Sermon Texts

December 8, 2024 Text: Luke 3:1-14
Dear Friends in Christ,
Here’s the story: Two Texans were trying to impress each other with the size of their ranches. One asked the other, “What’s the name of your ranch?” He replied, “The Rocking C, Flying W, Circle Z, Bar U, Rolling G, Silver Spur Ranch.” The questioner was impressed and exclaimed, “That is some name. About how many head of cattle do you run?” The other rancher answered, “Not many. Very few survive the branding.”
People sure place a lot of importance on themselves, don’t they? Like the little shaver who said to his dad: “Let’s play darts. I’ll throw and you say, ‘Wonderful!’”
We have a star preparing to shine over Bethlehem. And at the journey’s end we will find a crude, humble manger. Hard to fathom that the appearance of God would come in such low estate. This morning, let’s examine . . .
“BIGSHOTS AND NOBODIES”
A bigshot is someone of consequence and prominence. A nobody is the opposite; they are of no influence or consequence.
Our text begins, “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” (v. 1-2)
We have got some bigshots listed. Are you impressed? These are important people in history, many who no doubt were impressed with themselves. But what do you think? Some leave us a little chilled. Pontius Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas. Power brokers who could be evil. They had a lot to do with the suffering and death of Jesus.
Then the next statement, “the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” Who is in the wilderness? John, John who? The son of Zechariah, cousin of Jesus. He evokes Godly thoughts. But he wasn’t well known. A nobody.
“And he (John) went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘The voice of ne crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (v. 3-6)
There are many things in this world that are important. But nothing in this world is as important as God reaching into our lives and confronting us with the eternal issue. I look out at many of you, who I have known for years. Familiar faces on a Sunday that might be lying in a hospital bed by Wednesday, suffering for a while, and then saying the standard words at a graveside. It has happened a lot and will probably continue.
Into these situations comes a God who goes after the “nobodies.” Christ dies on the cross for “nobodies.” And the Last Day when the graves open, the “nobodies” will be standing at the Lord’s Right Hand. Maybe you aren’t so special and important here, but you are everything to Jesus. He came to seek and save you who were lost. You and I. God’s children. Every sin paid for. Every stain of guilt washed clean by His blood. Aren’t you thankful . . . that in this context . . . you are a nobody?
The “nobodies” still influence the world around them. We have something to say, and something to give to people – the love and hope of Christ. And considering what most people do with the Advent/Christmas season, God help us to be, as Luther said we should be, “Little Christs.”
“Nobodies”, maybe, to most of the world. Everything to Him who redeemed us.

December 4, 2024 – Advent Text: Luke 1:26-38

Dear Friends in Christ,
When you teach Junior Confirmation class and you are dealing with kids of that age, you never know what they might ask. One of my first classes in Texas a kid wanted to know how they got the filling in a twinkie. The next week I brought Twinkies, we all turned them over and there were the three holes where they put in the filling. With Baptism you get off the wall queries such as, “In an emergency could I baptize someone with Dr. Pepper?” It does have water in it, but can’t find a biblical answer for that one.
At other times the kids can really challenge the Pastor. Such as this, “When Jesus was our age, did he know that he was God?” Interesting. Hard to answer. We have a lot of hard questions these days, and for some of them there are Advent answers. That will be our theme for these Wednesday evening get togethers. We will address this question tonight . . .
“HOW CAN GOD TAKE ON HUMAN FLESH . . . AND WHY?”
Imagine yourself in a remote missionary out post, trying to share your faith with people who have never heard of God. Or imagine a conversation with a friend or co-worker who knows nothing of the Christian faith. How would you describe God? You know, the God we trust with our lives and eternal destinies. The God whom we believe, teach, confess, worship serve, and pray to.
Glorious. Eternal. Majestic. How to give a description of something that has no beginning and no ending. This almighty God is beyond our understanding. Try not to fit Him into a little box of your own making.
We have lot of words to describe God, but we can never explain Him. Just marvel at God as Creator. Light out of darkness. Seas and stars and mountains and animals and fish and birds and man and woman. God made it all from scratch. Amazing.
So why would this God take on human flesh? John writes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It is a mystery, but it is a mystery with some bones on.
It is a miracle story. We just read it as our Gospel. A young girl named Mary. Chosen to be the human mother of this holy God. Conceived in her by the Holy Spirit. Then comes a baby in a stable in Bethlehem. A faithful husband and father looking on, name of Joseph. God did take on human flesh, and his name was Jesus. How? Mystery and miracle. Thus, the birth of God!
The name of the baby gives a nice reason why God took on human flesh. Jesus is a form of the same name as Joshua, both of which mean “Savior.” The first man and woman made in the image of God, fell from grace. And now every man and woman since free fall into sin. Sin is powerful and deadly and creates havoc. The world needed Jesus. The world needed a Savior. The qualifications seemed unthinkable. Holy. Without sin. Able to endure the consequences of sin. Pain. Suffering. Death. He would have to snuff out of the power of all of these through the new life of resurrection.
Why did God take on human flesh? Because he loves us enough to say, “I’ll never give up on them. I’ll never leave them. I, as the Father, will send them my only Son. He will be born among them, he will live among them, and he will save them from the curse of their sins.”
So it was, on that night we call Christmas, when heaven met earth. Amen.

