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Showing posts from April, 2025

It's All About Jesus, All the Time :: Luke 24:13-35

And it came to pass while he was reclining among them, [Jesus] took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew him. And he disappeared from their sight. And they said to one another: Were our hearts not kindled in us as he was talking to us on the way, as he was opening to us the Scriptures? (vv 30-32) [Prayer] Lord Jesus, stay with us as you promised. Be our constant companion on the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope among us, that we may recognize you as you are revealed in the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread. Grant this for your name’s sake. Amen. [Introduction] When was the last time you paid any attention to that giant banner in the back of the sanctuary or gave some thought to the Gospel it proclaims? Have you ever? ... It’s still all about Jesus ... it says. ... Every word. Every song. Every sacrament. All of the time.  Two of Jesus’ disciples came to that realization in our Gospel reading from Luke 24. Th...

See! He Lives! :: Mark 16:1-8

How strange is it that today ... for the greatest and most joyful feast of the year ... the Feast of Victory of Our God ... that Saint Mark would announce the Good News of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ by noting that the women fled the tomb trembling and ecstatic ... a state of mind that is not good ... and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid! (v 8). Is that not an unusual response after hearing the Gospel that ... HE IS RISEN!? Are you afraid to share this Gospel outside of this sanctuary? I. The women were expecting to find a dead Jesus (vv 1-3). Mary the Magdalene, Mary the mother of James ... or we could say the mother of Jesus ... and Salome, the mother of the Sons of Thunder, James and John ... they had all watched the terribly bloody and gruesome crucifixion of Jesus at the place of the skull (15:40). They probably saw the centurion thrust a spear into the side of Jesus. They certainly saw Joseph of Arimathea take the body of Jesus down from the cros...

God Told You So :: Old Testament

[Introduction] This year, on New Year’s Day, Pastor Kyler and I were thinking about Lent ... because that's what pastors do ... we are always thinking about Lent ... thinking about how we should, as Paul teaches us in 2 Timothy 4[:2], to be prepared in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching (2 Tm 4:2). So there we were, bantering and discussing, when it was as if the Holy Spirit came upon us, and we established the roots of this sermon, saying ... GOD TOLD YOU SO I. Long ago, in many and various ways, God told you this day was coming. He told you he would give you rest through all of his work (Hb 1:1; Gn 2:4), first in creation, then redemption, and now in sanctification. He told you that he would remember his covenant for you (Gn 9:15). He told you that he would provide for you, on his mountain (Gn 22:14). He told you that he would fight for you, and prevail for you, even when the odds looked like they were stacked against y...

With Uplifted Hands, The Victory is Won :: Exodus 17:8-14

Whenever the hand of Moses was raised, Israel prevailed and whenever his hand was lowered, Amalek prevailed. And the hands of Moses were heavy, so they took a stone and set it under him and he sat on it while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, from one side to the other side and his hands were steadfast until the going down of the sun. And Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.   [Prayer] *O Lord, do not look upon our sin, but look upon your Son, lifting up his hands over the battlefield. Envelope us in his cross, that he be our victory-banner, so we may lift up hands to plead for mercy and in thanksgiving. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. [Introduction] Forty days ago, we began our journey through the wilderness. We’ve met temptation and trial while walking with the cloud and fire of God’s presence. We’ve heard God’s desire to wipe out Israel. The saw the fire of his wrath consume the wicked. He struck us with leprosy. He opened the ground and swallowed the rebels. E...