one of the prophets, because Jesus is the Word of God incarnate is working faith into them. However as you all already know Jesus more than a mere prophet so, Jesus asks His disciples and the Greek actually says, But you [you all] who do YOU say that I am? Jesus asks this question because the purpose of God's Word is to reveal His Son and reveal it in a way so you YOU, would be able to answer as Peter does, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. We are gathered here today because we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. We baptize our children because we believe that Jesus is the Christ who saves us and makes us alive as He forgives us of our sins and fills us with hope of eternal life. Later in Jesus ministry many would leave Him because the closer He got to the cross the more He talked about it. He asks these disciples, will you leave too? To which they answer, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
     Whether you know it or not, through God's Word which is not just the bible but Christ Himself, binding and loosing has already taken place. You see something in Jesus that can be found no where else. Jesus causes a response in you that no one else has the power to create. Like these disciples the thought of not having Jesus was unthinkable. In this way through God's word which includes baptism and the Lord's Supper, your sins have been loosed. Jesus has freed you from your sin and its condemnation. He has not only redeemed you, He has redeemed your life. He has transformed you into His child by grace. So when Jesus talks about His children He is talking about you. For example, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
     But, there are those who reject Jesus. We don't understand why anyone who reject the free gift of salvation, but they do. Satan the Liar, the father of lies, is constantly working to get people to doubt that what Jesus gives is free. He is constantly tempting us to think more of ourselves than Jesus. He is tempting us to see strings attached to salvation when there are none. Jesus says, narrow is the gate and hard is the way that leads to life, not because it isn't free, but because it is hard to believe that something so wonderful is free. It has to be free, because none of us could pay for it if it weren't. But there are many, like the pharisees who are tempted to trust in themselves more than Jesus.
     But we are here because we trust in Jesus. He has loosed our sins, and bound us to Himself. We know we are sinners, but Christ has saved us and will continue to save us from our sins. Therefore, we say with Peter, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Amen. 
​




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Sermon text: Matthew 15:21-28 Proper 15 A 2023


Yes, Lord
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The woman said to Jesus, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Let us pray. Help us Lord, to learn what faith does by seeing this person in need and how you because of her need not only hear her prayer but strengthen faith through it. In Jesus' name. Amen.
In just two words this woman shows us what faith does. Yes, Lord. That is “yes, Lord, I know that I deserve nothing from you. “Yes, Lord,” In know I am a sinner and actually deserve punishment rather than mercy. “Yes, Lord,” I have nothing to trade or barter nor will I ever have to receive what you alone can give, but what you alone give is what I need!
     The original title for today's sermon was “So Much for So Little” but it didn't quite get the point across as it left that possible misunderstanding that we have something to offer God. This woman reveals to us what we don't have, and at the same time how Jesus helps us. This woman was not a Jew. As Jesus bluntly tells her, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But even in that response is a truth that the pharisees, many of the Jews and even the disciples had forgotten. They had forgotten that the name Israel itself tells us what faith is. It means “one who struggled with God.” Everyone had forgotten that faith in God meant struggle. The pharisees had twisted faith thinking they could observe the law to please God. Many of the people like the disciples had twisted faith to mean the Jewish nation was “special.” But through this woman Jesus would teach them that faith isn't about what we give to God, it is about what God gives to us.
     If you haven't noticed, struggle has been a big part of Matthew's gospel: a large crowd gathers; no food, Jesus sends away the disciples; a storm comes, they go to be alone; this woman shows up. We all have trouble with struggle. This is because we all know that struggle is due to sin. But, what we need to learn and can only learn by the gospel is that God works for our good through struggle. Struggle is indeed due to sin, but God wants us to trust in His ability to work it for our good through His Son Jesus Christ. This story with this woman is ALL about God using struggle to work for her good and teach the disciples and us what faith does.
     So, when Jesus says to her, O woman, great is your faith! We need to take a second look. What drives this woman? What fills her with determination? She knows very little about Jesus, rather she is driven by the fact that no one has the ability to help her daughter, except Jesus! At the same time God uses this woman's struggle and need to focus all her attention on this one chance to heal her daughter and through it she is learning and showing what faith is and does.
     It is no different for us. Every Sunday because of our struggle with the sinful flesh, this world and Satan we too have a great need. Whether it be because of our sin, or the sin of others, Jesus is the ONLY one who can take away, or enable us to deal with sin. Like this woman we cry out, Lord, have mercy. Like this woman we say to Jesus, Yes, Lord. We admit we are sinners and in no way deserve anything from God. But, at the same time our need compels us, and we claim what we do not deserve because Jesus is the only One who can saves us!
     But, this woman and these disciples not only remind us of our need and the comfort of forgiveness. They give purpose to our lives even though our lives are filled with struggle. God's ability through Jesus Christ to work things for our good enables us to not take struggle personally. Rather than saying, “O, God, why are you letting this happen?” we can say, “Yes, Lord, have mercy on me and work it for my good.” As we pray this, not only will God strengthen our faith, He will cause relationships which endure struggle together to be strengthened! In fact every Sunday, God intends to do this as we gather together confessing our sins and receiving forgiveness. God wants our struggles to work for our good as we trust in Him and His ability. He will also strengthen our relationships with one another as we put off the things of this world and reach toward the things to come. In Jesus name. Amen. 



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Sermon text: Matthew 14:22-33 Proper 14 A 2023


Do Not Be Afraid
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the disciples, Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. Let us pray. Help us Lord in this ever increasing troubled filled world to know that through your Son Jesus Christ we need not fear in His name we pray. Amen.
     As amazing as this event is the center of this story is Jesus saying to His disciples, Do not be afraid. It is the center because it is what Jesus wants us to take away from it. This is because we also are Jesus' disciples. No different then these disciples we are on a journey with Jesus slowly learning from Him and at the same time receiving the comfort of forgiveness enabling us to look forward more every day to eternal life. Through this story Jesus teaches us that being a Christian is often difficult. We see this in the way Jesus “made” or even “compelled” His disciples to get into the boat and go before Him. He does this knowing what is going to happen to them. He knows they will struggle against the wind and the waves and be afraid. In part this is why He goes away by Himself to pray. He prays for many things but also for His disciples as they are being challenged. But you need to know that this has not changed. Jesus continues to “pray” even intercede for us before the throne of God defending us with His victory over our sin, death and the devil (see Romans 8:33-34).
     No different than these disciples Jesus is aware of every challenge you have met and will meet in your life. Logic tells us that God wouldn't let His children suffer, but that ignores the purpose of faith in Jesus----not earthly peace but life everlasting. This is because it is more important than anything to God who desires all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. So God uses the struggles of this world to bring us to repentance, strengthen our faith and cause us to rely on Him more. Just as Jesus prayed for His disciples He prays for us, (Jn 17:15ff), I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. Therefore, we gather every Sunday to be sanctified by His truth. Through the struggles of this world God teaches us what we can and can't trust in. Like Peter at times we may be bold, and say and do amazing things, but then also fail. God uses our struggles to reveal how we can and should trust in Him more and less in ourselves.
     In this story today Jesus reveals His power. We see His power as He walks on water and calms the sea, but there is a greater power that is essential for our daily existence revealed in this story. It is God's great eternal mercy and love which is magnified and brought into focus in His Son Jesus Christ our Savior. Even though Peter asks for and receives the ability to walk on water, even though Jesus is right in front of him, he becomes afraid. He cries out as he is sinking, Lord, save me, and Jesus immediately reaches out his hand and takes hold of him gently chiding him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? THIS is the power of God unto salvation! This same love which loves those who do not deserve to be loved is the power that saves us and enables us to not be afraid. These disciples, this Peter would be transformed by this love. They would do more than just walk on water. They would fulfill their callings to preach Christ to the nations. Still sinners, but forgiven, forgiven over and over as God's unending love and mercy found in Jesus Christ would continue to save them.
     You and I all have our particular callings which God enables us to fulfill through His everlasting mercy and love found in Jesus Christ our Savior. We are not perfect, but we are forgiven. As we hear Jesus in His word and receive Jesus in His sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper, He immediately comes to us with His forgiveness and the Holy Spirit in His word reaching out to us and revealing His love. In this way He will strengthen and preserve you unto life everlasting and at the same time enable you to fulfill your calling pointing others to Christ unto life everlasting. Amen.




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Sermon text: Matthew 14:13-21 Series A Pentecost 11 2023


They All Ate and Were Satisfied
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Matthew writes, he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, make us confident in your Son that we may be satisfied now and into eternity. Amen.
     When we read the account of the feeding of the 5000 we think, “that's a wonderful story, but what does it have to do with us?” What does Jesus multiplying bread and fish have to do with our daily lives? Or we could ask, “What is Jesus multiplying in our lives today, and what does that have to do with our being satisfied?”
     First, all miracles point to Jesus being the Savior of the world. They are evidence that He is the Christ chosen to save us from our sins. Jesus turning water into wine, calming the stormy sea, causing a gold coin to be found in a fish's mouth, raising someone from the dead or even multiplying bread and fish all serve the purpose of showing us that Jesus is the Christ with the power to save.
    But is there any more to this miracle? Does Jesus talk anywhere about taking something and making it more? The answer is, “yes” just as in last Sunday's sermon I told you John writes, (15:5) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Just as Jesus took the bread and the fish, blessed and multiplied them for the nourishment and satisfaction of others, God takes each one of us and blesses us and even what we have in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we remain in Jesus through His word and sacraments, He not only satisfies us but enables us through Jesus Christ to satisfy others in each of our callings. Just as Jesus said (5:6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied, they being “us” and those we meet. Jesus transforms us by washing away our sin and covering us in His righteousness. Not only are we covered in His righteousness, but as we seek His righteousness more is given as He says in 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. In this way God multiplies you and what you have for the blessing of others in Christ. So, “yes” Jesus still multiplies things.
    But there is a much more concrete way Christ comes to us and in a greater way than just multiplying bread and fish. Think of it, every Sunday the world over Jesus comes to us in His word. Through His word He is teaching not just on one hill in one place at one time in Galilee, but in every place where 2 or 3 are gathered in His name. He doesn't just give mere bread and fish, but His own body and blood and not just to satisfy physical hunger, but to satisfy us eternally. Even more Jesus is the living water and living bread which fills us in a way that gives us more and makes us more. The weaker we get, the stronger He becomes, the less we see that we have the more He gives. He fills us in a way that makes us never thirsty again and become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4) In Jesus you and I as individuals and as the body of Christ are being multiplied not only in numbers, but in faith. Jesus said, For to the one who has, more will be given, and more, this “giving” is not based on your worthiness, but on Christ's. This is what it means to be saved by grace. God is always giving us more than we deserve, but in it we see Him to be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3)
   Therefore, may God continue to satisfy you unto eternal life making you more every day so that others may see Christ as their Savior. Amen.


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Sermon text: Matthew 13:24-43 (Proper 11) Series A 2023


Wheat and Weeds
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus taught them saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, protect our faith in your Son Jesus Christ that we may remain good seed bearing good fruit. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     It is very helpful to recognize the order of things in our parable today. The gospel comes first. That is the message that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins that by faith in Him we may have eternal life is how the good seed is planted. The proclamation of Jesus comes first as the disciples baptize and teach. Jesus makes “first contact” with us by which we are brought to faith be it through baptism and the word, or the word then baptism. Jesus sows His seed by which we believe.
     Also keep in mind that God created all mankind to believe in Him. As Paul tells Timothy, He desires all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, or as Jesus said, he who has ears let him hear! This is just as He also said in the parable of the sower; first the seed, then faith. Sadly, many gladly hear the word, sprout up quickly, but then their faith is choked as material wealth and the cares of this world overcome them. But, with today's parable we have an additional layer upon which doubts are built. Remember, Satan has nothing of his own. In fact notice only the sower has seeds, the enemy only weeds. This in part is why Jesus calls him a thief who can only kill, steal and destroy. Satan takes what is God's and perverts it.
     Jesus tells his followers this sad truth in order to protect them from discouragement and to emphasize the importance of God's word both Law and Gospel. It is also true that the closer we get to Judgment Day the more we see how different the weeds are by what they bear. Satan casts doubt on all of God's word and uses sin to twist and bend it. For example, Adam and Eve were created to be the pinnacle of God's creation. However, Satan twists and bends this and causes man's obsession to create it own idea of what a 'real woman' or 'real man' looks like. This has done so much damage not only marriage but has caused all forms of gender perversion. Causing everything from pornography to people seeking to be something they are not and many unknowingly in the process rejecting what God has made them to be. The weeds in God's church in every aspect of faith are doing all they can to call God's good – evil and Satan's evil – good.
     But, sadly it doesn't stop there. The source of all sin and lawlessness come from the rejection of God and His desire to save mankind from their sin. God's all or nothing way of saving in Jesus grates on their senses. The weeds do not like giving up their control and therefore pervert the gospel. They reject being saved by grace alone because that means they must recognize that ALL SIN IS EVIL and contrary to God and what we were created for. Weeds do not like to admit they are sinners. Weeds do not like confessing their sins and receiving forgiveness. Weeds do not like relying more and more on Jesus with every day that passes. Rather, they want to destroy this kind of faith and invent their own way to be saved. Invent their own kind of 'righteousness' picking and choosing what they like and don't like about God and His Son Jesus Christ.
     We gather here today as sinners in need of forgiveness. We gather here today to drink of the well of life found in Christ alone. We gather here today to learn more about Jesus and His way of living. We want to live as Jesus describes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. In this way of living Jesus gives us life! Not only is the good and right to live this way, it is the most fulfilling way to live. In doing so we proclaim Christ and through the power of His word even though Satan leads many astray, many are saved as they come to repentance. The leaven of the gospel continues work in many hidden ways overcoming Satan turning weeds into wheat with the hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone. He makes us good seed through His forgiveness and causes us to bear fruit as we rely on Him. May God continue to use us to point others to the true hope found in Christ alone. Amen.  




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Sermon text: Matthew 13:1 9 [18 23] Series A Pent 8 2014


Hear and Understand
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the crowds, As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as those who believe in your Son Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, continue to bear fruit through us enabling us to not lose hope and to be prepared for your Son's return in Jesus' name. Amen.
     I want to point out the power of the gospel as Jesus tells us who ever hears and understands bears fruit starting with a hundredfold! This is the very message we need to hear as we are surrounded by bad things that compete for our attention. Satan is especially active right now convincing people that what Jesus gives is meaningless. Rather, just the opposite, especially now, what Jesus gives makes all the difference in the world.
     First, when Jesus says, the one who hears the word and understands it, He is not talking about something complicated or beyond normal human ability. This is also why Jesus says 'a matter of factly' He who has ears, let him hear. Remember, we were created by God to believe in Him. Therefore, it is easier to believe that to not believe. For example, you have to work very hard to find something that is unlikeable, even unloveable about Jesus! Jesus is God's mouthpiece by which we see and hear God's love. This is why many worldly people will say, “I like Jesus, I just don't like those 'churches” and then they go off on some tangent about something that has happened to them because of some “church.” It is Jesus, who saves, by God's design, who returns the lost to His side. So, if a person has ears, that is if a person can receive this message, they can by God's design and power believe and bear fruit.
     So, we are gathered on yet another Sunday, and as we hear, believe and understand we bear a hundredfold of fruit. It is such a blessing to go on vacation because through it my mind is enabled to relax and be more objective. It enables you to separate all of the junk the world throws at you from what God gives. But, this is also the purpose of the prelude before the service just as the ringing of the bell has a purpose that is to separate our minds from all that the world has thrown at us. The opening hymn, the invocation, the confession of sin, the absolution, the introit, ALL are a part of drawing us into the kingdom of heaven. The Holy Spirit works through God's word to recreate faith within us so that we would stop thinking as the world thinks, and resume thinking as God thinks. Simply put, the gospel, the good news of salvation breathes hope back into us. Through it God restores our ability to live fruitfully. God takes away our “bad attitudes” and enables us to work with Him rather than against Him as we acknowledge His ability to get things done. I think this more than anything else will be our challenge in the next few years as we have the resources but not necessarily the attitude. We struggle with a world that is changing too quickly and not for the better. So, what are we to do?
     Jesus tells us, seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. As farm people you all know that the secret to a large crop is good soil and good conditions. Coming to church is seen by many as an option, but truly it is a part of being made into good soil for bearing fruit. The message of forgiveness bears fruit as families and relationships are restored and strengthened or as the thorns of sins and the weakness of shallow thoughts are removed. Here is where God teaches us that whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart (1 Jn 3:20), and that He who is in you (God) is greater than he who is in the world (1 Jn 4:4). As we live according to Jesus' victory over our sin Jesus overcomes our weak hearts and our enemies Satan and the world. This is just as Paul says, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Here is where we bear fruit a hundredfold as we learn to live by forgiveness (given and received). God's recreative power is what causes us to bear fruit as we are transformed as our faith in Jesus becomes a well of eternal life springing up within us (Jn 4).
     Let us not allow hardness of heart, grudges, or even half hearted forgiveness hold back the fruit God intends us to bear. This is especially important now more than ever as many are not coming to church, not hearing the word, never thinking of their baptism, not even wanting communion. Not only are they in danger of not bearing fruit but losing their faith as Jesus also says, For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Because we love our fellow Christians, let us not weaken in our faith but protect the good soil in us and others unto life everlasting. Amen.




