Sermon for Easter Sunday

April 20, 2014, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Colossians 3:1-4

Sermon Theme:  “Seek the Things Above”

 (Sources:  Anderson’s Preaching Workbook, Cycle A; Concordia Pulpit Resources, Volume 24, Part 2, Series A; original ideas; Emphasis Online Illustrations and Commentaries)

 Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The kettle drums roll their thunder!  The bass drum booms and floors shake while snare drums vibrate and timbers resonate!  News is to be announced!  The crescendo is here!  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!

When the bass boomed, God spoke to Moses on fiery Mount Zion, and the ground shook!

As the Lord spoke to Elijah on top of the mountain, the firmament trembled as creation waited for the silent whispered Word from the LORD. Continue reading →

Sermon for Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon Theme:  “The Paradox of the Triumphal Entry”

(Sources:  Emphasis Online Illustrations; Emphasis Online Commentary; Concordia Pulpit Resources, Volume 24, Part 2, Series A; Online Commentary on ‘Israel Demands a King’; Anderson’s Preaching Workbook, Cycle A; original ideas)

 Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 As people in a democracy, we Americans have always had difficulty viewing a “king” as a good thing, whereas, today, in England, citizens still have a very positive attitude toward kings and queens.  We still have a bad taste in our mouth about George III who was King of England and our bitter enemy in 1776.

Another King of England, also named George, George V, was monarch of England during World War I.  Although he was a rather incompetent king, he was esteemed by the people. 

He once paid a visit to the city of Leeds, England.  Elaborate preparations were made for his coming.  Excited crowds filled the streets to wave and cheer.  There was a large elementary school in Leeds with a playground parallel to the railway line.  His majesty agreed to wave to the boys and girls as the royal train passed by on the last day of the visit.

The boys and girls crowded to the playground wall overlooking the railway.  Soon the train, moving slowly, emerged from a long tunnel and gradually drew alongside the playground.  Then the king himself emerged from the royal coach and stood on a small platform where all could see him.  He wore no crown or purple robe, but was dressed in a plain suit, just like an ordinary man.  From his jacket pocket he plucked a bright handkerchief with which he waved to the cheering children. Continue reading →

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

April 6, 2014, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Romans 8:1-11

Sermon Theme: “The Spirit of God Dwelling in You”

(Sources:  Emphasis online Illustrations; Concordia Pulpit Resources, Volume 24, Part 2, Series A; original ideas; Anderson’s Preaching Workbook, Cycle A; online songs; online movie summary.)

 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 During World War II, a Dutch family was arrested by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their home.  The family was placed in a cattle car of a train to be taken to one of the death camps.  They rode all night and spent the time fearful of what lay ahead. 

Finally, as daylight was breaking, the train stopped. The door of the cattle car was opened, and they were told to get out.  Fearing the worst, they looked around . . . and they saw they were not at a death camp.  In fact, they weren’t even in Germany.  They were in Switzerland.  During the night, some courageous and daring person had tripped a switch and sent the train to Switzerland and freedom.  Instead of being sent to certain death, they were welcomed to new life. Continue reading →

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 30, 2014, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Ephesians 5:8-14

Sermon Theme:  “Living in the Light”

 (Sources:  Emphasis online Illustrations; original ideas and examples; Anderson’s Preaching Workbook, Cycle A; Believer’s Commentary)

 Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Living in the light took on a whole new dimension for my grandparents in 1942 or 1943, when electricity finally came to their farm home.  The REA (Rural Electric Association) had come to Lee County in 1939, but at that point in time, my grandparents could not afford the $8 per month it would cost them.  That was not a good year for most farmers in the area, but four years later, cotton prices were better, so Grandpa signed up for electricity.  This was a time in their lives they had been looking forward to for a long time with great excitement.

This wonderfully bright lighting was especially good for my grandmother, as doing the intricate needlework she did by the light of a kerosene lamp was a struggle.  In town, my parents had had electricity for some time, and the contrast between electric light bulbs and kerosene lamp light was almost the difference between light and darkness itself.

The joy, anticipation, and excitement of the farmers in Dime Box were dampered somewhat by fear and apprehension.  Old timers like my grandfather were afraid of electricity.  What if it leaked out of the power lines coming into the house?  Will it kill us in our sleep? Continue reading →