Genesis 12:1-9; Romans 4:1-8, 13-17; John 3:1-17

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I wasn’t asked for permission to be born into this world. No one consulted me on which family I wanted to be in. I didn’t have a choice, a say, or any other type of input in the matter. It’s for this reason that we know and understand that life is a gift. I don’t earn it or deserve it. It was simply given to me. I was born into this world by the love and care of others. And so too, everyday I live is a gift from God.

Yet, when it comes to faith, it is much easier for us to talk about it as a “choice,” as a “decision,” or as something I “did.” Perhaps, it’s because many people come to faith later in life. Maybe it’s because faith feels like work that we do. Or could it possibly be that I feel like I deserve or have earned faith by my life? 

In our Gospel reading, though, Jesus challenges every single one of these claims and assertions that we make. A Pharisee, named Nicodemus, comes to Jesus at night seeking answers to his burning questions. But he would be surprised by Jesus’ interjection, as Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” John 3:3. Jesus here equates entrance into God’s kingdom with birth. If you are to enter, you must be born “again.” And what choice, or decision, or work do we have in our own birth?

Just like our birth in the flesh, so too is our birth of the Spirit. It’s a gift. It has to be given to us, rather than being something we do. We cannot demand from God extra reward because we “did our part.” Jesus actually tells us the opposite. Until we receive the new birth of the Spirit, we’re nothing more than flesh. We’ve been born into this sinful world, into sinful flesh, so that’s what we are. We stand no chance at entering God’s kingdom unless we become something different.

It's a good thing then that God gave us Jesus! For what we’re supposed to become comes freely through faith in the Son. As it is written, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him,” John 3:16-17. God loved us so much that he gave us Jesus, not just to be among us, to play with us, but to go to the cross and die for our sins. Yes, Jesus wasn’t sent here to condemn us in our sin, but rather to be the bridge for us to eternal life! It’s through Jesus that he gives us the Spirit who works this new birth of Water and the Word in us so that we may be born anew into the kingdom of God!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Genesis 3:1-21; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I remember taking notes for classes in school. Throughout the years, I had to learn how to take good notes, instead of just writing down everything the teacher said. Of course, the teachers were there to help you. They wanted you to have good notes that would be helpful in their class. So, on many occasions, I remember a teacher or two stop their lecture and tell us, “This is important! You’ll want to write this down.”

In many ways, this is how we have the bible. Throughout the years of God teaching his people, he would inspire them to write down his word. It was important; thus it should be written down. The written Word is important because it’s far more permanent than stories passed on by verbal tradition, spoken from one generation to the next. It’s important that we have it to read and reread, clarify what we have forgotten, and remain sure of God’s word spoken to us throughout the centuries.

In our Gospel lesson this week, we see Jesus’ reliance on the written word to fend off the temptations of Satan. “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But [Jesus] answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,”” Matthew 4:3-4. For this has always been Satan’s attack against us. He wants us to doubt or question the Word of God. This is how he tempted Eve and Adam, “Did God really say…?” Genesis 3:1. 

To have God’s word recorded, written for our learning is something we shouldn’t so quickly discard. Of course, we know the Bible is important. We say that, at least. But how do we live it? All too often, we set the bible aside because we “don’t have time” to read it; we’re “too busy” to spend time studying it right now; or we find it boring because “we already know it.” This is more than coming to church once a week. Attending a service is important, of course, but that can’t be our only interaction with God’s word. We need to be in it constantly, even daily. We need to remind ourselves what God has spoken to us lest Satan cause us to stumble.

This is of the utmost importance for us that we read, study, ponder, contemplate, and digest the very Word of God. The bible is far more than rules and laws. Indeed, it shows us how we’ve sinned and fallen short, how we’ve discarded God’s word. But God recorded for us something far more important. He recorded Christ. He wrote down for us his love that we may be reminded of it, filled with it, even to live by it. It is written that Jesus came down from heaven, was born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, was arrested, crucified for our sins, and raised for our justification! It is written that God has given you salvation and righteousness through the blood of Christ shed for you. It is written that God loved you so much to grant you forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O Lord God, You led Your ancient people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide the people of Your Church that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world toward the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Exodus 24:8-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Being a parent can be a rollercoaster of emotions. One moment, you are marveling at what great kids you have, and the next, you are putting them in time out just to have a moment’s peace. Yet, it’s a parent’s love and affection that children crave the most. We all want to know that our parents are proud of us and pay attention to us. This is part of why kids can say the funniest and silliest of things. They want the attention.

