Category: Sermons
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Last Sunday of the Church Year
Readings: Isaiah 51:4–6 | Jude 20–25 | Mark 13:24–37 Text: Mark 13:14-37 “Watching in between the Shadows of the Cross of the Last Day” What do we do with this information about the end of the world? We heard our Lord say last week to be on our guard and to expect many and great…
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Second to Last Sunday of the Church Year
Readings: Daniel 12:1–3 | Hebrews 10:11–25 | Mark 13:1–13 Text: Mark 13:1-13 About 30 years ago, the pop group R.E.M. popularized the phrase, “It’s the end of the world as we know it; and I feel fine.” At the time, they were reacting to political movements and the end of the Cold War. From their…
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All Saints Sunday
Readings: Revelations 7:2-17 | 1 John 3:1–3 | Matthew 5:1–12 Text: 1 John 3:1-3 St. Paul writes to us, “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-7) While…
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The Festival of the Reformation
The word of the Lord endures forever. ~1 Peter 1:25
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Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Jeremiah 31:7–9 | Hebrews 7:23–28 | Mark 10:46-52 Text: Mark 10:46-52 “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” The Gospel last week ended with this ominous statement from Jesus. While thinking about the rich young man who refused to benefit the poor with his wealth, we might hear it…
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Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Ecclesiastes 5:10–20 | Hebrews 4:1–13 | Mark 10:23–31 Text: Mark 10:23-31 Covering points from Formula of Concord – Article II on Free Will Last week, we heard the rich man go away from Jesus disheartened by His invitation, “Follow me.” It was quite sad, and actually remarkable that this is the only time in…
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Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Amos 5:6–7, 10–15 | Hebrews 3:12–19 | Mark 10:17–22 Text: Mark 10:17-22 Covering Points From: Formula of Concord, Article VI – The Third Use of the Law You may or may not remember this from Catechism class, but there are three uses for the Law of God, and in this encounter that Jesus has…
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Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Mark 12:28-37 I think all of us would agree that idolatry is foolish. The idea of manmade gods is a ridiculous notion. The Lord, through Isaiah gives this illustration in chapter 44: He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of…
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Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
+ Holy Baptism of Blair Elouise Rosenbaum + Readings: Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29 | James 5:1–20 | Mark 9:38–50 Text: Mark 9:38-50 (covering points of Formula of Concord, Article V – Law and Gospel) 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because…
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Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings: Jeremiah 11:18–20 | James 3:13—4:10 | Mark 9:30–37 Text: James 3:13—4:10 (covering points from Formula of Concord, Article III – The Righteousness of Faith) “Even in Your Weakness, He is Strong to Save” Why do Christians act so unchristian sometimes? Bitter divisions and resentment separate people from the congregation, and congregations from one another. …