Faith Lutheran Oregon, Wisconsin: Recent Episodes
Jeffrey Hendrix
The podcast for Faith Lutheran Church in Oregon, Wisconsin. Podcasting sermons and occasional Bible Studies. Hosted by Pastor Jeff Hendrix.
Sermon on John 16:16-23 + 1 Peter 2:11-20 for the 4th Sunday of Easter, Jubilate Sunday, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Joy is not just thinking happy thoughts. Joy is deeper than happiness (which is simply psychological), and greater than pleasure (which is merely physical). Joy is something that encompasses body and mind and soul. Joy is something that needs to be cultivated, or worked.
Like the ground during spring planting, it must be worked and tilled, if you want to eat the fruit. It takes “a little while.”
Sermon for Easter 3, Miseriacordias Domini, Good Shepherd Sunday, on John 10:11-18 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
"The disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews...Jesus breathed on them."
Jesus forgives their sin, giving them the holy spirit, the breath (spirit) of God as healing for their psychological (spiritual) fears.
Sermon on John 20:19-31 for Easter 2, Quasimodogeniti Sunday, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on Luke 11:14-28 for Oculi Sunday, the 3rd Sunday in Lent. The Devil, called Beelzebul in our text, is the only being who finds pleasure in us taking pride in our own righteousness. Our righteousness is like a pile of manure.
Sermon for Invocavit Sunday, the 1st Sunday in Lent on the temptation of Jesus by the Devil in the wilderness from Matthew 4:1-11.
Sermon on the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:13-17 and how the opening of the heavens, even though the opening of the heavens may bring storms, disasters, or trials, to God's people, nevertheless, whenever the heavens are opened, they open for the benefit of the Baptized children of God.
Understanding what is happening at the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple can help us to make sense of, and have a proper focus, for what’s happening today. Many people will hear Simeon’s words “the glory of Your people Israel” and come to the wrong conclusion that the Bible demands how we’re supposed to think about a certain modern-day geopolitical nation-state. But in reality, the Presentation of Jesus frees us from that.
Sermon on Luke 2:22–32 for the Presentation of Christ.
Sermon on waiting, purpose, and aging, based on the account of aged Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:33-40 for the 1st Sunday of Christmas. Through Simeon's prophecy and Anna's example, we see the cross, but we also the redemption of Jesus. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on the Key of David, the Antiphon for Dec. 20, as well as Isaiah 22:20-23 and Luke 1:26-38a, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Sermon based on 2 Corinthians 10:17-11:2 and 1 Corinthians 7, for the Commemoration of St. Lucia on December 13, 2023.
Parts of this sermon were borrowed from one by the Rev. Rick Stuckwisch at Gottesdienst.org: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2020/12/13/living-with-santa-lucia-in-the-light-of-christ
Sermon on everything St. Luke lists as coming in Luke 21:25-36 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. (Also contains a reference to Disney's Frozen and how endless Winter will give way to eternal Summer).
Sermon on Matthew 21:1-9. Jesus, unlike any other king, is a King who doesn't ask you to come to Him. He comes to you.
Sermon on Psalm 45 – a love song about Christ and the Church – for the Last Sunday of the Church Year, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on Psalm 50 (and Matthew 25:31-46) for the 2nd to Last Sunday of the Church Year: Judgment Day / Last Judgment.
Sermon on death and dying, based on Psalm 31, the Psalm quoted by Jesus from the cross as His last words: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5). Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on the power of God's Word, through the prayer, meditation, and spiritual affliction (oratio, meditatio, tentatio) of Psalm 119:1-8 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Sermon based on Psalm 28 for Trinity 6 at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on Psalm 113 + Luke 1:39-56 for the Feast of the Visitation, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.
Sermon on Psalm 119:34-48 for the Anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession on June 25th, 2023.
Presentation by Rev. Jeff Hendrix, given at the 2023 Family Altar Conference: For Altar and For Hearth, by Return to Wittenberg at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI, May 20, 2023.
The liberal arts, liberal in the classic sense, are meant for freedom. After the Reformation, the Lutheran emphasis on a liberal arts education led to unprecedented social mobility. It was a flourishing of all of society. Rev. Jeff Hendrix makes the case that perhaps this type of education is a remedy for many of our burdens today.
Exordium and Sermon preached by Rev. Zachary Semmann, guest preacher with Return to Wittenberg, for the Feast of the Ascension, May 18, 2023, at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.
Sermon for Jubilate Sunday on Psalm 66 + John 16 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI
Sermon for Misericordias Domini, Easter 3, on Psalm 23 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.
Exordium + Festival Hymn + Sermon on Psalm 118 for the Resurrection of our Lord, preached by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Easter 2023.
Sermon on Psalm 125 for Laetare Sunday. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds His people. He feeds us, and gives us rest on the plain in His Holy Church.
Sermon for Oculi, Lent 3, on Psalm 123, where like servants who have their eyes toward their master, our eyes are to be on our Father who art in heaven, so that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Sermon on Psalm 91 and the "noonday devil," the temptation of acedia that strikes us at midday, drifting us to look inward, and then toward distraction or indifference. It is the temptation of Satan in the wilderness, tempting our Lord to find another way. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Invocavit Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent.
Sermon on Psalm 89 and God's anointed "David." Preached on Quinquagesima/Baptism of Christ by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on Psalm 137 (and the 70-year exile of Judah in Babylon) by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Septuagesima (70 days) before Easter
Sermon for the Sunday after the Epiphany on Psalm 100, and the amazing thing that is happening as the boy Jesus comes to the Temple.
Sermon on Psalm 72, on the three kings, David, Solomon, and Jesus, for the festival of the Epiphany, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Advent sermon for the commemoration of St. Thomas and the Longest Night of the Year, Dec. 21, on John 20:24-31 by rev. Jeff Hendrix.
In Psalm 19, God shows us the two means He uses to reveal Himself, and the progression of one to the other. Sermon on Psalm 19 for Rorate Coeli, the Heavens Rain Down Righteousness by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on the account of the healing of the man blind from birth in John 9, as part of our "Come and See" Advent series. Jesus invites a man to literally and truly see – both physically and by faith. This healing is a comfort to us, and shows what our reaction should be when the world refuses to see the grace and love of Jesus.
Sermon on Psalm 85 for Advent 3, Gaudete Sunday. Jesus, the "Coming One," the Word Incarnate, Truth made Flesh, is located in the most unlikely places. As Psalm 85 says, "Truth springs out of the earth." This makes all the difference for us, who like John the baptist, may appear outwardly tough, but inside we're an absolute mess. It means Jesus is not far off from us during trouble, but right here with us.
A sermon based on Nathanael's philosophical objection to following Jesus from John 1:35-42 preached on the commemoration of St. Ambrose by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Sermon for Ad Te Levavi on Psalm 25 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI
Sermon on the 3rd Article of the Creed, Isaiah 65:17ff, and Matthew 25:1-13 for the Last Sunday of the Church Year
Sermon of the 2nd Article of the Creed and Matthew 25:31-46 for the 2nd to last Sunday of the Church Year
Sermon for All Saints on the 1st Article of the Creed + 1 John 3:1-3 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on Luke 24:13-32 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for the chief divine service for the 500th anniversary of Luther's Translation of the New Testament into German at a weekend conference at Faith sponsored by Return to Wittenberg.
Dr. Adam Koontz lectures on God's gifts of children, catechesis, and the church.
Lecture part of "Our Great Heritage" Conference by Return to Wittenberg, held at Faith in October of 2022.
