A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! I bet you can relate. You’ve heard it yourself—that drawn-out repeating of your name. Maybe accompanied by a sad head shaking. Preceded by a little sigh. “Robert, Robert.” You understand instantly that you’ve disappointed someone. Or maybe you’ve heard this variation. A little more drawn out, higher pitched, increasing in volume. “Robert! Robert!” Your mind wanders or you are otherwise distracted, and someone needs to catch your attention. We don’t see this happen very often in Scriptures, but when we do, it catches our attention, as it highlights a sense of urgency, true concern, or deep-felt emotion. Especially when it is used by God Himsel...

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...

"Entry of the Christ into Jerusalem" by Jean-Leon Gerome Click here to listen to this sermon. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! We live in an impatient world. Just look at our holiday observances. Black Friday is supposedly “the official start of the Christmas season.” But did you notice the Christmas decorations on the shelves right next to the Halloween candy this year? The world celebrates its holidays in advance. What it calls “Christmas”—the decorating, the feasting, the nostalgia—everything is done prior to December 25 th . Then people open presents, and that’s that. By December 31st, trees are hauled out to the dump and everyone’s gearing up for the Super Bowl. Advent, which begins today, is the time of the Church Year that’s most out of step with the concurrent cultural celebration. It is never harder to preach about John the Baptist than when people are humming “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Throughout December, the world i...

  Click here to listen to this sermon. At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to [Jesus], “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13:31-35). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! When your enemies act like your friends, watch out! You know things are getting dangerous when that happens. The Phari...

"Jesus Found in the Temple" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon. The child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon Him. Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for Him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for Him. After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And when His parents saw Him, they were astonished. And His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You treated us so? Behold, Your f...