Sermon for Pentecost/Memorial Day Sunday

May 24, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Acts 2:1-21

Sermon Theme:  “Pentecost:  The Antidote to Spiritual Emptiness, Misinterpretation and Misunderstanding”

 (Sources:  Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Examples; Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; original ideas; Wikipedia)

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

           A large part of the problem with God’s chosen people, the Israelites, was their disobedience, their faithlessness.  Another part of the problem, just as big, was misinterpretation of God’s Word on the part of the entrenched religious leaders, which caused misunderstanding on the part of the people.  The religious leaders drained the spirit out of their religion and narrowed it down to rituals and sacrifices.

David pleads in Psalm 51, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me . . . You do not delight in sacrifice . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.”

The Old Testament prophets had foretold the Messiah just as He appeared in Jesus, but the religious gurus misinterpreted His nature and work and led the people to misunderstanding.

It’s so easy to misinterpret, misunderstand, and mis-communicate, isn’t it?

A woman went to a marriage counselor and told him, “I want to divorce my husband.”

“Do you have any grounds for divorce?”  the counselor asked.

“Why, yes.  We have almost an acre.”

“You don’t understand,” said the counselor.  “What I want to know is if you and your husband have a grudge.”

“That we don’t have,” she said.  “But we do have a carport.”

“The counselor shook his head and said, “I’m sorry, but I still don’t see any reason why you should divorce your husband.”

“It’s just that the man can’t carry on an intelligent conversation,” she replied.

Understanding.  It’s the stuff of which great comedy routines are made.  From Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on first?” to the inspired nonsense of Lucille Ball or the gang from “Everybody Loves Raymond,” comedians have gotten a lot of mileage out of misunderstanding. Continue reading →

Sermon for Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 17, 2015

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  1 John 5:9-15

Sermon Theme:  “Get a Life!”

 (Sources:  Brokhof, Series B Preaching Workbook; Anderson Cycle B Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Sermon Illustrations; Online Famous Peanuts Quotes; original ideas; Online What Children Say Quotes; Wikipedia.)

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

           Today’s sermon text is about life, eternity, and faith.  John says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  The person who has Christ has eternal life.  Christ is life, and to have him by faith living in you is to have eternal life.  The emphasis is not upon “eternal” but upon “life.”  “Eternal” separates life in Christ from earthly life.  Physical life ends in death.  Spiritual life, found in Christ, never dies.  This life, “spiritual” life, begins here and now, right now.  It does not begin upon physical death.

No, “spiritual” life begins upon acceptance of Christ by faith as Lord and Savior.  So, heaven for a Christian actually begins now, not after physical death.

The meaning of life is something everybody puzzles about.  Sally Brown says in a Peanuts comic strip, “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.”  Charlie Brown remarks, “In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.”  As always, Snoopy has a different view on life, “My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy.  I can’t figure it out.  What am I doing right?” Continue reading →

Sermon for Mother’s Day, the Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2015

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  John 15:9-17

Sermon Theme:  “The Gift Goes On, — Or at Least It Should”

 (Sources:  Emphasis Online Commentaries; original ideas; Emphasis Online Illustrations: Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook)

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

           Last August, a little boy was interviewed prior to beginning school.  The interview went something like this:

“Any brothers?”

“No,” he answered.

“Any sisters?”

“No,” he again answered.

“Do you have any pets?”

“No, not right now,” the boy answered sadly.

Finally, almost out of frustration, the boy looked up with a smile on his face, and said, “But I do have some friends.”

Yes, and so do we all.  We have all been chosen to be Jesus’ friends.  Jesus says in our sermon text, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. . . . I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose me, but I chose you.”

Chosen, by Jesus Christ of all people!  We are special. We are all winners because of Christ.  He has called us to play on His team.  Losers, never!  Winners, always! Continue reading →

Sermonette for Friendship Sunday, May 3, 2015

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermonette Texts:  Psalm 23, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and John 10:10

Sermonette Theme:  “Wearing His Brand”

 (Sources:  Emphasis Commentaries; Emphasis Illustrations; original ideas; Weatherby’s SCV; Sermons4Kids.com; Wild West Cowboy Facts online; Cattle Brands Online; buildingonthe word.org, the Difference between Sheep and Cows; Campfire Cowboy Ministries Online)

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

           A sheep rancher decided to try something different.  He tried playing music for his sheep to soothe their nerves, make their spirits more tranquil, and put them in a mood for growing better wool and having more babies.  He got out his old Hi-Fi and a bunch of vinyl records and set it all up in the barn where the sheep gathered.

He was shocked to see his ram charge out of the shed, repeatedly ramming his head against a very solid corner fence post, — apparently intent on committing suicide.  Frantically trying to calm the animal and save its life, he finally paused long enough to listen to the music coming out of the barn.

The needle on the old-fashioned stereo record player had stuck in the groove, repeating at least 100 times Frank Sinatra’s immortal phrase, “There’ll never be another ewe.”

No doubt turning off the stereo saved the ram’s life. Continue reading →