Dr. Rev. Dagen Siepert lectures on the image of God, glory, our bodies, and the fullness of glory.
Lecture part of "Our Great Heritage" Conference by Return to Wittenberg, held at Faith in October of 2022.
Kantor Daniel Baker lectures on our Heritage of Christian Worship.
Lecture part of "Our Great Heritage" Conference by Return to Wittenberg, held at Faith in October of 2022.
Dr. Adam Koontz lectures on Christian Liberty and the Christian conscience.
Lecture part of "Our Great Heritage" Conference by Return to Wittenberg, held at Faith in October of 2022.
The Gospel lesson for the Sunday after Michaelmas, Matthew 9:1–8, gives us the opportunity to talk specifically about the duty of the Church, and really the vocation of pastors or preachers.
Sermon on the Table of Duties for Pastors and Preachers + Matthew 9:1-8 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, based on Luther's Evening and Morning Prayers and Matthew 18:1–11.
The doxology to the Lord's Prayer gives praise to God alone, and affirms what God tells us to be true.
Giving praise to God alone, and saying “yes, Amen,” affirming something to be true – both of these we see in our Gospel lesson from Luke 17 in the healing of the Ten Lepers, where a Samaritan returns to give thanks.
Sermon on Doxology of the Lord's Prayer + Luke 17:11–19 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
“Deliver us from evil.” This is the last petition of the Lord’s Prayer, but how often is this the first thing we pray for? When something terrible happens to us, we pray: “God save me from this, make it stop.” When poverty, shame, or misfortune strikes, we pray, “God, please restore my life.” We pray it even at times of inconvenience; even sitting in traffic: “God, make this traffic clear up, I need to get somewhere.” Twenty-one years ago our country prayed it on this day when terrorists and evil struck on 9/11: “Deliver us from evil.” It’s a petition so often heard in the Psalms: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me, Make haste to help me, O Lord.” So we should pray for this. It is good. God wants us to pray to Him concerning all the things that affect our body and life.
But the petition “Deliver from evil,” is also so much more than that. It’s the sum of everything we pray for. It’s to be truly delivered from all evil.
And our text for today is perhaps a surprising place to find deliverance from evil, at least the kind we expect.
Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:23–37 as well as the 7th Petition.
The church is found where suffering and the cross are. Suffering, or the cross, contrary to what we expect, is a mark of the church. This is seen in the Gospel Lesson for Trinity 5, the miraculous catch of fish. The point of the miracle is not the miracle itself. It is not that Peter is given a bunch of fish. The point is that to be a follower of Jesus means he must leave those things behind. The life of a disciple of Jesus means following in the way of Jesus, the way of the cross.
Sermon on Luke 5:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Our Lutheran Confessions remind us that God gives us counsel and aid against sin, not only in one way, but multiple ways because “God is superabundantly rich [and liberal] in His grace [and goodness].” (SA, III, IV) “The mutual conversation and consolation of brethren” is what happens when Christians take God’s Word and speak it to each other. That includes law – what God’s Word says we are to do or not do – as well as Gospel – what God has done already. The goal of the preaching of the Law is always to gain your brother. This is what we see in our Gospel lesson from Luke 6:36–42.
Sermon on Luke 6:36–42 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
(Apologies over a few missing weeks, due to Covid and being out of town at a conference. Head over to Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon on YouTube to watch the entire services)
The marks or defining traits of the church – and members of it – are not what we might expect, or want. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus shows us the most holy procession God that gives us, which is a mark of the church: His Holy Word. By it, Luther says, “Christian people are called holy; for God’s Word is holy and sanctifies everything it touches; it is indeed the very holiness of God, [Romans 1:16], for ‘It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.’” (AE 41, 148)
Sermon on Luke 16:19–31 on the Marks of the Church by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The Triune God can seem a far-off concept, but the reality is the Trinity is a Being – Three Persons in One God – who desires to be known by you! He has baptized you into His own name, and has condescended to you in the Person of Jesus Christ, both God and Man. Sermon for Holy Trinity Sunday on the Sacrament of Baptism, the Trinity, and John 3:1-15.
These three words most succinctly describe the work, person, and gift of the Holy Spirit. Exordium plus sermon for the Feast of Pentecost, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
We confuse strength and weakness, but realizing that we have no strength of our own to believe in Jesus or create our faith is vital, for otherwise we drastically overestimate our abilities and strength, setting ourselves up for great disaster and danger. Sermon on the 3rd Article of Creed and John 15:26-16:4 for Exaudi Sunday by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Jesus' ascension is not about Him going to a specific place so that we might see Him. Rather, He ascends to fill all things, so that our hearts may be lifted up. Sermon on the Doctrine of the Ascension by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The Christian Church cannot be separated from the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in our Gospel lesson. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”Jesus shows in John 16 that the gift of the Spirit is the gift to hear and to speak. He does this whenever He uses our voice to declare God's love and forgiveness for sinners.
Sermon on John 16:5-15 and the 3rd Article of the Creed for Cantate Sunday, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The Resurrection Proves…
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His Doctrine is True
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He is the Son of God
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Our Sins are Forgiven
Sermon for the Sunday after Easter from John 20:19-31 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
“He will succeed. He will rise. He will be lifted up. He will be highly exalted.”
What Isaiah is describing is what the church calls the exaltation of Christ, that begins on Easter Sunday. Our Catechism defines the exaltation, “That according to His human nature, Jesus always and fully used the divine attributes given to Him.” So what does this mean for us?
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
With these words, we confess the humiliation of Christ, something at the forefront of Palm/Passion Sunday. As Christ suffers in His Passion, he suffers as both God and Man in His state of humiliation.
Sermon on Christ's humiliation from Philippians 2:5-11 for Palm Sunday
A sermon on the Lutheran view and place of art, on the commemoration of Lucas Cranach and Albrecht Dürer, Artists. "For ceremonies are needed for this reason alone: that the unlearned be taught." (Article XXIV, Augsburg Confession)
We confess in the Apostles’ Creed, that Jesus Christ…is “my Lord, Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffering and death.”
We take for granted how we are redeemed: by Christ's innocent suffering and death, and the shedding of His blood on the cross. Hebrews 9 explains why this was absolutely necessary, and how profound it is.
Sermon on Hebrews 9:11-15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Lend 5 (Judica).
The multitude of the 5,000 who had just been fed with bread in the wilderness now wants to make Jesus their bread king. Is this who Jesus is? Is this who we make Jesus to be? Jesus teaches us who He is, by proclaiming "I am the bread of life." Sermon on John 6:35-56 + 2nd Article of the Creed.
Does demon possession happen today? The healing of the mute man who is demon possessed shows what tactics the devil and demons use...and also how easily it is to overcome them. Sermon on Luke 11:14-28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
“If there really is a good God, why would He allow evil to happen?” Maybe you’ve heard this in regards to the atrocities being committed in Ukraine right now. Maybe you’ve wondered this yourself. If not about Ukraine, perhaps about experiences in your own life. The account of the Canaanite woman is a marvelous answer to that question. Where is God when evil happens? Where He always is – in Christ, in suffering, in the cross, for you.
Sermon on Matthew 15:21-28 + 1st Article by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Understanding the conclusion of the Ten Commandments – “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, and showing mercy to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments" – in view of sin and grace / law and gospel help us understand just what blessings God is promising – and why we receive them. Sermon on Genesis 3:1-24 + Conclusion to the 10 Commandments for Lent 1 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on the Catechism Explanation to the Lord's Supper: Who then is worthy and well-prepared?, as well as the Gospel for Ash Wednesday from Matthew 6 where Jesus teaches about fasting.
