Pastor Sullivan's Blog

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. While most people wouldn’t rebuke the false beliefs and selfishness of their dinner hosts, Jesus isn’t most people. He is God in human flesh. He’s come to bring sinners to repentance, even these Pharisees . The Pharisees misunderstand the purpose of God’s Law. They assume God’s Law is the way they show God how righteous they are. If they do the things God requires, God sees how good they are and rewards them. Because they view God’s Law like this, they are proud, selfish, and contemptuous of others. There just happens to be a man afflicted with dropsy at this meal. Perhaps it was a set up. The Pharisees were fond of putting Jesus in tight spots to see if He would break God’s Law and teach others to do so. They present Him with a third commandment conundrum. The third commandment is: “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.   Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabb...

Order of Holy Communion -  Pg. 15 Hymn #  417 How Can I Thank Thee, Lord Hymn #  441 We Give Thee But Thine Own Hymn #  425 All Depends on Our Possessing Introit Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth, O Lord. ( Psalm 54:4–5 ) Save me, O God, by Your name: And vindicate me by Your strength. Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen up against me: They have not set God before them. For He has delivered me out of all trouble; And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies. ( Psalm 54:1, 2-3, 7) Readings 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 Luke 16:1-9 Collect for the 9th Sunday after Trinity Let Thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Thy humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please Thee; through Jesus...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 91 Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord Hymn # 611 The Day Is Surely Drawing Near Hymn # 53 Abide, O Dearest Jesus   Introit - 83   Readings Isaiah 40:9-11 2 Peter 3:3-14 Matthew 25:31-46   Collect for Trinity XXVI O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Thy Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Thy just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with Thee forever hereafter; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.   Sermon on the Holy Gospel Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         When Christ returns on the Last Day, then we will experience what we confess each week in the Creed, that, “He shall come again with glory to judge both t...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 545 The Morning Sun is Brightly Beaming Hymn #3 43 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star Hymn # 247 God the Father, Be Our Stay Introit - pg. 80 Readings Deuteronomy 10:12-21 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Matthew 22:34-46 Collect for Trinity XVIII O God, forasmuch as without Thee we are not able to please Thee, mercifully grant that Thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen. Sermon on the Holy Gospel Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         The Pharisees hear that Jesus has silenced the Sadducees. The Sadducees were your Jewish elites of the time. They had money and prestige. Their piety was entirely wrapped up in the temple ritual. They were also quite Greek in their thinking. They didn’t...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 298 Baptized into Thy Name Most Holy Hymn # 342 Chief of Sinners Though I Be Hymn # 34 My Soul, Now Bless Thy Maker   Introit - pg. 79 Readings 1 Samuel 2:1-10 Ephesians 4:1-6 Luke 14:1-11 Collect for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Sermon on the Holy Gospel Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         Jesus teaches us today about the true use of the Sabbath. On a certain Sabbath Jesus enters the house of a Pharisee, a ruler among that sect of the Jews and notices that the Pharisees gathered there are watching Him closely...