Author: Bethlehem Lutheran
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Third Sunday in Advent
~ Gaudete ~ Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 | Matthew 11:2-11 Text: Matthew 11:2-11 We hear from the Epistle to the Hebrews, “In many and various ways, God spoke to His people of old by the prophets, but now in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.”[1] But what…
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Second Sunday in Advent
~ Populus Zion ~ Readings: Malachi 4:1-6 | Romans 15:4-13 | Luke 21:25-36 Text: Luke 21:25-36 Let’s be honest, the things described in the end times are scary! They make even the worst terrorist attack seem like a hiccup, because it’s not just going to be in one city or a few cities. It’s going…
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First Sunday in Advent
~ Ad Te Levavi ~ Readings: Jeremiah 23:5-8 | Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 | Matthew 21:1-9 Text: Matthew 21:1-11 Advent, as you may remember, means “coming.” Every year, we rehearse the coming of our Lord. Again, you may be familiar with His first coming in the flesh at Christmas, and His second coming on the Last…
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Eighth Sunday after Trinity
Commemoration of Robert Barnes, Confessor and Martyr Readings: Jeremiah 23:16-29 | Romans 8:12-17 | Matthew 7:15-23 Text: Matthew 7:15-23 This exhortation to beware of false prophets is interestingly placed in the Sermon on the Mount. People often quote Matthew 7:1 “Don’t judge lest you be judged” as a way to stop theological discussion when they…
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Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Genesis 2:7-17 | Romans 6:19-23 | Mark 8:1-9 Text: Mark 8:1-9 The Feeding of the 5,000 usually gets all the attention. It’s recorded in all four Gospels. It’s a spectacular miracle, feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. John’s account even ties it to the Lord’s Supper. But why is there…
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Sixth Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Exodus 20:1-17 | Romans 6:1-11 | Matthew 5:17-26 Text: Matthew 5:21-37 Our Lord Jesus cuts to the chase. He doesn’t sugar coat His message to lure people in with fluffy words, only to hook them. Right away, He gets to the heart of what needs to be said to the crowds, and it happens…
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Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Readings: 1 Kings 19:11-21 | 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 | Luke 5:1-11 Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Persecution was a daily reality for third-century Christians in Rome. And in 258, the Emperor Valerian began another massive round. He issued an edict commanding that all bishops, priests, and deacons should be put to death, and he gave the…
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The Feast of the Visitation Readings: Isaiah 11:1-5 | Romans 12:9-16 | Luke 1:39-56 Text: Luke 1:35-46 God has created each of us in His Image and Likeness to live by His grace through faith in His incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. He was conceived and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Because of this, your entire life in body and soul—both…
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The Presentation of the Augsburg Confession
Readings: Micha 7:18-20 | 1 Timothy 1:12-17 | Luke 15:1-10 Text: Luke 15:1-10 What God says about Himself makes all the difference. If we start with the idea of what we think God is like, or what we think He would or should do, we will quickly fall into error. The Church is perpetually plagued…
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Second Sunday after Trinity
Readings: Proverbs 9:1-10 | Ephesians 2:13-22 | Luke 14:15-24 Text: Luke 14:15-24 Lutherans are known for their potlucks (or “covered dish dinners” if you don’t want to mention luck). It brings people together at church. Eating is something we all have in common, regardless of differing opinions or backgrounds. In fact, it’s a widely-known church…