Proper 7A Sermon: Deceived

Preached on Jeremiah 20:7–13
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
21 June AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Deceived.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Deceived to hear the MP3.

Summary: Jeremiah complained that being the Lord’s prophet wasn’t the easy job he might have expected and decried the nation’s resistance, even among his supposed friends. Yet he remained faithful and confessed faith that, no matter the odds, the Lord fought for him and his cause would finally prevail.

Text: O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me.

For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.

If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.”

But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.

O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. Jeremiah 20:7–13

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Deceived.

Audio: Click Deceived to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 91:1–10 (11–16); Romans 6:12–23; Matthew 10:5a, 21–33

About the Cartoon: Jeremiah 20:7-13 cartoon by James Wetzstein at Agnus Day: The Lectionary Comic Strip.

Reformation Sermon: Fortified!

Preached on Psalm 46
Reformation Day (Observed)
27 October AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of Fortified!

Summary: Our powers are insufficient for the trials of this world. As the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God declares, “With might of ours can naught be done.” We need fortification; we need the Lord Himself surrounding us.

Only He can protect us. Christ alone is the Gate. He opens to allow us in but closes to keep sin, death, and Devil at bay. The Holy Spirit extends Jesus’ invitation through the Gospel, brings us to faith, and leads us through the Gate into our refuge and dwelling place.

We also need internal fortification: God must dwell within us, strengthening us as we continue on our pilgrimage. He lifts our hearts, raises our heads, straightens our backs, and energizes our limbs. As we take shelter in Him, so He also makes His home in us through Word and Sacrament, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Text: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46

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 Fortified!

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: Revelation 14:6-7; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36; alternate Gospel Matthew 11:12-19

Wedding Sermon: Strength and Song, Salvation and Confession

Preached on 1 Timothy 6:12 and Isaiah 12:2
The Marriage of Laura M. Snyder and Kyle L. Molitor
10 June AD 2017

Title: Strength and Song, Salvation and Confession (MP3 Audio)

Summary: Besides the Scriptures included in the wedding rite, a pastor has many options when choosing a sermon text. When Laura and Kyle asked me to preach, I looked through the “usual suspects” and had an idea: The union of this man and this woman would include a joining of all they carried with them, including their confirmation verses.

With that in mind, I asked Laura to find out Kyle’s verse to see if it would work in unity with hers as a joint text. I was quite pleased when I discovered that his from 1 Timothy nicely complemented hers from Isaiah 12. Both confess that we have salvation and eternal life only through God in Christ Jesus.

Kyle and Laura completely agree that the most important love isn’t that between people but the love God has for fallen humanity. As I wove the themes of the two verses together, the Father’s boundless love and unconditional forgiveness through Jesus remained the unifying strand.

They will best live together and love together as they live in faith. They will forgive each other most completely as they realize how completely God forgives them. And they will most wholeheartedly sacrifice their own desires for each other as they embrace the sacrifice Christ made for them.

Note that the bulletin cover art I reference in the sermon is this Coptic illustration to the right. This vision of the Marriage at Cana beautifully shows our Savior sheltering husband and wife “under his wings.”

Texts: Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

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 Strength and Song, Salvation and Confession.

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: Genesis 2:7, 18-24; Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17; Matthew 19:4-6

Lent 4C Sermon: Strength, Song, Salvation

Preached on Isaiah 12:1-6
The Fourth Sunday in Lent, Series C
6 March AD 2016

Title: Strength, Song, Salvation (MP3 Audio)

Summary: God cannot ignore sin nor neglect imposing its consequences. To do so would be counter to His nature and to His Word. We know that “the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)” and that “the soul who sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)” Yet instead of fleeing Him in terror, we joyfully greet Him, thanking Him for finding us.

Is this because we’ve found some marvelous way to make amends for our sins? Not hardly! Have we somehow tricked Him into believing that we’re holier that we are? Nope! Have we discovered how to distract Him from noticing our many and most vile iniquities? Not in the least!

We joyfully and fearlessly accept and embrace God’s claim on us because we don’t fear His anger. We know that His righteous wrath was poured out on His only begotten Son. Our death became Christ’s death so His life might be ours. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” not only did it mean that His work was complete; it also testified that the Father’s wrath was spent.

Now we trust and are not afraid. Now we thank and praise God, who not only grants salvation but is our salvation. Now we embrace the Lord, who not only gives us strength and empowers our song, but who is our strength and our song.

Text: You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.

“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.

“Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 12:1-6

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 MP3 of Strength, Song, Salvation, preached to the saints of God at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Fayette, Missouri.

Other Readings: Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32