Christ For You: Recent Episodes
Pastor Andrew Packer
A podcast of Our Savior Lutheran Church and School Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Devotions, readings, sermons, interviews, and classic works.
Sermon by President Pastor Maxwell during the Installation of Pastor Dustin C. Atkinson
A sermon on John 15:26-16:4 and 1 Peter 4:7-14 and how the church ought to live under persecution.
A sermon on 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and John 16:23-24 and the important role of prayer in the life of the church.
A sermon on John 16:5-15 and how the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and how the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth.
A sermon on 1 John 3 and the Beatific (Blessed) Vision of seeing Jesus face to face - what it means for us then and now.
A sermon on Jesus' words from the cross, "I thirst" and what it means for us and our salvation.
A sermon on Genesis 3 and Matthew 4 - how the devil tempts and how we have victory in Jesus.
A sermon on the Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-9) and how the Son of Man reveals His glory to us and then bestows us with that glory.
A sermon on the miracle at the wedding at Cana and what it means for you, your salvation, and your home.
A sermon on Paul's summary of the Christmas story in Titus 2 and 3 and what it all means for our Christian lives.
A sermon on Philippians 4:4-7 and how our joy an peace in the Lord impacts all that we do.
A sermon on Isaiah 40 and Matthew 11 on the war that rages in our conscience, the doubts it can produce, and the comfort of the Gospel.
A sermon on 1 John 4:7-18 - how Jesus is love incarnate and how St. Nicholas embodied that love.
A sermon on the purpose of Advent and how we can properly prepare for Christ's advents during the season of Advent.
A sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and Matthew 25:1-13 and what it means to "watch" as we wait for Christ's return and our own death.
A sermon on Matthew 18:21-35 and the two options put before us - vengeance or forgiveness. (Thank you to Peter Leithart's commentary that helped shape this sermon.)
A sermon on John 4:46-54 and how Jesus uses hardship and difficulty to strengthen your faith.
A sermon on Matthew 11:12 and what it means to violently/forcefully seize the kingdom of heaven.
A sermon on Genesis 28, Psalm 84, and Matthew 9 and what they teach us about what happens in church every week.
A sermon on Luke 14:1-14 and what the Bible says about hospitality - how it is rooted in the Gospel and how we are to eagerly practice it. (The first 30 seconds or so are missing.)
A sermon on Galatians 5:25-6:10 and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to bear one another's burdens.
A sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan and what it teaches us about Jesus and about our own lives of mercy.
A sermon on Mark 7:31-37 and how Jesus heals our hears and mouths so that we can both hear and speak rightly - and what that means for all aspects of our lives.
A sermon on Genesis 4:1-15 and Luke 18:9-14 comparing and contrasting the worship of Cain and the Pharisee with the worship of Abel and the tax collector.
Pastor Odom preaches on Luke 14:15-24 and the importance of the feast that Christ sets before us now.
A sermon on Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus - focusing on how we need to repent of our greed that keeps us from seeing the Lazaruses in our midst.
The Holy Spirit comes and replaces our confusion, division, and chaos with clarity, unity, and peace.
A sermon on John 16:23-33 and what it teaches us about pray. We apologize that the first minute or so was cut off. It was a quote by Luther about how since he knew he was going to have a busy day he would pray for 3 hours first.
A sermon on music, singing, hymns, and that the LORD is our strength, song, and salvation. Essays by Richard Resch and Daniel Reuning were extremely helpful in shaping this sermon.
A sermon on Lamentations 3 and John 16. The first minute or so of the beginning of the sermon is missing. Some lines from the introduction and from the conclusion are from Peter Leithart's article "The Tears of Things."
A sermon on John 10:11-16 and what it means that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and how he continues to Shepherd His Church through under-shepherds
A sermon about Mary Magdalene's 7 demons and our struggles with demons and mental afflictions.
A sermon about the heart of the resurrection - Christ was raised that you might have the forgiveness of sins.
A sermon on Matthew 21:1-9 and how the various groups of people respond to Jesus and what that means for us and our salvation.
A sermon on Hebrews 9 and how the blood of Jesus secures our eternal redemption and even cleanses our good works.
A sermon on John 6:1-15 and how Jesus provides for us true rest and refreshment by giving us Himself.
A sermon on Matthew 20:17-28 on how Jesus' serves us and how that shapes how we serve one another.
A sermon on Matthew 6:1-21. If we are to give alms, pray, and fast properly, we must know who we are serving.
A sermon on the healing of the blind man in Luke 18:31-43 and what it teaches us about living by faith alone.
