Free Republic

“Plain Speaking: Blessings and Woes” (Luke 6:17-26) Our text today, from Luke chapter 6, begins with these words: “And he came down with them and stood on a level place.” Who is the “he,” who is the “them,” and where is he coming down from? The “he” is Jesus, the “them” are his twelve disciples, and where Jesus is coming down from is a mountain. He had been up on that mountain all night, praying. In the morning, he came down and gathered together the twelve, along with a whole bunch of his other followers. Having come down from the...

“Catching Men Alive” (Luke 5:1-11) Last week we saw Jesus’ authoritative word in action: proclaiming good news to the poor, proclaiming liberty to the captives, setting at liberty those who are oppressed. We saw his authority in doctrine, his authority over demons, his authority over disease and death. This week we see Jesus’ authoritative word in action again, this time persuading fishermen, catching fish, and using the witness of sinners to be “Catching Men Alive.” Our text is the Holy Gospel for today, from Luke chapter 5. Jesus is teaching people the word of God as he’s standing by the...

“Jesus’ Word Possesses Authority” (Luke 4:31-44) In last week’s Gospel, from the first half of Luke chapter 4, we heard Jesus say what he was anointed and sent to do. He quoted these words from the book of the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Now in this week’s Gospel, from...

“What Jesus Has Been Anointed and Sent to Do” (Luke 4:16-30) Here’s a question: What did Jesus come to do? Today Jesus himself tells us. He’s at church, and he stands up to read the Old Testament Reading--well, actually, they were all Old Testament readings at that point. He reads it, and then he says, “This is about me.” Boom! Mic drop. Jesus’ ministry, described in a few short lines. Oh, and you’re included in this text. So listen now, as we hear “What Jesus Has Been Anointed and Sent to Do.” The situation is this: Jesus has been baptized...

“The Sign of the Water into Wine at the Wedding” (John 2:1-11) “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory.” It was a sign. The thing about a sign is, you need to be able to read it and know what it means. A sign points to something beyond itself. So, what does this sign point to? What does it tell us? Let’s find out now, about “The Sign of the Water into Wine at the Wedding.” The sign that we’re looking at today is Jesus changing water into wine at the...

“Epiphany, Baptism, and a Tale of Two Herods” (Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 3:15-22) Every year, the Epiphany of Our Lord always falls on January 6, which was this past Thursday. The Gospel reading for Epiphany is the visit of the wise men, from Matthew 2. On the first Sunday after the Epiphany, which is today, we always observe the Baptism of Our Lord. And this year the Gospel reading is the account from Luke. This past Thursday, we had to cancel our Epiphany service. So now today, I decided to combine the readings for the two services, the Epiphany of Our...

“The January 6 Epiphany Insurrection” (Matthew 2:1-12) It’s January 6. A group of visitors travel to the nation’s capital. They are there to raise questions about who the nation’s real leader is. This does not sit well with some in positions of power. They consider people raising such questions in a bad light. They think of those who challenge their authority as “insurrectionists” who need to be put down. No, I’m not talking about what happened on January 6 one year ago today. That was when a group of protestors went to Washington, D.C., to raise questions about who really...

“Mary and Joseph, Did You Know?” (Luke 2:40-52) Every year when the radio stations start playing Christmas music--like, when, around November 1? And then they stop playing Christmas music right on Christmas Day, when the Christmas season is just beginning, when there are eleven more days of Christmas still to go. But I digress. So, when the radio stations start playing Christmas music, there’s a song you will hear--oh, about 157 times--called “Mary, Did You Know?” And every time I hear it, I want to shout back at the radio, “Yes, of course she knew! The angel Gabriel told her!”...

“The Firstborn Son Is Presented in the Temple” (Luke 2:22-40) Yesterday was Christmas, and now we’re into the days after Christmas. For us, these days mean eating leftovers, returning gifts that don’t fit, and taking down the decorations. But what about for Jesus? What did the days after his birth mean for him? Our text is one the few places we have an account of what happened during that time. It’s the story of what happened forty days after his birth, when “The Firstborn Son Is Presented in the Temple.” Actually, the first event after Christmas we have is found...

“Making Known What the Lord Has Made Known to Us” (Luke 2:15-20) Last night our message had to do with the “Good News of a Great Joy.” The news went out when Christ was born in Bethlehem. An angel appeared to some shepherds out in their field, telling them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” And then a multitude of the heavenly host began praising God and...

