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"Out of Many, One"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:1-8
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:1-8
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Paul exhorts us, by "the mercies of God" in Christ, to live as His called Christians in our daily lives. As Christ died for many and various people, so He unites many and various people into His Body, the Church. The devil tries to split individuals away from the Church, much like a wolf or lion tries to pick off the straggler from the herd, in order to destroy. As we remain in Christ and His Word, and stay connected to His Body, we will remain ultimately safe from destruction and enter eternal life.
"His Body, Ourselves"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:1-8
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:1-8
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We live in an age that believes we are completely in charge of ourselves, and what we do with our bodies is our business. But, as God's Christians, we do not "own" our bodies anymore, to use them in service to sin. In Baptism, we are now members of Christ's body and, in view of God's mercies to us in Christ, we gladly present our bodies to Him as living sacrifices used in service to Christ in church and society.
"Counter-Cultural Overcomers"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:9-21
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 12:9-21
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Taking up one's cross may not always be about enduring suffering or persecution. For each Christian, we are to bear the cross of love toward not just our friends, but even our enemies. That can be a very difficult thing to do, and is counter to the culture and to our old, fallen natures. Yet, as Christ loved us, not just in word, but in His whole life so also, as those in whom Christ lives and is at work, are to do the same to others. It is this "counter-cultural" cross-bearing that we can actually make a difference for good in those around us, because Christ has mad all the difference for us.
"The Coming Day"
Pastor Kenneth D. Lueke
Romans 13:8-14
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Pastor Kenneth D. Lueke
Romans 13:8-14
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A terminally ill patient may either indulge his sinful desires before the end comes, or decide to live his life in the best way possible. This world is terminal; Christ is coming. How will we, as God's Christians, live our lives before The End? Will we follow the desires of our Old Adam and embrace the "deeds of darkness" or, as the baptized and redeemed in Christ, "put on [His] armor of light?"
"Hurry Up and Wait" 1st Sun. in Advent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 13:8-14
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 13:8-14
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The Season of Advent sits between the end of the Church Year and Christ's glorious return and His first Advent celebrated at Christmas. We are also in that period of waiting for Christ's return, yet we don't just wait; we actively wait. Now is the time to stay spiritually awake and live out our callings as Christians in relation to our neighbors. We fight against the darkness, not with weapons of darkness but with Christ's "armor of light" and with love. We know that, as each day passes, we are that much closer to our final redemption when Christ returns.
"Reason For Hope" 2nd Sun. in Advent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 15:4-13
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 15:4-13
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Advent is the season of hope - hope for the celebration of the birth of Christ, and hope for His glorious return. It is in this hope that the Christian lives, for Christ gives our lives purpose and meaning, even in the dark times in which we find ourselves. It is hope in God's Word in Christ that gives us endurance because we know what is coming when God makes all things new. So, even in our struggles, we have "joy in believing" because of God's love for us in Christ.
"Tidings of Joy" Advent 2
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 15:8-13
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 15:8-13
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Many cynics view the Bible and the Christian faith as dour and unhappy. But that's not true. Throughout the Scriptures, the emphasis is on Joy; Joy that God promised a Savior from sin and death; Joy that God kept His promises in the Incarnation, life death and resurrection of Christ; Joy that our sins are forgiven in Him; Joy that God is our heavenly Father; Joy that Christ is coming again for us to be with Him always. While the Bible and Christianity deals with the dark things of sin, death and judgment, it is for the purpose of bringing us to the healing of the Gospel of Christ. There fears and sadness must give way to Joy; a Joy that cannot be taken away from those who trust in Christ.
"Reform School" Reformation Day
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-24
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-24
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The crushing weight and guilt of sin cannot be removed by our own efforts to try harder, do more, or be better. The Law of God continues to hold us accountable for our sin and silences all attempts to earn eternal life. But the Law crushes us for a purpose: to save us - not that we can be saved by the Law (what we do), but it shows us the need for a Savior from sin and guilt and drives us to the Gospel. Our "rightness" before God is a gift given by Christ our Redeemer, and this gift and the righteousness that follows is received by faith. The light of the Gospel was not unique to Martin Luther. His teachings were not his own inventions. These things were what God's Word proclaimed throughout the Old and New Testament Scriptures - that a Redeemer would sacrifice Himself to save lost mankind. Jesus is that Redeemer. He, who is the very Son of God died for all so that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Though the Gospel has been "clouded over" at various times in the Church's history, it has never been snuffed out. It still continues to be proclaimed today, even if the devil, hell and the whole world opposes it. It is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that is our peace and is our life; here and in eternity.