A sermon for the commemoration of Polycarp on the promises of God - including the promises of suffering.
A sermon on Matthew 17:1-9 and what the Transfiguration teaches us about suffering coming before glory.
A sermon on Matthew 8:23-27 and how Jesus calmed the storm and what it means for our "storms" and our salvation.
A sermon on the wedding at Cana and what it reveals about Jesus and what it means for you and your salvation.
A sermon on Matthew 3:13-17 and what is revealed about Jesus in His baptism and what it teaches you about your baptism.
A sermon on Luke 2:41-52 and how boy Jesus is revealed to be the glory and wisdom of God.
A sermon on how the visit of the wise men to baby Jesus reveals that He is King of ALL and what that means for us.
A sermon on the three prophecies of Matthew 2:13-23 - what the prophecy is, how Jesus fulfills it, and what it means for you.
A sermon on the promise of Genesis 3:15, how it weaves its way throughout Scripture, and how all of God's promises were filled in the birth of Christ.
Based on John 1:19-28: there are three questions that are important when preparing for Christmas - What is repentance? Who is Christ? Who are You?
A sermon on Matthew 11:11-19 - especially focusing on Jesus words about the crowds mocking John the Baptist and Jesus.
A sermon Luke 21:25ff. and Romans 15:4 on what it means to wait in hope for Christ's second coming - and waiting for Him in our own despair and darkness.
A sermon on Matthew 21:1-9 and how we are to look for the true Christ where He promises to be.
A sermon on what it means for Christians to watch for Jesus' return based on our Lord's parable in Matthew 25:1-13.
A sermon on Matthew 9:18-26 and the woman who is healed from the flow of blood and the little girl who is raised from the dead.
A sermon on Revelation 7 and Matthew 5 and the common inheritance that all the saints have in Christ.
A sermon on Romans 3:19-28 - justification by grace alone through faith alone is the heart of the Reformation.
A sermon on Jesus words in Matthew 22 about the two great commandments - love God and love your neighbor.
A sermon on Luke 14:1-11 - the healing of the man with dropsy and the parable of the wedding feast. Do you seek the praise and opinion of men? Or do you humble yourself under God's Word? What does it mean for Christ to exalt you?
A sermon on Luke 7:11-17 and Jesus' power to raise the dead and what that means for us.
A sermon on Galatians 5:16-24 and what Paul teaches about the Christian's life in the Spirit.
A sermon on the school's new motto Isaiah 30:15 for back-to-school night. Motto: In silentio et spe erit fortitudo vestra - In silence and hope shall your strength be.
A sermon on Mark 7:31-37 on how Jesus heals our ears so that we can hear rightly and our tongues so that we can confess and speak rightly.
A sermon on Luke 19:41-48: the danger of hardening your heart and the judgment it brings contrasted with what the tears of Christ reveal about God's mercy.
A sermon on Hebrews 3:12-14 focusing on why we need to exhort one another while it is TODAY.
A sermon on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 where Paul warns us about the dangers of temptation and teaches us The Way of Escape.
Jesus warns us about false teaching in Matthew 7 because of the importance of true teaching.
Paradise was lost through man's sin but the whole Bible is about how it is being restored in Christ Jesus.
A sermon on Romans 10:11-17 for The Festival of the Dispersion of the Apostles. Why did God disperse them? Why do we need to hear the Word? What is the end goal of it all?
In Matthew 5 Jesus tells us that we need a righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees. Where do we find it? How do we get it? Why do we need it?
A sermon on 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and Paul's exhortation to pray for all men because Christ died for everyone.
A sermon on Luke 5:1-11 and what Peter's confession "At Your Word" means for our churches and our homes.
A sermon on Jesus' teaching on mercy in Luke 6. What does it mean to be merciful as God is merciful?
The Parable of the Prodigal son is well known but people often don't realize that there are two lost sons in the parable - and at the center of the parable is the Loving and Gracious Father.
Jesus' parable fo the great banquet teaches us about those things that keep us from hungering for God's gifts and shows us what we need that we may hunger and thirst for righteousness.
A sermon on 1 Peter 4:7-14 and John 15:26-16:4. Jesus promises persecution but also promises that you can rejoice because in Him persecution is a blessing.
What does amen mean? Why do we pray it? What is it important? How is it connect to Jesus?
A sermon on 1 Peter 2:11-12 and what is means to be a sojourner and a pilgrim in this world.
The darkness of Good Friday teaches us about our sin and about our Savior's death for our sins.
A sermon on Jesus being bound as the Passover Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
A look at what Satan's Kingdom is and how it attacks the Church and Christians, and a look at how Christ rescues us and brings us into His Kingdom.
