Sermon: Lost and found

Date: March 30, 2025                                                                                     text: 2 Cor. 5:16-21

Lk. 15:1-3a; 11-32

Lost and found, Broken and restored (video)

I. The parable of Prodigal Son is so familiar:

Rembrandt, “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” painting 1669. 

Tarkovsky, Movie “Solaris,” 1972.

Even “AChristmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (1843).

It is so familiar that I might need to un-teach some:

It is NOT about the son, any son: younger or older

It is NOT about Jew-Gentile relationship

What is it about? Great love of the Father!  

 

II. A-B-C of Father’s love:

A. Acceptance of younger son’s dumb decision

B. Bold reconciliation – running, forgiving, and reinstalling him as a son

C. Clear reminder to the older son that he is LOVED.

 

III. Take away:

He receives ALL of us (older brothers and younger ones) – for we are miserable sinners, notice the prayer of Confession: We are sinful and unclean. For He became SIN for us, 2 Cor. 5:21. 

When God receives us – sinners – He receives us with great joy, songs, and feast! Isaiah 12:5-6   

Sermon: 1st Sunday of LENT

 Date: March 9, 2025                                                                                                       Text: Luke 4:1-13

Scavenger Hunt

(video can be found here go to 42:08)

I. Intro

What is a scavenger hunt? It’s a game where participants go through a set of different challenges (usually in different places) to reach a final destination to obtain a prize.   

With some limitations, we can see that the Temptations of Jesus is a scavenger hunt. Think about it – right after His Baptism He is led by the Spirit to the wilderness for 40 days, he is tempted by the devil – honestly – throughout these 40 days. Then, by the very end, devil through at Him three more challenges Jesus needs to overcome. Spoiler alert, He won!   

 

II. Text – Luke 4:1-13

a. Stone into bread

b. Glory of the kingdoms vs. faithfulness to God

c. Premature victory vs. fighting to the end

 

III. Take away

It would not be a sermon if I would stop here – it would be a TED talk.

What makes it a sermon – let us read carefully the very end, v. 13. What is an opportune moment? Passion time:

a. He shares the bread even with Judas

b. He stays faithful even begging to find another way

c. He proclaims the completion of the mission

He came to the world to restore our relationship with God based on His righteousness – righteousness of forgiveness and righteousness of active vibrant Christian live. When we are guided by the Spirit throughout the days of our earth wilderness.  

Sermon: Best Wine Ever

Best Wine Ever

 

Text: John 2:1-11, 

Date: January 19, 2025

I. Intro

Do you like wine?

Do you go to wine tastings?

Are you a member of a winery?

What is your best wine ever?

 

II. Wedding at Cana

 

Important “events”	Important symbols
Mother of Jesus was invited, and Jesus also… Mary talks to Jesus MC is clueless Bridegroom is clueless too	3 days – Sabbath 6 stone water jars Water – beginning Wine – conclusion

 

III. Take away

He uses       Elements of creation

                    Time

Our gifts

To create Best Wine Ever 

Sermon: Beautiful Savior

Beautiful Savior

3rd Sunday of Epiphany, sermon on Luke 4:16-30 (YouTube, start at 43:30)

I. Intro – Epiphany progression

Wisemen come to worship the Beautiful Savior – Jesus

Then He is anointed for the Ministry – at His baptism

Then He make the first miracle – at Cana of Galilee

Now we are reading how He preached the Word in His home town 

 

II. Preaching in His hometown

Habit of going to “church”

Bible is ONE story

The Story of many promises: (1) proclaim good news to the poor, (2) liberty to captives, (3) recovering sight to the blind, (4) liberty to the oppressed, (5) proclaim the year of the LORD's favor.     

This story is about Beautiful Savior Jesus

But they did not need the fulfilment of these promises – they wanted messiah of their own image

 

III. Take away

Did anything change?

People still want to fit Jesus into their picture frame trimming here and there.

But Word of the Lord Endures Forever – FC, Summary, 1: We believe, teach, and confess that the only rule and norm according to which all teachings, together with all teachers, should be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15-17) are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testament alone. 

His promises are still true.  

They are for you! 

SERMON: Preeminence of Christ over Old Testament High Priest

Preeminence of Christ over OT High Priest

Text: Hebrews 9:24-28

I. Intro. A reminder about the series on Hebrews. So far, we talked about

Angels,

Moses,

Sabbath rest…

Today we will talk about a ministry of High Priest   

 

II.a. High Priest “job description”

i. Anointing of a king (1 Kings 1:38-46)

ii. Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16)

iii. Death of a high priest releases people from the cities of refuge (Num.35:28)

 

What is the Day of Atonement? 