"Woke Righteousness" Reformation Day
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-25
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-25
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Centuries ago, people wanted to know how to become right with God and were pointed to "Works Righteousness," that is, to what they need to do for God to become right. Today, people assume they are just naturally "right" before God and wonder instead how they can be right before men. We are told to get "Woke," regarding matters of race, sex, pronouns and gender and numerous other things. We are to have a "Woke Righteousness." Yet all of this underlines the problem: we are sinners, and it is impossible to save ourselves before God or man. Yet, God has revealed to us a righteousness that is ours as a gift that we receive by faith. Christ died for our sins. He has done the work necessary to save. Our works now are not to achieve salvation but because God has given salvation to us through Christ. That is the Reformation message that is sorely needed today.
"Zip It!" Reformation Day
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-28
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 3:19-28
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All too many people feel they are right with God because they are "nice" people and do "nice" things. But when we see our thoughts and actions in light of the word of God's Law, all our boasting in ourselves is silenced and we stand accountable to God, and utterly condemned. No matter how hard we try to be and do good according to the Law, we either become self-righteous Pharisees, or despair completely of hope. But God gives us another word to comfort us: The Gospel. There we see that, because of Jesus' perfect keeping of God's Law for us, and His innocent suffering and death for our sins, we are given this righteousness before God as a gift. Now our good works, instead of being done to try to save ourselves, are done gladly and joyfully because Christ has saved us already. Faith simply trusts that promise of God for us.
"Who's Your Daddy?" 2nd Sun. in Lent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 4:1-8, 13-18
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 4:1-8, 13-18
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Abraham was right before God through faith. He believed God's promises. All who believe in God's promises fulfilled in Christ for our salvation are Abraham's children. We are the True Israel of God.
"Our Hope in Christ" 2nd Sun. in Lent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:1-11
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:1-11
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Hope is always an uncertain thing in this world. It is like wishful thinking. Especially when it comes to suffering, we hope never to suffer or, if it should come to us, that it would quickly pass. Yet St. Paul helps us understand that suffering for the Christian is never senseless, but that our dear Lord is using it according to His purposes and for our ultimate good. From suffering in Christ comes endurance which develops our character and gives our hope a solid foundation on the Word and promise of Christ. Here hope is a confidence in these truths that in Christ, "God is for us," so even if the times are uncertain, we are not uncertain regarding our Redeemer and His love for us.
"Dying For the Bad Guys" 2nd Sun. in Lent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:1-11
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:1-11
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No many, if any, would be willing to sacrifice their life to save the life of a criminal, especially a murderer. Yet, this is precisely what Christ has done. All of us areby nature powerless spiritually, ungodly, sinners and enemies of God. St. Paul (among others) says so. All of us are "Bad Guys," and Christ died to save us, reconcile us to God and, by faith in Him, enable us to be children of God and heirs of life. When we are discouraged by afflictions, rather than seeing this as a sign of God's rejection, we should look again to what Christ has done for us and realize that, if God does allow afflictions into our lives, it is simply to draw us closer to Him, and to cause us to rely more firmly on His love and grace to us in Christ.
"Not Like the Trespass" 1st Sun. in Lent
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:12-19
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:12-19
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The "First Adam" yielded to the tempter's voice and fell, dragging all mankind with him. death came to the human race because of that one man's sin. Yet the "Second Adam," Jesus Christ, did not yield to temptation but perfectly kept God's law and will and died in the place of sinners. Through faith in Him, righteousness and life before God is a free gift of His grace. Though the effects of sin and death are still present among us in this life, eternal life is also at work in us drawing us in faith to the time when sin and death is removed from us forever and we live eternally by the free gift that is ours in Jesus.
