Picture a world shrouded in the deepest of darkness and gloom, stifling everyone and everything. But this darkness is not physical, it’s spiritual. You see this world in your mind’s eye, and it’s a hostile place full of hurt and pain. The powerful oppress the poor, prying loose the last penny from their hands. Although […]
Mel Brun’s Funeral Sermon: Luke 2:22-32
February 9, 2014 by
Judy and friends and family of Mel Bruns: Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Amen. You wouldn’t know it by looking, but Mel and I had much in common. Learning how something worked and functioned fascinated Mel, as it does […]
The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of our Lord: Luke 2:22-32
February 2, 2014 by
We have no idea how badly Adam’s Fall into sin has ruined our world. Oh, we know that death is the result of that Fall into sin. And we realize that sickness, frailty, and aging are also the continuing aftershocks of that cataclysmic event. Yet, we have no comparison to understand from what great depths […]
Wilbur Carlson’s Memorial Service Sermon: Revelation 7:9-17
February 1, 2014 by
Mary, and family and friends of Wilbur Carlson: What is the best way that you can honor Wilbur? Is it by remembering him? Well, memory is important. We could barely go on without memory. And of course you want to remember Wilbur in your heart, the seat of your emotions, and in your mind. And […]
Matthew 4:12-25: Caught in Jesus’ Net
January 27, 2014 by
Today, we hear about Jesus doing something strange, of capturing people, of hauling them in by His words. That’s what happened to Jesus’ first disciples–they were “captured” by His Word and His call for them to be His disciples. Jesus’ first disciples lived by the Sea of Galilee. They were fishermen who were mending their […]
Romans 6:1-11: Baptized into Christ’s Death and Life
January 19, 2014 by
Water is the substance of life. We cannot live without it. Plants and animals cannot survive without it. We drink water to keep ourselves from dehydrating and dying of thirst. We use water for cooking and cleaning. We use water to wash ourselves, to make ourselves clean. So, it makes perfect sense that God would […]
Matthew 2:1-12: The Magi Needed the Gospel Word
January 13, 2014 by
The star didn’t live up to its expectation. Oh, the star did alert the wise men, the Magi, that a new Jewish king was born. But it only led them, at first, to Jerusalem. And so that’s where they went: to Jerusalem. They went there to give their gifts to the new king, to honor […]
Luke 2:21: The Circumcision and Name of Jesus
January 1, 2014 by
Associated Scriptural Words on Circumcision God said to Abraham, “As for you, you are to keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you for the generations to come. This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you must be circumcised. You […]
Galatians 4:4-7: Sons of God because of the Son of God
December 29, 2013 by
God gave His Law to Moses while His people, Israel, were making their way from Egypt to the land that He had promised them. Yet, during Israel’s entire history, not one of them could follow the Law as they had promised to God (Exodus 19:8). Now, the Law did have good within it. It restrained […]
Christmas Day: Luke 2:11: The Savior, Christ the Lord, is Born
December 25, 2013 by
Every year as Christmas fast approaches, commercials confront us on radio, television, and the internet, using emotions to try to get us to buy their products. And such commercials usually tap into the secular sentiments of the season. Yet, as God’s people, we have something deeper than that when it comes to Christmas, something deeper […]