Faith can't exist alone, by itself. All you need is not faith. Faith is passive, it needs something to trust in. God gives us the promise for our faith, the strength to sustain us in life and death in our baptism. Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Sermon on the 10th commandment + Matthew 20:1-16 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. The first workers in the vineyard exemplify coveting, coveting the other workers hired last. The Landowner exemplifies grace. The workers eye evil when the Owner gives what is good.
Sermon on 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 by special guest preacher, Rev. Dan Basel, ELS Giving Counselor.
A centurion, a man "under authority" asks Jesus to heal his subordinate. His example shows how we are to act in our vocations. Jesus' answer to him proclaims what great authority and promise we have been given, namely the forgiveness of our sins. Sermon on the 7th Commandment and Matthew 8:1-13 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Jesus attends a marriage to bless and multiply. Sermon on the 6th Commandment + John 2:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Mary shows us how to regard God's Word. She doesn't understand everything, but yet she treasures it in her heart. Sermon on Luke 2:40-52 for Epiphany 1, Youth & Education, adapted from a sermon by fellow ELS pastor, Pastor Webber.
Christ is not only our destination, but also the way through which we reach our destination. He is our Morning Star. Sermon on Matthew 2:1–12 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Christ's incarnation and conception in His mother Mary's womb shows to us just how much God loves us. In His conception He honors and sanctifies His own mother, whom He Himself Created. As He is born in Mary, He is also born in us. Sermon on the 4th Commandment and the Magnificat by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Advent historically is a season of repentance, of waiting, of pulling back. And so this Sunday is the day to rejoice. The readings are a bit brighter, even the color is a bit brighter. It’s meant to bring a little relief, a little rest. So what a great day to look at the 3rd Commandment, where God actually commands us to rest. And, as our busy lives would indicate, we do need to be told to rest.
But this rest is qualitatively different than simply taking a break, vegging in front of the TV, or even taking a vacation. This rest is something far better. The Bible calls it a “Sabbath Rest.” John the Baptist, ironically, exemplifies this rest.
A sermon on the 3rd Commandment + Matthew 11:2-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
When it seems like the world is ending (because it actually is), we are prone to curse, swear, lie, and deceive, the very things God tells us not to do. Instead, because Christ has called us by His holy name, we have the freedom to not worry or fear those things at the end of the world, but call upon God, pray, praise and give thanks. Sermon on the 2nd Commandment and Luke 21:25-36 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Advent lets us know we have a God who comes all the way to us. Like an infant dependent on her mother for everything, so Jesus tells us what faith is. He doesn't ask us to come even 1% of the way to Him; He comes all the way to us. Sermon on Matthew 21 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Jesus tells a parable about some wise and foolish virgins. Five are not let into the marriage feast. What makes someone wise or foolish? It isn't morality, or else no one would have been let in. Wisdom receives Jesus in His body and blood through faith. Sermon on Matthew 25:1–13 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Jesus' analogy of the sheep and the goats, contrary to popular opinion, is not about works or serving the poor. Rather, it's about faith, and hearing the message of the Gospel, preached by Jesus' "brothers." Sermon on Matthew 25:31-46 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The theology of Christian funerals and burials. Planning – and singing – the funeral service.
“Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well” Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.” From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity. Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era. You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.
We are all together in the fellow-ship of the Christian Church, on our way to the shores of heaven. Sermon for All Saints Sunday by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Matthew 5:1-12 and Revelation 7:9–17.
What to pack on your journey with death. Preparing for this journey is a lot like preparing for battle, something done over a long time.
“Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well” Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.” From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity. Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era. You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.
Reformation reminds us that we all need to be reformed, we need to have the proper response to the things of God. This is begun through the Law and finished ultimately, by the Gospel. Sermon on Matthew 11:12–19 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
“Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well” Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.” From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity. Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era. You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.
We tend to not think our sin has any cost...until someone sins against me. Then someone's gotta pay! Jesus shows to us how much our sin cost, and what He has done to forgive it. Sermon on Matthew 18:23–35 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Luther says that "We should familiarize ourselves with death during our lifetime, inviting death into our presence when it is still at a distance and not on the move. At the time of dying, however, this is hazardous and useless, for then death looms large of its own accord. In that hour we must put the thought of death out of mind and refuse to see it." In addition, he also says we should not look at our sins or hell in the hour of death, but look rather upon Christ. "You must look at death while you are alive and see sin in the light of grace and hell in the light of heaven, permitting nothing to divert you from that view.”
3rd Bible Study on the Art of Dying Well. Lead by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.
Jesus deals harshly with a man who asks for what anyone might ask: for him to heal his dying son. But He didn't come for God, he had another god. He wanted God on his terms. The problem was the man and his son were already dead. Jesus deals with him according to His terms, and in so doing, makes them both alive. Sermon on John 4:46–54 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The second Bible Study in our “Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well” series. What actually is death?
Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.” From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity. Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era. You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.
Jesus tells a parable of a man who is excommunicated from the church in heaven over not having the right wedding clothes. Through this, Jesus teaches us that membership in the church is a matter of justification, of being clothed with Jesus' righteousness. Membership in our local congregation, on the other hand, is a matter of sanctification. Sermon on Matthew 22:1–14 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The first Bible Study in our “Ars Moriendi – The Art of Dying Well” series. The world's definition of a good death is very different than God's.
Writing to those concerned about the plague in his day, Martin Luther said, “Everyone should prepare in time and get ready for death.” From the moment we are born we are dying. We are brought into newness of life in Christ and the Church through the death of Holy Baptism. Much of our Lord’s teaching and the teaching of Scripture is about learning to die well, which leads to a life lived well, now and for all eternity. Join us for a Bible Study utilizing Ars Moriendi (‘art of dying’) literature from the Reformation era. You will learn what it means to die well, and as a result, what it means to live well.
Some men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. Jesus doesn't so what they expect. He goes for the heart. Sermon on Matthew 9:1–8 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Martin Luther said that “We should familiarize ourselves with death during our lifetime, inviting death into our presence when it is still at a distance and not on the move. At the time of dying, however, this is hazardous and useless, for then death looms large of its own accord.” That’s what was happening one day in the city of Nain when Jesus was visiting. Death was on a move, and in control. But Jesus seems to be irreverent in this situation, telling a grieving mother to stop crying. But Jesus is not being irreverent. He is being completely reverent. Because He knows what death actually is. And He is Lord over it.
Sermon on Luke 7:11-17 for Trinity 16 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Before 9/11 happened, we thought we were in control. But afterwards, we realized how much we weren't. What followed was not so much strategic preparation for tomorrow, but hysteria: fear of being attacked, fear of our way of life ending, fear of dying; fear of tomorrow, worry of tomorrow. This worry happens on a micro scale in our lives too. We become incapacitated by tomorrow. Fear of tomorrow keeps us from living today. What comfort does Jesus offer in the midst of our fears and worries? Sermon on Matthew 6:24–34 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
When Jesus told the ten lepers to go show themselves to the priests in Luke 17:11–19, it sounds like someone today saying "go get a covid test before you can come here." But when Jesus cleanses them as they go on their way, there's something much more profound and meaningful than just the healing of their disease. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, and really his entire life, provides a lens for us to view ourselves; our life, our accomplishments, our value, compared with the life of Christ. That was after all, St. John’s job: to point to Jesus. To take the focus off of himself and put it on Jesus. John famously said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). This defined John’s entire life and ministry. By even the method of his death, John literally decreases, and Jesus is increased. And what was witnessed at John the Baptist’s death is what we see happening even today at Baptism. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Mark 6:14–29 for the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist.
