Lent

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✠ Psalmody: Ezekiel 36:23b, 24b, 25a, 26a; Psalm 34:1; Psalm 34:11, 5; 33:12, 6; Psalm 103:10; 79:8–9; Psalm 66:8–9, 20; John 9:11 ✠ Lection: Ezekiel 36:23a, 23c-28; Isaiah 1:16-19 ; John 9:1-38 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. It’s no light matter to be a prophet, or to at least speak as one. For what is a prophet? It is a man who speaks on behalf of God. This very fact alone makes such speech highly important, for who would dare speak on behalf of the all-mighty, all-powerful Creator of all things without being told, asked,Read More →

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✠ Psalmody: Isaiah 66:10a, 11a; Psalm 122:1; Psalm 122:1, 7; Psalm 125:1–2; Psalm 135:3, 6a; Psalm 122:3–4 ✠ Lection: Exodus 16:2–21; Galatians 4:22—5:1a; John 6:1–15 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Lord is always right on time. He is neither early nor late, for His ways are perfect. Whether we see our current time as a heyday, on the verge of one, or far beyond the last hope of one, none of this time has the significance of what is to come in the life of the world to come. As we journey through thisRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 31:6b–7a; 1; Psalm 6:2a, 2b-3a; Psalm 103:10; 79:8–9; Psalm 109:21a; Psalm 16:11a ✠ Lection: Exodus 20:12-24a ; Matthew 15:1-20 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. From atop Mount Sinai thundered the Lord’s giving of the Ten Commandments; good and holy words from a good and holy God. Every single one of them pure, without a shred of cruelty in them that should ever cause us to detest their existence. They describe a reality that exists in and by the one Who Is. May we never view or treat the Law of God asRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:15–16; 1–2a; Psalm 9:19, 3; Psalm 123:1–3a; Psalm 19:8a, 10b–11a; Psalm 84:3–4 ✠ Lection: Exodus 8:16–24; Ephesians 5:1–9; Luke 11:14–28 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Grosser than a bulletin graphic of a mute demon coming out of a man’s mouth is the widespread effect of sin, demons, and the prince of demons upon us. Jesus is the greater prince, the Prince of Peace, Who holds authority over the winds and the sea, over the powers and principalities waging war in the heavenly places all for the spoils of the souls of man.Read More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 38:21–22; 1; Psalm 28:9a, 1; Psalm 103:10; 79:8–9; Psalm 25:1–3a; Psalm 11:7 ✠ Lection: Greek Esther 13:8b–11, 15–17; Matthew 20:17-28 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Though we don’t live under a king, at least not since 1776, the concept of a kingdom still remains. There are kingdoms all over the face of the earth; dominions, regions organized by set borders with leaders over each that have either been elected, have inherited rule, or taken it by force. God uses all in such authority, for there is no authority except from God, andRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:6, 2b, 22; 1–2a; Psalm 25:17–18; Matthew 15:26–28a; Psalm 119:47–48a; Psalm 5:1b–2 ✠ Lection: Genesis 32:22–30; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–7; Matthew 15:21–28 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Lord remembers in that He never forgets the way that we do; forgetting to turn the stove off, forgetting to stop by the store on the way home, forgetting to wash the forehead after getting home from Ash Wednesday evening service. He isn’t susceptible to forgetfulness as we are, meaning that in His omniscience He knows everything that has happened, is happening, including our secretRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:6, 2b, 22; 1–2a; Psalm 25:17-18; Psalm 25:17b–18, 1–3; Psalm 119:47–48a; Psalm 5:1b–2 ✠ Lection: Exodus 24:12-18; 1 Kings 19:3b-8 ; Matthew 12:38-50 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. It is evil and adulterous because of how it questions the trustworthiness of the heavenly Bridegroom by demanding that He prove Himself more than He already has, does, and promises to. A demand for a sign from God outside the bounds of what He has given reveals not a lack on His part, but onRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Psalm 91:15a, c–16a; 1; Psalm 91:11-12; Psalm 91:1–7, 11–16; Psalm 91:4; Psalm 91:4 ✠ Lection: Genesis 3:1–21;2 Corinthians 6:1–10;Matthew 4:1–11 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The serpent is more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God has made. The evil and wily foe is your enemy, a no-longer-holy angel who has set himself against the Lord and His elect and has all manners of hostility and malice in his heart toward you. Your demise, your pain, your suffering your unbelief and faithlessness is the goal of all attacks broughtRead More →

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✠ Psalmody: Wisdom 11:23a, 24b, 23c;Psalm 57:1a;Psalm 57:1a, 3a;Psalm 103:10;79:8-9;Psalm 30:1–2;Psalm 1:2b, 3b ✠ Lection: Joel 2:12–19; 2 Peter 1:2–11; Matthew 6:16-21 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. As you sit with ashes upon your head this evening reminded of your mortality, take heart, for the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Even mortality is good news in Jesus Christ. It is good news in winter, spring, and summer. It is good news in somber Lent when we are bidden by God to takeRead More →

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Sermon: The reading of the Passion: Palmarum – Sunday 24 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 22:19, 21;22:1, 7-8, 11;73:23b-24, 1-3;22: 1, 6, 19, 22, 31 ✠ Lection: Exodus 15:27—16:7a; Luke 19:29–40;Philippians 2:5-11;Matthew 26:1-27:66 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. By your mouths this morning, you spoke harrowing words about the Lord Jesus, saying, “Let Him be crucified!…Let Him be crucified!” We not only consider this Palm Sunday, but The Sunday of the Passion, because by entering into Holy Week, the Church has historically used this Sunday to begin reading in its gatherings the Passion accountsRead More →

