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Text: Matthew 22:15-22 Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 24 + 10/23/11 We are definitely on the threshold of the ending of another liturgical year, the completion of the Church’s telling of the story, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who He is, what He came to do and how all of that involves [...]

Text: Matthew 22:1-14 Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 23 + 10/9/11 Somebody rewrote the book on etiquette. I never remember being told, I only discovered by observation and then asking someone about it. Since when has it been common practice, even expected, for people to be invited to attend a wedding but then only come [...]

Text: Matthew 21:33-46 Date: Pentecost XVI + Proper 22 + 10/2/11 In the last week of our Lord’s earthly ministry, Holy Week, leading up to His foremost goal to be the all-sufficient sacrifice for the sin of the world upon the cross, the chief priests and elders of the people (now joined by the party [...]

Text: Matthew 21:23-27 Date: Pentecost XV + Proper 21 + 9/25/11 Lawyers know that in court you never ask a question unless you know the answer ahead of time. Politicians, on the other hand, are expert in “spin.” I’ve always said I could never be a politician because I’m not a good liar. It is [...]

Text: Luke 10:23-37 Date: Trinity XIII + One Year Lectionary + 9/18/11 Occasion: Barry Blomquist 40th Anniversary Our Savior Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MI I don’t know if you’ve noticed Mr. Blomquist’s eye glasses. They are rather heavy…thick. I’m amazed that they continue to issue him a driver’s license! (You do have a driver’s license?) [...]

Text: Matthew 18:21-35 Date: Pentecost XIII + Proper 19 + 9/11/11 What a terrible choice of scripture to be read on this day, don’t you agree? this day on which we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the evil attacks of our enemies on the United States on September 11, 2001? A terrible choice! Forgiveness? Wouldn’t [...]

Text: Matthew 18:1-20 Date: Pentecost XII + Proper 18 + 9/4/11 First, I suppose I ought to explain the sermon title. For it sounds quite boastful, don’t you think? Who among us would even consider much less talk about our own greatness? Yet that’s what Jesus’ disciples do in our text today. The last two [...]

Text: Matthew 16:21-28 Date: Pentecost XI + Proper 17 + 8/28/11 Before entering into the third and most crucial part of his Gospel account St. Matthew gives us a seminar on the topic of faith. It began with Peter walking to Jesus on the water and, when he almost drowned, Jesus addressed him as “you [...]

Text: Matthew 16:13-20 Occasion: 50th Anniversary of Trinity Lutheran School Date: Pentecost X + Proper 16 + 8/21/11 Trinity Lutheran Church, Jackson, Michigan “Who do you say that I am?” asked Jesus of His disciples. Peter answered, “The Christ, the Son of the living God.” “Good for you, Pete!” “Blessed are you” responded Jesus. “For [...]

Text: Matthew 15:21-28 Date: Pentecost IX + Proper 15 + 8/14/11 It is interesting how St. Matthew contrasts the “little-faith” of water-walking Peter in our reading last week with the “great faith” of a Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel. It is interesting, for one thing, because while Peter and those to whom the promise of [...]