 

II.b. Preeminence of Christ (Hebrews 9:26)    

He made a proper sacrifice

He brought His own blood

This is permanent – no need to repeat it!

 

III. Take out – Jesus did it on our behalf (Hebrews 9:24)

   When we receive new members as newly born children of the Church, we know that their sins are forgiven.

   When we come to God in prayer, we can be sure that He listens.

   We do not repeat the sacrifice ON the altar, we receive the benefit of His sacrifice AT the altar.

   Even dying we find comfort, knowing that His sacrifice established a firm stairway to heaven when He awaits for us. 

SERMONS: Angelic Forces

Angelic Forces

Text: Luke 10:17-20

I. Intro. Who are angels – puffy boys with wings on the back?

 

II. Biblical angels are messengers, guardians, and worshipers.

Messengers – Gloria, Angels told to shepherds of Nativity

Guardians – Ps. 91:11    

Worshipers – Holy, holy, holy

 

Jesus teaches the 72 who returned from the mission that we have the power over the spirits/angels. But the main reason for joy is not the ruling over them but the fact that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

Humans have a special status in the created world – angels either obey God or they follow the evil one.

Unlike them we are called to the light,

but being born into the world possessed by the original sin, we disobey God.  

 

III. Take away.

Therefore, our obedience is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit

Given at the Baptism,

Nurtured during worship, and

Sealed for the Heavens

In this new obedience we can learn from angels how to:

Worship – vigorously and gloriously, 

Guard the sanctity of the Church by maintaining the discipline, and

Deliver the message of salvation to those who did not meet Jesus yet, like the shepherds on the night watch who went to see the Baby of Bethlehem, the savior of the World.

SERMONS: How Tongue Works

 How Tongue Works

Texts: James 3:13-4:10                           Mark 9:30-37

I. Intro – Overview of the Series

Faith reflected in Deeds (let’s make it TC).

Deeds should be supported with the Speech.

 

II. St. James on wisdom.

The prime exhibition of wisdom is relationship with others.

St. James identifies two types of “wisdom” – heavenly and earthly.

The earthly is not “street smarts” – it is ambitious attempt to do it “my way”

It is no different from what the disciples went through – Mark 9:34, who is the greatest?

Jesus shows them the one who is growing – a child.

A child in faith who is meek (James 3:13), drawn to God, pure in heart, and humble before the Lord (James 4:8, 10).    

 

III. Take away.

I will leave you with an option.

Recently, the Board of Elders ran stats research for the last three post-covid years. With 5 to 10 people leaving Zion to Glory, with some families moving out of the state for a variety of reasons, we have a stable attendance. What does it mean? It means that so far God trusts us with new people…

Here is the option: 

are we going to treat our church as a dysfunctional family, 

or a family based on His love extending from the Cross forgiving each other and helping in the paths of maturation.

FAITH and TONGUE

Sermon on James: Faith and Tongue

the video is here (go to 29:20).

Texts: James 3:1-12

Mark 9:14-29

I. Intro – Rubik’s cube example. right color, right place on a surface, right place on in the cube. 

Like word: What? When? To whom?

 

II. St. James on tongue.

The rule of tongue – teachers first, but also everyone. James shifts really fast into “us” and “we all”.

Tongue twisters – not a set of educational phrases but a use of tongue for blessing of God and cursing the people (images of God) at the same time (James 3:10).

            Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew

Petruchio: Come, come, you wasp, i’faith you are too angry.
Katherine: If I be waspish, best beware my sting.
Petruchio: My remedy is then to pluck it out.
Katherine: Ay, if the fool could find where it lies.
Petruchio: Who knows not where a wasp does wear his sting? In his tail.
Katherine: In his tongue.
Petruchio: Whose tongue?
Katherine: Yours, if you talk of tales, and so farewell.
Petruchio: What, with my tongue in your tail?
(II.i.207–214)

            Mark 9 – foaming mouth (v. 20) – we are like a poor boy who was overcome by the evil spirit. Then father, friends, disciples of Jesus could not help – nothing could be done but to invite Jesus.

Coming to the Lord’s Supper we take Jesus Himself to our mouth and He touches our tongues, healing our speech.  