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Sermon text: Matthew 10:34-42 Series A 2023 (Proper 8)


One of These Little Ones
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to His disciples, And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. Let us pray. Help us heavenly Father to see the power of the gospel as it transforms who we are and the consequence of what we do in Jesus' name. Amen.
     I don't know about you, but I know I am in the most danger when I see myself or what I say and do as inconsequential. That is as if God doesn't need me or can't use me to show others the power of the gospel. Not only is this a denial of Jesus' work in you through your baptism it gives your sinful flesh the false impression that it can sin as if God doesn't know what is going on in your life! By coincidence the gospel for last Sunday's Presentation of the Augsburg Confession occurs right before today's gospel where I remind you God said, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. The point is God indeed is ALWAYS paying attention to you and seeks to use you to show others what Christ has done and is doing for you and for them!
     What Christ has done has serious eternal consequences. It is overwhelming to us little ones to our little brains, but the truth is everyone you meet will either enjoy the eternal bliss of eternal life or suffer everlasting torment in Hell. This is why Jesus says to His disciples, Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.....[and] …. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. You all know that the 4th of July marks the 30th anniversary of my being your pastor. Now more than ever I see the need to proclaim the gospel. We all have family who are “finding” their lives and not coming to church thinking they are unimportant and unusable to God and worse that God does not see or care what they are doing! So, they need to know Jesus says whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
     Long story short, we all as believers in Christ are little ones. According to our calling we are sent by God to either tell or show others that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Like the disciples in our text pastors have been called to publicly proclaim from the house tops law and gospel. As a pastor I proclaim from the house tops as I preach and teach, or as I go to hospitals or nursing homes to visit the sick. You very appropriately expect my words and actions to reflect what Christ has taught. However, there is also a private side to my calling which you also have as you live out your lives doing what God has called you to do. In these callings we “take up our cross and follow Jesus.” We “lose our lives” by living in a way that puts Christ and what He gives first. Living by grace means that despite our struggle with sin we are ALL disciples who represent Christ. Especially when it is hard, we are to be forgiving, loving, patient, kind, long suffering, steadfast, trust worthy, not only to those who love us but even to who hate us. This is more important now than ever because we all know time is short--short because things can change so quickly. What 30 years of experience has taught me is that conditions for sharing Jesus or reminding others of Jesus will never get better than they are today for tomorrow will bring more of the unexpected and unknown.
     It also must be said, remember as “little ones” we are not perfect rather we are forgiven which is much more powerful. Also, Jesus says a cup of cold water in part because conditions are rarely “ideal,” we know disciples deserve more then that. Rather, we as jars of clay which contain the treasure of the gospel give what we have be it simple, or clumsy, or unrefined. We share, we help, we pray, we open a door, reach out our hand, we offer what we have, and because Jesus said, Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me we trust that on account Christ it makes a difference. Through these simple but profound things Jesus enables us especially in these changing times to not lose heart. Instead, just the opposite, as even a cup of water given in the name of Jesus does great things. So, never doubt, trust in God's way of working as the little things accomplish God's great work in the love of Christ unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Audio:soundcloud.com/user-462937846/do-not-fear?si=21b7385935334bfb988dfeede3e8848f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 10:26–33 Commemorate the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession 2023


Do Not Fear
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Let us pray. Help us Lord to remember especially in times of persecution that Jesus has been victorious over our sin, death and the devil therefore there is indeed nothing we need to fear. Amen.
     Nearly 500 years ago Philipp Melanchthon organized the teachings of Martin Luther into a paper composed of 28 articles which became known as the Augsburg Confession. He and many of the German princes risking everything stood in affirmation while it was read in Augsburg to Emperor Charles the 5th. If you have ever wondered what makes Lutherans different here it is. Unlike most Christian churches we believe that God's truth does not change therefore what was written down 500 years ago is still true today. This is not due to our “opinion” rather it is due to WHO we believe in that is Jesus Christ our Savior Who does not change. No different than in Jesus' day, Luther's day or our day Christ has come to soundcloud.com/user-462937846/do-not-fear?si=21b7385935334bfb988dfeede3e8848f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharinggive sinners forgiveness and through it fill them with the hope of eternal life. This is what and how we confess our faith to the world.
     Jesus tells us in our gospel lesson, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Jesus said this to His disciples as they went out to prepare their fellow Jews to receive Jesus. Many of these Jews later would put them in prison and stone them to death as to not hear any more about Jesus. All because they rejected the idea that they were sinners in need of forgiveness. Instead many trusted in themselves and their own works rejecting the free gift of salvation. Sadly, it was no different for many of the Catholics in Luther's day. Work righteousness, sin and our need for forgiveness caused Luther search the scriptures and rediscover the gospel for which he and many others were again persecuted. The sinful flesh will admit the existence of sin, but recoils when that sin becomes personal. If Christ has come to give forgiveness then the world must recognize why it needs to be a gift. The result is very thing we cherish is the very thing the world rejects.
     However, it is through this gift of forgiveness we learn Who Jesus is and what He is doing for us. He describes it when He tells His disciples, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Even though none of our names are mentioned in scripture we all, because of Jesus believe this. Jesus dying on the cross convinces us that we are more valuable than many sparrows and that Jesus is aware of every hair on our heads. Right now we are blessed with civil peace, however we all know the current trend in society. God's word and God's truths are being openly questioned even labeled as evil. Therefore as Jesus said, A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. We will experience the same as Jesus. We will be rejected because of what we believe in. Many no longer see their need for Jesus and His forgiveness and therefore because we believe in Him we will be persecuted. In fact it is happening now. Try telling someone what the rainbow really stands for and you will see. Try telling someone that they are a sinner and that everyone needs what Jesus gives and you will see.
     But, don't go worrying about whether you will have what it takes to make a stand. That's just a distraction produced by our sinful flesh and Satan. Rather, just believe in Jesus. Just focus on what He alone gives and the comfort and peace found in forgiveness and eternal life will pull you through. I have seen this over and over as Christians face death head on with the joy and hope of eternal life. By simply trusting in Jesus God gives them more than enough strength to boldly show others their faith in what He has done. I have seen family members be sad but not be overcome at the passing of their loved ones knowing that their suffering is over and they are with the Lord. By doing this we show others that we know what Jesus is talking about when He says, do not fear but rather fear God by believing in His Son. Jesus teaches us His truths just as He taught His disciples and just as He taught Luther and those who confessed their faith in the Augsburg Confession. We believe in Jesus who gives salvation and we want others to know and be comforted by the same. This truth is ours in Jesus and will never change. Amen.  





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Sermon text: Matthew 28:16-20 Trinity Sunday A 2023
In the Name
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said before ascending, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Let us pray. Lord, we give You thanks for the gift of salvation made possible by your Son by restore us to Your name and are taught to observe what you command. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     When considering how to build the church very few of us if any would think of doing it in the way Jesus prescribes: Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. No flashy add campaigns, no limitations for new members, and nothing exceptional about what is to be used just water and the word. However, unlike the simplicity of the water, the words that are to be used are anything but simplistic. Today we used nearly two pages in an attempt to confess what it means for God to be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. By the time you get done reciting the Athanasian Creed your brain is shouting, “what did I just read!” especially when it talks about being judged for what you do! This is why the little phrase, in the name is so important. It truly has eternal consequences.
     So, with that in mind I draw you attention to the Old Testament reading. As good Lutherans we talk a lot about the “gift” of baptism because of what is given through it. However, it is not only a gift, but a restoration or even a recreation. The concept of “Trinity” that is God being Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not a novel invention rather it is what has always been. This is why God says, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So, what happens in baptism is a restoration of what was lost by Adam and Eve's fall into sin. In baptism we are brought back into fellowship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is why Paul tells us in Romans 6, We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Through baptism all that Jesus has done and won for us is given and all barriers between us and God are removed.
     This is especially important in our battle with the sinful flesh. We all get nervous when we hear Jesus say in His command teaching them to observe all that I have commanded, or as we confessed in the creed, “giving an account of what we have done.” This is because of our sin! The Holy Spirit has revealed God's truth to us and we see how our sinful flesh does not want to do God's will. This is why being baptized in the name is so important. Jesus has told us that He is the Gate. In baptism we enter this Gate and are kept safe. To be baptized in the name is to have God the Holy Spirit working in you and God the Son re-indentifying, restoring and recreating you. In baptism God the Father becomes your Father as Jesus gives you His righteousness. For this reason Peter tells us, Baptism....now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
     However, being baptized in the name is not only God claiming you as His child, not only forgiveness and eternal life, it is a transformation of who you are and what you do. As Jesus tells us, Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. In baptism we are placed into a relationship of grace with God our Father. He is always doing more than we are. This is why Paul says, having this treasure in jars of clay, but this is the way God has chosen to work that is through humble means even water and the word to do great things. May we through faith in Jesus Christ continue to love as we are loved and forgive as we are forgiven showing others what God has done and continues to do for us unto life everlasting. Amen. 



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Sermon text: John 7:37-39 Pentecost Series A 2023


Rivers of Living Water
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
     Jesus cried out to the great crowds, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for Your Holy Spirit through which we are enabled to repent and believe. Continue to reveal to us all that Your Son Jesus Christ has won for us through the cross so that rivers of living water may flow in us and through us in Jesus' name. Amen.
     When talking about the work of the Holy Spirit you have to be careful not to make it too complicated. As our epistle records which is a quote from Joel, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. This has happened, this is what Pentecost is about. The 12 disciples an many others receive the Holy Spirit so that Jesus could be preached to the world. With many of these, the same Holy Spirit led them to write as Jesus told them, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Thus we have the 4 gospels and the many epistles. The same Holy Spirit through these scriptures as prophesied by Jesus continues to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. The same Holy Spirit does this through God's word showing us our sin and where forgiveness comes from---Jesus our Savior. This is just as the prophet Jeremiah foretold, no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Long story short, the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus as the Savior.
     Now, it true that scripture also tells us in Galatians 5, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control; but these gifts do not come to us apart from the forgiveness found in Jesus. This is why Paul tells us directly following this list of gifts, And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires which happens through forgiveness. It isn't like Jesus just plops a serving of patience into our laps and magically we have patience. Rather, the Holy Spirit works through God's word, our baptism and the Lord's Supper convincing us over and over that Jesus indeed was victorious over our sin which gives us the ability to fight our sinful flesh. The Holy Spirit continuously works to convince us that indeed, God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. As God's love is revealed to us we are enabled to love just as John writes, We love because He first loved us. You could also say that God's love found Jesus is the well from which love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control flow. In a very practical way you could say, If you are impatient, look at Jesus, and He will show you and teach you patience. If you are unkind look at Jesus and He will show you and teach kindness. If you are sad, look at Jesus and He will show and teach you joy, discouraged look at Jesus and He will show and teach you courage.
     Now, I know this is pretty simplistic and not all that easy as we struggle with the sinful flesh. However, there is an aspect of this river of living water that makes it all possible. Unlike earthly rivers which can dry up or be diverted, what the Holy Spirit gives in Jesus is guaranteed and without limit. What Jesus gives is always good, always abundant, always available and without end. This is how it is a living water. It can't be quenched, it can't be used up, it can't 'watered down', it always comes to us in full strength, no matter how much we struggle, or how slow of heart we are. In forgiveness Jesus shows us how God does not give up on us. He shows us an eternal love that will never be taken away. This Holy Spirit given love even compensates for our getting older or weaker. He meets our hardships with more of Jesus as our faith is refined and strengthened. What this Holy Spirit gives in Jesus even compensates for this world as it gets crazier and more up side down! The more it unravels the more the Holy Spirit teaches us God's solid truths. This is why Paul tells us, when I am weak, then I am strong as the more we rely on Jesus, the more the Holy Spirit gives.
     Therefore especially in these End Times may we rejoice in God's work through His Holy Spirit Who reveals to us more with each passing day our Savior Jesus Christ. May He continue to become in us wells of living water unto life everlasting. Amen. 




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Sermon text: John 17:1-11 Series A Easter 7 2023


Glorify Your Son
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus prays, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to see the cross as Your ultimate statement of atonement, love and devotion so that through Your Son we may not only endure all things but be strengthen unto life everlasting knowing that He not only saves us but prays for us so that in Your name we would be saved. Amen.
I have always struggled with today's reading found in Acts chapter 1. Not the choosing of the new disciple, but loss of the disciple and the way the Holy Spirit describes that loss. It's uncomfortable. As Christians God teaches us to love one another even our enemies so when we see the loss of Judas who betrayed Jesus we struggle. We ask ourselves why did Judas do that? but Jesus gives us the answer when He prays, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son. In the Gospel of John that phrase the hour has come, is only used to refer to Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus would be glorified by suffering and dying for our sins. We know this therefore we call Jesus our Savior, that is the One Who saves!
     What does this have to do with Judas? Judas apparently did not see Jesus as his Savior. He may have seen Jesus as a great potential leader or the greatest prophet and miracle worker ever sent by God, but not the Savior. Why do I make this claim? If Jesus was a Savior to Judas, Judas could have at any time asked Him for forgiveness, or listened to Jesus when He told the disciples that they were going to Jerusalem where He would be arrested, killed and rise on the 3rd day. He would have been confident in the love of God found in Jesus, but he wasn't, he didn't feel that he could go to Jesus to get what he needed most and that was forgiveness. In contrast look at Peter, who publicly denies even swears he didn't know Jesus and then goes off by himself and weeps bitterly but didn't kill himself. Why? Because he knew Jesus to be the Lamb of God that takes away sin of the world. In Jesus He saw God's love, not some potential earthly leader. What He saw in Jesus enabled him to endure this fiery trial and hold on to what He knew about God and His mercy as shown to him in Jesus.
     Now what does this mean for you? If you are to endure the fiery trials of this world you must know Jesus to be your Savior. Not just someone who who did miracles, preached, taught or even raised the dead, rather you need to know the Savior who was glorified by His suffering and death on account of your sin. The result is this Savior not only loves you with an eternal love, He also suffers with you. The sin which causes your suffering, whether it be your own sin, or someone's against you, this Jesus has died for! This is why I have said for several Sundays now, Jesus not only redeems you, He redeems your life. Your suffering because of Jesus' suffering works for your good as He takes your sin away which allows faith to grow. Not only that Jesus is praying for you that His suffering would not be for nothing, and also that your suffering would also glorify God. For these last few weeks I have visited many people in the hospital and every one of them glorified God as they held tightly to Jesus while they suffered. Their faith in Jesus enabled them to endure and give thanks for God's mercy and the care they receive. Their faith in Jesus is enabled them to proclaim God's love as they endured their fiery trial. Just as Jesus chosen to save us glorified God through His suffering on the cross we too glorify God as we suffer in ways chosen by God by trusting in His Son.
     In closing you may be wondering how can anyone be “happy” when talking about suffering? As Christians we are MORE than happy, we are content. We believe in something that is so solid, so enduring, so eternally and so effective that no matter what is happening to us what Jesus gives enables us to rejoice. Through Jesus even our suffering has a purpose and if it has a purpose how much more the blessings and joy God gives! All this because Jesus is glorified by taking all that is bad about us to the cross and through it giving us all that is good about Him. May we continue to glorify the Savior by holding tightly to Him in suffering, rejoicing in our blessings all the while looking forward to life everlasting. Amen.




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Sermon text: John 14:15-21 Series A Easter 6 2023


Not Orphans


Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to His disciples, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, teach us of your Son's faithfulness and the difference it makes in our lives rejoicing in your Son's resurrection and in His love keeping your commandments. Amen.


I want to point out something about the disciples but not to criticize them. Rather I want to show you a difference that we enjoy without notice. Think about the situation in our gospel. The disciples have spent that last three years being nurtured and strengthened by Jesus. They have witnessed Jesus' miracles, his power over demons and over nature, they have been personally taught God's word not to mention all the teaching they witnessed for the people and they have had the comfort of Jesus presence to reinforce everything. They were His chosen, but look at their lack of ability to handle what is about to happen. Even though Jesus made it a point to tell them over and over that He would be arrested, killed and rise on the third day. Why point this out? Because it helps us understand what Jesus is saying when He says, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. As we see the difference between the disciples before Jesus' crucifixion and compare it to their attitudes and abilities after we can see what it means for them and for us that Jesus does not does not abandon us, but just the opposite comes to us!


This especially helps us to accept Jesus' words when He says, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. These words are frightening and comforting. They make complete sense to us but at the same we are afraid of them. All of us here today would not hesitate to say publicly or privately, “yes, I love Jesus!” Who wouldn't! But we slam on the brakes when Jesus also says, you will keep my commandments. The problem is we know ourselves too well! How can Jesus ask this of us when we struggle so much with our sinful flesh, this sinful world and Satan's temptation! Especially here as we see the disciples themselves fall apart as Jesus tells them that He is going away even though they love Him, but at the same time are filled with fear about what life will be like without Him.


BUT, this is why I began this sermon by pointing out the disciples struggle. The simple truth is, they at that moment do not have what we have now! This is why Jesus tells them, I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Notice Jesus doesn't say, “I will return to you,” rather He says, I will come to you. This is an announcement even a prediction; the Jesus that is leaving them will be different than the Jesus that returns. The Jesus that returns will as our text tells us, give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth. This victorious Jesus earns for us the right to receive on account of faith in Him, the Helper, the Spirit of truth. His number 1 job is to enable us to receive Jesus and all that Jesus gives. This is why WE are different. How many times have you wondered why did the disciples forget the most important things? Why they are the afraid, and don't understand even Jesus rising on the third day? BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORK IN US we see how Jesus comes to us, abides in us, and reminds us constantly that He has risen, He has risen indeed, Alleluia!


Now, this sermon would be incomplete if I did not also point out WHERE Jesus comes to us; that is in His word and sacraments. In baptism He comes to us claiming us as His own. In His Word He comes to us Genesis to Revelation to reveal His salvation. He comes to us in the Lord's Supper in His body and blood convincing us we are not orphans, but are God's children by grace. As Jesus comes to us He abides in us and through His promises reveals God's eternal and abundant love. It is this faithfulness that overcomes our sinful flesh, teaches us His ways and enables us to love as we are loved. We are not orphans, Jesus is with us. Amen. 




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Sermon text: John 10:1-11 Easter 4 Series A 2023

     That They May Have Life
Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Let us pray. Heavenly Father we give you thanks for Jesus Who is the door to abundant life. Amen.
      This text although it is one of my favorites has caused me much soul searching these last few days. Recently, I have witnessed Christians experiencing unexpected bad things. So I find myself asking, “just what is this abundant life Jesus is talking about? Well, as good Lutherans let us allow scripture to interpret scripture. In John chapter 17 Jesus says something that helps us understand what this abundant is. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure and prays to God saying, (15-16) I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
    We are gathered here today because we like these disciples are not “of this world.” However, and this is the difficulty we are “in the world.” Or using the language of today's Gospel, Jesus is the door through which we have entered and now we are in His sheepfold. We hear His voice which causes us to follow Him and we are saved. This defines what abundant life is: our sins are forgiven and we look forward to eternal life. But, even though we look forward to eternal life we are still in the world. This is why Jesus prayed, I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep (or guard) them from the evil one. Unlike the rest of the world, we have a Savior who through His word, forgiveness and the hope of eternal life is continually saving us. This is in contrast to those who do not know Jesus. They, the unbelievers are unprotected victims of Satan the Thief who is stealing “life” from them thereby killing them and if they die without Jesus, destroying them for eternity.
However, in contrast, Just as Jesus prayed, God through Jesus is keeping, guarding and watching over His sheep. The abundant life Jesus gives is because of and inseparable from His constant action on our behalf. This includes what He has done and what He will do. His cross is a stream of abundant life which leads to our being taken not only to our eternal home but also being given incorruptible sinless perfect bodies for eternity. The point is Jesus gives us abundant life but not only because of what He is doing in the here and now, but because God's plan to save you started way before you were born and will continue into eternity.
     However, His abundant life also is in the here and now. It comes to us in the peace, joy, comfort and strength given in forgiveness. It comes to us in our being bound to Jesus by grace on account of what HE has done. A grace which gives us the right to ask God for anything at anytime. A grace which gives us the right to expect God to always work for our good despite our living in a sinful world with sinful frail human bodies. A grace which even gives us the right to complain to God when we don't understand and that like a loving father He will gently listen.
    This abundant life includes our being a part of the body of Christ. You can be a Christian and not go to church, but in doing so you are putting yourself in danger and you are robbing yourself of the comforts God wants to give His children. Here in church is where God's word is preached by your pastor who knows what you have been going through. Here is where you are given the support needed to endure hardship as God's people pray for you and seek to comfort you. Here is where you receive the most focused earthly form of God's love in the Lord's Supper as He comes to you in the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Savior for the forgiveness of sins. Through these gifts God reminds you that you are not alone, that He is listening and working on your behalf. In this way God fills you with abundant life not only sustaining you in your faith but causing all things to point to His Son. Amen. 




