A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. “They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up My treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:17-18). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Over twenty-five years ago, The Matrix trilogy offered the premise that the world we see and experience is not real, but computer-generated. This is a secret known only to the few humans who’ve been liberated. Only after being freed from the machine do they finally see how deceptive what they thought to be the “real world” truly is! In our text, the people of Israel had their own perception of the “real world.” They were still living in the glory days when their nation had been powerful, and God had blessed them with peace and prosperity. Sadly, they failed to r...

Click here to listen to this sermon. The text for today is our Gospel, Luke 3, especially verses 21-22: “ Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased.’” Here ends the text. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! “I can’t believe how quickly time passes. It seems like it was only yesterday when we brought our little boy home. Now he’s all grown up and has started his own career.” I’m sure that many of you have already pondered or expressed similar thoughts. As a father of four and a Papa of thirteen, I can assure you, that if you haven’t yet, you probably will. And much sooner than you’d ever think. Time flies. Children grow up so quickly. You turn around and they’re all grown up. And so it seems with Jesus—at least according to St. Luke...

  Click here to listen to this sermon. "Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself. “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” ( Philippians 3:17 - 4:1). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! “Set a good example.” You’ve probably heard this before. “Parents, do you want your children to grow up in the Christian faith? Set a good example!” “Son, you’re the oldest. Set a ...

"The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck Click here to listen to this sermon. Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He went and took the scroll from the righ...

Photo by Robin D. Fish, Jr. Click here to listen to this sermon. “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will never be dismayed” (Isaiah 51:6). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! It seems a fitting text for today, given the recent solar eclipse. Judging from news reports and social media, there were a lot of people who were “lifting their eyes up to the heavens.” Hopefully, they did so with ISO approved safety glasses. Throughout history, total eclipses have caused a wide variety of reactions, including curiosity, awe, superstitious fear, and impending doom. It seems this last one is no exception. Some people predicted that this eclipse would signal the end of the world, since it’s been exactly 70 years since the modern nation of Israel...

Click here to listen to this sermon. An mp3 file is available upon request. The text for today is Revelation 7:9-10: “ After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”   Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! St. John gives us a glimpse of the other side of glory.   But be careful.   Don’t miss this brief opportunity by focusing on the wrong thing.    The great multitude is certainly impressive in scope and range.   But look beyond the great multitude to the object of their focus.   Notice how they are all staring in the same direction, with the same look of astonishment and awe and love upon their faces. T...