A generation or two before Jesus was born, two schools of thought had developed within the Pharisees: the School of Hillel and the School of Shammai. Rabbi Hillel grappled to […]
Luke 14:1-6: Jesus is Our Sabbath Rest
September 27, 2015 by
With laser-like precision, they honed in on His every word. They did this, not because they wanted to learn from the Lord of lords in the flesh, but to trap […]
1 Kings 17: Pointing to Jesus
September 21, 2015 by
Jesus says that all, not some, but all the Scriptures testify of Him (John 5:39). And so when we ponder our Old-Testament reading for today, we should ask, “How does […]
Matthew 6:24-34: You Can’t Serve God and Money
September 15, 2015 by
When Jesus says, “You can’t serve God and money,” He’s not accusing you of devoting your life to amassing wealth. For if you serve money, that means money is the […]
1 Corinthians 15:51-57: Funeral Sermon for Ruby Kintzinger
September 10, 2015 by
Ruby Kintzinger was a long-time member of Shepherd of the Hills. She passed away on August 20, 2015 and her funeral was on August 24. This was her funeral sermon. Listen, I […]
2 Corinthians 3:4-11: The Letter Kills but the Spirit Gives Life
September 10, 2015 by
When someone reads the Bible, it’s easy for him to misidentify the person or people a text may reference. For example, in today’s epistle reading, we heard the word “we.” […]
Luke 18:9-14 (Genesis 4:1-15): Coming to God on Whose Terms?
August 16, 2015 by
Why do people brag? It’s because they want recognition; they want others to notice them. After all, doesn’t it feel good when others sing your praises? Of course it does! […]
Luke 19:41-48: Jesus, the Incarnate Temple, Brings True Peace
August 10, 2015 by
Jeri was breathtakingly beautiful. All the men wanted to be with her, and all the women wanted to be her. But more than that, she was intelligent and industrious. She […]
1 Corinthians 10:6-13: Take Heed, Lest You Fall
August 2, 2015 by
In our culture today, many may take offense at the confession of sins in a Lutheran service. But, that confession of sin, as distasteful as it may be, does teach […]
Matthew 7:15-23: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
July 27, 2015 by
“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” That’s what one of my seminary professors taught me. But there is a problem with that statement. […]
