Sermon for Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 4, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Hebrews 2:1-13

Sermon Theme:  “Setting the Hebrews, and Us, Straight”

 (Sources:  Brokhoff, Series B, Preaching Workbook; Concordia Self-Study Bible Introduction to “Hebrews” and footnotes; original ideas; Online Kids’ View of Angels; Emphasis Online Illustrations)

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is just as much confusion and misinformation today about angels as there was during the time the letter to the Hebrews was written, though not necessarily the same misinformation.  And it’s not just kids who are confused, but adults, too.  Here are some actual statements by children that show how kids view angels:

Nine year old Olive said, “Everybody’s got it all wrong.  Angels don’t wear halos anymore.  I forget why, but scientists are working on it.”

Seven year old Mitchell said, “Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.”

Seven year old Sarah said, “What I don’t get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.”

Ten year old Reagen said, “When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten.  And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there’s a tornado.”

Six year old Sara said, “Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy.  If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow.  Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter.”

Nine year old Tonio said, “All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn’t go for that.”

Nine year old Matthew said, “It’s not easy to become an angel!  First, you die.  Then you go to heaven, and then there’s still the flight training to go through.  And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.”

Before we go any further, let me say four things about angels to debunk any misinformation, then or now:  One, angels are divine; we are human.  Two, angels are supernatural; we are natural creatures.  Three, angels are holy and sinless; we are sinners.  Four, we do not turn into angels when we go to heaven. Continue reading →

Sermon for Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 27, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Mark 9:38-50

Sermon Theme: “A Funny Thing Happens When You Don’t Pray”

 (Sources:  Emphasis Online Commentary; Emphasis Online Illustrations; Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; original ideas; “Too Much Prayer/Prayer Jokes Online; jokes.christiansunite.com; The Parables of Peanuts)

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           In a Peanuts cartoon strip, Linus is kneeling by his bed saying his prayers.  When Lucy walks in on him, he says to her, “I think I’ve made a new theological discovery.”

“What is it?’  Lucy asks.

Linus replies, “If you hold your hands upside down, you get the opposite of what you pray for.”

Although meant to be funny, Linus’ “theological discovery” shows the confusion many folks have about prayer.  Many of us have questions about prayer.  Can I pray for things I need when there are others with greater needs than I have?  Would it be an insult to God if I prayed for a parking spot?  Etc.

It’s not surprising then that the Bible has a lot to say about prayer, with Jesus even giving us The Lord’s Prayer, a model prayer to pray.  Obviously, with the Biblical emphasis placed on it, prayer is very important in the life of a Christian.  In our sermon text, the Apostle James gives us some solid counsel about prayer.

He says to pray for the suffering and the sick.  This makes me think of the cartoon of Snoopy hugging a heart and saying, “When my arms can’t reach people who are close to my heart . . . I always hug them with my prayers.”

James also says we should pray by singing praises.  We should thank and adore God in all things.  The Apostle Paul tells us we must always pray with thanksgiving.  It seems that you and I are always begging God to give us things, to bless us, to heal us, and we should do that.  But we forget about thanking Him and praising Him for all that He has done and will do for us.

In another Peanuts strip, Charlie Brown is sitting up in bed, as though this thought suddenly came to him, “How would we feel if someone never talked to us till they wanted something?  God has feelings, too!”

James says in our text we are to be prayed for by others, especially by the Elders of the church, and to be anointed with oil.  By oil, he possibly could be referring ot the Balm of Gilead.

James lived in a world where the success of medical care was severely limited.  There were no antibiotics, no understanding of germs and viruses, and infected wounds often led to death. Continue reading →

Sermon for Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 20, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Mark 9:30-37

Sermon Theme:  “A Christian Is Humble, Never Haughty”

 (Sources:  Concordia Pulpit Resources, Vol. 25, Part 4, Series B; Emphasis Online Illustrations; Emphasis Online Commentaries; original ideas; The Parables of Peanuts by Robert C. Short)

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           The Jewish people have an ancient joke they like to tell about Moses.  It goes like this:  The Hebrews were dissatisfied and constantly complaining to Moses as they made the journey through the desert wilderness toward the Promised Land.

Frustrated with their weak faith and their griping, Moses finally prayed to God, saying, “Lord, these people you have put me in charge of, never do anything but argue and complain.  What should I do?”

