July 15, 2008
Here is the sermon from 07-13-08. A special thanks to guest Pastor Aaron Hamilton.
sermon07-13-08 [21:14m]:
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July 8, 2008
THE CHRISTIAN AS THE CHILD OF GOD
DEVOTE EVERY PART OF YOU TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
I. Our Previous Condition Served Filth
Il. Our New Condition Comes from God and Gives Life
Standard Podcast [21:14m]:
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July 2, 2008
In the pastor’s copy of the Lutheran Liturgy there are several forms of the general prayer. In some of them we pray for “the president of these United States, the members of congress, the governor of this state and for all legislatures and magistrates.” If the pastor is serving in Canada, he would pray for “Her Majesty the Queen of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the Governor-General and the Prime Minister of our Dominion …”
This is in accord with our Lord’s wishes, as He says through Paul, (1 Timothy 2:1-3) “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, “
While many make government an idol that is supposed to bring a heaven on earth (witness all the “isms” that have come and gone in the last century), our Lord teaches us to pray that government would be merely His servant. He calls on us to pray, not necessarily for a particular form of government, but that in whatever form it would especially leave us in peace to carry out our vocations quietly in godliness and holiness.
It is for this that we pray and it is for this that we in the United States of America particularly give thanks.
Topics: News
July 2, 2008
THE CHRISTIAN AS THE CHILD OF GOD
Born in Baptism
I. Dead toward Sin
II. Alive Toward Christ
Sermon from 02-03-08 [22:54m]:
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June 26, 2008
In the Thursday, June 26 edition of the Chicago Tribune, Eric Zorn wrote a column headed, “A majority places faith in one another.” He cites a Pew poll that reported 70% of religious Americans agreeing that “Many religions
[1] can lead to eternal life.” From this Zorn rejoices that a “Humble Majority” agrees that “the great riddles of life are, in fact, riddles.” This is great for avoiding religious conflict, exults Zorn. He says, “But, inevitably, the belief that only you … understand God’s wishes tends to polarize people into us and them; the good and the wicked.”
Welcome to post-modernist America.
For all his declaration that we shouldn’t claim that we know an absolute truth, Zorn quite handily assumes some absolutes of his own.
First is the assumption that religion has to do only with morality, “the good and the wicked.” While that is true of the man-made religions, made in the image of the law, the fact is that Christianity is radically different, being the revelation of how God has redeemed the world (ALL of us wicked!) to reconcile us to Himself through faith.
Second is the assumption that the Bible (or any other book) is not in fact God’s revelation of Himself to the world. He doesn’t seek to disprove this; he only assumes it and then uses his assumption to proclaim that God remains a riddle. That is a classic of circular reasoning.
Third is his assumption that somehow a majority in a poll matters. Yes, that is what post-modernists believe, that reality and truth are just what we construct ourselves, so that the truth that most of us construct has some shared meaning. But there is an objective reality, whatever the majority may believe. The moons of Jupiter existed whether anybody knew about it or not.
Of course, nobody can live in other important aspects of life as Zorn wants us to live where religion is concerned. Objective reality cannot be ignored with impunity. Go ahead and cling to your opinion that the fast-growing black mole on your leg is benign – and die of Melanoma. Be secure in your belief that “trains don’t go that fast” as you pull around the crossing gate – and pay the consequences.
Jesus declared, (John 14:6) “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He declared Himself to be the only Savior of the world, but He also commissioned his disciples to proclaim this objective reality to the world for their salvation.
There is only one Hope, and we show true love in saying so.
[1] Zorn doesn’t say what he means by a “religion.” Properly speaking “religion” refers to bodies such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc., rather than denominations like Lutheran or Roman Catholic.
Topics: News
June 23, 2008
THE CHRISTIAN IN THE WORLD
THE GLORIOUS HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN IN THE WORLD
I. You have Hope
II. It Shows
III. Be Ready To Tell Why
Sermon from 06-22-08 [25:05m]:
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June 18, 2008
The Christian in the World - Christians and Creation are Headed for Glory
I. There Is Suffering because There Is Salvation
II. All Creation Waits for It
III. We Live in This Hope- And Celebrate the Freedom to Proclaim It
Sermon from 06-15-08 [22:40m]:
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June 12, 2008
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
One thing I have noticed over the years is the frequency with which individuals in the military express faith, particularly faith in Christ. It doesn’t go so far as the common myth that “There are no atheists in foxholes,” but it is frequent nevertheless. It shouldn’t be surprising that those who go into harm’s way, who are facing enemies who want to kill them, would think about our utter destiny as individuals.
The other way to look at it is that those who believe that we live in this life looking forward to another are willing to risk even this life itself for things that are greater than themselves- family, country, faith. They take the long view that a hundred years from now what will really matter is the fellowship with Christ in which we lived while living our lives on earth.
In this wonderful eighth chapter of Romans, Paul instructs us in what it means to belong to Christ, to be heirs of heaven, and so to live our lives in the realization that the troubles of life in this broken world will be rendered insignificant, beneath notice, by the glories of Heaven and of everlasting life. If we could set up a balance beam and place the troubles of life on one end and the glory of heaven on the other, the troubles would count as nothing.
When we look at life in the long view, we look beyond the troubles of life, beyond the he-who-dies-with-the-most-toys-wins values of our day. We realize that nothing is worth clinging to if it costs our eternal life, and that nothing is so important or so precious as saving faith. And having that faith we look forward to the crown of life that will not be taken away from us.
Topics: News
June 10, 2008
The sermon from 06-08-08 is online
Sermon from 06-06-08 [21:00m]:
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June 10, 2008
The semon from 06-01-08 is online.
Sermon from 06-01-08 [27:47m]:
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