Category: Sermons
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Thanking God for His Blessings in Christ (Psalm 67)
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR Thanksgiving Eve – November 23, 2016 Text: Psalm 67 “God bless you!” “I feel truly blessed.” “God has blessed them with children.” You hear phrases like this all the time from people. But think about what is being said. We say “God bless you” when someone sneezes, wishing them…
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Watching and Waiting for the Lord (Luke 21:29-36)
Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR 26th Sunday after Pentecost + November 13, 2016 Text: Luke 21:29-36 Trying to stay awake is hard sometimes. Parents of newborns know what it’s like to have to run on fumes, not getting the sleep they need but still needing to press on with daily life. Sometimes they’re caught…
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God's Every Promise Does Not Fail (Matt. 5:1-12)
All Saints Day (observed) + November 6, 2016 Text: Matthew 5:1-12 We live in a world that disappoints because it can never truly satisfy—no matter how much it might promise. Infomercials are notorious for making great promises about products, only to be told later “results may vary.” “Read my lips: No new…
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Christians Abide in His Word (John 8:31-36)
Reformation Sunday + October 30, 2016 Text: John 8:31-36 Celebrating the Reformation is an exciting time in the Lutheran Church. Next year for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we really get to go all out. But it’s important to double check that our excitement is more about being “Church” than it is about being…
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Naked Sinners Clothed by a Gracious God (Luke 18:9-17)
Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost + October 23, 2016 Text: Luke 18:9-17 In the age of social media, exhibitionism is at an all-time high. People are sharing everything from their child’s first steps to what they had for dinner. This has invited friends and acquaintances to “like” and comment their way into previously private moments. …
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Praying in God's Faithfulness (Luke 18:1-8)
Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost + October 16, 2016 Text: Luke 18:1-8 There’s a lot of material out there about prayer. And most of it is misguided. In much of what we hear about prayer, we’re led to believe that if we get down on our knees enough, or with just the right heart, or…
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God's Blessings Come Through the Cross (Luke 17:11-19)
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost + October 9, 2016 Text: Luke 17:11-19 Today’s Gospel tells us of one of the many healings which Jesus did. The recipients were ten men of Jewish descent. We know this because Jesus directs them to show themselves to the priest in Jerusalem.[1] As people with a Jewish background, they…
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Protecting the Faith of Little Ones (Luke 17:1-10)
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost + October 2, 2016 Text: Luke 17:1-6 (p. 876 in pew Bible) When you first hear this passage in Luke 17, it may seem like a cobbling together of different teachings of Jesus. In fact, this is the capstone of Jesus’ teaching from the beginning of chapter 15, alternating between…
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Longing for the Riches of Heaven (Luke 16:19-31)
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost + September 25, 2016 Text: Luke 16:19-31 When you’re a kid you can’t wait until your birthday—when I’m 7, I’ll get to… For adults that still happens, except that we’re not looking forward to being another year older. We look forward to vacations, getting a raise, or buying a house. …
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Freed to Serve with Eternal Riches (Luke 16:1-15)
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost + September 18, 2016 Text: Luke 16:1-9 Some parables which our Lord tells are easier to understand than others. Take last Sunday’s about the Shepherd looking for His lost sheep. It’s easy to identify as the sheep who Jesus takes up on His shoulders and carries home rejoicing. Then there’s…