“Get’s out dried in stains, wine, and even blood,” says the commercial for cleaning products. Blood is something to be cleaned out, not cleaned with. But John writes in Revelation 7:
“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.”
The blood of the Lamb, Jesus, is the greatest detergent of all. It cleanses every filthy stain of sin from our life. Jesus delivers that cleansing blood to us through water and word, bread and wine.
For this we rejoice for those whose robes have been washed in the blood of the Jesus; who’s trust was in the true Christian faith and now rest from their labors in death.
But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia!!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Reformation
We are coming upon the celebration of the posting of 95 statements of debate on a door at a church in Germany some 490 years ago. Who could imagine that a German monk named Martin Luther would still have an impact today. Time magazine placed him in the top ten most influential people in the entire world!
But if it were really about a man named Luther, we would have forgotten about him long ago. The day labeled the Reformation is really about Jesus.
For He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people”
By hearing this Gospel of Christ Jesus, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
But if it were really about a man named Luther, we would have forgotten about him long ago. The day labeled the Reformation is really about Jesus.
For He has rescued us by His grace from the slavery of sin and death. By the proclamation of His eternal Gospel “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people”
By hearing this Gospel of Christ Jesus, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Proper 23
Ten lepers cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
Jesus says: "Go show yourselves to the priests." You only did that after the flesh quit rotting and was restored. Jesus speaks to them as if they are healed already. And in Him they are.
So they go and on the way they are healed! You’d think it would be easy to remember to turn around and give thanks, especially when you get what you ask for. But alas, even after their heartfelt cries for salvation, “mercy,” thanksgiving wasn’t on their mind.
Except for one heathen Samaritan. "Arise. Your faith has saved you." What Jesus does for the Samaritan, He does for us. “Arise!. Go your way. Your faith in Jesus has saved you.” For anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed the new has come.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Jesus says: "Go show yourselves to the priests." You only did that after the flesh quit rotting and was restored. Jesus speaks to them as if they are healed already. And in Him they are.
So they go and on the way they are healed! You’d think it would be easy to remember to turn around and give thanks, especially when you get what you ask for. But alas, even after their heartfelt cries for salvation, “mercy,” thanksgiving wasn’t on their mind.
Except for one heathen Samaritan. "Arise. Your faith has saved you." What Jesus does for the Samaritan, He does for us. “Arise!. Go your way. Your faith in Jesus has saved you.” For anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed the new has come.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Proper 22
Increase our faith! Is the call of the disciples. Forgive your neighbors. If he keeps doing things against you and he keeps admitting it, keep on forgiving him.
Don’t lead anyone astray with your actions.
Indeed! Increase our faith because surely I don’t have enough to do that.
And what is Jesus’ response to the plea of increase our faith? If you have faith the size of a mustard seed. In other words, “Size doesn’t matter!” Faith receives the gift Either you have faith or you don’t. No faith building exercises can make it bigger or better.
Faith in Jesus grants you forgiveness and a new life with His good gifts given to you. No special mathematics can increase it. It’s as good as it gets. If this faith in Jesus is good enough to sustain you into eternity, how much more for the trials of this world.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Don’t lead anyone astray with your actions.
Indeed! Increase our faith because surely I don’t have enough to do that.
And what is Jesus’ response to the plea of increase our faith? If you have faith the size of a mustard seed. In other words, “Size doesn’t matter!” Faith receives the gift Either you have faith or you don’t. No faith building exercises can make it bigger or better.
Faith in Jesus grants you forgiveness and a new life with His good gifts given to you. No special mathematics can increase it. It’s as good as it gets. If this faith in Jesus is good enough to sustain you into eternity, how much more for the trials of this world.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Proper 21
Surely if my long dead relative just came back and told me what I needed to know, or whispered comforting words then….
Jesus tells us in the story of the rich man and Lazarus that, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
Once this physical life ends, earthly work is done. Any messages that need to be given won’t come from the grave. No ghost will come back to tell you to straighten up your life to give you an earthly second chance.
But someone did rise from the dead with a perfect message and people still don’t listen to Him! Jesus offers eternal life as a free gift won for the world on the cross. Nothing more, nothing less. Are you listening? This message is for you!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Jesus tells us in the story of the rich man and Lazarus that, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.”
Once this physical life ends, earthly work is done. Any messages that need to be given won’t come from the grave. No ghost will come back to tell you to straighten up your life to give you an earthly second chance.
But someone did rise from the dead with a perfect message and people still don’t listen to Him! Jesus offers eternal life as a free gift won for the world on the cross. Nothing more, nothing less. Are you listening? This message is for you!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Proper 20C
To climb up the corporate ladder, sometimes you have to walk on a few people. It’s not really stealing if it is their mistake. It’s so much work to take care of Grandpa, let’s just let him die.