We tend to equate being sick with the devil. That to be sick, means it's the devil's doing. Or if you are sick, that's a curse. But God shows us that even sickness is to His glory and our benefit. Sermon on Mark 7: 31-37 for Trinity 12, Healing, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Not a joke. Two men walk into a church. Both go in as sinners. Only one walks out a saint. Sermon on Luke 18:9–14 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The destruction of Jerusalem happened on August 10, 70 AD. It happened just as Jesus had prophesied. Today we hear the sad and shocking historical account from Josephus, as had been the tradition on this Sunday for hundreds of years. It is especially appropriate as we again have destruction and plague at our doorstep.
We are all managers (stewards) of our own economies. God has entrusted things and people to each of us, and He has called us to be faithful. Yet, even if we are found faithless, God is faithful, who has promised to bless us in spite of ourselves. Sermon for Trinity 9, Stewardship Sunday, on Luke 16:1–9, the parable of the unjust and shrewd steward/manager.
James' death sets a pattern. He was the first of the apostles to be martyred, and the only apostle martyrdom recorded in Scripture. Jesus told him he would "drink from his cup." What did this mean for James? What does this mean for us and our death? Sermon on Mark 10:35-45 for the Feast of St. James the Elder by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
St. Paul lamented that for the enemies of God, "their god is their stomach." That often describes us too. But when 4,000 men, plus woman and children go hungry in a desolate place, Jesus' stomach does something unique and amazing. Jesus' compassion on the crowd shows His compassion for us in our daily needs.
In Matthew 5:20–26, Jesus is trying to get us to despair of our own righteousness so that we trust rather in his.
The question Jesus is asked by the Pharisees in our text – Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” – is a lot like another question you might hear today: “Is America a Christian nation?” On the 4th of July, we look at the relation of the Kingdom of the World with the Kingdom of God. Sermon on Matthew 22:15–22 (Propers for Trinity 23) by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Guest preacher Rev. Mark Marozick. The Liberation of All Creation: 1. Of God’s People 2. Of the Created World (Romans 8:18–23)
Fathers are not fathers because they have children. Fathers are fathers because God has made them a reflection of Himself. Sermon on Luke 15:1–32 for Trinity 3 (Father's Day) on the Father who Forgives in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
The good gifts we have from God always have the potential to become our gods. This is evident especially when they become our excuses for forsaking God's invitation to come to His great Supper. Sermon for Trinity 2 on Luke 14:16–24 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Is anything more reliable than our senses, what we can see, touch, hear, taste, or even smell? Yes, and the answer may seem obvious, but challenging to accept: The Word of God. Yet, it is the only thing that endures forever. Sermon on Luke 16:19-31 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
What is the Athanasian Creed and why do we use it on Trinity Sunday? In place of today's sermon are a series of meditations on the Creed confessed on Trinity Sunday, the Athanasian Creed. In between we sing verses of Luther's hymn paraphrase of the Nicene Creed, "We All Believe in One True God."
The peace and comfort that the world gives is based on what can be seen, felt, or experienced. This, as Pentecost shows, is very different than the peace that Jesus gives through the Holy Spirit. Sermon and Exordium based on John 14:23-31 + Acts 2 for Pentecost Sunday / Confirmation Sunday at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.
Jesus' ascension gives us a new perspective on ourselves and on the world. It's not what you expect. Sermon on John 15:26-16:4 for Exaudi Sunday by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The habit of prayer is hard. And on top of that, we’ve been conditioned, by our rationalistic modern era, to only do what’s pragmatic. Prayer doesn’t seem pragmatic. I can fix all my problems on my own. And so we feel ignorant, foolish, or naive if we pray anywhere else but in church. So, to help us pray, Rev. Hendrix gives four things to know about prayer, in a sermon for Rogate Sunday on John 16:23–30
It’s been said that when you come to church, church should be a house of gifts. God giving you His good gifts. This is a distinction that our church, the Lutheran church, has historically tried to make clear. We call what we do on Sunday the “Divine service,” meaning that it’s primarily God’s service to me. God is serving me. The primary direction is not up, but down. Not you to God, but from God to you.
Sermon for Cantate (Sing) Sunday, on John 16:5-15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
After hanging around the apostles, Mark is known for finding himself exposed in the Garden of Gethsemane. But Mark shows us who Jesus is, and who He has made us. Though we have found ourselves exposed in our shame and guilt after hanging around the Apostles and Prophets, through the Gospel and through Baptism, Jesus clothes us and makes us a vine on the branch, a beloved son of God, in whom God is well pleased. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for the Feast of St. Mark, Easter 4, April 25, 2021, on John 15:1-7 and Mark 1:1-11.
April 18, 2021 is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's testimony at the Imperial Diet of Worms. Luther was a sheep among wolves, and so are we. Sheep without a good shepherd, when confronted by a wolf, are caught off-guard and "don't know where to stand." Not us. We stand upon the Word of God because we are assured of its power and truth because our Shepherd fought the foe and won.
Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI
8 days after Christ first appears to the disciples, He appears to Thomas and tells him the faith he should have. Meanwhile we are encouraged 8 days after Easter to have the same faith: faith like babies. Sermon preached by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Quasimodogeniti Sunday, adapted from a sermon by Rev. Nielson: “Like Newborn Infants”
Most of us are not surprised that we celebrate that Christ was risen from the dead. However, to the women and the disciples that first Easter morning, it changed everything. It still does. Sermon (Preceded by Exordium and Festival hymn) on Mark 16:1-8 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
What Jesus does for His mother on that Good Friday, His family, He does for us, His family. Sermon on John 19:25-34 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
“Maundy” comes from the word for Mandate, which Jesus gives on the night of his betrayal: “A new commandment [mandate] I give you: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another.” Sermon on John 13:1-15, 34-35 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Palms and Passion. How do these two emphases reflect the life of the Christian? We are at the same time saint and sinner. Sermon for Palm Sunday on Matthew 21:1–11 and St. Matthew's Passion by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of life. So what place does the Holy Spirit have at the death of Jesus? The writer to the Hebrews says this: “Christ...through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God.”
Sermon for the 5th Lent Vespers at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI on the 3rd Article of the Creed and Hebrews 9:13-14, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
It is in the cross and the death of God, that we see the true glory of God. However, death as a wrongly-condemned criminal on a cross is not, by any definition, glorious. It is the ultimate paradox, but this is the comfort of Christianity. The less glorious our faith seems, the more glorious it actually is. The more Christ seems hidden, the closer He actually is. The more I recognize my sin, the greater God is working in me. Sermon for Lent 5, Judica Sunday, on John 8:46-59 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI
One year ago, on Lent 4, Laetare Sunday 2020, we were not able to physically gather together, but we rejoiced all the same. We heard the same lesson, Jesus' feeding of the 5,000. Here, John proclaims that we can rejoice even in the midst of sorrow; that there’s a little rose in the middle of the deep penitential of Lent; that God provides in the desert. Through this miracle, Jesus proclaims the consoling power of the Gospel and the strengthening power of the Sacrament. Sermon on John 6:1-15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Does the devil have power over plagues? The Devil is called "Beelzebul" or the Lord of the Flies. A way to answer that question is to see how much power the devil has over flies. If Jesus is stronger than the devil, what does that mean when He gives you His promise that He will guard His house?
