Category: Pentecost Sermons

Text: Luke 14:1-14
Date: Pentecost XV (Proper 17) + 9/1/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Born a King yet He came in humility and took the lowest place in order that, having raised many to the honor of entrance into the Kingdom of God, he then “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels” (Heb 1:3-4). Though He said to His disciples, “I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:27), nevertheless having served in humility on the cross and now risen from the dead, from now on as the Scripture says, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11). So we confess today with faith and joy, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Continue reading “Stunned Silence”

Sermon with Hymn of the Day following: Henry V. Gerike, Guest Organist
LSB 510 – A Multitude Comes from the East and the West

Text: Luke 13:22-30
Date: Pentecost XIV (Proper 16) + 8/25/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Or so say some of us…a few of us? “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” A good Jewish question proposed by a good Jewish resident of a town through which Jesus was teaching and journeying. When we quote the crowds of Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes,” we are emphasizing the Lord’s goal, purpose and destiny, which is why St. Luke reminds us today saying that Jesus was “journeying toward Jerusalem.” Only if we keep that goal and destination in mind as we journey with Jesus will we be able to ask the right questions. Our good Jewish man’s question, “will those who are saved be few?” is the wrong question. So Jesus doesn’t talk speak directly about how many or how few will be saved, but he speaks to the man about the master of the house answering “YOU,” saying, “I do not know where YOU come from.” “Then YOU will say….” “Then he will say, “I tell YOU, I do not know where YOU come from.” In other words the only important question has nothing to do with the synodically required statistical report of active and inactive members of your congregation. The only important question is “What about YOU? Will YOU be saved?” Theoretical questions make for a bad Bible study class or sermon and have the effect of deflecting and avoiding the call to repentance and faith. Continue reading “Faith Strives”

Text: Luke 12:49-56
Date: Pentecost XIII (Proper 15) + 8/18/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, for He comes to deliver us from the wrath of God by taking it to Himself thus making for us peace with God. Continue reading “Time for Faith”

Text: Luke 12:22-34
Date: Pentecost XII (Proper 14) + 8/11/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, He whom we address in today’s Collect as the almighty and merciful God. For He is the almighty God, the creator of the universe, the One who orders time and change aright. Such might and power, however, would and should be a fearful thing to know and confess had it not been that He has also harnessed His might with His love. In might and love He is also the merciful God, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex 34:6-7). Because God is both almighty and merciful we pray to Him today to help us to be faithful to Him as our Savior and life especially amid the distractions and temptations of life in a world still disordered by sin. By His might alone, through the Word of God, He creates and sustains faith in our hearts, minds and souls. And by His mercy alone He guides us in the way that leads to eternal life. Continue reading “What Faith Seeks”

Text: Luke 12:13-21
Date: Pentecost XI (Proper 13) + 8/4/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, unless, that is, all He has to say to us is judgment and bad news! Did you notice the oxymoron [pronounced by William F. Buckley, Jr, “awk-sim-er-on”], the seeming contradiction after reading today’s Gospel to then proclaim, “this is the Gospel of the Lord”? There seems to be very little if any “gospel” in today’s Gospel! In fact, taken together with the accompanying reading from Ecclesiastes—“All is vanity,” “unhappy business,” “I hated all my toil”—this has turned into a rather depressing day. Continue reading “On Eating, Drinking and Merriment”

Text: Luke 11:1-13
Date: Pentecost X (Proper 12) + 7/28/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; for He comes to reconcile us to God, to reunite us with God by revealing the grace and mercy of God toward us. When we pray to Him it is always with a faith informed as to God’s name, His person and revealed will. Continue reading “Learning to Pray”

Text: Luke 10:38-42
Date: Pentecost IX (Proper 11) + 7/21/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. When He comes to you, as we have heard the past couple of Sundays, you are to receive Him. But it matters how you receive Him, either in faith or with other motives or not at all. Today St. Luke tells us that while it is good, proper and even expected for us to serve our Lord, such faith and love can happen only if and when we first allow the Lord to serve us. Continue reading “At the Lord's Feet”

Text: Luke 10:25-37
Date: Pentecost 8 (Proper 10) + 7/14/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, the Lord of the Harvest. And, we should add, blessed are all who receive Him as their King, their Lord, their merciful Savior. Notice that I didn’t say “all who accept Him,” but “all who receive Him”! Continue reading “Merciful Harvest”

Text: Luke 10:1-20
Date: Pentecost VII (Proper 9) + 7/7/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Once He came accompanied by the joyous songs of angels over Bethlehem, then to His hopeful disciples by the sea of Galilee, through dark rejection, hatred and death in old Jerusalem, nevertheless finally to His joyful victory through the cross and resurrection tomb. Now saints and angels praise Him with endless, joyful Alleluias. And we are invited to join our joyful voices with theirs now and forever. Continue reading “Joyful Harvest”

Text: Luke 9:51-62
Date: Pentecost VI (Proper 8) + 6/30/13

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. He comes and “sets His face to go to Jerusalem,” there to fulfill His destiny and ours by offering Himself as the one sacrifice for the sin of the world, so that by faith in Him all who believe may be released from the curse and death of sin and be given eternal life. The King came in the Person of Jesus, walking the dusty pathways of Galilee, laying aside His equality with God taking on the form of a servant. Now the crucified, risen, ascended King comes to individuals today through His body, the Church, that is, through the gospel preached in His name. He comes through word preached, read and taught. He comes through water with that word. He comes through the daily assurance of sins forgiven. He even comes giving us His true Body and Blood to eat and to drink sacramentally. He has come to you. And when He comes He bids the same of everyone, saying, “Follow Me.” Continue reading “Half-Hearted Faith?”