κήρυξον τὸν λόγον

[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...

[Prayer] Blessed Lord, you have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  [Introduction] Today we observe the Feast of All Saints ... aka All Saints Day. The Church has set aside this day to remember with thanksgiving all the saints who have gone before us ... the saints who now rest from their labors and are with the Lord. Though we cannot see them, we know they are with us. As the preacher in the Book of Hebrews teaches us, we are surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses to the faith ... the great communion of saints ... the whole church on earth and in heaven during every Divine Service (Hb 12:1; Proper Preface).  But All Saints Day isn’t only for those who have died in the faith. We are also called to remember that we too have been sanc...

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God, and we are! For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. Now everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure (vv 1-3). [Prayer] O Lord, our God, in Holy Baptism, you have called us to be your beloved children, and granted us the remission of sins. Send your blessing upon the Word spoken to us, and by your Holy Spirit increase our saving knowledge of you, that we may be strengthened in your Divine Truth and remain steadfast in Your Grace, through Jesus Christ, your son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. [Introduction] If you want to know what a particular church believes, teaches, and confesses, all you really need to do ...

The world around you will tell you there are four things we all need for survival: food, water, clothing, and shelter. If you have these four things, they say, you can survive for decades.  But if you were paying attention to our readings today ... you learned something’s missing. You can have all the food, clothing, water, and shelter you think you need, but if you don’t have love, you have nothing (1 Cor 13:2). We all need love. Love is the universal need of man. We all need to be loved. We all need to feel loved. We all need someone to love. We all need love. People who are unloved, not loved, or who have never learned to love suffer terribly ... physically, mentally, emotionally. Love is the universal need of man. 1. I haven’t watched it in a long time, but there’s a reality television show called “Alone.” It’s a fascinating competition. The show follows the daily struggles of ten people who are left alone in the wilderness with limited means to gather food, water, clothing, a...

See what type of love the Father has given to us: (It has the purpose) that we will be called children of God. And we are. On account of this (kind of love) , the world does not know us because it does not know him. Beloved, we are now God’s children, and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We know that when he appears, we will be like him. And all the ones having this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure (1 Jn 3:1-3). Every Sunday when we don’t celebrate the Lord’s Supper, your pastor repeats an incredible promise. He says, To those who believe on His name, He gives the power to become children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved .   Most of us have heard this promise from page 185 in the Lutheran Service Book for most of our lives. Our service book pulls these two quotes from John 1 and Mark 16. I know there have been weeks and maybe even years when you didn’t hear this declaration of grace. I wouldn’...