Sermon on Luke 11:14-28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
A Canaanite woman who came to Jesus wasn't given much of a reason to continue putting her faith in Jesus, just crumbs, or so it seems. Sermon on Matthew 15:21-28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
St. Matthias is unremarkable. We know next to nothing about him, but it is precisely this reason why the account about him in Acts 1 is so comforting and encouraging for us. Sermon on Acts 1:15-26 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for the Feast of St. Matthias.
Counterintuitively, it is possible to have too much, to feast too heavily on worldly things and end up starving spiritually. So then, what is the most important thing to feast on, so that we do not fast from what we really need? Jesus shows to us as He is tempted by the devil in the wilderness and He fasts for 40 days. Sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
If a person’s heart is not in the right place, namely in God, they attempt to fill the void and need to justify themselves. Self-Justification is to believe that you are “enough." But as we confess in the Creed, and as Ash Wednesday so profoundly shows to us, we are not enough. But Jesus is. Sermon on Matthew 6:16-21 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Can something be valuable and important if you don't remember it? We reverse the Gospel when we think the value of something that God gave depends on us. Love is a commitment. Baptism is God's commitment to you. Sermon on Matthew 3:13-17 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
It is a fundamental Christian truth that God speaks. God always has a word for you. God is never silent. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Jesus says. This is a parable about God’s Word, and what God says and what His Word does. Sermon on Luke 8:4-15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
We think it's not fair if we don't get what we think we deserve. Grace isn't a thing God gives us because we deserve it; it's not a thing God gives us so we can accept Him/do good works/help ourselves. Rather, grace is an attitude, God's perspective toward us, through Jesus finished work. By Grace, God's gives us everything. Sermon on Matthew 20:1-16 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Peter attempts to make a dwelling, a home, on the Mountain of Transfiguration. His heart and mind is in the wrong place. God directs away from how he feels, to rather what he hears. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Matthew 17:1-9.
If an ancient Jewish wedding ran out of wine, it meant immense shame on the bride and groom and all the guests. While we don’t exactly have the same type of cultural expectations of our weddings banquets as in Jesus' day with a seven-day banquet and the problem if we run out of wine, if we’re talking about marriage in particular and broadly, the 6th commandment and God’s gift of physical intimacy, there is one thing that always hangs around if something goes wrong or this gift is abused: Shame. But that’s why Jesus being at this wedding and performing a sign is so important, so restorative, so refreshing, for those who feel shame. Sermon on John 2:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix, Some thoughts in this sermon adapted from Herold Senkbeil, “The Care of Souls,” and the Rev. Jacob Smith’s sermon on John 2:1-11.
The Gospel writer Luke presents Jesus’ life as a journey, all centered around the temple, that is, the church where God’s people gather. The story begins at the temple in chapter 1 with the angel appearing to Zachariah. Luke tells us that at eight days old and again at 40 days old, the infant Jesus went to the temple to fulfill the law. The journey climaxes with Jesus teaching at the temple, ends with the temple curtain being torn in two, and then Luke tells us that immediately after Jesus ascended into heaven where do the disciples go? Back to the temple. And that’s where the book ends.
And at the same time, Luke provides most of what we know from the New Testament about house churches, and how the gospel was proclaimed from house to house, setting a pattern for early church mission work. And so Luke gives us a theology of the home, a theology of the church, and where these two meet in Christian education.
Sermon on Luke 2:41-52 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The star, visit of the wise men, and their gifts are more than just a cute story. They are a lesson in the way God works even today. Sermon on Matthew 2:1-12 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The Sunday after Christmas – where we read of Herod's slaying of the boy babies in Bethlehem – teaches us about the nature of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not now, never has been, and never will be found according to the way the world wants. It is hidden behind sorrow and suffering, persecution and scorn, behind defeat and loss, in the insignificant things of the world. This is a message worth holding on to, because it means that no matter what happens in 2021, the Kingdom of God is yours.
Sermon on Matthew 2:13-23 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
On the three days after Christmas, we celebrate three more "birthdays:" heavenly births. December 27 is the Feast of St. John, who was “a martyr in will but not in deed," meaning that he was willing to lay down his life for his Lord, but was not called on to do so. Instead, he died of old age, and as the apostle who wrote that Jesus is the Beginning and the End, has some important things to teach us about the end of our lives.
Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on John 21:19b-24.
We have pressure on us. Sure, we blame other things like covid or the holidays, but really, we take on ourselves things we were never meant to carry. We want our voices to be heard, when that's not what we need at all. Our voices fade away, Christ is the Word who endures forever. John the Baptist teaches us what a spirit of gentleness actually looks like and why we can rejoice having this pressure released from us.
Sermon on John 1:19-28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix, with thoughts borrowed from some other good pastors.
The coming of God in all His unveiled power at Mt. Sinai was terrifying to the people of Israel. The thundering voice of the Lord puts sinners in fear of death (Deut 18:15–19). He had come to test them, just as He had done with Abraham. Just as God provided a substitute for Abraham, God also would raise up a prophet like Moses, the Messiah, the Christ. But not in all his might and glory, rather, God came to His people veiled in human flesh. As John the Baptist proclaimed, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
John the baptist seems to be despairing in prison. But he knows where to look: to the word and promises of Jesus. When Jesus sends His Word back to John, He sends comfort and joy to us as well. Sermon on Matthew 11:2-10 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
The one who created the heavens and all the stars, who set them in their places and sets light apart from dark is also the one who sets right apart from wrong. And He does so for our good, and for our redemption.
Sermon on the Ten Commandments for Advent Vespers by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Advent is about preparing. Not for Christ’s first coming, but His second coming. When He will come back in glory to judge the living and the dead. But for Christians, this means we can lift up our heads, our hearts, because our burdens can be placed on Jesus, and we can be of great hope.
Sermon on Luke 21:25-36 for the second Sunday in Advent by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Advent #Sermon
Sermon based on the giving of the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-2 for Advent Vespers, 2020 "In Cloud and Majesty and Awe."
The word Advent simply means “coming,” and in Advent, we celebrate the fact that God comes to you. You don’t have to go to Him, He comes to you. He came 2,000 years ago when He was born in Bethlehem; He is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and He continues to come to us today through His Word and Sacraments. It is on Palm Sunday, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, that we really get a glimpse as to what this good King has come to do.
Sermon on Matthew 21:1-9 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
“Concerning the times and dates, brothers, there is no need to write to you,” Paul says in our text. Indeed, we do not need to be told that our world is in crisis. The future is out of our control. Like a thief in the night the Lord will come. Can we have certainty or comfort in these times? Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
What comfort is there on the day of judgement? Or what comfort is there when things don't go according to plan? A lot, actually.
A sermon on 2 Thessalonians 1:3–10 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
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Every four years around the election, there are wild predictions from either side that because of the results, it means the end of various institutions and could even be a sign of the end of the world. However, as Jesus prophecies in our Gospel lesson, these predictions are absolutely right, because we are living in the end of the world and all things will come to an end. Sermon on Matthew 24:15–28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
John's vision of the saints in Revelation lets us know that whether we have to face the uncertainties of war, famine, pestilence or plague, or persecution, we know what lies ahead. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Rev. Revelation 7:2–12 for All Saints Day, 2020.