Sermon text: Luke 24:13-35 Easter 3 Series A 2023


Slow in Heart
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
     Jesus said to the men, O foolish one, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Let us pray. We thank you heavenly Father not only for your patience as you teach, but how you because you know us like no other and have power over all things use all to reveal to us at the right time how your Son Jesus Christ saves us. In His name we pray. Amen.
    I don't know if I can put my finger on it, but there is a difference in the way Jesus interacts with the disciples following His resurrection. There is a light heartedness that is woven into the way He does things. Today's gospel lesson is one of the best examples we have of this. Jesus not only is patient with these two disciples He reveals Himself in a way that expresses His complete confidence in what He has done. No longer does He “sigh” with impatience as He sees the affects of sin. Rather, in almost a playful even comical way He chooses to reveal Himself so that we and these men can marvel at and praise God for His way of doing things.
     This story reveals how God is not hindered by our being slow of heart or even as Thomas displayed in last Sunday's gospel by our stubbornness even when we fight against the very thing we need the most! In fact just the opposite God uses both and even more to dramatically reveal Himself and at the same time teach us His faithfulness. So these two men are talking about the things that have happened that is Jesus' arrest, crucifixion and being in the tomb three days. We see their struggle and how they are “gloomy.” Who can blame them, not only were disappointed but also very sad about what happened. This is a part of what makes this story not only wonderful but important. We learn, that like these men we OFTEN have things that happen to us in this sinful world or to people we care for making us sad and gloomy. But these things or this attitude are not barriers to God's work in us or even through us.
     In this story Jesus reveals His desire and ability to teach us especially when we are sad and gloomy as He seems hidden from us. As we prayed before the sermon, Jesus knows us like no other and has power over all things. Therefore He allows us to struggle hiding Himself and His plan in order to prepare us to hear His answer to our struggles. This is just as the author of Hebrews tells us, (12:11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. And look at what happens, Jesus takes advantage of their struggles and allows them to talk even complain we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel, and even saying, it is now the third day since these things happened. The point is God wants to not only hear our praises but also our complaints. He want us to bear our soul to Him for as we bear all to Jesus God reveals His love and patience with us preparing us to hear what He has to say.
     Jesus takes their complaining, their confusion, their disappointment and their sorrow and uses it to prepare them to hear His answer. He says to them and to us, Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. The bible is filled with wisdom but the most important and all encompassing answer it gives is Jesus. The bible does guide us through life's problems, but it main concern is that we know Who Jesus is as we endure them. He is the One who changes our lives by His redemption. The reaction to this from the disciples hinges on the fact that Jesus saves them. He saves them and saves us from this world to eternal life. They tell each other, Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? The point is Jesus is the answer to our heartaches. Jesus suffers for us. He takes away the punishment for our sin. The result is God not only claims us for eternity He claims in the here and now. Being slow of heart or foolish or even stubborn is not a barrier to Him. It is not a barrier because Jesus through His suffering has already done all that needs to be done to make us His children.
     But not only that, God gives purpose to our struggles and weaknesses. Think of how that truth gives us hope! Not only that through them He increases our faith and our ability to thank and praise Him especially for what He has done in Jesus. This also means is that God does not give up on us. He is always there working to save. He always ready to follow our sorrows with His joys found in Jesus. This is especially important at this time where many do not come to church. Therefore, may God use our struggles, our slowness of heart and even foolishness to tell others of His persistent love and how He has saved us and wants to save them. Amen.






Audio - soundcloud.com/user-462937846/various-trials?si=db0cac050a664d10894c5f20e61bf6b5&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing  
Sermon text: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Easter 2 2023 Series A


Various Trials
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Peter writes, In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father through your Holy Word may we see how you work to strengthen our faith so that through our various trials we would obtain the salvation of our souls. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     Why would the Holy Spirit guide John to write this story about Thomas? Think about what this says about the honesty and the truthfulness of scripture. We hide our embarrassing moments but not the Holy Spirit. Rather, through them we learn of God's faithfulness to save not to mention His mercy and love. In our Acts reading we see an example of the “various trials” as Peter and the “other apostles” (who knows could have included Thomas) were imprisoned and beaten for the sake of Christ. We usually think of “various trials” as being persecution but could they not also include the struggles we have within ourselves. Does not God use them to strengthen faith? Case in point, look at Thomas.
     We don't know where Thomas was when Jesus appeared the first time. We assume that whatever the reason it had to be strong one. Thomas perhaps due to some internal struggle didn't want to be with the disciples. Who knows maybe he followed Jesus' example and went of by himself to pray? But by taking what Peter tells us in our epistle and applying it to the Gospel we can assume that God was behind whatever was happening both to protect and build up the faith of Thomas and ours as well. From the moment Thomas said, unless I see...unless I put... or place...I will not believe Jesus was working in him helping him through this “various trial” to test the genuineness of his faith.
     You see, being a child of God transforms our lives by grace. Christ has not only redeemed us, He has redeemed our lives. There are no wasted moments which are not covered by His grace. This is what Judas failed to see, and what Peter saw. The moment Thomas makes this boast God starts working on him. The Holy Spirit works to remind us not only of scripture but the scripture Jesus fulfills for our sake. When we struggle we see ourselves as going back and forth, from faith to weakness, but not God. God always for the sake of Christ sees us as His children. Therefore, He works our internal struggles for our good. Through the struggles He reveals the total weakness of our flesh and our great need for Him and His grace. Through our struggles He prepares us to whole heartedly receive what only He can give.
     Thomas after a week of internal struggle now gathers with the disciples. The doors are locked, perhaps not out of fear this time but to show Thomas what is possible for Jesus. The moment Jesus appears He says to them, Peace be with you! What a comfort this MUST have been for Thomas who wanted so badly to see but struggled so to believe. Then Jesus says to him, Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Why? BECAUSE it is just as Thomas wanted, we see Jesus care, love and understanding in how He handles Thomas' struggle. Because He is our loving Savior He turns this struggle into a moment where faith is nurtured and saved as Thomas answers with his whole heart, My Lord, and my God.
     It is no different for us. Jesus knows you like no one else. Through the Holy Spirit in His word He has created and sustains faith in you. He has claimed you as His own in your baptism. He comes to you personally in His Holy Supper. He IS working all things for your good, so that your various trials, be they outside or inside, are used to prove Him faithful. This is the tested genuineness of faith. That through thick and thin we see Jesus as our Savior. So that we are able to praise Him at all times not only despite our various trials but even because of them as we look forward even more to His eternal kingdom. Amen.




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/fear-and-great-joy?si=323c38dd5b414fd49b55fde8158fb470&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing     
Sermon text: Matthew 28:1-10 Series A Easter 2023




Fear and Great Joy
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. It is wonderful to be gathered with all of you on this day as we celebrate Jesus victory over sin, death and the devil proven by His rising from the dead. I would like to start our sermon by focusing on the words, they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, as we wrestle with our doubts and the troubles of this world overcome our fears and replace them with the great joy found in your Son. Amen.
     I will be honest with you I have always struggled with that word “fear.” It is complicated more by that fact that these have just the greatest news known to mankind and Matthew tells us, they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy. What is that word “fear” doing there?! Well, fear is not necessarily bad. The Psalms tell us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But then I have to ask, “what fear did they have with Jesus?” I am sure that when they first met Jesus they did so because they were in need and filled with fear: fear of sickness, fear of demon possession, fear of the Romans and most importantly the fear of not doing what God wanted them to do. But this is what having a relationship with Jesus is all about. Jesus teaches us to replace bad fear with good fear.
     Their fears of all that was around them were being replaced by what Jesus showed them. He being the Son of God showed them God's love. He healed the sick, He cast out demons, He even raised the dead, but most importantly He taught them how to “fear” the Lord. He showed them that God and more THE LOVING GOD was real. Proper fear of the Lord is to believe that He is real and even more that He listens to you. Even today, especially when I am in church singing a hymn or praying, all of a sudden I realize, “I'm praying to God!” or “I am singing to God!” You see, proper “fear” is when God is real to you, and only Jesus makes that possible.
     So when the women hear the angel say, Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. This angel as a messenger of God is replacing their earthly fear with the proper fear of God. Their fears of “is Jesus dead, are they coming for us, what are we going to do now, or even IS GOD REAL, are replace with the most important message for all time, He has risen, He has risen, indeed, Alleluia! Now, as they leave, they are filled with proper fear. Yes, mixed in with that fear is the fear of the unknown, but it is a fear that recognizes God is REAL, and not only that, Jesus has risen from the dead! So, it is no secret to you all why this fear is accompanied, or better followed by GREAT JOY! Because Jesus had risen from the dead, ALL of their fears were taken away.
     But, the fact that they had fear is very important. We too have fear. Being human means that we don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. The older I get, the more I fear silly things. Am I going to fall, where should I save my money, how much longer will I be doing this (whatever “this” is) and so on. But church to me is an oasis of hope where God's promises in Jesus Christ wash away my fears and replace them with FAITH. Jesus does this through His Word as the Holy Spirit in that word creates something in me that was not there before. Jesus does this as His promises are fulfilled having promised to overcome death, and making eternal life mine by faith. Jesus overcomes my fears in my baptism as He by grace claims me as His child. Jesus overcomes my fears especially the ones I only know, as He forgives my sins through His own body and blood in the Lord's Supper. Jesus overcomes my fears as my fellow Christians listen to my complaints as they are the body of Christ around me. This is how Jesus fills us with both fear and more with great joy! May we continue together to be filled with fear and great joy through Jesus Christ unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/the-king-of-israel?si=6ec8e5677af84687887295d267affd95&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing   
Sermon texts: John 12:12-19 Palm Sunday 2023


The King of Israel
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. John records, they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" Let us pray. Teach us Lord to sing Jesus' praise as our King. In His name we pray. Amen.
     Let's just get to the nitty gritty part of our sermon today that bothers me the most. I don't like thinking about Jesus as my king. Why? Because I don't like the word “obedience.” I don't like for 2 reasons: 1) I don't like someone telling me what to do and 2) I am afraid of failure, that is failure to give Jesus the obedience He deserves. So I am much more willing to talk about Jesus my Savior, or Jesus my Mediator or Jesus my Teacher but not Jesus my King. Yet, the people can't help themselves as Jesus rides into Jerusalem, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! This is really odd to me because nothing in Jesus earthly ministry points to Him being a king. Just the opposite: He is humble, He is a servant, He is loving, He is always thinking about what is best for the 'other guy' especially if the 'other guy' is the weakest guy. Yet these people praise Him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!
     My problem and probably your problem too is that when we think “king” we don't think of someone chosen by God. Rather we think of a king as someone who because their royal birth become king. They don't necessarily deserve it, nor are they necessarily qualified for it. This was not the case for Israel's king and especially the Messiah who's main purpose was “to save.” Also, as we see in King David, they are not just a king, but also a prophet or as we see in King Solomon not just a leader but also a very wise man. To Israel a king was someone who was sent from God to save Israel from their enemies to lead them through a difficult time to punish those who do evil and protect those who do good. After three years of ministry, after countless miracles, casting our demons (talk about protecting or saving someone from evil!) teaching like no other, and now just recently raising someone from the dead (is that not the ultimate way to save someone!)! The people thought to themselves: who else could this be but someone chosen by God and sent to save His people! So, they call Him “King!”
     But can I obey this king? I still struggle with obeying and I still struggle with the fear of not being able to do what I am asked to do. But this is why we need to remember that Jesus is all together at one time our prophet, priest and king or better yet, “our Savior.” Oddly enough, I may not be able to obey or even sing praises to a “king” but I can by grace through faith be caused to praise and even obey Jesus as my Savior. Yes, He is my king, but so much more than a king that He causes me to praise and enables me to obey Him. I can both obey and praise Jesus because He does not ask me to be obedient or even to praise Him, rather He asks me to believe in Him. By believing in Him, He causes me to obey Him, and by believing in Him He takes my weak obedience and washes it clean covering it with His righteousness. This causes me to praise Him all the more as He not only saves me, but enables me to serve Him without fear and in righteousness all the days of my life (into eternity!). Not only that, but He does increase my ability to obey Him as well as He teaches me to live according to His new creation within me, that is my new man. He uses His power and authority to orchestrate my life in such a way, that with each passing day I learn by grace to put off the things of this world and hold tight to the things of God. As my King He also showers me with His gifts. In His gift of baptism I not only sing His praises but I do so with all of God's people here and those in heaven. With His gift of the Lord's Supper I am washed clean of my sin and my heart is freed to praise Him and with His gift of eternal life, He gives me more than enough strength to endure any hardship. This is our King of Kings Jesus Christ our Savior to whom we sing, “Hosanna!” Amen.






Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/the-glory-of-god?si=3a0a29331eea4851af834e9746e9cd68&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing 
Sermon text: John 11:1-45 Lent 5 Series A 2023


The Glory of God
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to His disciples, This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. Let us pray. Help us Lord to see your Son as the resurrection and the life so that we may be used in every way to point to Him in Jesus' name. Amen.
     I want to begin our sermon today by pointing out the verse which says, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. The obvious reason we are told this is because Jesus is going to ask a lot of them. It seems backwards, but God often challenges those who are faithful to Him. According to human logic it would be just the opposite. If someone is good we treat them good, but this is a part of what we call the theology of the cross. Because Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He used them to show others what faith in Jesus Christ means. The lesson: God does the same in our lives.
     So we see that Jesus' love for them causes Him to wait till Lazarus dies, but Jesus did not do this haphazzardly, rather He prepares them for it. We know this because scripture tells us in Luke 10 Jesus visited and taught them. We know this also because of the answers Martha and Mary give Jesus. They both had to be discussing why Jesus didn't heal Lazarus of his fever. So, they both had the same answer, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. This is not a complaint this is a confession of complete faith in Jesus' abilities. This is why Martha also says, But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. These are not empty hopes rather they have been taught by Jesus what the Messiah will do. This is why Martha confidently says about her brother, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day and even more what she says about Jesus, Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.
     But, because they understood, because they loved Jesus and Jesus loved them, God would ask them to endure for the sake of Christ. But, as we see, extreme measures produce extreme results. The fever, the being dead in the tomb 4 days, the close relationship with Jesus, the multitude of mourners and onlookers were put in place so that when Lazarus would be raised, all would KNOW, “God did that!!!” The people could only have one conclusion as they saw Jesus raise Lazarus and that was that He IS the resurrection and the life, the Son of God and the Messiah!
     But it doesn't stop there. This story is all about showing us that Jesus is still the resurrection and the LIFE! Jesus by His cross proves to all the magnitude of God's love. The cross tells us that Jesus loves you every bit as much as He loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. But you know what that means. To each of you according to the faith given you God will use your life, your struggles, your needs to reveal to others His glory. His glory will be revealed as He meets your needs, and answers your prayers in a way that only God could do. However, the first and most important way He meets our needs and answers our prayer is through forgiveness and eternal life. It is through forgiveness and eternal life God enables us to endure no different than what He did for Lazarus as he lay sick waiting for God's healing or for Mary or Martha as they waited for God's answer to their prayer. We give God glory and point to His Son as we through all difficulties continue to believe in Jesus. As we believe we show others that He IS the resurrection and the life. BUT, it also happens as God sees fit, to answer our prayers especially after waiting in such a unique way that those around us and those watching can only say, “God did that!” This ability of God is why we hope in Him, and more His Son who shows us by His own life, suffering, death and resurrection that God IS Faithful. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/the-works-of-god?si=3d4943e7507246e5942695c7779a6bdb&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: John 9:1-41 Series A Lent 4 2023


The Works of God
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus answered His disciples, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. Let us pray. By the blind man's healing you revealed the works of God so that others may see and believe, we pray help us to also trust in Jesus as light of the world so that others may see Him through us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     There is much that can be said about this “work of God” that is this healing of a man born blind. It displays God's ability to save the unsavable. It displays God's ability to work through means. It shows the boldness through joy that being saved by Jesus gives, but today I want to focus mostly on how the works of God are displayed in this blind man as he is healed by Jesus.
     I talk to many people, especially people who have lost their sense of purpose in life. You may not think about it much because you don't need to, but all of us need a purpose. We need a reason to live; a reason to get up in the morning. So, we consider the blind man. One can hardly think of a more useless person according to human standards. Not only was he “useless” he was a drain on society. But there is a deeper more questionable standard revealed by the disciples question, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
     This question is in conflict with the fact that God is just and merciful, and it reveals the problem with the way the sinful flesh thinks. The flesh doubts God's ability to look at us in love. So Jesus quickly counters this falsehood and even “ups the ante” by saying, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in HIM. Jesus is the light of the world as He makes it possible for us to see and trust in God's love and mercy. Just the opposite Satan and our sinful flesh want to live in darkness because they think in darkness they have control. Darkness enables us to hide our sin and at the same time gives us the right to judge everyone else. But worse, it is a very selfish and purposeless way to live.
     What Jesus says here is very “freeing” in that it reveals that there is purpose even in our suffering (which is needed especially now)! There is purpose in being weak and in need! Every bad thing we see in this world due to sin weighs us down, but Jesus shows us His ability to make it into something good as it points to Jesus. In the case of the blind man Jesus reveals His power to heal, save and strengthen. He changes a beggar into a joy filled believer who even though he is hard pressed by the Jews increases in conviction, wonder and joy! So much so he boldly and clearly tells them, If this man were not from God, he could do nothing!.
     We rejoice today because we don't need to be jealous of this man because Jesus has done and is doing the same and even more in our lives. Jesus has healed us of a greater from birth sickness than blindness: our sin. He has not just healed our eyes with spit and mud but through His water and word in our baptism He has transformed us from head to toe inside and out into His children by grace. Even more, this blind man could only point to the day he was healed to see the works of God in His life, but we know that God through baptism has transformed every moment of lives as we live by grace to be a testimony Him. This grace causes God to be constantly working to all things for our good, so that others would see His glory in our lives. His glory is seen as we live by faith and not by sight as we keep our eyes who is our light.
     But it doesn't stop there. Jesus gives us purpose. Even if we were blind and not healed, the glory of His salvation would shine all the brighter. As Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit, meaning that when we are down, when we are having a bad day, when we are broken and our only possession is Jesus, God's work is revealed in us! As Jesus is our only reason to live, we above all are giving glory to God. And IF we were ever to be put to the test where our faith in Jesus would be questioned no different than this healed blind man, step by step God would also increase our faith as we come to realize that Jesus is our greatest treasure which will cause us to testify boldly and with joy! The point is God's work is revealed in this blind man so that we can be confident that His work is revealed in us as we live as children by grace unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Audio:     soundcloud.com/user-462937846/in-this-hour?si=297785cb449c410c9f66430cb1c9fd51&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon Text: John 4:5-26 Lent 2 Series A 2023


The Hour Is Now Here
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the woman, But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. Let us pray. Heaven Father, in this hour teach us to worship You through Your Son in Spirit and in Truth. Amen.
     Much has been said about the woman at the well, why did she have so many husbands, was she that terrible of a person and so on. However, it is more important to listen to what Jesus doesn't say about her because Jesus DOES know her and He knows all of us. Being able to worship is knowing that Jesus knows us and is our source of the Spirit and Truth.
     We get a big hint from John what this text is about when he says “the sixth hour.” That was noon or midday and was usually a time set aside for family to gather eat, and pray. This is why Jesus' disciples went to get food. So when she arrives at the well Jesus asks her for a drink. This wasn't just to satisfy His thirst, rather it was Jesus inviting her to join His family. The issue of being a Samaritan is only a part of what is going on here. She comes here to avoid people. She does not want to be reminded of what is going on in her life. But Jesus step by step disarms her with one dramatic statement after another speaking of living water, never thirsting again, and having a well springing up to eternal life within you.
     For a woman who obviously has had one set back after another, what Jesus was saying was exactly what she needed to hear. So finally she asks, Sir, give me some of this water! To which Jesus responds, Go, call your husband, and come here. All that she was avoiding is revealed by Jesus. At first she denies it then Jesus goes on to say, You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. We are no different than this Samaritan woman. Our sin is horrendous and we would like to avoid talking about it to anyone and prefer to just pretend it doesn't exist. But the thing is Jesus knows, not only does He know, He has suffered for every one of your sins, especially the ones you want to keep hidden. But also, no different that this woman, Jesus draws us to Himself. Through Jesus and His good news He disarms us talking about living water, never thirsting, and a well springing to eternal life. Yes, we want our sin to remain hidden, but we also WANT Jesus this Jesus to know us and know even our sin as He is like no other.
     What this Samaritan could not know that day was that Jesus would change her life. Unlike the Samaritan woman, we know Jesus has. Jesus makes “the hour” of worship every hour. He brings and gives, the Spirit and the Truth which makes faith and worship possible. Through our sins be many, He has taken everyone of them to cross where they have been disarmed. The knowledge of this victory fills us with hope and joy causing us to worship God our Father in Spirit and Truth where ever we are unto life everlasting. Amen. ​



