St. Paul's Lockport Sermons

Sermon for Passion Sunday Yes the Jews, the Romans, and even we killed Jesus by our sin and rejection of Him. But in that Our Father made the way of our Salvation by having his son taking our sin on the cross and completing our redemption.

Sermon for Wednesday of Judica We can hear the comforting promises, we who suffer for righteousness sake, but it seems like God is acting slowly. This is why James advises patience.

Sermon for Judica, the fifth Sunday in Lent God’s goal has always been to dwell with us, to have heaven and earth come together. In the beginning, they were both good, but separate, and moving toward coming together. Since the fall into sin, there is a separation where the earth is corrupted and no longer a good image of heaven. We get glimpses of this throughout the Bible. Heaven has a glassy, ca...

Sermon for Wednesday of Laetare on James 4. Guest preacher Rev. Richard Bellas.

Sermon for Laetare, the fourth Sunday in Lent Moses provides just enough, even the manna everyone gets what they just need for the day, there are no leftovers. Jesus gives in the wilderness even more and in abundance.

Sermon for Wednesday of Oculi All beasts can be tamed, the cobra with his snake charmer is safer than the tongue in our mouth, which is apt to break through all training, all bonds and rules and spit out its poison on one occasion or another, unless we keep the utmost care. We have to watch it like a poisonous snake or rabid dog.

Sermon for Oculi, the third Sunday in Lent. We fight against the devil, renounce him and all his works and ways, in the power of Jesus Christ. We are the soldiers, and he is our king and General, the Lord of Sabaoth. 

Guest Sermon by Rev. Richard Bellas

Sermon for Reminiscere, the second Sunday in Lent To struggle with God is to see all the circumstances be horrible like God won’t keep his promises. Feel like God won’t hear, doesn’t care, have absolutely nothing good for us that we can tell, and yet still hold on to Him in faith.

First Lent Midweek service on the epistle of St. James Doers do not have to lie to themselves or anyone else. We have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus and only do because we have heard and believed. We live in freedom.

Sermon for Invocavit, the first Sunday in Lent The devil attacks Christ for 40 days in the wilderness, yet Christ resists by the Word of God. Why does he allow himself to be led into the wilderness to be subjected to this? He obeys the will of his father so He may defend us from all the attacks of the devil.   We often do not think of how the devil wishes to attack and harass us, just thinking of...

Sermon for Ash Wednesday Everyone comes to the same end, no matter what your lot in life was – rich or poor, slave or free, man or woman, we all return to dust.

Sermon for Quinquagesima Jesus reveals clearly what he has to do to enter his kingdom, but the disciples do not understand. Christ’s purpose in Jerusalem is hidden from the twelve, they are blind to it. The disciples have the idea that Jesus is a victorious king, they don’t want Him to go to become king by suffering, but this is the more excellent way. This is the way that comes to us, that truly...

Sermon for Sexagesima Sunday. Our own idolatry is believing that the Word of God Does not produce fruit. The solution is to hold to the Word of God with patience and steadfastness.

Sermon for Septuagesima Sunday. Paul compares the Christian life to that of an athlete – all compete but not all win the prize. Just training and participating does not mean the crown is yours All in the wilderness could claim being a part of Moses’ group, being their from the beginning, but they did not seek the prize – they fell in the wilderness and only Caleb and Joshua of that generation coul...

Preached at Matins service for Northern Illinois Confessional Lutherans.

Sermon on the Feast of the Transfiguration. Only through Jesus Christ can we approach God. This is how he comes down and touches us. The thin place between heaven and earth is not on the mountain of transfiguration. It is here, where Christ promises to be. Where Jesus commands to baptize in his name, he is there. There in the water is God Himself, giving his life to these little children.

Sermon for the Baptism of Our Lord (observed) In John’s gospel, we run into John the Baptist where everything is done and over for him. He’s completed his mission. The baptism is done. He has identified the Christ, and now is pointing his own disciples, Andrew and Peter, James and John, to follow Jesus instead. As he says “He must increase, and I must decrease.” To reveal, to point, and bear witne...

Sermon for Epiphany (Observed) Nothing in the human senses can perceive over such great distances as the eye – and nothing transmits to the eye over such great distances as light. It’s said in good conditions can one can see a lighted match in the dark many miles away. From ancient times lighthouses have been used to keep sailors away from shoals – even in heavy storms the light comes through. And...

Sermon for the Eve of the Circumcision and Name of JESUS And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. What’s in a name? Now that my wife is pregnant with our third child, we are, of course, going through the exciting discussion of what to name the child. We know names are important – often we choose the...

The gospel of John begins the same way as the book of Genesis at the start of the Old Testament: in the beginning. John wants us to know that this is a testimony of the work of God that is just as important as that creation account written by Moses at the very beginning. The Word who was there in the beginning with God creating the world is the same Word who John writes about in His gospel. When w...

Sermon for the fourth Sunday in Advent, Rorate Coeli. Guest preacher - Rev. Richard Bellas

Sermon for Commemoration of Katharina Von Bora Luther, Advent 3 Midweek Today’s saint to end our advent midweek services is a little different. In comparison to Nicholas and Lucia who lived in the 300s AD, Katharina Von Bora Luther is almost modern, dying on this day in 1552. She is not classically regarded as a saint, but is a saint both in the sense that all who have faith in Christ are saints,...

Sermon for Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent Today is a day of joy, even though we hear about John in prison. Because joy is not one that comes from circumstance, but from our Lord Jesus Christ. John directed his disciples to Christ in order to get final assurance that it was to him he would be accountable. When we realize all things are accountable to Jesus Christ, we live in a different...

Guest sermon by Rev. Richard Bellas on the Feast of St. Lucia of Syracuse.