How is "fear God" the everlasting Gospel? When we fear God, we have nothing else to fear. Sermon on Revelation 14 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
October 18 is the date that the church commemorates St. Luke, the Evangelist. Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14) and wrote the 3rd book in the New Testament, the Gospel according to Luke, as well as the book of Acts. In his Gospel, which is the longest and most detailed of the four, Luke tends to emphasize the sacrifice and atonement of the Messiah; Christ’s work as Priest to make atonement for the world by His sacrifice on the cross. The largest sacrifice in the Old Testament was the ox, which is why the symbol for St. Luke is the ox, and it’s given wings to show that it is a heavenly sacrifice. Along with the symbols for the other three Gospel writers, the ox is one of the four living creatures mentioned in Revelation 4:6–8. Luke, as a physician, through showing us the incredible mercy of Jesus, also points us to Jesus as the Great Physician.
Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix from Luke 10:1-9 + 2 Timothy 4:5-15.
Sermon preached on the observance of the 40th anniversary of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. Based on select verses from the epistle lessons Heb. 11 and Eph. 1 & 2.
Sermon preached by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at the 2020 Return to Wittenberg Conference, during the first half of a Paschal Vigil celebrated now, the weekend of St. Michael and All Angels, due to the pandemic earlier in the year over the Easter weekend. The conference theme was "With Angels and Archangels." This sermon is a reflection of that theme, plus all of the Old Testament texts read during the Paschal Vigil service.
St. John's vision in Revelation of the war in heaven between Michael and his angels, and Satan and his angels, is of immense help to us. Especially now when it is so easy to be focused on this world, we need this glimpse into heaven.
Sermon on Revelation 12:7-12 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
In both our Gospel and Epistle lessons this morning, we see what freedom God gives to Christians. A freedom from worry, and because of that freedom, a freedom towards serving our neighbor.
Sermon on Matt. 6:24–34 + Gal. 5:25–6:10 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Many assume that a status, or inheritance, can be earned, especially with social good works, such as works of charity. However, the example Paul gives in our Epistle, as well as Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, show us otherwise. Our inheritance is a promise and binding, declared to us by baptism.
Sermon on Galatians 3:15–22 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
If I would have thought quicker, I would have made some joke about how I had planned to have my audio not work for Sunday all along, just so we would get a feel for how the deaf man felt in our Gospel. But no, my computer simply had issues. This is a re-recording of Sunday's sermon.
However, Jesus had to open the mute man's ears in order to hear the Gospel. Jesus does the same for us, and what marvelous healing it is. Sermon based on 2 Corinthians 3:4–11, preached by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
Sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
The Gospel is "of first importance." But we very easily downplay it, when we consider other things or other contemporary issues, or personal problems, to be more important.
Around this date in 70 A.D., the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and 100,000 Jews were slaughtered. It was the inauguration of the End of the World. The question in 70 A.D., as it still is for us today is taken up by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 12. How do we live as the Church amidst trials and tribulation? The answer is that through Christ, we are made into a greater temple.
Sermon on Romans 8:12-17 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix
False doctrine inevitably points to you for salvation. It returns you to a slavery to fear. You become your own god and savior. It leads to slavery to fear. This has a practical implication in our day when the fear of getting sick tends to top our list. Where does the fear of God stand? What does doctrine matter?
Sermon on Mark 8:1-9 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
With seven loaves of bread, Jesus feeds over 4,000 people. Jesus’ miracle isn’t just to show His power. In this second miraculous feeding, Jesus wants to show His compassion.
Mark records this not to show another miracle to induce awe and wonder, but a miracle of comfort. Tremendous comfort. The difference is this: If the miracle happened today, a show of Jesus’ power would be that if you came to church, ate the Lord’s Body, and drank from the Cup of the Lord in the Lord’s Supper, that nothing physically bad would happen to you. You wouldn’t get sick, you would get coronavirus, and you wouldn’t die. That would show God’s power, and God could of course do that. But God doesn’t – in fact, there is risk involved with all of these. But is a miracle of power what we really need?
The truth is, Jesus does perform a miracle today. The same sort of miracle. A Miracle of compassion. And we’ve been just as guilty as the disciples for not seeing it. Jesus provides His people with the Bread of Eternal Life, every week, all over the world. Jesus sees us struggling in our daily lives and He shows compassion on us.
SHOW MORESermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Romans 6:3–11. We do all these things to make ourselves look righteous. We have a pretend righteousness. But we need a real righteous, and we need a real Savior. Our real Savior gives us real righteousness.
Sermon on 1 Peter 3:8–15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.
Fear makes people act in various ways, especially the fear of losing things in this world. But what if your primary concern wasn't the things of this world, or the fears of this world, but your focus was on the things of the next world, and what God has told you are important in this world to prepare you for the next?
Sermon on Romans 8:18–23 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. Paul’s letter to the Romans in chapter 8 is a beautiful sermon of hope, a sermon about liberty, a sermon about the present age and the future, about life and death. It’s a sermon about the church, about forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. And it's a sermon about groaning...
Trinity #Sermon #Lutheran #Romans #Forgiveness #Justice
If the violent riots last week in Madison have revealed anything, it is that our society has an incredible and dangerous amount of pent-up anxiety. Unfortunately, our society has all but shoved the way to relieve that anxiety out the window. Hear why God's Holy Absolution is what our world needs more than ever. #Lutheran #Sermon #Madison #Riots #Protests #Anxiety #Stress #Forgiveness #Restoration
There are people who feel unloved. Maybe you do, too. 1 John 3:13–18 gives us two reasons why. Even with all the talk about love and acceptance in our world, this hasn't made things any better. God's solution, however, is different. He pours out His love to us, and into us.
Love is exhausting. And we've made our love into the solution to all the world's problems. But our love can't save; the law condemns; our love condemns. The law can never be completed. The Law says “do this, and it is never done.” We can never love as we ought. But God is love. This idea, this declaration, turns love from law to gospel. From “do this” to “it is done already.”
Many in our country are deeply hurting due to the effects of sin. But "Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" Only a God who knows the deep hurt that His people feel is one who can heal it. So although the Triune God is an unminable source of riches, wisdom, knowledge, judgements, promises, here is what you should know about God. Sermon preached by Rev. Jeff Hendrix on Romans 11:33–36 for Holy Trinity Sunday #HolyTrinity #Romans11 #Sermon
Most Christians get the Holy Spirit wrong, and end up trying to recreate Pentecost to feel the Holy Spirit. But the promise of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit is with you, whether you feel Him or not. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Pentecost Sunday 2020, touching on COVID-19 as well as the unjust killing of Floyd George, plus the confirmation of our confirmand.
A sermon for the vigil of Pentecost 2020, a worldwide effort from seven different churches around the world meditating on the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit from Isaiah 11:1-2. Rev. Jeff Hendrix preaches on the gift of the "fear of the Lord."
Sermon on 1 Peter 4:7-11, which is Peter's letter to a persecuted church. Here Rev. Jeff Hendrix preaches on Peter's words on how to be persecuted.
Sermon based on Acts 1:9-11 by Pastor Jeff Hendrix. The Ascension isn't just an event, it's a promise.
Sermon based on James 1:22-27 + John 16:23-33.
Jesus has told us to pray, but are we too enlightened to pray? Do we think we can fix the world's problems by the law? If the current world is any indication and how we've gone about fixing it, that certainly seems to be the case. We could use some help realizing that some things are out of our control. And so we pray, because they are not out of our heavenly Father's control He will hear us. The earth will submit to His will. And your joy will be complete, in Jesus’ name.
