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On this All Saints Day, we give thanks to God for those who died in the faith, both in recent memory and in days of old. First, we must ask: what is a saint? A baptized faithful member of the Christian Church. We cannot understand the church apart from baptism. Before Faith and baptism, weContinue reading “Feast of All Saints Matthew 5:1-12”

A common motto in the reformation was “the word of the Lord endures forever,” and it was often abbreviated in Latin as VDMA. This quotation from Isaiah chapter 40 was the driving force behind the world-changing events of the Reformation. Martin Luther and others knew that it was not the words of men that hadContinue reading “Reformation Sunday Matthew 11:12-19”

Dear family and friends of Anna Mae Wolfgram, Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen. The Christian life is not one of ease or convenience. When we are guided by the Holy Spirit into the waters of holy baptism, where we die to sin andContinue reading “Christian funeral for Anna Mae Wolfgram 2 Timothy 4:6-8”

 Today, in our gospel reading, we find a surprisingly unique interchange between Christ and the Sadducees and the teachers of the law. They attempt to confuse and entrap Jesus, but to their amazement, Christ not only answered a question that they cannot answer. They were also put to shame. And in return, he inquires ofContinue reading “Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 22:34-46”

When Christ asked the Pharisees whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, he was really asking whether they knew the purpose of this day of rest. And in the end, he is asking them if they know God’s salvation in the first place. And to this, they have no reply. For the Pharisees,Continue reading “Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity Luke 14:1-11”

Seen in last Sunday’s gospel reading, with Jesus preaching that we should not be anxious about our lives. That we should look to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and God provided for them, so how much more will he provide for us? For Jesus says, “Seek the kingdom andContinue reading “Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Luke 7:11-17”

Christ says in this portion of his Sermon on the Mount that even the Gentiles seek food, drink, clothing, and shelter from their creator. Therefore, he tells his disciples that those who would acknowledge him to be the only Son of God do not seek from the Lord what the Gentiles do. He teaches thatContinue reading “Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Matthew 6:24-34”

The Lord Christ has mercy upon those who call upon him, even those who will no longer believe, as his blood cleanses all from the leprosy of sin. While Christ knows that only one, the sick man from Samaria, will truly acknowledge him as the one high priest and Son of God, he has mercyContinue reading “Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Luke 17:11-19”

On this holy cross day, consider how foolish the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ is.   Crucifixion was not the sentence given to an honorable man. Crucifixion was reserved for hardened criminals, repeat offenders, and dangerous threats to society. For not even Paul the apostle could have been crucified, as he was a RomanContinue reading “Holy Cross Day John 12:20-33”

How great it would be to have friends such as these? Friends who have heard of the marvelous deeds of our Lord Christ, and they bring their friend so that he, too, may hear the word of the Lord and profess his holy name with his mouth. The dear Jesus comes across the Sea ofContinue reading “Twelfth Sunday after Trinity Mark 7:31-37”