Month: June 2016

Text: 1 Kings 19:9b-21
Date: Pentecost VI + Proper 8 + 6/26/16

What do you do when you get frustrated? Can you just calmly let it go and not let the problem bother you? Or do you get angry? More times than not we are reminded that “Getting mad doesn’t help.” To be sure we are surrounded by multiple frustrations usually involving disagreements with other people but sometimes frustration at ourselves, our circumstances, our inadequacies, or just plain stupidity as when you accidentally break something or injure yourself. Who do you get mad at when you stub your toe? The scripture before us today reminds us that anger, a show of power or retaliation is rarely helpful. The answer of God to His people when facing difficult situations is to be found in God’s Word. Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller recently wrote on his Facebook page, “we are prepared for the coming trouble not when we have guns and food, but when [we] know the Scriptures, the Catechism, the Liturgy, and the hymns.” I thought, how timely were these words especially as we look at today’s scripture readings. Continue reading “Getting Mad Doesn't Help”

Text: Isaiah 65:1-9
Date: Pentecost V + Proper 7 + 6/19/16

In today’s Gospel Jesus heals a man possessed by a demon. There were differing reactions. “When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled.” When the people from town came out and saw this man sane, clothed and sitting at Jesus’ feet “they were afraid” and “asked him to depart from them.” You see, on the one hand no one could deny what they saw with their own eyes. But instead of sensing and maybe believing a divine miracle they didn’t want anything to do with it. They rejected the miracle and the man who performed it. Continue reading “Demons Before Us”

Text: 2 Samuel 11:26—12:14
Date: Pentecost IV + Proper 6C + 6/12/16

Have you ever said, “I can forgive, but I can’t forget”? Many think that receiving forgiveness is easy but extending forgiveness to someone else is more difficult. Today’s “Lesson in Forgiveness” turns that around. Both the Pharisees in today’s Gospel (Luke 7:36—8:3) but especially King David in our Old Testament reading demonstrate that receiving forgiveness maybe isn’t always as easy as you might think. With a parable Jesus enlightened the Pharisees and Nathan the prophet broke through the hard shell of guilt bringing King David to true repentance and faith. Continue reading “A Lesson in Forgiveness”

Date: Pentecost III + Proper 5C + 6/5/16
Text: 1 Kings 17:17-24

Elijah was the mightiest prophet of God. Whereas all the other prophets are introduced to us with words like, “The Word of the Lord came to…,” Elijah the Tishbite just suddenly appears on the scene as if he needs no introduction, certification or proof. How different the apostle Paul who we heard today laying out the evidence of his argument to be a bona fide apostle even though he did not accompany the others “during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us” (Acts 1:21-22). Elijah was sent to call God’s people back from their infatuation with the latest religious fad, namely, the idolatrous worship of Baal. He simply shows up and predicts drought and famine, “except by my word,” that is that he would call an end to the punishment at the proper time. Continue reading “The Word of the Lord is Truth”