Pastor Sullivan's Blog

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         Jesus tells us that no one can serve two masters. Our hearts aren’t built for that. We can only serve one master. We can only look to one thing to provide for us and go give us everything we need for this life. You cannot serve God and mammon. To serve God means to look to Him in faith and expect Him to give us every good thing at the proper time. To serve mammon means to give our hearts to money, possessions, and the things of this life so that we expect all good things from them. The heart that serves God is confident that God will give daily bread; daily bread being all that we need to support this body and life. The heart that serves mammon frets over how much money is in the bank or how much food is in the cupboard. The heart that serves God is content because it fixes itself solely upon God’s Word and promises. The heart that serves mammon is alw...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.  1)         Before Matthew was known as ‘Saint Matthew,’ before he was a disciple and apostle, and before the Holy Ghost inspired him to write the account of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that bears his name, Matthew was simply a tax collector. He writes, “ As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office .” Matthew had a tax booth at the edge of the Capernaum city limits, so that travelling merchants and traders would have to stop and pay tax on their wares as they headed to market. Being the tax man is just another God-pleasing vocation. Paul tells the Roman Christians that we pay taxes so that the civil rulers can govern. He says, “ Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor ” (Romans 13:7). But it goes for the tax man as it does for all m...

Order of Holy Communion  - Pg. 15 Opening Hymn #  36 Now Thank We All Our God Sermon Hymn #  569 O Lord, I Sing With Lips and Heart Closing Hymn #  398 Renew Me, O Eternal Light Introit O GOD, || behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your a- | noint- | ed. *            For a day in Your courts is better | than | a | thou- | sand.  (Psalm 84:9–10a) || How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of | hosts! | - *             My soul longs, yes, even faints for the | courts | of | the | Lord; || Blessèd are those who dwell in Your | house; | - *             They will still | be | prais- | ing | You || I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my | God | - *             Than dwell in the tents | of | wick- | ed- | ness. || The Lord will give grace and | glo- | ry; *             No good thing will He withhold from...

Order of Holy Communion  - Pg. 15 Hymn # 548 My Inmost Heart Now Raises Hymn # 384 Oh, How Great is Thy Compassion Hymn # 344 Come, Let Us Join our Cheerful Songs Introit HAVE RE- || spect to Your covenant, O | Lord; | - *             Oh, do not let the oppressed | re- | turn | a- | shamed! || Arise, O God, plead Your own | cause; | - *             Do not forget the voice of | Your | en- | e- | mies.  (Psalm 74:20a, 21a, 22a, 23a) || O God, why have You cast us off for- | ev- | er? *             Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep | of | Your | past-| ure? || Remember Your congre- | ga- | tion, *             Which You have | pur- | chased | of | old, || The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have re- | deemed | - *             —This Mount Zion | where | You | have | dwelt. || Do not forget the life of Your poor for- | e...

Order of Holy Communion  - Pg. 15 Opening Hymn #  3 Lord Jesus Christ, be present now Sermon Hymn #  30 Oh, that I had a thousand voices Final Hymn #  26 Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him Introit MAKE HASTE, || O God, to de- | liv-er ∙ | me! * Make haste to help | me, | O | Lord! || Let them be ashamed and con- | found- | ed * Who | seek | my | life. (Psalm 70:1–2a) || Let them be turned back and con- | fused | - * Who de- | sire | my | hurt. || Let all those who seek You re- | joice | - * And be | glad | in | You. || But I am poor and | need- | y; * Make haste to | me, | O | God! || You are my help and my de- | liv-er- ∙ | er; * O Lord, do | not | de- | lay. (Psalm 70:2b, 4, 5) || Make haste, O God, to de- | liv-er ∙ | me! * Make haste to help | me, | O | Lord! || Let them be ashamed and con- | found- | ed * Who | seek | my | life. (Psalm 70:1–2a) ...