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Rescued, Transferred, Redeemed
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., marked the end of the Church year on Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 23:1–6 Psalm 46 (antiphon v.10) Colossians 1:11–20 Luke 23:33–43 + + + Prayer Gracious Father, you sacrificed your Son to cleanse the world of sin, to conquer the power…
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“Only Small Things with Great Love”
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Festival of All Saints’ Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. + + + Readings Daniel 7:1–3, 15–18 Psalm 149 Ephesians 1:11–23 Luke 6:20–31 + + + Prayer Loving Father in heaven, bless us with faith through your Holy Spirit, so that we…
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Blessed and in the Book
Introduction This is a funeral homily I preached at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010. Readings Isaiah 66:10–14 Psalm 61 Revelation 21:22–27 Luke 6:17–21 Message Every nurse knows that each patient is a whole person, with a history and a story, with unique needs and joys and fears. And the…
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Reversals
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 24, 2010. + + + Readings Jeremiah 14:7–10, 19–22 Psalm 84:1–7 (antiphon v. 5) 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 16–18 Luke 18:9–14 + + + Prayer Hear us, O Father, as we pray to you. By your…
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When Gratitude is Only Skin-Deep
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 10, 2010. + + + Readings 2 Kings 5:1–3, 7–15c Psalm 111 (antiphon v.1) 2 Timothy 2:8–15 Luke 17:11–19 + + + Prayer Father in heaven, open our hearts to embrace your grace shown to…
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Laborers for the Harvest
Introduction One of the opportunities I have as the interim pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., is to prepare a short column for a feature called “The Pastor’s Pen,” appearing in the Beatrice Daily Sun on Thursday, October 7, 2010. Scripture “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the…
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Living by Faith
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 3, 2010. + + + Readings Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4 Psalm 37:1–9 2 Timothy 1:1–14 Luke 17:5–10 + + + Prayer Almighty Father, by your Holy Spirit you bless us with faith in your Son, Jesus…
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Question Box: “He descended into hell.”
Introduction Holy Cross Lutheran Church offers individuals the chance to ask questions about the Church, faith, theology, and the Bible by putting their queries into a Question Box. A question and answer appears in each month’s newsletter. This is the October 2010 installment. Question When we confess our faith using the Apostles’ Creed, I’m not…
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Ruin and Righteousness
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept. 26, 2010. + + + Readings Amos 6:1a, 4–7 Psalm 146 (antiphon v. 7) 1 Timothy 6:6–19 Luke 16:19–31 + + + Prayer Gracious Father, by your Holy Spirit open our ears to hear your…
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One Mediator, One People
This is the sermon I prepared for Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Beatrice, Neb., for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept. 19, 2010. + + + Readings Amos 8:4–7 Psalm 113 (antiphon v. 7) 1 Timothy 2:1–7 Luke 16:1–13 + + + Prayer Gracious Father, we thank you for sending your only Son, Jesus Christ, to…