The Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 20, 2019

Isaiah 62:1-5
The Lord Turns Us from Desolation into Delight!

1) On Our Own – Were Desolate and Ruined.
a. Desolation awaited Israel.
b. Why – It was unfaithful to the Lord.
* What are the false gods we're tempted to pursue? As we repent of the dark chapters in our life and in our church, God still calls us “My people!” What grace!

2) Through Jesus – We're a Delight.
a. God would restore Israel to faith in His promises.
b. By faith they are His delight.
* The true Israelites are those of Abraham's faith-line (Romans 9:8,30). Jesus was deserted and desolate to free us from sin. Here's the mystery – God delights and rejoices now in us!

The First Sunday after Epiphany
January 13, 2019

Isaiah 42:1-7
Headed the Wrong Way in Life?
Not When You Behold the Servant of the Lord!

1) Jesus, God's chosen and anointed Messiah.
a. Who is this Servant? Jesus
b. The Father delighted in Him – He never went the wrong way!

2) Jesus, who brought justice to the nations.
a. True justice demanded eternal punishment for sinners.
b. Jesus brought justice by living and dying in our place.

3) Jesus, who gives us faith through which we are saved.
a. He conquers – not like a tyrant, but by winning our hearts to faith.
b. He builds up our week faith to receive His blessings.
* Have you ever wondered, “Is my faith strong enough? What if I lose my faith and am eternally lost?” Whether faith is weak or strong, it receives God's eternal blessings. Jesus will strengthen our faith through the means He has chosen – Word and Sacrament. As God's child, baptized, believing, continuing in the Word and Sacrament, and living to serve your Savior – you're never headed the wrong way!

Epiphany
January 6, 2019

Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come!

The Sunday after Christmas
December 30, 2018

Luke 2:41-52
Anyway, at Least I'm Not Lost!

1) I'm found in my Father's House.
2) I'm found in my Father's Business.

Christmas Day
December 25, 2018

Revelation 3:7-13
Jesus is the Key

1) To Scriptures.
a. From Genesis 1 through Revelation 22:21 Jesus is the key.
b. No human reason or righteousness, but Jesus is the key.

2) To Christ-mas.
a. The world and false teaching tries to nudge Jesus out.
b. Jesus is Key – Immanuel, our Saviour!

3) To Life
a. Jesus lived our life
b. Now we live by faith in Him.
* Who has a better reason than we Christians to celebrate a very merry, blessed Christ-mas.

Christmas Eve
December 24, 2018, 7pm

Readings and Meditation
Isaiah 9:6
The Light Has Dawned!

1) Behold the Darkness that Engulfed Us.
2) Behold Jesus, the light of the World.

The 4th Sunday of Advent
December 23, 2018

Micah 5:2-5a
Celebrate Christmas – the Birth of Our Savior!

1) True God, who is eternal.
a. The Lord warned Israel of judgment of its idolatry.
b. The lord promised a ruler – who is eternal.
* God chooses lowly Bethlehem as the birthplace of His eternal Son to show He came to lift up the humble from spiritual slavery.

2) True Man, born to save us.
a. Born a man, of a virgin.
b. Born to bear the curse of our sin.
* No one less than God's Son in the flesh could rescue us from a meaningless life and a godless eternity!

3) A Shepherd-King to care for us.
a. He came as a Good Shepherd to care for us.
b. He came as King to bring us peace.
* How will you say “Thank you” to the Lord for sending His Son to give us eternal life? Let His love radiate from within you. Regardless of whether this will be a bad Christmas in a worldly way, you will have joy when you celebrate the birth of your Savior!

The 3rd Sunday in Advent
December 16, 2018

Zephaniah 3:14-17
Sing for Joy! The Lord Is Coming!

Second Sunday in Advent
December 9, 2018

Malachi 3:1-4
The Lord Paves the Highway of Salvation!

