κήρυξον τὸν λόγον

I don’t think there are many things more unnerving than being in the dark. When I say the dark, I am not referring merely to nighttime. You can see things at night. I am talking about the time when you can’t see your hand in front of your face. THAT is darkness. The Vietnam vets among us will surely know what I am talking about.  Pure darkness can be more than unnerving ... it can be downright frightening. As the sounds around you begin to bounce around your ears, the pitch consumes you. Where is up? Where is down? What are you stepping on? What’s that sound? where is it coming from? You just don’t know. I don’t want to imagine being blind. I first encountered pitch black in a jungle on the island of Okinawa while serving in the Marine Corps. We were on a training mission. Our task: hike only two kilometers... in the dark. You could NOT see. We’d have to rely on each other. To keep a sense of balance and to keep us from getting lost, we were instructed to keep one hand on the pack ...

What are ... YOU ... looking at? What ARE you looking at? Whatcha looking at? Boy, that’s one loaded question, is it not? Same words all producing different questions and even more answers.  If someone asks that question emphasizing YOU ... it’s a challenge. Maybe it’s even a prelude to a fight! But if I pose the question as: “ What ARE you looking at ?” ,,, or WHAT are you looking at? I’ve changed the emphasis. You’re still challenged, but no longer to a fight. You’re challenged to give account ... Challenged perhaps by a teacher, a parent who has caught you daydreaming. Challenged by someone who wants to know what has stolen your attention.  Then, there’s this question: The question I want all of you to hear. The question I want all of you to answer. Pastor, Whatcha looking at? And why? Someone who is searching ... maybe someone like the Apostle Andrew in our Gospel reading ... maybe someone like your brother or sister ... or your friend who stopped coming to Trinity L...

Part of what makes Christmas so meaningful is that it becomes so easy for us to find Jesus when we need him and when we want him. We know exactly where to look. “ The Angels we have heard on high ,” announce every year with great fanfare that “ what child is this who was laid to rest on Mary’s lap sleeping” (LSB 370) is “ the little Lord Jesus ” (LSB 364).  Christmas is a big deal. Despite what the world has done to this sacred season, stretching it from the twelve days of Christmas to Epiphany to the 30 days before, the truth is, and we Christmas always seems brings people back to church. Because when you have been baptized, you know, you really do know, where to find Jesus. A recent poll found that nearly 70 percent of Christians attend church during at least one of the Christmas services. We had 80 people here for the children’s service! Another 81 attended Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both. Polls also find that of those who don’t attend during Christmastime, nearly 60 per...