Advent 4| Pastor James Preus| John 1:19-28| December 20, 2020 John the Baptist confesses and, in his confession, he teaches us how to confess. To confess means to speak the same. John repeats back the same message that God gives him to speak. And we, by repeating the words of John the Baptist, confess…
Quinquagesima| 1 Corinthians 13|Pastor James Preus| February 14, 2021 “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” How can St. Paul say such a thing about faith? Jesus himself is the one who said that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you…
Advent 3| Matthew 11:2-10 | Rev. James Preus| 2020 “And blessed is the one who is not offended by me?” Why would someone be offended by Jesus? Indeed, Jesus is the most offensive man in human history. He was crucified, because he was so offensive. And his Gospel is rejected, maligned, and perverted by many around…
Advent 2 | Luke 21:25-36| Pastor James Preus Trinity Lutheran Church| December 13, 2020 “Now when you see these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Our Lord Jesus tells us that there are appointed signs for the coming of the Son of Man in glory. For those…
Advent 1| Matthew 21:1-11| Pastor James Preus| Trinity Lutheran Church| November 29, 2020 “O Lord, how shall I meet You, How welcome You aright?” What a good question! How can we welcome the Lord Almighty? The crowds in Jerusalem from our Gospel lesson give us a wonderful example. They took off their cloaks and cut down branches from…
Sexagesim|Luke 8:4-15|Rev. James Preus|February 7, 2021 When we consider these four types of earth into which the seed is sown: the path on which the seed is trampled and eaten by birds; the rocks where the seed dries out for lack of moisture; the thorns, which choke out the sprouting plant; and finally, the…
Christmas 2 | January 3, 2021 | Rev. James Preus | Matthew 2:13-23 “We resist evil with the ministry of Word and sword, and yet, the evils which cannot be averted we bear to our great advantage but to their detriment and destruction.”, wrote Martin Luther in meditation on our Gospel lesson. And indeed, our Gospel…
The Baptism of our Lord | January 10, 2021 | Rev. James Preus | Matthew 3:13-17 Blessed Epiphany! Epiphany comes from the Greek word for manifestation or appearing. It refers to God revealing himself to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. So, it makes sense in this Epiphany season that we remember the Baptism…
Epiphany 2 John 2:1-11 January 17, 2021 Rev. James Preus What do you think? Is God’s glory revealed more prominently in his power or in his love? This is a major question, the answer to which determines very much how you perceive your relationship with God. Jesus performed his first sign at a wedding in Cana in Galilee, manifesting…
Transfiguration | January 24, 2021 | Rev. James Preus | Matthew 17:1-9 | 2 Peter 1:16-21 St. Peter testifies saying, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16). St. John,…