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This side of heaven, you'll never be able to completely shake your selfish, sinful ambition to be served. Even those who trust in Christ struggle to balance glory and humility, authority and humility, being served and serving others. The solution to that struggle is found in Jesus, the Son of Man, who carried out his holy ambition: to give sinners the greatest service they never even asked for.
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Normally, when a judge has entered your life, it means that something has gone wrong. But Isaiah's prophecy of a certain judge gives comfort to us Christians because this judge is promised to do the right thing for all Christians.
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Those who know the gospel have nothing to fear about what others think of them. They also don't need to fear trying to win others back from sin and to the gospel.
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It's just one word in Greek: tetelestai. It's translated into three words in English, "It is finished." Whether one word or three, they remind us of the truth that makes the darkest Friday in world history good -- Jesus has accomplished our forgiveness, and we don't have to do a thing.
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This podcasted sermon does not end with a sermon because our Tenebrae service ("service of darkness") did not end with one either. Instead, we heard the account of Jesus' burial and silently exited the sanctuary, pondering the severity of our sins, appreciating the still peace we have because of this Good Friday, and expecting the unrivaled joy of Resurrection Sunday.
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On Easter Sunday, we keep the main thing the main thing. We remember Jesus Christ who has been raised to life and in whom we live a new life.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Three Words of Truth: Take and Eat; Take and Drink
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Our midweek Lenten series, "Three Words of Truth," draws to a close on the holiest weekends of the year. On Maundy Thursday, the night Jesus was betrayed, he established a meal for you to draw close to him and to receive his forgiveness.
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Maundy Thursday takes its name from Thursday, the day of the week on which Jesus celebrated the Passover, established the Lord's Supper, and then was betrayed. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning "command." It refers to the command Jesus gave in the Upper Room to his disciples of all time, "Love one another." The love our Savior shows us in the Lord's Supper empowers us to do that very thing.
Through the Obedience of the One Man, Jesus Christ
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The Pharisees came to Jesus with what they thought would be a tough question for him to answer. Of course, Jesus masterfully answered it. But in doing so, he speaks to a lot of tough questions we may have about marriage and children. As Jesus does, he reveals some hardness in human hearts and then softens them with his gentle, divine touch.
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In his love, Jesus made sure to "hook" us with the gospel. This is the same gospel he used to hook -- and then train -- the apostles.
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Professor Aaron Christie serves as our synod's seminary, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). After pastoring congregations in Antioch, IL, and Waukesha, WI, he accepted the call to teach homiletics (sermon writing and delivery) and to be the dean of the chapel at WLS.
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As we celebrate the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels, we see that believers are on a completely different trajectory than Satan -- first, because of the angels and also, most importantly, because of the Lamb.
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We talk about someone having a "rough life." People aim to live their "best life." Scripture encourages you to live your baptismal life? What does that mean? St. Paul explains what the baptismal life is and how it helps you live the best life, even when life gets rough.
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Our guest preacher is Pastor Wayne Shevey, who serves as a campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee.
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Faithful proclamation of the gospel springs from pondering the mystery of how Jesus appeared in the flesh and then was taken up into glory.
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Pastor David Kuehl of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Muskego served as our guest preacher for the day.
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This is arguably Jesus' most difficult parable to understand, but the more we ponder it, the more we see the blessings we have in our relationship with our gracious Master and with those around us.
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Before we head into the dark days of Lent when Jesus suffers and dies because and for our sins, we get connected to Jesus' own glory which he displayed in part on the Mount of Transfiguration. And that makes us act with great boldness today and every day!
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Part three of our four part sermon series on 2 Corinthians. With all the blessings we have in America and southeast Wisconsin, it can be very easy for us to get pretty comfortable in this life. But that's not the Christian's purpose here on earth. With an eye towards something more permanent, we have a different aim and purpose.
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Every single Sunday we pray, "through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." Three persons -- Father, Son, Spirit. But just one God. That does not make logical sense. It'll never make logical sense. But on Trinity Sunday we confess that and accept it in faith because the teaching of the Trinity (three persons, yet just one divine Being) assures us that we are children of that God who will inherit heaven.
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As we wait for the day of the Lord, St. Paul assures us that we know two important things -- both what's coming on that day and who we are in God's sight right now.
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Mary was not a perfect woman; she needed a Savior as much as you do. But she does emulate beautiful faith. As you get continuing watching for Jesus' return and celebrate his first coming, Mary's faith shows you how blessed and happy it is to live as the Lord's servant under his power and grace.
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Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan to prove that doing God's commands are not as easy as we may think. But when we see the way God has had mercy on us in Jesus Christ, we become capable of becoming neighbors to all sorts of people.
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Jesus intentionally saddens a rich ruler who seems like a good guy. Our Savior lovingly does this so that when it comes to eternal life, the rich ruler, the crowds, and we depend soley on God.
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Part two of four from our sermon series, "Conducting Ourselves according to God's Grace."
Sure, we may be fragile jars of clay (part 1), but Christians do not lose heart. Not because our lives are always trouble free. Not because we have such great willpower. Christians do not lose heart because of what they know is coming, and that affects what they focus on.
God has worked repentance in us so that we have turned from sin and to his forgiveness. Now, we want to show him our thanks and produce good works that line up with our faith. But what exactly are those things that we should do? The prophet Zephaniah gives us some things to think about.
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When you love your church, it's easy to come up with reasons why it's so delightful. But might we be focusing on the wrong things? All that matters is whether or not God delights in us.
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What do you do when it feels like God is sitting on his hands? The prophet Isaiah's passionate prayer helps us, especially as we look for Christ's return this Advent season.
