Sermons

Rogate—Easter 6 (Jn 16:23–33)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

INI + AMEN.

Victory. Triumph. Conquest. That’s what that Easter Greeting is all about. Jesus’ victory. He really is risen from the dead. He’s actually alive. Living, breathing; walking, talking alive. “Neither could the gates of death Nor the tombs dark portal Nor the watchers nor the seal Hold Him as a mortal” (LSB 487:4)

But not just Jesus’ victory. That Jesus is risen is your victory, too. How can it not be? That’s what Jesus Himself tells you today. The world and its sorrow, your flesh and its death, your own sin—all of it taken care of by Jesus.

You have peace. You don’t need to worry. “Take heart,” Jesus says. “Be comforted.” This is your comfort. Victory. Triumph. Conquest.

JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD FOR YOU. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Cantate—Easter 5 (Jn 16:5–15)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Allelluia!

INI + AMEN.

If you’re in Christ, then you have the Spirit. If you have the Spirit, you’re in Christ Jesus. Jesus puts these two things ideas together in our text. You can’t separate the Spirit from Jesus, and you can’t separate them from the Father. All this comes together in Jesus. He’s the hinge of it all, and He says that if you have the Spirit, you have Him. You’re in Him, and so you then trust Him—trust Jesus.

The result of this being in Jesus is that there is no condemnation—none, zero, zilch. That’s what Paul says. Jesus puts it another way in our text. Paul says the negative: no condemnation for those in Christ. Jesus says the positive: there is condemnation, or “conviction” as Jesus says, for those outside of Him. But no matter how its said (positive or negative), no matter who says it (Paul or Jesus), the result is the same, dear saints of God. The result is comfort for you.

THERE’S NO CONVICTION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Jubilate—Easter 4 (Jn 16:16–23)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

INI + AMEN.

IT’S ONLY A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL YOU SEE JESUS. It’s not long. It really isn’t. You don’t have to worry. You really don’t. “Weeping, be gone; Sorrow, be silent; Death put asunder, and Easter is bright.” (LSB 474:4) Still is. Not only because Jesus’ tomb is empty, that would be enough, I guess. But there’s more from the Lord—more promise! The Lord makes and keeps His promises. It won’t be long. It really won’t. It’s just a little bit. IT’S ONLY A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL YOU SEE JESUS. Continue reading →

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Good Shepherd
Sermons

Misericordias Domini—Easter 3 (Jn 10:11–16; Ps 33:5; 1 Pet 2:25)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

INI + AMEN.

Good Shepherd Sunday. That’s Jesus. We named our school for that! But today, the Third Sunday of Easter, we take special time to fill your hearts and minds, bodies and souls with Good Shepherd Jesus. Because Jesus isn’t just the Good Shepherd of little lambs, but of young and old, each and all. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Quasimodo Geniti—Easter 2 (Jn 20:19–31)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

INI + AMEN.

Jesus is an “in the midst” sort of God. The Father sent His Son into midst of our world: born in Bethlehem. He lived in the midst of the sick, the dead, the sinful healing, raising, and forgiving. He was crucified in the midst of two sinners. He was dead and buried in the midst of a cave. Risen from the dead He fulfills His promise to be “in the midst” of His disciples. Wherever any disciples are gathered in His name, there Jesus really is “in the midst of them.” It’s why we have the Gospel Procession: Jesus and His Word, His Gospel read, literally “in the midst” of us.

But why? Why is Jesus an “in the midst” sort of God. It’s not only to be born for us, to die and rise again for us. It really is for that, for you. But today’s Gospel text lets us know that why. It’s why Jesus shows up twice “in the midst of His disciples” the upper room. It’s why Jesus shows up week in and week out here in your midst, too.

So, why? Well, Jesus is an “in the midst” sort of God because

JESUS CREATES FAITH FROM UNFAITH. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Easter Day (Mk 16:1–8; Job 19:23–27)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

INI + AMEN.

Their eyes had seen so much. They’d seen Him crucified and die. They’d seen Him dead and buried. They’d seen the very large stone rolled in front of the tomb. Now, it was a new day, a new week, and Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome came to the tomb. Mark chose the testimony of these three women who could see that the sun was rising. But they saw more, and what they saw was astonishing!

They didn’t have to worry about the large stone. They saw that the stone had already been rolled away. They saw “the young man,” the angel “clothed in a white robe.” (Mark highlights the one who spoke.) They heard him! “You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He’s not here.” They saw the place, and they left to “tell the disciples and Peter.” Then they saw Him. They saw Jesus! Alive! (That’s Matthew, though.)

Their eyes saw so much! They’d shed tears of sadness and tears of gladness all because of what they’d seen. But I’ve got news for you today. Their eyes really aren’t any different than your eyes. Their eyes were created just like your eyes, and your eyes were created for the exact same thing as theirs, the exact same purpose.

YOUR EYES WERE CREATED TO SEE JESUS. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Easter Sunrise (Jn 20:1–18; 1 Cor 15:1–11)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

INI + AMEN.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE DEAD PEOPLE DON’T STAY DEAD. That’s a fact. 2+2=4. What goes up must come down. Pontius Pilate was the Roman Governor of Judea. George Washington crossed the Delaware river. And dead people don’t stay dead. That’s the sort of universe you live in. That’s reality, not make-believe. How do I know that we live in that sort of universe? It’s pretty simple. It’s earth shattering. It’s actual, factual, true. Jesus actually came back to life from the dead. Continue reading →

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