The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. From Life to Death and Death to Life In our baptisms we move spiritually from death to life. We are reminded of this in the words from the service of Holy Baptism: “In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Wholly Saints Who are the saints, and what do they have to say to us? Rather than being perfect Christians, the saints are people who have been made whole by the grace of God, through baptism into Christ. The communion of saints is a diverse…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Good News All Over Again The desire to privatize the free love of God for all creation seems stamped on the human soul. While Lutherans learn early on in their faith formation about the abuses of the church through the sale of indulgences in the…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Kyrie eleison: Persistence in Prayer Two characters step out of scripture today to teach us about persistence in prayer. One is named. Jacob is the devious brother who tricked his twin, Esau, out of his birthright and their father’s blessing, and Jacob was himself duped…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. The Righteous Live by Faith Faith is the theme for today’s readings, but not just any faith. It is a life-transforming faith, one that demonstrates the very presence of God moving, alive, and active in God’s people. In response to Habakkuk’s oracle, the Lord answered…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Place-sharing Today’s gospel evokes our sympathy. It opens the possibility—described as an impossibility—of place-sharing, trading or sharing places with each other. It also echoes a common theme: the pursuit of wealth in this world can lead us into idolatry and away from faith in Christ.…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Love or Money? A rich landowner tells his unsatisfactory manager he’s going to fire him. We don’t know how long the employee had to clear his desk, but apparently it was long enough to win friends and influence the people who had accounts with his…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Lost and Found Today’s readings give witness that God has a heart for losers. God reconciles with the idol-worshiping people of Israel. The risen Lord calls the violent, blasphemous persecutor, Paul. The faithful shepherd rescues the wandering sheep and carries it home. The woman who…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Freed—From and For Freedom flows through all the readings this day. Moses reminds the people of Israel they have the freedom to choose between life and prosperity or death and adversity. Ironically, this freedom to choose life comes through the freedom to choose obedience to…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Radical Love Triumphs For most of human history wisdom was largely part of an oral tradition. From one generation to the next, wisdom was passed down. These days it sometimes seems that technology has replaced that tradition of shared wisdom. Rather than ask a trusted…