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/in-this-way?si=806e24c9671e4223a473f4c4ec468fc0&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: John 3:1-17 Lent 2 A 2023


In This Way
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus proposes something to Nicodemus that he can not understand. Today we examine the connection between being born of water and spirit through the lifting up of Jesus Christ our Savior. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, remove all doubt, all fear, and all hesitation in our believing that through Jesus Christ we are by water and word able to enter into your eternal kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     When Jesus says to Nicodemus, unless one is born again and unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God, it was meant to shake Nicodemus to the core. In the same way Jesus says, no one puts new wine into old wineskins, meaning the legalistic thoughts and ways of the pharisees could not hold what Jesus was teaching. The thought that salvation must be earned could not be “blended” with Jesus' gift of salvation. One is of man, the other is of God, one is of flesh the other is of Spirit, one is from the inside the other is from the outside, one is from old the other from new, and one is from below, the other is from above. The result is just as Jesus wanted, Nicodemus is “got,” he is “beside himself,” he is confused and searching for an answer. In other words, he is just where Jesus wants him to be.
     When we look at this text today, a part of us SHOULD be confused. Salvation is not logical. God's love is not logical in the sense that WE can not understand how big God's love is. Worse, our sinful flesh which is common to ALL mankind can't even understand love or grace. Our sinful flesh puts limits on everything because we can only see something happening according to our OWN abilities. We are all more comfortable with a “3 strikes you're out policy.” So, no different than Nicodemus, our sinful flesh can not in any way understand what Jesus is saying when He talks about being born “again” or “anew” or “from above” (however you translate the word) and most definitely it can't understand any talk of being born of “water” and the “Spirit.” All because our sinful flesh is CONSTANTLY fighting against any thought of God being loving enough to GIVE salvation through Jesus Christ.
     This is why the title of our sermon today is “in this way.” John 3:16 has a particular emphasis which can be ignored by the English. Jesus is telling Nicodemus, “In this way” God loved the world, that is to say, “in contrast to what you think Nicodemus it's not about YOU it is about GOD and how HE intends to save. “In this WAY,” God loved the world, that (or 'in' that making it specific) He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever (we are going to stop there, to Nicodemus and our sinful that alone is controversial). Even now the pharisees were complaining about Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors! Jesus was through His hospitality showing the pharisees and religious leaders, the “whoever” of God's salvation. And to fully unpack this “whoever” Jesus says, “whoever” believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
     Now Nicodemus is not the only one who needs to hear this over and over to continue to believe it. As I have said in many other ways in many other sermons our sinful flesh is continually fighting against this message. Our sinful flesh wants nothing of this message because it wants to base all relationships on the law rather than the gospel. The sinful flesh doesn't want to forgive as it has been forgiven, the sinful flesh does not want to love the way it has been loved. This is because the sinful flesh wants to retain “control” and not by love or forgiveness because both demand that you release your hold on everything and hold only to Jesus for salvation. This is why God commands us, remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Without God's word we quickly forget the gospel and are hopelessly controlled by our sinful flesh, doing as the world does and being complete victims of our enemy Satan.
     We all are gathered here today around this truth, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Through God's word the Holy Spirit convinces us not only to believe, but to so operate our lives by this truth. Every time we hear this message God knocks over another sinful “domino” making us more His children by grace. God through this message empowers you to fight against your sinful flesh, to live not as the world lives and even though we are all growing older and weaker, HIS POWER found in Jesus Christ GROWS STRIONGER! His victory comes without limit and has already been given to you in the waters of your baptism and the Holy Spirit in His word. You already have the victory as you believe in Jesus as your Savior. No one is beyond His helping as He convinces you again and again that “in this way” the way of grace Jesus has saved you and continues to save you unto life everlasting. Amen. ​




Audio:  soundcloud.com/user-462937846/one-mans-obedience?si=c1109321ce6c4f6d880668f09d5494d1&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Romans 5:12-19 Lent 1 A 2023


One Man's Obedience
Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
     Paul tells us, For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, overcome our disobedience with the love found in Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
     No different than Adam, all of us struggle with being obedient to God and according to our sermon text we can blame Adam for this. But, let's not only blame him, but rather look at how this all started. All of us believe that God is the giver of only good things. Even in its fallen state God's creation is still beautiful and things work according to His order: trees and plants bear fruit and seeds, the sun rises every day, it rains, the planet orbits the sun, our hearts beat etc. In the same way God created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We don't know what its intended use was, but we do know that God asked Adam and Eve to show their love for Him by not eating its fruit.
     Now, Satan the deceiver rebels against God and tempts Adam and Eve to misuse a part of God's creation. He distracts their attention away from God's design and order. Satan by this distraction separates God's love from His creation and directions about the tree and convinces them that God was withholding something from them. So, perhaps we should call Satan, the “Distracter” because he owns nothing, has created nothing and according to Jesus can only steal, kill and destroy and he does this by causing us to ignore the greater truth. The greater truth is God is LOVE. God is and will always be all about love. He is love in what He gives and He is love in the way He gives it.
     Now, what does this have to do with today's sermon? I don't like being obedient. In fact none of us like being obedient. Satan the Distracter convinced Adam not to trust God and the result is that all of us are born into sin. It is literally in our DNA to be disobedient. This is why Paul says in our epistle, Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam. Unlike Adam and Eve, you can't help but sin. The result is our sinful flesh “resonates” with the disobedience of Adam. This is why in our liturgy today we said together, “we poor sinner confess unto Thee that we are by nature sinful and unclean.” The result is we are constantly distracted by our sinful fears, greed, jealousy, anger, revenge, lust, pride, etc. long story short we are a mess. All of these things are barriers to our being obedient to God, even though God is the giver of only good things and loves us.
     So, what is God to do? He sends us Jesus. We can't be obedient, we can't even see most of our disobedience, but Jesus can and is for our sake. It is no mistake that with this obedience of Jesus comes the word GIFT. As Paul says, But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. What is amazing is that God STILL loves us. It has and always will be about God's love for us. Even though we are often like little children throwing fits because we don't understand or we are tired or we didn't get our way, God STILL love us, AND, Jesus by God design is the eternal evidence of this love.
     Now, what does this have to do with my disobedience? God can't take away my disobedience, at least not until I die, but He CAN overcome it. Jesus' is obedient unto death so that my disobedience can be overcome as the love of God is transformed into the gift of salvation. I hold grudges, I am filled with the fear of losing, I am stubborn, I am greedy, but what God shows me in Jesus Christ overcomes all of that. More than that, His love is so strong and results in so much, that He overcomes all disobedience with in me. He does the same to you, He has done the same to all who are baptized as salvation is A GIFT, not something earned, but something GIVEN. We are here today, and gather every Sunday, so that God through His Word can continue to give this salvation. In the giving Jesus overcomes and love wins! May we continue to learn God's way of doing things as He gives His love and in the giving enables us to love and in that love fulfill His law unto life everlasting. Amen. 
​



Audio:   soundcloud.com/user-462937846/rise-and-have-no-fear?si=c36a545ef06945ce8fe0e99cde777b88&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 17:1-9 Transfiguration Sunday 2023


Rise, and Have No Fear
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the terrified disciples, Rise, and have no fear. Let us pray. Help us Lord to never separate the glory of the transfiguration from the glory of the cross so that we may be completely confident in Your salvation and bear the fruit of repentance leading to life everlasting. Amen.
     Peter awestruck by the glory of the transfiguration says, Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. Every year when I prepare for both Lent and preaching Jesus' transfiguration, the Lord stretches my understanding. The transfiguration of Jesus is mind boggling. How can a man shine with the light of the sun? We know the answer, because He is Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man, but that doesn't make it any easier to understand. No different than my changing or expanding view of the transfiguration, Peter himself is forced to digest as much a possible in a very short time. Kind of like when you visit the Niagara Falls and get right up to edge. At first it is glorious, but slowly as your senses catch up to the reality of the situation you have to back up and the power of what you are seeing becomes overwhelming. In a much bigger way, Jesus' shining, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, then the glorious cloud and the voice of God become too much for the disciples.
     However, it wasn't just the voice of God that was overwhelming, but also what He said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. Yes, even though this was good news, it was overwhelming to the disciples. The glory of God Himself surrounding them and His voice with all it's power was too much for them. But, what I am saying is, what God said ABOUT Jesus is also filled with glory and overwhelming. God is saying that every single thing that Jesus did, said and even thought were completely acceptable to God so much so that He was well pleased with Him! In the same way, beholding the joy of this transfiguration, or when seeing and hearing Jesus heal, teach and preach it was wonderful for the disciples. But soon these disciples' understanding and our understanding of “glory” would be pushed to it greatest limit. What we don't want to think about is that God's glory is not only beautiful and perfect, IT DEMANDS JUSTICE!
     What does this mean? It means that every single sin you commit great or small MUST be atoned for. Jesus HAD to be perfect according to His humanity for your sake. God HAD to be well pleased with Jesus for Him to be the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is why the glory of the transfiguration can not be separated from the glory of the cross. As “good” as it was on the mount of transfiguration, is how BAD it had to be on the hill of Calvary. Perhaps this is why we call it “Good” Friday, because the “good” revealed in Jesus at the Transfiguration is the good revealed in Jesus at His crucifixion. As we struggle with our sinful flesh we must be careful not to allow the forgiveness God gives in such abundance to be separated from the cross by which it was won. God's love for us, is so much greater than our love for Him but you can't know this unless you see Jesus on the cross. Jesus' suffering and death are a part of the gospel. A part which helps us not to abuse the gospel. This is why Paul says in Romans 6, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? In other words, how can we be the same knowing what Christ has done for us? How can we not be changed in how we view ourselves or what God expects of us as He works in us this wonderful but “awe filled” truth?
     This is why what Jesus says to the disciples is so important. Jesus, meets their terror and weakness with complete love and understanding. Luke tells us, But Jesus came and touched them, saying, Rise, and have no fear. Jesus knows this was too much for them. Jesus knows that because of their sin they were terrified. But for this very reason He has come to the world to say to them, and to say to you, Rise, and have no fear. We are slow to learn. We find ourselves looking at the past rather than looking at the future. We think too much about what we have done rather than what God has us yet to do and like the disciples we are often overwhelmed. But for this reason Jesus has touched you even touched your heart through His word and the waters of your baptism. He comes to you today personally in His body and blood forgiving you of all your sins. He reminds you that even though He suffered and died He did not stay dead, but rose to life on the third day. Therefore, He bids you everyday even every moment to “rise to life” proclaiming His victory over sin, death and the devil. Yes, the cross was and IS terrible, but it had to be, so that God would have full satisfaction for your sins. But it doesn't end there, Jesus' has risen, and by that rising proclaims even declares you to be His child by grace an instrument made alive and ready to live for Him unto life everlasting. Amen.




Audio:  soundcloud.com/user-462937846/solid-food?si=aa1e07f6dfdd4d7492a5310f95c01621&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 5:21-37 Series A Epiphany 6 2023
Solid Food
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Paul says to the Corinthians, I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for the sweet good news of the gospel through which we are ready for the solid food of your word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     Jesus, after declaring the people gathered around Him to be the salt of the earth, goes on to say, 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. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Thanks be to God Jesus has fulfilled every iota and dot of the law, and also paid for all sin rising victorious on the third day. We gather today as God's redeemed people, able through Jesus Christ to truly examine God's law so that through it we may be transformed to be the salt and light of this world.
     Jesus enables us to eat solid food, bringing us to repentance and causing us to seek and know the Lord's will. The world, our sinful flesh and Satan tell that sin isn't really sin, right and wrong are just opinions “held by society.” By the power of the Holy Spirit in God's word given to us because of our faith in Jesus Christ we seek and understand the Lord's will. For example: Murder is not just a physical thing, but we are shown that even ANGER toward a brother deserves judgment. Think how many times you get angry in a day! How many times you called someone or at least thought they are “stupid!?” I most definitely am guilty of this. Jesus tells us you can go to hell for that! In the same way Jesus urges us to value relationships and when you do anything to hurt anyone immediately go and be reconciled to them. We should NEVER get used to broken relationships either ours or others. We should at least pray that God would help us mend our broken relationships and NEVER get used to them. Think about it, redeemed children are to be no different than their redeeming Savior!
     Jesus continues, It is easy so easy to judge those who are divorced. But Jesus says that anyone who looks at someone with just the 'intent' to lust commits adultery! You can't look at half of the commercials on TV today without having “intents” of lust! That is when something looks “good” to you before you realize what you are doing!!! By this definition Jesus calls you an adulterer! By doing this we terribly underestimate the value God places on the relationships he blesses in marriage. So much so that it extends even to those who divorce and remarry. Jesus doesn't say this to punish those who unfortunately have divorced but rather to instill in all of us the highest regard for marriage. We have all lived long enough to see the affects of broken homes on children and adults to know why God does this.
     The final admonition in our text today concerns what we say. The Jews had a habit of making promises and adding a sacred location to their promise to make it more convincing. They thought that by using a location rather than God's name they were giving themselves some “wiggle room” to be okay if they didn't fulfill the promise. Jesus is saying, don't put yourself is such a situation. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” For us it is about the danger of wanting to be more than what God calls us to be. We think we have to dress ourselves up to be acceptable to others saying and doing unnecessary and even ungodly things. Instead we should just trust in the Lord because as Jesus says, you cannot make one hair white or black. Be who God has called you to be, and live according to His will trusting in Jesus.
     By teaching us this way Jesus does two things. He reveals that our righteousness is nothing, but at the same time because He has fulfilled the law for us, and redeemed us, He causes us to want to change the way we live. He actually enables us to delight in His law because HE has removed the punishment by taking it upon Himself. As He draws us to Himself, we not only see the cross, we see His way to live. By believing in Him we already are perfect in God's eyes but His perfection draws us to His way of living as we adore Him as our Savior. He causes us to be the salt and the light of this world, redeeming us, teaching us and soon when He returns transforming us into His glorified children unto life everlasting. Amen. 
​



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/salt-and-light?si=240cef26e0464af6b815d31240cc754a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Mt.5:13-20 Series A Epiphany 5 2023

Salt and Light
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, You are the salt of the earth, ... You are the light of the world. Let us pray. Lord remind us of who we are through your Son Jesus Christ save us today from the lies of this world, our sinful flesh and our enemy Satan. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     Jesus speaks to His own disciples and to the crowds saying emphatically, You, You are the salt of the earth, ….You, You are the light of the world! He says this to the disciples who have barely the begun their ministry and to a crowd who hardly knows Him. Jesus shakes them out of their slumber to the truth of WHO they are! He emphasizes this because He knows that the world, their sinful flesh and Satan what them to deny this truth. In the beginning God creates all things but at the pinnacle of His creation stands His children, Adam and Eve and all their descendants. Mankind IS the diadem of God's creation. We are not animals, we are created to be tabernacles of all that God is. Even though Adam and Eve fell into sin, God was still the source of all that is good, all that Jesus calls salt and light.
     The world, our sinful flesh and Satan all are at odds with this truth. It's a control issue. Satan has nothing to offer. He can only bend and pervert what God has created. The difference is he claims to give us control of our own lives by rebelling against God. He tempts us to exchange the salt and light that God alone gives for the use of God's created things and His creation apart from Him. The result is death and destruction. These “fires” of earthly pleasures soon burn out and leave nothing but a hopeless charred life. BUT, in contrast, Jesus bids us to gather every Sunday indeed go to Him every day so that through His promises in His Word and the strength and blessing of His sacraments we “wake from our slumber” and are filled with His light.
    We are here today to be reminded of WHO we are. Jesus has always been our Savior chosen before the creation of the world. He, His Word, His promises, His truth, make us the salt and the light. Even in Jesus' day people knew that you can not live without salt. Yes, it does make food taste better, yes it does preserve things, but most importantly it gives life. As God's children we were created to be in a relationship with our heavenly Father, the giver of only good things. Just as Jesus fills us with hope, He gives us a “life” an “energy” a “purpose” a “goal” by telling us we are not “normal” rather we are redeemed children of God on our way to life everlasting. Being connected to God through Jesus Christ means that despite our struggles with the world, our sinful flesh and Satan, God through His victorious Son, uses us to show others how Jesus makes our lives different in a very good way!
    We are the Light on the Hill, in that His truth DOES guide us. Yes, sometimes it guides us by telling us we did something wrong, but largely it shows us what is right. He pulls us out of the darkness of this world filling us with His light and setting us on His Hill of redemption. We shine by believing in Jesus and living toward the eternal life He gives. Such is this salt and light that Jesus gives He causes us to think and behave differently. Yes, many times it results in this internal struggle. Our new man and our sinful flesh are at odds with one another, but the new man through forgiveness ALWAYS wins. And, through the struggle, we long even more for what is yet to come made possible only by our Savior Jesus Christ.
     There is a story about a merge lane on the German Autobahn, a road where people go very fast and those with the fastest cars win. The problem was that many accidents were happening when people were merging into high speed traffic. However, they found a simple solution. They put a sign up that simply said, “alternate,” and the problem was solved. Our problem has a simple solution as well. Jesus, simply reminds us of who we already are. Jesus our Savior has the right and power to say to us every day even every moment, You, you are the salt of the earth, …..You, you are the light of the world. Don't listen to your sinful flesh, the world or Satan, rather listen to Jesus, the One who not only loves you, but has and continues to do something through His love. He has kept God's promises and will continue to do so. He has won your salvation, He continues to intercede for you before the throne, and He is coming to take you and all fellow believers to His eternal kingdom. This truth will continue to cause you to be the salt of this world and the light on the hill. Amen.




