Advertise on podcast: St. Paul's Lockport Sermons

So the Christian life is faith – it is trust. We must trust that Jesus did complete everything necessary for our salvation on the cross. We must hold it is true and know that nothing we do could please God any more than that. We must hold to that truth and know that to sin is to break faith. To hold to this trust, to cling to it, is to take hold of the kingdom of heaven.

If we read a little further in the epistle to St. Timothy that we read today, we can see that Paul, under arrest, has been almost completely left alone. Demas has abandoned Paul for the love of the world. Crescens and Titus have other work to do. Paul says, “Only Luke is with me.” Of all who could bring Paul any help or assistance, only faithful Luke remains. Luke not related to Paul by blood, not even a Jew – but held together in the bond of Christian brotherhood. Luke is a physician and evangelist, helping Paul, in humble service to the continuing work of Jesus Christ through His church.

Guest sermon by Rev. Roger Mullet

The difference between Jesus and the Pharisees, between our religion and all others, is the question Jesus asks. What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? The Christ, who is both the Son of David and David’s Lord, must be God and man. The Christ is the true Son of God. Everything centers around Jesus as the true Lord.

The Pharisees cared very much about appearance. When they invited Jesus to dine on the Sabbath, they wanted to watch his appearance, check His every move. Their goal was to see if there was some flaw in Him that they could perceive and pounce on. For all of us, that would be a terrifying prospect, your every move being watched. But Jesus, in perfect humility, does not care about his appearance before the Pharisees at all. He just does what His Father wills. He does what is right.

You have a Lord in Jesus Christ who knows and feels your sorrows. He has perfect compassion for you. Our Psalm today tells us that “weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” In Christ, weeping is only temporary, but His compassion never ceases. He proved this even going to His own death as an act of compassion for sinners. His life, the perfect life of love, was lived to save the lost and bring healing to those in need.

The book of Deuteronomy is Moses' final sermon to the Israelites before they cross over to the promised land. His message to them is DO NOT FORGET. If there is any point in confirmation, it is to remind us - do not forget!

All of our lessons today point to the Christian life as a way. A way can be a road or a path. It is something that is continually traveled. Jesus calls himself the way, the truth, and the life. There is the true way of life in Jesus Christ, and there is the way of death. Solomon, in Proverbs, tells his son to walk in the way of wisdom, that he has been led in right paths. To walk in the way of wisdom is to “take firm hold of instruction and do not let go.” David in Psalm 119 today says “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” To leave the way is to “wander from Your commandments.”

How do I live a truly Christian life? For anyone who cares about Christ and what He teaches, this is the essential question.

The day is finally here. Our organ has returned after many months in the shop. While it has been good to have the accompaniment of the piano, nothing assists the human voice like the organ. That is why we use it after all. The point of having an organ isn’t to have beautiful organ recitals. That’s fine of course, nothing against them. But the organ isn’t just here for you to listen to. We have the organ in the church so that the congregation can be encouraged to sing.

To build ourselves up by our self-righteousness, we must push other people down. If we don’t murder them outright like Cain, then we sacrifice them in our hearts like the Pharisee. Christian humility looks like the tax collector. Though he is definitely a sinner and of no reputation, God hears his prayer “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem for this reason – “you did not know the time of your visitation.” Though Jerusalem means peace, the Jews there did not know the things which make for peace. They refused to know Jesus. Jesus had entered into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, and the leaders of the Jews did not celebrate but told Jesus to rebuke His disciples. They could not stand Jesus being called the Son of David, the King.

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps. As James says, we should not say I go here or there, do this or that, without saying “God willing.” This “God willing” is not throwing up our hands to fate, or to an indifferent God who pulls strings like a puppet master. It is entrusting our life and our ways to our loving heavenly Father, our faithful creator. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. Commit your ways to the Lord, and your thoughts will be in the right place, your heart will be content, and your life will be at peace. This is a peace which was won for you on the cross by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Amen.

WHY IT IS NECESSARY FOR CHRISTIANS TO JUDGE PREACHERS Christians must be vigilant and judge preaching because of the great danger that comes with believing the words of man over the words of God. In our OT lesson, Jeremiah speaks the Word of God against false preachers who have deceived the people and gives the diagnosis -

Here in Jesus Christ we see the image of God shining out in a living breathing man. He was free of every stain of sin, perfectly pure and holy from birth, and also perfectly kept the law. What the stone tablets of Moses reflected in outward characters, He fulfilled as a living, breathing Person. All so that He could give this obedience to us by faith and restore us to God through the work of the Holy Spirit. That is what Jesus means when He says “I have come to fulfill the law and the prophets.”