Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Bible Study: Revelation 7:2-17, October 28, 2015
A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Revelation 7:2-17 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on October 28, 2015. This Bible Study will help to lay a foundation for the sermon that is preached the following Sunday. Play the audio by clicking here.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Bible Study: Job 32:1-3, October 18, 2015
A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on October 18, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Job 32:1-3. Play the audio by clicking here.
Sermon Audio: Hebrews 4:1-16, October 18, 2015
A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on October 18, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Hebrews 4:1-16. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.
Sermon Text: Hebrews 4:1-16, October 18, 2015
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 fourth chapter:
My dear friends in Christ,
Our text today picks up where last week’s left off, remember that the Resurrection is the primary hope of the Christian life, the day for which we all strive to reach, and it is a day that we have a taste of, even today as we approach the Lord’s table at His invitation to have a foretaste of the feast to come. Christ keeps us faithful in this by providing His gifts to us, His means of grace. That’s how you know that the rest of the Lord, the day of Resurrection, is open to you, that you come to His Altar to receive those things He has to give you, that you remember your Baptism, that you have received Holy Absolution for the pardon of all of your sins.
His promise of rest to you still stands, for He was the one who was crucified and risen for the forgiveness of all your sins. And as He is the Lord who has done this, and has promised His gifts to you, He has the power and the authority, sitting at the right hand of God, to give you this even today. Today is a taste of the victory that is to come. And every day that follows today is pure mercy, given by Jesus that we may revel in His salvation for us one more day in this sin-filled world, that we may do the good works that have been appointed for us to do, that we attempt to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that is hurting and suffering and fallen in their sin so that they may stand with us in the very same confidence we have this day.
The text this morning is from the Letter to the Hebrews, the fourth chapter:
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. …For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
Our text today picks up where last week’s left off, remember that the Resurrection is the primary hope of the Christian life, the day for which we all strive to reach, and it is a day that we have a taste of, even today as we approach the Lord’s table at His invitation to have a foretaste of the feast to come. Christ keeps us faithful in this by providing His gifts to us, His means of grace. That’s how you know that the rest of the Lord, the day of Resurrection, is open to you, that you come to His Altar to receive those things He has to give you, that you remember your Baptism, that you have received Holy Absolution for the pardon of all of your sins.
His promise of rest to you still stands, for He was the one who was crucified and risen for the forgiveness of all your sins. And as He is the Lord who has done this, and has promised His gifts to you, He has the power and the authority, sitting at the right hand of God, to give you this even today. Today is a taste of the victory that is to come. And every day that follows today is pure mercy, given by Jesus that we may revel in His salvation for us one more day in this sin-filled world, that we may do the good works that have been appointed for us to do, that we attempt to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that is hurting and suffering and fallen in their sin so that they may stand with us in the very same confidence we have this day.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Bible Study: Hebrews 4:1-16, October 14, 2015
A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Hebrews 4:1-16 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on October 14, 2015. This Bible Study will help to lay a foundation for the sermon that is preached the following Sunday. Play the audio by clicking here.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Bible Study: Job 31:1-40, October 11, 2015
A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on October 11, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Job 31:1-40. Play the audio by clicking here.
Sermon Audio: Hebrews 3:12-19, October 11, 2015
A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on October 11, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Hebrews 3:12-19. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.
Sermon Text: Hebrews 3:12-19, October 11, 2015
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 third chapter:
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
Jesus is greater than Moses was. That’s the message the author to this letter just gave to the Jews scattered throughout the land. That’s like saying Akeley’s Paul Bunyan statue is better than Bemidji’s. It's like saying the LWML looks better in pink. It evokes a certain amount of distaste, disgust, and is sure to ruffle more than a few feathers.
After all, if you’re a Jew, Moses is your guy. He’s the greatest prophet, the greatest Law-giver, the greatest everything. He’s the one who led the people out of Egypt. He’s the one who parted the Red Sea. He’s the one who prayed and manna and quail came to the people. He’s the one whose touch caused water to flow from the rock. He’s your guy. If you’re a Jew, Moses is The Dude.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Bible Study: Hebrews 3:12-19, October 7, 2015
A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Hebrews 3:12-19 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on October 7, 2015. This Bible Study will help to lay a foundation for the sermon that is preached the following Sunday. Play the audio by clicking here.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Sermon Audio: Hebrews 2:1-18, October 4, 2015
A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on October 4, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on hebrews 2:1-18. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.
Sermon Text: Hebrews 2:1-18, October 4, 2015
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 second chapter:
My dear friends in Christ,
You may have heard the saying, “Doctrine divides.” Usually, it’s employed in certain churches that push the idea that what you believe doesn’t matter, it’s what you do, or it’s what you feel, or as long as you’re sincere everything is going to be okay. They claim that doctrine just messes up the Church; doctrine doesn’t really matter. Doctrine is just the academic’s way of pushing into the Church. Doctrine’s only for the people who need to feel smart. Doctrine is just for those who aren’t really interested in just a simple faith, a simple life, a simple Jesus.
The text this morning is from the Letter to the Hebrews, the second chapter:
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. …Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. …Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. …he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
You may have heard the saying, “Doctrine divides.” Usually, it’s employed in certain churches that push the idea that what you believe doesn’t matter, it’s what you do, or it’s what you feel, or as long as you’re sincere everything is going to be okay. They claim that doctrine just messes up the Church; doctrine doesn’t really matter. Doctrine is just the academic’s way of pushing into the Church. Doctrine’s only for the people who need to feel smart. Doctrine is just for those who aren’t really interested in just a simple faith, a simple life, a simple Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)