December 1, 2024 Text: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Dear Friends in Christ,

Some days are more important than others.
Look back over your life. Not all days are equal. Some fade. Some stand out. The JFK assassination. The Challenger explosion. 9-11. Maybe you remember a special holiday. The year and date of a great vacation. The day your team won the Super Bowl or World Series. Your wedding day. The day your child or children were born. Or it could be a painful day etched in your memory. A death. A tragedy. Some days are more important than others.
In our text the prophet Jeremiah speaks to the people of Jerusalem about some stand-out days. “Those days” sound like some pretty great days. Jeremiah declared that “those days” are coming. Here in our house of worship, we gather before the cross, knowing that “those days” have already come. They came with the advent of Jesus Christ. He was here in human flesh. Healing the sick. Driving out demons. Dying for our sins. Rising on the third day. Those were the days – the days when our Savior, walked visibly on the earth and won our salvation. They are the most important days the world has ever seen. They are the centerpiece of human history.
“FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF ‘THOSE DAYS’”
Jeremiah was pointing the people toward “those days,” but the people of that time, just like today, were more interested in these days. I have rent to pay, and my health isn’t the greatest and oh my boss! The kids have to be shuffled here and there and now it’s December and Christmas. Come on Jeremiah talk to me about these days. This is what I see ahead of me.
The people of old were not any better than today. They neglected the words of God’s prophets. They turned to false gods and false prophets whose messages focused on the here and now. For centuries God had sent prophets to warn the Israelites to turn back to Him. “Those days” are coming – the Messiah is coming.
Finally, God’s patience had run out. In punishment for their unbelief and idolatry, God said he would bring the Babylonians against Jerusalem. He told Jeremiah he had made up His mind to destroy the city, and nothing could change it.
Into this desperate situation, Jeremiah speaks the words of our text: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.”
What kind of reaction did the prophet get? Most of the people despised him. We don’t need a God speaking about “those days.” We need prophets who will speak about peace for this day. Look around man. We are surrounded by the Babylonians who plan to kill us or carry us off to slavery. We don’t care about “those days.”
Then it all happened like Jeremiah said. The city did fall. The city was looted. The people were led off to exile. But some believed the promise. They saw past the present hardship to the days that were coming.
“The days are coming,” God promised. And come they did. In God’s time a new branch sprouted. His name was Jesus. He came to Jerusalem and Judah. Fulfilled every promise made. Conquered sin and death. Restored the relationship between God and his people. “Those days” – Jesus’ days are a comfort for us living in 2024.
This is why we observe a liturgical church year, year after year. From Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, to Lent, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, our hymns and readings direct our lives to the saving life and work of Jesus. It directs our attention to “those days.” We begin another church year today, we set our hearts and eyes on “those days.”
Some days are more important than others, more outstanding, more crucial. For those who know Jesus, those days, His days, are the most important and dear of all.
In this sermon we have been mostly looking backward, to the days of Jesus. But there is another great day. Jesus calls it “that day.” That day is yet to come. The return of Jesus in glory. We watch for that day. In your everyday worries and concerns, dear friends, set your hearts on that day. On that day, all troubles end. Jesus reigns forever. That day is coming soon.
Some days are more important than others.
Amen.

