Thursday, December 26, 2013

Growing in Christ - Matthew 2

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 26, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Matthew 2. This Bible Study is based on the curriculum from Concordia Publishing House's Sunday School curriculum, "Growing in Christ," a curriculum for all ages, helping to teach parents and teachers the material God in Christ wishes His children to learn to trust more in Him.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

A Pastoral Approach: Hebrews 1:1-12, December 25, 2013

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 25, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Hebrews 1:1-12. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link here. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Sermon: Hebrews 1:1-12, December 25, 2013

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this morning is from the Letter to the Hebrews, the first chapter:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power… “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 
Thus far the text.

Dear friends in Christ,
     Merry Christmas!  This day we celebrate the birth of the Savior, who is Jesus Christ.  He has come from the highest heavens in order to humble Himself, be born of a virgin, and take on our human flesh that He would win for us salvation from our sins.

     For indeed, this One, this Jesus, is the One who has long been prophesied.  From the very beginning, God promised this One where He says to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”  This offspring of the woman is Jesus the Christ. 

     And this Christ was to be born of a virgin, as it says in Isaiah 7, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  And so the Lord chose Mary, a virgin teenager, to bear forth the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, yet bearing human flesh and blood.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Advent Sermon: Dear Cities: Bethlehem, Micah 5:1-15, December 24, 2013

    This sermon series will focus on the major cities of Jesus Christ’s life here on this earth, Nazareth, Capernaum, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.  Each sermon asks a singular question, what did Jesus do in that city, and answers with a letter, addressed, if you will, from the future, warning each city to pay attention to its Lord and Messiah and guiding them to His truth.  As we listen and hear the words to the past, we also hear that the words are for us today. May the Lord bless us as we hear His Word. 

     This sermon, preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 24, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, focuses on Micah 5:1-15. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this evening comes to us from the Prophet Micah, the fifth chapter:
Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. 
Thus far the text.

Dearest Bethlehem,
     You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?  When the Assyrians were coming up against Israel and her holy city, Jerusalem, you were waiting.  You were waiting to fight, weren’t you?  You were waiting to go into battle.  You were waiting to do miraculous and heroic acts.  

     But, O Bethlehem, that’s like the 5-year old who puts a pot on his head, holds a spoon in his hand, and heads toward the door with his decorated brother who’s going back to Iraq.  It’s a ridiculous sight to see.  It’s cute, even.  

     But, O Bethlehem, you didn’t want to be cute did you?  You wanted to fight.  You wanted to defend.  You wanted to do marvelous things for the Lord’s name.  When you saw Israel being attacked, you wanted not to turn the other cheek but to strike them back on theirs.

     But you were too small.  You were too little.  In fact, compared to the rest of the tribe of Judah, that glorious tribe of Israelites, fearsome, awesome, dedicated, the men and women about whom all the best Biblical stories are told, you were just a runt.  There were no great stories out of you.  The best you had was that the great King David had come from your city.  But even he didn’t have much to do with you afterwards, he reigned from his palace in Jerusalem.  And he left you behind.

     But God had not forgotten you, O Bethlehem.  In fact, He gave you your name in order to foreshadow what He would do in you and through you.  Your name, which you know, means “House of Bread.”  You had no idea why you were named such a thing, did you?  Perhaps you thought your name should be BayitDavid, House of David, or Bayitzaeer, Little House.  But God had something much bigger in mind.

     You could not fight, O Bethlehem, you would lose all your people.  So the Lord decided that just as David had come from your city, so too would you have the singular distinction of bringing forth the ruler over all of Israel, even the world, that He had promised to Eve back in Genesis 3, that from the seed of woman, the Messiah would come.  

     And this Messiah, He would be of the ancient of days.  What does this mean, but that the Messiah is God Himself?  So, out of Bethlehem, out of a bunch of people, one who would be God would come.  Perhaps this sounds like blasphemy, O Bethlehem, but this is the point: that the One who would come to rule over the world does things in ways you could never imagine.

     For in you, O Bethlehem, the Lord God would send His Son, Jesus the Christ, to be born in your town, in a manger.  A little child, laying in the feed trough of animals.  A human boy, set in a place where things eat.  Setting up a foreshadowing of what you would do one day, O Bethlehem and all who hear this letter.

