Sermons (Page 111)
What Blood Buys
In these tough economic times, everyone could use a little more “coin,” it seems. Your house is probably worth less than it was a year ago; your company may have cut back your hours or your salary; and unless you’re far more brilliant than 99% of us, your retirement savings probably has taken a severe hit, too. I figure I’ll have mine back to tuna fish and pork-and-beans…
Being Exposed
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ, the text for this morning comes from the gospel reading. You can’t read or hear read those five verses from the book of Numbers and not wonder in your mind that people prayed that God would deliver them and send the snakes away, and it was…
See to It Himself
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, the text is from the gospel reading, Judas’ betrayal. You and I were raised in a way that a standard was kept that said, if you take something from someone, you have to give it back if it’s not yours. You return that which is not yours. If you break…
Wise in the Way of the Cross
+ + + In Nomine Jesu + + + Please join me in prayer: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. In some ways here in the City of Austin we are blessed with institutions of…
The Greatest What?
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Listen to the Gospel reading one more time. It’s a short reading. “Jesus said, But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.” And, of course, it’s referring to Judas. “For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined,” meaning to be betrayed and…
Which Jesus Do You Want?
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Lots of people are looking for a savior, as they always have. Lots of people eventually find one, in various shapes and forms, as they conduct their earnest searches. Sometimes they cling to their savior for a while, only to be disappointed when it doesn’t quite pan out…
He Speaks the Truth
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Those of you old enough to remember the Apollo program to land on the moon probably also remember the tragedy of the Apollo I crew: Roger Chaffee, Ed White, and Gus Grissom. They were killed during a routine test on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, when a…
Baptismal Life in the Wilderness
From this assurance of God’s favor, Jesus goes to the wilderness, there to endure a time of testing that readied Him to teach and bless, so we, by water and the Spirit, baptized into Christ’s ministry, are often led to paths of service through mazes of adversity. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.…
All or Nothing
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we begin this Lenten season with contemplation on the Gospel reading. It is good to visit those who are dying. They have a perspective on this life. For those who are struggling with death, be it cancer or be it living out their last days in…
Our Hope of Glory
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Fellow redeemed in Christ, the texts for this morning come from the Gospel, as well as the Epistle reading. After having been married about a year, the eighteen-and-a-half-year-old and the almost-twenty-year-old were blessed by God with a baby boy. His name was Stephen. But…