Category: Pentecost Sermons

Text: Acts 2:1-21
Date: The Day of Pentecost + 6/4/17

On this day every year, and unlike all other festivals where the Holy Gospel leads the way, on this day every year the main reading is the account of the Day of Pentecost recorded by the Holy Evangelist Saint Luke in the book of Acts. Almost like the birth process everything has been leading up to this day—everything. The Holy Spirit made His first appearance already in creation in the second verse of Genesis one. Throughout the Old Testament the Spirit was “limited” so to speak in leading and guiding and causing faith in the hearts of God’s chosen people: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David who prayed “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me” (Ps 25:3-4). We heard how the Spirit came down, not upon all, but upon only the seventy men of the elders of the people of Israel as they were on their way in the Exodus, but only to them. Nevertheless Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wished, “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” And how we see and hear the Spirit in the coming of Jesus into our flesh: the inspired songs of Simeon and Mary. Jesus Himself foretold of the coming of the Holy Spirit any number of times, but not yet, as St. John told us today, “because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: Now Cause the Word of Life to Shine”

Text: Malachi 3:13-18
Date: Last Sunday of the Church Year + Proper 29 + 11/20/16

“Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

This is the last Sunday of the Church Year. What have you learned since Advent 2015, how have you changed, Continue reading “The Distinction of the Righteous”

 

Text: Malachi 4:1-6
Date: Pentecost 26 + Proper 28 + 11/13/16

The day is coming. What day? The Day of Judgment.

You know there are only two eternal alternatives, heaven or hell. The problem is we forget that. We Christians tend to forget that mainly because, though we’ve heard and believe that there is a place called hell we don’t think about it much. And that for good reason. Because we have also heard and believed in our deliverance from hell. We never hear sermons totally about judgment and hell because the point of the Christian sermon is to proclaim the answer, God’s answer to the threat of the punishment of our sins, namely, that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has already endured God’s punishment of sin on behalf of the whole world, your sin, my sin, all the sins of others. He saved us from all that and has given the gift of eternal life through the forgiveness of our sins. Continue reading “The Day is Coming”

Text: Genesis 4:1-5
Date: Pentecost XXIII + Proper 25 + 10/23/16

This day we entered into the gates of God’s presence singing, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3), and in the Collect of the Day we prayed, “forgive us those things of which our conscience is afraid” (Collect). Afraid. Fear. It seems we never run out of things or occasions to be afraid of, to make us fear. To come here and sing and pray rightly we must first admit our fear and need of forgiveness and mercy. Some will not make such an admission but instead will put on a proud face, deny any such weakness as fear with the result of remaining deaf to God’s invitation of mercy and quite defenseless when troubles multiply. The Pharisee in today’s Gospel could not admit his need or even recognize it taking pride in his own self-righteousness. Only the penitent lowly tax collector was moved simply to plead for God’s mercy because he knew his need of forgiveness. The result says our Lord, only the tax collector was justified before God and not the other who exalted himself. Continue reading “I Trust When Dark My Road”

Text: Genesis 32:22-30
Date: Pentecost XXII + Proper 24 + 10/16/16

Almighty God has not only commanded us to pray but also has promised to hear us. Jesus’ parable, says St. Luke, is meant to teach us not only always to pray but also never to lose heart (Luke 18:1-8). Our prayers arise out of an awareness of our need. But they are not to dwell on that need. Rather they must attach themselves firmly to the promises and power of God to meet that need. Therefore, today’s Introit began, “Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed.” “Have regard for the covenant,” that is, God’s own word and purpose and promise of grace and mercy. The mini-drama of the widow continually pleading to the unrighteous judge reminds us how faith never gives up even when it seems either that God is not listening or that He is slow to respond. The strange story of Jacob wrestling with God was chosen as commentary on Jesus’ parable. Continue reading “I Will Not Let You Go”

Text: Ruth 1:1-19a
Date: Pentecost XXI + Proper 23 + 10/9/16

We have been hearing a lot about faith in recent weeks, especially that it’s not the so-called “strength” of our faith that makes any difference but the fact of faith in the promises of God. Today when we speak of “Amazing Faith” therefore we are not implying that some faith is more amazing than others but the fact that any faith is an amazing thing. Continue reading “Amazing Faith”

Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Date: Pentecost XX + Proper 22 + 10/2/16

Dearly beloved, I pray that God working through His Word before us today will give you not only an increase of faith but also an increase of great peace, patience, calmness of heart and mind even and especially in the midst of all the various challenges before us. Continue reading “Living by Faith”

Text: Amos 6:1-7
Date: Pentecost XIX + Proper 21 + 9/25/16

We’re surrounded by angels today.

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side” (Lk 16:22). Therefore we sing and pray for ourselves in the hymn:

Lord, let at last Thine angels come,
To Abr’ham’s bosom bear me home,
That I may die unfearing. (LSB 708:3)

This week we celebrate St. Michael and All Angels Day.

Today’s Gospel gives us some amazing, impressive and comforting details about the afterlife, what happens when we die, as the promise of the ministry of angels at our death. It also lays out a serious warning. No, the story Jesus tells of the Rich Man and Lazarus doesn’t mean that all poor people go to heaven and all rich people go to hell. And it doesn’t mean either that the way to heaven is the way of caring for the poor and our other good works, except insofar as our love and works or lack of them are indicators of our relationship with God if it exists at all. What is your relationship with God? A Christian priest got a laugh when he was questioned by a seven-year-old child after watching him serve the sacrament at Mass, innocently asking, “Do you know Jesus or does He just work with you?” Christian faith is never a part time thing, or shouldn’t be. Continue reading “At Ease?”

Text: Amos 8:4-7
Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 20 + 9/18/16

“Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).

There is nothing wrong with money. It is the love of money that’s the problem. There is nothing wrong with money. At the same time we ought to say that there is also nothing right about money, money itself, for it will eventually fail. The question is not about money but about how and for what you use it (or it uses you) and the true riches of the gracious God of our life and salvation. Continue reading “Upsetting the Fruit Basket”

Text: Ezekiel 34:11-24
Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 19 + 9/11/16

“Just who does this guy, this teacher, ‘this man’ think he is?” So the Pharisees and scribes grumbled and asked themselves. They didn’t know at the time that they were actually pondering and asking the most important, the number one question of saving faith – Who is Jesus? “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” No orthodox, upstanding Jew would dare do such a thing! Just who does he think he is? Continue reading “Let God Take Over”