Series: Easter 2023

5-21-23 Exaudi

May 21, 2023
On Thursday we celebrated Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, and next Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. During the ten days between Ascension and Pentecost, the apostles, the faithful women, and Jesus’ mother and brothers were in Jerusalem, and they “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Ac. 1:14). What did they ask for in prayer? Likely many things, but one thing specifically. Jesus had promised to send the…

5-14-23 Rogate (Confirmation)

May 14, 2023
There was a woman in Luther’s time who read the words of our Gospel: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give to you,” and decided that she was going to call bread down from heaven, like Moses did. Jesus said “Whatever you ask…” and she was going to ask big. So she invited her friends over for supper. And when it came time to eat, she sat them down at a…

5-7-23 Cantate

May 7, 2023
Jesus describes the Holy Spirit’s work in the Kingdom of the Church by comparing it to other kingdoms of this world. He says, “When the Holy Spirit comes he will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.” This is what the governments of the world do, or should do. God commands three things from worldly governments. The first is to convict of sin, to punish evil. A good government puts bad guys…

4-30-23 Jubilate

April 30, 2023
Alleluia! Christ is risen! A year ago I went to a pastors’ conference in Uinta County and on the way we stopped at a dive in Rock Springs to eat lunch. It was a dive, so I ordered a burger. My two pastor friends ordered the ribeye – cost like 40 dollars, and they were expecting a beautiful, thick, medium rare steak. They got something that looked like a charred flat pork chop. They shouldn’t…

4-23-23 Misericordias Domini

April 23, 2023
This Sunday our Easter joy continues. Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10). The reading fits well with this resurrection theme, because Jesus reveals to us the nature of His life and His relation to death. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. This is…

4-16-23 Quasimodo Geniti

April 16, 2023
Alleluia! Christ is risen! As soon as He rises from the dead Jesus offers the forgiveness of sins. He could offer anything. I suppose more people would come to Him if He offered something else. They ran after Him when He healed diseases or fed them with bread and fish. And Lord now over everything – that’s what He says about Himself, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me,” think…

4-9-23 The Resurrection of Our Lord

April 9, 2023
Alleluia! Christ is risen. Our Lord Jesus compares the Kingdom of heaven to a man who finds a precious treasure in a field, and he goes and he sells all he has to buy that field, because everything else has suddenly become nothing in comparison with that treasure. So St. Paul when he was traveling to Damascus and the risen Lord Jesus appeared to him on the road, he found such a treasure. He wasn’t…
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