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Keyword: sermon

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  • "Not to Be Served But to Serve" (Sermon for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, on Mark 10:32-45)

    03/16/2024 6:52:16 AM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 1 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | March 17, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Not to Be Served But to Serve” (Mark 10:32-45) Let me start out our message today with a question. Here it is. Which of these two statements is true: a) “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none,” or b) “A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” Which one is true? Actually, the correct answer is c) “both of the above.” A Christian is both a perfectly free lord of all and a perfectly dutiful servant of all. It was Martin Luther who set forth these two seemingly contradictory propositions in...
  • "Eloi, Eloi, Lema Sabachthani?" (Sermon for Good Friday, on Isaiah 52-53; Psalm 22; Mark 15)

    04/03/2015 9:15:23 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 5 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | April 3, 2015 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Eloi, Eloi, Lema Sabachthani?” (Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12; Psalm 22; Mark 15:1-47)“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” This is one of the seven words from the cross, that is, one of the seven times Jesus spoke during his crucifixion. “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” This saying of Jesus is recorded for us in two of the four gospels, in Matthew and Mark, where it is the only word from the cross that is recorded. For the other words from the cross, we have to go to Luke and John. “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” I think what is so striking about this word from...
  • "The Passion of Our Lord: Suffered under Pontius Pilate" (Lenten sermon on Mark 15:1-32)

    03/13/2024 9:41:55 AM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 1 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | March 13, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Passion of Our Lord: Suffered under Pontius Pilate” (Mark 15:1-32) Tonight we continue our series on “The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark.” During this series, we’re going through Mark chapters 14 and 15 piece by piece. Now we come to chapter 15. It’s Good Friday, when Jesus is handed over to the Roman governor to suffer and die. And so our theme tonight: “The Passion of Our Lord: Suffered under Pontius Pilate.” To set the scene: Jesus was betrayed and arrested the night before, was tried by the Jewish Sanhedrin, and found guilty of...
  • "The Passion of Our Lord: Truth on Trial" (Lenten sermon on Mark 14:53-72)

    03/13/2024 9:37:11 AM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 1 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | March 6, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Passion of Our Lord: Truth on Trial” (Mark 14:53-72) It’s Thursday night, late. Overnight, really. Heading into Friday. And truth is on trial. Jesus is on trial. So is the Sanhedrin that is trying him. So is Peter, his disciple. And so are we, frankly. Who will pass the test? Let’s find out. And so our theme tonight: “The Passion of Our Lord: Truth on Trial.” Jesus is on trial. He’s appearing before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin. The council is comprised of the high priest, the chief priests, the elders, the scribes, and other representatives of the Jewish...
  • "For God Loved the World in This Way" (Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, on John 3:14-21)

    03/09/2024 7:58:33 AM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 3 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | March 10, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “For God Loved the World in This Way” (John 3:14-21) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” That of course is the famous John 3:16, part of the Holy Gospel for this day. “For God so loved the world.” But there’s a lot riding on that little word “so.” How do we understand it? Simply as “God loved the world so much,” and then we fill in what we think his loving the world must mean, based on our own opinions, not on...
  • "The Law of God Is Good and Wise" (Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent, on Exodus 20:1-17)

    03/02/2024 5:32:14 AM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 3 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | March 3, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Law of God Is Good and Wise” (Exodus 20:1-17) “The Law of God is good and wise”: So we just sang in the hymn. But is it? Is the Law of God really good and wise? I mean, yes, it does set God’s will before our eyes. And yes, it does show us the way of righteousness. However, the Law does doom us to death when we transgress. And we do transgress. A lot. So is the Law of God really all that good and wise? Really, when it dooms us? When it damns us? If so, what good...
  • "The Passion of Our Lord: Praying in Gethsemane" (Lenten sermon on Mark 14:32-52)

