Epiphany

"We are not saved by our ethics": Sermon by Prof. Pless before the March for Life

January 22, 2010

Immanuel hosts the Divine Service for Lutherans for Life before the March for Life in Washington DC every year. This morning we were privileged to have Professor John Pless (of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN) preaching. This is his outstanding sermon: Lutherans for Life Service 22 January 2010 Immanuel Lutheran Church Alexandria, VA +Jesu [...]

Read the full article →

Baptism of Our Lord

January 13, 2010

January 13 is the traditional date for the observance of the Baptism of Our Lord. The following is the sermon preached at Immanuel’s Divine Service for the Feast. The Gospel reading is Matthew 3:13-17. One of the first things to go when pastors start tinkering with the church’s liturgy is the absolution. Some pastors are [...]

Read the full article →

Epiphany and evangelism

January 7, 2010

At the time in question, the Wise Men journeyed very far and spared no pains to find Jesus. Now it’s the Christian Church’s calling to make the long journey and spare no effort to reach out to all people with the message of what happened in Bethlehem. The Gospel is for the whole world. -Bo [...]

Read the full article →

Epiphany

January 6, 2010

Today’s Gospel: St. Matthew 2:1-12 St. Augustine, that great doctor of the Church, began his Confessions with this truth: Man bears his mortality with him, “carrying with him the witness of his sin…. Nevertheless,” he continues, “to praise you is the desire of man, a little piece of your creation. You stir man to take [...]

Read the full article →

The detour of God's Word

January 6, 2010

C.F.W. Walther on the Epiphany (which we celebrate this day): Even more wonderful than the circumstances of this account [of the Wise Men searching for the newborn King] is the fact that God chose to lead the Wise Men to Bethlehem, not exclusively by the star, but also via a detour. The Jewish king, with [...]

Read the full article →

Transfiguration

February 7, 2009

I’m posting this rather late; Transfiguration this year was on February 1.   Myth. Fable. Fraud. Such is the verdict that so-called intellectuals issue regarding the birth, miracles, and resurrection of Jesus. Certainly the Transfiguration would fall under the same condemnation. Jesus’ face shining like the sun? His clothes as white as the light? Moses [...]

Read the full article →

Glory from all eternity

January 31, 2009

I’d post this on the Historic Lectionary blog, but I need the Logomaniac to up my permissions (hint hint). St. Ephraem on the Transfiguration: He took them therefore up to the mountain, that He might show them His Kingdom, before they witnessed His suffering and death; and His glory before His ignominy: so that when [...]

Read the full article →

Guest post: Epiphany sermon

January 19, 2009

My friend, colleague, and elder brother in the faith, Chaplain Jonathan Shaw, often preaches for me when I am away from Immanuel. Here is his sermon for Epiphany:   Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Our text is the Epiphany Holy Gospel.  “Thus it [...]

Read the full article →

First Sunday after Epiphany

January 13, 2009

The Gospel reading is the historic one for this Sunday: Luke 2.41-52. In today’s Gospel, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. When the feast is over, Joseph and Mary begin the journey home, traveling with a large group of their relatives and friends. They imagine that Jesus is with [...]

Read the full article →