1) Through John the Baptist's Ministry of Repentance.
a. Israel needed to repent at Malachi's time (400 B.C.).
b. Malachi prophesied John's ministry of repentance.
* Because the road into our hearts is crooked and rough, the Lord paves the highway of salvation by leading us to repent.

2) Through Jesus' Ministry of Purification.
a. The Lord came to His Temple in the person of His Son.
b. He came to refine and purify us of our sin.

3) Through Our Ministry of Praise.
a. God's Old Testament people brought their thank offerings.
b. We are God's priests as we praise Him to the world.
* We know the way to life through faith in Jesus. In loving concern for others, let the sounds of God's highway construction ring out in our lives and in our church's ministry. Prepare the way of the Lord!.

1st Sunday of Advent
December 2, 2018

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Prepare to Welcome Our King!

1) Believe His Gracious Promise.
a. The Lord warned of Judgment for Sin.
b. The Lord promised a Saviour from Sin.
* In a constantly changing world, Jesus offers His changeless promises: Matthew 11:28; John 6:37,40; Philippians 4:7.

2) Receive His Eternal Blessings
a. From the stump of David's dynasty a Branch would grow.
b. This Branch is the Messiah King – our Saviour!
* At God's right time the King was born – to bring us blessings now and forever!

Last Sunday of End Time
Christ the King
November 25, 2018

Revelation 1:4-8
Faith Sees the King!

1) Through the eyes of the world He may appear defeated.
a. He appeared defeated by the powers of this world.
b. His Church appeared defeated by the power of this world.
* The powers of the world appear to defeat Christ's Church today - through physical persecution and the love of this world. Christ seems defeated in our own hearts and lives too. Do you wonder, “Is Jesus really Lord? Is His Kingdom worth it?”

2) Through the eyes of faith we see His victory!
a. He rules our hearts with His grace and peace.
b. He rules all history for the benefit of His Church.
c. He makes us a kingdom of priests.
d. He will come again in glory.
* Jesus Christ is King! We say it now by faith. We shall say it in eternity with the crown of life on our heads!

The Third Sunday of End Time
Saints Triumphant
November 18, 2018

Hebrews 10:11-18
We are Saints Triumphant because of Jesus!

1) Christ's one-time sacrifice earned our sainthood.
a. Old Covenant sacrifices taught sainthood comes by faith.
b. The Father accepted His Son's perfect sacrifice for us.
* God forgives our sins and remembers them no more! We are saints triumphant by faith in Jesus!

2) Christ's on-going ministry empowers our saintly living!
a. Christ sends the Holy Spirit so we “are being made holy.”
b. Christ sends the Holy Spirit to write His law in our hearts.
* The life of Christ “for us” by which we have eternal life becomes the life of Christ “in us” by which He renews our hearts and lives.

Second Sunday of End Time
Last Judgment
November 11, 2018

Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ Made a Once-and-for-All Sacrifice!

1) He put away sin once and for all!
a. Do you take sin seriously?
b. The Old Covenant showed sin is real.
c. Christ died once for all for the world's sin
* Is there truth about sin? Absolutely! Is there truth about God's love and forgiveness? Absolutely! Christ's sacrifice ensures it!

2) He opened heaven once and for all!
a. What if we had to face God's judgment on our own?
b. Christ died and rose to open heaven for us.
* Jesus alone is the Way through life to heaven's eternal joy.

First Sunday of End Time
Reformation Sunday
November 4, 2018

Revelation 14:6-7
Participate in the On-going Reformation

1) Proclaim the Everlasting gospel
a. The Christians were facing persecution.
b. The Lord Jesus sends messengers to proclaim the gospel.
* In Luther's day the enemies of the Church threatened the gospel, but the Lord used him to keep the gospel message going out into all the world. Now He uses us!

2) Fear God and Give Him the Glory.
a. We give God alone glory and worship as our Savior.
b. False teachers bring glory to themselves.
* Give God the glory as you put Him first in every phase of your life.