Sermon Trinity 4.2013

St Luke 6.36-42 Trinity 4

St John's Ev LC, Victor, IA 2013.6.23

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In today’s Collect we prayed that the “course of this world” would be so “peaceably ordered by God’s governance” that His Church would “joyfully serve Him” – and here’s the phrase I'd like us to concentrate on this morning – “in all godly quietness.”

What is this “godly quietness” for which we ask? In brief, it is the peace of heart (the quiet and calm that can rule in our hearts) even in the midst of the most difficult and trying times. / As you'll hear in just a bit, this godly quietness is nothing less than the peace that passes understanding, which guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. In other words / one who has this godly quietness doesn’t fret and get all worked up, but instead entrusts him or herself completely into the hands of God. Godly quietness of heart is one of the fruits of faith, and Joseph (whom we heard about in the Old Testament Reading) is a great example of this.

Sermon - Trinity 3.2013

St Luke 15.1-10; Micah 7:18-20 Trinity 3

St Johns Ev LC, Victor, IA 2013.6.16 

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Micah has a hard time understanding what sort of a God this is that Israel has. In the Old Testament reading for today he wrote, "Who is a God like you?...Pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression... He does not retain His anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love." 

God is hard to understand because He's so different from us; unlike our merciful God we have a problem with retaining anger.  Someone gets under our skin and we tend to hang onto the anger until it turns to bitterness.  But there must be no hanging onto anger / when you're hanging about with the God of Israel.  He's the God who loves to forgive, to pardon, to pass over transgression.  He looks for excuses and opportunities to wipe out sin and reestablish relationships.  He longs to show mercy!  And He invites us to live in that bounty of forgiveness, that river of mercy.

Sermon - 1st Sunday after Trinity

St John 16.19-31 Trinity 1

St John's Ev LC, Victor, IA 2013.6.2

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Gospel reading records a story that Jesus told to the Pharisees. Whether this story is true or not, we aren't told. It certainly could be, as Jesus uses the names of real people: Jesus' good friend, Lazarus, and the patriarch Abraham; though, the circumstances surrounding this story make it seem a bit unrealistic.

Whatever the case, God saw fit that we didn't need to know, so we don't; and that's just fine. The important part / is the story itself. It is a story about the two extremes of earthly life: abundance / and scarcity; having everything you ever imagined / verses having nothing but the filthy clothes on your back; being rich / verse being poor.

Sermon - In Memoriam +Dwayne Norman Jahlas 1943-2013

In Memoriam + Dwayne Jahlas

St John's Ev LC, Victor, IA

6.15.2013

Job 19:21-27

Hebrews 2:14-16

John 3:16-17

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God urges us to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy in time of need. It is now our time of need. We have lost a loved one. We cannot yet go where he has gone. We must carry on in this life / without him. There are no easy answers or solutions. Some things must simply be endured.

And so we look to our Lord for the strength to endure. Our Lord does not disappoint; Dwayne's Confirmation verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13, it is printed on the front of your bulletin. It says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”