Meta tags:

Headings (most frequently used words):

2017, homily, march, for, lent, evening, prayer, the, rasburry, patch, 30, 27, 23, 20, 16, 13, 10, 06, 03, subscribe, about, me, sacred, meditations, issues, etc, lutheran, public, radio, steadfast, lutherans, wmlt, followers, blog, archive, laetare, oculi, reminiscere, at, concordia, seminary, chapel, invocabit, ash, wednesday,

Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (810), and (587), god (281), that (247), you (215), our (185), his (176), for (171), jesus (152), this (141), not (136), with (129), all (110), life (101), are (97), but (91), from (82), faith (75), creation (74), what (73), him (72), when (72), they (69), does (65), your (60), have (59), world (53), story (50), also (47), has (47), lord (47), them (47), will (47), can (46), who (46), would (42), human (42), body (41), food (41), lent (40), out (40), see (40), into (40), just (39), creatures (39), good (38), was (38), things (37), way (37), now (37), through (37), how (36), christ (35), sin (34), even (34), may (33), about (33), their (33), words (32), word (32), share (31), one (31), did (31), first (30), her (30), like (29), there (29), other (28), day (28), woman (28), only (27), live (27), very (27), she (27), spirit (26), then (26), 2017 (25), man (25), more (25), means (25), give (25), look (25), luther (24), people (24), than (24), march (23), time (23), father (22), yes (22), need (22), love (21), some (21), these (21), said (21), made (21), ourselves (21), homily (20), living (20), because (19), here (19), created (19), himself (19), mercy (19), gospel (18), holy (18), death (18), let (18), new (18), promises (18), gives (18), cannot (18), real (17), work (16), satan (16), had (16), forgiveness (16), sins (16), creator (16), shall (16), flesh (16), blood (16), get (16), come (16), know (16), after (16), physical (16), being (15), such (15), same (15), think (15), say (15), second (15), without (15), little (15), over (15), preaching (14), make (14), help (14), why (14), son (14), which (14), everything (14), own (14), says (14), every (14), where (14), devil (14), down (14), bread (14), redemption (14), again (13), much (13), important (13), right (13), speaks (13), present (13), enemy (13), today (13), earth (13), problem (13), jacob (13), article (13), prayer (12), posted (12), those (12), makes (12), true (12), great (12), lives (12), nothing (12), promise (12), receive (12), take (12), were (12), end (12), thing (12), soul (12), against (12), put (12), house (12), demons (12), february (11), april (11), randy (11), asburry (11), labels (11), comments (11), last (11), news (11), been (11), spiritual (11), upon (11), eat (11), hands (11), still (11), evil (11), adam (11), between (11), children (11), creature (11), rejoice (11), speaking (11), breath (11), december (10), homilies (10), pinterest (10), facebook (10), blogthis (10), email (10), sense (10), instead (10), most (10), cross (10), martin (10), savior (10), back (10), two (10), hand (10), hear (10), others (10), dust (10), once (10), gifts (10), mean (10), amen (10), christian (10), eve (10), comes (10), going (10), question (10), both (10), keep (10), october (9), november (9), january (9), heaven (9), call (9), baptism (9), past (9), trust (9), eternal (9), really (9), eyes (9), though (9), away (9), don (9), well (9), under (9), heard (9), canaanite (9), active (9), bodies (9), september (8), june (8), evening (8), repentance (8), order (8), restore (8), another (8), christians (8), must (8), knows (8), born (8), whom (8), wants (8), confidence (8), art (8), eternity (8), each (8), want (8), times (8), full (8), temptations (8), grace (8), perhaps (8), bible (8), works (8), creating (8), giving (8), might (8), yet (8), thought (8), continues (8), wrestle (8), religion (8), miracle (8), july (7), august (7), journey (7), three (7), week (7), third (7), especially (7), destroy (7), become (7), person (7), future (7), should (7), saying (7), turn (7), supper (7), ways (7), learn (7), seek (7), remember (7), too (7), someone (7), many (7), science (7), sinners (7), wrestling (7), answer (7), best (7), called (7), dog (7), creed (7), believe (7), talking (7), prince (7), view (6), salvation (6), series (6), stories (6), takes (6), church (6), yourself (6), seen (6), could (6), resurrection (6), master (6), name (6), better (6), personal (6), relationship (6), use (6), around (6), serpent (6), something (6), parents (6), disease (6), imagine (6), rely (6), calls (6), fall (6), listen (6), christianity (6), heart (6), humans (6), material (6), trees (6), confession (6), myself (6), off (6), law (6), stone (6), silence (6), healing (6), room (6), stop (6), fish (6), ordinary (6), ash (5), wednesday (5), home (5), catechesis (5), catechetical (5), cry (5), less (5), child (5), sent (5), problems (5), different (5), part (5), bring (5), matter (5), tempted (5), absolution (5), happen (5), gift (5), learning (5), bear (5), temptation (5), suffering (5), else (5), days (5), came (5), lion (5), beloved (5), mind (5), certainly (5), beginning (5), sure (5), before (5), feel (5), throne (5), free (5), rather (5), dependent (5), sun (5), seems (5), common (5), outside (5), since (5), creaturely (5), plants (5), fast (5), general (5), simply (5), shows (5), paul (5), demon (5), making (5), blessing (5), crumbs (5), point (5), happy (5), speak (5), foundation (5), redeem (5), waters (5), keeps (5), deal (5), moving (5), laetare (4), matthew (4), begin (4), truly (4), tells (4), face (4), die (4), rise (4), young (4), john (4), reclaim (4), empty (4), whether (4), hope (4), kind (4), reading (4), whole (4), kingdom (4), merciful (4), self (4), prayers (4), its (4), teaches (4), doing (4), happened (4), personally (4), expect (4), strength (4), spoken (4), toward (4), includes (4), sometimes (4), remain (4), loves (4), quite (4), doesn (4), pain (4), never (4), devour (4), inside (4), foe (4), asked (4), told (4), doubt (4), gave (4), set (4), blaming (4), anyone (4), garden (4), struggle (4), sounds (4), alone (4), abandon (4), ahead (4), feels (4), long (4), high (4), dead (4), fill (4), power (4), commandment (4), became (4), becomes (4), security (4), family (4), least (4), fact (4), try (4), frogs (4), angels (4), rocks (4), eye (4), circle (4), immaterial (4), together (4), distinguish (4), creates (4), money (4), anything (4), rest (4), thus (4), encounter (4), always (4), notice (4), specific (4), forgive (4), sunday (4), walk (4), doctor (4), disciples (4), fix (4), israel (4), israelites (4), midst (4), answers (4), blessed (4), mat (4), wine (4), create (4), ponder (4), beautiful (4), hearing (4), animals (4), forth (4), casting (4), lewis (4), eating (4), influence (4), whoever (4), died (4), worst (4), accomplish (4), multitude (4), gathered (4), feeding (4), water (4), perceives (4), concordia (3), seminary (3), steadfast (3), lutheran (3), united (3), subscribe (3), posts (3), peter (3), focus (3), whose (3), years (3), telling (3), luke (3), half (3), intended (3), year (3), theses (3), debate (3), king (3), longer (3), done (3), burden (3), show (3), voice (3), opens (3), began (3), indeed (3), begins (3), prophet (3), nineveh (3), anger (3), bringing (3), return (3), lived (3), worship (3), desires (3), claim (3), mouth (3), pass (3), wonderful (3), original (3), thanks (3), ask (3), received (3), pray (3), minds (3), seem (3), maker (3), won (3), old (3), knowing (3), insidious (3), holding (3), hook (3), play (3), line (3), distrust (3), roaring (3), pet (3), wilderness (3), tempter (3), goodness (3), land (3), trusts (3), believes (3), knew (3), brings (3), priest (3), lead (3), suffered (3), able (3), find (3), altar (3), sacrifice (3), ongoing (3), final (3), stronger (3), stand (3), wonder (3), disappointed (3), beings (3), goes (3), charity (3), looking (3), consider (3), eight (3), organize (3), thinking (3), greek (3), exist (3), meaning (3), everyone (3), terms (3), purpose (3), either (3), describe (3), remarkable (3), run (3), given (3), nature (3), parent (3), taking (3), keeping (3), throw (3), behind (3), turns (3), act (3), often (3), coming (3), pause (3), confess (3), divine (3), pastor (3), talk (3), fighting (3), heal (3), cries (3), needs (3), proper (3), remains (3), ignore (3), lost (3), eggs (3), worshiped (3), dogs (3), insult (3), pinned (3), table (3), apostles (3), souls (3), isn (3), atheists (3), universe (3), corruption (3), misuse (3), redeems (3), mountain (3), task (3), lie (3), cow (3), genesis (3), sprout (3), mere (3), continue (3), drive (3), screwtape (3), existence (3), course (3), while (3), force (3), inhabits (3), enters (3), incarnation (3), loving (3), inhabit (3), ism (3), apart (3), left (3), testament (3), within (3), itself (3), pearl (3), chapter (3), five (3), loaves (3), barley (3), feeds (3), appetites (3), fasting (3), indulging (3), enough (3), sustain (3), breathed (3), hears (3), invocabit (2), chapel (2), reminiscere (2), oculi (2), followers (2), public (2), sacred (2), jonah (2), inspire (2), move (2), action (2), lenten (2), jerusalem (2), suffer (2), gets (2), attention (2), key (2), follow (2), tomb (2), historical (2), culture (2), familiar (2), tale (2), imitate (2), wanted (2), any (2), saved (2), abraham (2), mother (2), bit (2), host (2), surprise (2), stage (2), start (2), guest (2), repent (2), matt (2), strayed (2), perish (2), joel (2), gracious (2), slow (2), abounding (2), failed (2), hurt (2), gen (2), humanity (2), cleanses (2), suffers (2), term (2), impersonal (2), read (2), recent (2), stock (2), performed (2), however (2), addition (2), preview (2), joy (2), depend (2), renewed (2), strengthened (2), exercise (2), various (2), community (2), struggles (2), imprints (2), friend (2), slick (2), absolutely (2), dangerous (2), appeared (2), completely (2), side (2), surely (2), seed (2), suggestion (2), suggested (2), firmly (2), embraced (2), passed (2), themselves (2), adversary (2), prowls (2), seeking (2), ancient (2), cave (2), starving (2), hunger (2), pride (2), bold (2), hangs (2), despair (2), absolute (2), david (2), getting (2), felt (2), firm (2), begotten (2), virgin (2), mary (2), heavens (2), stands (2), promising (2), known (2), understand (2), reveals (2), road (2), flee (2), victory (2), forget (2), strong (2), sisters (2), brothers (2), heavenly (2), inheritance (2), ocean (2), sparks (2), chance (2), having (2), eph (2), close (2), commandments (2), reactions (2), leave (2), politics (2), elections (2), matters (2), concern (2), happiness (2), aren (2), sustaining (2), american (2), highly (2), sufficient (2), accept (2), reality (2), identity (2), friends (2), biblical (2), worldview (2), image (2), establishes (2), items (2), organizing (2), difference (2), philosopher (2), above (2), redeemed (2), applies (2), non (2), somewhere (2), source (2), quest (2), eden (2), history (2), explains (2), later (2), spouses (2), faithful (2), idolatry (2), thinks (2), unexpected (2), restores (2), restored (2), boundless (2), inexhaustible (2), receiving (2), breathing (2), produced (2), breathe (2), support (2), comfort (2), cling (2), letting (2), actual (2), entrap (2), involved (2), ever (2), caught (2), fulfiller (2), forgiver (2), writes (2), dirt (2), wrote (2), among (2), brother (2), details (2), during (2), sort (2), forgiven (2), deserved (2), herself (2), wrapped (2), acknowledge (2), faithfulness (2), imagery (2), wrestles (2), mercies (2), beg (2), identified (2), cried (2), generic (2), daughter (2), manage (2), sick (2), silent (2), head (2), crying (2), probably (2), ignoring (2), needed (2), spoke (2), response (2), purposes (2), sight (2), feelings (2), experiences (2), stay (2), simple (2), praying (2), reason (2), cold (2), insensitive (2), quick (2), questions (2), egged (2), wrestled (2), hip (2), limp (2), drives (2), catches (2), wait (2), whatever (2), despite (2), rich (2), feast (2), school (2), lot (2), perception (2), concerned (2), myopic (2), redeeming (2), chose (2), mutual (2), stars (2), mountains (2), oceans (2), sees (2), functioned (2), hard (2), sadly (2), perfect (2), looks (2), bad (2), sinful (2), cleanse (2), took (2), affirms (2), leads (2), marvel (2), beauty (2), small (2), escaping (2), frail (2), deliver (2), believing (2), glorified (2), prophets (2), isaiah (2), age (2), remind (2), dwell (2), calf (2), sea (2), deeply (2), freedom (2), risk (2), instruments (2), summer (2), fruitful (2), multiply (2), working (2), energy (2), sake (2), glad (2), praise (2), feed (2), driving (2), demonic (2), assume (2), devils (2), movies (2), everyday (2), minions (2), exactly (2), schemes (2), letters (2), tries (2), wormwood (2), answered (2), belief (2), forces (2), cosmic (2), places (2), sober (2), uses (2), conquers (2), drinking (2), middle (2), worse (2), influences (2), individualism (2), worrying (2), control (2), initial (2), clean (2), proclaimed (2), cast (2), residence (2), vigilant (2), hidden (2), innocent (2), dives (2), depths (2), rejects (2), rejection (2), rebellion (2), showed (2), bursts (2), entire (2), redeemer (2), devoted (2), rebellious (2), rejected (2), separate (2), missing (2), raise (2), eucharist (2), easter (2), season (2), appetite (2), relying (2), latin (2), philip (2), worth (2), 000 (2), andrew (2), worry (2), worries (2), calling (2), grocery (2), sustained (2), operating (2), breathes (2), gathering (2), appointing (2), wind (2), gun (2), animates (2), technician (2), appear (2), engender (2), hearts (2), directed (2), clings (2), pastors (2), bestowing (2), rasburry (2), patch (2), picture, window, theme, powered, blogger, 2007, 345, 2008, 2009, 2010, 131, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, blog, archive, wmlt, lutherans, radio, issues, etc, meditations, complete, profile, louis, missouri, states, reader, atom, older, newer, texts, laugh, embody, values, helps, fixes, interesting, include, writers, spend, teenager, mostly, devote, space, mark, focused, understanding, carries, mission, restoring, footsteps, dimension, celebrate, 500th, anniversary, reformation, 1517, academic, major, everywhere, roman, catholic, protestant, evangelical, statements, convinced, dimmed, distorted, diluted, twisted, moralistic, shifted, vitamin, steroid, attain, favor, viewed, motivate, pursue, perfection, study, scriptures, discovered, pertain, figure, lincoln, theresa, epic, iliad, odyssey, beowulf, popular, ago, guests, reviewing, events, hide, tears, recognize, reunited, surprises, declaring, benefits, willed, believers, proclaim, city, sought, relent, fierce, acknowledging, fessing, brokenness, waywardness, centeredness, mattered, honored, faltered, thoughts, soiled, ashes, precisely, conceived, baptized, transfigured, institutes, meal, sweats, gethsemane, false, accusations, fists, dies, rises, victoriously, grave, abstract, fake, trusted, papers, sites, social, media, aimed, audiences, faceless, yesterday, vote, storm, market, typical, prevent, puts, declares, returns, welcome, judgment, unscathed, intends, encompasses, nook, cranny, thank, renewal, sermons, nourished, involves, throughout, bed, walks, placed, workplaces, homes, incredible, adventure, incredibly, freeing, holds, comfortable, difficulties, nails, everlasting, secure, parade, appealing, wish, ends, untold, agony, unquenched, fictitious, monster, dreamed, hollywood, film, fantasy, monsters, roll, touch, buddy, opened, handed, coaxed, planted, subtle, entirely, honest, waited, infection, faithless, ours, contagion, congenital, birth, defect, riddled, conflict, expelled, terrifying, terror, belly, headed, refers, met, deadly, insinuations, outright, merely, wandering, hungry, parched, famished, assaults, riches, rebuffed, silenced, confident, written, rings, stung, defeat, withdraws, invite, tree, forsaken, curse, job, immortality, planned, centuries, earlier, sheol, pangs, allurement, glitter, armed, unlike, including, stood, endured, test, cumulative, weight, pressing, usually, smidgeon, soothing, sweetness, righteousness, experience, kinds, fun, laughing, devours, bitter, heb, sympathize, weakness, impulse, seduce, reaches, offered, ransom, price, enter, yielded, fallen, battle, lasting, expression, draw, near, slaves, cringe, cower, obtained, sharing, malevolent, intent, destroying, devouring, mightier, wickedness, underestimate, sympathizes, weaknesses, dwarfs, extinguished, withstand, waiting, curious, observe, presidential, election, ecstatic, donald, trump, meant, despondent, grief, stricken, frightened, threatened, country, turned, primary, ultimate, secondary, penultimate, president, sorely, autonomous, determining, persons, grain, western, civilization, ethos, americans, prize, independent, unable, resources, guidance, admitting, obvious, inkling, powerful, illustrate, circles, categories, category, principle, unfortunately, viewing, plato, religions, hinduism, buddhism, value, distinction, elevate, cause, differently, organizes, atheist, believer, express, expressed, gods, sorts, fame, complained, mammon, idol, add, solution, extending, taming, climate, scientists, suggesting, someday, download, consciousness, computer, machine, hasn, book, titles, species, soon, hood, sooner, crumble, pressure, markets, reject, politicians, falter, succeed, engage, confuses, lententide, offers, escape, charge, cor, fully, adopted, frightful, stranger, basis, ten, theologian, norman, wirzba, illustration, inhaling, exhaling, inhale, oxygen, exhale, carbon, dioxide, interdependent, relationships, encouragement, contrast, isolate, cut, harm, depriving, nail, delivered, thursday, nasty, habit, hanging, defending, society, classic, joke, text, sudden, whoosh, whizzing, smack, hits, threw, mom, scribes, pharisees, trivial, used, wondered, peeping, tom, loose, seriousness, senses, trap, counter, punch, hmm, push, aha, fulfill, bends, applicable, statute, levitical, code, crime, rabbinic, tactic, contentious, voters, elders, meeting, purposeful, lessens, tension, famous, judge, lest, judged, closer, speck, log, bending, writing, accusers, leaving, service, kneel, rail, bare, admit, sing, theological, pat, applied, directly, confessed, horrible, spirited, hurtful, deed, far, east, west, adulterous, sinned, stones, hurled, pastoral, care, session, condemned, excuse, confesses, augustine, pardon, confessing, accs, iva, 277, condemns, sinner, upright, therefore, instructs, fulfilling, adulteress, neither, condemn, fired, victorious, fight, reversed, namely, patriarch, pleased, tender, youth, prayed, defend, match, mysterious, sufferings, traveled, paganland, unbelieving, gentiles, foreign, standards, pretending, jew, actually, specifically, possessed, pleas, plead, nitty, gritty, cancer, pay, bills, wisdom, specifics, address, illness, addressed, dove, nobody, likes, pregnant, uncomfortable, zeal, please, grant, request, scene, distracting, business, beggarly, busy, distracted, sheep, huh, next, rude, obnoxious, confusing, encourages, israelite, archenemy, promised, dismissing, egging, displays, fairness, dilemmas, easy, troubles, injuries, traumas, insecurities, fail, delivering, until, breaking, upper, nelson, touched, went, joint, unless, bless, held, injured, egg, pins, twinkle, sly, grin, forming, react, breed, seemed, integrity, huff, hang, reversal, pin, masters, verse, expresses, gladly, consideration, wins, 325, faithfully, patiently, canines, congregation, particular, failures, persistent, nailed, hung, pleaded, healed, clinging, dine, truth, impression, clouds, case, diminishing, deprive, richness, tonight, explore, shapes, almighty, distant, unfolds, exhaust, creative, exists, nihilo, decision, moon, planets, hummingbirds, whales, teach, outpouring, designed, harmoniously, drain, sewer, easier, groans, warns, dangers, treat, attach, democrats, republicans, acceptable, deplorable, handiwork, stuff, valuable, chooses, points, wondrous, gorgeous, golden, sunset, magnificent, vista, marred, rev, renewing, sneak, glimpse, dim, reflection, intertwined, aging, causes, ravages, destroys, door, transformed, sadnesses, conflicts, gone, wolf, lamb, leopard, goat, fattened, graze, straw, nursing, hole, cobra, weaned, adder, den, knowledge, cover, meantime, sixth, grasping, identify, aloof, absentee, landlord, management, company, activity, contributions, carry, invites, partners, helpers, vegetation, dandelion, seeds, blown, breeze, blesses, special, flourish, masks, gloves, preservation, continuing, partnering, spite, reigns, babies, spring, shine, light, accomplished, restoration, 