A sermon for Ash Wednesday – How can we prepare for the Easter celebration of Christ's resurrection? This sermon speaks to the whys, whats, and hows of the church season of sacrifice we call Lent.
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A sermon for the Transfiguration of Our Lord – Some of Jesus' disciples beheld him in glory and wondered what works they should do in response. We wonder much the same. And what are we to do but follow Jesus down the mountain into the valley of the world?
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The immature believer thinks, What should I do? The mature Christian asks, What should I hear? For there is often a deeper word than, “Thou shalt.” This is when we hear the Lord say, “But I say to you.” The Spirit gives us a spiritual understanding of the commandment. This is the meat of the word, where there is an inner change that matches the outward action. The implanted word (James 1:21) grows into the outward life but the work of the flesh will never nurture the inward being. This comes by the grace of God in an ongoing, steady inquiry into the word, so that the ...
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The Psalm is arresting. Who may dwell with God? Only the one who walks blamelessly may do so. But who is that person apart from the righteousness of God in Christ? Though God has told us what is good, we cannot do it. We confess that we are in bondage to sin and that we cannot free ourselves. It is God alone who has redeemed us from this house of slavery. This is “the word of the cross” that is the power of God at work in our lives. It is those who acknowledge their sin, who confess that they are “poor in spirit,” who receive all the blessings named in the beatitudes. Those who mourn over their sin, and humbly ...
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