Judica 2025

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When God made our first parents, He made them to be the crown of His creation. He made them in His image.

This is the source of Satan’s rebellion. He envied man’s place. He despised that material creatures— he despised that a man and woman of flesh and bone—would be so exalted, would be God’s image-bearers in the cosmos. That—man’s place in God’s creation—is the point of attack.

Temptation to sin therefore is not a temptation to do this or that bad thing. The demonic temptation is for “man to cease being man” [Weinrich]. The goal of temptation is to destroy man….

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Jubilate 2023

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The world hates Christians. “They speak against you as evildoers.” It’s tempting to want to argue with them. People don’t get argued into the faith. Arguing just pulls us down into the passions we are called to avoid. God’s Word today tells us not to respond to evil with evil, but to respond only with good deeds….

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Reformation Sermon

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Lady Gaga tweeted on Friday, “Fame is prison.” I believe her.

“We … have never been enslaved” said the Jews to Jesus. I don’t believe them.

Our appetites enslave. Death imprisons.

Perhaps you’ve struggled with an addiction. Alcohol. Video games. Porn. Social media. Gazing into the electronic abyss, fondling your phone.

Maybe you’re mired in what seems an inescapable situation. A job; a marriage; a mental construct that tyrannizes your mind and desolates your soul.

For Luther, he saw he was imprisoned by his sin. He knew God demanded righteousness. And Luther knew he was not good, no matter how hard he tried…

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