Tag Archives: Historic

Jesus' Parousia
Sermons

Advent 2: Populus Zion (Lk 21:25–36)

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

INI + AMEN.

((5. Oops!: Dark days are coming.))

Dark days are coming. The Last Days are coming. Soon even the Last Day will come. The signs are all around us. Like buds coming out on a fig tree or any other tree in Spring time. There’ll even be “signs in the sun, moon, and stars”—creation coming apart at the seems.

The Last Days are here. Dark days are here. Society coming apart at the seems, it seems. Wars come. Rumors, news stories, fears of wars come, too. “Distress of nations,” “men fainting because of what’s coming upon mankind.” Then the Last Day comes, then all things will be swept away, like leaves coming down in the Fall. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Advent 1: Ad Te Levavi (Mt 21:1–9)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || <a href="https://app.box.com/s/e72jpgw7j2gasiqhowu5os7c999jstyp“>AUDIO
Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || <a href="https://app.box.com/s/3r0cqitbn5pf4rinytywpvzgjs278pmn“>AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Advent. “He comes.” That’s what “Advent” means. Jesus comes. He came, He comes, He’ll come again. He comes to save. That’s what it means for Him to be King—He’s Redeemer, Savior.

Advent. He comes. Of course He does. He said He would. He does what He says. He says what He does. What the Lord does is always according to His Word…of Promise.

What the Lord says will happen—happens! If He says He’ll come, then He’ll come. Come exactly how He says He will. So this means that it’s not just the Lord who advents, but His Word advents, too. It comes to pass. It happens. And this is always for your good, your eternal good, your forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Advent. The Lord advents. His Word advents. Salvation advents. All for you. Yes,

THE LORD’S WORD ADVENTS (IT HAPPENS) FOR YOUR SALVATION. Continue reading →

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Sermons

2nd Last Sunday (Mt 25:31–46)

Immanuel Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, the Lord Jesus has done things a certain way. Well, actually, the same way. What He does today, He did then. What He did then, He’ll continue to do, even till the Last Day, Judgment Day. Then the Lord will do forever what He’s always done.

Ever since the Fall into sin, mankind has also done things a certain way. The way it’s been done is the same today as then, and it’s opposite of what the Lord has always done, still does, and would continue to do in and through us.

The Lord always does things by way of Gifts and Promise. We do things by way of works. The Lord’s gifting way is selfless. It’s completely, 100% selfless and self-giving. Our way is inherently selfish—looking out for us, or those people, things, or causes that we like and are meaningful to us.

The Scriptures show us God’s selflessness. He does things that are against His own self-interest, even His own life. He’s crucified for people who turn from Him, hate Him, kill Him. Gift and promise alone. We give only as long as we get something out of it. Some people get more us, get more effort, more patience than others. It’s all works. This, of course, should not be the way of things. This is what it means to be sinful—turned in on myself, selfish. Continue reading →

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Sermons

2nd Last Sunday—Mission Fest (Mt 25:31–46)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church—Bremen, KS || AUDIO

INI + AMEN.

The message of the Kingdom is the message of the King. The message of the King tells us what He thinks and what He wants. The message of the Kingdom tells us how the King is toward us. When we hear the message of the Kingdom, we find out that the King and His Kingdom are completely different than how you or I are hardwired to think.

The Lord always does things by way of Gifts and Promise. We do things by way of works. The Lord’s gifting way is selfless, self-giving. Our way is selfish—looking out for us, or those people, things, or causes that we like and are meaningful to us.

These are the competing messages today, the two ways of thinking, two ways of doing, two ways of believing. There’s the way of the king, and the way of the goats. Continue reading →

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Sermons

3rd Last Sunday (Mt 24:15–28)

3rd Last Sunday (Mt 24:15–28)

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

INI AMEN.

((5. Oops!: The world’s going to end, and it’ll be bad.))

The’s world’s going to end. Everything we put stock in: our country, our monuments, our accomplishments, our wealth, our strength, our power. It’ll all end. It’ll all come crashing down. It’ll all be destroyed. Burned up. Gone. Nothing. Won’t even exist. Won’t ever exist again. We get so worked up about so much in this life, we think so many things are so very important, but the Last Day will show them for what they are: empty, meaningless, vain hope and worry. Continue reading →

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Sermons

All Saints’ Day—Observed (Rev 7:9–17)

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

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev 7:13–14)

INI AMEN.

They’re countless. They’re like the sand on the beach, the stars in the night sky. They’re Abraham’s promise fulfilled. In fact, he’s there, too. They’re “a thousand thousands.” (Dan 7:10) They’re “ten thousand times ten thousand.” (Dan 7:10) They’re countless—”a great crowd that no one can number. But they’re not nameless, faceless.

You know them. Well, some of them. You know their names. You know their faces. You know them. They know you. They’re your family members, your friends, but they’re also your brothers and sisters in Christ. They’re your fellow baptized. They trusted in the Lamb slain for them, they were given the white robe of His righteousness, they were washed, they were purified by the blood of the Lamb. Now, they are those “who have come out of the great tribulation” of this life. You know that about them. But you also know them, and because of what you know or maybe in spite of what you know about them, you love them.

But more important than you knowing them, or them knowing you is that the Lord knows them. John doesn’t quite know who they are, the elder knows who they are, but the Lord knows them, knows you, too. They’re His saints, His holy ones. You’re a saint, too. The Lord sanctifies you, He holies you, He “saints” you. He’ll also bring you through “the great tribulation” of life to Himself in heaven.

It might be “a great multitude that no one can number,” but they’re not nameless, faceless. They aren’t indistinguishable to the Lord. He knows them. He names them. He saves them. He “saints” them, holies them, sanctifies them. You, too!

THE LORD KNOWS HIS SAINTS AND SAVES THEM. Continue reading →

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Sermons

Reformation Observed (Jn 8:31–36)

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

“The slave does not remain in the house forever. The Son remains forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you’re really free.” (35–36)

INI + AMEN.

Jesus sets you free. It’s why He came. It’s why He died for you, rose for you, too. It’s why He baptized you. It’s why He delivered the Absolution today. It’s why He gives His body and blood to eat and to drink. Jesus wants you to be free, and so He sets you free. And WHEN JESUS SETS YOU FREE, HE REALLY SETS YOU FREE. Continue reading →

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