November 27, 2024 – Thanksgiving Eve Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Friends in Christ,
The idea of giving thanks has been around for years. Who doesn’t know the story of the Pilgrims. President Washington had issued a proclamation in 1789 that had its origins in religious proclamations by bishops. President Lincoln had made a few Thanksgiving proclamations, but it wasn’t until 1863 that anything became official in the United States. That year the Union won Civil War battles in Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The harvest of 1863 was also a good one. So, it was made official that the country would celebrate on the last Thursday of the month of November. Dr. Cullom Davis, a nationally recognized Lincoln scholar said this, “Lincoln saw the day as an appropriate time to give national gratitude for God’s plan and goodness. It was yet another reason to be thankful.”
This won’t surprise us, but the proclamation makes repeated religious references such as “watchful providence of Almighty God,” “the gracious gifts of the Most High God.” We know that all of our gifts come from the Lord Almighty. All of our thanks and praise go to Him. This holiday we pray He might create within our hearts . . .
“AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE”
This comes through beautifully within our text, it really could not be any clearer. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
These powerful words from the Lord through the Apostle Paul were not only meant for the Christians of Thessalonica, but they were also meant for you and me. The basis for our rejoicing and thankfulness is Jesus Christ. An attitude of gratitude is showered upon us by the grace of God. We have come to know and trust in the forgiveness that has been earned for us through the cross and empty tomb. How can we not give thanks unto the Lord?
Except some find it a struggle. Are you one of them? Never quite happy with where you are in life. When you were young you wanted to be old. If you are now older, you want to be younger. Things just haven’t always gone your way, and God has to take some of the blame for that. There are those who struggle with this sad existence. It is hard to be around that negativity. It can take you down.
Prayerfully the Lord puts people in your life that lift you up with their gratitude. Or are you the gratitude lifter? Always appreciative of what you have. Giving God the thanks for your life and all the good that is a part of your daily existence. People notice. That is the kind of attitude they want to be around. The Lord does the lifting by using you and the words you use, the actions you do, the smiling disposition and the God Blessed way you show gratitude daily.
It should be easy, right? This attitude of gratitude. God gives it to us through His Son Jesus Christ. By being in God’s Word, we can grow in our thankfulness. By partaking of the Sacraments our gratitude will strengthen. God has placed the gift of salvation within our hearts. He has placed a song of praise within our mouths. As King David reminds us, “He has brought us out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay…and He has put a new song in our mouths, even a praise unto God.”
In 1941, Congress authorized a resolution that switched Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday of the month. No matter where it is, it is still a good day to thank the Lord our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier. His Almighty hand is upon us. Let’s live it every day . . . an attitude of gratitude.
Amen.

November 24, 2024 Text: Jude 20-25

Dear Friends in Christ,

Wondering why that steak you enjoy continues to be expensive? It is because of all the Texas beef cattle destroyed in the fires earlier this year. The fires raged in the Panhandle during the end of February into March.
RFD-TV had a story about a month ago about how one rancher saved his property. He did it by burning all of the land around his property before the fires got to him. This charred land would not burn again, and he was kept safe. This tough West Texan did not vacate his home, and he was smart enough to know what to do to be . . .
“SAFE FROM THE FIRES”
What about us? How can we be kept safe from the fires? And what fires are we talking about? The fires of hell. The demonic powers are active and angry. Their hatred rages at the church. Then we live in a world that has bitterness and evil. Parts of society would like to burn our faith to a crisp. We can’t outrun these wicked powers. We can’t put them out and we can’t get away from them.
Someone knows the way of escape. His name would be Jesus. He is not a tough West Texan, but He is a Galilean, Middle Eastern descent. He took on the fires of hell. On a cross. On a Good Friday. The fires of hatred and evil raged . . . and Jesus suffered. Th fury of hell attacked, and Jesus died. The world did its worst to Him, and Jesus gave His life for us.
Now we have a safe spot where we can stand. The ground we walk on is protected by the Savior. The gates of hell cannot prevail against Him. Entrusting our lives to Jesus, the fires of Satan cannot touch us. The evil of the world cannot destroy us.
Like the wildfires, they may dissipate in one state, but they pop up in another. In our lives they are controlled, but we still need to get away from the smoke and flames. Get down on your hands and knees, crawl with me and listen up.
False teachers still blow a bunch of smoke. “Who needs Jesus, there are other ways to salvation.” “Look to yourself. Your strong, bright, articulate. All you need is you. You can do it.” The problem is they leave Jesus out. When you leave Jesus out, you get burned.
Pontificators continue to breath in the smoke and it’s fogging their brains. We can have abortion on demand, and nobody gets hurt. We can have biological males in the locker rooms and in the sports and it’s still fair. You want to cry about an election, because you are so fragile that you need a safe space. It is all a smoke screen perpetuated by those who have their trust in a god apart from the one true God.
The devil tries to burn you with discontent. He adds the accelerant that has you questioning about where your life is. Selfishness flares up. Anger boils up.
Enough. Enough. The flames deceive us. The flames want us. It is dangerous and we can easily get burned. Like the fire investigator who has to think like the fire, we have to use our wisdom to know where to turn.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of the ground we stand on. It is not blackened, burnt grass. It’s not a scorched earth. Just the opposite. It’s teeming with life, new life.
You see, Jesus rose from the dead. He is alive. He is with us. He looks with mercy upon His church. This safe haven in the midst of the fires give us blessings beyond compare. Truth. Faith. Prayer. Love. Protection. Glory. Power. Joy. And the most joyful, we are seen by God as those without fault because of Jesus.
Here in the safety of the church, He gives us each other. Together, we are better. He tells us to be merciful to those who doubt, to those who are being pulled toward the fire He tells us to reach out and snatch anyone who is getting close to those deadly flames.
How can we do this? Our text says, “build yourselves up in your most holy faith.” (v. 20). A kind word. Encouragement when life is difficult. Help in time of need. Stop looking at the fires out there so much and look at each other. What can be done to help someone in their faith walk?
Pray. Pray for yourself and for others. Pray we all stay close to Jesus. We have seen people drift from our safe haven and at some point, you get singed and maybe engulfed with flames that at one point in your life you were protected from. Pray we stay fixed on the truth of the Bible.
Stand up and hate evil and corrupting influences. It is hard to do the right thing when it seems as if the rest of the world doesn’t care. This is what I love. It is an opportunity to be a shining light. Be counted.
You can play with fire. But as Holden knows all too well, it can bite back and fire is as hot as . . . well you know. The Lord is our protection. Step into the gear of His grace and mercy and love. He died. He rose. The church is on the way to the Promised Land and isn’t it nice to know . . . we are safe from the fires.
Amen.

