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Scroll down for 2010 Sermons Click here for all sermons listed by Biblical text
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"Jesus at the Door" (Luke 13)
+ + + 13th Sunday after Pentecost + + + August 22, 2010 + + +
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Last month, when we were in Texas, we stopped in San Antonio. Of course, we decided to go downtown and see the Alamo. First, we ate lunch in the shopping mall. Then, we meandered through the shops. Next, we got on the river boat ride for a relaxing cruise. Then, we went back into the shopping mall. Now we were ready to head to the Alamo. When we had arrived at the Alamo and to our surprise it was closed. We were unable to get into the Alamo. Visiting hours were over. We took our pictures outside of the Alamo so that we could remember the day we were locked outside of the Alamo. Now it didn’t matter that we desired to go into the Alamo. Once the door was shut, it was too late. We were stuck on the outside. I sure wish we would have bothered find out the operating hours. We will remember the Alamo a little bit differently than other people.
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"The LORD is Our Shield" (Genesis 15)
+ + + 11th Sunday after Pentecost + + + August 8, 2010 + + +
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When I was a child I thought like a child. My heroes were the super heroes from the comic books. I can remember playing super heroes on the playground and pretending to fight evil. Spider-man could crawl on walls and shoot webs. Batman had a utility belt with more gadgets than a Swiss Army knife. Superman could fly and bend a steel beam with his bare hands. Captain America had a shield. Now a shield didn’t seem like a lot compared to the gifts that all the others had. Yet, Captain America boldly ran around with a patriotic shield.
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"Dying to Live" (Colossians 3)
+ + + 10th Sunday after Pentecost + + + August 1, 2010 + + +
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The message of the gospel is not about us doing good works; rather, it is the message of the good work that God is doing to us as baptized believers. The Father “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV) For this reason we do not do good things to earn favor with God. On the contrary, we receive the Father’s favor for the sake of Jesus Christ His Son. We do not gain salvation and eternal life by being morally upright. Instead, we are given the gift of salvation and eternal life on account of the merit of Jesus. He has purchased us with His precious blood. We belong to Him and thus we are beginning to act like Him. As He has loved us, we begin to love others. As He denied Himself we are learning to deny ourselves.
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"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (Genesis 18)
+ + + 9th Sunday after Pentecost + + + July 25, 2010 + + +
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In today’s Gospel lesson, our Lord Jesus Christ, teaches us to pray. From Him we learn to seek in order to find, to ask in order to receive, and to knock in order for the door to be opened to us. The Lord loves to hear the petitions of His people. The Lord loves to hear prayers that are prayed in faith. The Lord loves to hear persistent prayers. The Lord loves to hear the requests that are rooted in love for the neighbor.
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"Praying for Laborers" (Luke 10)
+ + + 6th Sunday after Pentecost + + + July 4, 2010 + + +
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In today’s gospel text, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Now, I don’t know much about growing up on a farm, but I do know about the significance of having more workers to get a job done. Just watch a group of ants working together to carry off a piece of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The more workers there are the easier it is to get the job done. Thus, Jesus teaches us to pray for more workers for the kingdom for Jesus wants to get the job done.
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"Walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5)
+ + + 5th Sunday after Pentecost + + + June 27, 2010 + + +
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In Galatians chapters three and four, we learn that in Christ we are all sons of God, we have been clothed with Christ in our baptisms and the Holy Spirit has been sent into our hearts crying, “Abba, Father!” As baptized believers, we have not received a counterfeit grace from God. The favor that God bestows upon us is true and has absolutely nothing to do with our behavior. God’s grace is underserved. If it were counterfeit, it would not truly be grace. It would only be grace in name. It would have strings attached to it. It would be like those offers we see on the television and in the magazines that offer you a free gift if you only pay the shipping and handling fees. We are saved by grace alone and there are no conditions attached.
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"Here am I" (Isaiah 65)
+ + + 4th Sunday after Pentecost + + + June 20, 2010 + + +
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There are sixty-six chapters in the book of Isaiah. Throughout the book, Isaiah preaches repentance and forgiveness to the people of God. He exposes there false worship and calls them to faith in the One True God. He foretells their destruction which is a glimpse of the Final Judgment of all people. He reassures them of their restoration which is a glimpse of the consummation of the Kingdom of God at the end of time. He promises them the coming of the Messiah who will bring even the Gentiles into this Kingdom.
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"Christ Has Redeemed Us" (Galatians 3)
+ + + Third Sunday after Pentecost + + + June 13, 2010 + + +
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On the one hand St. Paul says, “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse…” And then he goes on to state, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Galatians 3:10-14, ESV) It is as if he had said, “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.” Either way you are cursed. All those who rely upon the works of the law… or …all those who do not do all the works of the law are cursed.
Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"See Your Son Lives" (1 Kings 17:17-24)
+ + + Second Sunday after Pentecost + + + June 6, 2010 + + +
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After the reign of Solomon, the kingdom was split into north and south. While the sons of David continued to reign on the throne in Judah, the throne in Israel was always up for grabs. It was usually taken by military might. When Omri took the throne in the north, he established Samaria as the capital. Like the northern kings before him, he promoted the false priesthood and the false worship at the false temples in Dan and Bethel. When he died, he was said to be the most evil of all the kings that preceded him. Not to be out down by his father, Ahab was even worse. Ahab’s claim to fame was the formal establishment of the worship of Baal in the kingdom. Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"The Blessed Trinity" (St. John 8:4859)
+ + + Holy Trinity + + + May 30, 2010 + + +
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In today’s gospel text, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (John 8:51, ESV) And again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58, ESV) Jesus teaches that He is eternal God, Abraham saw Him, and that His words give eternal life. Now what kind of teaching is this? No body else can make such a bold claim!!! This is no ordinary man. There is something strikingly different about Jesus. Either He is wrong or He is right. There is no middle ground. Many have attempted to make the words of Jesus easier to swallow. Throughout the ages people have debated about who Jesus is and what Jesus has said. This debate has gone on outside of the church and within her walls. Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"Confirming the Faith" (St. John 14:23-31)
+ + + The Day of Pentecost + + + May 23, 2010 + + +
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On this day, three of our beloved youth will be confirmed. They will publically confess their faith in Christ and their desire to remain in Him. As we witness this event it calls to mind our own confirmation vows and it points toward the future for those who have not yet arrived at this point in their lives. At this point, I must make it clear that confirmation is not graduation. Rather, it is the confirming of your lives as disciples. Throughout your lives you will meditate and contemplate upon the doctrine of the Apostles, but you will not graduate from it. We are in the process of being made into true disciples by being baptized and by continuing to be taught. As disciples, you are to continue to hear the word of God and ask “What does this mean? Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"Propeht, Priest, and King" (Ephesians 1:15-23)
+ + + The Ascension of our Lord + + + May 16, 2010 + + +
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In the book of Genesis, we learn about the story of Joseph’s life. It was revealed to him by God that he would end up reigning over his brothers. When he shared this news with them, they did not want to hear it even if it came from God. So, they rejected him and sold him into slavery. Then they told their father Jacob that Joseph was dead. Yet, God promises to work for the good in all things for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Although Joseph’s brothers meant these actions for harm, God meant them for good. Unbeknownst to the people of Israel, Joseph ended up in Egypt, was freed from his prison, and ascended to the right hand of Pharaoh. In this position, he was able to help his own people in the day of their need. He was able to sustain them during the seven years of famine. Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"The Gospel in Philippi" (Acts 16:8-15)
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+ + + Sixth Sunday in Easter + + + May 9, 2010 + + +
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The One who overcame the world sent the Apostles out into the world. In today’s reading from the book of Acts, we continue to hear about the Early Church learning what it means that Christ is risen indeed. In chapter fifteen, the council at Jerusalem concludes that the doctrine of justification through faith alone is for the Gentiles also. Both Jews and Gentiles are declared righteous for Christ’s sake. In chapter sixteen, like Peter before him, Paul too has a vision from God directing the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul sees a man from Macedonia asking for help. In answering this call, the gospel spreads throughout Europe. A lot of things happen in chapter sixteen. At this point in the book of Acts, the attention is taken off of St. Peter and placed on the missionary work of St. Paul who is the Apostle to the Gentiles. He is laying the foundation for the spread of the Gospel to all nations. Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"Spirit Guided" (Acts 11:1-18)
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+ + + Fifth Sunday in Easter + + + May 2, 2010 + + +
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Jesus says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,” (John 16:12, ESV) This statement was given to the apostles before the resurrection. As the conversation went on, it was made clear that the apostles couldn’t bear what Jesus was telling them. They kept stumbling over His statement that in a little while they would not see Him and then again in a little while they would see Him. They weren’t quit getting it. From this passage we are taught how important it is to continue to hear the word of Jesus and grow in our understanding of it. It is the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth. Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"Sheperds and Sheep" (Acts 20:17-35)
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+ + + Good Shepherd Sunday + + + April 25, 2010 + + +
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The shepherd image is one the earliest depictions of Jesus that has been found. The shepherd is the image of the resurrection. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep. He does this on his own. He has the power to lay it down and the power to take it up again. The shepherd image teaches us who Christ is and what He has done for us.Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"Going Fishing" (John 21:1-14)
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+ + + 3rd Sunday in Easter + + + April 18, 2010 + + +
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Now when one reads about the miraculous catching of the 153 fish, there is a tendency to dwell upon the number of fish. Why was there 153? Why not 150 or 1,000? Why not two boats full with so many fish that they began to sink? Therefore, let us go ahead and dwell upon the number.Click here for the complete sermon text.
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"A New Heavens and A New Earth" (Isaiah 65:17-25)
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+ + + Easter Sunday + + + April 4, 2010 + + +
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Easter is so much more than a phrase found on a greeting card that says, “Happy Easter!” It’s as if you are wishing some one to have the feeling of happiness for one day out of the year. Such a phrase puts the celebration of Easter in the same category as the celebration of other days throughout the year. Happy New Year, Happy Mother’s Day, Happy Father’s Day, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy Birthday. What is the difference between one greeting that says, “Happy Birthday” and another card that says, “Happy Easter!” For this reason in the church, we learn to greet each other in this season by saying, “Christ is risen!” with the response, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Click here for the complete sermon text.
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