St. Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:1–2, 10–18)

July 23, 2017
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Seven demons. Not just one or two but seven. That’s how many demons Jesus cast out of Mary Magdalene. The Son rescued her from the devil’s kingdom and brought her into His and His Father’s Kingdom. From that moment on she followed Him, caring for Him and His Apostles with her own money and possessions. She saw Him die, and she was the first to see Jesus after He came back to life.

What Jesus did for Mary Magdalene isn’t unique to her. He saves you and me from the same things He saved her from. Jesus saves you like He did Mary.

WHEN JESUS SAVES YOU, YOU’LL SEE HIM RESURRECTED FACE TO FACE. Continue reading →

The Visitiation (Lk 1:39–56)

July 2, 2017
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

GOD HIMSELF IS BODIED AND BLOODED FOR YOU. Wait. What? GOD HIMSELF IS BODIED AND BLOODED FOR YOU. That’s what the Christian faith is all about! It’s not whatever we want it to be. It’s not what we think it should be. It’s not cultural impact, governmental change. It’s not some club, not a family-only sort of thing. Not something you do to be considered a good person. It’s not just for people we like, people like us. No, none of that, but only what’s in our Gospel text:

GOD HIMSELF IS BODIED AND BLOODED FOR YOU.

And it doesn’t quite matter who that “FOR YOU” is. Continue reading →

Sermons

Presentation of the Augsburg Confession (Mt 10:26–33)

June 25, 2017
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO
Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

“Don’t fear: You’re worth more than many sparrows.” That’s Jesus’ Word today. His comfort today. Of all the beasts of the field and the birds of air—“not one falls apart from your Father.”

Yes, two sparrows could’ve been sold for a Roman penny, but even those two sparrows, which we value as insignificant, are prized and valued by your heavenly Father. He made them. He sustains them. They are His.

“Don’t fear: You’re worth more than many sparrows.” But what does that mean? How many sparrows are we talking about? How much copper, silver, or gold? What sort of worth and value is “many sparrows”?

But the comfort is this: your worth isn’t just “many sparrows;” your worth is this: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Continue reading →