     For you are no better than the animals.  In your sin, you have made yourself as low to the ground as the serpent in the garden.  Make no mistake, you are dirtier, dingier, and more sinful than you could ever imagine.  House of Bread?  House of moldy bread perhaps.  House of worm-filled, dung-splattered bread.  That’s what you are.  That’s what you all look like in God’s eyes.  

     But, you, O Bethlehem, YOU are not the bread that is to be eaten.  Rather, that bread is this little baby.  You are as the animals, looking for food, going to the manger, and only finding the body of a boy.  But instead of turning away in disgust, as most people would, the baby invites you to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, for in them are true life, true salvation, true repentance, true faith.  If you do not eat and drink of His true body and blood, He will say you will have no part in Him.

     For His flesh is true bread.  HE is the bread of the House of Bread.  He is the one who was born in your town for the forgiveness of the entire world’s sins.  He is the one who will grow up and die for you.  This little baby, born tonight, in the City of David, is Christ the Lord.  But the Christ, the Messiah, this Jesus, He is so different than what you expected.

     How could you expect that this Jesus would grow up to die on a cross, O Bethlehem?  How could you expect that this Jesus was the Son of God, and not just the Son of Mary?  How could you expect that this Jesus, this one with human flesh, human soul, human emotions, human in every way except for sin, is God Himself?  How could you expect any of this?

     That’s the point, O Bethlehem.  Despite your smallness of size, despite your grievous sins before the Lord of All Creation, God will use you to bring forth His Son in order to save you.  He shall be the shepherd of His flocks, not flocks of animals, but flocks of sheep-like people, people who need to be lead, need to be reminded that they cannot do anything unless their Master tells them to.  And this Master Shepherd, He shall lead you beside the still waters, make you lie down in green pastures, restore your soul for His name’s sake, but He will also lead you into the valley of the shadow of death.

     But, O Bethlehem, do not fear.  For just as the night grows dim, a new dawn shall break.  For you who dwell in the darkness of sin and the shadow of death, you shall rejoice, for indeed, you have seen a great light and the new light of a new dawn has come upon you.  Jesus Christ is that light.  For indeed, in Him, O Bethlehem, is all hope to be found.

     When you enter the doors of your churches, you must indeed abandon all hope.  When you enter them, there is nothing for you based of your own doing.  Bethlehem, and all who hear this, you cannot save yourself.  You will not go to be with the Lord if only you are a good person.  You are lower than the angels, you are lower than the snake, you are lower even than the devil himself.  For you are sinners, each and every one of you.  You have no hope of being saved.

     Except that this Jesus the Christ came to be born for you.  He lived for you, died for you, and was resurrected for you.  When your trust is in Him, when your faith is in Him, when the Holy Spirit has worked these things in you, then, and only then, do you know that you are saved.  But when you do not have these things, when you turn away from the Christ as so many will come to do, then you are trusting in yourself.  And that is a perilous place to be.

     But that’s why Jesus came, because you had no hope.  He is your hope and your salvation.  The way of this Shepherd will guard you into all truth and righteousness.  And just as He has come into this world as a baby, we now know that He has borne all our griefs and carried our sorrows.  He has taken all things from us onto Himself so that He would redeem them, starting in His manger and leading to His cross.

     This Lord, O Bethlehem, is a man of wood.  Born in a wooden manger, working with His own two hands in carpentry, and having those two hands nailed to a cross.  He is born into this world to be crucified by its devices and ingenuities.  But He also uses creation, He uses the things of this world in order, not only to effect salvation, but also to bring it to you by His means of grace.

     The cross, the manger, would mean nothing, except if it had a way to get to you, a vehicle.  And so, this Jesus, born this night, O Bethlehem, would grow and institute His baptism, where by the water and the Word of God, you would be saved. “[And this is] not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

     And He would sit down with His disciples one Sabbath evening and, “…the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

     By these means, O Bethlehem, the Lord will bring to you His cross.  And by these means, O Bethlehem, the Lord will shepherd you.  And by these means, O Bethlehem, the Lord shall show His strength and declare His majesty.  For the Lord choses to do things in ways you can’t imagine.  Choosing you, O Little Town of Bethlehem, does not make sense.  Using bread and wine does not make sense.  Eating and drinking this baby’s true body and blood does not make sense.  Washing you clean of all your sin with water and the Word does not make sense.

