Sermons

John tells us that, in this sign, “Jesus manifested His glory, and that His disciples believed in Him.”  And, Beloved, what this reveals is that belief does not come from understanding. No, rather, it arises from gift, from abundance where there once was lack, from mercy that does not announce itself as mercy. This sign, then, does not remain at Cana. It points toward the hour of which Christ speaks, when He will pour out His sacred blood upon the Cross, and later give that s

For you, Jesus, the Israel of God, repeats and completes the life of Moses. For you, this new and better Moses was born. For you, He fled from the sword of Herod. For you, He was called out of Egypt. For you, He was called to the Cross. For you, He suffered the whips, the thorns, and the nails: the bleeding and the dying. For you, He was called back to life. For you, He shatters the shackles of sin and death that once bound you by His grace. You, He carries out of Egypt, acro

So much we can learn from this in our dark days, in the midst of all our troubles, the troubles of our living circumstances, and the troubles of our lives. For there is great slaughter happening in our midst also, as countless children are ripped not from their mothers’ arms, but from their wombs. They are put to death, not because of some order by some despot. They are put to death by those who bear and are supposed to protect life, not take it.  Still, just like the Holy In

The Word became flesh . Nothing and no one can change this glorious truth. While the world hastens from one thing to another, while the generosity of friends and neighbors will dissipate, while store-bought presents will eventually end up in the same trash heap as their wrappings, even so, the Word shall yet remain. Through hardship and heartache, despite grief and sadness, the Word shall yet remain. Indeed, heaven and earth will pass away, and yet the Word, which created the

Unto you is born a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.  Unto you, Beloved: you, who fear, you, who grieve, you, who are guilty of and afflicted by sin. Unto you , He is born. Not because you were ready, not because you made room, not because your hearts were pure or your lives ordered; rather, because you were lost, because you were helpless, and, more than that, because He loves you.  For this “unto you”  does not remain in the fields outside Bethlehem. The angel’s proclamation

John’s appearance and preaching were not just for the corrupt multitudes that came to him; they were also for the Pharisees. What’s more, they are for you. Consider what John says here: that he is not even worthy to unloose the strap of the Christ’s sandals. To whom is he addressing? It’s not the corrupt multitudes; it’s the Pharisees: those who came to him to ask who he was. Consider also John’s overall message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  Again, who is

Beloved, there is indeed ample cause for rejoicing: Almighty God has taken on flesh. And all generations do indeed call Mary blessed because she was the maidservant who bore the Saviour of mankind. Jesus’ name is holy, just as He is holy. On the generations long past, today’s generations, and the generations yet to come, is His mercy made manifest. For in mercy, He entered the fray and showed the strength of His arm by willingly letting it be nailed to the Cross. His atoning

All flesh is grass… the grass withers.  You will die; because of sin, you will die. And you cannot take your earthly things with you. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  And His kingdom is certainly not of this world.  However, it came to this world, it comes to this world, it shall come to this world. And therein is your source of abiding joy. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, one that shall not pass away nor be destroyed. He comes to wipe clear the record, t

The miracle of the Annunciation is more than a historic event. By the account of St. Luke, by the testimony of the Evangelist, you hear the proclamation of the angel, you hear Mary’s response of faith. And you have hope. Because: you were not conceived without sin; you were begotten of a human father and born to a human mother. And so, to you, the curse applies. In pain, your mother bore you. And like Cain, and, indeed, all of Adam’s descendants, the fruits of your sin have c

As men observe the signs of a creation groaning under its bondage to decay, Jesus tells us that people will see this shaking of the powers that be, along with the resultant distress of nations,  and that, “their hearts will fail them from fear.”  Beloved, this is the way it is for the world; those who don’t fear God must fear everything else: the political climate, acts of violence, the environment, the economy, one’s health, relationship and family issues, all of that become

Readings: Old Testament: Psalm 23 Epistle: Romans 14:7-9 Holy Gospel: John 14:1-6 Sermon audio: downlo ad Obituary: link Sermon: Sermon based on Psalm 23 * In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.   Dearly family and friends of Doris:  On behalf of the members of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, let me say that we grieve with you over the loss of your beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, relative, and friend. Doris was a dear member and

Have you not been a little like Zacharias at times? And shouldn’t you know better? You are a Christian, after all, instructed in the faith; the Lord even sends a messenger to come and talk to you in His House. And yet, there you are, still having trouble believing what the Lord tells you. He tells you that He is your good and loving Father, who will take care of you in all your needs. And yet, you don’t trust God as you ought. You think He’s holding out on you; that you will