Sunday, January 31, 2016

Sermon Audio: Luke 4:31-44, January 31, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on January 31, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 4:31-44. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Luke 4:31-44, January 31, 2016

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 Gospel according to Luke, the fourth chapter:
And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. 
Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Jesus went to His home.  He had just been rejected in Nazareth, the town in which He grew up, and He went home, to where He would live and make the home base for His ministry.  Nothing special about Capernaum, though it does seem it was some type of peaceful place, a place where there was some beauty on the shores of Lake Galilee.  But it was Jesus’ home.

     And as was Jesus’ custom, just as He had done in Nazareth, He went to where He could hear the Word of God on the Sabbath.  He went there to be refreshed, to hear, to meditate, to teach.  And He taught with authority.  We’ve heard all this before of Jesus.  People are amazed.  They marvel at His teaching.  They want to hear more because it is just that good.  He taught as the quintessential example of Christian preaching, with love, patience, kindness, goodness, not being envious or boastful, not arrogance or rudeness, not irritability or resentfulness.  He taught with love, bearing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things.

     But, the peace of Capernaum wouldn’t last.  At least, not that Sabbath, not in that synagogue.  A man, a man who had presumably come to hear the Word of God just as Jesus had, stood up.  And this man, prideful and arrogant as only the devil can make one, stood up.  And Jesus, the Teacher of teachers, could not bear the spitting of the demon and cast the demon out from His midst and away from the Word of God.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: Roman Catholicism, January 24, 2016

This Bible Study is taken from and based upon the "One Christ, Many Creeds" curriculum from Concordia Publishing House. It was taught at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN on January 17, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here. You may also follow along with the teaching using this sheet.

Sermon Audio: Luke 4:16-30, January 24, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on January 24, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 4:16-30. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Luke 4:16-30, January 24, 2016

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 Gospel of Luke, the fourth chapter:
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. 
Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Have you ever been offended?  Truly offended?  I mean, like someone has made a racist joke at your expense offended?  Like someone makes a sexist joke offended?  Like someone does or says something so vile and nasty to you that you actually begin to think of ways that you can “get rid of them” so that no one would know but you offended?  Good.  Then you’re beginning to think like the Nazarenes.

     Jesus offended them.  Jesus, you know, isn’t in the meek and mild business.  He’s not interested in keeping the status quo.  He’s not interested in making people feel good about themselves.  He knows who we are.  He knows what the Law says about us.  He knows that we’re dirty, rotten sinners.  And He knows that we, even the Nazarenes in today’s text, don’t deserve kind words or happy sayings or good things.  He knows all that.

     Now, of course, you also know that doesn’t stop Jesus from giving those kind words or happy sayings or good things to you.  You don’t deserve them, but Jesus often gives them anyway.  We don’t deserve forgiveness; but He gives it.  We don’t deserve good health; but He gives it.  We don’t deserve happy days; but He gives them.  We don’t deserve anything good but it doesn’t stop Him from giving it.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Bible Study: Luke 4:16-30, January 20, 2016

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Luke 4:16-30 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on January 20. 2016. 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, January 17, 2016

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: Historic Lutheranism, January 17, 2016

This Bible Study is taken from and based upon the "One Christ, Many Creeds" curriculum from Concordia Publishing House. It was taught at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN on January 17, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here. You may also follow along with the teaching using this sheet.

(This recording seems to skip a few milliseconds every so often. Apologies for that. It makes it hard to listen. The gist of the argument is that the Lutheran Faith is one that focuses plainly on the Word, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper as our gifts of salvation to us.)

Sermon Audio: Isaiah 62:1-5, January 17, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on January 17, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Isaiah 62:1-5. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 62:1-5, January 17, 2016

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 62nd chapter:
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. 
Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Begin by imagining that some force, let’s say Canada, amasses thousands of troops and tries to take over Bemidji.  Makes sense, right?  We’re pretty awesome.  By taking over Bemidji, they have control over the area that goes between themselves and the Cities.  They have good reason to take over Bemidji.  But, when they get here, they don’t think the people will submit to their rule, eh?  They also don’t like the layout of the place.  So, they send all the people of Bemidji up to Canada to live in exile, and on top of that, they loot all our stores, all our houses, and they destroy, burn to the ground this church.

     Now, we didn’t see any of that because we were already in exile.  We didn’t see the devastation the Canadians caused in their oh-so-polite manner.  But, 70 years later, our children and our grandchildren are finally allowed to return home by the Canadian overlords.  When they get here, they see nothing but devastation, and they see this church, the place where their families were baptized, were fed, where they worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth, without roof, without walls, without any of the holy things that exist here today.  And they weep.  And they lament.  And they begin to worry that nothing will even be the same again.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Bible Study: Isaiah 62:1-5, January 13, 2016

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Isaiah 62:1-5 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on January 13. 2016. 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, January 10, 2016

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: Introduction, January 16, 2016

This Bible Study is taken from and based upon the "One Christ, Many Creeds" curriculum from Concordia Publishing House. It was taught at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN on January 10, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here.

Sermon Audio: Isaiah 43:1-7, January 10, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on January 10, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Isaiah 43:1-7. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 43:1-7, January 10, 2016

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

The text this morning is from:
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” 
Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Today, the first Sunday after the Epiphany, we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord.  This is appropriate.  In fact, it is the most appropriate time to celebrate it.  Epiphany, January 6th, is a day in which we celebrate that the Gentiles also are included in the salvation work of Jesus.  Even Gentiles can be saved.  That’s good news, since everyone here is a Gentile.

     We celebrate it by looking at the texts when the wise men came from a far off place to worship at the feet of the child Jesus.  Even those who are outside the communion of Israel knew and saw the King, and gave Him what He was due, worship, thanksgiving, and gifts of great measure, even gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, that look forward to the King’s death, where the King would be rubbed and covered in such expensive aloes, befit for a King.

     But, today, the thanksgiving to God for the inclusion of the Gentiles continues.  For here, we see our Lord baptized by John the Baptizer, not, as were all others, for the forgiveness of His sins, for He was and is sinless.  Jesus was baptized here as the start, as the seal of His public ministry.  But even more than that, Jesus was baptized for you.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Sermon Audio: Luke 2:40-52, January 3, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on January 3, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 2:40-52. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: Luke 2:40-52, January 3, 2016

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 Gospel according to Luke, the second chapter:
And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.  And the favor of God was upon Him.  Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.  And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.  And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.  His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for Him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for Him.  After three days they found Him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.  And when His parents saw Him, they were astonished.  And His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that He spoke to them.  And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.  And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.  
Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     I think it’s hard for us to understand Jesus’ response to His parents here.  I mean, He is supposed to be perfect, but it’s almost as if He responds to their concerns over His disappearance with, I don’t know, condescension?  It’s like He’s talking down to them.  In our world, if a child did that to their parent, wouldn’t they be seen as disobeying?  Wouldn’t they be punished?  I know I would have been.

     But, see how Luke addresses this, right at the beginning and the ending.  “And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.”  “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”  Luke informs us that this isn’t disobedience, it isn’t sin, it’s wisdom.  But it’s hard for us to see that, isn’t it?  We are so caught up in our sin-filled world and lives that we can’t understand that Jesus, the perfect Son of God, could do such things without it being sinful.