     But, who said the Lord ever had to make sense to you, O Bethlehem?  Who made you in charge of deciding what would and would not be?  No one.  The Lord has declared to you these ways.  And though you may have missed all that the Lord was doing in your midst, O Bethlehem, there is still time, for there is still hope in this very Lord, Jesus the Christ, that tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes.  In Him, all the hope of the world is found, and it is in no other place.  Turn to Him and trust Him for the forgiveness of your sins, O Bethlehem, for He, and He alone, is your peace.  In Jesus’ name, we write you in love and concern.  Amen.

     Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord!  Amen.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Bible Study: The Book of Concord, Augsburg Confession 16

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 22, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on The Book of Concord. This Bible Study uses Concordia Publishing House's Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions as a basis for our study. Please feel free to follow along.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

A Pastoral Approach: Sermon: Matthew 1:18-25, December 22, 2013

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 22, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Matthew 1;18-25. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link here. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Sermon: Matthew 1:18-25, December 22, 2013

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this morning is from Matthew’s Gospel, the first chapter:
...When [Jesus'] mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins..."
Thus far the text.

Dear friends in Christ,
     So now, our text takes us into the celebration of Christmas.  For indeed, this week is one of great joy and hope.  But, as always, you cannot get to Christmas unless you first go through the rest of the story.
And so we see Joseph, the one who would adopt Jesus as his son.  The one who would train this Jesus up in His life.  The one who would begin to teach this little baby, this little boy, all the things of God from the Scriptures.  The one who would apprentice Jesus in the way of carpentry.  The one who would be as a father to this Jesus.

     But Joseph isn’t there yet.  Joseph is an honorable man, he is a man who wants to do the right thing.  But, he’s also a scared man.  He’s afraid of what would happen to Mary, even what would happen to him, should Mary be found to have conceived a son before they were to come together as man and wife.  And so Joseph desires to leave her, and this little boy, behind.

     It’s an understandable thing, actually.  See, if Joseph were to stay betrothed to Mary, he would probably face some type of pressure, according to the Law of Moses, to have Mary stoned to death for sleeping with another man outside of their marriage.  But, if he left Mary, in essence divorcing her before the marriage even began, then Mary would at least have some honor left to her.  She could be seen as a prostitute, one who could be forgiven.  Perhaps another man, at some point, would come along, but more than likely, she would be taken care of by her family, until her son, the one that she would bear, would be able to support her for the rest of her life.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Growing in Christ Bible Study - Luke 2:1-20

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 19, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 2:1-20. This Bible Study is based on the curriculum from Concordia Publishing House's Sunday School curriculum, "Growing in Christ," a curriculum for all ages, helping to teach parents and teachers the material God in Christ wishes His children to learn to trust more in Him.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Advent Sermon: Dear Cities: Jerusalem, Matthew 16:13-23, December 18, 2013

     This sermon series will focus on the major cities of Jesus Christ’s life here on this earth, Nazareth, Capernaum, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.  Each sermon asks a singular question, what did Jesus do in that city, and answers with a letter, addressed, if you will, from the future, warning each city to pay attention to its Lord and Messiah and guiding them to His truth.  As we listen and hear the words to the past, we also hear that the words are for us today. May the Lord bless us as we hear His Word.Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

     This sermon, preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 18, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, focuses on Matthew 16:13-23. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

The text this evening comes to us from Matthew’s Gospel, the 16th chapter:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”…From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Thus far the text.

Dearest Jerusalem,
     You had no idea what would happen, did you, when Jesus rode into your city limits that last time on Palm Sunday.  You had no idea that Jesus had set His face towards you, that He had resolved to enter your city one last time.  Jesus had, of course, been here many times during His life.  He came yearly to make His sacrifices for the atoning of sins.  And that made it that much harder to see Jesus for who He is, didn’t it?

