By Chaplain Mike In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, toContinue reading “Christmas I: An Ordinary, Humble Story Set on a Great Stage”
Category Archives: Sermons and Devotions
An Ordinary Night
By Chaplain Mike It was an ordinary night. If you stop to think about it, how could it have been anything else? Days and nights proceed in a generally predictable fashion. Things happen in this world. Some of those things take your breath away, true, but most of the time even the most remarkable, awe-inspiringContinue reading “An Ordinary Night”
Advent II—How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place
Note from CM: As we light the second Advent candle, we thank God for his gift of peace. Ephesians 2 speaks of the peace Christ brings to those far and near, calling them together into the one household of God (Eph 2:11-22). Thanks to Damaris today for the following meditation on God’s dwelling place. “HowContinue reading “Advent II—How Lovely Is Your Dwelling Place”
Advent I—Fervent in Hope
By Chaplain Mike Text for Advent I—Isaiah 2:1-5 On each Sunday of Advent, we light a candle on the Advent Wreath, gradually turning darkness to light to mark the coming of Jesus. There is no universal liturgy attached to the candlelighting, but this year we will follow a common way of expressing its significance. TheContinue reading “Advent I—Fervent in Hope”
Christ the King Sunday
By Chaplain Mike Today is “The Feast of Christ the King” the final Sunday in the church year. This feast of worship is not some relic from medieval times, when kings ruled the earth. No, “Christ the King” Sunday is one of most recent additions to the church calendar. It was introduced in 1925 byContinue reading “Christ the King Sunday”
Jonathan Fisk on Luke 21
Today’s Gospel • Luke 21:5-19 I had a busy day Saturday on call for my work, so I did not get to hunker down and deal with the text satisfactorily to give you a decent message this Sunday. So… Here’s a message by Rev. Jonathan Fisk of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Springfield, PA,Continue reading “Jonathan Fisk on Luke 21”
God’s Way of Blessing the World
By Chaplain Mike Gospel for All Saints’ Day • Luke 6:20-31 “All Saints Day is a witness to God’s way of blessing the world…” (David Thiede) Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the KingdomContinue reading “God’s Way of Blessing the World”
Reformation Sunday
By Chaplain Mike The Festival of the Reformation Reformation Day is a liturgical festival celebrated by Lutheran and Reformed churches on the final Sunday in October. It commemorates Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on Oct 31, 1517. This act, calling for debate on issues of corruptionContinue reading “Reformation Sunday”
The Real Test of Being in God’s Presence
By Chaplain Mike Sunday’s Gospel • Luke 18:9-14 OK, let’s be honest. What are you thinking after you read this famous parable about the Pharisee and the publican? I would guess that many of us who have accepted the Gospel read this straightforward story and say in our hearts: “Thank God I’ve escaped the sinContinue reading “The Real Test of Being in God’s Presence”
An Army of SLJW’s
By Chaplain Mike Sunday’s Gospel • Luke 18:1-8 Many of the chapter divisions in our Bible were unfortunately placed. We come upon a good example of this in our Gospel reading today. In Luke 17:20-37, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and his disciples about “the coming of the days of the Son of Man.” HeContinue reading “An Army of SLJW’s”
The Internet Monk Archives 