Author: Bethlehem Lutheran
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Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Proverbs 4:10-23 | Galatians 5:16-24 | Luke 17:11-19 Text: Proverbs 4:10-23 We’re starting to see a pattern: Jesus points out Samaritans. Is it that He’s showing favorites? Are they the Good Teacher’s pet? Not because of who they are, but because of what they demonstrate. A flesh-and-blood story teaches much more effectively than a…
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Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Readings: 2 Chronicles 28:8-15 | Galatians 3:15-22 | Luke 10:23-37 Text: Luke 10:23-37 In the collect for today, we pray, “Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what You have promised, make us love what You have commanded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our…
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Fifth Sunday of Easter
Readings: Isaiah 12:1-6 | James 1:16-21 | John 16:5-15 Text: John 16:5-15 So much ink and words have been spent trying to convince the unbelieving world of the truth of the Gospel. So many ministries are dedicated to this purpose. So much effort is given to bringing non-committal, indifferent unbelievers to faith. Despite all this…
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Fourth Sunday of Easter (Jubilate)
Readings: Isaiah 40:25-31 | 1 Peter 2:11-20 | John 16:16-23 Text: Isaiah 40:25-31 On the night in which He is to be betrayed, our Lord taught His disciples, 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.…
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Third Sunday of Easter (Misericordias Domini)
Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16 | 1 Peter 2:21-25 | John 10:11-16 Text: John 10:11-16 The name for this second Sunday after Easter is a mouthful: Misericordias Domini. It’s also a strange name, unless you’re a Spanish-speaker. Misericordias in both Latin and Spanish means “mercy.” It’s from Psalm 33:5, which we heard in the introit as, “The…
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Second Sunday after Easter (Quasimodo Geniti)
Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14 | 1 John 5:4-10 | John 20:19-31 Text: John 20:19-31 On the evening of the Resurrection, the disciples—at least ten of them—saw the risen Lord! Sometimes we get to thinking the disciples must have had an easier time because they had Jesus in the flesh. After all, what quality of teaching! What…
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The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Day)
Readings: Job 19:23-27 | 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 | Mark 16:1-8 Text: Mark 16:1-8 Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Easter mornings are always the best for Church. We sing louder than any other day. We sing, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia!” We shout for joy. We tell each other He is…
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Vigil of Easter
Readings: Genesis 1:1-2:3 | Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 Exodus 14:10-15:1 | Mark 16:1-8 Text: Jonah 3 In our reserved, sterile minds, we might take these words figuratively. That doesn’t really mean that God’s voice comes out in fire or earthquakes. I’ve never seen the earth melt! Because it’s so far removed from our daily…
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Palm Sunday
Readings: Philippians 2:5-11 | Matthew 27:11-54 Text: Matthew 27:11-26 It is a blessing to our faith that we meditate on our Lord’s passion yearly. A Christian faith that has a fuzzy view of the historical, fleshly sufferings of Jesus Christ will easily fall for suggestions that the Christian life is just the best of the…
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Fifth Sunday in Lent (Judica)
Holy Baptism of Mathilda Goehring Readings: Genesis 22:1-14 | Hebrews 9:11-15 | John 8:46-59 Text: Genesis 22:1-14 “God, what in the world are You doing? I can’t handle this! I just got done with the last wrench You threw in the works!” There are times like this, where honestly, we have no idea what our…