Liturgical Date: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12B)

Calendar Date: July 25, 2021

Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL

Order of Service: Matins

Hymns:

#809, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

#752, "Be Still, My Soul"

#544, "O Love, How Deep"

Sermon Theme: Rainbow

Sermon Text: Genesis 9:8-17

Other Lectionary Readings: 

Psalm 136:1-9

Ephesians 3:14-21

Mark 6:45-56

Liturgical Date: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11B)

Calendar Date: July 18, 2021

Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL

Order of Service: Divine Service 3

Hymns:

#646, "Church of God, Elect and Glorious"

#748, "I'm But a Stranger Here"

#645, "Built on the Rock"

#763, "When Peace Like a River"

#641, "You Satisfy the Hungry Heart"

#711, "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us"

Sermon Theme: Fellow Citizens

Sermon Text: Ephesians 2:11-22

Other Lectionary Readings: 

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Psalm 23

Mark 6:30-44

Christ often connects the promise of forgiveness of sins to good works, yet not because He means that good works are an atoning sacrifice (for they follow reconciliation. Christ makes this connection for two reasons. One is because good fruit must necessarily follow. He reminds us that if good fruit do not follow, the repentance is hypocritical and fake. The other eason is that we have need of outward signs of so great a promise. A conscience full of fear has need of much consolation. (Ap V 154)

''When [Jesus] was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. (Matthew 27:12-14)''

Before Pontius Pilate, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7: "Like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth." The chief priests and elders continued to pile charge upon charge against Him. But Jesus didn't answer them a single word.

This amazed Pilate. He had seen many people come before Him. Some guilty, some wrongly accused. But he had likely never seen anyone come before him and not respond to any of the accusations. The guilty might brag about getting away with it for so long. The innocent would protest their innocence.

But Jesus said nothing. Not one word. He hung His head in your guilt. He didn't say, "But I'm dying for what you have done." Not before Pilate. But in your heart. When He comes in as your Savior, He says, "I stood silent for you. I died with gracious words on My lips for you. I rose again for you. Nevermore to be silent." Amen.

Savannah Jack vs Jason Kincaid

Bobo Brazil vs Curt Hennig

#1 Contender for American Heavyweight Title: Honky Tonk Man vs Raven

Television Title vs $1000 Lumberjack Match: 'Dirty' Dutch Mantell (c) vs Buzz Sawyer

Iceman King Parsons vs 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert

World Tag Team Titles Match: 'Dirty' Dutch Mantell & David von Erich (c) vs Iceman King Parsons & Brickhouse Brown

WarGames Match: Strong Army vs Gunns 4 Hire

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness" (Psalm 30:11).

"Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God" (Psalm 31:5).

''Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me." (Matthew 27:9-10)''

The chief priests' purchase of the potter's field fulfills one more Messianic prophecy. Even the purchase price was known to the prophet Jeremiah six hundred years before. The purchase price is "the price of Him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel." We must remember this when we talk to our Jewish neighbors. Or talk about Jews in general.

Not all of the sons of Israel turned their back on Jesus. Just some. But all of the sons of Israel needed a Savior. All the sons of Adam need a Savior. All the daughters of Eve need a Savior.

This Savior had a price of His head. This Savior paid that price. Not with the thirty pieces of silver for the potter's field. With His holy, innocent, precious suffering and death. The potter's field that was bought with the money is a symbol of the grave that you and I share with all sinners. The grave that Jesus overcame with His death and resurrection. Amen.

July 14, 2021

Wintrust Arena

Chicago, IL

First two rounds of the Deadly Dozen Tournament for the Illinois Heavyweight Title!

Savannah Jack vs Nightmare Danny Davis

Deadly Dozen Tournament Round 1

Steve Corino vs Billy Gunn

Bobo Brazil vs Christopher Daniels

Honky Tonk Man vs Ken Wayne

Buzz Sawyer vs Chris Adams

Iceman King Parsons vs Jerry Lawler

Steve Austin vs Chris Candido

Television Title vs Leaving PWA Match: 'Dirty' Dutch Mantell (c) vs Brickhouse Brown

Deadly Dozen Tournament Round 2

Ken Wayne vs Billy Gunn

Jerry Lawler vs Christopher Daniels

Honky Tonk Man vs Steve Corino

Chris Adams vs Chris Candido

Iceman King Parsons vs Bobo Brazil

Steve Austin vs Buzz Sawyer

''So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (Matthew 27:7-8)''

When we think of bloody fields, we think of places like Gettysburg, Antietam or the shores of Normandy. But outside Jerusalem is probably one of the most underrated bloody fields in history. The chief priests couldn't put the thirty silver pieces back in the temple's treasury. That wouldn't be kosher. But it would be kosher for them to use the blood money to buy a field to bury strangers.

One Church tradition says that this potter's field was the same place where Judas hanged himself. But Judas' blood money paid for the field. It was paid for with the price of blood.

Your heart is a bloody field. Not only the blood that flows through your body. The blood that was poured upon you in your Baptism. The blood that clothes you with perfect righteousness.

Through Christ's blood, your heart has been purified. A burial place for the stranger to God that is your sinful nature. The resurrection place of the Christian inside you. The place where faith resides and hope belongs. Amen.

''But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money."  (Matthew 27:6).''

There are few things more despicable to sensible people than blood money. Throughout history, bounty hunters have been thought of as about as evil as the criminals they were chasing. Doing anything to secure the money placed on someone else's head.

In God's continual series of ironic twists, the chief priests cannot take the thirty pieces of silver because it's "blood money." But God accepts Jesus' blood as the payment for our sins. Something else the chief priests couldn't accept.

Jesus paid the price for your sin. Not with gold or silver. He paid for it with the blood He shed on the whipping post and the cross. His passion evidences His great love for you.

As he head near the Christmas holiday, Jesus' death brings us back to the wise men who brought Him presents as a child. One present was myrrh. Embalming fluid. Even these foreigners knew that Jesus was born to die. To shed His blood as payment for you. Amen.