Such is the wisdom of the world. It makes our hearts yearn for more and take advantage of whoever gets in our way to get ahead.
The prophet Amos proclaims, “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end…” “I will turn your feasts into mourning….”
Though we try to justify ourselves “in the sight of men,” God knows our sinful hearts and calls us to repentance. Though we are “not strong enough to dig,” and we are “ashamed to beg”, He justifies us by His grace and welcomes us into His “eternal dwellings” by the cross of Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Such is the wisdom of the world. It makes our hearts yearn for more and take advantage of whoever gets in our way to get ahead.
The prophet Amos proclaims, “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end…” “I will turn your feasts into mourning….”
Though we try to justify ourselves “in the sight of men,” God knows our sinful hearts and calls us to repentance. Though we are “not strong enough to dig,” and we are “ashamed to beg”, He justifies us by His grace and welcomes us into His “eternal dwellings” by the cross of Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Proper 19C
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). To deliver His flock, Jesus “will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick” (Ezek. 34:16). He sets over them one great Good Shepherd, the Son of David, who “will feed them himself and be their shepherd” (Ezek. 34:23).
For Christ Jesus is the one Man who, “if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them,” would “leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it” (Luke 15:4). When He finds the lost one and brings it home rejoicing, “the angels of God” and all the company of heaven rejoice with Him, with great joy (Luke 15:7, 10). That lost one is you.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
For Christ Jesus is the one Man who, “if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them,” would “leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it” (Luke 15:4). When He finds the lost one and brings it home rejoicing, “the angels of God” and all the company of heaven rejoice with Him, with great joy (Luke 15:7, 10). That lost one is you.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Proper 18C
Discipleship is costly because it crucifies the old man with “all he that he has” (Luke 14:33), in order to raise up the new man in Christ. The disciple gives up “his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life” (Luke 14:26), in regard to Christ.
That way of the cross is impossible, except that Jesus has already paid the cost. His cross is set before you as “life and prosperity, and death and adversity” (Deut. 30:15). Taking up His cross is to “choose life in order that you may live, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him” (Deut. 30:19–20).
To live that life in Christ is also to bear His cross in love, “that your goodness [would be]t of your own free will” (Philemon 14).
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
That way of the cross is impossible, except that Jesus has already paid the cost. His cross is set before you as “life and prosperity, and death and adversity” (Deut. 30:15). Taking up His cross is to “choose life in order that you may live, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him” (Deut. 30:19–20).
To live that life in Christ is also to bear His cross in love, “that your goodness [would be]t of your own free will” (Philemon 14).
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Proper 17C
“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled,” Jesus proclaims, but “he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). For your hope is in the name of the Lord, who humbled Himself unto death on the cross and was exalted in His resurrection.
So are you humbled by His cross, and “at the resurrection of the righteous,” He will say to you, “Friend, move up higher” (Luke 14:10; 13–14). By His grace, the King will honor you “in the place of great men,” where your eyes will gaze upon the Prince, His dearly-beloved Son (Prov. 25:7).
As He has dealt so graciously with you, “Do not neglect doing good and sharing” (Heb. 13:16), and “do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13:2). Be humble yourself and exalt your neighbor, not for the sake of your salvation, but for your neighbor’s earthly benefit.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
So are you humbled by His cross, and “at the resurrection of the righteous,” He will say to you, “Friend, move up higher” (Luke 14:10; 13–14). By His grace, the King will honor you “in the place of great men,” where your eyes will gaze upon the Prince, His dearly-beloved Son (Prov. 25:7).
As He has dealt so graciously with you, “Do not neglect doing good and sharing” (Heb. 13:16), and “do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13:2). Be humble yourself and exalt your neighbor, not for the sake of your salvation, but for your neighbor’s earthly benefit.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Proper 16C
With the cross of Christ, the time has come “to gather all nations and tongues” (Is. 66:18). The sign of the cross is set forth in the preaching of the Gospel, the declaration of the Lord's glory “among the nations” (Is. 66:19).
Many “will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29), but only by the narrow way of the cross. Those who refuse to follow Christ crucified will ultimately find only “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 13:28), whereas Christ's disciples, called from all the nations, will eat and drink with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God. They will come into “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22).
Strive to enter through the free salvation gift of the narrow door of Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Many “will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29), but only by the narrow way of the cross. Those who refuse to follow Christ crucified will ultimately find only “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Luke 13:28), whereas Christ's disciples, called from all the nations, will eat and drink with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God. They will come into “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22).
