Sermon for June 28, 2015

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

June 28, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Lamentations 3:22-33

Sermon Theme:  “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”

 (Sources:  Brokhoff, Series B, Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Illustrations; Emphasis Online Commentaries; original ideas; Online Peanuts Quotes; Christian Jokes Online; Introduction to Lamentations, Concordia Self-Study Bible)

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

           The “dog days” of summer are about to begin, — when the triple digit heat index and the three-digit humidity make daily life miserable, especially without air-conditioning.

For people without hope, the “dog days of summer” hound them all year long, summer, fall, winter, and spring, — only the heat and humidity are within rather than without, and life is hopeless and miserable.

You know folks are in trouble when the woebegone husband says to the wife, “I married you, — now make me happy!”  It’s like when Charlie Brown said in a Peanuts comic strip, “I’ve developed a new philosophy.  I only dread one day at a time.”

In another strip, Lucy asks Charlie, “Why do you think we’re put here on earth, Charlie Brown?”

“To make others happy,” he replies.

Lucy responds, “I don’t think I’M making anyone very happy.”  After a pause, she continues, “Of course, no one is making ME very happy either!  SOMEBODY’S NOT DOING HIS JOB!” Continue reading

Sermon for June 21, 2015

Sermon for Father’s Day, Pentecost 4

June 21, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Mark 4:35-41

Sermon Theme:  “Does Jesus Care?”

 (Sources:  Brokhoff Series B Preaching Workbook; Father’s Day Quotes Online; Father’s Day Humor Online; Emphasis Online Commentary; Emphasis Online Illustrations; original ideas; Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook)

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

On Father’s Day, we recognize how important the father is in the rearing of children.  After all, God has honored fathers by using the term “father” to refer to Himself; He could have used “uncle” or “colonel” or “CEO.”  More about that later, but suffice it to say, — as fathers, because of the role we play in the family, we must be careful of what we do and what we say.

After the church service a little boy told his pastor, “When I grow up, I’m going to give you some money.”

“Well, thank you,” the pastor replied, “but why?”

“Because,” said the boy, “my daddy says you’re one of the poorest preachers we’ve ever had!’

Little Susan was mother’s helper.  She helped set the table when guests were due to dinner.  Presently everything was on, the guest came in, and everyone sat down.  Then Mother noticed something was missing.

“Susan,” she said, “You didn’t put a knife and fork at Mr. Smith’s place.”

“I thought he wouldn’t need them,” explained Susan, “Daddy says he always eats like a horse.”

In some instances, it’s the mother who helps the child understand God and develop a religious life, but the father should be involved in this, too, and he often is.

A father was at the beach with his children when his four-year-old son Bob ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore, where a seagull lay dead in the sand.

“Daddy, what happened to him?”  Bob asked.

“He died and went to heaven,” the dad replied.

Bob thought for a moment and then said, “Did God throw him back down?” Continue reading

Sermon for June 14, 2015

Sermon for Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 14, 2014, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Texts:  Ezekiel 17:22-14 and Mark 4:26-34

Sermon Theme:  “God’s Arbor”

 (Sources:  Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentary; Emphasis Online Illustrations; Christian Jokes Online; Peanuts Comic Strips; original ideas; Harper’s Bible Dictionary; Believer’s Commentary)

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

           Father Murphy, the priest, walked into a pub and said to the first man he met, “Do you want to go to heaven?”

The man replied, “I do, Father.”

The priest said, “Then stand over there against the wall.”

Then the priest asked a second man, “Do you want to go to heaven?”

“Certainly, Father,” was the man’s reply.

The priest said, “Then stand over there against the wall.”

Then Father Murphy walked up to O’Toole and said, “Do you want to go to heaven?”

O’Toole said, “No, I don’t Father.”

The priest said, “I don’t believe this.  You mean to tell me that when you die you don’t want to go to heaven?”

