Advent 3| Matthew 11:2-10| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| December 12, 2021 “These are the signs that you shall mark; The swaddling clothes and manger dark. There you will find the infant laid By whom the heav’ns and earth were made.” So paraphrased Martin Luther the words of the angel to the shepherds in his great…
Advent 2| Luke 21:25-36; Romans 15:4-13 Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| December 5, 2021 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”, wrote St. Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the 15th chapter of his letter…
Advent 1 (Ad Te Levavi)| Matthew 21:1-9| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 28, 2021 “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!” These words shouted by the crowds in Jerusalem are a paraphrase from Psalm 118. Psalm 118, along with all the Psalms…
Last Sunday of the Church Year (Trinity 27| Matthew 25:1-13| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 21, 2021 After Jesus ascended into heaven, and Jesus’ disciples were still gazing into the sky where he departed, two angels appeared and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken…
Trinity 24| Matthew 9:18-26| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 14, 2021 Our Gospel lesson for today teaches us three things about saving faith. First, saving faith trusts in Christ Jesus alone. Faith is often generalized as a belief, hope, or trust that is in a person. But what that person believes, hopes,…
All Saints Day (Observed)| Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 7, 2021 “Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.”, so wisely spoke the otherwise foolish King Ahab of Israel to King Ben-hadad of Syria after the latter boasted in…
Last Sunday of the Church Year| Matthew 25:1-13| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 22, 2020 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” This is an earnest warning from our Lord Jesus. Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. Some will be found unprepared and will…
Second to Last Sunday of the Church Year (Trinity 26)| Matthew 25:31-46| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 15, 2020 “From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.” This is what we confess. Jesus Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. The idea of a final…
Reformation Sunday| Romans 3:19-28| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| October 31, 2021 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Romans 3:21-22 Five hundred years ago…
Trinity 21| Genesis 1:1-2:3| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| October 24, 2021 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Which God? The Triune God: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There is only one God. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, “Hear, O Israel. The LORD our God, the LORD is…