Happenings

Sermons by Pastor Walter Snyder plus announcements, articles, videos, and anything else that doesn’t fit Ask the Pastor or the Luther Library.





06 May 2017

Easter 4A Sermon: The Sheep Hear His Voice

Preached on John 10:1-10
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Series A
Good Shepherd Sunday
6 May AD 2017

Title: The Sheep Hear His Voice (MP3 Audio)

Good Shepherd Sunday Summary: Clear communication isn’t always easy. Hearing difficulties, speaking troubles, background noises, and various distractions stand in the way. And in the case of hearing Jesus, Satan and false teachers pretend to be using our Lord’s voice when actually speaking lies.

However, Jesus says that His sheep will hear and follow. Amidst this world’s distractions, and even though He has ascended into heaven, we hear our Good Shepherd’s voice through the voices of faithful pastors who preach, teach, absolve, baptize, and commune us according to His Word.

It matters not the language, the dialect, or the accent, for His voice speaks throughout the world. He tells us that He loves us, that He died and rose for us, that He forgives all of our sins, and that He calls pastors to continue as His voice across the earth. Through them, Christ speaks His absolution, names and claims new sheep through Baptism, and calls them to eat and drink His body and blood in Holy Communion.

Text: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:1-10

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 The Sheep Hear His Voice.

NB: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 23; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 2:19-25

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27 March 2016

Easter Day Sermon: I Know

Preached on Job 19:23-27
The Resurrection of Our Lord
27 March AD 2016

Title: I Know (MP3 Audio)

Job's Faith Summary: “I know that my Redeemer lives!”

Job is convinced that even in the midst of crushing loss and excruciating pain, He rests secure in God’s hands. Furthermore, he is certain of his own resurrection, no longer how long or how completely his body decays.

The agony of this righteous man foreshadows the greater agony of the completely righteous Man who would bear Job’s sorrows and sins — along with those of all mankind. Job’s confidence is ours. Jesus suffered every one of our pains, knew all of our losses, bore all of our infirmities, and carried all of our sins. Christ’s loss is our restoration, His pain our pleasure, His death our forgiveness, and His resurrection our life everlasting.

Text: “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

“My heart faints within me!” Job 19:23-27

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 I Know.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 118:15-29; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 or 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Mark 16:1-8

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