On this day of great celebration for Lutherans all over the world, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther. To the outside world, it may appear that we hold him to such a high status that we worship him or pray to him. Those who think thus fail to understand the relationship between Luther and the church body that bears his name. …For more, click on the title above
Author: kyriss
Jesus reigns above all His enemies
Jesus reigns above all His enemies. That is good news for Jesus. That began for Him as He was suspended between heaven and earth—affixed to the wood of a cross long ago. It continued in His resurrection from the dead. That revealed that the last enemy of mankind, death, was then under His rule. Jesus’ reign was exalted above His enemies round about in His ascension to the position of all power, rule and authority over all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. His rule will reach its eternal fulfillment when Jesus returns on the clouds with power and glory in order to establish His everlasting kingdom. …For more, click on the title above
Christ has authority to forgive sins
Our text for today’s sermon comes from the Gospel reading which you heard just moments ago, these words:
“Which is easier to say, ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘arise and walk?’ But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—then He says to the paralytic, ‘rise, take up your mat, and go to your house.’ And having arisen, he went away to his house.”
Thus far our text. I will ask you the same question Christ asks the scribes in our reading. Which is easier to say? Your sins are forgiven, or arise and walk?
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St Luke the Evangelist
The righteous man, Jesus, is your sure and certain hope
This year, today is the third Sunday in the fourth part of the Trinity season. The weekly readings continue be proclaimed in order to turn their hearers hearts and minds to their emphasis on the power Christians are given to endure as we live under the cross, that which comes to us through the Faith of Jesus. The texts reveal the power of God that gives you strength in your struggle against the temptations of the world. They lead you to hear and believe that our victory against all those who oppose us, on account of the Faith we rightly confess is assured through the death and resurrection of the only truly righteous Man, Jesus the Christ…For more, click on the title above.
The seven ‘Ones’
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Thus far our text. This text sounds familiar does it not? Even if you have never heard it before today, the things Paul says to the Church in Ephesus in our epistle reading certainly ring a bell. Indeed, before we sang the hymn of the day, we confessed the Nicene Creed. In that Creed we confess that there is one Father, one Lord, Our Savior Jesus Christ, and one Spirit. It seems that these verses could very well be an early creed of the ancient church…
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King of the Hill
King of the hill. I’m sure you’ve all heard of that game. My father was in the Air Force and we moved around a lot. Before I was 10 we lived in Newfoundland, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Germany and Illinois. Everywhere we went we would end up playing this game and the rules never changed.
The object was to take the hill—even if you had to make little secret pacts with other kids (or even your brother)—to get to the top of the hill. …for more, click on the title above.
The Word of God dispels death
She was the mother of the dead. We all expect to bury our parents. This woman had probably already grieved over both of hers. We expect one spouse to have to bury the other. This widow had already buried her husband. And now the unthinkable: she had to bury her only son. St. Luke does not tell us how young this boy was, but in the eyes of a mother, she was burying her little boy… .For more, click on the title above.
You have been given the endurance you need
Starting with the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, members of this congregation began to hear again that we have entered the time of the Church that is given to focus us upon endurance through the Word. We were reminded that it is the Word of God, proclaimed, heard as well as Incarnate, that gives us the power of God to stand fast in the face of our enemies. The Word is what the members of the Body of Christ truly need in order to grant us faithful endurance in all the battles that the forces of evil wage against us. It is that which continues to remind us that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus. …click on the title above for more