God replied, “Take two tablets and call me in the morning.” Continue reading →

Sermon for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 6, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Texts:  Isaiah 35:4-7a and Mark 7:31-37

Sermon Theme:  “Be Strong, Fear Not:  the Deaf Hear and the Mute Speak”

 (Sources:  Anderson’s, Cycle B, Preaching Workbook; Brokhoff’s, Series B, Preaching Workbook; original ideas; Online “Ten Healing Miracles”; Emphasis Online Illustrations; Online “Christian Doctors Testify of Modern-Day Miracles”; “Funny Doctor Jokes” Online; “The Meaning of ‘There Is Balm in Gilead’” Online article; Concordia Pulpit Resources, Vol. 25, Part 4; Harper’s Bible Dictionary)

 Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           As you well know, many folks in this congregation have had a variety of very serious medical problems this year.  Members of our Prayer Chain have prayed for them, and Rev. Stallings, our Visitations pastor has visited them.

So I told myself that it might be inappropriate to begin a sermon on the Lord’s miracles of healing with some funny stories about doctors and patients.  On the contrary, say modern psychologists, folks with serious medical problems enjoy funny stories about doctors and patients, and laughter is good medicine for the body and soul.

So here goes:

A patient went to the doctor and said to him, “It’s been one month since my last visit and I still feel miserable.”

“Did you follow the instructions on the medicine I gave you?” the doctor asked.

“I sure did,” the patient replied, “the bottle said, ‘keep tightly closed.’”

Another patient went to the doctor and said, “Doctor, when I press my leg it hurts.  Then when I press my chest, it hurts.  When I press my head, it hurts, and when I press my stomach it hurts.  I’m worried, doc, what’s wrong with me?”

Calmly the doctor replied, “You have a sore finger!”

Doctor Khan was giving a lecture to a group of medical students at the city hospital.  Pointing to the x-ray, he explained, “As you can see, this patient limps because his right fibula and tibia are radically arched.”

The doctor looked at the assembled students, and asked Sidney, a soon-to-be intern, “Now what would you do in a case like this?”

Sidney answered, “I suppose I would limp, too.” Continue reading →

Sermon for Rally Day, Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 30, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon Theme: “Prepared to Stand up for Jesus”

 (Sources:  Brokhoff, Series B, Preaching Workbook; Anderson’s, Cycle B, Preaching Workbook; original ideas; Online Sunday School Humor; Online Church Jokes; Concordia Pulpit, Vol. 25, Part 3, Series B)

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           Rally Day Party yesterday!  Rally Day Service today!  It’s almost September, and the 2015-2016 School Year is underway, — both Secular and Ecclesiastical.

It’s sort of been a tradition to tell funny Sunday School stories on Rally Day.  I knew one pastor who was notorious for using his special occasion sermons over and over, year after year.  That means his congregation heard the same Sunday School jokes every year; consequently, he was the only one who thought his Rally Day humor was funny.

While I’ve never preached the same sermon twice since I have been here at St. Paul’s, I can’t vouch for my stories.  My family tells me that I have been known to tell the same story more than once.

One pastor always kneeled at the altar rail and prayed silently before he gave his sermon.  After church, on the way to Sunday School one day, a little girl asked Pastor, “Why do you kneel at the altar rail before you preach your sermon?”

The pastor, pleased that she was so observant, answered, “Well, young lady, in my prayer, I am just asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.”

“So how come He doesn’t answer it?”  She asked.

All of us who have taught Sunday School know that kids can say the darndest things.  One Sunday School teacher tells about how she described the Old Testament scene wherein Lots’ wife looked back at Sodom and turned into a pillar of salt.  A little boy named Billy interrupted the teacher and said, “My mommy looked back once when she was driving, and she turned into a telephone pole.”

Unlike us, many churches have Sunday School before church.   Another Sunday School teacher always talked to the kids about behavior before she dismissed them to go into the church.  One Sunday she asked, “And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?”

Annie replied, “Because people are sleeping.”

Then there was the Sunday School teacher who was teaching the class how God created everything, including human beings.  Little Jimmy seemed especially intent when she told how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs.  Later in the week, Jimmy’s mother noticed that he was lying on the bed as though in pain.  “Jimmy, what’s the matter?” she asked.

