Author: Bethlehem Lutheran
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The Confession of St. Peter
Readings: Acts 4:8-13 | 2 Peter 1:1-15 | Mark 8:27-9:1 Text: Mark 8:27-35 When Jesus questions the disciples, in the Gospel today, it’s a scene like a confirmation class. They give a bunch of different answers. Peter gives the only right answer: “You are the Christ.” In Matthew’s account, there’s a lot more dwelling on…
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The Baptism of Our Lord (Epiphany 1A)
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-9 | Romans 6:1-11 | Matthew 3:13-17 Text: Romans 6:1-11 What is Baptism? If you ask Google, you get a definition like this: “Search AssistBaptism is a Christian rite of initiation that typically involves the use of water, symbolizing the admission of a person into the Church. It is often performed by sprinkling,…
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Second Sunday after Christmas
Readings: 1 Kings 3:4-15 | Ephesians 1:3-14 | Luke 2:40-52 Text: Luke 2:40-52, Ephesians 1:3-14 “You’re not ready for that.” We usually don’t want to hear that. It’s the space in between how we perceive our own abilities and where an elder or an authority sees where we are. Youthful ambition only makes this humbling…
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Feast of the Holy Innocents (4th Day of Christmas)
Readings: Jeremiah 31:15-17 | Revelation 14:1-5 | Matthew 2:13-18 Text: Matthew 2:13-23 So here we are, a few days after Christmas, and what we have in the lessons is the tail end of what we will hear next week – the departure of the Magi and the rage of Herod that killed the firstborn sons…
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The Nativity of Our Lord
Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10 | Hebrews 1:1-12 | John 1:1-18 Text: Isaiah 52:7-10 We’ve become accustomed to associating this text with the Gospel because of St. Paul’s quoting it in Romans 10: 13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”14How then will they call on him in whom they have not…
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Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord
~ Lessons and Carols ~ Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14 | 1 John 4:7-16 | Luke 2:1-20 Text: 1 John 4:7-16 So much of Christmas tradition has become alienated from what this holy day actually commemorates. Some of it comes from past Christian influence, like Paradise Trees laden with fruit and the Eucharist’s food of immortality, like…
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Fourth Sunday in Advent (Advent 4A)
Readings: Isaiah 7:10-17 | Romans 1:1-7 | Matthew 1:18-25 Text: Matthew 1:18-25 The generation of Jesus Christ. What’s in the word generation? It depends upon those who came before it. No matter who our parents are or if they were the ones who raised us, they handed down various things to us—hereditary traits, perhaps even…
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Third Sunday of Advent
Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10 | James 5:7-11 | Matthew 11:2-15 Text: Matthew 11:2-15 The theme for this Sunday is JOY – Historically the first word heard was “Gaudete!” (Latin for Rejoice) – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) But in the Gospel we have a picture of persecution and uncertainty. …
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Second Sunday in Advent
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10 | Romans 15:4-13 | Matthew 3:1-12 Text: Matthew 3:1-12 Saint John the Baptizer’s appearance is jarring. There’s no getting comfortable around a man who wears camel fur and eats nothing but bugs and honey. But why? John is uncomfortable because of what his appearance brings up combined with what he preaches. He…
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First Sunday in Advent
Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5 | Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 | Matthew 21:1-11 Text: Matthew 21:1-11 This time of looking forward to Christmas is called Advent (from the Latin for arrival). It’s called that because it’s about Jesus’ coming. He came in lowliness in the manger at Bethlehem, just as was promised. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and…