SERMONS

One day, like the bright morning light that breaks through the darkness of night, the Lord's second coming will bring rejoicing. While we do not know the day, the Lord is at hand today. God's Word shines brightly, dispelling the darkness of anxiety and fear and replacing it with rejoicing in what He has accomplished for us in the forgiveness of our sins. The Lord is at hand. Let us rejoice today!

The cries of John in the wilderness for a Baptism of repentance prepared the way of the Lord's first coming. For His second coming, Paul's deep desire is that we will be "pure and blameless for the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:10). The Lord has accomplished this for us by His abounding love that went all the way to the cross. So, it is by faith today that we are counted as pure and blameless because He is the pure, blameless, and spotless Lamb of God who has taken away our sin (see John 1:29).

As a cloud once obscured the disciples' view of Jesus' ascension into heaven, a day is coming when He will return in the same way (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17). The world shall see Jesus coming with all of His saints on the Day of Judgment. Though we do not see Him with our natural eyes today, we see Him by faith in His Word and Sacrament, where He delivers the benefits of all that He accomplished in His ministry, death, and resurrection. For in Christ, we have already passed through judgment and into eternal life through His forgiveness of our sins.

Daniel's vision is overflowing with the glory of the One like the Son of Man coming in the clouds. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in humility. He suffered, died, and rose for our sake. When He comes again, no one will be mistaken about who He is. He is the true King of kings and Lord of lords. Today, we hold fast to His Word and Sacrament, which may appear humble but are delivering "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

The Ten Commandments are a gift. God constantly provides for all that we need, totally apart from whether we deserve it. And God has promised us his unending faithfulness in Jesus Christ. But we're quick to forget that in daily life. Instead, we live as if it depended on our strength and merit. God gives us the Ten Commandments so that in every walk of life we'll remember that he is a good gift giver, repent of our idolatry, and trust in him. Each Sunday in worship we'll focus on one of the Commandments.

The Ten Commandments are a gift. God constantly provides for all that we need, totally apart from whether we deserve it. And God has promised us his unending faithfulness in Jesus Christ. But we're quick to forget that in daily life. Instead, we live as if it depended on our strength and merit. God gives us the Ten Commandments so that in every walk of life we'll remember that he is a good gift giver, repent of our idolatry, and trust in him. Each Sunday in worship we'll focus on one of the Commandments.

The Ten Commandments are a gift. God constantly provides for all that we need, totally apart from whether we deserve it. And God has promised us his unending faithfulness in Jesus Christ. But we're quick to forget that in daily life. Instead, we live as if it depended on our strength and merit. God gives us the Ten Commandments so that in every walk of life we'll remember that he is a good gift giver, repent of our idolatry, and trust in him. Each Sunday in worship we'll focus on one of the Commandments.

Martin Luther desired his seal to be a symbol of the firm footing we have in the Gospel. The black cross in the center of a living red heart signifies that Christ's death brings us life. The flower blossoms like the joy and peace of faith in salvation, and the heavenly blue background points to future joy in eternity. It is all surrounded by the golden ring because salvation in Christ is eternal and our greatest treasure (Luther's Works, vol. 49, pp. 358-59). In this common Lutheran symbol, we have a reminder of the heart of the Reformation: Christ's cross brings us the eternal and priceless blessings of forgiveness, life, joy, and peace.

The members of the Body of Christ are called to daily build up one another in the Word of the Lord. The "deceitfulness of sin" would seek to lead us to a hardened denial of our need for forgiveness. Even through correction and reproof, the Lord uses the Christian Church to lead us to the truth of Christ's forgiveness. He is "the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).

The occasional glimpse of the beauty of blooming flowers at the golden setting of the sun testifies to the work of our amazing Creator. After creating this world with all of its splendor, God rested on the seventh day (the Sabbath). Our sin, however, introduced death into this world, and no amount of our work can merit salvation and rest. Yet, in Christ we have eternal Sabbath rest in God for all the work He has done on His cross, in the tomb, and upon His resurrection to accomplish our salvation.