litany-of-dedication-lsbx

Written for the dedication of a new chancel wall at Saint James Lutheran Church, September 25, 2016

In the time before time, when the past met the future,
Eternity spoke, and His voice produced nature
“Let there be light,” and the darkness was ruptured
Land, feather, hoof by pronouncement alone

Then the One Who is plural, the “They” Who is “He”
Said, “Let love take on form, tangible simile,”
From the Spirit and clay, the Lord formed family
And all was deemed good by Creator alone

But love isn’t love without loving an object
And the infinite King saw the need of His subject
So He acted again to improve on the perfect
Because it’s not good to be a man alone

Alone in the garden, the man anaesthetized
The one became two, dream became realized
Then two became one as each other they prized
So they would be never again all alone

Then serpent and fruit, “Did the Lord really say?”
Brought doubt and mistrust: “No, you won’t die that day.”
Relationship severed brings sorrow, decay
As choice leaves the two both together alone

Excuses aside, the Lord calls to His children
Assuring them they haven’t halted His mission
By wounds in the heel, He would bring restoration
“I will cover your sin. I won’t leave you alone.”

In the fullness of time, man again in God’s image
The Word became flesh; we saw grace in His visage
He went to the cross that the grave He would pillage
To save us from being forever alone

Eli Eli Lama Sabachthani!
The Word cried in excruciating agony
The fruit of a woman gave up life on a tree
The only man ever that God left alone

But why do you look for the dead in a graveyard?
The stone rolled away, the Lord revealed the trump card
“Peace to you; touch the wounds.” Heaven’s gates will not be barred!
Restored to the Father, no longer alone

So now you’ve received the image restoration
Go forth in that image to each people and nation
Spread the word. Speak His name. Baptize for regeneration.
I am with you always, to the end of the age. You are not now, not soon, not ever alone.

(From a confirmation camp weekend that focused on Genesis 1-2)

From a sermon based on Luke 10:38-42 Finding God in the Clutter (Jesus, Mary & Martha)

No matter the space, we’ll fill it, whether our homes, our computers, or our schedules. How do we find the space we need for everything that needs to go into it?

Illustration for sermon from Isaiah 66:10-14

“Comfort for the Nation”

When the stress of life is too much, where can we find comfort? Is comfort from God just platitudes, or does He truly have comfort to give? How do we find that comfort?

Inspired by a sermon I recently heard, here’s a simple illustration depicting God’s name placed on our hearts through Holy Baptism, that He claims us as His own like Andy claimed his toys in Toy Story by writing his name on their feet.

Title art for sermon for 5/29/16

Text: 1 Kings 8:22-24,27-29,41-43

Description: “Bringing the World to the House of God” Where is the house of God, and how can we bring people to it?

The idea is that the house of God is now the human heart through Holy Baptism, and we bring others into God’s house by bringing them into our hearts and showing them the love of Christ, letting our light so shine before men….

(And of course, because the Word of God is in our hearts, when they’re in, they’ll hear it, because it’s everywhere in there.)

From a sermon based on Revelation 22:1-6,12-20

“The Coming Kingdom Today” Is the coming Kingdom of God just something that we look forward to someday, or can we find glimpses of it today?

http://artfrmthehrt.com/scripture-reading-samples.html

PowerPoint Contemporary Slide Presentations consisting of a Scripture reading introduction, three readings, and an appropriate ending slide for each reading using the ESV translation with copyright permission from Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The slides use the readings prescribed by the LCMS Lutheran Three-Year Lectionaries with an original and appropriate artistic background for each reading. The slides can be copied and pasted into any PowerPoint presentation.

So I was at a new grocery store to get supper, but when I went to check out, I realized I didn’t have my wallet, and they didn’t take Apple Pay, so I acted like I was self-checking, put it all in a bag, and walked out. That’s when I got caught. But then a guy stops the clerk and produces a receipt with my name on it for my items. Not just my items, but everything I’ll ever buy there in the future. All paid for, in advance.Before I ever walked into the store.

Then I notice he has a whole stack of these receipts, all with different names on them.
Oh, wait. It wasn’t a store. It was my life. And it was Jesus. And He paid with His life. And you still can’t pay with Apple Pay.

This Easter, I’m wrapping up our “I AM” series with John 11:25-26: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”

None of Jesus’s statements about His identity would’ve meant anything if He were dead in a tomb today. Yet not only did He raise many others from death, He raised Himself, and because He lives, we will live with Him. But how does that change today?