κήρυξον τὸν λόγον

[Introduction] Today’s epistle reading introduces us to one of God’s great servants, the Apostle Paul. Among ordinary Joes or Jerrys like you and me, there is no one who has played a bigger role in enabling us to hear the Gospel, to know the Gospel, to believe the Gospel, and to confess the Gospel than the Apostle Paul. His 13 epistles have defined and defended the faith. He articulated all of the core doctrines of the church, notably the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. His fearless and precise proclamation of the only Gospel during his missionary journeys led to the establishment of at least 14 churches, notably in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica, but let’s not forget in Athens, Berea, Derbe, Iconium, Lystra, Pisidian Antioch, Troas, and who knows how many others. His legacy of personal sacrifice to preach that Gospel continues to inspire Christians worldwide. I. That didn’t make him any less of a si...

[Introduction] Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, you should never be surprised when the world looks at you ... or speaks to you ... with hostility or disdain (v 13). As Saint John reminds us this morning, the world will hate you because of the Gospel ... or we should, as our Lord said in John 15[:18], because it hated him first. How or why the world could and would hate us because of the Gospel, because of Jesus, is a mystery to me. The Gospel is the best gift of all. And it’s free. It doesn’t demand anything from you. It tells you what God has done and continues to do for you. It offers nothing but grace and love, peace and pardon, redemption and forgiveness and eternal life. And the world hates that ... because you didn’t deserve any of it. I know that doesn’t make sense. But it’s true.  The Gospel is rejected by the world because its core message flies in the face of human pride and autonomy, self-preservation and self-exaltation. The world hates it when the radical, uncondit...

Hallelujah! He is Risen! ... The word for our meditation today comes from our Gospel reading, which is well known as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. We need to hear this one again.  [Jesus said:] Now a certain man was rich and was clothing himself in purple and fine linen, and he was celebrating himself brilliantly every day. And a certain poor man named Lazarus had been cast aside toward his gate afflicted with skin abscesses and an overwhelming desire to be fed from what fell from the table of the rich man. But even the dogs came and licked his abscesses . And it came to pass: The poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s [embrace], and the rich man also died and was buried. And in hades, having lifted his eyes, existing in torment, [the rich man] saw Abraham from afar and Lazarus in [Abraham’s embrace]. And he, having cried out, said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus in order that he might dip the tip of his finger in water and coo...

[Jesus said:] Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be timid (v 27). [Introduction] Peace. ... We are constantly seeking peace, aren’t we? ... Longing for peace ... striving for peace ... fighting for peace. And yet it seems to be so elusive ... fleeting. If only we could be at peace in the midst of all the turmoil in our world, we tell ourselves. If only our nation wasn’t so divided, constantly disturbing the peace. If only our brothers and sisters and husbands and wives would stop fighting, cave-in to our way, and let us rest in peace.  Where are we to find such peace?  How are we to find such peace?  Do we even know what peace is? 1. Our Lord Jesus does.  The Lord and Prince of Peace gives us the true peace ... divine peace, heavenly peace, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. As Jesus said, Peace I leave to you. My peace I give to you. You might be ...