"One Brings Death - One Brings Life"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:12-21
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:12-21
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Adam's fall ruined everything, and brought sin and death to us all. Our condition makes it impossible for us to reclaim our place before God in perfection. But God sent "The Second Adam," Jesus Christ, to do what Adam did not. And by His obedient life, and His innocent suffering and death, Christ has made us who are sinners ruled by death, now reconciled children of God ruled by life. And it's all a Gift by God's grace through the blood of Christ.
"Answering Questions Not Asked"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:6-11
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:6-11
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People get frustrated hearing only Law and Gospel sermons. They want sermons teaching them how to be better parents, or how to "have their best life now," etc. The problem is, those sermons, without Christ the Redeemer as the core, cannot save; cannot comfort; cannot answer the deepest questions needful. Only through the preaching of sin and grace, of God's love through the crucified Savior can the real questions of life find answers.
"One For All" 3rd Sun. a. Pentecost
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:6-15
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 5:6-15
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Two men changed history: Adam, through his rebellion brought sin and death into the world; and Christ, who by His obedience and innocent suffering and death, brought reconciliation with God and redemption to those who believe in Him.
"Drowned, Yet Truly Alive" Baptism of Our Lord
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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Is it possible to be drowned and yet truly alive? Yes. That happens in Baptism. Our Lord, who submitted to John's Baptism to fully identify with those He came to save, gave His church an objective act, filled with His promises to us, as well as a power to kill us and make us alive again. In the Baptism Jesus gave His Church, we are buried with Christ and fully connected to all the blessings His death has obtained, and we are raised with Him to walk in newness of life. We are still afflicted by sin, but we are no longer to be slaves of it. when guilt assais us, and Satan accuses us, we do not look to our feelings or the world's opinions. We look to the promises of God's Word connected to our Baptism, and we trust Him who died for us and lives forevermore - Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
"Dying to Live"
Pastor Kenneth D. Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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Pastor Kenneth D. Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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At Jesus' baptism, God the Father declared Him to the world as His beloved Son. We, on the other hand, because of sin, are anything but God's children by nature. Yet, in Baptism, God takes action on our behalf, connecting us to Christ's death and resurrection, promising to us forgiveness and salvation, and declaring us to be His beloved children. As such, we should not see grace as a license to sin, but as the power enabling us to die to sin and live in newness of life with Christ.
"Dying to Live" The Baptism of Our Lord
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-11
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Jesus' baptism wasn't because of His own sins. He was completely identifying with those He can to save. He was embarking on His mission to die so that we can live. In our baptisms, we are being connected to Christ's death and resurrection and so, in Baptism, we die to sin with Christ in order to be raised with Him to newness of life.
"Baptismal Death & Resurrection" The Baptism of Our Lord
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-6
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:1-6
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The nature we are born with, and the new nature we receive in Baptism are at war with each other. Yet, we are not to be defined by the old sinful nature, but by the fact that we are made new creations in Christ. In Baptism, we died to sin and have been raised to walk in newness of life - a life of forgivness in Jesus, and doing good works through Jesus. Now, who we are receives it's life from Christ, not the Old Adam. Yet, while in this life we are both Saints and Sinners, we endeavor to not allow ourselves to be controlled by the sinful nature, but we repent and trust Christ and His Word. Ad a day is coming when Old Adam will no longer affect us. In the meantime, through God's Word and Sacraments, we are emboldened to live as those who died, and are now alive in Christ.
"Whose Slave Are You?" 4th Sun. a. Pentecost
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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The idea that we will be truly free when we cast off all constraints on our desires, such as commandments, traditions, virtues, is a delusion. You are still a slave, but to sin. Everyone serves someone or something: either God or sin. But as God's Christians, what we do with our bodies matters. Christ dying for our sins and freeing us from the condemnation of the law doesn't mean we can now do what we want. It frees us to do what Jesus wants. So, when sin desires to be our master, we should fight against its rule in us. And, by the grace, love, mercy and forgiveness we have in Christ, desire to serve Him who became a servant of all.