“Good News of a Great Joy” (Luke 2:1-14) For most of us, tonight or tomorrow everyone will be opening their Christmas presents. You’ll know which one is yours, because it will have your name on it and you’ll know where to find it: under the Christmas tree. Now suppose I got a Christmas present for you, but I didn’t tell you about it. I didn’t tell you that I had gotten a gift for you, and I didn’t tell you where you could find it. Well, it could be the greatest Christmas present in the world, but if you don’t...

“The Miracle Moms and Their Baby Boys” (Luke 1:39-45) Two expectant mothers--two miracle mothers, moms who shouldn’t have been--the two mothers meet, and they rejoice in their good fortune. They praise God for the wonderful work he is doing for them and through them. The Holy Spirit has given them faith to believe what God has spoken and what God is doing. And what God is doing will be done by the two babies they are carrying in their womb. Those two boys are going to change the world! They will change your world and turn it right-side up! And...

“A Birth and a Benedictus” (Luke 1:57-80) In this Advent series, we’re looking at the events leading up to the birth of Christ, as they are recorded in the first chapter of Luke. Two weeks ago, we started with the angel Gabriel announcing to Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son, that he’s to be named John, and that this son of theirs would go before the Lord to prepare his way. Then last week, Gabriel went to a virgin named Mary and announced that she would give birth to the Messiah, the Christ, and that...

“What Do You Expect?” (Luke 7:18-28) What you expect and when you expect it will make you either satisfied or disappointed. For example, suppose that for Christmas your true love has promised to give you twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a’leaping, all the way down to three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree. But at the end of the day on December 25 all you’ve received is the partridge. You’re disappointed. You ask yourself, “Did my true love forget about the other stuff? Where are the geese and the maids and...

“What Sort of Greeting This Might Be” (Luke 1:26-38) During this Advent season, we’re looking at how Luke tells us of the events leading up to Christmas. Luke does this in chapter 1 of his gospel. Christmas will come in chapter 2. And in this infancy narrative, Luke goes back and forth between two storylines: the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus Christ. Last week we heard the angel Gabriel announce to Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son in their old age. They are to name him John, and he will...

“The Word of God Came to John” (Luke 3:1-20) Every year during Advent, we get Gospel readings about John the Baptist. Why is that? Well, John’s whole purpose in life was to prepare the way of our Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise, the purpose of Advent is to prepare for the coming of Christ. So it’s a natural fit: John the Baptist prepares the way during this season of preparation called Advent. In today’s Gospel reading, Luke begins by setting the stage for John the Baptist’s ministry. He writes: “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate...

“We Grieve, and We Have Hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) In the Epistle reading we heard a few minutes ago, Paul says he writes to the Thessalonians “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Did you catch that? “That you may not grieve”? Does that mean that Christians are not supposed to grieve? That if you grieve, it must mean that your faith is lacking, because of course we Christians should be above grieving? Does it mean that? No, by no means! It’s not saying that Christians cannot grieve. No, we’re human, we have emotions, we...

“To Make Ready a People Prepared” (Luke 1:1-25) This past Sunday we began a whole new church year. And in our lectionary system of readings, this is the Year of St. Luke. The vast majority of Gospel readings for this church year will be from the Gospel according to St. Luke. And we’ll be really taking a deep dive into Luke’s gospel this year, most often preaching on those texts. In addition, yesterday we began a new Bible class on Luke, going verse by verse through this book of the Bible. All of this makes for a great opportunity for...

“Preparation and Praise for Our Coming King” (Luke 19:28-40) Today is the First Sunday in Advent. That means it’s also the first Sunday in a whole new church year. So I say to you today: Happy new year! And you say to me: “Happy” new year?? How can you say it’s “happy,” Pastor? Really? Well, I suppose you have a point. There’s a lot going on that isn’t very happy. I mean, look at the news: Inflation is at its highest rate in thirty years. Gas prices are through the roof. On Friday, the stock market took a huge dive;...

“Stay Awake, for You Do Not Know When” (Mark 13:24-37) On this Last Sunday of the Church Year, our service emphasizes, appropriately enough, the end times and the return of Christ. As the church year comes to an end, we look forward to the return of our Lord. We need to be ready for his coming at all times, because we don’t know when he will come. Jesus himself says that in our text from Mark 13: “Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.” And he goes on to say, “Therefore stay...