Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas! The angels sang! The shepherds saw. Mary pondered. The shepherds rejoiced and told all that they saw and heard.

There will be Santa and mistletoe and cartoons filled with gleeful characters that bring a nostalgic smile to faces all the while families sit around decorated trees tearing into presents.

These things are all good. Enjoy the moments that God has provided for you this season.

But don’t miss the opportunity to receive the greatest gift of all; God in human flesh. Receive Jesus this season in His Holy Word. See Jesus, just as the shepherds saw him that first Christmas night, Jesus, in body and blood, residing in His Word for you.

Be gathered together by the Gospel call, like a child calling the family around the tree to open presents. Only this is the greatest present of all, Jesus bestowing His forgiveness on you.

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

Advent 4

In the hustle and bustle of the season, where family and friends enter our lives to join our celebrations, take time to ponder another family who made a journey to their home town. There amidst a normally sleepy little town, now bustling with weary travelers for a census, came a normal looking family.

But this normal looking family awaited an event that was foretold from the fall of man into sin; the birth of the Savior of the world. The one who would destroy sin and death forever. The one who would reunite our heavenly Father with His children eternally.

They would call Him Jesus, just as the angel said, for He would save the world from their sins. Come to reside in human flesh. God and man inseparably united together. Come to reside with you.

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

Advent 3

Paul says in his letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Lord is at hand. Yes, how true. After all, isn’t that what we are preparing to celebrate, the birth of Lord of hosts? Where Jesus’ presence is, there is peace. When Jesus touches the lives of people, there is peace. When He walked on the earth, the deaf heard and the dead were raised up. Now, as His Word goes out, good news is preached. That good news grants eternal peace wherever it goes.

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

Advent 2

In Charles Dickens’ a Christmas Carol, the stingy, cranky, old Ebenezer Scrooge is confronted by 3 Ghosts. They prepared Scrooge’s heart to be receptive to a greater message.

John the Baptizer’s role was just like that of the Ghosts of Christmas in the Christmas Carol. To prepare the hearts of those to receive the work of the coming Savior.

Though your past may have been jaded, your present actions may be selfish, and your future is dim in your sinfulness.

Through messengers like John the Baptizer, God’s Law calls us to change our ways.

God reaches out: Like Marley did with Scrooge: he desires that you will not have an eternal life of pain and suffering. He calls you by the Gospel so that you may know that an eternal banquet feast has been prepared for you through Jesus Christ.

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

Advent 1

The First Sunday in Advent marks the beginning of a new year in the worship life of the church. The word Advent means “coming”. The coming is the fulfillment of the promise of Immanuel, God with us to accomplish the salvation the Father promised to us.

Advent is a season of preparation—not simply of our homes, meals, and presents, but also time of preparation for our hearts.

A time of recognizing with thanksgiving why our Lord came in the first place. We celebrate God coming to us in the flesh as a child in a lowly manger. A time to recognize why that infant child, born to be King, would one day receive a crown of thorns. We celebrate Christ as the Messiah, riding on a lowly donkey on His way to bear our sins on the cross and to rise again as our Savior.

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

Thanksgiving

Stop! Before you carve that turkey. Put that fork down! Fold your hands and bow your heads. On this day of National Thanksgiving it is easy to be thankful for the food on the plate and the family that is there to share it with you. But before you say grace and move on, hear God’s Word through Paul to Timothy:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people… This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”

Yes that is right, all people. Those government officials that you want to vote out of office. That schoolyard bully. Our nations’ enemies. Pray for them. This is good and pleasing to our Savior Jesus for He gave His life for them as well. Give thanks for that good and perfect gift!

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

Proper 29

The end is near! Will it be chaotic? Dark? What will bring it to an end? You say I need a Savior now. What good will this Jesus do for me?

For those who are in Christ, they need not fear all of the earthly calamity that is happening now. Jesus says, “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” His words of promise and salvation are for all who trust in Him. When you are in Him, eternity is yours.

Stay awake!

Be ever vigilant. One never knows when Jesus will return. Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith. He is coming again. Don’t turn your eyes from Him. Don’t let all of the tribulation of this world divert your eyes or lose faith. Stay awake! Salvation is sure and certain in Jesus.

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

Proper 28

Signs are everywhere. They tell us where to turn, what store we are in, and warn us when there is danger. The world is full of signs: The leaves are falling. Wars and worldly strife. Broken families. Wildfires, earthquakes, and hurricanes that tear the world apart and take life.

What do all of these signs have in common? They tell us a change is about to take place. Unfortunately the change isn’t as tame as fall turning into winter. But it is just as obvious. When we see all the pain, suffering, and death, Jesus says these are the beginning of the birth pains.

Not the birth pains of a new earthly child, but rather the glorious return of Jesus to take all who endure in faith to the end to be with himself forever where there is no more pain and, only glorious eternal life.

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

Proper 27

Jesus talks about money a lot. So much so that one day, Mark records that Jesus sat down and watched the people putting money in the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums while a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins.

Jesus then said, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

She gave all she had to live on. That makes so many of our gifts look tiny in comparison. That’s the giving God requires. And that is the giving Jesus gave. All He had to live on. No, all of His life unto death for you.

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

All Saints Day

We have all seen those commercials that advertise the latest cleaning products. “Get’s out dried in stains, wine, and even blood.” 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.

