Text: Mark 8:1-9 In Psalm 23, King David confesses his faith in God’s loving kindness. He gives thanks to the God who leads him beside still waters, and who restores his soul by the saving Word. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” sang David, “I will fear no evil,Continue reading “Oh, How Great is Your Compassion”
Author Archives: St. John's and Grace Lutheran Parish
Altogether Different
Text: Matthew 5:17-26 In John 3, the Pharisee Nicodemus came to visit our Lord under the cover of night. As a member of the Pharisees near the beginning of our Lord’s ministry, he couldn’t be seen taking a positive attitude toward our Lord; yet, he desired to hear more from Him, so he went byContinue reading “Altogether Different”
Working with the Word
Text: Luke 5:1-11 St. Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16, English Standard Version) With these words, St. Paul encouraged the Colossians in theirContinue reading “Working with the Word”
Merciful Like Our Father
Text: Luke 6:36-42 In the Lutheran Church, nearly every confirmation class follows – more or less – the same course. Using Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, we first learn the Ten Commandments, which are God’s will for our lives as His people. Then, we learn the Apostles’ Creed – which is what God would have usContinue reading “Merciful Like Our Father”
To Seek and to Save the Lost
Text: Luke 15:1-10 In Luke 19, just before the Triumphal Entry, our Lord passed through the town of Jericho. Now, in the town of Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Or, rather, he was a “chief tax collector,” and he was quite wealthy. (Luke 19:2, English Standard Version) InContinue reading “To Seek and to Save the Lost”
Living in the Mansion of the Lord
Text: John 14:1-6 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. May the peace of Christ’s resurrection be especially of comfort to you, [family names] and all family and friends of Name. Because Christ lives, Name yet lives; and we will, too. We have a wonderfulContinue reading “Living in the Mansion of the Lord”
The Heavenly Banquet
Text: Luke 14:15-24 The psalmist speaks prophetically by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 118, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22-23, English Standard Version) That verse is familiar to us because it comes up all over the New Testament.Continue reading “The Heavenly Banquet”
The Rich Man and Lazarus
Text: Luke 16:19-31 James, the brother of our Lord, wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the second chapter of his epistle, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him… Faith by itself, if it does not have works,Continue reading “The Rich Man and Lazarus”
Thrice Holy God
Text: Isaiah 6:1-7 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3, English Standard Version) These were the words of the angels in the throne room as they called out back and forth, giving praise to the eternal one God in three persons. They say, “holy,”Continue reading “Thrice Holy God”
The Work of the Holy Spirit
Text: John 16:5-15 Every Sunday that we follow the Divine Service, there’s a portion of the service dedicated to the confession of our Christian faith in the Triune God. Either before the sermon or after, depending on the Setting, we rise to confess our faith using the words of the Apostles’ or Nicene Creeds. OnContinue reading “The Work of the Holy Spirit”
St. John's and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Parish 