Archives: Sermons

2-9-20 Septuagesima

February 9, 2020
One of the most obviously false, false teachings ever thought up by the heart of man is the once saved-always saved doctrine so popular among the Calvinists and now among our modern American evangelicals. It asserts that once a person has accepted the Lord Jesus into his heart as his personal Savior, that person can’t fall away or lose his salvation ever. Now as with all false teachings, this one has a hint of truth…

2-2-20 Transfiguration

February 2, 2020
Our Gospel begins with the words, “After six days.” Six days previous Jesus began to tell his disciples that He would be going to Jerusalem to suffer and die and rise again. And when Peter heard Jesus say this, he scolded him, “Far be it from you, Lord. This will never happen to you.” Peter certainly trusted in Jesus, called him Lord; in fact, Peter had just made the great confession that Jesus was the…

1-26-20 Epiphany 3

January 26, 2020
“Many shall come from the east and the west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus is speaking here of the gentiles, the nations of the world, becoming Christians, and the Jews, the nation of Israel, the chosen nation of God, rejecting the Christ…

1-19-20 Epiphany 2

January 19, 2020
Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding. This wasn’t an accident. God doesn’t do things on accident. We actually asserted this in our collect this morning, ‘Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth.’ That’s our God. He’s in control. And unlike us, who often do things on accident, He has a purpose for everything He does. I went skiing with some of the school kids on Friday, and…

1-12-20 The Baptism of Our Lord

January 12, 2020
During the Christmas season we focused on Jesus’ humility in coming in the flesh and the wonder of the Incarnation. Last Sunday began the season of Epiphany, during which time we see that Christ’s humility does not mean a loss of his divine nature. Magi from the east came to worship the child Jesus as their king and their God, and rightly so. As the season of Epiphany continues, we get a multifaceted view of…

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…
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