Jimmy replied, “I have a pain in my side; I think I’m going to have a wife.” Continue reading →

Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 16

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 5:22-33

Sermon Theme:  “And the Two Shall Become One”

 (Sources:  Brokhoff, Series B, Preaching Workbook; “Church Attendance,” Wikipedia Online; www.preachinghelps.com; “Percentages of Divorce” Online; “Love” and “Equality,” Christian Post; Online Marriage Jokes;  original ideas; Online Christian Jokes about Marriage; Charlie Brown and Lucy’s Relationship Online)

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           In one episode of “Peanuts,” Lucy says to Charlie Brown, “You know what I don’t understand?  I don’t understand love!”

Charlie Brown replies, “Who does?”

Lucy continues, “Explain it to me, Charlie Brown.”

He says, “You can’t explain love.  I can recommend a book or a poem or a painting, but I can’t explain love.”

Lucy then adds, “Well, try, Charlie Brown, try!”

Charlie responds, “Well, let’s say I see this beautiful, cute little girl walk by, and . . .”

Indignant, Lucy interrupts, “Why does she have to be cute?  Huh?  Why can’t someone fall in love with someone with freckles and a big nose?  Explain that!”

Charlie says, “Well, maybe you are right.  Let’s just say I see this girl walk by with this great big nose, and . . .”

Lucy raises her voice, “I didn’t say GREAT BIG NOSE!”

Exasperated, Charlie concludes, “You not only can’t explain love, you can’t even talk about it!”

In various episodes of “Peanuts,” Lucy bullies Charlie Brown for no reason at all, always takes the football away before he kicks, calls him names like “Stupid,” does mean things to Linus, and blames Charlie for everything, even things that are her fault.  In spite of this, Charlie Brown cares about Lucy, likes her, and trusts her.  It’s a relationship that reminds us of some marriages. Continue reading →

Sermon for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 15

August 16, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 5:6-21

Sermon Theme:  “Be Wise, Not Unwise, and Live a Life of Celebration and Thankfulness”

(Sources:  Brokhof, Series B, Preaching Workbook; Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Illustrations; original ideas; Online Sermon Humor; Online Stewardship of Life Jokes; Personal Email; “The Kingdom of God Is A Party” by Tony Campolo.)

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           Today, we continue to mine the great reservoir of advice that is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, starting a couple verses from where we left off  last Sunday.  In today’s text, Paul offers us four exhortations:  One, don’t associate with those who live in darkness (he’s referring to the pagan gentiles, who live in mental and moral darkness), but walk as children of light; Two, be wise, not unwise; in other words, live as a people of wisdom; Three, Avoid drunkenness and debauchery (something the heathens in Ephesus were known for); and Four, live a life filled with celebration and thankfulness.

Paul is speaking to his readers as the Body of Christ rather than as individuals.  You know congregations take on a demeanor, a personality.  Just as the heathens in their temple had a demeanor of debauchery, each Christian congregation takes on a demeanor, usually a Christ-like one, but not always.

Using picture language, we could describe some congregations as “mustangs”; some as “weasels”; some, “chickens”; some as “greedy hogs” and some as “well-mannered sheep who follow Christ.”  The list could go on.

Some congregations say by their actions who they are:  “Here at First Lutheran Church, we welcome all denominations,  — but mainly we prefer twenties and fifties.”

When Pastor Johnson moved to town, the local community service club honored him at a dinner.  To have some fun, members tinkered with his name tag, listing his occupation as “Hog Caller.”  Everyone at the dinner snickered as the name tag was presented to him with fanfare.

Pastor Johnson just smiled graciously, stood up and said to the assembly, “I am usually called “the Shepherd of the SHEEP,  . . . but I guess you know your people better than I do.”

Paul wants us to be people of light, people of wisdom.  But before you dash out and go enroll in college, we need to understand what Paul meant by that.  Our Old Testament lection for today helps us to understand what being wise, or what “true wisdom” really is.  “Wisdom” and “knowledge” are not the same thing, — you can have knowledge without having wisdom. Continue reading →

Sermon for Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, August 9, 2015

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 4:17-5:2

Sermon Theme:  “Playing God the Right Way”

(Sources:  Anderson’s Cycle B, Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Illustrations; original ideas; Online Religious Humor; Online christiansuite.com Jokes; Introduction to Ephesians, Concordia Self-Study Bible).