     You see, you know, O Jerusalem, that one who makes atonement for sins must then have sins which need be atoned for.  You know that only a guilty one would need to become innocent, for indeed that is what the Law of Moses, the Law of God, says.  But, you missed it with Jesus didn’t you?

     Jesus wasn’t coming to the Temple each year to make atonement for His sins, for indeed, He was sinless.  Instead, Jesus came to the Temple in order to fulfill the Law.  He completed all the Law for you, so that you no longer needed to obey it in order to win for yourself the salvation unto eternal life.  Jesus did these things for you.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bible Study: The Book of Concord, Augsburg Confession 14 & 15

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 15, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on The Book of Concord. This Bible Study uses Concordia Publishing House's Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions as a basis for our study. Please feel free to follow along.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

A Pastoral Approach: Sermon: Isaiah 35:1-10, December 15, 2013

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 15, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Isaiah 35:1-10. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link here. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Sermon: Isaiah 35:1-10, December 15, 2013

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this morning is from the prophet Isaiah, the 35th chapter:
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing… Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water… And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 
Thus far the text.

Dear friends in Christ,
     In the text this morning, we see contrasted two ideas: the way of the world and Satan and the way of God and His righteousness.  The wilderness, dry land, desert, weak hands, feeble knees, anxious hearts, blind eyes, deaf ears, lame men, mute tongue, burning sand, jackals, and the unclean, these all belong to Satan and his work.  But, the fertile ground, the springs of water, the strong hands, firm knees, the unfearing heart, eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that walk, tongues that sing, sandy pools of water, reeds and rushes, and the righteous, these are the things of God.

     And these two ideas, these contrasts in the passage from Isaiah could not make it more clear.  The ways of Satan and the world shall pass away.  All danger shall one day cease.  Safety shall be had by all.  People shall stream to Zion with songs on their lips, gladness and joy shall be theirs, joy shall be everlasting, and there shall be no laborious tasks to undertake.  They way of the Lord will be established and only the righteous, whether they be fools or not, shall walk upon the path of righteousness.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Growing in Christ Bible Study - Luke 1:57-80

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 12, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 1:57-80. This Bible Study is based on the curriculum from Concordia Publishing House's Sunday School curriculum, "Growing in Christ," a curriculum for all ages, helping to teach parents and teachers the material God in Christ wishes His children to learn to trust more in Him.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Advent Sermon: Dear Cities: Capernaum, Matthew 4:12-17, December 11, 2013

     Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

     The text this evening comes to us from Matthew’s Gospel, the 4th chapter:
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 
Thus far the text.

Dearest Capernaum,
     The Lord chose you.  The Lord Jesus picked you out of all the cities He could live in, and He lived in your city limits.  Of course, had you known the Scriptures, this may not have been a surprise to you.  But it is easy to forget the Scriptures, isn’t it, when you are so busy with your daily trades in fishing and building.

     I know, O Capernaum, you don’t have much time for this Scripture thing.  But if you had, you would know that the Messiah would be in your midst one day.  You would be looking for Him.  For indeed, ever since the time of Joshua, when he led you into the promised land, and when he divvied up the land among the twelve tribes of Israel, a plan was set in place.  This plan would be that in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, a land which once belonged to Gentiles, a light would dawn.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Bible Study: The Book of Concord, Augsburg Confession 12 & 13

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 8, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on The Book of Concord. This Bible Study uses Concordia Publishing House's Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions as a basis for our study. Please feel free to follow along.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

A Pastoral Approach: Sermon: Romans 15:4-13, December 8, 2013

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 8, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Romans 15:4-13. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link here. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Sermon for December 8, 2013: Romans 15:4-13

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this morning is from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the fifteenth chapter:
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. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
Thus far the text.

Dear friends in Christ,
     To understand today’s text, we must understand that to the Hebrew world, the Gentiles had been declared unclean.  The Hebrews understood this, just as we do, that each of us has been born sinful and unclean and that we are separated from God starting at our very conceptions.  Even the Hebrews had to be made clean.  And so they were, using the means that God set down for them through the prophet Moses and by the faith granted to them by God.  But the Gentiles, they rejected God’s means of cleanliness and they rebelled against the Lord and Creator of the universe.

