Memorial Day 2011

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” We are more than conquerors. We are more than warriors. We are more than soldiers. We are more, because we are children of God and heirs with Christ.

As we gather here this morning to remember those brave men and women who have laid down their lives for us and for our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, we give thanks that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We are more than conquerors because the most severe war has already been won. We know that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. We know that through His death and resurrection, He defeated sin, death, and the forces of the devil, and He gives us the spoils of that conquest.

Even though the forces of evil be arrayed against us, we need not fear. Even though the devil come against us to take our life, goods, fame, child, or wife, we know the victory has been won. We give thanks for those who fought valiantly and gave their lives for us, because we know that the Champion of heaven gave His life for them, and they have the victory through His blood.

Today, give thanks for those who died for you to protect this nation and people. Give thanks for the blessings which God gives you which these brave men and women fought to preserve for you. Give thanks that your life here is daily and richly blessed, and that your life in heaven is secure. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Because I Live

Christ is risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus promises us, “I will not leave you as orphans.” With these words, our Lord invites us to believe and trust that He will never leave us alone in this world, no matter how forlorn or difficult things appear to be. For we know that regardless of appearances, our God is always with us.

Contrary to what many might think, and in contrast to many other religions of the world, our God is not an absentee deity. Despite what the philosophers of the 1960s and on have said, God is not dead. Our Lord has died, but is now living. And our God is not simply a clockmaker who wound up the system, set it in motion, then wandered off and forgot about us. The Scriptures declare that our God made the heavens and the earth, and He directs the movement of each and every particle in the cosmos. He knows the beat of every heart of every living thing, and He daily and richly provides for all our needs of body and soul.

Pure Milk

Christ is risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Next to water, milk is perhaps the second-most important liquid in the lives of the human race. From cradle to grave, we are predisposed and predetermined to spend our lives drinking milk, and eating all its wonderful derivatives. Just imagine a life without cheese, butter, or ice cream – how terrible that would be, at least for me!

Needless to say, milk is important, and the purity of that milk is of the utmost concern to those who produce, distribute, sell, and consume it in all its forms. Consider the amount of laws and codes and guidelines related to the dairy industry.

The Wagon-Tracks of Righteousness

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As we gather to celebrate confirmation, and then to celebrate the Lord's Supper today, it is especially fitting that our psalm for today is one of special thanksgiving for our Lord's guidance and provision. In the words of Psalm 23, David teaches us about the gifts our Lord gives to us, and how He sustains us in faith and life through all our days.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” With these words, David confesses what Jesus tells us in today's Gospel lesson – He is the Good Shepherd who provides for the needs of His sheep. Here we learn and confess that God our heavenly Father provides for us in all our needs of body and soul, just as surely as He has created us and all our members and senses. He gives you and me all that we need, daily and richly takes care of us, and guards and defends us from all kinds of evil.

He Was Made Known to Them

Christ is risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As the two disciples walked along the road from Emmaus, they discussed between themselves the events that had happened in Jerusalem in the past few days. They had seen and heard of all the things that Jesus had said and done, and yet they did not understand what had happened, and why it had happened. Furthermore, Luke has not recorded a sighting of Jesus yet, so these two had reason to be perplexed and despairing.

The two disciples walked along the road, discussing all these things, when Jesus came up alongside them and asked what they were debating. They were amazed that He did not know what had happened, because the whole of Jerusalem was atwitter with the news. Luke records that their eyes were held back from recognizing Jesus, so they must have marveled at His supposed ignorance.

Peace Be With You

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'” Jesus comes and gives peace to His disciples, calming their hearts, which had been churning since that morning on account of the reports from the women and Peter and John. The peace that Jesus gives is a real and abiding peace, a peace rooted in the redemptive work He has accomplished for us.