Pastor Sullivan's Blog

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The world is finished with its Christmas celebration by now and has moved onto its celebration of the new calendar year. But for the Church today is the sixth day of Christmas and the Sunday after Christmas. The appointed gospel lesson jumps ahead forty days after Jesus’ birth to Mary’s purification in the temple at Jerusalem. The text picks up in the middle of things. “ And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ” The words at which they marveled were the words of the aged priest Simeon, who had taken the child in his elderly arms and spoken the words which we now sing every Sunday in the Nunc Dimittis after receiving the Lord’s Supper where we see the salvation of the Lord prepared for all people.   In the Lord’s Supper we, like Simeon, receive Christ physically, but under bread and wine, and our sins are once again forgiven. After saying that the Lord can now let him d...

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 ...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Christ had been awake all the night before His crucifixion. His sufferings began in the garden with the anguish that came with drinking the cup of God’s wrath against sin. After His arrest He was taken to Annas, then to Caiapha. In the early hours of the morning He was sent to Pilate, who, after interrogation, sent Him to Herod. There Herod’s soldiers mistreated Him before sending Him back to Pilate for His final sentencing. He has been beaten and flogged. Then He is expected to carry His own cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull. It must have been massive if He was to then be nailed to it. As He carries the hulking instrument of His own death the soldiers escorting Him to Golgotha realize He is exhausted. “ Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. ” Here is a man, pulled out from the crow...

Gaudete, the 3rd Sunday in Advent Matthew 11:2-10 December 17, 2017 Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         John the Baptist sends two of his disciples to Jesus. They’re sent with one question, “ Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another? ” Perhaps John was riddled with doubt. He had, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, preached, “ One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.   His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire ” (Luke 3:16-17). None of that was happening. Jesus preached repentance, just as John had done. But there was no baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, at least at that point. There was not sweeping out the threshing floor in judgment. Jesus h...

Order of Holy Communion  - Pg. 15 Hymn # 204 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain Hymn # 523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me Hymn # 201 Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won Introit   MAKE A || joyful shout to God, all the | earth! | - *             Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise | glo- | ri- | ous. (Psalm 66:1–2) || Say to God, “How awesome are Your | works! | - *             Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit them- | selves | to | You. || Come and see the works of | God; | - *             He is awesome in His doing toward the | sons | of | men. || Oh, bless our God, you | peo- | ples! *             And make the voice of His praise | to | be | heard, || Who keeps our soul among the | liv- | ing, *             And does not al...

+ Quasimodo Geniti are the first two words of the Introit in Latin, "As Newborn babes." During the Easter season, just as in Advent and Lent, the Sunday's are named by the first words of the Latin Introits +   Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 196 I Am Content! My Jesus Liveth Still Hymn # 331 Yea, as I Live, Jehovah Saith Hymn # 195 Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands Introit   AS NEW- || born | babes, | - * Desire the pure milk | of | the | Word. || Hear, O My people, and I will ad- | mon-ish ∙ | you! * O Israel, if you will lis- | ten | to | Me! (1 Peter 2:2a; Psalm 81:8) || Sing aloud to God our | strength; | - * Make a joyful shout to the God | of | Ja- | cob. || You called in trouble, and I de- | liv-ered ∙ | you; * I answered you in the secret place | of | thun- | der. || I am the Lord your | God, | - * Who brought you out of the land | of | E- | gypt; || Open your mouth wi...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 145 Jesus, Refuge of the Weary Hymn # 522 When in the Hour of Utmost Need Hymn # 523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me Introit   RE- - MEM- | ber, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lov- | ing- | kind- | ness- | es, * For they | are | from | of | old. - || Let not my enemies tri- | umph | o- | ver | me. * God of Israel, deliver us out of | all | our | trou- | bles! - (Psalm 25:6, 2b, and 22) || To You, O Lord, I | lift | up | my | soul. * O my God, I trust in You; let me | not | be | a- | shamed; - || Do not remember the | sins | of | my | youth; * According to Your mercy remember me for | Your | good- | ness’ | sake. - || Good and up- | right | is | the | Lord; * Therefore He teaches sin- | ners | in | the | way. - || For Your | name’s | sake, | O | Lord, * Pardon my iniquity, | for | it | is | great. - (Psalm 25:1–2...