 

III. Take away.

The boy was saved by Jesus who teaches that these problems can be combated by the prayer. Not many-many-many words, but a set of Biblical passage that we speak to invoke the presence of God in our lives. The Liturgy teaches us how to use tongue.

Confessing Almighty Father who sent

His Son – for His sake we have the forgiveness and now

Guided by the Holy Spirit we can learn and grow in our godly usage of tongue 

JAMES: FAITH and WORKS

Faith and Works

(recording on YouTube [beginning 31:00]: https://www.youtube.com/live/E2CkpYqBJHI )

 Texts: James 2:1-10, 14-18 and Mark 7:31-37

I. Intro – we have three weeks of Epistle readings from the Letter of James.

Dr. Luther on the Letter of James – is it really “a straw epistle”?

Look at Luther Works v. 35, page 395: "I praise it [the Letter of James] and consider it a good book, because it sets up no doctrines of men but vigorously promulgates the law of God." 

Read it in the context of James 2:10!

 

II. Let’s cut to the chase – James 2:18

How do faith and works relate to each other?

It’s not what was first a chicken or an egg question –

it is more of a match or gas valve illustration.

Lutheran teaching – Augsburg Confession (AC) IV: Justification and

AC VI: New Obedience. 

 

III. Take away

What is a proper bridge between inner faith and external works – prayer

Mark 7:31-37 – God gives an ability to hear right and speak plainly.

First: our faith is reflected in the acknowledgement that God exists, Jesus is the Way, and Holy Spirit is your Comforter

Then (!) we have four types of prayer – connecting faith to works  

1. Confession of sins – reconciliation 

2. Praise or Glorification – evangelism

3. Petitioning – acts of mercy

4. Thanksgiving – sharing    

The WHOLE ARMOR of God: The SWORD of the SPIRIT

The Whole Armor of God: Sword of the Spirit

I. Intro. A short reminder:

1. Belt of Truth 2. Breastplate of Righteousness 3. Shoes of readiness of the Gospel of Peace

4. Shield of Faith 5. Helmet of Salvation

 

II. Sword of the Spirit – Word of God.

THE WHOLE ARMOR of GOD: HELMET of SALVATION

The Whole Armor of God: Helmet of Salvation

Service can be reached here (go to mark 30:00)

I. Intro. A short reminder:

Belt of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Shoes of readiness of the Gospel of Peace

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

 

II. Helmet covers head – protects mind.

St. Paul talks about the main difference between the believers and Gentiles – mind and speech. (Eph.4:17-19)

Talk is a reflection of inner patterns – we believed that’s why we speak

Either all the dirt of life,

example, (1) news is mostly negative. Regardless of the fact that “God daily and richly blesses me and all creatures” (SC II:1).

(2) within the community of believers, see the Jews who followed Jesus, John 6:41-42.

Or the salvation that will work for the benefit of the church. Eph. 4:25-27, 29-32

Application of 8^th commandment! SC I:8

 

III. Take away: What do you say about Zion when you leave the sanctuary

a. Do you mention Zion at all?

b. Spill the problems?

c. Zion is great – for an obvious reason: not because you or me –

but because at Zion God

offers salvation,

assists in growth,

and leads us to maturity.

The WHOLE ARMOR of GOD: SHIELD of FAITH

The Whole Armor of God: Shield of Faith

I. Intro. A short reminder:

Belt of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Shoes of readiness of the Gospel of Peace

Now a “special” piece of armor. Why special? Because St. Paul preceded with a caution or a warning, then provided with a description of purpose. Eph. 6:16: In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.  

 

II.A. Warning – the most important warning before sending his brothers into the battle.

Example: Lt. Dan instructing Forrest Gump and Bubba. What did he tell them? 

 

II.B. The Shield of Faith – Eph. 4:4-6

Trinitarian faith – basis for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3)

Spirit – builds up the Body (the Church) – one hope, one call.   Lord/Son – faith, comes in one baptism.   Jesus discusses the basics with the crowd after the feeding of 5000. John 6:28-29: they: what shall we do?                              Jesus: believe! Have faith! In Him whom He (Father) has sent.   God and Father – over all, through all, and in all.   See Small Catechism, part II

 

III. Take away:

Three types of darts/arrows of the evil one:

a.      I’m not good enough

b.      They are not good enough

c.      God is not good enough

 

Shield of Baptismal faith [in God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit], nurtured by the Word and Sacraments, extinguishes ALL these arrows! 

YouTube service.