Happenings

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

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30 May 2011

Celebration at the Station

Memorial Day Observation in Kansas City

We attended the 9th annual Celebration at the Station at Union Station on Sunday 29 May. Over 60,000 people gathered to remember our nation’s war dead and to celebrate the freedom their sacrifices helped to win and maintain. The afternoon performance was by the USAF Brass in Blue. The Kansas City Symphony provided the evening’s music with special guest Mark O’Connor.

Here are the panoramic photos I took in late afternoon, showing some of the crowd gathered between Union Station and the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial. Click on each to see a larger image.

29 May 2011

Sermon: Easter 6 — Rogate (OT)

Sermon Preached on Sunday 29 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: Raised Up to Raise Up

Summary: As Moses raised up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man was raised up (cf. John 3:14).

We may speak of “uplifting” experiences but only Christ raised up on the cross can elevate us out of the sinful depths in which we were born and into which we regularly sink. He does this not only to save us but also that we, His Church, might be instruments involved in the uplifting of others.

This was preached for the Mission Festival at Zion Lutheran, Blackburn, Missouri.

Text: From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom.

And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”

Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.”

So Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live. Numbers 21:4-9

Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.

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 Raised Up to Raise Up, preached at Zion Lutheran Church, Blackburn, Missouri.

Other Readings: Psalm 107:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; John 16:23-30

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22 May 2011

Sermon: Easter 5 A (Acts)

Preached on Sunday 22 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: Bold Witness

Summary: No matter our vocations, the Lord calls us to make a bold, clear witness of our hope in Christ Jesus. He leads some through lives of peace and quiet while others are placed in harm’s way. Whichever is our lot, we know that He is always with us and the our Lord Jesus will receive the spirits of all who trust Him through life unto death.

Text: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.

And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me.... You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60

Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.

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 Bold Witness, preached at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Ernestville, Missouri.

Other Readings: Psalm 146; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14

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18 May 2011

Sermon: Easter 4 A (Psalm)

Preached on Wednesday 18 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: The Lord Is My Shepherd

Summary: In order to safely lead us from certain and eternal doom in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, God became our Shepherd in the person of the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He leads, guides, guards, and protects every one of His dear lambs throughout our pilgrimage into eternal life.

15 May 2011

Sermon: Easter 4 A (OT)

Preached on Good Shepherd Sunday 15 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: “I’ll Do It Myself”

Summary: Since those He calls to lead His people continually let Him down and follow their own inclinations, the Lord promises to come and set things right. Unlike the threatening billboards from a few years ago that read “Don’t Make Me Come Down There — God,” His goal is not to spread wrath and destruction but rather to gather the lost and hurting. Only those secure in their own sense of righteousness will fall under His judgment.

Text: “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

“And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.

“I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.

“I will feed them in justice.” Ezekiel 34:11-16

Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.

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 “I’ll Do It Myself”, preached at Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Other Readings: Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10

Technorati Tags: Easter | Easter 4 | 4th Sunday of Easter | Fourth Sunday of Easter | Good Shepherd Sunday | Sunday of the Good Shepherd | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | God | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | Good Shepherd | shepherd | New Testament | Old Testament | 15 May 2011 | May 15, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | Ezekiel 34 | sermon | text | theme | topic | I’ll Do It Myself | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings

Sermon: Easter 4 A (Gospel)

Preached on Good Shepherd Sunday 15 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: “I Am the Good Shepherd”

Summary: The Good Shepherd guides us every step of our pilgrimage through this life. He defends us against Satan and calls us back when we follow the wrong voice and end up lost and alone.

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

Ecclesiastical art by Ed Riojas. Graphics for the Church Year (1-Year and 3-Year Lectionaries) are available for for purchase on CD or by ZIP download from the Higher Things Store.

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 “I Am the Good Shepherd”, preached at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Erie, Kansas.

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

Technorati Tags: Easter | Easter 4 | 4th Sunday of Easter | Fourth Sunday of Easter | Good Shepherd Sunday | Sunday of the Good Shepherd | Three Year Lectionary | 3 Year Lectionary | Series A | Jesus | Jesus Christ | Christ | Law | Law and Gospel | Gospel | Good Shepherd | sheep gate | gate | New Testament | 15 May 2011 | May 15, 2011 | Lutheranism | Lutheran | Church | Christian | Christianity | John 10 | sermon | text | theme | topic | I Am the Good Shepherd | audio | mp3 | Pastor Snyder | Pastor Walter Snyder | Walter Snyder | Ask the Pastor | Happenings

08 May 2011

Sermon: Easter 3 A (Gospel)

Preached 8 May AD 2011

Sermon Theme: In the Breaking of the Bread

Summary: Sometimes we cannot believe our own eyes. Men who’d followed Jesus didn’t know Him when they met Him on the road to Emmaus. Yet in the power of the Word and, particularly, in the breaking of the bread, the Lord revealed Himself to them as their risen Savior. He still reveals Himself to us in the proclamation of the Gospel and in the breaking of the bread in Holy Communion, promising that we, too, will receive His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Text: That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.

Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

And he said to them, “What things?”

And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.