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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Transfiguration of Our Lord

One more happy time. One more glimpse of glory. One more precious moment to make a memory last forever. These are things that people wish for when they are in the midst of sorrow and suffering. One last hurrah.

In the church calendar we get one more high point before going into the somber season of Lent. We see Jesus standing on a mountain with his clothes as white as light hearing a booming voice from the Father, “This is my beloved Son, with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”

Why the glimpse of glory before the slew of sadness? So that we, who live most of our lives in the valley may know that we can listen to the Word of God and trust that He ascended the mountain of the cross for you and me.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Epiphany 3 Seeds of Faith

It can be one of the most heated battles in childhood games. To be the first to get that checker all the way across the table and get to cry out…. “King Me!” Your kingdom is at hand.

In Matthew 4:17 Jesus says, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This isn’t some childhood game of checkers where Jesus marched across a table and claimed an earthly crown.

Although the world was seeing some earthly consequences to the kingdom of God being at hand in Jesus. The deaf hear, the lepers cleansed, the blind see.

This is just a small glimpse at the true Kingdom of God. Jesus did march, not across a table but up a tree, to die to take away all sin. By doing so He opened up the eternal Kingdom of God to all believers where there is no more sickness and death.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

2nd Sunday after Epiphany Seeds of Faith

During the Civil War a company of Confederate irregulars known as the Bushwackers were arrested by Union soldiers. Because they were not in uniform, they were not recognized as prisoners of war but were sentenced to be shot. A courageous boy in the Union Army touched his commanding officers arm and pleaded, “I know one of the condemned men. He has a large family who needs him badly. Please let me take his place. My parents are dead and I have few friends. No one will miss me. Let me take his punishment.” Hesitant, the officer finally consented. His marker reads: “Sacred to the memory of Willy Lear. He took my place.”

Behold the Lamb of God, Jesus, who takes our punishment of eternal death onto himself so that we no longer must face the wrath of God, but rather have his good pleasure. He took my place.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Baptism of Our Lord Seeds of Faith

This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Which one? The one standing in the muck of the Jordan River? The one who had water wash over his head by God’s servant, John? The one who the Spirit descended on in the form of a dove? Yes this one! The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are present there to attest to it!

Well, that’s nice Jesus, just go and dry off now and let us ponder more important things.

Woah! Put on the brakes for a moment. Let us not hurry too quickly past this seemingly small event in Jesus’ life. If the Father is well pleased with His Son, that means he is pleased with all those who are baptized into Jesus. You are my beloved child, with you I am well pleased.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Epiphany Seeds of Faith

On Sunday was the celebration of Epiphany*, that is, the coming of the Wise Men to see the infant Jesus. It was made clear to them that God had indeed brought about everything He had prophesied would take place. The Wise Men were shown the King of the World wrapped in diapers. God told it. They saw it with their eyes and their eyes of faith. It is certain.

We call these men wise, not because they had any greater knowledge than anyone else but rather because they knew to listen to God’s direction to see Jesus. Oh to be wise like the Wise Men who followed the light of the star.

We don’t need astronomical skills to be wise like the Wise Men. Simply put, open God’s Holy unerring Word. It’s light will always point you to your Savior, Jesus.

These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.

*To make clear or certain by showing or displaying