Sermon preached on Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 for the Christian Burial and Committal of Gati Grundmanis on May 16, 2020
The Christian funeral and committal of our brother in Christ, Gati Grundmanis on May 16, 2020
How do we deal with the real and difficult ethical issues today? Is it most ethical to save as many lives as possible despite the economic cost? Or is it most ethical to open businesses because there is a great cost for saving lives? You can watch this debate play out in the halls of government and social media.
This also affects churches. Is it most ethical to allow churches to meet and minister to the real spiritual needs of people in large groups, or is it not, for the sake of personal physical health. There are no easy answers to any of this. And while on the one hand, we do want to be concerned with government overreach, we have to be very careful that we do not jump to the conclusion that someone who disagrees with our opinion must be evil, or that they are necessarily persecuting us.
St. Peter in 1 Peter 2:11-20 has some relevant advice for us in our day. He even would say that there can be joy, even if we have to suffer under the law.
COVID19 #Ethics #Lutheran #Sermon #Government #Issues #Protesting #Following
Sermon on 1 Peter 2:21-25.
Scripture calls Jesus the “Good Shepherd.” It’s probably the most common depiction of Jesus. And maybe we have a picture of a Jesus in our minds who leads us to green pastures in this life, who will show us the ten steps to get the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Who will work everything out in the end, who will make sure we are more “blessed” than before with our earthly life.
But St. Peter paints a very different picture of our Good Shepherd. He is our Leader not to greener pastures and contentment, but our Leader, our Shepherd, of suffering. And He’s a shepherd who actually promises that if we follow Him, we will suffer.
What good is this this 'Good' Shepherd?
Easter #GoodShepherd
Sermon for the 2nd Sunday of Easter. A lesson on faith. Thomas didn't see Jesus. He had isolated himself by choice from the fellowship of the disciples, which had led him to unbelief. He finally believed when He saw Jesus' hands and feet and side. But what good is that to us? What happens when we doubt? Thomas had more proof than we ever will...didn't he?... #Faith #Sermon #Easter #Thomas #COVID19 #Lutheran
Sermon for Easter Sunday during COVID-19. Text: Matthew28:1–8 + 1 Peter1:3–12 #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Isolation #Separation #Loneliness #Worship #WithMe #Easter #Lutheran
Sermon for Good Friday during COVID-19, preached for a virtual Tenebrae worship service with Southern Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations. Text: Matthew 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Isolation #Separation #Loneliness #Worship #WithMe #GoodFriday
A sermon preached Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI
What do we do when we have been "exiled" from the Lord's Supper, the thing that gives the church its life? Mourn for what we have lost, but rejoice that we have God's Word.
Sermon text: Ps. 137 + 1 co. 11 + Jn. 13
COVID19 #Worship #WithMe
Sermon based on the lessons for Palm Sunday, especially Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus is the unexpected king; the King who humbles Himself to save the word.
Sermon on Hebrews 9:11-15.
COVID-19 has us all separated by the virus and the risk of infection. Sin has resulted in an even worse separation and an even deadlier consequence. No one could remove it, no sacrifice could atone for it, no person could do anything about it without adding to the problem. Except for one Man. One High Priest, THE High Priest. Jesus. Who offered His own life and instead of getting infected by our sin, infected us with His righteousness. In so doing He has removed the separation from us and from God and as a result God is always with us.
First live stream sermon during our Lenten COVID-19 Cloister at home. Rest today and find your respite in Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Noes for Lent 4:
The Lord provided bread from heaven for His people in the wilderness. (Ex 16:2–21) Now He who is Himself the Living Bread from heaven miraculously provides bread for the 5000. (Jn 6:1–15) This takes place near the time of the Passover, after a great multitude followed Jesus across the Sea, when He went up on a mountain. Thus we see that Jesus is our new and greater Moses, who releases us from the bondage of Mt. Sinai and makes us free children of the promise. (Gal 4:21–31) Five loaves become twelves baskets, that is, the five books of Moses find their goal and fulfillment in Christ, whose people continue steadfastly in the doctrine and fellowship of the twelve apostles, and in the breaking and receiving of the Bread of Life, which is the body of Christ together with His precious blood, and in the prayers. (Acts 2:41–47) So it is that God’s people “shall neither hunger nor thirst.” (Is 49:8–13) For He abundantly provides for them in both body and soul.
How should we react to the pandemic in our world? The devil would like to make us fear. Ultimately he wants us to fear death and make us despair of God. But God is stronger than the devil. He will not let His possessions and house - us Christians - be overcome. Take peace in the medicine of immortality that the Divine Physician Jesus gives.
When we say, “It’s God’s will,” are we saying that God is in fact intending evil? Or when we say “It wasn’t God’s will,” are we saying that God is actually helpless to do something, or maybe that He just doesn’t care?
The ironic thing is that when something happens that we love and that makes us happy, we are more than willing to say “this is God’s will.” When perhaps it’s not God’s will at all.
What actually is God's will? This is what we learn in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
In the first three words in Genesis , God describes who He is and what He does, and by implication, who we are not...
Guest preacher: Rev. Josh Mayer. The head of anything always takes the blame. Our sin causes us all to be heading on a path towards death. But Jesus, takes the blame for us, and he leads us in a new direction.
St. Paul says "be reconciled to God," and we think we can do this by the law. We try to convince God that we've changed. But we haven't. Rather, we are reconciled to God though the Gospel. Jesus becomes sin so we can become righteous and God says we've changed. We're reconciled.
There’s this interesting line in Matthew’s account: “After Jesus was baptized, he immediately went up out of the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him!" This line describes what baptism does for each person who is baptized.
Salvation takes no effort on our part. But living as one who is saved does. Sermon on 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5
February 2, 2020 –
The presentation of Jesus, Transfiguration, the Super Bowl, and Groundhogs Day.
So what does this mean? Jesus shines bright like the sun, so if Simeon doesn’t see Jesus’ shadow, that means 40 more days of Lent – and the 49ers win the Super Bowl? Actually, there is a historical connection with these things (minus the Super Bowl).
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is always on February 2nd. It’s 40 days after Christmas, and the day required by the Old Testament, for mothers to bring their babies in and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. It’s on that day that old Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and says He is a “light to lighten the Gentiles.” It became custom on this day by the late 600’s A.D. to light candles and to bless them for the Church’s use over the next year, as a reminder that Jesus is the Light of the World. A tradition or legend developed in Europe that if your candles and church are so bright than an animal outside sees their shadow, it was kind of a taunt to winter to come back again because it didn’t matter how dark winter was if Jesus was the true Light. In the late 1800’s, that animal was specified to be a groundhog in Pennsylvania, and hence Groundhogs Day.
We are going to light candles during our service today – twice, once as we prepare to hear God’s Word, and again as we prepare to hold Jesus in our hands in the Lord’s Supper. And through God’s Word, let’s make this day bright and chase away whatever darkness we might be facing.
The tactic that many churches try to grow the Church is antithetical to the advice St. Paul gives in Romans 12:16-21. Jesus also, in Matthew 8:1-13 stretches out His hand and welcomes the most unlikely people.
Romans 12:6-16 Jesus' first miracle takes place at a wedding. Jesus' miracle tells us something of who He is and the way He loves us. The love between spouses and really anyone is to be a reflection of His love for us.
Sermon on Romans 12:1-5. What is worship? St. Paul defines it differently than how we might naturally think.
Text: Romans 3:23-31. The wise men are the greatest example of people believing God was for them. And they had almost no reason to.
From Galatians 4:1-7. "When the set time had fully come." What does this mean? It means that everything that was supposed to happen in Christ's life has happened. It means that you can look toward 2020 with the vision of God Himself, who sees you with the righteousness if Jesus.
