A Famine Not of Bread

"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...

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"Christ on the Cross" by El Greco Click here to listen to this sermon. “ Pilate also wrote an inscription and put in on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! “Give us a king like all the other nations have,” the people demanded. Their request had to come like a vicious kick to the gut. Samuel had served Israel long and well as their judge. But the years were taking their toll. No longer could he maintain the grueling schedule he once had kept as a young man. So Samuel appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to assist him. Sadly, the sons were not as unselfish as their father and not nearly as devoted to duty. They used their office for personal gain and, for a price, perverted justice. It’s difficult to explain their actions. You wouldn’t think that Samuel would be one to neglect the training of his children. After all, he had grown up alongside Eli’s son...

Click here to listen to this sermon. This sermon is from a series written by Rev. Paul L. Beisel and published by Concordia Publishing House.

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Click here to listen to this sermon. It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” And having said this He breathed His last (Luke 23:44-46). Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! It may not be the posture for prayer that first comes to mind. The Son of Man cannot prostrate Himself with His face to the ground in the custom of the ancient Hebrews or modern day Muslims. He cannot kneel at the altar railing or by the side of His bed like you or I might.  He can bow His head and close His eyes, but He probably can’t see much already with the blood weeping from the pricks of His thorny crown. And He can’t fold His hands together like many of us teach our children to do. You see, both of His hands are stretched out as far as ...

Click here for an audio version of this sermon. The text for this message is Isaiah 53:4-6:   “S urely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.   But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.   All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”   Here ends the text. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See Him dying on the tree! ‘Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ‘tis He! ‘tis He! ‘Tis the long-expected Prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord; Proofs I see sufficient of it: Tis the true and faithful Word ( LSB 451:1). "Crucifixion" by Lucas Cranach the Younger Do you see Him up there?   Doesn’t loo...