Pastor Sullivan's Blog

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I once received an “Ask The Pastor” question that dealt with the choice of Scripture on this day. It went something like this, “Dear Pastor, why is the gospel lesson for the first Sunday in Advent Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which takes place at the beginning of holy week? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to begin Advent with the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth or something else that happened before Christ’s birth?” That’s a good question. If Advent were merely a “pre-Christmas” season then it would make sense to hear about the angel Gabriel appearing to Zachariah in the temple, the birth of his son John, or even Gabriel’s announcing to Mary that the she would conceive the Son of God in her womb by the power of the Holy Ghost. But Advent isn’t a pre-Christmas season. There’s no doubt that it prepares us to celebrate the Nativity of Christ on the twenty-fifth but the focus of this season is much bro...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. At the beginning of Revelation, Christ appears in the midst of seven golden lampstands, holding seven stars in His hand. The seven stars are the messengers, or pastors, of the seven churches which are the seven lampstands. Christ commands St. John to write to these seven churches of Asia Minor, that is, modern Turkey, to warn them of their sins and strengthen their faith. Since Revelation communicates through numbers and pictures, we see these seven churches as a symbol of the entire church, the universal church spread across all lands and all history. That makes Christ’s words to these specific seven churches words to all churches. Christ speaks to the universal church to warn her of temptations which, if they are not overcome, will disqualify her from everlasting life. What we will see in these seven letters is that these specific church’s temptations are universal to the entire church, even to ours. By God...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The world is closer to Christmas than the Church is right now. The world has its Christmas trees up, its decorations hung, and its shopping going on. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things. But the world only has those things. The world’s version of Christmas, which is simply a gaudy imitation of the real Christmas, is in full swing, racing toward the 25 th for the giving and receiving of gifts. Once the Thanksgiving turkey is put away, the world starts in on its version of Christmas immediately. Not so the church. The tree may be up but we are not yet celebrating the nativity of our Lord in the flesh. First comes Advent and Advent is its own animal. While the world is in the midst of its Christmas season already, Advent calls Christians to prepare their hearts for Christ’s second coming, for that’s what ‘advent’ means, “coming” or “arrival.” How do we prepare our hearts for Christ’s Second Advent? B...

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         “ Behold, your king is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. ” You might ask why the season of Advent, and the beginning of a new church year for that matter, begins with such a text. It does seem curious that the season before our celebration of Christ’s birth starts with the account of Jesus’ arrival into the Jerusalem the week of His suffering and death. This text makes perfect sense on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, since the events in the Gospel lesson happened on the actual Sunday before Christ’s suffering and death. But three weeks before Christmas? At the beginning of a new church year? On the first Sunday in the season of Advent? But in that one word lies the answer. The season which we enter today is called Advent, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” It is not so much a season of preparation for Chris...

Order of Matins - Pg. 32 Hymn # 68 The Advent of Our King Hymn # 72 Rejoice, Rejoice Believers Hymn # 62 Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel   Psalmody - Psalm 1   Luther's Morning Prayer I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray You that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen. Reading Luke 1:1-25 Sermon on Luke 1:1-25 Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias while he is doing his priestly duty. The lot fell to Zacharias, so it was his turn to burn incense in the holy place of the temple while the ...