In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. So the Bible starts. But by the second chapter, you’d think the only place on earth that mattered was the Garden of Eden. That’s where all the action was taking place. Of course, on the face of the earth were many beautiful and delightful places […]
Sermon for Gene Engel’s Funeral: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
December 12, 2012 by
It’s easy for us to grieve like those who have no hope, especially for those of you who loved Gene and knew him well. It’s normal for us fallen beings to place our trust in what we see and feel. For that’s what experience teaches us to believe is real, even if it’s not. And […]
Straighten up and raise your heads, for your redemption is near!
December 9, 2012 by
This is the confessional address our pastor gave to us during our Service of Confession. The purpose of a confessional address is to prepare one for confession, after which the Lord’s Supper is to be received. Jesus says, “When these [signs of the end times] begin to take place, straighten up and raise your […]
Genesis 15: The God of Abraham will be your protection, your great reward
December 5, 2012 by
Although our lives are becoming globally intertwined these days, our worlds are still small. For example, it’s true that global communications now exists in ways that we could not have imagined years ago. Yet, despite such global communications, in the end it still comes down a phone call from family or a friend. Often, our […]
Matthew 21:1-9: Your King Comes, Righteous and Having Salvation
December 2, 2012 by
“Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation.” Are you ready for your King? Are you ready for His visit? Are you prepared for His grand and glorious advent? For that’s what it is: It’s Advent. It’s not the “holiday season.” It’s not Black Friday morphing into the pre-Christmas shopping season. It’s […]
Sunday of the Fulfillment: Jude 20-25: Contend for the Faith Once Delivered to the Saints
November 25, 2012 by
We know almost nothing about St. Jude, the author of today’s epistle reading. In the introduction to his letter, Jude only gives us a few facts about himself. He tells us that he is a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. That’s it. That’s all the autobiographical data he gives us. It […]
Genesis 41:1-42:2: “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering”
November 21, 2012 by
Thanksgiving is a day when we as Americans gratefully remember all the blessings in our lives. And when such gratitude and thanks fill our hearts, then the sorrow and tragedy in our lives no longer seem so large. Today, we take a look at the life of Joseph. This isn’t the Joseph that was Jesus’ […]
Hebrews 10:19-25: Spurring One Another On
November 18, 2012 by
God wants you to be calculated and deliberate. He tells us: “consider how we may spur one another on to love and good works.” That’s what the word “consider” means. It doesn’t mean doing something at the last moment, in an impromptu way. It means thinking about something ahead of time. So, God wants you […]
Commemoration of the Birth of St. Augustine of Hippo, November 13th
November 14, 2012 by
This is the sermon our pastor preach at the Springfield, MO pastoral circuit meeting on November 13th. Texts: Revelation 7:9-12, 8:1-4; Hebrews 12:22-29 Augustine was born on November 13th, 354 in North Africa, about 45 miles south of the Mediterranean Sea. Like all of us, he was born dead in his trespasses and sins. […]
Mark 12:38-44: The Widow’s Coins and True Stewardship
November 14, 2012 by
Grandpa gave little Emma a quarter. For Grandpa, that was nothing. He had many quarters. But it was for Emma. She was only four years old. That quarter was all the money that Emma had in the whole world. And Emma knew what she was going to do with that quarter. She could have spent […]