A sermon on Jacob's and the Canaanite woman's wrestling with God and how we are to wrestle with God during trials, testings, and afflictions.
A sermon on Jesus' words in Mattew 12:38-50. What are the signs of an evil and adulterous generation? How do we survive living in an evil and adulterous generation?
A sermon on Jesus' parable of the vineyard workers in Matthew 20:1-16. Do you want what is fair? Or do you want grace?
Why did Paul say he is the chief of sinners? What does it mean? Is it true of us as well?
Our Heavenly Father tells us concerning Jesus, "Hear Him!" What does that mean? What other voices are we hearing in the world?
A sermon on John 2:1-11 on what marriage is, the foundations of our homes, and how Jesus blesses your marriage.
Jesus sits in the temple with the teachers of the Law and is revealed to be the glory and wisdom of God - for us and our salvation.
A look at Jesus' flight into Egypt and what it teaches us about the providence of God, and especially what that means for us as sons of God.
A sermon about what the name of Jesus means for us in 2021. Adapted from Bo Giertz's fantastic sermon.
A sermon on Luke 2:33-40 and what it means that Jesus was destined for the fall and rising of many.
What does it mean to deny Christ? What does it mean to rightly confess Him? Why does it matter as we prepare and wait for Christmas?
A sermon on Isaiah 40:1-11 regarding the warfare in your conscience and the comfort of the Gospel.
A sermon on Jesus' words in Luke 21:25ff. that prepare us for His second coming and Judgment Day.
A sermon on Matthew 22:15ff where Jesus teaches what is to be rendered to Caesar and to God.
Matthew 18:21ff. contains the parable of The Unforgiving Servant. We will see the debt we owe to God and to one another. (We do apologize for the sound quality. We have been having issues for a couple of months.)
A sermon on the vision of heaven in Revelation 7 and what it means for the saints who have died and for us still living here on earth.
A sermon on Jesus' raising of the widow of Nain's only son (Luke 7:11-17). Short version: Christ died that we might not fear to die; He rose that we might hope to rise again.
A sermon on Luke 17 and the healing of the 10 lepers - focusing on the fruit of faith that is seen in the Samaritan Leper.
A sermon on Luke 10 and the Good Samaritan. I stole quite liberally from Bo Giertz's beautiful sermon on this text.
I take a look at what we can learn from the Pharisee and the Tax Collector about pride and believing humility. (Luke 18:9-14)
This sermon is based on our Lord's parable of the dishonest manager/steward in Luke 16. What does it look like to be a bad steward? A good steward? Should we be too ashamed to beg?
A sermon on Jesus' warning about false teachers in Matthew 7. The sermon was heavily influenced by Rolf Preus (especially the introduction) and CFW Walther.
A sermon on Luke 6:36-42 - what our merciful God looks like and what lives of mercy look like.
What the Pharisees and Scribes saw as a horrific thing - Jesus eating with sinners - is Good News for us!
A sermon on Ephesians 2. The blood of Jesus reconciles us with God and with one another. This is quite important with the current race wars in our culture. Thanks to Voddie Bauchum and others for giving me good food for thought for this sermon.
Luke 16 and the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows us both what Christ's love for us looks like and what our love for our neighbor is to look like.
Dr. Edmon is an astrophysicist that works at Harvard University. He joined me to discuss science and faith.
We finish our reading of the explanation of the Divine Service. You can purchase the book here: https://emmanuelpress.us/books/an-explanation-of-the-common-service/
We celebrate Pentecost because our Lord has sent the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit creates the church, unites the church, and keeps us in the church.
A devotion on Psalm 77 focusing on how the psalmist turns from despairing over his affliction to hoping in his Lord.
Dr. Peter Scaer joined me to discuss key issues impacting the culture and religious liberty. He has a lot of fantastic insights that you won't want to miss. Here are some links to things he discusses in the interview - https://www.adflegal.org/ and https://www.touchstonemag.com/ You can find Anthony Esolen's books on Amazon.
I read through the next part in our book, The Holy Supper Part 1. You can buy the book here: https://emmanuelpress.us/books/an-explanation-of-the-common-service/
A devotion from Luther's Small and Large Catechisms on the Third Article of the Creed: Sanctification.
A sermon on Jesus' words in John 16 and the epistle reading from 1 Peter 4 - The Blessing of Persecution.
I interviewed Pastor Tim Norton about his work in the Navajo Nation in Navajo, New Mexico.
Another magnificent sermon from Gerhard where he teaches us how we can be prepared for death and even die joyfully.