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, a pastor heard the loud intoning of a prayer that nearly popped the clerical collar tab off his shirt!  Apparently his five-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead bird which they had felt needed a proper burial.

They put the bird in a little box they found, dug a hole in the ground, and planned a proper interment for the deceased.  The other boys decided the pastor’s son would need to officiate at the funeral, beings that he had watched his father do such things.

With solemn dignity, the pastor’s son loudly recited what he thought his father always said, “Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, . . . and into the hole you goooo.”

We all imitate that which we respect, that which we look up to, which, in the case of kids, is usually their parents, — so, fathers and mothers, be careful and be clear.  In our sermon text for today, Paul sets the highest standard in all the world for Christians.  He tells the recipients of his letter and us that we must be imitators of God.

Later, Clement of Alexandria was to make the daring statement:  “The true and wise Christian practices being God!”  Although Clement meant what Paul meant in our text, for obvious reasons, that’s probably not the best way to say it.

Just like the woman who went to her pastor for counseling soon after she divorced her husband and said to the pastor, “You see, my husband thought he was God, . . . and I didn’t.” Continue reading →

Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 2, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  John 6:22-35

Sermon Theme:  “Good Food for God’s People”

 (Sources:  Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Illustrations; original ideas; Short Christian Jokes Online; Bon Voyage Online Charlie Brown Quotes)

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           Bread is one of the most basic foods in almost all cultures, originating as early as 8,000 B.C.  Bread comes in many forms.  Today, Germany is the undisputed bread capital of the world.  Every year, the people of Germany eat one million, one hundred thousand tons of bread, five billion, twenty-four million rolls, and four hundred billion pretzels.  Wow!  America is not far behind.

Hardly a day goes by when we don’t encounter bread.

Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Snoopy, and Woodstock take an automobile trip one day.  They take a loaf of bread and some lunch meat to make sandwiches on the trip.  Having divided up the bread, they make sandwiches and start eating.

All except Charlie Brown, that is!  It seems his share of the loaf got slammed into the hood of the car.

“Boy, Chuck, this is great,” says Peppermint Patty, “that was real generous of you to feed your share of the bread to the car.”  Everybody snickers except Charlie Brown.

“Notice,” continues Peppermint Patty, “how well the car is running since you gave it some bread!”

Our sermon text takes place right after the feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.  The crowds search for Jesus and find Him at Capernaum.  They question how He got there.  Jesus doesn’t answer but confronts them with the fact that they are not seeking the bread of heaven but earthly bread.  Jesus warns them to work for the brad that endures eternally, not the loaves which perish. Continue reading →

Sermon for Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

July 26, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 3:14-21

Sermon Theme:  “A Prayer for Spirit-Filled Fullness”

 (Sources:  Anderson’s, Cycle B, Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Examples; original ideas; Believer’s Commentary; Online Christian jokes)

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

           Just as there are hymns in the Bible, both a whole book of them, as well as, songs imbedded throughout, there are prayers throughout the Bible, the Psalms being both songs and prayers.  The most cherished and most often prayed Bible prayer is known as the “Our Father” or “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Almost as well known are the three prayers Jesus prayed before His arrest, —  for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers, and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Like hymns and songs, prayers are commanded by God.  Psalm 148 says, “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures . . . wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds . . . “  How literal we are to take this I don’t know.

However, there is an old story about a pastor who went to a restaurant to eat, and, quite upset, he summons the waiter.

“What’s this fly doing in my soup?”  asks the pastor.

“Praying,” answers the waiter.

“Very funny,” says the pastor, “but I can’t eat this; take it back!”

“You see,” says the waiter, “the fly’s prayers were answered.”

Today’s sermon text from Ephesians is a lesser known prayer by the Apostle Paul.  From Jesus and the Bible, we learn how to model our own prayers.  Although Paul says he is kneeling as he prays this particular prayer, that does not mean kneeling must always be the posture for prayer.  We may pray as we walk, sit, recline, or even run, but our inner being must always kneel in reverence and humility.  We are kneeling and bowing our heads on the inside. Continue reading →