"Free to be Slaves"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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As Americans, we think of slavery as some past event, ended by the Civil War. The Biblical reality is, all people are slaves. The question is: Who are we a slave of: Sin or Christ? As God's baptized Christians, St. Paul urges us who have been set free from Sin's mastery by Christ, to then recognize that we belong to Him, and to use our lives, and even the parts of our bodies in service to Him, who first served us and gave His life to redeem us - Jesus.
"Whom Shall You Serve?"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:12-23
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Since the Fall of Man, slavery has always been part of the human experience. But even for those who have never been enslaved bodily, we are all slaves spiritually, either to sin and unrighteousness, or to Christ and His righteousness. It is to be expected that those who are in bondage to sin will use the members of their bodies in service of sin. But for those redeemed by Christ, even the members of our bodies are to be used in the service of righteousness and for the benefit of our neighbor.
"Holy Baptism: Deliverance From Death" Advent 1
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:3-4
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 6:3-4
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Death surrounds us. Science won't do away with death, neither will living in denial of it. All sin, so all will die. Yet Christ suffered death and hell for us when He died on the cross, and defeated it by His resurrection. He shares His death and resurrection with us in Holy Baptism. We will not possess eternal life one day; we possess it now. The power and promise of God's Word in Baptism actually gives to us what it says, thus, we do not grieve over death as those who have no hope; nor do we die as those who have no hope. But being alive in Christ now through Baptism, we will also share in His resurrection.
"Pulling Back the Curtain on Sin"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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The Law of God is good, holy and wise. But, because of the sin in us, the Law now brings death. While we might be oblivious to our condition, and think we're pretty good folks, as soon as the Commandment of God comes, sin is enflamed in us to do even more wickedness. Rather than bringing us life, the Law of God judges us and brings death. This is why no one can be saved by his own works. But this shows how loving and merciful God is in that, "while we were sinners, Christ died for us." While the Law can't save us or change our hearts, the Gospel can and does.
"No Middle Ground" 5th Sun. a. Pentecost
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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We tend to want to occupy the middle ground - believing Christ yet living according to the standards of this world. Yet, Jesus does not give us that option if we are to follow Him. Yes, we live in this world and we love our families, but we cannot love the world or our families more than Him. But none of us can keep this standard perfectly. Only the One who did is also the One who died for us that we can be forgiven. And it is this gracious forgiveness and love of Christ for us that gives us the desire to follow Him, however imperfectly even as we grow more faithful in following Him.
"Craving the Forbidden"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:1-13
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A guaranteed way to make us crave something is to forbid us having it. That's just the way of fallen human nature. Thus, even though the Law of God is holy and just, sin in us rebels against that Law and craves to have or do whatever it forbids. This is why it is impossible for us to save ourselves by trying to keep the Law, because even if we could keep it perfectly, the Law cannot change our sinful hearts and, thus, we stand condemned. But through the Gospel of forgiveness won for sinners by Christ, our hearts are changed and, by the Holy Spirit, we keep the Law (however imperfectly) and produce fruit leading to life. Apart from Christ, we are bound to our sinful cravings and to the Law's condemnation. But in Christ, we have been set free from condemnation and can joyfully live out our lives, keeping the Law because we are God's children and heirs of eternal life through Christ alone.
"Saints and Sinners"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:14-25
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:14-25
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We're supposed to be Christians, so why do we still sin? Though we are new creations in Christ and the Law of God is our delight, we still carry with us our fleshly, sinful natures that press us to sin. As Paul writes: "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me." This is why we continue to need what Christ gives through His Word and Sacraments. There we find our forgiveness and peace, and there we find our strength to fight against the desires of the sinful nature until that time when Christ raises us from the dead, never to have to be afflicted by sin any longer.
"Enemies, Foreign and Domestic"
Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:14-25
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Pastor Kenneth Lueke
Romans 7:14-25
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The true Christian life is not one of constant victory or defeat. It is a combination of both. We are new creations in Christ through baptism, but we still carry around our old sinful nature that is a war with us. Not recognizing this truth can lead to self-righteous arrogance and an embracing of sin, or to despair and unbelief. Yet St. Paul outlines the Christian's daily struggle between our old and new natures, which Luther describes us as "at the same time saints and sinners." But thanks be to God for the atonement Christ has made for us. Though sin still dogs us, we are forgiven in Christ and God's own dear children.
