Waiting in fear is the worst kind of waiting. Waiting for Dad to come home and see that you broke the lamp tossing the ball around in the living room is the worst kind of waiting. Waiting for the principal to return to his office for your “talking to” is agonizing, the worst kind of […]
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Waiting is not easy. Isn’t that right? Last week Pastor Wordell asked how many “cruel” parents put out […]
In the name of our Savior who is coming, dear fellow redeemed: IT’S HARD TO WAIT. ‘Tis the season for waiting. How many cruel parents are here, who already put presents under the tree? I’m thinking of the kids who have to look at those presents for weeks before it’s time to open them. ‘Tis […]
In your nativity scene at home, no doubt the most important and most interesting character is the baby. The baby Jesus is the most powerful force in the universe, but now he looks like a little baby. And all of history is divided by this child. No matter how you label years, everything breaks down […]
I. What Zechariah Doubted II. God, in Mercy, Fulfilled Tell me, have you ever been in a situation where you saw or heard something that seemed too good to be true? You just couldn’t believe it? Maybe you stopped at a rummage sale and you found an item that was like brand new, still in […]
In the name of the God who gives live to the dead and calls into being things that were not, brothers and sisters in Christ. I felt like I had been lied to, like a promise that had been made to me, was being broken over and over again. I was cold and alone and […]
In our Advent services this year we have been focusing on the three ingredients which Martin Luther said that God uses to grow theologians. Those three ingredients, or three disciplines, if you will, are: meditation, prayer and testing. Or as they are sometimes called by their Latin names: Meditatio, Oratio and Tenatio. (Wait a minute. […]
You’re as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel. You’re a bad banana with a greasy black peel. You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch. This time of year you hear a lot about Dr. Seuss’s Mr. Grinch. On the outside he looked quite ready for Christmas. He wore a Santa hat. He had […]
Do you remember a time in your life when you felt like Christmas couldn’t come soon enough? Last week Pastor Raasch talked about the signs of the times. Already as a child, I learned to spot the signs of the coming of Christmas. At church it started with the midweek Advent services, rehearsing Christmas music […]
Have you ever had a friend or family member go through surgery while you waited in the waiting room? It can be kind of a trying experience, can’t it? You’re never quite sure how long the surgery will last or how it will go so there’s always a little anxiety, a little nervousness, you’re always […]