Audio:soundcloud.com/user-462937846/we-are-being-saved?si=5c777ecdfac848b18ffda532a7113093&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing   
Sermon text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Epiphany 3A 2023


Being Saved by The Cross
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Paul writes, For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to see that not only are we saved by the cross of Jesus Christ, but through it you continue to save us and fill us with hope. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     Today's sermon is somewhat selfish. As you may already know since Christmas I have been sick. First it was Covid, then after a week of the disease and a week of recovery, it was the flu and this week I am being treated for strep throat. Needless to say I have very little contact anyone and I feel a bit unproductive as a pastor. For this reason today's epistle offers me a great comfort in that not only are we saved but we are being saved. In connection to this yesterday at our missions council meeting a pastor mentioned that we should be inviting people to church. I know this isn't “news” to you. But it got me thinking. What is it about the way God saves you that would cause you to invite someone to church? For me today, the fact that we are “being saved” is the very thing that causes me to want to invite people to church.
     These series of illnesses have once again revealed the weakness of my sinful flesh. If I had gotten more sleep, If I had washed my hands better, if I had taken my vitamins, and so on I wouldn't be suffering like this (not to mention the inability to do my job visiting with people). So when Paul says, to us who are being saved, it fills me with hope. Even when I suffer the outcome of my poor choices God continues to save me. This has all been made possible by the cross of Jesus Christ which was a complete payment for all sin for all time: yours and mine. This is what enables God to continue to save you and me. Our sin is not longer a barrier to God's working in our lives especially when our lives are filled with struggle.
     This helps me share the Gospel. My own need for God's mercy being a sinner helps me identify with sinners who have yet to know God. I can tell them since God does not reject me--just the opposite continues to save me despite my sin—He wants to save you! God does not form a relationship with us because we deserve it, rather He forms a relationship with us because Christ has died for us. Not only that, but the fact that we are being saved gives our lives purpose. No matter what your condition, Christ has died for you, and you are being saved by Him. It turns my time of sickness into a time of thanksgiving as God focuses me in my weakened state on the only thing that keeps me going.
     May God in your time of weakness enable you to ponder His abundant mercy revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ. May He give you the strength you need to endure knowing that whatever is going on in your life you being saved, and that God will not give up on you because Christ has died for you and redeemed you. In Jesus' name. Amen.  ​



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/to-be-baptizeed?si=1218babbd8ca4c05b2653a3ba32a4b4f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing   
Sermon text: Matt. 3:13-17 The Baptism of our Lord 2023


To Be Baptized

     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Matthew records, Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Teach us Lord to understand the comfort of Jesus being baptized and what it means for our baptism. Amen.
     All of us understand John's reaction to Jesus when Jesus comes to be baptized. We know and John knew only sinners are baptized. Jesus needs no cleansing for sin, no robe of righteousness, but has a different purpose. So, He tells John, Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. What I want to talk about today is the comfort of our baptism and how it is the result of Jesus fulfilling of all righteousness.
     I think all of us are very thankful for our baptism. But we are all guilty of not appreciating it in the way we should. This is not only due to the sinful flesh but due to the fact that what happens in baptism is just overwhelming. As Paul tells us, We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Yes, we grasp this as the Holy Spirit works faith in us, but what happens to us in baptism defies time, location, earthly reality and our human identity before God. What we receive in baptism is so great it deserves our continually undivided and complete attention. Yet we rarely give it a thought even when we worship on Sunday morning.
     But this is the very reason Jesus is baptized. This is why God says after Jesus is baptized, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Like all things Jesus does, He does for us. So no different here, Jesus is baptized for us, and He in His perfection receives baptism faithfully. Not only that, in His baptism He publicly (so all can see) takes upon Himself the responsibility to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Every expectation God has for us as His children is placed on Jesus and fulfilled in Him. The result is we receive a baptism that is already complete in Jesus. This is the “newness of life” that Paul connects to baptism. This is what Jesus meant when He said, if the Son sets your free you will be free indeed! The point is only GOOD THINGS flow out of our baptism.
     This point I am making is, because Jesus was baptized our baptism works and works because of Him. For example, it often happens to me that I have a favorite tool but because I get into a hurry or am distracted or worse misused it I break that very tool I am so fond of. My point is, YOU can't break, or undo, or invalidate the promise God gives you in your baptism any more than you can stop Jesus from being Jesus. Your struggles with your sinful flesh, your doubts about yourself, your not thinking of the blessings of baptism all the time, do not weaken your baptism because your baptism IS JESUS! Jesus has already done all and paid all so that salvation is a gift. Therefore, baptism is God's seal made possible BY Jesus to be put on you by grace. And as I have said before Jesus is our Savior who continually never stops saving us. Jesus takes care of all the bad so that we can receive all the good in our baptism. Therefore, we rejoice that everyday even on bad our days that because Jesus was baptized we by baptism are God's children by grace receiving all good things and having all things work for our good to strengthen and preserve us in our faith unto life everlasting. Amen.




Audio:  soundcloud.com/user-462937846/terror-and-rejoicing?si=b58b5581bb7044f5bcd8da7b3bafa801&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Matthew 2:1-12 Epiphany Sunday 2023
Terror and Rejoicing
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Matthew shows us the connection between Him and joy saying, After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Let us pray. As we behold the Christ just as the wise men, fill us with exceedingly great joy. Amen.
     In the gospel of Matthew there is a contrast between those who seek Jesus and those who do not. It is especially dramatic in today's text as those who seek Jesus are the Gentiles and those who do not are the Jews! What we are to note--as indicated by our sermon title--is the difference Jesus makes in our lives when we seek Him and when we do not. However, for us who seek Him no different than these wise men He fills us with exceedingly....great joy.
     Even among us pastors we “energetically” discussed what these wise men knew and how they knew it. Matthew is not led by the Holy Spirit to make any connection to Isaiah's prophecy which is our Old Testament lesson for today even though the word risen in it refers to the rising of the sun or even a star. Which adds to the mystery of these men coming from far away to see the Christ child all because they saw the star in the East. So Matthew by example shows us the power of God's Son Who is able to draw even Gentiles to Himself even though we are not told how. This is just as He would later do with other Gentiles such as the Centurion and the Canaanite woman. The point is, if God can do so much with seemingly so little, how much MORE can He do with you and I as we listen to the very words of Jesus Himself in scripture! We don't have some cryptic prophecy rather we have Jesus' life and His very words recorded in scripture that not only draw us to Him, but save us and fill us with hope that causes exceedingly great joy!
     But look at poor Herod and all of Jerusalem. They were not filled with exceedingly great joy but just the opposite! They were not only “troubled” but actually terrified! One of my fellow pastors pointed out while we studied this text that perhaps Herod and all of Jerusalem knew what was going on! Think about it. How could people not talk about Zachariah being struck dumb for 9 months and Elizabeth's miraculous conception and birth of their son who they called surprisingly “John?!” Or what of the shepherds who were told by the angels how and where to find Jesus and just as they said they found Him and then told everyone! Or what of Simeon who knew ahead of time that he would see the Christ and was told by the Spirit where and when to find Him! And what of Anna who everyone knew never left the temple when seeing Jesus tells all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel. How could such stories not be circulated around Jerusalem!?! The point is Herod and many people in Jerusalem wanted no part of anything that would “rock the boat.” So we see, those who seek Jesus love Him, and those who do not are terrified by Him and what He brings. Sadly, the same thing is happening today. We look forward to what Jesus will bring at His return, but many who put their trust in earthly things are terrified by it!
     Either way the answer to our need and the fix for their problem is Jesus who is found in God's word and sacraments. What is different now is no longer does the Holy Spirit work through cryptic prophecy, rather Jesus' life and death is clearly proclaimed in scripture. This living word creates faith a faith which turns terror into joy! We have examples of this throughout scripture. Think of Legion who begged Jesus not to torment him, but then saved by Jesus desires to go with Him and then tells others what God has done for Him! Or, think of Zacheaus who wants to see Jesus from afar perhaps due to the guilt of sin but saved by Jesus repays fourfold those he cheated. Or, what of the thief of the cross who at first like the other criminal ridicules Jesus but then calls on Him to be saved. Or, what of Saul who out of fear persecutes Christians is saved by Jesus and then boldly like no other proclaims the gospel. Over and over Jesus turns the terror due to sin into the joy of salvation. Indeed, Herod himself as the hymn tells has a “senseless fear” of Jesus as this Jesus would even die for his many sins!
     But, this is the very thing that causes us to be filled with exceedingly great joy. We know that if God can save and transform them, He can do and will continue to do the same in us! Also, we all have friends and family members who because of their sin have a “senseless fear” of Jesus. But Jesus does not give up on them rather He knows them better than we do. We simply pray that God would at the right time show them how Jesus has saved them as well from their sin. This too causes us to rejoice because this Jesus shows us how God desires all men (mankind) to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, and will do so until Jesus returns. So we pray, may this joy cause us to be bold and share this Jesus who continues to save giving hope and exceedingly great joy. Amen. 




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Sermon text: Luke 2:21 New Years Eve 2019


Every Day Jesus
    Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Luke records, And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to continue to learn that because of your Son's perfect observance of the law our on behalf, we need not fear your judgment and can rejoice as Christ assists us continually to do your will. In His name. Amen.
    We don't talk about circumcision much, and indeed by God's design it purposely involves humbling things. However, the purpose of circumcision being a covenant with God's people means it is connected to each one of us. This outward sign signified a child's responsibility to God's law. As the apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. We all know from personal experience and know scripture tells us that even babies are responsible to this. As King David confesses in Psalm 51, Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, in sin did my mother conceive me. Each one of us even without the outward sign of circumcision is responsible for the law from infancy, and we are guilty of breaking and ignoring much more than we know. Indeed all of us, the older we get, the more the Holy Spirit teaches us what we should be doing, and what we have not done.
    This is why today's message is entitled, “Every Day Jesus.” Indeed you could misread this title as meaning as Christians we are to focus every day on Jesus, but that is backwards from what I mean by it. Rather, we have an every day, indeed every moment Jesus. Jesus' outward sign of circumcision pointed to what was going on with in Jesus even before He was circumcised, indeed even the moment He was born. As Paul writes in Galatians 4 a veritable little Christmas story by itself, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Or as today's epistle (and last night's sermon text) not only says, but tells us how what Jesus did gets to us, Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For (because) as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
    What this means is we live in the joy and comfort of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. So the result is: when I sleep or even 'nod off' Jesus is awake for me, and that is both spiritually and physically. When I miss something and should have known better concerning God's will, God sees me as His child by grace made possible by Jesus' perfect obedience of the law on my behalf. When I attempt to do God's will, but sin keeps me from doing it perfectly, Jesus' perfect life covers my imperfections and makes what I do acceptable to God. Even when I rebel against God, and the weakness of my sinful flesh gets the best of me, Christ's righteousness is mine as I through faith in Him repent of my sin and put my trust in what HE HAS DONE. In all the details which I am unable to observe God's law nor even comprehend, Jesus stands in my place, perfect and wholly acceptable to God. This is what we celebrate in the circumcision of Jesus. This is what saves the past year you and I have been through and what prepares you and I for all that we will experience in the year to come. Not only will Jesus save us, He will enable us to live giving thanks for all things, enduring all hardships and by our redeemed lives proclaim Him to all we meet.
     In closing I will point out the Old Testament reading. In it we have the Aaronic Benediction. You hear this every Sunday, but it is included in our readings today so that you may understand that in Jesus' perfection it is given to you! These words are OURS because Jesus makes it possible. He has lived for you, redeemed you and intercedes for you so that God can by grace continually bless and keep you, make His face continually shine upon you and be gracious unto you, and lift up and place upon you in your baptism His countenance giving you peace. All because of what Jesus did, is doing and will continue to do for you into eternity. This is our Savior and Jesus is His name. Amen.




Sermon text: John 1:1-14 Christmas Day Series A 2022


Full of Grace and Truth
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.   John writes of our Savior, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, fill us with the grace and truth found in Your Son so that we may celebrate Christmas and live every day in your abundant care unto life everlasting. Amen.
     For the sake of faith you need to ask yourself why did John tell us that Jesus was full of grace and truth? He could have said that Jesus is the source of grace and truth, or the definition of grace and truth or even the location of grace and truth, but He says for our benefit that Jesus is FULL of grace and truth. I think you all already know why and that is because as sinners we need a LOT OF grace and truth. It is also true that God is full of grace and truth. He most definitely defines truth given us the ten commandments and all the laws found in scripture, but again the Holy Spirit leads John to say that JESUS is full of grace and truth. Why? Well this is what Christmas is all about isn't it? We celebrate the birth of Christ because it is God Himself coming to us. Even though we know that God is full of truth and has on occasion has shown His grace, it is different when it comes to us in Jesus. Not only does Jesus comes to us, He comes to us as a baby born of Mary. This gives the grace and truth He brings “legs” that is we understand it because Jesus walked among us. We see this with all that He did and all that He said. For example, He tells the woman the well, whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life, but also He tells her Go, call your husband, and come here. He speaks grace, and He speaks truth. He tells the woman caught in adultery, where are your accusers, but also go and sin no more. Peter crouches in fear having witnessed the truth about Jesus in the miracle of the catch of fish saying, depart from me for I am a sinful man, but Jesus speaks grace to him saying, Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. All this He does for our benefit.
     Everything Jesus did and said was full of grace and truth. Now you may feel less of a Christian because you never got to see Jesus do a miracle or hear Him directly but all these things He did and said were to point to the greater and more lasting grace and truth. Jesus shows us with His life the fullness of His grace and truth so that we would believe as He becomes the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. We celebrate Jesus' birth because with His physical human body He shows us His divine grace and truth by suffering and dying on the cross for our sins. By this act of redemption He tips the scales of justice in our favor. We receive what God gives because Jesus has fully paid the price of our sin. You believe in Jesus because Jesus is the source of grace and truth. His suffering and death has earned your right to receive the Holy Spirit by which you have been taught God's love in Jesus. This Holy Spirit enables you to see God's love in Jesus and at the same time know the truth about your sin. Your sin reveals to you how salvation is a gift—evidence of God's love. So full of grace and truth is Jesus that nothing in all creation can separate you from this love. Even if the world or your body or your emotions are in chaos or just the opposite even if you 'feel' nothing, Jesus is still filled with grace and truth always working to save you from your sins.
     Jesus is so full of grace and truth that God does not require you to be the “best you can be” or “to continuously improve” or “to have no doubts” or “to never struggle” rather as Paul says, Christ came to save sinners of whom I am the worst. However, so full is Jesus of grace and truth that He will take your brokeness and cover it completely with HIS righteousness. As you believe in Jesus as your Savior God sees you as His child. So full of grace and truth is Jesus He will even in your struggles increase your faith, soften your heart and work in your a repentance that leads to trusting in Him more and more everyday. All the while increasing in you the joy, hope, comfort, strength and peace that only He can give. In this way this Jesus full of grace and truth will protect and sustain you unto life everlasting. Amen.
​



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Sermon text: Matthew 1:18 Advent 4 A 2022


Save From Sin
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The angel says in a dream to Joseph, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Let us pray. Help us Lord to see how important our being saved from our sins is to you, so that we may know your love for us and to live accordingly in faith toward thee and fervent love toward one another. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     There are people all over the world putting up Christmas trees, hanging lights and preparing to give gifts without ever thinking or even understanding the true purpose of Christmas! Indeed, even many Christians get caught up in the wonder of it all not really ever thinking about why God sent His Son or how it changes or at least is supposed to change our lives. Well, thankfully the angel and for that matter all of scripture tells us the reason, you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
     Now you may already know that the name “Jesus” means “God saves” and in our text today the Holy Spirit inspires Matthew to remind us that Jesus will also be called “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” So Jesus is “God with us,” for the purpose of saving and as the angel specifically said to save us from our sins. This is God's number one motivation so much so that He asks His only begotten Son to suffer and die for this cause. So it is proper and important to ask “Why?”
     “Why?” Well completely for our benefit! Remember, the angels sing, “peace on earth,” showing us that this is a peace never to be separated from Jesus. All this this world's talk of the “spirit of Christmas” is only temporary. That is at a particular time during the year we force ourselves to treat people differently, but that is not the “peace” the angels come to bring. God brings a true peace that can not be affected by anything happening in this world or anything this world is doing to us. Whether we are being persecuted for our faith, or suffering as God's Creation's groans or having a personal struggle with our sinful flesh or even Satan himself. The peace Jesus gives overcomes the source of all struggle and that is SIN!
     But more importantly, God saves us from our sin so that we can be without qualification united to Him by grace here and into eternity. To have true peace means to be one with God and this happens because of and in Jesus. Jesus born a baby bearing the weight of the law in our place to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. In this way Jesus just as the angel said, save(s) his people from their sins. It is that simple, it is that sure, dependable, permanent and eternal. God said it, did it and gives it all in His Son all so that we can have peace.
     But it doesn't end there. This “true peace” is something that not only comforts us, it changes our lives and has the power to change others lives as well. God works from within us to help us become stronger each day as the meaning of this event takes root in the way we think and in our personal lives. As we change, we change others. They see what the peace Jesus gives does to us and it causes them to want it too. Even our brokenness seen by others followed by forgiveness points them to the peace Christ alone gives. There is no better nor more solid form of love than to know we are forgiven and because of that forgiveness can forgive others from the heart. This is what it means to live each moment in the wonder of Christ's birth for the purpose of taking away our sin! This is the love of God which can not be separated from us which is our strength, our hope, our joy, and our peace unto life everlasting. Amen. ​


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Sermon text: Matthew 11:2-15 1 year Series Advent 3 2022


Until Now
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Heavenly Father, save us from evil give us true protection from violence through your Son Jesus Christ. Amen. John the Baptist is in prison for speaking the truth. Herod did not like being told that he was a sinner. No different than many of the prophets who came before John he was put in prison and even executed just because He did what God told Him to. So what does Jesus mean when He uses that little phrase, until now? In fact don't we still see violence done by evil people against Christians today and to the church? This is what I want to talk to you about today. What does Jesus mean when He says, until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence.
     Well, what Jesus is saying is a change has taken place. In fact you can kind of see the change when comparing what John preached and what Jesus does and preaches. This is why John sends His disciples to ask Jesus a question only John would be bold enough to ask, Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? John asks this question not because he didn't like what he saw and heard of Jesus, rather he asks this question because he wanted to see and hear MORE. God asked John to preach repentance saying, His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. By God's design John was to preach repentance and that those who did violence would repent or be punished. So John looks at Jesus and thinks, “what's going on?”
    The truth is, we want violence too. We want evil doers to be punished, some even executed and sent to Hell. We don't like it when those who do evil have nothing happen to them. It makes God's truth seem meaningless especially when good people get hurt. So, like John we want God to act NOW. Is that wrong? The problem is our ability to judge is only “skin deep.” We can look at a person's record and assess the situation but we can't see what is in their hearts and more what will be in their hearts tomorrow (think “thief on the cross). This is why Jesus warns, Judge not, that you be not judged....the measure you use it will be measured to you. I am not saying that laws should not be enforced in fact punishment is often the best thing for a criminal, rather what is the “until now” Jesus brings?
     God does demand His justice. He does exact vengeance, but He does it in a way we do not expect. Even John knew this and confessed it boldly but didn't understand its full extent. After He baptizes he points at Him and says, Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. God demands justice and punishes evil with great vengeance but not on those to deserve it, but rather on His only begotten Son. As Isaiah writes, he was wounded for our transgressions, ...bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement that brought us peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.
      Why does God do this? Because He loves us, and wants to save us. He knows that we can not save ourselves, so He makes salvation a gift. The “until now” of this text is that Jesus fulfills all law and pays for all sin in our place. What was in question before is now boldly proclaimed. All doubt concerning our being saved is taken away in Christ and God promises that it will last forever. THIS is a truth that changes lives. The Holy Spirit teaches us that if WE can be saved, so can any one else. (Think “thief on the cross!”) This is why God's kingdom comes not in vengeance but in peace and joy. Yes, Christians will still suffer violence, and still get sick and even die. BUT the “until now” which Christ brings overcomes all that with the comfort of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life.
     May we continue to learn how to live in this “until now” kind of life which Jesus gives in our baptism, renews in the Lord's Supper and teaches us in His word unto life everlasting. Amen.




