Concordia Sermons

The old saying goes, “You take two steps forward and one step back.” Setbacks are simply part of life. But they are not reasons to give up! In Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, the son believes his sin has cast him out of his father’s good graces…permanently. But as he learns, even the most serious setback of sin is no match for his father’s love.

Always worrying about what other people think of you can be paralyzing. It can keep you from doing the right thing and lead you to do the expedient thing so others will think well of you. It can also lead you to manage your image to impress others rather than getting honest about your failures. Success comes when you live not to please others, but God.

Hard work is great! But sometimes, working hard only wears us out and leads us to failure. In these instances, we do not need to put in more hours or apply more elbow grease. Instead, we need to find a different way to work. This is the lesson that Jethro teaches his son-in-law Moses.

Sometimes, we set ourselves up for failure. We tell ourselves we will not be able to do something. We do not give something our full effort because we are convinced that it is beyond our ability. We fulfill the prophecy we make about ourselves. This is what the Israelites do in Numbers 14. They are convinced that they will die and so they grumble. And their own words prove to be their undoing as they are judged by God.

Sometimes, we have to learn how to accept an answer that is “no.” Other times, it behooves us to ask again! Consider Abraham. He won’t take “no” for an answer…even from God! He haggles with God with the hope that God’s mercy will triumph over His judgment. And though God still destroys Sodom and Gomorrah, God proves to be delighted that Abraham won’t take “no” for answer when it comes to mercy.

If you’ve watched enough football, soccer, or basketball games, you’ve probably seen someone make a goal…for the other team. It’s a highly embarrassing mistake. After all, a player reaches the goal. It just happens to be the wrong one! Sometimes, the reason we fail is because the goals we have aren’t right. Take Samson, for instance. He had goals of revenge. But this wrongheaded goal was his undoing at the hands of the Philistines.

Simeon is ready to go meet his Maker. How did Simeon ready himself? By trusting in Christ! When Simeon saw Christ, he received his consolation. We, like Simeon, can only be readied to meet our Maker through Christ. On a Sunday when many people are readying themselves for a new year, we talk about readying ourselves for a new - and eternal - life.

According to a widely promoted story, the world, according to the ancient Mayan calendar, will end on December 21. This, of course, is out of step with Christ’s teaching, “No one knows about that day or hour [of the end], not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the first coming of the Lord. How can we best prepare for His second coming?

In light of the terrible shooting in New Haven, Connecticut, we take some time to process our grief and address some of the questions on the hearts and minds of many.

Elijah passes his mantle to Elisha. As Christians, we are called to pass the mantle of our faith to the next generation. The holidays are an especially good time to do this, as we share “the reason for the season” with our kids and others.

Even the most stalwart spiritual heroes encounter moments of despair. Elijah did when he was being chased by Jezebel, saying, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life” (verse 4). In the midst of the holidays, some people experience a heightened sense of depression. It is important to lean on God’s presence and strength even in our darkest moments.

In times of scarcity, it can be tough to trust God! The widow at Zarephath had to learn this lesson first hand as she shared the only food she had with a prophet she didn’t even know. As we give thanks for what we have, do we trust God to provide us with all we need? And are we willing to share with others as they have need?

Many people are passive aggressive, refusing to confront head on differences with others in conviction or challenges in their relationships. God wants us to confront things – even difficult things – head on like Elijah does with the prophets of Baal.

Now that the election is over, there is a group of people who is inevitably disappointed. When our political party is victorious or defeated, how do we respond? With prayer and submission, of course! In this way, we entrust ourselves to God’s ultimate rule, believing the rulers He has put in place will ultimately accomplish His divine purpose.

When the Pharisees and Herodians come to Jesus with their question about taxes, they are trying to get him either to disrespect the powers that by answering that paying taxes are not necessary or to somehow compromise his devotion to God by living under the government. Jesus respects the government while still holding his ultimate allegiance to God’s kingdom. In a world where political discourse is often uncivil and where people put politics ahead of God, we should follow Jesus’ lead.

On Reformation Sunday, we remember the central message of our Christian faith: that we are justified not by our works, but by grace through faith. All too often, we can be tempted to make how well we steward our lives the benchmark for our self-worth. The gospel reminds us that we are precious not because our own righteousness, but because of God’s righteousness, given to us through the cross of Christ.

This parable is one of the most difficult in the Bible! After all, having a master (who stands for God) commending a dishonest manager (verse 8) raises all sorts of questions. But the interpretive key to this parable comes at the end of verse 8: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” If we are shrewd about things like our jobs and our reputations, how much more shrewd should we be when it comes to managing our money for the sake of God’s Kingdom!

“You can’t take it with you.” Everyone has heard this cliché, but far too many of us have far too much trouble living like it’s true. Rather than storing up treasures for ourselves, we are called to leverage the treasures God has given us for the blessing of others. As Augustine commented on this parable, “He did not realize that the bellies of the poor where much safer than the storerooms of his barns.”

Many people have many questions about heaven, for we, like Paul, know that “our citizenship is in heaven” (verse 20). In this message, we answer some common questions about heaven as asked by Concordia’s members.

If heaven is as glorious as the Scriptural record paints it to be, the question naturally arises: “How do I make it into God’s heavenly kingdom?” On Jubilee Weekend, we answer this question clearly according to the Gospel: it is through faith and faith alone in Christ that we receive paradise.