Reformation

Reform. Change. Take something and make it different, better, more pristine. Key words for every aspect of our life.

The day labeled the Reformation is really about Jesus. Romans chapter 3 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. And later, For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

You can add nothing to your salvation or your earthly holiness. Jesus has done it all.

This Reformation salvation message is still for you and me today. There is no adding to it or moving on from it and we never grow out of it. It is the one central truth of the Christian faith on which all others stand or fall. Remain in this Word of Truth forever!

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

Proper 25

Blind Bartimaeus. The blind man who sat by the road. Not really an unusual place to sit, especially if you wanted help or someone to feel sorry for you.

This day, though, would be different than all the others. This day he would see. He heard that Jesus was coming and began to call out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The cry of faith. Have mercy on me.

We too cry out, for peace from above, for salvation, for the Church, for the whole world, and for everyone who prays and worships the one true God. Lord, have mercy.

And just like Blind Bartimaeus who was given his sight at a simple word of Jesus and followed, so too we are given the mercy that comes down from Jesus in His spoken Word of forgiveness today. And we too follow. Yes, Lord have mercy.

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

Proper 23

A rich man approached Jesus, calling Him Good Teacher, wanting to know how to get eternal life. Jesus responded to Him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus then proceeded to summarize all the commandments for this rich man.

The man responded, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

Now, how do you think Jesus responded? No one is that good. Everyone sins. Don’t you know you are a sinner.

No, Jesus looked at Him and loved him.

It is easy to overlook this because Jesus then tells the rich man to sell everything. He does this out of love, so that nothing would get in-between Jesus’ relationship with the rich man.

Jesus desires nothing to get in-between us and Him. Not possessions, fame, or pride. He makes our relationship perfect.

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

Proper 22

Marriage. Divorce. Alternative lifestyles. Hot topics for today’s world. Is God’s Word obsolete on these issues of today?

God’s Word is clear and as relevant today as ever. Let us let Jesus, the very Son of God, who is all knowing and only speaks the truth, quote Genesis. “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘therefore a man will leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Marriage is a pure and precious gift, one created by God, one that our sinful lives destroy. Even these are laid at the foot of Jesus’ cross for His forgiveness.

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

Proper 21

Jesus uses very potent imagery in Mark 9. If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out.

Is Jesus condoning self mutilation? Isn’t injuring ourselves sin?

No, Jesus isn’t condoning us hurting ourselves. Yet His point is very powerful. Do not let the things of this world, even your own body, lay risk to your salvation. It is better to be crippled or lame or have to squint than to spend an eternity in hell where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

Our body leads us to sin when we disobey the commands of God. But more so, our body leads us to hell when it tempts us to trust in ourselves and our own good works, instead of in the sacrifice of Jesus.

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

Proper 20

Jesus said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

I recall how one of my teachers in grade school tried to drill this point home to us. When we would come in from recess we would have to line up at the door before we could enter the school. Occasionally he would invert the line, so that the last one was first and the first last.

While that wasn’t exactly what Jesus meant, it certainly has helped me remember this important biblical truth. Jesus was the last of all. He was the servant of all. Even though He should lead us from a high an lofty position, He came to earth to serve me by dying on the cross by a lowly and painful death. Thank you Jesus for being the last of all and the servant of all.

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

Proper 19

A man whose son was possessed by a demon cried out to Jesus for help, “’But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!’"

Indeed Lord, “I believe; help my unbelief!” I see all of the works of evil, yet I know that you have won the victory, “I believe; help my unbelief.” I know that you care for my sick child, yet healing seems so far away. “I believe; help my unbelief.” I know that you have forgiven me through the blood of your Son on the cross, yet my sin seems so great. “I believe; help my unbelief.

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

Proper 18

When we read of miracles in the Bible, like those performed by Jesus, we can often become discouraged. After all, who of us hasn’t had a friend, family member, or even ourselves who were sick and we prayed for a miracle, but it didn’t seem to come. Mark 7 tells of such a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. The deaf man’s friends begged Jesus to cure the man. And with Jesus’ own fingers and a little saliva, Jesus did.

While we may long for miracles that remove every disease from this world, in this earthly life, it will never come. Jesus’ miracles of healing showed His love for our physical bodies into eternal life. His redeeming sacrifice on the cross, redeems our bodies for the resurrection day when no more disease will ever diminish our bodies again.

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

Proper 17

Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

When we think of armor, we might think of the towering Medieval knight with thick metal encasing his body. That metal had one purpose only: to protect the knight from whatever kind of attack the enemy could throw at him.

So also the whole armor of God, truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, and salvation. All of these pieces are there to protect you from the old evil foe who intends to do you eternal harm.

We have one sure and certain weapon, the sword of the Spirit that is the Word of God.

The very Word of God who is Jesus Christ has won the victory over sin, death and hell.

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

Proper 16

Marriage is a profound mystery. I can easily be talking about that beautiful relationship between husband and wife. That God would bring two people together to experience life for richer or for poorer in sickness and in health forsaking all others until death parts them. Because how can we accomplish that on our own? Indeed a profound mystery.

But Paul tells us in Ephesians that it is a profound mystery, and he says that earthly marriage refer to Christ and the church.

It is so profound because we reflect in our human married relationship the love that Christ has shown the church by giving Himself up for her in death to remove all of her sin. And the church acknowledges that Jesus is her head, submitting to His will, that is knowing that He has only good things for her.

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