Jesus was sent to “preach the good news of the kingdom of God”. His preaching is an epiphany of God, because His Word reveals the authority of His Cross and Resurrection, by which He has atoned for the sins of the world. By the preaching of His Gospel in every place, He silences the unclean spirits and casts out demons, heals the diseases of body and soul, and restores life and health to His creation.
Sound too good to be true for you? Want to know where to receive this epiphany? Seek Jesus’ Word. Hear it proclaimed into your life for the forgiveness of your sin. It is just as powerful and active today as it has ever been. Where all the works of Jesus are proclaimed, you can be sure that even the demons tremble that Jesus is the Son of God.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Epiphany 3
When Jesus opened His mouth and told the people in the synagogue that many in his own hometown would not accept him, and mentioned many non Israelites that had been healed in Old Testament days, they became angry and wanted to throw Jesus off a cliff.
The Law of God is harsh reality. Yet it doesn’t changed another reality.
When Jesus opens His mouth to preach, gracious words flow from His lips. The Scriptures are, indeed, fulfilled in your hearing. For Christ was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord “to proclaim good news to the poor,” “to proclaim liberty to the captives,” and “to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor”. By this proclamation, Christ releases His people from captivity and gathers them to Himself in His Church.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
The Law of God is harsh reality. Yet it doesn’t changed another reality.
When Jesus opens His mouth to preach, gracious words flow from His lips. The Scriptures are, indeed, fulfilled in your hearing. For Christ was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord “to proclaim good news to the poor,” “to proclaim liberty to the captives,” and “to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor”. By this proclamation, Christ releases His people from captivity and gathers them to Himself in His Church.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Epiphany 2
Water into wine. You’d think Jesus’ first miracle would have been a little more spectacular. But this was not some parlor trick to appease some drunkard wedding guests. This was the first of His signs that manifested His glory.
And so in the stone jars used to ceremonially purify people, there becomes wine for the glory of God.
Which glory? The glory that the man Jesus is also true God sent to manifest the glory of forgiveness to His people.
Purified by the washing of water with His Word in Holy Baptism, His disciples confess that “Jesus is Lord,” and they return thanks to Him “in the Holy Spirit”, as they drink the good wine that He pours out for them, which is the new testament in His blood. Water to wine, wine to blood, for your forgivness.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
And so in the stone jars used to ceremonially purify people, there becomes wine for the glory of God.
Which glory? The glory that the man Jesus is also true God sent to manifest the glory of forgiveness to His people.
Purified by the washing of water with His Word in Holy Baptism, His disciples confess that “Jesus is Lord,” and they return thanks to Him “in the Holy Spirit”, as they drink the good wine that He pours out for them, which is the new testament in His blood. Water to wine, wine to blood, for your forgivness.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Baptism of Our Lord
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.
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.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
New Years
Happy New Year!
So when will the resolutions start? After all the Christmas cookies are out of the cookie jar? Or maybe when all the family goes home? Or is your response… “what resolutions?”
The New Year has been a popular time to try and change our own lives. Resolutions come and go and few actually become permanent
So in this time of out with the old and in with the new, it might be a good time to ponder a change that is good and does happen without any effort on our part. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
Being a forgiven child of God is a great way to begin the new year!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
So when will the resolutions start? After all the Christmas cookies are out of the cookie jar? Or maybe when all the family goes home? Or is your response… “what resolutions?”
The New Year has been a popular time to try and change our own lives. Resolutions come and go and few actually become permanent
So in this time of out with the old and in with the new, it might be a good time to ponder a change that is good and does happen without any effort on our part. “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
Being a forgiven child of God is a great way to begin the new year!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
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