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​Sermon text: Isaiah 11:1-11 Advent 2 A 2022


The Root of Jesse
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Isaiah prophesies, In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. Let us pray. Teach us Lord to long for the coming of our Savior in the celebration of His birth, in the day by day reliance on His suffering, death and resurrection and in the anticipation of His glorious return bringing eternal rest. Amen.
     Although the language may be very different filled with illustrations, we already know who it is talking about because of our faith in Jesus Christ. In fact Advent is all about getting ready to celebrate what happened in the city of David, that is David the son of Jesse. Thus the “Root of Jesse.” Mary and Joseph go to this humble town so that Jesus would fulfill prophecy. But His birth not only fulfills prophecy it shows us how God chooses humble means to accomplish great things. By doing this He shows us that His power is not hindered by even the worst of things this world can do even though Jesus is crucified He rises victorious. This is God's kind of “signal” filled with the hope that Jesus alone gives.
     This is also the puzzle that causes the nations to “inquire.” Just as Jesus Himself said, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. There is no one in all history like Jesus and more there is no event that provokes more thought than Jesus' crucifixion. This word “inquire” in the Hebrew also means to seek, worship or follow. Think about how this happens. By God's design Jesus' crucifixion proclaims both law and gospel! As people ponder the purpose of such a death God's word reveals to them that Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This thought is troubling as the Holy Spirit reveals to them that their sin put Jesus on the cross. It still troubles all of us as it should that our sin made it necessary for Jesus to suffer and die in our place. BUT this hard truth is followed by the greater glorious gospel. Jesus does suffer and die for your sin, but God works all things for your good on a glorious scale as this same Jesus rises from the dead glorified and victorious over your sin. This wonderful truth about Jesus causes us to have faith in Him. It shows us that though the world falls apart and we are attacked from without and within He is our banner of victory giving us the strength needed to continue to fight the fight of faith. In this way He causes us to seek Him, worship Him and follow Him.
     Follow Him indeed! Our text tells us that his resting place shall be glorious. This word is used in the Hebrew most often to talk about the place where God dwells and something only God can give -- rest. We already know what this is talking about. First, it is the place where Jesus dwells. Now you may say, “church” which is true as His word is read, preached and sung, but there is another temple not made with human hands. It is Jesus HImself, and remember where Jesus is! As Paul tells us, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And, not only is Jesus in you, but He makes it possible to be baptized in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The point is, Where Jesus is, rest is. We have rest in Jesus as He is our Savior, Mediator and returning King.
     But that leads me to the second rest which is connected to the first. John tells us in his epistle, he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Though the world may be falling apart around us, though our bodies on the brink of death, because of Jesus we are at peace and more, because of what is yet to come. This is the glorious rest Isaiah is talking about. Because of Jesus we are continually prepared for His Coming. Whether it is because the Trumpet has sounded, or because we have drawn our last breath, Jesus brings us glorious eternal bliss filled rest. This is a very practical hope. It means that no matter where we are, no matter what we are going through we can ALWAYS on account of Jesus look forward to eternal life. He completely prepares us for the most unexpected thing His second coming! Therefore at night we can lay our head upon our pillow in peace not knowing at all what may happen while we sleep all because of what He brings and how He brings it by grace through faith in Him. Amen.




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Sermon text: Matthew 21:1-11 Advent 1 A 2022


Who is This?
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. When Jesus rides into Jerusalem such an uproar results that our text tells us, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" With that in mind, let us pray. Help us Lord, to remember “who” Jesus is. By the power of Your Holy Spirit in Your Word continue to cause His light to shine in us that we may praise His name and wait for His return. Amen.
     We by God's grace already know the answer to the question all Jerusalem asked, “Who is this?” In fact we celebrate Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem differently than even His own disciples. We sing Jesus' praises beholding the wonder of His birth, the power of His crucifixion, the victory of His resurrection, glory of His ascension and the anticipation of His Return.
     However, it is most appropriate that we focus today on the “here and now.” Right now we live as our OT tells us in the light of the LORD. God has given us His word and sacraments so that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may ask ourselves everyday, “Who is this?” “Who is this Jesus to me?” We do this for the sake of faith to be equipped to endure unto the End. We do this so that God would continue to work in us repentance that we may live differently.
     This is the reason for our epistle lesson today as Paul tells his fellow Christians, the time, ...the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. The theme of “light” is a part of Advent as Christ the Light shines in us and we anticipate His return. The Holy Spirit enables us to apply God's word to ourselves. So, Paul continues again speaking to fellow Christians, Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. I assume God has worked in us enough to know we are not to be involved in orgies and drunkenness, ….sexual immorality and sensuality but there is still work to be done as we all struggle with quarreling and jealousy. So we repent and rejoice in the forgiveness given in absolution, our baptism and especially the Lord's Supper.
     But, for the sake of faith we continue ask ourselves, “Who is this Jesus to me?” Even early in His ministry when only new followers gathered around Him, He said to them You are the Light on the Hill! The point is, Jesus the Light shines in you in such a way that causes you to live differently as you repent and trust in Him. One of our temptations especially as the world becomes more sinful is to try to be invisible. But the dramatic truth is the closer we get to Jesus' and His return the more WE will look different to the world. It's happening right now as your presence here in church today sends a message to your family and friends that Sunday is for worship. Your going to work and doing the job has God has called you to do with honestly with integrity. Your caring for others. Your donations and charitable work. Or, simply obeying the laws of our state and nation, “driving on the right side of the road” all these things you consider “normal” are the result of Christ's light shining in you and sadly are becoming the exception as we near Christ's Return.
     So what do we do? Continue to know “Who Jesus is.” Hold Him as the Savior who continues to save. Rejoice in His birth, life, suffering and death, His resurrection, His ascension, His intercession, and especially in His return. Allow it to be the that light shines in you. So that, the more this world falls apart the more He will be your Savior. Hear His word, receive His sacraments, live in the Light of His salvation soon to return. Amen.





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Sermon text: Luke 23:27-43 Last Sunday of the Church Year 2022


With Me in Paradise
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
     Jesus said the criminal being crucified, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Let us pray. Heavenly Father help us when we are helpless by reminding us what your Son has done for us and what He brings. Amen.
There is hardly anyone more pitiful than someone being crucified. All attention appropriately is upon Jesus our Savior but He does not die alone. Next to him are two helpless criminals unable to save themselves. They symbolize all of humanity those who behold and those who reject the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. These criminals can do nothing. Their bodies not only nailed to the tree but with each moment they become weaker and nearer to death. They define what it means to be helpless but not only in their inability to move but in their inability to redeem themselves. As the criminal confesses, we are receiving the due reward of our deeds.
     Then you have the women who mourn because of what is happening to Jesus. But Jesus warns them, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed! Jesus says this because they would experience God's judgment by the hands of the Romans and be helpless if they stayed in Jerusalem.
     I point these two groups out because like them we are helpless. Happening now and until Jesus returns will be signs: earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, pestilences, signs in the heavens and the earth below, the collapse of society in both its values and the civil way of doing things. Because of all of these things we are helpless. But not only that, we are most definitely like the criminals. We may not be hanging on a cross, but we are no more able to justify ourselves before God. We are unable to remove the burden of sin from ourselves and even if it were only1 sin it would still condemn us to eternal damnation.
     But then comes Jesus, who makes Himself helpless for our salvation. As Isaiah writes, the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He allows Himself to be helpless as He is arrested, whipped, mocked, beaten, humiliated and nailed to the cross. But even in the midst of suffering Jesus shows us His unfailing love by saying to those who are helpless, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. In His helplessness He continues to pray for the helpless who nail Him to the cross, mock Him and those who without knowing put Him there.
     The ironic but wonderful truth is He Who created all things, holds all things together and even redeems all things makes Himself nothing so that we would be made into something! Paul tells us in 2Co 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. He not only saves us, not only clothes us with His righteousness He becomes united to us by grace and by this grace overcomes all things. We the helpless are made the strongest as this grace reveals that God's love is inseparable from us as Paul tells us, you are more than conquerors through Him who loves us, a love which nothing in all creation can be separated from us. A love that is bound to us in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our baptism.
     There is no better way to prepare for Christ's return than to be prepared by the One Who is to return. In fact in His returning we are not only saved but completed, made perfect given new bodies eternal to live in His glorious redeemed creation. Because of what He has done and what He is yet to bring we can live in continual hope a hope which gives us strength. With this hope not only is faith protected we are given the ability to live differently not to be destroyed by this world but rather have our faith tempered by it. Especially now as God fulfills the promise of His Son's return with each passing day our hearts are strengthened as just the opposite happens to those who do not know Him. May God make us even more bold to proclaim His returning Son so that His mercy may save others especially in the days ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen. 
​



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/when-these-things-take-place?si=0b74fea7949744e4854bc2c0f74a4a7c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 21:5-28 Proper 28 Series C 2022


When These Things Take Place
     Jesus said, Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, help us to keep our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith so that no matter what happens around us we can raise our heads because our redemption is drawing near in His name we pray. Amen.
     Notice Jesus says to us, when these things begin to take place. With that in mind let us examine our gospel lesson to see what has already happened. First, the disciples themselves along with Saul who became Paul would fulfill Jesus' prophecy, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. Then Jesus is undoubtedly talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD when it was surrounded by armies and destroyed and in more recent times Nation [has risen] against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, not only with WWI but also WWII. Not to mention since Jesus' day there [have been] great earthquakes, and in various places famines and [most recently] pestilences which we know personally with the Spanish Flu and our COVID.
     The only things we seem to be waiting for are signs in sun and moon and stars, and...the roaring of the sea and the waves which some people argue are happening now with pink aurora borealis (Northern Lights)! My point in all this is: when Jesus encourages us saying, when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near He isn't talking about some day in the distant future, He is talking about TODAY! Add to this not only are there signs in creation, there are also things happening in our culture that Jesus predicted. He says near the End iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Meaning, Christians will become discouraged because people in general will have no regard for God or His will. They will write their own laws establish their own values calling what God says is good – evil and what God says is evil-- good: sound familiar?
     So especially in these last days we gather together to hear God's word to be reminded not only of what He has done through His Son but what He continues to do so that we can get up every morning and by God's grace straighten up and raise [our] heads, because [our] redemption is drawing near. In fact, I can't think of a better reason to consider every Sunday communion because we don't know how many Sundays we have left before our Savior's return and the closer we get the harder each day will be!However, despite this by God's grace something wonderful happens as the turmoil of the last days collide with the glorious return of Jesus. Jesus WINS! Jesus not only wins because He returns, but more, He wins as thoughts of Jesus our Savior fill our hearts and minds overcoming whatever the world throws at us. The fear of an asteroid falling from heaven BIG DEAL Jesus is coming! The fear of the Yellowstone Caldara erupting BID DEAL Jesus is coming! Whatever it is, wars, solar flares, floods, Tornadoes, hurricanes none of them have anything to compare with the glory of Jesus. When He returns all eyes will see Him and He will judge the wicked, make right all wrongs, usher His new kingdom and save us by grace. Amen.




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/god-atone-for-me-the-sinner?si=657491e53624447591ef239f521f2c35&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
​Sermon text: Luke 18:9-17 Proper 25 C 2022


God, Atone for Me the Sinner
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus tells us, But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' Let us pray. Heavenly Father, continue to work in us humility that we may confess our sins and rejoice in Your salvation unto life everlasting. Amen.
     The unifying theme between our Old Testament lesson with Cain and Abel, the Gospel with the pharisee, tax collector and little children and even the epistle with the apostle Paul is right worship. How God wants us to approach Him and what He wants to give. The major clue is found in the words of the tax collector, God, be merciful to me, a sinner!, which can also be translated, “God, atone me, THE sinner! When reading our texts today, often questions arise when comparing Cain and Abel's sacrifices, or when pondering the children who can't help but want to see Jesus. We wonder, “why one but not the other?” or “what is it about the children that makes them special?”
     Hear the words of the tax collector, God, be merciful to me, a sinner! These words appear in other places in bible but Luke records them with slightly different emphasis. The word for “mercy” here also means “to atone.” The pharisee and the tax collector both are in the temple where the daily atonement sacrifice is being made for them. Yet, one of the seems to ignore this completely. Atonement is the shedding of blood for the propitiation of sin. Yet, this pharisee not once gives the hint that he has sinned, just the opposite, he lists all the things HE has done. One should ask, “what is he there for?” but only to brag to God.
     The tax collector knows why he is there. He is racked with guilt over what he must do. He is in a lose, lose, situation. He faces continual temptation to take more and even must take more than required to feed his own family. He is hated by all and is often unclean. But, his condition reveals what true worship is. He asks for something not according to logic, not because he deserves it, but because God promises it. Literally he asks, “God, atone for me, have someone take my place to redeem me, for I am THE sinner, I alone am responsible for what I have done, I do not deserve anything from You, but according to your promise and your promise alone, have mercy on me and atone me of my sin.”
    This is right worship. We come to God and ask the “unaskable.” “God please have someone take my place, I have sinned against you, and against those you love, save me, and save them.” And what does God do? According to His promise He sent His Son Jesus Christ to take our place. He is the embodiment of LOVE. This is why the children also show us what worship is. They allow their joy the joy of seeing Jesus their Savior overcome them and they can't help but want to get close to Him. They pay no attention to whoever tries to stop them. Their desire for Jesus causes them to humble themselves just to be near Him.
     As easy as this seems, worship can be hard at times. As Paul tells us near the end of his life, I have fought the good fight. He humbled himself for the sake of the Gospel as he was called to do. We worship God and His Son by believing there is nothing more important that the forgiveness and eternal life He has earned for us by the shedding of His blood. Satan, continues to tempt us to be like Cain, or the pharisee who thought it was all about them. But through Jesus' redemption we are God's children by grace, and like Abel we offer up right sacrifices by believing it. To behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, means to be humbled in the presence of His great sacrifice and look forward to the undeserved but welcome gift of eternal life where God will forever return us to His side. May God continue to accomplish this in our lives through His word and sacraments. Amen. 




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/gods-word-is-not-bound?si=f71cfdc161de413abb029afdf34fa99d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
​Sermon text: 2 Timothy 2:1-13 Proper 23 C 2022


God's Word is not Bound!
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
     The apostle Paul encourages us by way of Timothy saying, Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Let us pray. Heavenly Father, continue to remind us of your Son Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead proving that you Word can not be bound. Amen.
     My pastor while I was in high school and who married Beth and I said that he continuously prayed, “Dear Father in heaven, keep me out of the way of your Holy Spirit.” At the time I did not realize what he was saying, but after many years in the ministry and considering our text today, I think I know what he was talking about. Sadly one of our strengths as fallen sinful human is we constantly overestimate the necessity of our abilities and underestimate the power of the gospel. Today we celebrate Missions Sunday. Missions Sunday calls to mind those who forsake all material wealth and fame and boldly go to foreign countries to selflessly preach the word. But, because of our misplaced pride we rob ourselves of a wonderful truth. Mission work isn't about us and our abilities, it is about the power of God's word.
     This is why Paul encourages Timothy saying, Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. Let us pause for moment.... Jesus the WORD of God could not be bound and proving our justification rises from the dead on the third day! Yes, I know that Paul is talking about the written and spoken word here but it is still true. Jesus THE Word reveals the same thing by rising from the dead. This is completely contrary to us “negative Nannies.” As a pastor even I am filled with hesitation and doubt but only through the gospel am I carried forward. Jesus is, as Paul tells us the offspring of David that is the Son of God, Son of Man Savior who IN OUR STEAD fulfills the law and pays for all sin. This is Paul's gospel, for which [he was]….suffering, [even] bound with chains as a criminal. God told Ananias just before he baptized Saul soon to be called Paul, For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Paul's whole life shows us how God's word can not be bound. It not only accomplishes things, but accomplishes things in the most unexpected ways through the most unexpected people, and Paul once Saul is on the TOP of that list!
     For this reason Paul boldly says, But the word of God is not bound! By example we learn this, but it doesn't just affect Paul. Think of the woman at the well who boldly said to Jesus, I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things. Think of it, a woman who led a very questionable life among a very questionable people, yet God's word works in her an understanding of the Christ! Or what of the Canaanite woman who despite rebukes from the disciples boldly asks, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon, and even more when discouraged by Jesus Himself she responds, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. She is evidence that God's word can not be bound and Jesus even says to her, O woman, great is your faith! Or what of the thief on the cross, who even though he is tormented by pain and the fear of death boldly asks, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
     All this because the word of God is not bound! But it doesn't stop there. We see God's word do it's boundless work every day of our lives. In our most hopeless days, we call upon the Lord in prayer, the promises of His word fills us with hope, and He sustains us when all else works against us. We believe in Jesus and eternal life though we have never seen either. His word continues to open up to us and reveal things we have never seen before even though we have read and heard it a thousand times. The story of Jesus' birth time and time again fills us with innocent pure joy. Reading or hearing Jesus' passion: arrest, humiliation, and crucifixion cut us to the heart as we are reminded that our sins put Him there, BUT His word makes all the sweeter and His triumphant glorious resurrection just as He promised on the third day. We all rejoice with the disciples saying, He has risen!, and we all look forward to when WE too will rise. All because the word of God is not bound!
     May God continue through His boundless word make us bold to share and support this gospel so that others may know what we know in Christ unto life everlasting. Amen. 




Sermon text: Luke 17:1-10 Proper 22 C 2022


Our Duty...to Forgive
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus teaches, We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the victory over our sin, death and the devil which transforms our lives from slavery to service in the hope of eternal life. Continue we pray to teach live according to that forgiveness. Amen.
     I remember having a long discussion with my field ed pastor John Lukomski. He told me, “remember Brian, we can not change.” What he meant by that is as redeemed children of God we will always have the conflict within us between our sinful flesh and our new man. However, what I have learned since is that the new man within us is NOT to be considered equal to the old Adam. In contrast what Jesus gives is victorious. This is why Jesus' resurrection isn't just about His coming back from the dead. It is about us becoming a new creation. We can't change, BUT we CAN be transformed. As Paul writes in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Today I want to focus on this transformation and its connection to forgiveness.
     This word transformation is also used to describe Jesus' transfiguration. In Matthew 17 Jesus is “transformed” or “transfigured” in front of the disciples. Now, think about what they were seeing. What was hidden in Jesus was revealed causing Him to be transformed. The consequence is, we TOO are being transformed. This glory found in Jesus Christ comes to us IN FORGIVENESS! This glory of forgiveness is what renews our mind overcoming the sinful flesh and causing us to live in the newness of life. This is the glory that shines out from us as we receive and give forgiveness. Therefore, our words and actions are all about wanting others to be transformed as we are transformed. We want them also to be filled with the glory of forgiveness. But that is not all. Thankfully, living by this internal glory is what protects us from being a scandalon or temptation to sin to others. This does not mean we are perfect or sinless, it simply means we live by this rule, We are sinners who need constant forgiveness found in Jesus Christ our Savior. If we allow it, this truth will transform us and change the way we deal with others. Sin will bother us more, not because we want to condemn, but rather because we want to save! So we rebuke sin, so that forgiveness can be given and received.
     But, if you think that YOU have the power to do this, YOU are wrong. Rather, Jesus is the little seed within us that grows into a great faith which is more and more about Jesus and less and less about us. A faith which can tear out the deepest roots of any sin bigger than any deep rooted mulberry tree. Because, Jesus will not give up on you, as He is ALREADY victorious over not only your sins, but this sins of the whole world. Which is also, HOW we CAN forgive others. Forgiveness isn't about you, it's about Jesus. However, this makes it both hard and easy at the same time. The sinful flesh doesn't want to forgive, or forget, but Jesus has already paid for that sin, and as He forgives us, He works in us the ability to forgive others. Again, this is not easy, but it is our duty as unworthy servants to strive to live by this truth.
     Finally I remind you, this battle we have with our sinful flesh, this world, and even Satan is not an even battle. This is why John writes, (1John 4:4) Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The point is: Jesus always wins because Jesus never stops saving us. Even if we struggle with forgiving or living in a way that does not offend, Jesus WILL continue to forgive. This is what your baptism is all about. This is why He gives us His word and why we are fed in the Lord's Supper. Jesus through forgiveness continues to transform us and will continue to do so till life's end. So, be unworthy servants filled with the joy of salvation revealing the glory within by receiving and giving forgiveness unto life everlasting. Amen.
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Luke 16:19   31 Proper 21 C 2022
If They Do Not Hear
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the pharisees by way of Abraham speaking to the rich man in Hell concerning his brothers, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. Let us pray. Help us Lord to continue to listen to Moses, the prophets and your Son Jesus Christ, so that we many endure all things trusting in Him unto life everlasting. Amen.
     Jesus sets up such a dramatic contrast between the rich man and Lazarus, it is hard for us to identify with either of them, but we most definitely can learn from them. The rich man shows us what the sinful flesh wants to do. The words of the text are emphatic saying, There was a rich man who was continually clothed in purple and fine linen and who kept on feasting sumptuously every day. Jesus gives us this example so we would ask, “what if I was a billionaire?” Scripture tells us the love of money is the root of all evil. This doesn't just mean that rich people often do whatever they want, it means that riches blind them. They no longer see right and wrong and worse because of their riches ignore God, and that is just what this rich man did! The lesson is: when our greatest needs are replaced by temporary solutions we no longer cry out to God.
     On the other end of the spectrum is Lazarus. Just as we can't fully identify with the rich man in the same way we can't fully identify with Lazarus because He is so poor. This too can say, And at his gate a poor man named Lazarus was continually laid day after day, covered with sores, he constantly desired to be fed with what kept falling from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs kept licking his sores. The point is Lazarus is a man who is always wanting in every way possible. But, being poor, sick and hungry is not a free ticket into heaven. Lazarus could also have been filled with jealousy and anger over the fact that the rich man had so much and he so little. Whether you are the poorest or the richest satisfaction and true hope can not come from earthly things. Yes, Lazarus longed to be fed, but because he trusted in God and His promises his hunger did not cause him to be filled with jealousy and hate, rather it caused him to desire to be with the Lord even more.
     This parable isn't really about “how” we are saved rather it is about what happens to those who are saved. If you believe in God and His promises though poor and even suffering like Lazarus you can look forward to life everlasting. But the opposite is also true. If you reject God and His word, not only will you not be satisfied though you enjoy the best of everything, you will go to Hell. Believe in Jesus and enjoy continual everlasting comfort. Reject Jesus and you will endure pain and suffering unending. This is supposed to terrify us. We are supposed to have a knot in our stomachs as we think, “I do not want to go there, nor do I want anyone I love to go there!”
     No wonder Jesus has the rich man in the story call out to Abraham saying, I beg you, father, send him [Lazarus] to my father's house--for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment. What Abraham says next is both a great comfort and a great warning. It is a great comfort because it reveals the power of God's word, but a great warning because that power is easy to ignore. Abraham says to the rich man concerning his brothers, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. Behold the power of God's word! Be it baptism, the preached and taught word or the institution of the Lord's Supper. God saves and continues to save us through His word. His word is unlike any other word (Hebrews 4) living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It is through this word we are saved and those we love are saved.
     The message for us today is do not be like the rich man. We can not let earthly wealth and temporal peace cause us to reject the power of God's word. It is through this word you and I can believe in Jesus. It is through this word my sins are revealed and covered by Jesus. It is through this word, you and I are filled with joy and peace. It is no different for our “brothers” and “sisters” who have lost their way. They need to hear God's word. There are always extra sermons in the back of church, every Sunday the recorded sermon is posted on the website, but even more here the word is read, sung and proclaimed. God is saving us right now, and we want the same for those we love. May God make us bold to invite them back into church continually that they may join us in worship both now and into eternity. Amen. 



Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/one-who-is-faithful?si=00c2249219594941a11f2b8fff74fe7f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 16:1-15 Proper 20 C 2022


One Who is Faithful
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the sinners, tax collectors, disciples and pharisees, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Let us pray. Help us Lord to understand how Jesus is faithful so that we may be faithful with what you give us unto life everlasting. Amen.
     When considering this difficult parable it is important to recognize that it's main audience are those who were, lovers of money. There are many other scripture passages and stories that teach the same even more clearly but Jesus wanted to give the pharisees something to chew on so He tells this story. However, as with all of Jesus' parables we too have something to learn from it and Jesus is key who unlocks it, therefore let us examine these words, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
     When Jesus says this, He is telling us and the pharisees that faith should not and can not be compartmentalized. You can't pick and choose when or what you are going to be honest about. God requires us to faithful by being honest in all things. Just as Jesus taught, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. To love the Lord with all your heart that means not only will everything you do will be done according to God's will; it will also be done gladly! So, for example how about something that many consider small: we are not only to forgive our family and friends, but also our enemies and even those who have hurt us. God entrusts us with forgiveness and we are to freely forgive others. If you can not forgive from the heart, how can God trust you with anything else? This is only one of many small but important things God has given us to manage, to be honest with, to reflect His love with. In this way Jesus also speaks to us saying, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
     However, what Jesus is asking the pharisees to do and for that matter us as well can be misunderstood. You may think that He is simply trying to correct our poor behavior but it is much more than that. With this story He is trying to get the pharisees and us as well to admit something horribly wrong about ourselves. So, He warns them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. The very uncomfortable truth is that God knows ...[our]... hearts as well! He knows when you have been dishonest even when it is with the smallest thing. Yes, He wants you to stop being dishonest but MORE He wants you to realize that you can not justify yourself before men, and especially God. Rather, Jesus says to all mankind, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. We can not justify ourselves because we struggle with being honest and especially being honest with our whole heart. So we repent as Jesus wants us to and cry out, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. This is what faith is.
     So, let's go back to the words of Jesus, One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. It is our job to repent and say to our loving Father, “I have been dishonest with both little and much,” but here is revealed the wonder of salvation. Jesus in contrast to us IS the ONE WHO IS FAITHFUL with both the small and the great. He has fulfilled in our place every detail especially the small stuff of God's law. All of what I can not see and often choose to ignore Jesus has fulfilled in my place. But even more, Jesus has been faithful in much, taking upon Himself the sins of the whole world and bearing them for our atonement. So faithful is this Savior so complete His redemption that He has causes salvation to be a gift! Indeed that is the only way it can be given. As Paul tells us in Eph 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
     In connection to this we gather today to rejoice in the gift of baptism. Baptizing an infant is seen by many as a controversial act, but we see it in the light of what Jesus has already done. It conveys the greatest of treasures: forgiveness and eternal life! All of us are gathered here today because we see what Jesus earned with His obedience suffering and death as THE MOST IMPORTANT thing given! It is a truth that permeates every aspect of our lives even when we are not thinking about it. But it not only gives the comfort of salvation, forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. It transforms our lives as Jesus fills a void He alone can fill in our hearts with the comfort of salvation causing us to live differently! He in small and big ways overcomes our sinful flesh, His love never stops working on us, overcoming our weaknesses one by one. And through it all more with each passing day He becomes our greatest treasure. In this way the One Who is faithful enables us by faith in Him to be faithful. May Jesus through the promises in His word and the sacraments which give over and over the gift of salvation, keep us unto life everlasting. Amen. 
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Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/one-sinner-who-repents?si=deea92affcaf4d928a20a27871793e72&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 15:1-10 proper 19 C 2022


One Sinner Who Repents
     Jesus said to tax collectors, sinners and pharisees, Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we give thanks to you for your Son Jesus Christ who is always continually our Good Shepherd. Amen.
     Jesus tells not only the sinners and tax collectors but also the pharisees who hate Him, Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. What drew me to this phrase the last time I preached this was the “joy in heaven” however, that caused me to miss something I hadn't see before. When Jesus says, one sinner who repents, it means more than just coming to faith in Jesus. It means becoming a different person, that is a person who is continually repenting of who they were before Jesus found them. If we are to say Jesus is our Shepherd, for our own sake we need to recognize that Jesus continues to be our Shepherd and will never stop being the One who searches us out.
     The implication of this is simple but dramatic. In fact this concept was the very first thesis of the 95 Luther posted which publicly started the Reformation. That thesis stated that, “When our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said, 'Repent ye,' He meant that the whole life of a Christian is one of repentance.” Think of it, every moment we live as God's children, we are to be repenting. We are to throw off the things of man and embrace the things of God. We are moving forward from being children of this world to children of God's eternal kingdom.
     Perhaps a part of you is saying to yourself, “Uh, now wait a minute pastor, are you saying that being a Christian is seeking to change your life from the moment you awake continually to the moment you sleep? Yes!, it means as last Sunday's gospel said, renounce everything!,” but I would add, EVEN WHEN YOU SLEEP! You might now be saying to yourself, “I'm not sure I can do that?” But I ask you, isn't that the only way to be fair to God? Isn't that the only way to attempt to pay back even though what we give is so small, to pay back the perfect law fulfilling life and sin atoning suffering and death Jesus endured to make our salvation possible? Isn't that the least we can do?!?! But, in reality we can't. WE ourselves can not continually repent. So, how is it possible that we are to live a life of continual repentance?
     The key is and always will be Jesus. How? Jesus is continually searching for us, seeking us out, sending His Holy Spirit to teach us, enable us and most important fill us with the joy of salvation. Jesus will always be your GOOD SHEPHERD, He will always with His Holy Spirit be lighting a lamp, and sweeping every hidden corner of your house to find you and save you. Again, we learn today and every Sunday, we call Jesus the Savior, because He continues and will continue to save US.
     But you may be saying, “but pastor, I am weak, I don't always do, in fact I rarely do what I am supposed to do.” This is why Jesus picks you up and carries you on HIS shoulders. You and your sin have been carried by Jesus to the cross, and just as Jesus has risen from the dead through the glory of the Father, you now because of Jesus walk in the newness of life, proverablly as He carries you with His salvation on His shoulders. This is why your baptism is all about Jesus.
     But it doesn't stop there, like little children whose father carries them on their shoulders, with joy we behold the world. With this same joy we see others who have forgotten what it feels like and we invite them to join us on Jesus' shoulders. In this way the joy of salvation is our strength. It enables us to overcome our timid sheepish natures and with joy invite others to have the same. Jesus is our good Shepherd and will continue to seek and save and carry us on His shoulders unto life everlasting. Amen. 



​Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/he-who-humbles-himself?si=fa7d819ea37c41f49995af4c8d5d6d83&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 14:1-14 Proper 17 C 2022


He Who Humbles Himself
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the pharisees, For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Heavenly Father, reveal our sinful pride so that we may love others and by your grace be exalted unto life everlasting. Amen.
     Everyone struggles with sinful pride. Not only is it a barrier to faith, it hinders us from helping others especially those in need. There is but one fix for our sinful flesh and all its misplaced pride and that is our Savior Who humbles Himself like no one else. When Jesus says, For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted, He is first talking about us, and then talking about Himself. We “exalt” ourselves all the time. We get mad at the guy in front of us who is driving the speed limit. We get mad when there is a long line and we tell ourselves, “I don't have time for this!” We are irritated when someone gives us the smaller half of a sandwich. We take things personally, when they are just random results of living in a sinful world: your shoe lace breaks, the toilet paper is rolled the wrong way, you can't find something and it has to be because someone else misplaced it, the red light lasts too long, the grocery store yet again moved your favorite item to a different shelf and so on. The sinful pride causes us to lose patience and take everything personally as if the world and even God Himself is out to get US.
     When we exalt ourselves we fill our minds with expectations that have nothing to do with reality. The reality is we live in a sinful world filled with sinful people and WE are one of them. The result should be “we are humbled.” But that is not always the case. As with the pharisees in today's text they invite Jesus and then treat Him as if He is a “nobody.” Their sinful pride does not allow them to be humble or to repent. So, the man with dropsy is sick---because he deserves it and soon Jesus will deserve to be judged because He heals the man who deserved to be sick. Sinful pride in ones self blinds us to the needs of others and stops us from being loving.
     So what is the fix for this sinful pride? Oddly enough, more humility, in fact the most humility ever gathered into one place even in one person. Jesus and His humility is the only fix for our sinful pride. The sinful pride permeates us so much that only a complete and continuous Savior can overcome it. Jesus makes Himself to be the most humbled person in all history. All sin, from all time resulting from the sinful pride of every human being including you and me is placed on Jesus. On the cross He becomes the most loathed and shameful object of God's wrath in all history. Every moment of your life where your sinful pride caused you to do something: something as simple as taking the biggest piece of pie to the most shameful sinful act your sinful pride caused to you commit. Jesus took them all and humbled Himself on the cross so that you could be free of them. We in and of ourselves can not overcome our sinful pride, but it can be replaced with something or better yet someOne bigger who deserves all praise who has been exalted to the right of God the Father who now completely and continuously intercedes for you on your behalf.
     The result is that in Jesus, YOU can be humble. You are humbled as you see what Christ has done for you, and you are humbled as God accepts you as His child by grace. In Jesus and His righteousness all sinful pride is overcome and in Jesus YOU are exalted. You are declared by grace through faith in Jesus a child of God who can look forward to eternal exaltation in God's eternal kingdom. Jesus does this; He does this in your baptism, He does this in the Lord's Supper, He does this as He answers your prayers for forgiveness, He does this as He dwells within you by grace.
     Then as He fills you with the joy of salvation, the strength of His righteousness and the hope of eternal life He overcomes your sinful flesh with all its pride and enables you to love. He fills you with a love that does not judge but rather seeks to lift up those in need. The Holy Exalted One Jesus Christ fills you in such a way that you can exalt those who have been humbled by this world and their circumstances as you see them as those who Christ has died for and wants to save. In this way we live by this promise, he who humbles himself will be exalted. In Jesus' name. Amen.



​Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/the-narrow-door?si=0f485463d7794d14b04a7a5b30bf9aee&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing   
Sermon text: Luke l3:22 30 Proper 16 Series C 2022


The Narrow Door
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Let us pray. We give you thanks heavenly Father that you have saved us by grace through faith in Your Son Jesus Christ, help us keep this faith unto life everlasting. Amen.
     Someone in the crowd apparently seeing both those who accept and reject Jesus as He goes through towns and villages asks, Lord, will those who are saved be few? When we hear this we think, “why don't more people listen to Jesus?” We also think Jesus is going to tell us why, but He doesn't. Rather, He refocuses our attention where it should be. He makes it personal by saying to each of us, Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
     Because its a narrow door it isn't easy to enter. Yes it is easy to behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Yes, it is easy to claim for yourself the love of God found in Jesus Christ and more the forgiveness and eternal life He gives. But, it is hard to continue to be a Christian. The door is narrow for one gigantic reason. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone and no matter who you are this Jesus will both care for you and challenge you. He will care for you by continuing to forgive you your sins, and He will also challenge you because the forgiveness He gives will change your life.
     So, notice that the Lord says on Judgment Day to those who knock at the door when it has been closed, Depart from me, all you workers of evil! He says this to them because they were “workers of evil.” This is because they had no faith in Jesus Christ to push against their evil. What you may not realize is that faith in Jesus Christ isn't just salvation. It is also the revealing and cleansing power of God. Every time you receive forgiveness God not only is covering your sin with His Son's righteousness. He is also through the power of the Holy Spirit revealing the evil in your lives. The result is repentance which leads to forgiveness which leads to the fight against evil. The narrow door is Jesus, but the sinful flesh which we will have till the day we die is always fighting against what Jesus gives.
     For this reason faith is also discipline. Just as the author of Hebrews tells us, For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. However, like a marathon runner faith isn't about speed it is about determination. Our fight against the sinful flesh is never stops, but more importantly God's love is also non-stop. As Jesus intercedes for us before the throne He saves us with His forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. In our battle against the flesh we get knocked down, but our loving Father gently picks us up comforting us with the gospel and filling us with the strength found in the hope of eternal life. The narrow door is also narrow because it demands repetition. Because salvation comes through Christ alone, our struggle with the sinful flesh never stops. We will always need to confess our sins and receive forgiveness. However, as Satan tempts us to give up the battle God causes faith to grow. We will often be humbled because of this battle but it is for the sake of faith. It is momentarily painful but results in a harvest of righteousness as over and over Christ is seen as our greatest treasure.
     So, let us pray for our fellow Christians that they not grow tired of the battle and that they would see their troubles as God's loving discipline and may we with each passing day grow in our love for God and the hope of eternal life. Amen.




Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/peace-on-earth?si=d0c0198264f549dfb68aaf18888ef500&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 12:49-53 Series C Proper 15
Peace on Earth
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus says to His disciples, Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. Let us pray. Help us Lord especially in these End Times to keep our eyes on Jesus the Founder and Perfecter of our faith so that we may have the peace He alone gives. Amen.
     Jesus says something that sounds very much out of character. He says to His disciples, I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. As Jesus nears the end of His ministry and as He sees the affects of sin upon the world (especially His people) He becomes impatient saying, I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! He has already been baptized in the river Jordan to fulfill all righteousness, but now He looks to the cross where He will be baptized with the wrath of God. Our sin becomes His sin and He is punished in our place. That is what it means to be the Savior. So great is Jesus' love for us He wants it to happen as soon as possible. He wants not only our sin to be covered but to be able to pour out His Holy Spirit so that all might believe in Him.
     So Jesus then says, Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. This sounds odd to us because mostly Jesus speaks peace and behaves peacefully. We know the angels said to the shepherds, Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth. We know Jesus invites saying, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. But Jesus also said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. So Jesus does give peace, but He gives a peace which comes from being made right with God. To receive Jesus' peace one must be forgiven. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ as He redeems us from our sin. So what is He talking about in our text?
     Jesus brings peace, but it is on HIS terms. His peace demands that we rely on Him alone for salvation. He is an “all or nothing” Savior. Either you let Him wash all of you from top to bottom or you have no part in Him. Your talents, your accomplishments, your status, your efforts are nothing when it comes to salvation. So, our response can only be to fall on our knees and behold Him as Savior seeking His will and His way. This way of salvation requires that we empty ourselves of all pride. This is what would cause division as the pharisees and many others rejected Him. But it not only had to do with how He GIVES salvation. It also had to do with how He loved others and they didn't like this. Jesus' kind of peace places no limits on love. Love others, even love your enemies. So also, forgive one another, but not just once but over and over without limit. So also, share with others, but not only share, sell all you have and give to the poor so that your purse would not wear out.
     So, if we are to live in the peace which Christ alone gives---the peace that comes from being forgiven and having eternal life---we are to allow that peace to order the way we live and what we do. So it shouldn't be unusual for one of our family members to say to us, “why are you helping 'so and so' AGAIN!?!? Didn't you just help them last week?” In the same way someone should be saying to us, “are you sure you should forgive 'so and so' AGAIN!?!?” That's the kind of division we want in this world. That kind of division that results from our being Christ-like!; forgiving without limit, helping others without limit, loving without limit for the sake of proclaiming Christ and His peace. This not only pertains to people we don't know, not only our enemies, but even more to people we do know especially family, especially spouses and especially children so much so that they and others are compelled to ask “why?” And our answer will be because of Jesus.
     So may we be filled with peace as we keep our eyes on Jesus so that others may see Him as the Founder and Perfecter of our faith unto life everlasting. Amen. 



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Sermon text: Luke 12:22 40 C Proper 14 2022


Sell Your Possessions
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus says to the crowds, Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, crucify our sinful flesh with all its passions and desires that we may see your Son Jesus Christ and the eternal life He alone gives as our greatest treasure. Amen.
     Jesus gives us a simple but very challenging command: Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. The problem is we are especially as Americans so materialistic we can't see the forest for the trees. It's embedded in our way of life, our economy, our work, our government and even in our hopes for heaven as we wonder whether there will be “baseball” or whatever physical things there. In our text today, these people aren't worried about their homes, or their hourly wages, or where their next vacation will be. “NO,” they are just worried about the food they are going to eat and the clothes they are going to wear! Look at what we are concerned about: which restaurant we are going to eat after church, whether we should buy another car or clothes dryer or fix the old one, what we are going to do with our 'free time' or our extra money, whether our healthcare plan will cover all our medical costs and needs, how much interest we are making on our investments, whether we have the latest cell phone, if we should get a bigger TV, a new recliner and so on. These people are just worried about the necessities of life and we live like kings! So when Jesus says “Sell your possessions and give to the poor” we have no idea and live shamelessly spoiled and pleasure filled lives. For that reason when Jesus says, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also we should be deeply troubled.
     So what are we to do? Well that is why you are here today so you can be reminded of what God has already done. Paul tells us, We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. You see, not only has our sinful flesh with all its passions and desires died with Christ on the cross, all that we have; all our possessions have died with Him. Dead people do not own anything. Also, something more important and more powerful than your possessions has been given to you in your baptism. As Jesus tells us in our gospel for today it was your heavenly Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Through His Word and Your baptism Your heavenly Father has given you forgiveness and eternal life. Now in Jesus you walk in the newness of life. That means day by day Jesus teaches you through His forgiveness that He and the eternal life He gives are superior and more valuable than anything on this earth. Sure, there are days when because of your sinful flesh your earthly treasures get the best of you, but your sinful flesh and all its sin has been crucified with Christ. So, God simply waits for your earthly treasures to betray you: your power goes out, your favorite restaurant is closed, your cell phone breaks, you hit a deer with your car....... and as your disappointment increases God again reveals His Son and His salvation. It is at that moment you realize none of your possessions mean anything and you are a child of God by grace. In this way Jesus reveals Himself to be your greatest treasure.
     May we continue to grow in this faith as Jesus becomes every day more our greatest treasure and may God use this to enable us to sell our possession and give to the poor unto life everlasting. Amen.