O’Toole said, “Oh, when I die, yes!  I thought you were getting a group together to go right now.”

Today’s lectionary missed Arbor Day by one month and 20 days, — it’s the last Friday of the month of April, — but both of our sermon texts are about trees, the Old Testament from Ezekiel and the Gospel of Mark.  The metaphor of the trees and the parable of the trees shed some light on O’Toole’s misunderstanding. Continue reading

Sermon for June 07, 2015

Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 5

June 7, 2015, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Mark 3:20-35

Sermon Theme:  “A Very Disturbing Gospel Text: There’s Nothing Crazy about Jesus!”

 (Sources:  Anderson, Cycle B, Preaching Workbook;  Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Illustrations; original ideas; Online Christian Jokes; footnotes, Concordia Self-Study Bible)

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

           Reverend Billy Graham tells of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon.  Wanting to mail a letter, he asked a young boy where the post office was.  When the boy told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, “If you’ll come to the Baptist Church this evening, you can hear me telling everyone how to get to heaven.”

“I don’t think I’ll be there,” the boy replied, “you don’t even know your way to the post office.” Continue reading

Sermon for May 31, 2015

Sermon for Holy Trinity/Graduate Recognition Sunday

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas

Sermon Text:  Isaiah 6:1-8

Sermon Theme:  “Teach Me, Lead Me, and Send Me, Lord”

 

(Sources:  Brokhoff’s Series B Preaching Workbook; Anderson’s Cycle B Preaching Workbook; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Illustrations; my ideas from Images, May 28, 2015; other original ideas; Famous Online Graduation Quotes; Funny Online Graduation Quotes; Harper’s Bible Dictionary)

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

           College Commencement speeches are usually much longer than high school graduation speeches, probably because colleges pay big money to hire famous speakers who feel they earn their money by making long speeches.  High school graduation speeches are usually given by students and are much shorter.  And sometimes better.

Some people dread attending graduation ceremonies, because many commencement addresses over the years have been very boring.  In past years, when I would start my sermon on Graduate Sunday, some members probably mumbled under their breath, “Oh dear, not another Commencement speech!”

Because of that attitude, there has been in recent years an attempt by many speakers to be funny, or at least to have a few funny one-liners.  Melanie White told a group of high school grads, “Now that you’ve graduated, just remember:  Bosses don’t usually accept notes from your mother.”

An auditorium full of college graduates listened to Arnold Schwarzenegger tell them:  “Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.”

My favorite one has probably been around so long it is considered anonymous:  “Go to it. Be bold.  Be true. Be kind.  Rotate your tires.  Don’t drink so much.  There aren’t going to be enough liver transplants to go around.” Continue reading

Graduate Recognition Reception

Hannah Cline, Lexie Brzozowski, and Tammy Herrera, three of our graduates enjoying the reception for them on Graduate Recognition Sunday, May 31.  Hannah received a Master's from UTMB, Lexie will graduate from Brazos High School on June 5, and Tammy received a Master's from Lamar University.  Not pictured is Matthew Grissom who earned a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Houston.

Hannah Cline, Lexie Brzozowski, and Tammy Herrera, three of our graduates enjoying the reception for them on Graduate Recognition Sunday, May 31. Hannah received a Master’s from UTMB, Lexie will graduate from Brazos High School on June 5, and Tammy received a Master’s from Lamar University. Not pictured is Matthew Grissom who earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Houston.

Pictured at the Graduate Recognition Reception at the church, left to right, are Peggy Spitzenberger, Lexie Brzozowski (a graduate), and Kim Powers.

Pictured at the Graduate Recognition Reception at the church, left to right, are Peggy Spitzenberger, Lexie Brzozowski (a graduate), and Kim Powers.

The beautiful cake for the graduates was provided by Steve and Sue Grissom, parents of Matthew, one of the grads.

The beautiful cake for the graduates was provided by Steve and Sue Grissom, parents of Matthew, one of the grads.