Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Liverpool, NY (WELS)

Paul wants to know, “How can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Our job isn’t to increase quarterly numbers, our job is to be a messenger.

What’s the mission of the Church? More specifically, what’s your mission? What should be our focus? Well, what does Jesus do? When we look at Jesus’ ministry, the standout truth is Jesus cares. Jesus cares about your body. And Jesus cares about your soul.

What if opposition and rejection to God’s message aren’t failure? What if it’s not a painful experience to be avoided at all costs? We can learn from the apostles that opposition is an opportunity.

The caterer only had enough champagne for half the guests. The pastor officiating said the wrong names. The band got lost on the way to the reception. And it rained the whole time. Just about everything that could go wrong at their wedding went wrong. People were beginning to wonder if this disastrous wedding was a bad omen. Was the bride and groom’s relationship going to survive this?

God marked David as his chosen king and strengthened him for the task at his anointing. God marked Jesus as the chosen Savior and strengthened him for his task at his baptism. God marked you and strengthens you at your baptism.

All people are born into spiritual slavery and held there all their lives. We need a hero.

If you stare into the sun with your naked eye, you can go blind. The sun is too much for our eyes. To an even greater extent, the creator of the sun, God in all his glory, is too much for us. But God took on flesh.

The greatest gift in the history of the world is given to you.

What does God want for Christmas? Many of God’s people believed all it took to make God happy was to do and say the right things. Offer all the right sacrifices and keep all the proper festivals and you’re good to go. Is that really all God wants?

As far as you can see nothing but rocks, sand, and desert scrub. You’re walking with a crowd of the most unlikely sort. Noble Pharisees in their ornate robes with Roman soldiers in their faded red-purple cloaks followed by traitorous tax collectors in expensive jewels and last of all you. What has brought all these people together on such an inconvenient pilgrimage?