A Famine Not of Bread

"The Disbelief of St. Thomas" by James Tissot  Click here to listen to this sermon. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! St. John did not write his account of Jesus’ life to be an accurate history—although it is accurate and historical. St. John did not just write his account because he was moved by the Holy Spirit—although he was moved by the Holy Spirit to write of persons, actions, and events he witnessed. John wrote with a purpose. John wrote so people would have faith in Jesus, so that you would believe in Jesus, and that by believing, you would have life in His name. As Lutherans, we’re hesitant to put much stock in personal testimonies. Far too often, the person testifying becomes

"Christ Entering Jerusalem" by Giotto di Bondone Click here to listen to this sermon. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified (John 12:23). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! My cousin likes to tag me on social media with some of his religious humor. Just last week, he offered this one: Pontius Pilate says to Joseph of Arimathea, “Joseph, I really don’t understand. You’re one of the richest men in the region, and you’ve spent a small fortune on a new tomb for you and your family and you want to give it to this man, Jesus?" Joseph replies: “It’s just for the weekend.” It’s a joke, of course, but it’s true. Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb. But it was just borrowed for the weekend. He was checked in before 6:00 pm on Friday and checked Himself out early Sunday morning. However, the tomb was not the only thing Jesus “borrowed” during Holy Week. For you, Jesus goes from borrowed donkey to borrowed r

"My Soul Is Sorrowful Unto Death" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon. Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.    So also Christ did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by Him who said to Him,       “You are My Son,               today I have begotten You”; as He says also in another place,         “You are a priest forever,               after the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Al

Click here to listen to this sermon. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Janet selected a Bible verse for this day: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). She found great comfort in this verse and wanted to share that comfort with you. Let’s look at this verse in the context of the whole psalm, which was the basis for Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Nothing in the text specifies the occasion when it was written. It could have provided comfort for God’s people at many specific crises in Israel’s history. The reformers indeed recognized its value. But its scope extends far beyond any one fulfillment in history. The peace established by Christ’s return completes the fulfillment of this psalm, allowing us to be still, no matter what is happening around us. Psalm 46 expresses the belief that God actively controls everything and that no one can escape His reach. It is God who delivers disaster and deliverance. He decides our fate. No