    02/28/2024 5:31:13 PM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 2 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | February 28, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Passion of Our Lord: Praying in Gethsemane” (Mark 14:32-52) So it’s Thursday night. Jesus and the disciples have been celebrating the Passover. At the end of that meal, Jesus institutes a new Passover, the new covenant in his body and blood. At the same time, Jesus knows that one of his disciples will betray him that very night and that he will be handed over to be killed. There’s a lot on his mind, to be sure! Now the meal has concluded. Jesus leads the disciples out of the city and up the Mount of Olives. Oh, they’ve been...
  • "The Passion of Our Lord: Blessing before Betrayal" (Lenten sermon on Mark 14:12-31)

    02/21/2024 12:14:48 PM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 1 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | February 21, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Passion of Our Lord: Blessing before Betrayal” (Mark 14:12-31) For these midweek Lenten services, we’re doing a series on “The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Mark.” We’re working our way through Mark chapters 14 and 15, where Christ willingly enters into his time of suffering for our salvation. Last week we began with the account of Jesus being anointed with pure nard and then explaining that this was to prepare him for his burial. Our Lord knew what was coming, and still he went through with what lay ahead. That’s how strong his love for...
  • "The Passion of Our Lord: Anointed for Burial" (Sermon for Ash Wednesday, on Mark 14:1-11)

    02/14/2024 7:19:36 PM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 2 replies
    My Facebook page ^ | February 14, 2024 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Passion of Our Lord: Anointed for Burial” (Mark 14:1-11) This year Ash Wednesday happens to fall on Valentine’s Day. And I think that’s a happy coincidence. Because on Valentine’s Day, our thoughts are all about love. And there is no greater love than the love that God has for us in sending us our Savior Jesus Christ. As it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Or in 1 John chapter 4: “In this is love, not that...
  • "Departing in Peace" (Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas, on Luke 2:22-40)

    12/30/2023 7:28:46 PM PST · by Charles Henrickson · 4 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | December 31, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Departing in Peace” (Luke 2:22-40) Are you ready to go? What I mean is, are you ready to leave? No, I don’t mean right now. It would be nice if you’d stick around until the end of the service. But then, at the end of the service, will you be ready to leave? Will you be ready to depart in peace, satisfied and content and ready for whatever comes next? What makes you ready to leave, to leave any situation? For instance, this year is coming to an end. Are you ready to put 2023 behind you and move on...
  • "Christ Will Build His Church" (Sermon for Reformation Day, on Matthew 16:13-20)

    10/28/2023 12:53:36 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 8 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | October 29, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Christ Will Build His Church” (Matthew 16:13-20) “Will we have to shut the doors?” I’m guessing some of you at least have had that thought cross your mind recently. “Will we have to shut the doors of our church? Will our little congregation make it? Do we have enough people, do we have enough money, to keep the doors open?” And I can understand how you might think like that. Yes, our church is small. And on top of that, your pastor came down with cancer and moved out of state. And the guy filling in for him, the man...
  • Texas pastor says AI-generated church service was 'boring,' lacked 'spiritual depth'

    10/19/2023 8:31:04 PM PDT · by Morgana · 10 replies
    Christian Post ^ | October 18, 2023 | Ian M. Giatti
    "Welcome! Today's service will be generated by artificial intelligence!" It may not be the most common way to greet a congregation, but that's precisely how one United Methodist church in Texas kicked off its AI-generated Sunday service last month. Jay Cooper, the pastor of Violet Crown City Church, an LGBT-affirming congregation of about 125 people in the North Austin area, said he decided to switch things up with the church's worship to reconnect and re-engage. "The idea to create an admittedly unorthodox AI-generated worship service came from my belief that the church should not only be aware of the most...
  • The Most MIND BLOWING Speech On LGBTQIA+ On The Internet

    08/19/2023 10:56:26 PM PDT · by the_daug · 13 replies
    Dominion ^ | Feb 20, 2018 | Dr. Myles Munroe
    Dr. Myles Munroe - The Most MIND BLOWING Speech On LGBTQIA+ On The Internet || Wisdom for Dominion
  • "The Blessing of Confessing the Augsburg Confession" (Sermon for the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession, on Psalm 119:46)

