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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Second Sunday after Trinity
Holy Baptism of Seth & Wayne Burton and Jonathan Womack Readings: Proverbs 9:1-10 | 1 John 3:13-18 | Luke 14:15-24 Text: 1 John 3:13-18 The word “love” has taken on a life of its own. It’s as if everyone has their own private dictionary of what they want it to mean. So many interpret it…
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First Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Genesis 15:1-6 | 1 John 4:16-21 | Luke 16:19-31 Text: Genesis 15:1-6 “The Here and Now for the Now and Not Yet.” St. Paul comments on these verses in Genesis by saying, “In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall…
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Feast of The Holy Trinity
Readings: Isaiah 6:1-7 | Romans 11:33-36 | John 3:1-17 Text: Isaiah 6:1-7; John 3:1-17 Who is God? That question is the foundation all religion, all spirituality, all philosophy, all science, and all human knowledge. The answer to that question affects how we understand everything. The atheist answers the question by saying no one is God.…
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Feast of Pentecost
Readings: Genesis 11:1-9 | Acts 2:1-21 | John 14:23-31 Text: John 14:23-31 How will you manifest yourself to your own but not the world? By the keeping of the Word of Christ. Many have asked in previous generations how you can tell the difference between Christians and unbelievers. Is it the number of good things…
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Sunday after the Ascension (Exaudi)
Readings: Ezekiel 36:22-28 | 1 Peter 4:7-14 | John 15:26-16:4 Text: John 15:26-16:4 Following the format which Martin Luther taught to his barber, Peter, in the tract known as “A Simple Way to Pray” This is the Sunday after the Ascension of Jesus, and what it must have been like for the disciples! Their final…
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Sixth Sunday of Easter (Rogate)
Readings: Numbers 21:4-9 | 1 Timothy 2:1-6 | John 16:31-33 Text: John 16:31-33 Isn’t it interesting that peace is usually the thing that everyone can agree on? You never see protests calling for war. Peace symbols adorn bumper stickers, but what sane person ever aspired to bloodshed? So also in the current political atmosphere, the…
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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.…