Everyday Lutherans

Today’s sermon is more directed at the Confirmands and the rest of you, simply get to listen in.  Many years ago, your parents brought you to church and had you Baptized. Now it is in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, that you are called and claimed as God’s Very Own Child. In doing so, your parents were acknowledging something.  YOU ARE A GIFT TO THEM FROM GOD. They wanted you to know God and enjoy the blessing of having a relationship and connection with God. So they made promises on your behalf to make sure that you would do just that. Thus for years, you have learned about God by coming to Sunday School, attending worship, going to camp and being part of this community.  You would then be able to learn how God has been a part of the lives of others and also how God could be part of your life. Today, you are here to make the promises, the very same ones that your parents made years ago but now you will fulfill them in your own life.   These promises are so very important and yet can se...

How many of you remember your Baptism?  For some of us, we are able to remember that day, we were old enough to see, hear and speak for our own sake.  We remember the people who were there. We remember having the water poured over us or being dipped in and pulled back out.  This day and date are something that we remember. For others of us, our Baptism was done when we are infants. Yet it was our parents who made the promise that we would be raised in the faith.  Thus it is our Baptism that we should be teaching and sharing with our children so that the importance of it can understood. Which draws us to a crucial question for any Christian, how does Baptism shape you? This often brings up the very debate among Christians of believer’s baptism or infant baptism.  Yet truly, instead of an “or” we should really be looking at an “and”. Our focus should be always on welcoming and caring for people of every age and every part of the journey of life and faith that they are on.  A believer’s B...

Today we gather to be reminded of the Baptism of our Lord.  The day in which Jesus begins his ministry within the world, that we bear witness to Jesus being claimed by his heavenly Father as his very own.  It is here in Jesus’ Baptism that we hear God declare to everyone with ears to hear that here is God’s beloved child.  Here is our Lord, here is our Savior, and here is our Messiah.   Take a moment and think, think about your own Baptism.  Now for many the time in which your Baptism took place is different.  For some of you, you were Baptized when you were older, you remember the water on your head and the promises that you made before the whole congregation.  For some of you, you were Baptized when you were a baby.  You do not remember the water being poured over your head, but your parents made promises that they would raise you in the Christian faith. Then at the time of your Confirmation, you came before the congregation to declare that you ...

For some people, Baptism was something that happened when they were an infant.  They do not remember it.  They do not understand what was happening.  For others, they remember the day and event as it was something that they had a part in. Within Baptism, water is used upon the person's body.  Water is one of the most abundant resources upon the Earth and it is something that is vital to our very life.  With this resource that you use within your daily life, God combines God's own Word.  Then God commands us to share and give this gift. In Baptism, God calls us by name to be God's very own child.  As a beloved child of God, you are given forgiveness of sins, delivered from death and the devil, and everlasting salvation to all who believe in this promise of God.   It is not water that does this but God's promise and work on the cross that delivers all that is promised for you directly to you. You do not need to remember the day that the way was plac...

The Hebrew people were living in a life in which things were decided for them, their work, home, food and much was all dictated to them. The Ten Commandments were given to the people to help them with order within their life, how they should be an individual within a community and understand good and healthy relationships. Good relationships between God and you along with you and those around you. The people would need these in order to function and operate, make good decisions and ensure that God was important within their life. 
These Ten Commandments are something that can with stand the test of time. They are lessons can impact our daily life. Here is my attempt: First Commandment Honor God and what God has done for you Why is this important? God is the one who created you and sustains you. God has helped you become the person that you are today, getting through the struggles, giving you the good things, and reminding you that tomorrow is secure and taken care of. We fear God bec...