    06/24/2023 12:52:09 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 4 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | June 25, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The Blessing of Confessing the Augsburg Confession” (Psalm 119:46) Today Lutheran churches around the world are celebrating the 493rd anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession. It was on June 25, 1530, in the city of Augsburg, Germany, that a group of Lutheran princes took a confession of their faith, composed by Luther’s associate Philip Melanchthon, and presented it to Emperor Charles V. This Augsburg Confession summarizes what Lutheran churches believe, teach, and confess, on the basis of Holy Scripture. And what a blessing this confession has proved to be! Not only did it confess the truth in 1530,...
  • "The One Man Adam and the One Man Jesus Christ" (Sermon on Romans 5:6-15)

    06/17/2023 9:08:33 AM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 1 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | June 18, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “The One Man Adam and the One Man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:6-15) As by one man all mankind fell And, born in sin, was doomed to hell, So by one Man, who took our place, We all were justified by grace. So we just sang, and so is the message of our Epistle reading today, from Romans chapter 5. As it says in verse 15 of our text: “For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” In...
  • "Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy" (Sermon on Matthew 9:9-13)

    06/10/2023 1:29:23 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 3 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | June 11, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy” (Matthew 9:9-13) In the Holy Gospel for today, Jesus calls Matthew to follow him and be his disciple. Jesus calls him, even though Matthew was looked down upon as an obvious sinner. But Jesus is the great physician who has mercy on those who are sick with sin. And so, as Jesus calls us today also, he says to each one of us, “Follow Me, the Doctor of Mercy.” We know Matthew as St. Matthew the Apostle. But that’s not how he started out. For he had something in common with quite a few...
  • Hundreds of Protestants attended a sermon in Nuremberg given by ChatGPT, which told them not to fear death

    06/10/2023 11:49:49 AM PDT · by yesthatjallen · 49 replies
    rifnote.com ^ | 06 10 2023 | Staff
    The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord. Hundreds of protestants gathered in Nuremberg, Germany to hear a sermon written by ChatGPT. Multiple avatars controlled by ChatGPT delivered the sermon on a huge screen above the altar. During the sermon, ChatGPT told the congregation not to fear death. The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown...
  • "Baptized in the Name: Confidence, Belonging, Relationship, Identity" (Sermon for the Holy Trinity, on Matthew 28:16-20)

    06/03/2023 2:13:21 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 2 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | June 4, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Baptized in the Name: Confidence, Belonging, Relationship, Identity” (Matthew 28:16-20) Sometime during the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ met with his disciples on a mountain in Galilee, and he told them: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And that is what the church has done for all these many centuries. And that is what has happened to you, every one of you...
  • "Rivers of Living Water" (Sermon for the Day of Pentecost, on John 7:37-39)

    05/26/2023 9:18:30 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 3 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | May 28, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Rivers of Living Water” (John 7:37-39)Last weekend Susan and I went to Excelsior Springs, Missouri, to attend the wedding of Pastor and Mrs. Paul Flo. Excelsior Springs got its name and its fame long ago from the springs of water located there--healthful, healing waters, with restorative powers, it was said. Well, it so happened that when we went out there on that Friday, I wasn’t feeling so well. But when we returned on Sunday evening, I came back . . . with a bad case of acute bronchitis. I guess the healing waters of Excelsior Springs didn’t do me much...
  • "Thus It Is Written, Thus You Shall Preach" (Sermon for the Ascension of the Lord, on Luke 24:44-53)

    05/18/2023 8:34:46 PM PDT · by Charles Henrickson · 2 replies
    stmatthewbt.org ^ | May 18, 2023 | The Rev. Charles Henrickson
    “Thus It Is Written, Thus You Shall Preach” (Luke 24:44-53) During the forty days from Christ’s resurrection to his ascension, our Lord met with his disciples on a number of occasions. Jesus was preparing these disciples to be his apostles, his sent-out ones, who would preach and teach and begin to carry out the church’s worldwide mission. So he needed to instruct them, to make it clear to them what their mission would be. And that’s what we find going on in the reading today from Luke 24. Jesus makes clear what the content of their preaching and teaching will...