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Judica Mid-Week – Wednesday 20 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 43:1-2a;43:3-5;143:9a, 10a;18:48a, c;129:1-4 ✠ Lection: Leviticus 19:1-2a, 10b-19a, 25b; St. John 10:22-38 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Those who believe Jesus, follow Jesus. They say rightly that He is a king. For this cause He was born, and for this cause He has come into the world, that He should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears the voice of Jesus. As He taught truth, He was confronted, He was surrounded by those who question Who He is, thusRead More →

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Judica – Sunday 17 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 43:1-2a;43:3-5;143:9a, 10a;18:48a, c;129:1-4 ✠ Lection: Genesis 22:1-19;Hebrews 9:11-15;St. John 8:46-59a In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places venerate the crucifix, which depicts the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also truly meet, right, and salutary to consider and repeatedly consider the beautiful symbolism that we employ in our worship and in our daily lives as Christians. We often adorn our own bodies with small crucifixes hung from ourRead More →

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Laetare Mid-Week – Wednesday 13 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Isaiah 66:10a, 11a;Psalm 122:1-2, 6, 8;122:1, 7;125:1-2 ✠ Lection: Ezekiel 36:23a, 23c–28; Isaiah 1:16-19; St. John 9:1-38   In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations. Children receive the satisfying nourishment from their mother, and, as we heard on Laetare, we are fed and sustained by the Food that comes down to us from above. The Jerusalem above is free, which isRead More →

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Laetare – Sunday 10 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Isaiah 66:10a, 11a;Psalm 122:1-2, 6, 8;122:1, 7;125:1-2 ✠ Lection: Exodus 16:2-21;Galatians 4:22—5:1a;St. John 6:1-15 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Rejoice and be glad in Jesus, priceless treasure, fount of purest pleasure, for He pours down enduring abundance from heaven for you in His good gifts of Word and Sacrament. In a world where you need more than bread alone, He feeds you with every word that proceeds out of His mouth. He feeds you with what you need to endure, to thrive, to build one anotherRead More →

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Oculi Mid-week – Wednesday 6 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:15-16;25:1-2, 17-18, 20;9:19, 3;123:1-3 ✠ Lection: Exodus 20:12–24a;St. Matthew 15:1–20 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. To eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man, yet our modern minds kind of half agree with the scribes and Pharisees that it’s a bad idea not to wash our hands before we eat. After all, haven’t we been enlightened to know that there are microscopic dangers lurking about waiting for us to forgetfully not wash our hands so that they can get us and make usRead More →

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Oculi – Sunday 3 March A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:15-16;25:1-2, 17-18, 20;9:19, 3;123:1-3 ✠ Lection: Exodus 8:16-24;Ephesians 5:1-9;St. Luke 11:14-28 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; Look upon mine affliction and my pain; And forgive all my sins. We beseech You, almighty God, to look upon the hearty desires of Your humble servants; Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, And as the eyes of a maiden untoRead More →

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Reminiscere Mid-week – Wednesday 28 February A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 25:1–2a, 7–8, 11; antiphon: vv. 6, 2b, 22;Psalm 25:17–18;Psalm 106:1–4 ✠ Lection: Esther 13:8-11, 15-17 (Apocryphal); St. Matthew 20:17-28    In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Faith not only peers into the unseen with hope, but it endures, yea, it embraces the seen as part of Christ’s work; not the wickedness of this evil age, but the Lord’s use of it, especially in service to one another. Only He can take what is meant for evil and make it for good. He makes it for goodRead More →

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Invocavit Mid-week – Wednesday 21 February A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 91:15a, c, 16;91:1-2, 9-10, 13;91:11–12;91:1, 2 4a ✠ Lection: Exodus 24:12–18;1 Kings 19:3b–8;St. Matthew 12:38–50 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. When we gather around the Table of Christ to taste forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, to receive into our own person eternity, let us not take even a singular moment for granted. Repent for any moment that you take God and His gifts for granted as He brings heaven to earth in His Divine Service. Turn and ever lift up your hearts toRead More →

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Invocavit – Sunday 18 February A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 91:15a, c, 16;91:1-2, 9-10, 13;91:11–12;91:1, 2, 4a ✠ Lection: Genesis 3:1-21;2 Corinthians 6:1-10;St. Matthew 4:1-11 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation. This is what happened in the Garden when the serpent of old deceived our first parents. The devil is a created being, so taking on the Creator head-to-head in a battle of opposing strength or might is obviously, even in a fallen angel’s eyes, foolish with no possibility of success. In order toRead More →

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Ash Wednesday – Wednesday 14 February A✠D 2024 ✠ Psalmody: Psalm 69:16,1;31:2b–3;1, 5, 9, 16;57:1a, 3a;103:10;79:8, 9 ✠ Lection: Joel 2:12–19;2 Peter 1:2–11;St. Matthew 6:16-21 In the Name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hypocrisy is very rewarding, especially if you’re good at it. To be a hypocrite is to be aware, to acknowledge, to desire something that is good and to do what is necessary to obtain it. In and of itself, such a tactic in life isn’t necessarily bad. If we see godly virtue as that which is good, then it is wise to pursue it, toRead More →