We continue reading through An Explanation of the Common Service finishing the section on The Service of the Word.
This devotion is based on Colossians 3:17 and the hymn, With the Lord Begin Your Task. It's a great hymn to start your day and week with. You can listen to the hymn here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVi4KQW1RJg
The readings and sermon for Easter 6. The sermon focuses on the reading from Numbers 21 and the bronze serpent. Where do put your trust for salvation and all things?
This is a magnificent sermon by Gerhard on cross-bearing. It's based on Psalm 68:19-20.
I broke up the Service of the Word into two parts. Today you will be taken from the Introit through the Collect. You can purchase the book here: https://emmanuelpress.us/books/an-explanation-of-the-common-service/
This devotion is taken from both the Small and Large Catechism on the First Article of the Creed: Creation.
A devotion based on Gerhardt's magnificent hymn, Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me? You can listen to a beautiful version of the hymn here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoZQbQd3_sU
Can you tell if the Holy Spirit is in a church based on how you feel? Why did Jesus send us the Holy Spirit?
Pastor Jared Melius of Mt. Zion Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado joins me to discuss Pro-Life issues. Including: Are babies always a blessing? Do we as Christians have to constantly fight being desensitized to abortion? Are pro-life marches helpful? Should all Christian seriously consider foster care and adoption? Links to some resources he mentions - http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/ScaerPLutheranSupportforProLifeMovement.pdf and https://www.lifesitenews.com/ and https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/13/the-foster-care-system-is-a-disaster-thats-why-you-should-join-it/
In this sermon, Gerhard shows how Psalm 42:1-2 applies to Christ in His suffering and death, and how it applies to the believer in their suffering. He also teaches us what we should do when we are anxious and afflicted.
A devotion based on the often misunderstood parable of the two sons. It is not about obedience but it is about seeing yourself as a sinner and being received by Jesus.
I continue reading through An Explanation of the Common Service. This episode takes us from the Invocation all the way through the Preparation.
You can purchase the book here: https://emmanuelpress.us/books/an-explanation-of-the-common-service/
A devotion based on the hymn At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing. You can listen to the hymn here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_cqTv385Kc
I focused on the Old Testament reading because I think a section of hope that is from the middle of one of the saddest books of the Bible (even called the tears of the world by one commentary) is exactly what we, and our world, needs right now.
A beautiful testimony from Paul Gerhardt to his only surviving son. What is most important in your life? What do you want to pass on to those you leave behind?
A brief update on a couple of news stories on the persecuted church. And information on the country we are praying for this week - Uzbekistan.
A devotion based on 1 Kings 19 dealing with despair, doubt, and the strength God gives us in the Gospel.
Ed Riojas was kind enough to join me to discuss his art, art in general, art and the church, and art and the Christian, and more. His websites can be found here - https://edriojasartist.com/ and http://theartcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/
How does the world view the death of the righteous? How does the Holy Spirit view their death? That's the focus of this week's midweek sermon from Gerhard.
Some reflections on the importance of the Lord's Supper and the quote, “You go to the Lord’s Supper as if going to your death, so that you can go to your death as if you are going to the Lord’s Supper.”
I'm reading through the magnificent work An Explanation of the Common Service. I'm going to try to break it down into 10-15 minute sections each week. It's an extremely important and helpful book if you want to understand the worship service and the parts of the liturgy. You can buy a copy here - https://emmanuelpress.us/books/an-explanation-of-the-common-service/
What does faithfulness and obedience look like day in and day out?
You can get the devotion I used here - https://markvpublications.com/documents/lutherstore.html
A devotion based on the hymn All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night.
Here's a link to a beautiful version of the hymn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG-8k8ikqj4
This Sunday is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday which is reflected in the readings and the sermon.
I interviewed Pastor John Widmer about his Lutheran Mercy Care Ministry that ministers to those in prison and those with addictions. His ministry's website is https://lmcm.weebly.com/
A devotion based on Colossians 2:15 and some Stanzas from Awake, My Heart, with Gladness. You can listen to the hymn here.
This is a sermon by Johann Gerhard on Job 1:13-22.
Gerhard discusses how to understand calamities/disasters ("fires" throughout the sermon) that come our way.
Today's devotion is from a wonderful sermon by the blessed Dr. Martin Luther called "The Differentiation of Law and Gospel."
The devotional book I mention can be found here.
This includes the Epistle and Gospel reading and the sermon. There is no Old Testament reading since we are doing shorter services.
A devotion based on the hymn What God Ordains is Always Good.
You can listen to a fantastic version of the hymn here.