Preachrblog

  Acts 3:11–21 You might have noticed that instead of an Old Testament reading, in the season of Easter we are reading instead from the book of the Acts of the Apostles.   Sometimes called, “the Gospel of the Holy Spirit”, this book of the bible tells the epilogue to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or in other words, it shows how the good news of Christ crucified and risen is spread – from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.   Today, we’re in chapter 3.   It’s still fairly early.   Pentecost has just happened (chapter 2) and the apostles are increasingly bold in their preaching of Jesus. Today’s reading picks up right after Peter heals a man – a man who was born lame.   He heals him in the name of Jesus.   That man used to sit at the entrance to the temple and beg for money every day, so he was well known.   And now to see him completely cured, healed, and hanging on Peter and John.   It was quite an attention-...

John 20:19-31 These things are written so that you may believe… John’s Gospel account includes this statement of purpose.   It is the purpose, the intention of this writing – that you may believe, and believing, have life in Jesus’ name.   This writing – which we could understand to mean the entire Gospel of John, but really it applies aptly to all of Scripture and to all the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   The whole point of it all is not to make you smart, to make you sin less or do more good works.   It’s a faith issue – believing – and that faith is what brings life.   John wants you to believe in Jesus and have life.   It’s that simple. And Jesus would agree, of course.   He wants you to “stop doubting and believe”.   You’re just like Thomas.   We all are.   It’s hard to believe anything these days.   Doubting skepticism is the default position of the wise. There’s so much misinformation and disinformation. ...

  Christ is Risen!   He is risen indeed!   Alleluia!   Amen. In Jesus Christ, death itself is done for.   By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life, he has brought life and immortality to light. In Jesus Christ, death is swallowed up in victory. First, for himself.   Death could not hold him.   It could not even hope to contain him.   Death is no match for the Lord of life, by whom all things were made.   Death cannot hold a candle to the Lamb who once was slain, but lives, now, forevermore.   Though, he submitted to death for a time.   He laid down his life of his own accord, only to take it back up again.   Three days in the tomb was all it took, and Jesus rose.   Christ is Risen!   He is risen indeed!   Alleluia! But what is death?   Isaiah says it is the veil that covers the nations, the covering cast over all peoples.   Like a great and foreboding cloud of doom that ov...

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples saying: ‘Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.’ “In the same way also He took the cup after supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying: ‘Drink of it all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'”  Tonight we consider one of the most important, most blessed, most sacred gifts given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.   The sacrament of Holy Communion.   This night, Thursday of Holy Week, marks the occasion on which Jesus ate the Last Supper with his disciples, a Passover meal.   And central to that meal was his institution of this holy sacrament.   Let us consider, as a sermon text this evening, the very Words of Institution themselves. ...

Palm Sunday - John 12:12-19 "The Triumphal Entry" This Sunday really has two main emphases:   Palm Sunday and the Sunday of the Passion.   Without getting into the historical reasons for this, suffice it to say that it presents the preacher with a bit of a challenge, especially when it comes on where to focus the sermon.   Looking back, most years, I seem to have leaned more on the passion account.   So this year, I’d like to focus our attention especially on the Palm Sunday Gospel reading from John 12. Our Lord Jesus Christ does not do things by accident.   His actions and words are always under his control, always to fulfill his purpose, and his Father’s will.   So, too, with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.   He had entered Jerusalem many times before.   We first hear of him visiting there as an infant, along with Mary and Joseph.   Bethlehem wasn’t far from Jerusalem, after all.   And there in the temple the baby Jesus met Sim...

  The Lamb – Matthew 26:17-25 We began with the serpent – the forked tongue the devil used to inject the poison of sin into our world through Adam and Eve’s participation.   But that very serpent who is crushed by the seed of the woman who is lifted up on the cross. We’ve considered the donkey – a humble beast of burden, a kingly steed in time of peace, fit to carry the Son of David who bears the burden of our sin, humbly, to the cross. We’ve looked at the pigeons – the sacrifice of the poor who couldn’t afford a lamb or bull.   And we’ve noted the sacrifice of nobler blood than all the beasts on Jewish altars slain – Jesus – the sacrifice for all poor sinners like you and me. We saw the rooster – the herald of Peter’s betrayal, and of our own.   But also the voice to mark the morning and a reminder of God’s mercies in Christ which are new every morning.   Peter is restored, and so are we, in Jesus. And the dogs – a slam against the gentiles – like th...

  “Right, Left, Cup, Baptism” Like any experienced parent has learned, Jesus already knows, never agree to do something before you know what it is.   James and John say, like children, “Jesus, promise to do us a favor”.   Uh huh.   “What do you want me to do?” Jesus asks.   And then their audacity shows. We want the highest positions in the new Jesus-regime.   We want to be picked first for your new team of governing leadership.   When you defeat Pontius Pilate and drive out the Roman dogs, or when you depose the High Priest and set up your kingdom, we want some sweet positions of honor and prestige.   We want to sit at your right and left hand, when you come into your glory. How many times did Jesus sigh, or roll his eyes, or have to exercise divine patience with these petty and foolish disciples.   How many times must he do the same toward us?   Sure it’s easy to see James and John in a poor light.   But we are no different....