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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Proper 8C

When the prophet Elijah became discouraged and despaired of his life, “the Word of the Lord came to him” and stood him “on the mount before the Lord”.
The Lord made Himself known to the prophet--not in the impressive power of gale force winds, nor in an earthquake, and nor in the fire, but in “the sound of a low whisper”.

Today God reveals Himself among us through the frail preaching of the Gospel. The Son of Man sends “messengers ahead of Him . . . to make preparations for Him”.
Those preachers “go and proclaim the kingdom of God” in the full richness of Law and Gospel. Not the power of the Law with its “yoke of slavery”, but the power of God unto salvation through the Gospel of forgiveness, by which “Christ has set us free”.

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

Monday, June 21, 2010

Proper 7C

The Lord seeks the lost. He invites “a rebellious people” and calls them to be His people and to dwell in peace with Him. For wherever Jesus Christ enters in, Satan is cast out. Those who were driven mad by the assaults and accusations of the devil, are set free by the Word of Christ.

Jesus drowns and destroys the sinfulness in us with the waters of Holy Baptism and thereby brings us out of death into life. No longer naked in our shame, living “among the tombs”, we are brought into the Lord's house, fully clothed by Christ.

For Jesus has come, in “the fullness of time” to fulfill the Law on our behalf and to redeem us from its every accusation. Therefore, having been justified by His grace through faith in His Gospel, “you are no longer a slave, but a son”

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

Proper 6C

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred days wages, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Of course, the one with the greatest debt. Lest we start comparing ourselves with others, the greatest debt belongs to you and me.

For we all have “despised the Word of the Lord.”

He has pity on us and calls us to repentance. He lays hold of us in mercy and grants us peace. He takes our sin upon Himself, so that we shall not die but live.

"Your sins are forgiven." "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" Yes, the one whom we’ve sinned against, God in the flesh, Jesus Christ.

We love Him much because our “sins, which are many, are forgiven”.

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

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Holy Trinity

Jesus said in John 8, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

It’s no wonder they wanted to kill Jesus. He just said that He’s God.

But this wasn’t for His sake. Jesus isn’t puffing himself up. It is for your and my sake that Jesus says this, so that you may believe in Him.

Jesus is true God so that all of His life may be given to you. Jesus is true God so that His death may be your death so that sin will no longer have mastery over you. Jesus is true God so that the devil and hell are eternally defeated and cannot harm you eternally.

Amen, Amen, I say to you if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

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