It interesting then that in this season of Epiphany, we hear this phrase spoken concerning Jesus. As God says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” Matthew 17:5. We begin Epiphany with this phrase at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river and we finish Epiphany with this proclamation at Jesus’ transfiguration. Even Jesus in his life needed this validation from his Father. For the season of Epiphany reveals to us who Jesus is, that is, the beloved Son of God.

This week, as we celebrate the Transfiguration of Jesus, we’re shown more than just the Father’s validation of his Son. Indeed, the Father was pleased with Jesus, his Son, for Jesus has been faithful in all his work. But Jesus brought with him three of his disciples—Peter, James, and John. For while Jesus appeared in all his glory, alongside Moses and Elijah, Peter jumps into the conversation. “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah,” Matthew 17:4. It’s that moment where you speak too soon and sound silly.

While Jesus is the beloved Son, the rest of us might have a thing or two to learn about being a child of the Almighty. We love the glory of that mountain and get so excited to experience it for ourselves that we blurt the first thing that comes to mind. We act childish, not only in our speech but in our behavior also. It would be better for us to be quiet, than to speak more sin into our world.

For so, we hear the voice come from the clouds which speaks not only to Jesus, but to us as well. Jesus isn’t just the Son of God, but also our brother. Hence, we hear God say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him,” Matthew 17:5. Listen to Jesus! Yes, everything we’re looking for comes from the mouth of our Lord. Learning what it means to be a son or daughter can only come from him who is Son. For it’s no mistake that when the disciples lift their eyes again, “they saw no one but Jesus only,” Matthew 17:8. By the cross, the fog of sin lifts. Because Jesus went to the cross for us, we’re to look to him alone for life and salvation. For so, God grants us the new birth of water and the word as we hear his voice over us, say, “This is my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased!”

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O God, in the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully foreshowed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Isaiah 58:3-9a; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

There is almost no recipe that doesn’t require salt. It’s an essential ingredient to make food taste good. Without salt, so many things just taste bland. Of course, we know some foods naturally have salt in them so there’s not much need to add extra, though sometimes I still do. Salt not only enhances flavors in other foods, but it can also be used for many other things too, like as a preservative.

Not enough salt is a common issue. But so is too much. If you dump the entire shaker of salt on your plate, you’re not going to enjoy eating it. Salt needs to be spread out to be useful, lest it become a waste. Light in the same way can be a great blessing. A flashlight is useful outside at night to see, or in a dark room. However, it’s nonsense to turn on a flashlight during the day or in a room that’s already lit. 

For consider our Gospel reading this week as Jesus calls us both salt and light. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? …You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden,” Matthew 5:13-14. Jesus’ disciples are meant to be both salt and light to the world. Salt to preserve the world from God’s wrath and light to reveal the love of God. 

Witnessing, sharing our faith is such an essential part of being a Christian. We can’t segregate ourselves away from the rest of the world, just like you can’t dump an entire shaker of salt on your plate and expect the food to taste good. Unsalty salt is an oxymoron. So is a non-witnessing Christian. “It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet,” Matthew 5:13. Faith is not private. It’s not something only between you and God. For so, it’s tempting for us to hide our light, to congregate together away from the world and think we’re no worse a Christian. 

Think about it this way, though. Jesus never said you must “turn on your light”. He never said you must “become” salt. He makes you both salt and light. You are the light of the world. Jesus makes us both when he calls us to follow him, when he makes us his disciple, when he fills us with his word. Being salt and light isn’t something we have to do, it’s who we already are! For it’s not our own light that we shine. Our words and deeds shine a light not on ourselves, but on God who saved us. Jesus Christ has restored you by dying on the cross for your sins. For this is how we give glory to God, how we be both salt and light in the world. We tell the world about Jesus and all that he has done for us through his death and resurrection. Through us, then, God uses our words and deeds to “preserve” the world that we, his children may enter his kingdom through the righteousness of Christ!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It’s amazing the difference that glasses can make for your vision if your eyes aren’t working properly. When vision begins to fail us, or even if we were born with poor vision, we know there are options to improve it. Putting on glasses that are properly suited for you can be like seeing a new world.

Likewise, we often talk about faith as a type of vision. As believers, we’re meant to look at the world differently than all others. We see a different world by faith than those who look with only earthly eyes. Just as Paul even writes, “We walk by faith, not by sight,” 2 Corinthians 5:7. Faith is meant to reveal to us a whole new world and through that a whole new way of interacting with the world around us.

In our Gospel lesson this week, Jesus speaks the Beatitudes. These are words that Christians have held dear for a long time for good reason. However, there’s more to these words than blessings for believers. As Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth…Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Matt. 5:3, 5, 10. What Jesus is teaching here isn’t just comforting words for those who are distressed, he’s teaching his followers to look at the world through his eyes. 

