A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. [Jesus said:] “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus makes two big promises that Christians need to hear. The latter is more popular and, at first glance, more comforting. It is the kind of promise that people put on the signature line of their emails or make into memes on Facebook or Instagram. The former is just as certain, however, and equally significant, but in a different way. Jesus spoke these two big promises to His disciples in the Upper Room just before His death and resurrection, but they apply to all followers of Christ. We’ll start with the first promise: “In the world you will have tribulation.” Jesus begins by talking about the world. He said a lot about the world in the Upper Room that night: it cannot receive the Spirit of truth (John 14:7); it does not give peace as Jesus gives (...

Click here to listen to this sermon. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! It is fitting for us to be here today. Three of the most important dates in the lives of David and Ardyce DeWitte happened here in Jasper, Minnesota at Trinity Lutheran Church—their baptisms, confirmation, and marriage. They were united in marriage here on October 12, 1948, a joyous occasion, no doubt, the start of a family blessed with six children, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and their spouses. But their connection to one another and Trinity began much earlier. Ardyce Elaine Bauman was baptized here on November 2, 1924. David John DeWitte was baptized here a little over one month later, on December 14, 1924. Both Ardyce and David publicly confessed their faith on May 28, 1939. Psalm 24:4-5 is David’s confirmation verse: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swe...

 Matthias Grunewald Crucifixion from the Isenheim Altarpiece Musee d'Unterlinden, Colmar 1510-1515 The text for this morning is our Epistle, 1 John 5:1-8, which has already been read. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This sermon is only for Christians, those who have been born of God and are His children.   I know, that sounds harsh, so exclusive in our inclusive age; but it follows the text.   St. John makes it especially clear that he is addressing Christians in the verses following: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).   And the fact is the actions for which St. John calls can only be done by Christians.   They are a fruit of faith, not a catalyst for God’s favor.   They can only be motivated by the Gospel not spurred by the commands of the Law.   We’ll look at that more in depth in a m...