SPLC Sermon Podcast

If the Gospel cannot be comprehended earned or comprehended by our strength, status, or intellect, then how do we come to know the gospel? How do we come to faith? ‌ This week, Paul explains how this works.  ‌ The first thing he says is “This is why I preached so meekly, plainly, and simply to you: I wanted the Spirit’s power in bringing you to faith to be so obvious to you that you wouldn’t base...

If you’re a Christian, you’ve been baptized into Jesus Christ and share in his victory over sin, death, and the devil.  And yet you and I still sin, none of us will escape death, and until that day comes we are routinely assaulted by the devil and his forces.  Does that sound like victory to you?  Are we sure that the the Son of God’s state-sanctioned torture and public execution is really victory...

The Corinthian church was dealing with something that nearly every church must wrestle with at some point or another: division over cults of personality. Paul makes clear to them — and to us today — that there is just no room in the Church for that kind of thing. Feeling affection toward a dear believer, in this case a particular pastor or leader, is not the issue. The problem arises when pockets...

When St. Paul was writing to the Corinthians, he expected the Lord Jesus to return very soon (easily within his own lifetime). This is why he mentions to the Corinthians that they’re not lacking any gift from God while they wait for Jesus to be revealed. And that bit — the waiting for Jesus part — is actually the end of a chain of three links.  God’s grace — his undeserved favor and gifts — was gi...

Baptism unites us to Jesus in such a way that what happened at his baptism also happens at our own baptism:‌ The Holy Spirit descends upon us;‌ Heaven opens to us and the Father says “This is my beloved child; with him/her I am well-pleased;”‌ We are united to Jesus’ perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection from the grave. Holy Baptism is one of the Christian's greatest comforts and assu...

Happy New Year! This is the time for making New Year’s Resolutions, right? Those are all predicated on the idea that if I can just change my lifestyle, then the change I’m hoping for will come. In some cases, that works! But in other cases, that’s a little unrealistic.  Perhaps part of what you’re considering as we begin a new year is how you might “be a better Christian.” You know what I mean: ac...

2,700 years ago, King Ahaz was in an impossible situation. His city, Jerusalem, was surrounded by hostile armies. Death was at the gates. The prophet Isaiah is sent to Ahaz with a message of hope. But this is a message that Ahaz rejects. See, the despair was too deep. It was easier to give up hope than it was to have faith in God. God would be justified in saying "Alright, Ahaz, have it your...

Isn't it fun to give good news? In today's sermon text (Isaiah 35:1-10), the prophet gives some really good news: "Your God will come to save you!" And 700 years after Isaiah made this announcement, it came true. In Matthew 11, Jesus quotes Isaiah 35 to make this point: The Messianic Age that Isaiah prophesied has begun! God has come to save us! He’s come to deliver us from bon...

A major theme of advent is the relationship of Jesus’ 1st coming to his 2nd coming. What we saw last week in Isaiah 2:1-5 has already been partially fulfilled in Jesus. But it’s not completely fulfilled in Jesus — yet! So we have reason to cry out, along with God’s people from every time and place, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel!” This week in Isaiah 11:1-10 , the prophet proclaims that Jesse’s Branch...

Advent is a short time, often thought of as little more than the freeway on-ramp to Christmas. But this is a somber season, and it's one worth observing on its own merits. The color of the season is blue, reminding us that our Lord will return to us just as he left us: from the sky. And we wait for his return because we need his return. He has died to take away the sins of the world. He rose...

On this special Thanksgiving Eve service, we see how the warning from Moses to Israel in Deuteronomy 8 -- "You don't live by bread alone, but by everything that comes from the mouth of the LORD" -- is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we are already perfectly grateful, thankful, and dependent on God for all things.  ------------------------ At St. Peter’s Lutheran Churc...

We tend to primarily think of Jesus as the one who died on the cross for our sins, and rightly so! But did you know that Jesus' atoning death has cosmic implications?  St. Paul writes to the Colossians that the sum total of God dwelled bodily in Jesus Christ. This means that Jesus' death on the cross reconciles all things, whether in heaven or on earth (that is, the entire universe). Jes...