It is all too easy to look at this world and see only suffering, disasters, and evil. It is easy to find despair when nothing seems to be going right. Earthly eyes look at this world in the finite, senseless violence that fills our TVs and the never-ending drama that overtakes our lives. It’s our sin that’s ever present before our eyes that clouds our vision and causes us to fixate on the evil around us, rather than on the goodness of God.

Understand then that it’s Jesus’ blessings (or beatitudes) that causes us to reorient our vision away from our sin and evil and towards the work of God still happening among us. While sin, suffering, and disasters remain ever present in our world, the Christian whose eyes have been fixed toward Christ now sees God’s hand sustaining and providing for us. Being meek, merciful, and pure in heart are the virtues that may not gain us anything in this life, but are priceless because of the treasure they provide in eternity. The blessings of Christ come from Christ’s own suffering and death upon the cross. It’s the cross that enables us to look past our sins, past the evil in our world, and know that God and his goodness will triumph over all! “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you,” Matthew 5:11-12. Indeed, put on the glasses of faith so that we may see Christ’s blessings given to you through the cross! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Isaiah 9:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-25

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

At this time of year, so many of us are already looking forward to spring for one reason or another. We’re eager to emerge from the cold months of the year and enter back into the warmer days. And as we all know now that we’re past the winter solstice the days are getting longer again. The cold and dark of winter does a number on the body and mind. 

Darkness is menacing to us. During winter, it’s not just the cold that prevents us from going outside as much, but the dark. When we can’t see more than a couple feet in front of us, it changes how we think and act. Indeed, we’re also aware that nothing good happens in the dark. Darkness is where the unknown constantly confronts us. Any number of things can happen when sight is hindered. 

For such is the image in our Gospel lesson this week. Christ enters into our world like the dawning of a new day. He is the light that scatters the darkness around us. “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,” Matthew 4:16. Matthew marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with this image as Jesus takes up the proclamation of John the Baptist, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matthew 4:17. 

We are a people who have dwelt in a land of darkness, in the shadow of sin and death. This darkness has changed the way we live and act. It’s menacing to us as the darkness of our world seems to overshadow everything we say and do. Indeed, in sin, we can’t see more than a couple feet in front of us. We don’t always know what lays before us and are afraid of the unknown that may confront us. 

Yet, the night is almost over. The light has appeared over the horizon like the dawning of a new day. For Christ comes as light. In his ministry, He brings to light all our works of evil, all our sins that we may repent. He invites us to follow just as he calls his first disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John. For his light brings to us a new day, one no more dominated by sin and death but rather by grace and life! Christ comes into the darkness of our world, even going into the darkness of death on the cross. By his death, he dispels the darkness of our world and invites us to follow him. For the night of this world is quickly ending and giving way to the dawning of a new day. For the light of Christ shall arise on us and bring us by faith to the eternal day, even eternal life! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42a

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It’s not polite to point. People don’t like it when they’re being stared at, talked about, or singled out. We don’t want to make anyone feel uneasy or unsafe. Pointing has always had a more accusatory emphasis behind it. We usually only point at something or someone that stands out in a negative way. 

It’s takes pointing though to direct our attention. A simple statement of “Look!” isn’t enough. Look where? This is the typical way John the Baptist is depicted. He’s pointing. He doesn’t point at just anything either. He’s pointing to Jesus who’s walking along the road. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. He had to point it out. He had to direct people’s attention to this important scene. 

We always talk about John’s ministry as one of preparation. But perhaps his ministry was more of a pointing. John baptized people in the wilderness but that was only half his mission, as we see with two of his disciples. John must point out for them the promised Messiah who had come. Behold! Look over there! That’s him! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

John wouldn’t be the only one to point to Jesus though. For many others would point to him and not in a good way. The Lamb of God would be pointed out by the crowds, singled out for his actions. He would be pointed at by Judas who would single him out for the Roman guards to arrest him. He would be pointed at by Pilate who would tell the crowds, “Behold, the man!” John 19:5. Jesus would be pointed out as the sin-bearing lamb of God. 

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God would be the last one to point his finger. He would point to Jesus on the cross where his wrath would be poured out. Jesus would be accused, sentenced and condemned for our sins. He would be the one pointed at and mocked by Roman guards. He would be pointed at by all the people shocked that such fate could befall one called the Son of God. Yet, all fingers will point to him again in three days, not in accusation but in bewilderment and awe. For see the Lamb of God having completed the sacrifice for all sins, now risen from the dead. This is the one whom took your sins and my sins, who took our place, who we pointed at in mockery… but now must point to in faith. Let us point, direct, and turn the worlds focus to this one… to Jesus, the Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, who governs all things in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your peace through all our days; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!