The Lord is not one to cut off His people, not then and not now. Yes, we are in a difficult time; but the Lord’s promise holds true. He raises us from the grave of sin now through the Resurrection of Christ and He will raise us to live forever on the Last Day.
Category Archives: Sermon
Who Gets the Final Say?
The empty tomb shows that our Lord, not death, gets the final say. After three days, He burst forth from that dreadful prison and left its bars shattered for those who are in Him.
Our Iniquity was Laid on Him
Jesus’ death means that our debt is paid. It means that we have peace with God. It means we are forgiven, but only at a great cost.
The Lord’s Passover
The Lord’s Supper, however, is not just a celebration of a past event but, in fact, is a means by which the Lord gives deliverance from the slavery of sin and death.
Christ’s Mind for Us
In this time, let us remember what was on Christ’s mind – us. It was for us that He took on flesh. It was for us He rode into Jerusalem. It was for us He allowed Himself to be betrayed, and for us that He died. He had on His mind not His own need, but ours. By His death, our redemption is won.
I Believe in the Holy Spirit
In the Third Article, we confess that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to take the redemption that Christ won for us and bring it to us through the Word and Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is the One who enlightens, sanctifies, and keeps us in the true faith.
Fatherly, Divine Goodness and Mercy
We confess in the First Article of the Creed that God our Father is the maker of all things. In addition to making us and all things, our God continues to provide for all our needs.
God, Our Father and Maker
We’ve now learned why we should believe that God created the heavens and the earth – in the way that Genesis says; but what do we believe? It’s simple, we believe what we’ve already said, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.”
The Lord Works Not as Man Works
That’s what Jesus really said to Bartimaeus in Jericho, by the way. Jesus really said, “Recover your sight; your faith has saved you.” God doesn’t work the way man does. He doesn’t forgive, save, or choose based on anything that is in us. He didn’t choose David based on appearances, but because of the faith He created in David’s heart. Not even having faith is something we can do. It is the work of God the Holy Spirit in us.
Baptism Saves You
God saved us when He sent His Son Jesus to die and rise for our sins. He applies that salvation to us – each and all – through the washing of Holy Baptism. In Holy Baptism, our sins were washed away. Our old evil nature, called the Old Adam, was drowned and died, and we received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
St. John's and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Parish 