Archives: Sermons

1-5-20 Epiphany

January 5, 2020
We’re celebrating Epiphany today. Epiphany is simply the preaching of Christmas to the whole world, the beautiful fact that Christmas is for everyone. Our celebration of Christmas the last twelve days should instill in us the confidence of history. It happened. We know where – in Bethlehem, we know when – in the reign of Caesar August when Quirinius was governor of Syria, we know the circumstances – a census ordered by Caesar Augustus, really…

12-29-19 Christmas 1

December 29, 2019
When St. Paul says that God sent His Son in the fullness of time, he’s not simply saying that it was the perfect time in human history to send Jesus. Now, it was that. You couldn’t pick a better time, when all the known world was under Roman control, when the Greek language was spoken everywhere – St. Paul’s missionary journeys prove this – he can go through all Turkey, through Thrace, through Macedonia, through…

12-25-19 Christmas Day

December 25, 2019
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” “When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.” “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name.” For the sunrise has visited us from on high to give light to those who…

12-22-19 Advent 4

December 22, 2019
Today is called the Sunday of the Preparation, because it is the last Sunday we have to get ready to receive our Lord at Christmas. And John the Baptist prepares us, just as he prepared the people of old. John directs us to Christ and stirs up in our hearts a great honor for our Lord. Meanwhile, we see the devil at work trying to bury Christ through various strategies, but fortunately our foe will…

12-18-19 Advent 3 Midweek

December 18, 2019
The angels of God will usher the saints into paradise. This is the final point in our Advent midweek services. We already heard how angels protect the saints. Last week we heard how angels preach to the saints and teach us to worship God. And the angels do these things at God’s command, so that, at the end, they can bring us before the Lord to behold with them his face. This is the great…

12-11-19 Advent 2 Midweek

December 11, 2019
In nomine Jesu. We keep the liturgy of the ancient church for four reasons. The first is because we got it from our fathers. You don’t throw out what you got from your fathers, not unless you have a very good reason for doing it. Even Martin Luther, who led the great Reformation of the Christian Church and brought the Gospel back into the hearts of God’s people, changed only what needed to be changed…

12-8-19 Advent 2

December 8, 2019
Jesus once asked, “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?” It’s a startling question, coming from Jesus, it seems cynical, pessimistic, but it’s frankly the question anyone would ask if he could see, as Jesus did, how easily we will throw away the treasure of everlasting life for earthly pleasure. Look at the world. So many abandoning the faith around us, the shrinking churches around the country, the total…
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