Author: Al

Text: Luke 11:1-13
Date: Pentecost IX (Proper 12)
St. James the Elder, Apostle + 7/25/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

At the end of the tenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel last week we understood the concluding story at the house of Martha and Mary to be an illustration or commentary on proper worship. That is, right worship begins with the passive action of “the good portion” of a Mary quietly receiving the words of Jesus and only after that responding like a Martha in service to the praise of God and also to the service of neighbor. In our former hymn book the first two sentences of the preface said it in the shortest, most memorable and best way, “Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says.” Then it continues, saying, “Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise…. Saying back to him what he has said to us, we repeat what is most true and sure…. The rhythm of our worship is from him to us, and then from us back to him” (LW p. 6). If, then, we were right in understanding the story of Mary and Martha in this way, it makes sense that the next chapter of Luke should address the subject of how to pray. Continue reading “Daily Bread”

Text: Luke 10:38-42
Date: Pentecost VIII (Proper 11) + 7/18/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Rochester Hills, MI

The ninth and tenth chapters of St. Luke’s Gospel have, among other things, addressed what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. It is a matter of repentance, a complete turning away from sin and the world, of God-given, justifying faith, and that faith active in love. The Evangelist ends the tenth chapter with the little incident at the house of Mary and Martha. It is an illustration of the priorities and roles of faith and hospitality. As you will see, it has a valuable lesson concerning the worship of the Church. Continue reading “Divine Service”

Text: Luke 10:25-37 (Lev. 19:9-18)
Date: Pentecost 7 (Proper 10) + 7/11/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

I met a pastor friend of mine for lunch Friday at the airport, on his way to the LC-MS convention in Houston. He told me of one of his parishioners who said, “Pastor, we like your sermons, but could your preach some more ‘practical’ sermons? You know, sermons about how to live.” This has happened before, and pastors then look at each other with a knowing smile as we did—knowing that such a question reveals that they prefer the Law of God and possibly don’t fully know or appreciate the Gospel. In a similar vain, as I sat down to finish today’s sermon yesterday an email alert came from the Issues, Etc. radio program asking, “What did St. Paul mean when he said, ‘We preach Christ and Him crucified?’” And then it went on to say, “Today we hear Christ the therapist, life-coach, helper or lover preached in many pulpits. How do these fall far short of Christ the Savior presented in the Bible?” Then it noted a five-part series beginning tomorrow called “Christ Alone.” Today’s Gospel shows us how even well-meaning believers can get confused or fall short of hearing, knowing and believing the Gospel, the good news of salvation that is totally and completely a gift and not the result in any way of our own preparations or works. Jesus tells a story to address this and asks, “Who Is Your Neighbor?” Continue reading “Who Is Your Neighbor?”

Text: Luke 10:1-20
Date: Pentecost VI (Proper 9) + 7/4/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” He was, of course, speaking of people, sinners He came to redeem and save. In chapter 9 of Luke’s Gospel Jesus sent out the twelve “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal,” and “they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (9:2, 6). But “the harvest is plentiful” and the twelve were not enough. So now He sends out seventy-two others. But apparently even that was not enough because He tells them, even as they are being sent, to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out [even more] laborers into his harvest.” And we are bidden to continue that prayer today. Be careful, however, when you pray thus, because the very next word is, “Go.” And with that word He sends you to labor in His harvest. He may call and send you to cut your ties with the world and go full time as He did the twelve and the seventy-two and countless others in the ministry of the Church to this day. Or He may call and send you to confess Him before people while in your earthly vocation. On the eve of the next, the 64^th regular convention of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod next week and with today’s Gospel of the sending out of the seventy-two, we consider the church’s continuing task of mission and evangelism, of bringing the Good News of the Gospel to bear in peoples’ lives and calling young and old to the grace, peace, life and salvation that are by faith in Jesus Christ. Continue reading “The Kingdom of God Has Come Near”

Text: Luke 9:51-62
Date: Pentecost V (Proper 8 ) + 6/27/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

Face it, you’re done. Face it, you’re toast. Face the facts. Face the music. Face up to reality. When we are asked or ordered to face up to something it usually means confronting or admitting something negative, something you’ve done wrong, a sin, a complex of things that have led to a moment of judgment or awakening.

The Bible talks about God’s face. He can either set his face against you in His wrath and judgment, or He can “bless you and keep you, and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you, and lift up His countenance upon you, or look upon you with favor, and give you peace.” God’s people are taught to pray in the psalms, “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’ Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger” (Ps. 27:8-9). And it is the Christian hope that, on the last Day, “They will see [God’s] face” (Rev. 22:4). Continue reading “Face It!”

Text: Luke 8:26-39
Date: Pentecost 4 (Proper 7) + 6/20/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

St. Luke’s account of Jesus’ healing of a man possessed by demons is striking in its detail and not a little puzzling in its relevance to our modern ears. For to preach or proclaim this word requires as of first importance the acceptance of the existence of demons and of their ability to possess human beings, and only then to what meaning this event may have for our life of faith. It is clear that the Bible takes seriously and literally the realm and rule of the devil and his evil spirits. And it is just as clear that there is a demonic power at work in the world to keep people from the deliverance and salvation God so desires to provide to all. May these words, first, inform and prepare us to recognize all that militates against the Gospel and then also inspire and embolden us to proclaim to others how much God has done for us and for the whole world through His Son, Jesus Christ. Continue reading “Demonic or What?”

Sorry, I forgot my voice recorder today.

Text: 2 Samuel 11:26—12:10, 13-14; Luke 7:36—8:3
Date: Pentecost III, Proper 6 + 6/13/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

There are times when a person may be desperately aware of their sins. The sinful woman in today’s Gospel was one such. You could tell—for she loved Jesus much as she saw in Him the love and forgiveness of God. There is little real love for Jesus, on the other hand, in a person who is not so aware of their great need of Him. How little of the time are we aware of our sins and of the true greatness of the gift of forgiveness, holy absolution. And our little or weak love shows it. Such was the Pharisee named Simon in today’s Gospel. Continue reading “O Love, How Deep”

Text: Luke 7:11-17
Date: Pentecost II (Proper 5) + 6/6/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

This is the choir and band rehearsal room or music room of Lutheran High School Northwest. That is it’s main function. That’s what it was built for. That is what it is when students arrive with their instruments or sit according to their voices as Soprano, Alto, Tenor or Bass. Sometimes this room can be used as a study hall, or for a faculty meeting or devotions, or other functions. On Sunday morning, however, when we gather here “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” that changes everything. Oh, it may still be recognized as a high school music rehearsal room, even though we do our best to make it a sacred space with an altar and lectern, candles and crucifix. But it isn’t until we announce our gathering to be “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” that it truly is more that a redecorated music room and becomes nothing less than a sanctuary, literally a sacred or holy place, Heaven on Earth. Continue reading “Heaven on Earth”

Text: John 8:48-59
Date: The Holy Trinity + 5/30/10
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, Rochester Hills, MI

In our synodical explanation of the Small Catechism, one of the first things, under the First Commandment (Question 19 of the 306), we teach our children, asking, “Who is the only true God?” Answer, “The only true God is the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons in one divine being (the Holy Trinity).” This is the characteristic that sets the true God apart from all other false gods. The Athanasian Creed, which we usually recite on Trinity Sunday, claims the necessity of understanding the Triune nature of God by “whoever desires to be saved.” “Whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.” In our worship we gather for the Divine Service “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” we are baptized and absolved, married and buried “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and we are taught to stand especially for a doxological stanza of a hymn in praise of the Holy Trinity. Continue reading “The Only True God”