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Renewed Hearts
Introduction The people of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Hickman, Neb., have organized a Spirit-Driven Task Force, bringing together almost forty members who have committed to a year of study, prayer, reflection, and deliberation to discern how God is calling the congregation to renewal for the sake of his mission. This is the nineteenth…
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A Good Four-Letter Word
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., on Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, for the husband of the woman whose funeral I conducted a little over a year ago. Her funeral homily was entitled Second Birth. Readings Ezekiel 37:1–14 Psalm 23 2 Corinthians 5:1–10 John 14:18–24 Message One…
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We Have Seen the Lord
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 3, 2010. + + + Readings Genesis 1:1–2:2 Exodus 14:10–15:1a Ezekiel 37:1–14 Isaiah 4:2–6 Romans 6:3–11 John 20:1–18 + + + Prayer Stir up in us, O Father, the gift of your Holy Spirit, so that…
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Sending an Angel
“See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.” (Ezekiel 23:20, LH)
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Hear and Obey
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009. Readings Ezekiel 2:8-3:3 Psalm 119:105-112 1 John 1:1-4 Luke 11:28 Message On the day of his confirmation in the Christian faith, Bud selected the verse from Luke’s Gospel that we just heard: “But [Jesus] said,…
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Then We Will Know
“And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.” (Ezekiel 37:13, NRSV)
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Flocking to God
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Fox Funeral Home, Beatrice, Neb., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. Readings Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm 121 Hebrews 12:1-2 John 3:13-17 Message It doesn’t matter whether you see them perched upon a bare twig on a grey day when snow covers the ground in winter, or you rest…
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Know and Rise
“Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!” (Ezekiel 37:13, LH)
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Seeking the Face of Grace
Let us pray… “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation[s] of [our] heart[s] be acceptable to you, O LORD, [our] rock and [our] redeemer.” Amen. (Psalm 19:14, NRSV) + + + There is a crooked ash tree that rises bent and twisted from a berm alongside the driveway at our house. At night…
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Divine Reversal
“I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken; I will accomplish it.” (Ezekiel 17:24b, NRSV)