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Sermon text: Luke 12:13-21 2022 Series C Proper 13


Being Rich Toward God
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said to the crowd concerning the foolish rich man, So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Let us pray. Help us Lord to see the poverty of our sin so that we may see our riches found in your Son unto life everlasting. Amen.
     Someone in the crowd says to Jesus, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. Remember a few weeks ago I pointed out how the sin of worry caused Martha to actually tell Jesus what to say to Mary. Here we have the same thing as the sin of greed causes a man to ask Jesus to say something to his brother. Again, we see how sin warps our perception of life and like all false idols it causes us to ignore the words and supreme value of Jesus our Savior. Ironically, Jesus says to him, Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? This reminds me of another time where Jesus asks someone, why do you call me 'good' only God alone is good? Just as then, it appears Jesus is saying, “I'm not good” when He was, and also here it appears He is saying: “I'm not your Judge, when He WAS!”
     The point being, this man was asking Jesus to help him with his family's inheritance thinking it was so important that he could publicly ask Jesus to arbitrate for him. The sad thing is Jesus was His Arbitrator but over something much greater. Jesus will will return on the Last Day to judge the world including you and I. We will be judged because our sinful flesh. This is because the sinful flesh NEVER thinks of God it only thinks of itself. Our sinful flesh is controlled by false gods. Our sinful flesh always puts itself first by wanting more money, more earthly comforts, more earthly pleasures, and more time for itself. Just look at king Solomon. He had more wives than anyone, more riches than anyone, more power than anyone even more God given wisdom than anyone, yet he says after a life time of striving to find fulfillment and joy, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. So, you and I will be judged according to the works of our sinful flesh UNLESS someone steps in and saves us!
     This is why WE KNOW there is only one true treasure in this world and that treasure is Jesus. He saves us from the judgment we deserve according to our sinful flesh. He saves us by taking our sins with Him to the cross and paying for them in full with His holy precious blood but He saves us not only on the day of judgment but every day of our lives. By forgiving us of our sins He creates within us the new man who treasures the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ alone and the eternal life He gives. He also through this forgiveness teaches us His love enabling us to love others, but it doesn't stop there. Through His salvation He teaches us to enjoy life not because of what we have but because of who we are. We are redeemed children of God who have been taught by the Holy Spirit to see Jesus and the eternal life He gives as our greatest treasure. By doing this He enables us not to be possessed by our possessions, but rather to use them to His glory. Every moment we live we live by the Gospel. This is what it means to be rich toward God and this way of life enables us to be rich toward our fellow man. Rich in the love of Christ who enables us through each of our callings to meet people with God's love especially those in need.
     May Jesus our Savior continue by His abundant grace protect us from all sin and covetousness by becoming more valuable to us each and every day unto life everlasting. Amen.



​Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/how-much-more?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 11:1-13 Proper 12 C 2022


How Much More
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus encourages us to pray by saying, If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God give us the confidence to pray to You as our heavenly Father knowing we are your children by grace to whom You give good gifts unto life everlasting. Amen.
     Today's sermon is divided into three points:1- Our Father, 2- Ask, Seek and Knock, and 3- How Much More. In past three years we have all said to ourselves, “surely it can't get any worse.” Sadly, if we analyze all that is going on in the world right now I think we all know that that things will get worse. This is why this sermon is very important. I want all of you to be completely confident that as things get worse for you or the world that God is listening to and answering your prayers.
     When praying the most important thing to remember is that God is your heavenly Father. Note: He is the Creator and Sustainor of all things yet He wants to be known as YOUR heavenly Father who uses His omnipotence and omniscience to answer your prayers. He does this knowing YOUR past and knowing your future and how what He does will affect you and those you love. His number one desire is that all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Also, because His Son has lived, died and rose from the dead you are His child by grace. So God listens to your prayer not because you are worthy but on account of His Son. This means that even though the world around you is falling apart and you are beside yourself overcome with fear, anxiety, doubt, anger, confusion, negativity, and even apathy He still wants you and more enables you to call out to Him in prayer because He is connected to you by grace. So, pray and pray without ceasing. Complain to Him, vent to Him, cry out to Him, rejoice and praise Him because He is listening.
     Because of this we are to Ask, Seek, and Knock as His children called to serve Him. Before Jesus sends the 72 to proclaim the gospel He says to them, Behold I send you out as sheep among the wolves be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. This is also a good guide for prayer. We pray with innocence and wisdom. We pray with wisdom according to our particular callings and according to faith. So, Mothers pray for all they need to be good mothers, fathers pray for all they need to be good fathers and so on with every calling you have. We pray trusting that God has no limitations on what He can do and in humility we put no limit on how He intends to do it. We trust in God and His love and knowledge of us just as Jesus tells us in (Mt. 6:33) seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (clothing, food, all needs, all wants etc.) shall be added unto you. However, prayer is not always logical. We know what we think we need and pray for it, but according to human reasoning we do not know how God will bring it about. Reality and hope isare often in conflict for the Christian which is why Paul writes concerning Abraham who was nearly 100, Rom_4:18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told. So also, we trust in God's promises and innocently wait for Him to answer our prayers.
     Which leads me to my final point, How Much More. Jesus tells us, If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! We all gather here today knowing how much more Jesus gives because we have forgiveness and eternal life: the greatest answer to our greatest need. But, He also gives us His Holy Spirit by which we are enabled to endure all things. His Holy Spirit enables us to wait for answers to our prayers and by that waiting to not have faith damaged but rather increased and not only increased but increased in a way that enables us to fulfill our calling and be filled with love. Not only that through this Holy Spirit He enables us to actually ask for “more” that is the things more valuable in God's eyes and beneficial to faith. We are enabled by the Holy Spirit to not only wait but rather trust in God as He prepares even better answers to even our yet unspoken prayers. This is just as Paul tells us with which I will conclude this sermon, Eph 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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Sermon text: Luke 10:25–37 Proper 10 C 2022


Who Is My Neighbor?
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Luke records that the lawyer desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Let us pray. Help us Lord to see everyone as our neighbor and equip us to help all who are in need through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
     When considering this question and this parable we could be asking, “what does the Samaritan have that the priest and the Levite do not?” The answer: this particular Samaritan has no limitation on who is neighbor is. In truth, neither should the priest or Levite if they were humble before God's word. However, Jesus seeks to teach the lawyer through the parable who wants to figure out how to observe the commandments: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
     In the case of the priest and the Levite in the story it seems that their pride gets in the way of their love. Either they don't want to make the effort to help the poor man or they think they are above that responsibility. Perhaps they think they will compromise themselves it they touch him or perhaps they think he deserves what he got. But more to the point, “what stops US from helping those in need?” We no longer have any laws prohibiting us from touching those who may be unclean, but we still label people as “unworthy.” So, we don't help them because 'they made bad choices' or we say “it's 'not my responsibility” or “I don't have time for that” or “if I help them it will only get more complicated.” I know these excuses and many others because often I use them. It is never easy to help those in need.
     So back to the question, What did the Samaritan have that the other two did not have or more specifically how do I erase the boundaries I have created which keep me from helping others like I should? Well the answer is really quite simple and oddly enough it is also an answer to the question “Who is my neighbor?” Who is my neighbor?.....Jesus! Jesus is my ultimate neighbor. Jesus is my ultimate neighbor because He erases not only my boundaries but more importantly MY SIN. Jesus my ultimate neighbor gave completely of Himself, He suffered and died for not only my sins, my neighbors sins, but also my enemy's sins! He not only suffers and lays down His life, He is rejected by God so that we would be accepted by God and become not only Jesus' neighbors but His brothers and sisters.
     Through this act of salvation I see how Jesus loves me without end and without limit, so that I can learn and be enabled to love my neighbor. Through Jesus Christ and His salvation every person who Christ has died for is now my neighbor. This is only possible because Jesus Himself binds our wounds by pouring out His blood for us so that we can live not just temporarily in an Inn, but in His eternal home forever. His love enables us to step outside of our comfort zone releasing us from the things which hinder us from loving others. He does this by forgiving us of our sins and giving us eternal life. Also, keep in mind there are many ways to help our neighbor: we can pray for them, we can point them to someone else who can help them better than we can, we can tell them about Jesus, we can listen to them and even at times we can say “no” to what they ask for so that we can out of love give them something better. Being forgiven and having eternal life as your comfort is the best way to prepare yourself to help others. Through forgiveness and eternal life our minds are set at ease and we can think more creatively as to how to truly help someone rather than just handing them something and telling them to just, “go away.”
     So, may God who has redeemed us through His Son making us His brothers and sisters in Christ enable you to help those in need knowing that Christ has and will continue to help and care for you freeing your heart and mind to truly help others unto life everlasting. Amen.

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Sermon text: Luke 10:1-20 Pentecost 9 Series C 2022


Sons of Peace
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus said, Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. Let us pray. May your word heavenly Father continue to work peace in our hearts, may it not only remain there, but may it grow as we proclaim your Son Jesus Christ in our callings and may You heavenly Father through our faith bless our communities and our nation. In Jesus' name. Amen.
     Jesus sends out the 72. These 72 are not the 12 disciples but are “others” who have been with Jesus. Somewhere near Capernaum as Jesus heads toward Jerusalem they are instructed to enter each town with a simple greeting, Peace be to this house! We think, “who would reject such a greeting?” but remember Jesus was in His third year of healing, teaching and preaching. This phrase had become representative of Jesus and His disciples. So to greet someone with peace was to greet someone with Jesus.
     What happens next needs a bit of explaining. Jesus tells them that if the peace they give is “returned” they are to leave that town and even shake the dust off their feet. We get the impression that just this one little mistake condemns the whole town for a long time. But what you need to understand is that God's word has been working 'peace' among His people for 1000's of years. Through God's word even many Gentiles were given peace. Think of the wisemen who ask, where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? So when these disciples greeted these homes with peace, those people even those towns had already decided to welcome or reject Jesus.
     What does mean for us? Well, as I said in the prayer before the sermon, each through our own calling proclaim peace to others. Right now, no different than in Jesus' day through God's word people everywhere are being caused to make a decision. This is especially true now as the world falls apart. Not only is it wearing out, people are starting to see what happens to the world as fewer people believe in God or trust in Jesus. We see it all around us, people reacting to issues with threats of violence. People becoming unhinged at even the smallest threat to their “way of life.” Because they have rejected Jesus and His forgiveness they do not have the peace of eternal life and this is what YOU have to share. Never underestimate the affects of knowing that your names are written in heaven. Having eternal life because you believe in Jesus isn't just about eternal life. It is about having peace in the here and now. A peace that affects everything you say and do even if you don't think it does. For example, when we smile or greet someone because of Jesus we are not just controlled by worldly motivations. We open the door for someone because God loves us and causes us to love others, not because we want something from them. Jesus and His forgiveness causes us to be at peace with God and that peace permeates what we say and do.
     Now I know that you and I have struggles which often hide this peace from us, but that is what church is about. We come here so that God can remind us what He has done and continues to do for us in Jesus. The major difference between earthly peace and God's peace is that earthly peace is temporary but God's peace in Jesus Christ is eternal. Because it is greater it has a greater affect on us then the world. We continue to receive Jesus' peace through His word and sacraments. In connection with this I thank you for allowing me to be your pastor for the last 29 years as my family and I celebrate the anniversary of my ordination on Monday. I have seen God's peace and peace of eternal life at work in you, so may God continue to enable you to share it with others. Amen.



​Audio:    soundcloud.com/user-462937846/jesus-set-his-face?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Sermon text: Luke 9:51-62 Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8) Series C


Jesus Sets His Face Toward Jerusalem
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Luke records concerning Jesus our Savior, When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Heavenly Father, just as Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem to suffer all for our sake, may we set our faces unto life everlasting and through it fill us with the hope of the gospel. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     Jesus 'sets His face' to go to Jerusalem knowing what would happen to Him there. The closer Jesus gets to Jerusalem the harder His message becomes. This is why Jesus so strongly discourages even those who want to follow from doing so. It makes sense if we remember how hard it was for even Jesus' closest disciples who even though they promised never to forsake Him fled in fear. Then it just gets worse as they see the terrible things which happened to Jesus who is then crucified and dies. So the point is, if His own close 12 disciples could not handle what happens to Jesus what would these novices do? Despite all this, Jesus 'sets His face' to go Jerusalem because He knows there is nothing... NOTHING more important than what He will do.
     However, not everyone saw it that way. Case in point the Samaritan village they were about to pass through. We hear of the Jewish religious leaders rejecting Jesus all the time, but we don't think about the Samaritans. Yet they too reject Jesus and for a very petty reason. They don't want Jesus coming to their town because He is going to Jerusalem. How sad this is even though He has done nothing but good for them and through the cross will make salvation possible for them! But before we criticize them too much we should recognize that we do this all the time. For example we may say, “I'm not going to talk to them, they probably voted Republican!,” or “I'm not going to waste my time with them their Cubs fans!” But it is actually worse than that. Jesus 'sets His face' towards Jerusalem so that we can receive forgiveness. He allows Himself to be beaten, whipped, mocked, and humiliated by men only then to bear the sins of the whole world as God punishes Him to death so that YOU can receive complete and continuous forgiveness. Yet, how many times do you withhold forgiveness, or hesitate on being forgiving for some comparatively small reason! In fact even if someone has stolen from you the greatest of earthly treasures it still is nothing in comparison to Jesus, His forgiveness and the joys of eternal life He alone makes possible!
     In connection to this the ability to share the gospel does not come from being above average. It does not come from a willingness to stand out in a crowd. It does not come from being a gifted orator. It does not come from any human ability. Rather it is the Gospel itself that causes itself to be proclaimed. When you know you are forgiven you have the ability to share the gospel even forgive someone. Also, as hard as it was for Jesus to 'set His face' toward Jerusalem knowing all that He would have to endure it is just the opposite for us because of what He has done. We TOO 'set our face,' but not towards Jerusalem, rather to life everlasting. Just the opposite of Jesus though, we look forward to nothing but good. The good that is before us is so good that it enables us to endure all hardship even rejoice because of it. Just as Hebrews 12 tells us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. So let us 'set our faces' toward life everlasting and through the joy of being forgiven proclaim forgiveness to others. Amen. 
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Audio: soundcloud.com/user-462937846/declare-how-much-god-has-done-for-you?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing    
Sermon text: Luke 8:26 – 39 Series C Proper 7 2022


Declare How Much God has Done for You
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Luke records Jesus saying to the once demon possessed man, Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. Let us pray. Fill us Lord with confidence and joy because of what Your Son has done for us that we may declare Him to others proclaiming what He has done. Amen.
     As with all of Jesus' miracles we look at this demon possession and say to ourselves, “incredible.” The man once possessed by a Legion that is a 1000 demons really had a story like no other. The change in His countenance, is extreme. He goes from a uncontrollable naked wild man filled with demons terrified of Jesus to a clothed and controlled man who wants to follow Jesus where ever He goes. Amazingly, Jesus casts out this Legion of demons with just an unspoken command. We hear and see nothing of Jesus power but they are terrified of Jesus and the coming judgment so afraid they are willing to trade their human host for a herd of pigs. What I want you to notice is how little Jesus does but because of Who He is and what God has called Him to do, this Legion, this greatest of human enemies is filled with trembling fear and can only fall down before Him and beg. Again, Jesus with less than a word, mere thoughts casts them out without question.
     Why make this point? Because as with all of Jesus' miracles we stand looking enviously at them thinking what it would have been like to receive such help from Jesus. I am here today to tell you, “STOP THAT!” Jesus HAS saved you from something much worse than even being possessed by a Legion of demons. Even though this man was tortured by demon possession, resulting in the shame of nakedness and causing many to fear, there was a much greater punishment problem which he had and all of you and I must deal with; a problem to which a life time of problems can not compare: Eternal Damnation. I am not sure any of us can imagine how bad Hell will be nor do we want to, but without Jesus that is where we are going. Imagine if you can an existence without Jesus, without hope, without peace, moment after moment extreme physical and emotional suffering without end. Unless you recognize this you have nothing to proclaim, nothing to declare.
     Look at this way. As I said Jesus simply with an unspoken word casts out a Legion of demons and they go uncontrolled into a herd of pigs. Now, compare that to what Jesus had to do to save you from eternal damnation. The moment Jesus was born He began His fight against Satan and His temptation in your place. As Paul tells us in today's epistle, when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law. Then sometime near His crucifixion God places on Him the iniquity of us all, causing Jesus to suffer so much He cries out in the garden of Gethsemane three times for mercy and sweats drops of blood, but that is not all. This is followed by extreme physical torture as He is beaten, whipped, His beard is pulled out, He is humiliated, and crucified naked. Then, on the cross He not only suffers pain He is forsaken by God, enduring the punishment we deserved in Hell. But then ALL of that is given the greatest meaning and purpose. He rises from the dead victorious proving that our chains of sin have been broken and just as He rose we shall rise too!
     The point is, Jesus has never done more for anyone than you, or me. We truly have something wonderful to declare. It is so big, so comforting, so complete, so filled with love, and filled with inexpressible joy and victory that is causes us to declare and proclaim His name because it changes the way we live! What He has done is so great it fills us from top to bottom, it precedes us and follows us, it makes us His children by grace continually transforming us by His continual forgiveness. This is what our baptism, the Lord's Supper and His Word is all about. So may God continue to work in you as His Son continues to tell you what He has done for you, that you may declare what He has done proclaiming Him to the world. Amen.



​Audio:soundcloud.com/user-462937846/never-see-death?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing  
Sermon text: John 8:48-59 Series C Trinity Sunday 2022

Never See Death
     Grace and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus boldly proclaims, Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. Let us pray. On this Trinity Sunday we praise you heavenly Father for the salvation found in Your Son Jesus Christ who knows you and has kept Your Word so that we can know You keep Your word and receive eternal life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
     When Jesus says to the Jews, Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death, they know the implication of what He is saying. Jesus is saying that HIS word is equal to GOD'S word. So they respond, Now we know that you have a demon! But the problem is they don't understand the life Jesus is talking about and are thinking only of earthly physical life. So they continue by saying, Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. Here is a connection to Trinity Sunday, and everyday of our lives as the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is talking about eternal life. We know Abraham IS alive in life everlasting.
     But there is something we need to wrestle with in Jesus' statement. He says, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. Just what “word” is Jesus talking about? We assume He means everything He has ever taught. That means both believing it and doing it. We keep Jesus' word as we believe in what He has said. For example, I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me though He die, yet shall He live. But keeping Jesus' word also means we do what He has told us to do. He tells us, love your enemy, He tells us, forgive from your heart, He tells us forgive 70 times 7, and He tells us love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength. So, have you KEPT Jesus' word?
     This why knowing WHO Jesus is saves us. Jesus tells the Jew