Strive to enter through the free salvation gift of the narrow door of Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Proper 15C
The Lord Jesus causes fear and trembling and division because His Word is “like fire . . . and like a hammer which shatters a rock” (Jer. 23:29). His Law puts us all to death, whereas only His Gospel can bring us to life. He has fulfilled that Word for us by His cross and in His resurrection from the dead. He undergoes such a distressing Baptism, accomplished by His death, in order to open the way for us through our Holy Baptism into His cross and resurrection.
This is the great division that Jesus brings to the earth, those who have faith in Jesus and trust all of His words, and those who don’t.
Let us fix our eyes “on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1–2).
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
This is the great division that Jesus brings to the earth, those who have faith in Jesus and trust all of His words, and those who don’t.
Let us fix our eyes “on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1–2).
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Proper 13C
"The land of a rich man produced plentifully.
'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'
But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Be prepared for when your soul is demanded of you. How? With the richness of Jesus’ sacrifice as the only thing that makes you rich. God’s treasure given freely to you is eternal life in Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'
But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Be prepared for when your soul is demanded of you. How? With the richness of Jesus’ sacrifice as the only thing that makes you rich. God’s treasure given freely to you is eternal life in Jesus.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, NE. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn.
Proper 12C
Selfless. Focused solely on God and who He is. Centered on all that He gives to us in both soul and body, now and into eternity. Request for the greatest protection that there ever could be.
Sound like those could be the most perfect words ever written? They certainly encompass everything that we could ever need.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
When your words fail, His words are perfect. Use them. Jesus gave them to us to pray.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport,
Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Sound like those could be the most perfect words ever written? They certainly encompass everything that we could ever need.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
When your words fail, His words are perfect. Use them. Jesus gave them to us to pray.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport,
Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Proper 11C
If all the world’s greatest dignitaries appeared on your doorstep and asked to come in, what would you do? Of course, invite them in!
And then they began to discuss issues that were important in your neighborhood and community, would you go make coffee? Pretend not to listen? Act busy? Sit at their feet?
The greatest dignitary ever in the world did visit a humble home in Israel. Two ladies resided there; one sat and listened to the great dignitary between heaven and earth, and the other busied herself at the work of hosting the dignitary.
That greatest dignitary between heaven and earth was Jesus. His response was “you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”
One thing needful for you is to sit at the feet of Jesus, hear His Word and receive His gifts of grace and forgiveness.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
And then they began to discuss issues that were important in your neighborhood and community, would you go make coffee? Pretend not to listen? Act busy? Sit at their feet?
The greatest dignitary ever in the world did visit a humble home in Israel. Two ladies resided there; one sat and listened to the great dignitary between heaven and earth, and the other busied herself at the work of hosting the dignitary.
That greatest dignitary between heaven and earth was Jesus. His response was “you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”
One thing needful for you is to sit at the feet of Jesus, hear His Word and receive His gifts of grace and forgiveness.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Proper 10C
A man gets beaten by robbers and left to die along the road. A couple “religious” people pass by without helping. A Samaritan comes upon the half dead man and has compassion on him. He binds the man’s wounds and pays the inkeeper for his care. The Samaritan had mercy on the man.
We who are beaten and bloodied by the attacks of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, lay by the road of life. Who will help? For we cannot help ourselves.
Thanks be to God that our Good Samaritan, Jesus does not pass us by. He has compassion on us and binds up our wounds with His own wounded, bloody hands. He pays the price to care for us with His own life on the cross. He has mercy on us all!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
We who are beaten and bloodied by the attacks of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, lay by the road of life. Who will help? For we cannot help ourselves.
Thanks be to God that our Good Samaritan, Jesus does not pass us by. He has compassion on us and binds up our wounds with His own wounded, bloody hands. He pays the price to care for us with His own life on the cross. He has mercy on us all!
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Proper 9C
You can picture it. The hurried look of an all night harvest, because the season is drawing to a close and the weather is changing. Plentiful harvest, not enough workers and equipment.
Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
You and I are the Lord’s harvest. He sends out preachers to proclaim the Law to condemn us of our sin and to proclaim the Gospel harvesting us into His kingdom.
But it is not the preacher, but the one who sent him. Jesus said, “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Hear Jesus’ loving words for you. Be harvested into His eternal kindom.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
You and I are the Lord’s harvest. He sends out preachers to proclaim the Law to condemn us of our sin and to proclaim the Gospel harvesting us into His kingdom.
But it is not the preacher, but the one who sent him. Jesus said, “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
Hear Jesus’ loving words for you. Be harvested into His eternal kindom.
These Seeds of Faith have been sown by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bridgeport, Nebraska. I’m Pastor Allen Strawn
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
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
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
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
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
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