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Thy Kingdom Come: The Kingdom Ours Remaineth

Text: Romans 5:12-19
Date: Lent I + 3/5/17

Today, especially in this first year of our three-year lectionary, we are blessed to begin again the ancient journey of the catechumenate, the starting line of the Christian race of faith, the journey of beginning to discover what it means to be a Christian. The catechumenate is guided by the ancient traditional gospels from St. John. For those going through this journey for the first time it will culminate in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism at the Vigil of the Eve of Easter. (Shhh! Don’t tell the new ones what to expect!) For the rest of us it is to be like going back to our beginnings, to rediscover the miracle and freshness of faith and the joy of our new spiritual birth (John 3), of satisfying our spiritual thirst (John 4), of regaining our spiritual vision (John 9), and of overcoming the last enemy of death (John 11). Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: The Kingdom Ours Remaineth”

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Thy Kingdom Come: What Glory Shall Be Theirs Above

Text: Matthew 17:1-9
Date: Transfiguration + 2/26/17

In Exodus chapter three we are told how Moses was called by God. “The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’” He never found out. But God called to him out of the bush and was ordered to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. Where God is there is holy ground. Finally we are told, “And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” (Ex 3:2-6). Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: What Glory Shall Be Theirs Above”

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Thy Kingdom Come: His Rule is Over All

Text: Matthew 5:38-48
Date: Epiphany VII + 2/19/17

How large is God’s Kingdom? Today Jesus says, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” In other words God’s Kingdom comes to all. It’s just that not all receive it aright. We say that God’s Kingdom comes to our benefit “when He gives His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.” For the person who rejects God “Here in time” he needs to know that there still is time. God will give His Holy Spirit, His grace to all who hear and do not reject His Word or block Him out. “There in eternity” there will be no more need for all there will have come in repentance and faith. Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: His Rule is Over All”

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Thy Kingdom Come: You Are God’s Building

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Date: Epiphany VI + 2/12/17

Thy Kingdom Come. When we pray these words we not only pray asking that the kingdom come to us from God, from outside of ourselves, but we also pray that God would make us part of His kingdom. St. Paul refers to you as “God’s Field and God’s Building.” Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: You Are God’s Building”

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Thy Kingdom Come: Great in the Kingdom

Text: Matthew 5:13-29
Date: Pentecost V + 2/5/17

Thy Kingdom Come. Glorious now, we press toward glory (LSB 578:3).

I wonder how many people, when we pray the words “Thy kingdom come,” think only in terms of the return of Christ on the Last Day, you know, as you often hear these words meaning something is going to continue “until kingdom come,” meaning the Last Day. And certainly, faith is, as we say in the creed, always “look[ing] for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” But the Kingdom of God is more than that as it comes to us Christians even now. Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: Great in the Kingdom”

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The Kingdom of Heaven is Yours

The Kingdom of Heaven is Yours

Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Occasion: The 100th Anniversary of St. Paul, Wood River, IL
Date: Epiphany IV + 1/29/17

For one hundred years God’s Word has sounded forth from the pulpit of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wood River, Illinois and generations of God’s people have believed and lived that Word, and have been given that new life God gives to those who repent and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. First there is the preaching then the hearing, repenting, the living and believing.

I rejoice today with you that I was privileged to preach God’s Word here and live in the God-given fellowship of this congregation from 1983 to 1991 (the 77th-86th anniversary years), and that I can celebrate with you today this significant 100th anniversary. Continue reading “The Kingdom of Heaven is Yours”

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Thy Kingdom Come: The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand

Text: Matthew 4:12-25
Date: Epiphany III + 1/22/17

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. The Kingdom is coming because the King has come. This was the proclamation of John the Baptist. Now he was arrested and out of the picture. By Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit John and the world know that this is the Son of God our Savior. And by Jesus’ baptism now you have been captured in your baptism to saving faith. So now what? Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand”

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Thy Kingdom Come: A Man Who Ranks Before Me

Text: John 1:29-42a
Date: Epiphany II + 1/22/17

Thy Kingdom Come. The coming of the kingdom means and requires the coming of the King. But whereas “the kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer” the King Himself comes with the help and assistance of others. He comes in the flesh as the Son of Mary. He comes to you by means of others preaching the Word of God. So now at the beginning of His earthly ministry He comes by means of the one sent to prepare His way, by the revelation given to John the Baptist. John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that THIS IS THE SON OF GOD!” Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: A Man Who Ranks Before Me”

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Thy Kingdom Come: He Comes, the King Anointed

Text: Matthew 3:13-17
Date: Baptism of Our Lord + Epiphany I + 1/8/17

God’s kingdom, His rule of grace, comes to us in the sacrament of Holy Baptism. There we are buried or identified with the blessed death of our Lord for the forgiveness of our sins. There we receive the forgiveness of our sins, faith to believe in the forgiveness of our sins and adoption as sons and daughters in the family of God’s redeemed, restored, renewed creation. We are baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: He Comes, the King Anointed”

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Thy Kingdom Come: Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love

Text: Luke 2:21
Date: Circumcision and Name of Jesus + First Sunday after Christmas + The Eighth Day of
Christmas + 1/1/17

The kingdom of God comes to us in just the same manner as the Christ of Christmas: all by Himself without our prayer. Before we even knew we needed a Savior God sent His Son. For “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Rom 5:8, 10). That’s the first reason that the Gospel of salvation is really good news. God knows our true need. God knows your real need. And He comes to fill and answer your need out of love. Continue reading “Thy Kingdom Come: Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love”