Sermon: Proper 20 (OT)
Pentecost 14 — 18 September AD 2011
Sermon Theme: Don’t Delay the Search
Summary: If someone is lost, delaying the search party might mean death. For lost sinners, delaying the search for God could mean eternal death in hell.
However, lost sinners are unable to do that which God commands. We cannot “Seek the Lord while he may be found”; we cannot “call upon him while he is near.” However, when God commands faith, He also creates it. When He tells us to receive His gifts, He grants us hands to grasp them and hearts to hold them.
We find Him where and when He tells us: In the preaching of His Word. We receive His gifts of faith, forgiveness, new life, and salvation in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and in Holy Communion. We receive them in the community of Faith, Jesus’ Church. No other time or place is guaranteed but we can trust that our search is answered every time we gather to hear God’s Word proclaimed — the Law in full severity and the Gospel in absolute sweetness — and Christ’s sacraments administered according to His institution.
Text: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Don’t Delay the Search, preached at the 8:00 a.m. service to the saints of God at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marshall, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 27:1-9; Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30; Matthew 20:1-16
Technorati Tags: Proper 20 | Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost | 14th Sunday after Pentecost | Pentecost 14 | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Gospel | seek the Lord while He may be found | gift | justification | Word and Sacrament | Holy Baptism | Holy Absolution | Holy Communion | 18 September 2011 | September 18, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Isaiah 55 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Don’t Delay the Search | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
Sermon Theme: Don’t Delay the Search
Summary: If someone is lost, delaying the search party might mean death. For lost sinners, delaying the search for God could mean eternal death in hell.However, lost sinners are unable to do that which God commands. We cannot “Seek the Lord while he may be found”; we cannot “call upon him while he is near.” However, when God commands faith, He also creates it. When He tells us to receive His gifts, He grants us hands to grasp them and hearts to hold them.
We find Him where and when He tells us: In the preaching of His Word. We receive His gifts of faith, forgiveness, new life, and salvation in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and in Holy Communion. We receive them in the community of Faith, Jesus’ Church. No other time or place is guaranteed but we can trust that our search is answered every time we gather to hear God’s Word proclaimed — the Law in full severity and the Gospel in absolute sweetness — and Christ’s sacraments administered according to His institution.
Text: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:6-9
Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Don’t Delay the Search, preached at the 8:00 a.m. service to the saints of God at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Marshall, Missouri.
Other Readings: Psalm 27:1-9; Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30; Matthew 20:1-16
Technorati Tags: Proper 20 | Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost | 14th Sunday after Pentecost | Pentecost 14 | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | theology | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law and Gospel | Law | Gospel | seek the Lord while He may be found | gift | justification | Word and Sacrament | Holy Baptism | Holy Absolution | Holy Communion | 18 September 2011 | September 18, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Christian Church | Isaiah 55 | sermon | preaching | homily | text | theme | topic | Don’t Delay the Search | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings
posted by Xrysostom | 18:25
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