Bible Study: Revelation 1:4-18, March 30, 2016

A Bible Study taught by Pastor Lewis Polzin on Revelation 1:4-18 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on March 30, 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.

Sermon Audio: Luke 24:1-12, March 27, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on March 27, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 24:1-12. 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 24:1-12, March 27, 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 24th chapter:

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. 

Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     He is risen!  He in risen, indeed!  Alleluia!  Today is the first day.  Yesterday, the seventh day, the Sabbath day, God rested.  He rested from all the work he had done.  He had accomplished all that He had set out to do.  So, He rested.  In the tomb.

     But today, He is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!  Jesus Christ does not rest any more, for today is the first day, as it was the first day for those women who had gone to the tomb to put spices upon Jesus’ body.  It was the first day for them.  It was the first day they were in public since their rabbi was killed, executed, murdered.  It was the first day they had to face other people.  It was the first day of abject terror.  They had never felt more unsafe, more unprotected, more lost.

     And they were going out, out in the streets, out where people who wanted to kill would do them harm, out to a garden, a garden protected by soldiers, out to touch a dead body.  There was no safety.  There was no security.  There was no comfort for them.  The world was turned upside down and it was likely that they would lose their lives soon, too.

     But, when they arrived, their world would turn again.  You know that feeling you get right before the teacher calls on you when you don’t know the answer?  You know that feeling you had when your first girlfriend broke up with you?  You know that feeling when you’re about to be sick and the entire room seems to zoom up at you like a close-up on the TV?  They saw the stone from the entrance of the tomb rolled away.

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: Methodists, March 20, 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 March 20, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here. You may also follow along with the teaching using this sheet.

Sermon Audio: John 12:20-43, March 20, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on March 20, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on John 12:20-43. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: John 12:20-43, March 20, 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 John, the twelfth chapter:

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 

Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     The time is here.  We have arrived right at the beginning of Holy Week with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  And right there, right in that place, there were Greek converts to Judaism who wanted to see Jesus.  “Sir, we want to see Jesus,” they ask.  They wanted to see the One who had done so many miracles, the One who preached the Word of God, the One who came into the city as a triumphant, peaceful King.  So, they went to the most Greek guy in Jesus’ apostles and begged to see Jesus.  Word got passed around and back to Jesus.  Jesus doesn’t outright say yes; in fact, He doesn’t say much of anything regarding those guys.  Or does He?

     You see, when Jesus begins in on explaining everything that is to come, He is answering them.  He’s telling His disciples that the hour has come, and even the Gentiles of the world are coming to see the spectacle that begins this day and continues through Good Friday, and, by the grace of God, even these people will continue to believe and see Jesus Resurrection Sunday.

     Jesus says, through metaphor, that He must fall to the earth and die, and if He does, He will bear much fruit, the fruit of all the believers in Him, even the Gentiles.  But, to those who love this world more than their God, to those who love their lives, they will not come to Christ in the end.  They will be plucked from the vine as rotten and soured grapes, people who reject the good gifts of God in Christ Jesus.

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: Anglicans/Episcopalians, March 13, 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 March 13, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here. You may also follow along with the teaching using this sheet.

Sermon Audio: Luke 20:9-20, March 13, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on March 13, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on Luke 20:9-20. 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 20:9-20, March 13, 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 20th chapter:

And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 

Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Our passage today shows us the extravagant patience of God our Father.  The man, the owner, is God.  The vineyard is Israel.  The tenants are the religious leaders, those who spoke for Israel.  The servants are the prophets.  The Son is Jesus Christ.

     So, when God plants this vineyard, He wants the tenants to take care of it.  When He puts Israel into the land He promised them, He wants them to listen to Him, take care of Israel and all her people, and keep pointing them back to the Owner.  So, He sends the prophets to them, to remind them of the Lord’s decrees, to urge them to repent, which is the true fruit of the vineyard.  But they beat the prophets.  Really, they kill them.  They hate that the Owner of the vineyard wants something from them and they refuse to listen to Him any more.

     So, finally, with all authority and power in His hand, the Son is sent by the Father to bring the children of Israel back to God.  But they hate the Son even more than the prophets.  Instead of just killing Him like they did the prophets, they plot to take Israel for themselves, they plot to humiliate the Owner by denuding the Son, and then kill Him.

Sermon for the Funeral of +Helen Clara Johnson+, March 10, 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 Gospel according to John, the twelfth chapter:

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 

Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,

     Of course we today are grieving.  We should.  It’s a hard day when we lose our mother, our grandmother, our aunt, our friend, our sister in Christ.  Having Helen taken away from us by death is not an easy thing.  Not for us.  But, for Helen, this is a great day.  She closed her eyes in death on Saturday, but immediately opened them and saw her Lord.  And soon, she, even in this body, will open her eyes again, and see, not only her Lord, but also all of us who are in Christ.

     Helen knew what it was to plant.  She knew what it was to put a seed in the ground, bury it, water it, feed it, care for it, and have from it grow a beautiful flower.  Now, she didn’t really know how it grew.  No one actually does.  What is it about a seed that really makes it split open and shoot up a stem and have a plant grow?  I don’t know, Helen didn’t know.

Bible Study: One Christ, Many Creeds: TULIP Recap, Presbyterianism, Christian Reformed, March 6, 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 March 6, 2016. Play the audio by clicking here.

Sermon Audio: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, March 6, 2016

A sermon preached by Pastor Lewis Polzin on March 6, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, MN, on 2 Corinthians 5:!6-21. The text of this sermon may be found by clicking this link and you may play the audio of the sermon here.

Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, March 6, 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 Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, the fifth chapter:

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

Thus far the text.

My dear friends in Christ,
     Pinch yourself.  Go on, do it.  Pinch yourself.  Nice and hard.  Did you feel it?  Congratulations.  You have flesh.  But, that’s not what Paul is talking about when he mentions that we won’t regard anyone according to the flesh.  Paul is talking about the idea that he, and his companions, the pastors he would set up in cities as he went on his journeys, would regard people according to God’s point of view, a point of view that sees a person through the eyes of faith.

     Once, Paul saw Jesus as a mere man, a criminal who was hanged upon a cross so that He would be punished for His crimes against God.  Paul saw Jesus as a blasphemer, a rebel, someone who needed to be sentenced to death.  Yet, in Paul’s conversion, in the Baptism that was given him by God, Paul eyes were cleared.  Something like scales fell from them, both literally and metaphorically.  Literal scales fell from Paul’s eyes, scales that had blinded him to the entirety of life.  And metaphorical scales went away as well, scales that blinded his heart from seeing Jesus for who He really is, God in human flesh, sent to take on the sins of the world.

Bible Study: Discernment in the Church Today, March 3, 2016

A Bible Study on 'Discernment in the Church Today' and its necessity, taught at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji, Minnesota on March 3, 2016. You may listen to the audio here, or click the post title for the audio.