When God's promises feel stale and weak, remember that his love and power is shown in the fact that he speaks to us at all! Malachi prophesied to the 4th generation since the city of Jerusalem and its temple were both rebuilt. The long-awaited Messiah (prophesied by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others) was nowhere to be seen. God's promises were left unfulfilled, or so it seemed.  Malachi enter...

Last week we celebrated the Church Militant — that is, the Church here on earth. That’s the part of the Church that’s still fighting the good fight. This week we celebrate the Church Triumphant — those who’ve finished their fight and now rest from their labors. The example of the saints gives us strength and courage not because of them but because of Jesus in them and through them. The grace that...

Psalm 46 is the scripture that Martin Luther famously set to music in the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."  Sometimes this is thought of as the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation." But for Luther, this hymn was more about comfort than about triumph. Luther agonized over this question: "Where can I find a friendly God? How do I know that God isn't angry with me? How...

In order to enter the kingdom of heaven at all, we must do it as children do: By faith. Faith says what the tax collector said: “God, I am a sinner in need of your mercy. Grant it to me for the sake of Jesus Christ!” In opposition to all this is the approach of the Pharisee - the one to whom, at least on paper, the kingdom of heaven was definitely open to! He checked all the right boxes, was pious...

God has promised so much to us. The breadth and depth of what God has done for us is something we’re going to marvel at for all eternity.  But sometimes, even oftentimes, we get lax and lazy. We don’t take hold of what God has done. In fact, we take it for granted. And granted to us it is! But we don’t appreciate it, we don’t build our lives upon it. We don’t trust the one who’s proven himself to...

The Old Testament book of Ruth is a story. What makes stories good? Relatable characters, an engaging setting, rising and falling tension. All things you might have covered in middle school English classes.  Another narrative device that’s often used to spice up a story is the surprise reveal. Such a reveal hardly ever occurs at or near the beginning of a story, because then it would just be part...

Centuries ago, one of God's prophets wondered if God was still really for His people. Was He even still with His people? The book of Habakkuk, tucked in near the end of the Old Testament, follows the conversation between the titular prophet and God. And here's the answer to Habakkuk's questions: Yes, God is still for us and with us. He always is and always will be. If circumstances...

Things we run away from and things we run toward both have something in common: they're something outside of us that empowers us and excites us to run. In 1 Timothy 6, the Apostle Paul gives Christians something to both run from and something to run toward.  What are we supposed to flee? The love of money, because this love is a root of all kinds of evil.  What are we supposed to pursue? Righ...

Ever since the fall from grace (back in the Garden of Eden), creation has not been what it was meant to be.  But now, in these days between the completed work of Jesus Christ and his return for judgment, what once was and what shall be in the age to come is also blooming into flower here and now.  And this happens first of all in the church.  In St. Paul's first letter to Timothy, we see how...

The Gospel has been offensive to polite, proper, religious sensibilities since Jesus walked the earth. Jesus welcomes sinners, yes. Jesus shares fellowship with sinners, too! And more than just sharing fellowship with sinners, Jesus searches for us in our lost place and rejoices when he finds us. All the wealth and splendor of heaven — that is, the life of the Son of God —  is spent for your sake,...

In this life, good works are commanded of Christians. But they are not a means by which we earn our salvation or eternal life; Jesus earned both of those for us by his crucifixion and resurrection.  Hebrews 13 provides a Christian social ethic for believers: practice brotherly love and hospitality, be compassionate to those who are imprisoned or downtrodden, honor the estate of marriage, strive to...

The door to everlasting life and salvation stands open, and the Lord Jesus welcomes all who approach. But that door isn't going to stay open forever. In Luke 13, Jesus explains that when that door is shut (on the last day), many will knock and say "Let us in! We went to church and participated in the life of our congregation" and Jesus will say "Depart from me; I never knew you...

Baptism, often something that happens before we are old enough to remember it, is fundamental to the Christian life. So fundamental that we can never get over it, leave it behind, or move on from it.  Here's why: it's our baptism that joins us to both Christ's death and his resurrection!  In Colossians 3:1-11, St. Paul tells the Church what our baptism means with regard to Christ&ap...