Reminiscere Vespers 2023

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Once they walk, we don’t carry our children anymore. Until they’re sick, or something is wrong; then we revert to treating them like babies, carrying them, wishing we could take all their burdens unto ourselves.

But we can’t. This father knows that. That’s why he says to Jesus, “I carried my son to you.”

How many times had he made similar journeys, carrying his son to physicians, priests, anyone who might be able to help?

His boy seems to have two problems: he’s alalon - what we would today call “non-verbal” - and he has seizures. They cause him to writhe on the ground, foam at the mouth, grind his teeth, and then be non-responsive.

The father attributes all this to demonic activity.

It’s quite natural to say, “Well, today we know better. We have sciency words for it: autism, and seizures.”…

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Faith Grasps God's Word

Immanuel Evangelical-Lutheran Church
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Howard Jones sang, “No one is to blame,” but the Eighties were a long time ago. In 2019, someone must be blamed. Political anger has replaced religion as the culture’s driving animus. Someone is to blame, and the mob won’t stop until the scapegoat is called out and cancelled.

Today’s Epistle shows us that people are not our problem. I don’t agree with Marianne Williamson on much, but she’s right about one thing: We have spiritual forces of evil arrayed against us. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Against this enemy, no earthly defenses will avail. The Satan has this aim: to turn you away from the God who loves you; to drive a wedge between creature and Creator...

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Sermon on Psalm 140

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Jesus placed Himself entirely in the hands of the Father. Jesus was confident that the Father would judge rightly. He was confident that He would be vindicated.

This is likewise how the Psalm teaches us to live. We are surrounded by those “who plan evil things in their heart.” But the way of Jesus is shown in this Psalm. We do not plot against them in return, but entrust ourselves to Him who judges justly.

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