A Famine Not of Bread

"Annunciation" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon.  

Click here to listen to this sermon.

Click here to listen to this sermon. “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a body have You prepared for Me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God, as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book’” (Hebrews 10:5-7). Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! “Frost glistens in the light as it melts from the back of wooly lambs, gleaming and shimmering and dripping as the animals doze. The lambs rise to stretch. They shiver, steam wafting from their warm legs and bellies. They look up expectantly toward a man standing near their gate. He leans on the edge of the pen and looks the herd over carefully, wondering which lambs to feed and which to choose for the morning sacrifice. It is a great and festive day—most holy. And yet, tomorrow he will have to choose again, and so the next day, and the next” (...

Click here to listen to this sermon. Or here. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! She’s a little girl—perhaps fourteen, maybe fifteen, years old. Still young by our standards, though old enough to get married in her time. She’s betrothed to Joseph. The vows are made, and soon they will be fully man and wife. Mary is wise and devout, a maiden who’s kept herself pure in her wait for marriage. But other than that, she has very few qualification for her upcoming assignment. Well, that and her family connections: She’s a descendant of King David, although many generations have passed since one of her ancestors actually sat on the throne. Now, she and her family live in a little hick town, far from where anything ever happens. Nazareth isn’t exactly Jerusalem, you know. In Jerusalem, you have the king’s palace and frequent visits from Roman commanders. You have the temple—the House of ...

The Annunciation by Caravaggio The text for today is Luke 1:26-38. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Six months have passed since Gabriel’s announcement to Zechariah the priest that his wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son.   That, in itself is an astonishing announcement, for both are very old, decades beyond normal childbearing years.   It’s the kind of biological impossibility that might make the front page of the National Enquirer—“Elderly Couple Conceives!   Father Speechless!”   But within the angel’s announcement is even bigger news.   This son, whom they are to give the name John, will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, go out in the power and spirit of Elijah, calling God’s people to repentance and preparing them for the coming of the Lord.   He will be the forerunner of the Christ. Now the Lord sends His messenger on another mission.   This time Gabriel goes not to the holy city of Jerusalem, bu...

The Naming of St. John the Baptist - Fra Angelico , 1434-1435 The text for today is our Gospel, Luke 1:57-80, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Nativity of St. John the Baptist.  It seems a little out of place, doesn’t it?  We’re used to hearing about John the Baptist in Advent or in Lent.  His message of repentance fits very well with those two penitential times of the church year.  But here it is…the early part of Pentecost.  So why are we hearing about his birth?  Well, do the math.  When do we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord?  December 24 th and 25 th .  And how far along in her pregnancy is Elizabeth when the Virgin Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel?  Six months.  So, back up six months from Christmas and you land on June 24 th .  That’s why we celebrate the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on this date. St. Luke, ...

The text for today is our Old Testament reading, the Song of Hannah, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The theme of our midweek Advent services is “My pride, my defeat.   God’s pride my deliverance.”   We’ve been talking about the dangerous sin of pride.   Pride tricks us into believing that we are self-sufficient and self-made, that we don’t need anybody or anything to make our own way—not even God.   But such an attitude keeps us from realizing our great need: Before God we are beggars; we must rely on His grace and mercy to save us.   Pride is a dangerous sin that separates us from God, and in order to rid us of its grip God will go to extreme lengths.   As when King Nebuchadnezzar boasted of his mighty power and was driven out to live with the beasts of the field, his hair as long as eagle’s feathers and nails like bird claws.   Or when K...