Month: April 2009

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Christ Is Risen, Go Proclaim

Text: Luke 24:36-49
Date: Easter III + 4/26/09
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

On Easter Sunday this year we heard the good news of the resurrection from St. Mark. Last week, the second Sunday of Easter, we heard St. John’s account of the risen Lord’s appearances to His fearful disciples and especially to Thomas. On this, the third Sunday of Easter, we hear from St. Luke’s perspective many of the same things—the Lord’s greeting of peace, the disciples’ fear and doubt, the Savior’s invitation to touch Him. But Luke includes this, that though the resurrected body of our Lord does not need food, He, nevertheless, eats a piece of fish before them as further proof that it is He with His 100% human body intact. Continue reading “Christ Is Risen, Go Proclaim”

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Peace Be With You

Text: John 20:19-31
Date: Easter II + 4/19/09
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

Every year on the Second Sunday of Easter we hear St. John’s account of two appearances of the risen Lord to his disciples, the first “on the evening of that day” (Easter Sunday), and the second a week later. A central figure is the Apostle Thomas who was absent for the first appearance, spent the whole next week not just “doubting” but refusing to believe that the Lord had risen unless he could see him with his own eyes, and then was present to receive a direct appearance “eight days later.” This year, I would suggest the following outline for our consideration of this text under the theme, “Real Peace.” First, the Peace of Christ is in the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God he provided by his sacrifice on the Cross, now vindicated in his bodily resurrection. Second, the Peace of Christ is by way of faith in him. And, thirdly, this faith comes to us by way of the means of grace administered by Christ’s chosen ministers in the Office of the Ministry. Continue reading “Peace Be With You”

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Just As He Told You

Text: Mark 16:7
Date: Easter + 4/12/09
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

This is Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is the central and most important doctrine, for without it there would be nothing to believe, nothing to hope for, nothing of any real help to our daily lives surrounded by sin, separation and death. But because Christ is risen there is faith, there is hope and there is love to be found, to be had, to be preached and to be learned and believed both for our eternal destiny beyond death as well as for this puzzle we call life. Easter! Though the world around us languishes in the darkness and shroud of hopelessness, hatred and death, for us this is the day the Lord has made. For us Easter is a matter of life and death. And today we proclaim for all the world to hear, Life wins out. Continue reading “Just As He Told You”

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Devotional Commentary

Text: Mark 15:33-39
Date: Palm/Passion Sunday + 4/5/09
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

That’s it? That’s all? He dies and they lay Him in a tomb? Though you and I know that there is more to the story than that, indeed, that without the resurrection only half of the story has been told, especially in our age of instant gratification, the Sunday of the Passion pulls us up short, makes us slow down, and Holy Week tries to teach us how to ponder and meditate on why it is that the Savior had to die as the Suffering Servant. In fact, knowing the rest of the story as we do, it is nearly impossible for us to grasp the horrific sorrow and devastating grief of the first disciples, a sorrow and grief that we, nevertheless, need to apprehend. For the less we see our need for a Savior, the less will be our joy over his deliverance. Good Friday alone will not save, but without it there would be no Easter. Continue reading “Devotional Commentary”

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Father, Forgive Them

Text: John 11, Office of the Keys/Confession
Date: Midweek Lent V + 4/1/09

Our forty-day Lenten journey is almost over. During this time we have noted the ancient model of preparing candidates for baptism and incorporation into the Body of Jesus Christ, his Holy Church. In the basic teaching of the scriptures and the catechism we are given much to ponder, much to believe. We are born again, born anew, born from above to eternal life through the gift of faith. We believe that God works through his Word, revealing his will and creating faith in the hearts of those who hear. We believe that God works through the sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper giving us the forgiveness of sins, new life now and eternal salvation for the sake of Christ. Tonight we note also the “third” sacrament in the Lutheran Church, confession and Holy Absolution. Confession and Absolution has God’s command and promises the grace of the forgiveness of sins. Continue reading “Father, Forgive Them”