     So, God chose the Hebrews, the Jews, to be His Chosen People, the people that would hear His laws, bear up under His covenants, and wait for the fulfillment of His promises.  Note in this that the Hebrews were also supposed to obey the laws and covenants, and yet, they never did.  Still, the Lord showed them mercy, He welcomed them into His people, not because of their righteousness, but because of His righteousness, for His glory and His purposes.  Why?  Because they sought after the Lord, they turned from their wickedness and received repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

     You see, the Gentiles were different than the Jews.  To Israel, the Lord showed mercy and steadfast love, that means that He withheld the wrath He was to show to the Hebrews for their constant transgressions.  But, to the Gentiles, to those outside of the Hebrew nation, outside of the people of Israel, God withheld His wrath only so that He would show His mercy to Israel.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Growing in Christ Bible Study - Luke 1:26-56

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 5, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 1:26-56. This Bible Study is based on the curriculum from Concordia Publishing House's Sunday School curriculum, "Growing in Christ," a curriculum for all ages, helping to teach parents and teachers the material God in Christ wishes His children to learn to trust more in Him.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Advent Sermon: Dear Cities: Nazareth, Matthew 13:53-58, December 4, 2103

     This sermon series will focus on the major cities of Jesus Christ’s life here on this earth, Nazareth, Capernaum, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem.  Each sermon asks a singular question, what did Jesus do in that city, and answers with a letter, addressed, if you will, from the future, warning each city to pay attention to its Lord and Messiah and guiding them to His truth.  As we listen and hear the words to the past, we also hear that the words are for us today. May the Lord bless us as we hear His Word.

This sermon, preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 4, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, focuses on Matthew 13:53-58. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this evening comes to us from Matthew’s Gospel, the 13th chapter:
And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. 
Thus far the text.

Dearest Nazareth,
     Oh, dear city.  If you only knew what it was that would happen in you.  If only you had known that you would be the home of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, for most of His life.  Perhaps then, you would have left Him some honor.

     Nazareth, I know what it’s like to have a hometown.  When I go to my home, it is strange indeed.  There are all the memories I had as a child, growing up in my church, growing up among all those people.  To them, I’m never Pastor Lewis.  I’m just Lewis.  Lewis, the kid who has a picture on the wall of the church of when he was 12 and was wrestling with other kids in youth group.  Lewis, the kid who grew up in their midst.  This is who I am.

     Oh, Nazareth, you must have seen Jesus in the same light.  This Jesus who grew up with his family.  Jesus, who ran around with His brothers and sisters.  Jesus, who disappeared from His family when they went to visit the Temple in Jerusalem.  Jesus, who would grow in your midst, but in the meantime, you resorted to your sinful nature.  You saw Him as just another boy.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Bible Study: The Book of Concord, Augsburg Confession 13

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 1, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on The Book of Concord. This Bible Study uses Concordia Publishing House's Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions as a basis for our study. Please feel free to follow along.

The Bible Study recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

A Pastoral Approach: Sermon: Matthew 21:1-11, December 1, 2013

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on December 1, 2013 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Matthew 21:1-11. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link here. The sermon recording may also be accessed by clicking the title of this blog post and playing it in your browser.

Sermon for December 1, 2013: Matthew 21:1-11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The text this morning is from Matthew’s Gospel, the 21st chapter:
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden…’” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” 
Thus far the text.

Dear friends in Christ,
     A strange text to have the first week of Advent, wouldn’t you think?  Here we have the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem by the Christ, the time where He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, the sign of a conquering king coming back to His city, in order that Jesus might live out His final days before the crucifixion.  

     But, what is the point here?  Well, the point is really what Advent is truly about.  Advent is a time of waiting.  Yes, we are looking forward to the day of Christmas, that mass of Christ, the Eucharist of Christ, the Lord’s Supper of Christ, where that Christmas morning we shall gather here before this altar and take and eat, and take and drink, the incarnate flesh and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

     This Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified, broken, and bled out for us, is the one who came into this world and took on human flesh in His conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  He was conceived in her, traveled down her fallopian tubes, and implanted in her womb, only to grow and be born nine months later.  We look forward to celebrating this on that day.  But it’s not here yet.