“Christ Will Build His Church” (Matthew 16:13-20)

Reformation Day (Observed)
October 29, 2023

“Christ Will Build His Church” (Matthew 16:13-20)

“Will we have to shut the doors?” I’m guessing some of you at least have had that thought cross your mind recently. “Will we have to shut the doors of our church? Will our little congregation make it? Do we have enough people, do we have enough money, to keep the doors open?” And I can understand how you might think like that. Yes, our church is small. And on top of that, your pastor came down with cancer and moved out of state. And the guy filling in for him, the man we wanted to call to be our next pastor–well, just last week he decided to take a call to a different congregation. And where does that leave us? Back to square one and a big unknown.

But, dear friends, today on this Reformation Sunday, I want to tell you, do not lose hope. Do not despair. As we read in Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” And we have Christ’s own promise: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” And so our message this morning: “Christ Will Build His Church.”

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Published in: on October 28, 2023 at 2:30 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy” (Matthew 9:9-13)

Second Sunday after Pentecost
June 11, 2023

“Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy” (Matthew 9:9-13)

In the Holy Gospel for today, Jesus calls Matthew to follow him and be his disciple. Jesus calls him, even though Matthew was looked down upon as an obvious sinner. But Jesus is the great physician who has mercy on those who are sick with sin. And so, as Jesus calls us today also, he says to each one of us, “Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy.”

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Published in: on June 10, 2023 at 3:36 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“Baptized in the Name: Confidence, Belonging, Relationship, Identity” (Matthew 28:16-20)

The Holy Trinity
Sunday, June 4, 2023

“Baptized in the Name: Confidence, Belonging, Relationship, Identity” (Matthew 28:16-20)

Sometime during the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ met with his disciples on a mountain in Galilee, and he told them: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

And that is what the church has done for all these many centuries. And that is what has happened to you, every one of you here who has been baptized in the name of the triune God. What does this mean for you? What has God given you in your baptism? Let’s find out now on this Holy Trinity Sunday, under the theme: “Baptized in the Name: Confidence, Belonging, Relationship, Identity.”

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Published in: on June 3, 2023 at 3:46 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“Alleluia! Christ Is Risen!” (Matthew 28:1-10)

The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day
Sunday, April 9, 2023

“Alleluia! Christ Is Risen!” (Matthew 28:1-10)

“Alleluia! Christ is risen!” (“He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”)

“He is risen indeed!” Why such a joyful response? Because of the glorious good news that Christ is risen from the dead. This good news of the resurrection of our Lord brings joy and gladness to troubled, weary hearts. His resurrection calls forth our joyous response. On this Easter Day, then, the whole church on earth–all across the earth–hears the good news, “Christ is risen,” and we respond, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

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Published in: on April 8, 2023 at 1:53 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“Why?” (Matthew 27:11-50)

Good Friday
April 7, 2023

“Why?” (Matthew 27:11-50)

Why? That is the question of the day here on this Good Friday. We hear the question raised twice in our Gospel account. First, when the crowd is demanding that Jesus be crucified, Pontius Pilate asks, “Why, what evil has he done?” And then second, when Jesus is crucified, he himself asks, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” These “why” questions are understandable, since none of this makes any sense–until we know the real reason for the “Why?”

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Published in: on April 7, 2023 at 12:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“To Be Tempted by the Devil” (Matthew 4:1-11)

First Sunday in Lent
February 26, 2023

“To Be Tempted by the Devil” (Matthew 4:1-11)

The Holy Gospel for the First Sunday in Lent is always an account of Christ’s temptation in the wilderness. This year it’s the account from Matthew chapter 4. Today we will see how the devil operates, and we’ll see how Jesus overcomes his schemes. This has relevance for our lives, because the devil comes at us with the same sorts of temptation. And so now let’s see what it’s like “To Be Tempted by the Devil.”

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Published in: on February 25, 2023 at 1:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“The Transfiguration Transition” (Matthew 17:1-9)

The Transfiguration of Our Lord
Sunday, February 19, 2023

“The Transfiguration Transition” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Today we’re celebrating the Transfiguration of Our Lord, that day up on a mountain when our Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured, that is, his appearance was changed. This event marked a transition–a turning point, a pivot point–in our Lord’s ministry. And that’s why this Transfiguration festival today marks a transition–a turning point–in the church year, as well. The Transfiguration of Our Lord comes as the climax of the Epiphany season, and at the same time it serves as a transition into the season of Lent, which begins on Wednesday. In this way, the church year mirrors the life of our Lord. Thus our theme for this morning; “The Transfiguration Transition.”

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Published in: on February 18, 2023 at 8:28 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“A Righteousness That Won’t Work and One That Will” (Matthew 5:21-37)

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 12, 2023

“A Righteousness That Won’t Work and One That Will” (Matthew 5:21-37)

Last week’s Gospel reading ended with these words of Jesus, from Matthew 5, verse 20: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” And really, those same words could serve as the beginning of today’s reading, which starts at verse 21. For today Jesus will give examples of the supposed righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees–a surface righteousness that will not get you into the kingdom of heaven–so that then you will be ready to receive the only righteousness that will get you in. And so our theme this morning: “A Righteousness That Won’t Work and One That Will.”

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Published in: on February 11, 2023 at 12:56 pm  Leave a Comment  
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“Let Your Light Shine before Others” (Matthew 5:13-20)

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
February 5, 2023

“Let Your Light Shine before Others” (Matthew 5:13-20)

In the Holy Gospel for today, from Matthew chapter 5, Jesus says to his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” But elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus says about himself, “I am the light of the world.” So, which is it, Jesus? Are you the light of the world, or are we? And the answer is . . . yes. Both are true, each in its own way. Jesus is the light of the world in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. And we are the light of the world by extension, as his disciples. Jesus addresses us as such, when he says, “You are the light of the world.” Therefore, as Christ’s disciples, “Let Your Light Shine before Others.”

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Published in: on February 4, 2023 at 8:25 am  Leave a Comment  
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“The People Dwelling in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light” (Matthew 4:12-25)

Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 22, 2023

“The People Dwelling in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light” (Matthew 4:12-25)

In our Gospel reading for today, St. Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. And to do so, he quotes a passage from our Old Testament reading from Isaiah. Matthew writes: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” And this gives us our theme for this morning’s message: “The People Dwelling in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light.”

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Published in: on January 21, 2023 at 2:07 pm  Leave a Comment  
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