When someone has experienced only the feelings of fear, disappointment and inadequacy, the "feeling" of Christmas doesn't mean much. But is Christmas just a feeling?
Jesus wasn't God's plan B. He was planned from before the foundation of the world, and your salvation was too. Jesus is born for you.
Can we always rejoice? What about when life gets difficult? Do Christians always have to be happy? Is it wrong to be sad or afraid? Philippians 4:4-7
4Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Song of Songs chapter 4 doesn't seem like it belongs in Scripture. It seems like an intimate letter between a groom and his bride. And that's exactly what it is: Christ's letter to His Bride, the Church.
The most joyous advent of Christ is the one where he comes to you, personally. He does this today though His sacraments (mysteries) and Word.
The procession of King Solomon to bring his bride back to his palace was quite the event. Christ coming to us is even better.
The Jews in ancient Rome were focused on outward things, which separated them from their fellow Gentile Christians. They had focused too much on their past and present, and lost focus on what really united them: their future. Our God is a God of hope and a future.
King Solomon wrote this Song of Songs, which means “The Greatest of All Songs,” for his marriage to a woman known only as “The Shulammite.” It is expressed in beautiful terms, and the love of each for the other is evident. Christian husbands and wives can learn to value and honor one another the way the king and his bride honor one another in the Song.
But what is more, the Song depicts the relationship of God to His people Israel, which is frequently depicted in terms of a marriage. As St. Paul wrote (Eph. 5:25-26), “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…” But Israel was repeatedly unfaithful, and God repeatedly had to come after them again with his grace. In this, the Song of Songs also becomes a picture of the relationship of Christ, the Bridegroom, to his Bride, the Church.
So here, in our text, the Shulammite and her Bridegroom are in what we would call courtship. They aren’t married, but they long for each other. The Shulammite is longing for her Bridegroom, and she described as seeking Him.
Our sins should terrify us, and Jesus'return did frighten us. But when they do, we can take comfort in Jesus' first Advent and look forward with joy to His second Advent.
God uses the most joyous of all earthly things to describe something better. And He gives thanks for us.
Looks can be deceiving. Nowhere is this more true than the Church. Is this also true for heaven?
On All Saints Day we give thanks to God for the witness of those who have gone before us in the faith, who have overcome the battle though Christ and have gained the victory if heaven. We are still struggling here in Earth, but are en route to the shore of heaven where we will join them and be set apart from struggle.
The Leipzig Debate (1519) between Martin Luther and Johann Eck was the event that made the Biblical idea of Sola Scriptura spread like wildfire to the common people. In a different type of sermon today, Pastor Hendrix leads us through the history of the Reformation starting all the way back in the Old Testament with Hezekiah's Reformation, and explains the significance of the Leipzig Debate using some important hymns of the Lutheran Church.
Part of this sermon derived from Alex Ring, “Quincentennial of the Leipzig Debate,” Essay delivered at the 2019 ELS General Pastor’s Conference, Bloomington, MN, pg. 2, 3.
If someone is unfaithful to us, we have a tendency to want to shame them. God could and should do that to us for our unfaithfulness. But instead, Christ Shames Death.
God expresses frustration over the fact that the majority of people reject or condemn Him. We often do too. Sometimes we take it personally. But when God teaches us about how some reject Him, God doesn't intend to guilt trip us into working harder. Instead, God wants to call us to repent over our doubt and comfort us with the assurance that all the elect are saved not because of our great work, but Christ's.
The very first sermon pastor preached at Faith two years ago. Is the Pastoral Ministry what you expected? Or does God promise something more generous?
Broken homes and loneliness. What do angels, and specifically Jacob's vision of the angels ascending and descending the ladder to heaven, have to say to us regarding these very real issues today?
Take it from someone who felt guilt and was immensely sad over loosing things in his life to learn how to be thankful even through hardship. Jeremiah has been called the"weeping prophet" but yet could rejoice even though losing all.
God commands His people to go the opposite way. Charity is going the opposite way, and God goes the opposite way for us.
God works through means of medicine and people to provide healing. But what happens when it seems God doesn't? What happens when our bodies and our health get worse? Hear what God does though His Word.
Pharisees are usually bad, right? In 1 Corinthians 15 however, we see a righteous and humble Pharisee. So what makes one a saint or a sinner?
How do you manage everything you've got to do? Sports, music, family life, church? Learn from Mary and Martha of the One Thing Needful.
Each of us has our very own personal false prophet within us, calling us back to be slaves to our own lusts. Hear how God has adopted us as Sons in this sermon from Romans 8.
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? How do you know if you are over? The answer of the Bible is not what you hear in most modern churches.
What kind of god doesn't give someone what they deserve? Our God.
Sermon on Micah 7:18-20
Scripture constantly uses the theme of meals and feasting. This isn't just a coincidence. Hear why God, through Isaiah, invites us to come to the Feast. Sermon on Isaiah 25:6-9.
*Spiritually rich. The prophet Jeremiah says to not boast in your riches, wisdom, or strength. You cannot love God with all your heart, mind, or strength. But Christ has. So boast in Christ.
Is the seemingly most impractical doctrine of the Trinity actually the most relevant to your everyday existence? Sermon for Confirmation and Trinity Sunday at Faith Lutheran Church.
The birthday of the Christian church, Pentecost is about our future. Joel 2, which explains about the birth, life, and end of the Church on Earth, isn't really isn't about the Church at all, but about Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Should you follow your heart? What if your heart can't even? In Ezekiel 36:25-27, we see that God gives us a new heart that doesn't need to.
Where did Jesus ascend to? What does that mean about how God works? What does that mean for your life now? Sermon from Isaiah 57:15.
Isaiah's song from ch. 12 is a song about future salvation. The same could be said for our entire lives.
Sermon of what Faith trusts in. Based on Job 19:25-27, also tying in the Gospel lesson from John 20:19-31.
Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem to die on a cross. What kind of King is He? Can we really rejoice and shout in what He brings?
God judged Abram, a pagan, worthy of a new home. Why? Because even Abram would be blessed by his descendant Jesus. And so are we.
Through the example of Nicodemus, the man who helped bury Jesus, we learn what baptism means.
Why bother going to church when you can just stay home and listen? The same reason Jesus lead the people into the wilderness to feed them.
Who has never faced division? The division caused by our spiritual enemies, is undone by the Stronger Man, great David's greater Son, Jesus.
What does baptism do? In John 1:29, we see Jesus as the Lamb of God take upon Himself the sins of the world in his baptism, to be sent into the wilderness, where our sins will never be seen again. Our baptism gives us what Jesus won.
Sermon from Isaiah 45. Does God remember His promises? Sometimes it doesn't seem like it.
We can expect temptation and suffering, because we live in a sin-cursed desert. But we don't fight alone. We go into the wilderness, but Jesus is already there.
The church begins Lent with Ash Wednesday, and the placing of ash crosses on forheads. The ashes not only remind us of our death, but of our new life in Christ though baptism.
Faith needs an object. What is our faith in? in Jesus, and what His life and death mean for us.
God's Word is unlike our word. our words can only describe. God's can create. His Word gives life. His Word has power.
Jeremiah offers a beautiful picture of God's grace, which He had even before we were born. Grace is not deserved, but a gift.
Will God never let anything bad happen to you? What did God promise when He had Isaiah write "when you cross through the waters, they will not sweep you away"? Today's sermon is a lesson on trust.