A Famine Not of Bread

"The Last Judgment" by Francisco Pacheco Click here to listen to this sermon. [Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (Mark 13:24–27). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Trust in the midst of trouble. That’s what our Lord calls us to experience today. In our Gospel reading, Jesus speaks to a few of His disciples about the end of the world and Judgment Day. The vision He offers is frightening, unsettling. Nature breaks apart. The sun and the moon no longer give light. The stars tumble from the heavens. Everything is falling apart. But trouble brings trust to light an...

Click here to listen to this sermon. [Jesus said:] “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send out the angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that He is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not kn...

Click here to listen to this sermon. [Jesus said:] “ It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep” (Mark 13:34-35). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! The last Sundays of the Church Year bring eschatology, the study of the last things, into focus with the lectionary’s emphasis on death, the final judgment, and the promise of the new heaven and the new earth. These Sundays bring us to the conclusion of the Nicene Creed, “And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead.” We have said those words so often, but what do they mean? Truth be told, we are often more concerned about the judgment that comes from other human...

Martin Luther Preaching, from the Altarpiece of the Church of Torslunde, 1561 Click here to listen to this sermon. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! I’ve always enjoyed reading, but there is never enough time to read as much as I would like. Recently, I started to listen to digitally recorded books. While I still prefer to hold books in my hand (especially the more academic and theological works), I have found it to be an entertaining way to listen to well-written and well-performed works of fiction as I drive. I just finished listening to “World without End” by Ken Follett that is set in 14 th century England, with its feudal system of dukes and earls, serfs and servants, monks and nuns. Believe it or not, it helped me better understand the context of Jesus’ parable in our text for today. Occasionally, the lord would have to leave his manor and estate for a while. Sometimes he would be off to war. Other times away on business. Occasional...

Click here to listen to this sermon. “And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:7-8). Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Even his critics knew President Ronald Reagan as “The Great Communicator.” I think much of that ability to communicate was due to the consistency of his message. No matter what the forum or audience, he always spoke of the greatness of America’s heritage, the productivity of its citizens, and the potential for even greater success. Frequently, he would close his message with these words: “America’s best days lie ahead. You ain’t seen nothing yet!” Though certainly not grammatically correct, it did get his point across and it captured the imagination of millions of supp...

Our text for today is our Gospel lesson, Mark 13:1-13, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Even his critics knew President Ronald Reagan as “The Great Communicator.”   I think much of that ability to communicate was due to the consistency of his message.   No matter what the forum or audience, he always spoke of the greatness of America’s heritage, the productivity of its citizens, and the potential for even greater success.   Frequently, he would close his message with these words: “America’s best days lie ahead.   You ain’t seen nothing yet!”   Though certainly not grammatically correct, it did get his point across and it captured the imagination of millions of supporters for years afterward.   Even in the most recent election many people were looking for someone who could effectively communicate that sense of optimism and purpose. “You ain’t seen nothing yet!...