Category: Sermon

The special “Pentecost text” today, is the text of Acts 2. This text is the account of the disciples meeting on the O.T. Jewish festival of Pentecost, a day set to come together and celebrate the giving of the Old Testament Law, the Old Covenant, the commands. And as is famously known about this event, … Continue reading Acts 2: Speaking in the Language of Grace

I believe that I cannot by my own understanding or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes … Continue reading Pentecost: The Holy Spirit

We gather here this morning to celebrate not only the Lord’s Day as we do every week but this week, we celebrate also a special church holiday, Reformation Sunday. Now, based on the fact that this is a Lutheran Church I will go ahead and assume that the majority of you have at least somewhat … Continue reading The Gospel: Romans 3:19-28

I want to begin today with a story of a man, a perennial common man who could fit the name of every single one of us here today, but for the sake of today lets call him Alex. When Alex was young he had dreams of simultaneously becoming a famous musician, a rich lawyer, the … Continue reading Mark 1:4-11

The picture given to us in this text of 1 Samuel is a reflection on the coexistence of the Old and New man within us as Christians in the form of two sons. The first son mentioned here is of a barren woman. She prayed and prayed that God would give her a son, and … Continue reading 1 Samuel 2:21-25, Matthew 25:1-13

The people vowed themselves to a renewed covenant in the days of Joshua taking the commands of God freshly upon themselves as their fathers had done, choosing that in that day they and their houses would serve the Lord. But just as their fathers, they did not walk in obedience, they did not obey the … Continue reading Judges 2:16-23, Acts 13:16-25

Christ our Lord, is God of all the earth. Perhaps you know this. But do you truly acknowledge it? Do you come to divine service in reverence, awe, fear, and trepidation? Or is this just a Sunday morning routine. Let me tell you this, perhaps you’ve never thought of it in this way. When Moses … Continue reading Transfiguration Sunday

Have you ever had something tested? Perhaps you needed to have your water tested, or your blood tested, certainly if you’ve been through any length of education you’ve had your knowledge tested. In a test, generally what’s being looked for is some kind of quantifiable evidence that something is present, or perhaps not present. With … Continue reading Genesis 22:1-18, Mark 1:9-15 – A Tested Faith

The texts for today have always struck me as odd texts for the service of Ash Wednesday. After all, isn’t today the day that Christian’s disfigure their faces with ash so that others see that they’re fasting for lent? Perhaps that may be the case for some. But that isn’t why we observe this church … Continue reading Ash Wednesday – Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Advent season this year looks a lot different from those which have come before it. The season once so familiar to us has become a perverse and alien version of itself. What you once remembered as warm drinks, holiday cheer, shopping sprees, Christmas carols, family get-togethers and even special Advent and Christmas services has become … Continue reading 4th of Advent