κήρυξον τὸν λόγον

Dear Susie, Erin, and Jacob ... dear brothers and sisters in Christ ... friends, family ... Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The text for our meditation comes from Kelly’s confirmation verses in Hebrews chapter 10. We gather here today in the wake of great loss. Kelly Eugene Niemann died suddenly Monday, April 6, 2026. When death hits us like this, especially when it’s someone who is dearly loved in the community, it creates great instability. Our dear Susie, who shared 50 years of marriage with him, didn’t sleep the first night after Kelly’s death because she didn’t want to wake up to his loss. But our text from Hebrews was written for moments just like this.  The Hebrew congregation that heard our reading for the first time also were experiencing distress, loss, temptation to despair ... much like we feel today. They too were wondering, who will we turn to for comfort? Many undoubtedly were unsure ...

[Introduction] Are you tired? Are you “reTIRED” ... working too hard too often for too long, “reTIRING” yourselves after tiring yourselves during a lifetime of work? Do you long for rest? Even if you don’t feel you are, you should know our children are tired ... our mothers and fathers are tired ... our husbands are tired ... our wives are tired ... our world is tired. We’re all constantly confronted by bickering and unrest ... upheaval and tension ... pressure and anxiety. We’re making demands of others trying to feed the need for rest. And it’s downright tiring. We’re even too busy to call our pastor and say, Hey, Pastor, I’m tired. ... Will you help me?  I need rest ... Will you pray for me?   Yes, we long for good rest. ... So where are we to find it? The evangelist to the Hebrews has the answer. He proclaims that ... THE LIVING WORD OF GOD DELIVERS THE BEST REST TO HIS PEOPLE I. God has given and promised this best rest to his people from the beginning. The best rest is...

Therefore, let us come forward with boldness to the throne of grace in order that we may receive mercy and find grace for well-timed help (v 16). [Catechism: Lutheran Service Book, 326] What is the Office of the Keys?  Where is this written?  What do you believe according to these words? [Prayer] Heavenly Father, you delivered your Son for our offenses and raised him for our justification. Grant that we may trust in the word of forgiveness that you have given your pastors to proclaim, that clinging to your good and gracious promises, we might be brought to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Introduction] Woe is me! For I have been cut off. I am a man of unclean lips (Isa 6:5a). Depart from me Lord, because I am a sinner (Lk 5:8). I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. My sin is ever before me (Ps 51:3). I have not loved you with my whole heart, let alone my neighbor as myself (Mt 22:37). I ...

[Introduction] If you’ve ever had to work, and work, and work, and work ... if you’ve ever been worn out from work, exhausted, spent, so tired you can’t think ... if you have ever felt like you can’t go on but you have to ... you know how refreshing it is, and what a relief it is, to finally rest. Rest ... It’s such a welcome word.  Rest ... kicking back to relax.  Rest ... No more pressure. No more tension. No more burden. No more pain. No more strain. No more sweating the small stuff. No more wrestling with simply strained nerves.  Rest ...  Where are we to find it?   The evangelist to the Hebrews gives us the answer today. He proclaims that ...  TRUE REST COMES IN THE WORD AND PROMISES OF GOD There are three kinds of rest being highlighted in our reading from Hebrews today.  First is the rest given to us in creation (vv 9-10). Second is the rest given in redemption (v 10). And finally, there is the rest that comes through sanctification (11-13)...