November 10, 2024 – Stewardship Sunday Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1-8a
Dear Friends in Christ,
Stewardship is a constant struggle. As human beings made in the image of God, we
are to be stewards of everything God made. The first stewards failed. Do you remember
the “great stewardship crisis” of Genesis 3? Adam and Eve didn’t defend perfection from
the serpent. But their stewardship was not terminated.
Our Creator restored the role of steward. He did this by sending His perfect Son.
This Son Jesus never failed to steward the Word and will of His Father. He paid the price
for our failure. We now strive to reflect the will of the Father, who desires that all men be
saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
There are dangers. We are saint/sinner at the same time. Too often, we reflect our
will rather than the Lord’s will. Our flesh can fall before the devils’ schemes. Let’s be on
the lookout for . . .

“STEWARDSHIP SELF-SABOTAGE”

Where to begin. Where can the devil start to creep into our hearts and minds with
cunning and craftiness?
When we focus on what we don’t have. Not enough time. I need more money. I
don’t have that skill. We come to the Lord’s Church with everything. Word and Sacrament
ministry. Look at what we do possess. Wow!
Comparison. Comparison is the thief of joy. When we start to compare to
individuals, churches, and those around us, the devil will always make sure that it appears
we are lacking. But this is false. Look at our text. “Moreover, it is required of stewards that
they be found trustworthy.” (v. 2).

Things out of our control. Believe me, I get this one. How about you? We can’t
control how the message of the Gospel is received. The steward is called to be faithful to
what is entrusted to him. We give and serve and trust because we know that the Lord is at
work. We don’t control the results. I learn that every day. How about you?
Discouragement. News media and social media want to airbrush the message of
perfection. This is the devil’s ongoing work. He loves it when we suffer discouragement or
discontentment. This self-sabotage gets us asking, “Did God really say . . .?”
We get distracted. The cares and concerns of the world put us sometimes in a
mental fog. We lose our way with nostalgia or “good old days”, but stewardship happens in
the here and now. May the Holy Spirit help us to remain focused on Jesus the author and
perfecter of our faith. It all flows from him.
Many of you still remember, because I hear your comments, last year’s stewardship
message. We had some challenges I placed before you. And did you respond! We have had
a nice 2024. What I see is the hand of the Lord. In 2023, Janet Evans, our office manager,
and I were figuring things out, especially the last few months, of our stewardship
responsibilities. As we approached 2024 what would life throw our way? Janet was
diagnosed with liver cancer and eventually died. We have not had to worry about finances
in 2024. Joann Hart filled the gap and got bills paid. What a blessing. Do not miss what the
Lord has done. Therein lies the key.
Our text warns against being “puffed up.” The Lord must really be blessed to have
us as His stewards. This attitude will sabotage our stewardship. The Lord carries it out in
and through us. We are not “all that and a bag of chips.”

Repenting of these behaviors is the only answer. Confess daily that we fall short of
the glory of God. The Lord then forgives, renews and restores us. Having been given this
new life in Christ, we live that new life with a different perspective on the whole of our life
and on all the things of this life.
Whether in the church, at work, in school, at home, in the community or traveling,
God’s stewards are God’s stewards. We do it all to His glory as revealed in Holy Scripture.
It is a reflection and expression of God’s love and grace given us through Christ Jesus.
Amen.