Truly, truly, I say to all of you, “Whatsoever you all may ask the Father, He will give to all of you in My Name.”
With apostolic words like those, you are called to remember that, during each sermon, Jesus still wills to speak to you through the words of the men whom He, through His Church, has placed into the Office of the Holy Ministry. That sermonic blessing, and others like it that are drawn directly from the Epistles—the inspired Apostolic Letters in the New Testament—reminds the hearers of the Word for the day that the Holy Spirit still wills to point them, you, to Jesus during every Lord’s Service to His people.
Author: kyriss
Sing for joy
Directors use music to affect our emotions. They want to draw us into the film. They want to manipulate how we feel as the plot thickens.
In the Church we don’t want—or need—to be manipulated that way. We want to sing to the Lord because of His righteousness and the satisfaction that Christ has made for us through His suffering, death and resurrection. We want to recall His marvelous deeds. We want to give thanks and praise for what He has done….For more, click on the title above.
The Root of true joy
Reasons for rejoicing
The seven-week Resurrection season was given to the Church long ago. That was done that we might hear, every year, the glorious reasons we have for rejoicing,,,,For more, click on the title above.
Called to salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection
Three special years following our beautiful Shepherd
On this Sunday long ago named, Misericordias Domini, “Of the mercy of the Lord,” (which is how the Latin version of the Introit may be translated) God has gathered us to behold the mercy He has continued to give us out of His Word and Sacraments. Today, we in God’s fold in this location are blessed to celebrate three special years of following our Beautiful Shepherd… For more, click on the title above.
Trembling and Bewilderment
This beautiful morning as we again celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ, we have heard of His Body no longer occupying a new tomb in which no one else had ever been laid. That a couple of His disciples had borrowed to place His Body in after He died on a cross. This account came to us from the Evangelist Mark’s record. He, apparently writing the account of St. Peter as many theologians argue (and there is really no problem with that understanding), provided a very brief account of the events of the first Resurrection Sunday….For more, click on the title above.
Easter promises: Fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection
I exhort you in Christ Jesus: Do not for a minute dismiss what we celebrate here: For on this Easter morning, we celebrate nothing less than the triumph over death itself. Triumph over actual death—this is not some story we use as a mind-numbing agent, to make us feel better about life and its hardships in this world.
No, my friends, we rejoice that Christ has accomplished what all science, medicine and human effort cannot possibly do. He has conquered the grave. He has won the victory so that we can truly live forever in the gracious presence of God. …For more, click on the title above.
We killed our King
The text for this evening’s sermon comes from the Passion recorded in the Gospel of St. John, these words:
Therefore, [the Jews] cried out “Away with Him! Away! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king if not Caesar.”
Thus far our text. This is a bold claim made by the leaders of the faith in our reading this evening. This confession by the chief priests of the Jews has the entire history of the world and of God’s love for His people behind it. Let us consider all the implications of this demonic declaration…For more, click on the title above.
Jesus finished all God’s just demands, for you
Jesus, in the Gospel reading for today, speaks one Word, τετέλεσται [Tetelestai] (“it is finished!”). This He does before voluntarily handing over the Spirit. With one Koine (common) Greek Word, Jesus declared that all the Scripture that had prophesied of the Christ to that point in time had been completed. That means that Jesus finished all God’s just demands, for you….For more, click on the title above.