Pastor Sullivan's Blog

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. In today’s Epistle lesson St. Paul summarizes the new life we have by faith in Christ. Through faith our sins are forgiven. God declares us righteous through faith apart from the works of the Law. Through faith in the promise of the Gospel God adopts us into His holy family, making us heirs of all His heavenly blessings. Because we are sons of God by adoption, we are brothers of Christ Jesus. Being brothers of Christ and co-heirs with Christ, we suffer in this life as He suffered in this life, knowing that if we suffer with Him, we will be glorified with Him at the consummation of all things. This new life of faith in Christ is beset by many challenges, one of which Christ warns us against in today’s Gospel lesson. There will be false prophets, preachers and interpreters of His Word, who intentionally, and most unintentionally, try to draw us away from the new life of faith. Paul begins by reminding us that ...

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus tells His disciples that He goes away to God the Father. He speaks this on Maundy Thursday, the night in which He was betrayed. Sorrow fills the disciple’s hearts, and understandably so. But Jesus consoles their troubled hearts, “ Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ” Jesus promises the Helper, who is God the Holy Spirit, whose coming we will celebrate in three weeks on Pentecost. In some translations the word is translated “Comforter,” while others transliterate it: “Paraclete.” As Christ says this to His disciples, He approaches His suffering and death for the sins of the world. He will accomplish the atonement and declare from the cross “ It is finished ” (John 19:30). Christ runs His course. He atones for the sins of the entire world. But then He must go ...

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         Jesus enters Capernaum, His own city, and is confronted by several men carrying a paralytic on his bed. St. Mark gives us more details. Mark records that Jesus was in a house, and “ Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door ” (Mark 2:2). Jesus preaches repentance and God’s mercy to the packed house. But the crowd poses a problem for the friends of the paralytic. They can’t get their friend’s bed to Jesus. Undeterred, they climb onto roof, hauling their friend in the bed up their too. The Israelites build their houses to have flat roofs, which is why these friends can then dig a bed-sized hole in the roof. Once “ they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying ” (Mark 2:4). It must’ve been quite a sight. Their ...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 233 Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest Hymn # 467 Built on the Rock, the Church Shall Stand Hymn # 437 Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode Introit HEAR, O || Lord, when I cry with my | voice! | - *             Al- | le- | lu- | ia! || When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will | seek.” | - *             Do not hide Your face from me. Al- | le- | lu- | ia! (Psalm 27:7a, 8-9a) || The Lord is my light and my sal- | va- | tion; *             Whom | shall | I | fear? || The Lord is the strength of my | life; | - *             Of whom shall I | be | a- | fraid? || Teach me Your way, O | Lord, | - *             Do not deliver me to the will of my ad- | ver- | sa- | ries; || For false witnesses have risen a- | gainst | me, *             And su...