1530s, recommended, cultivate, field, milk, butter, chickens, henhouse, pigs, pigsty, brats, bacon, owe, ego, dependence, thanksgiving, boasting, smarts, abilities, warfare, sacraments, battling, slander, blasphemy, performs, mute, detractors, arrogantly, league, likely, technology, modern, medicine, tend, supposedly, enlightened, advanced, thriller, cool, cgi, effects, routines, wily, aware, presence, plots, resist, numbing, binding, fictional, senior, advise, nephew, training, tempt, steer, ignorant, dear, essential, patient, ignorance, phase, command, policy, moment, conceal, faced, cruel, dilemma, disbelieve, lose, pleasing, results, direct, terrorism, magicians, materialists, skeptics, hopes, due, emotionalise, mythologise, extent, effect, creep, closed, sex, aspects, psychoanalysis, prove, useful, produce, materialist, magician, using, veritably, worshipping, vaguely, denying, spirits, war, letter, vii, wake, rulers, authorities, powers, darkness, minded, watchful, disturb, numbed, remedy, bondage, crucifixion, evicts, washing, cleans, allowing, seven, ground, neutral, position, triune, deceiving, preached, textbooks, magazines, pure, solve, solely, intelligence, coexist, swallow, sinker

Text of the page (random words):
himself connects his physical feeding of the crowd with the spiritual feeding he gives in his body and blood some may argue that this chapter john 6 has nothing to do with the eucharist but listen carefully to the words of jesus listen to this miracle of food that jesus gives us i am the living bread that came down from heaven if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever and the bread that i will give for the life of the world is my flesh jn 6 51 not only does ordinary everyday food sustain our physical life but the food of christ s very body and blood under the bread and wine sustains our eternal life yes the very body pierced and broken on the cross for you the very blood poured out from his sacred veins and side for you they cure you of your disease of death they heal you of your sins of worrying about food and over indulging in it so what we turn upside down and inside out jesus comes to set right he says whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood eating and drinking in faith of course has eternal life and i will raise him up on the last day and when we think that we just cannot fast we just cannot do without our physical foods jesus gives us himself the bread of life god s food he provides the food we need and when we need it and with it he gives us his life amen posted by randy asburry at 2 48 pm no comments email this blogthis share to x share to facebook share to pinterest labels christianity eucharist gospel homilies jesus christ lent lord s supper preaching 23 march 2017 homily for lent 3 evening prayer redemption second article apostles creed second article fourth in a catechetical series here we are the second article of the creed the heart of the christian faith jesus work of redemption for us why must jesus redeem us our human sin here we deal with human sinners and god the justifier but notice this the problem is not that we are creatures the problem is not that this world is a material world as we heard last week these are god s good works and gifts in addition animals did not sin the physical world did not sin in a way they are innocent even as they have suffered because of human sin no the problem is us the problem is that we god s prized human creatures have misused and abused his world martin luther made a very insightful statement in his theses for debate at the town of heidelberg he said that we use the best things in the worst way we don t use bad things in the worst way we use the best things in the worst way what do we mean by best things god s great gifts to us our bodies our lives our family our work our income and so on what does it mean to use these things in the worst way it means we idolize them we force them to do things for us that they were not created to do we try to get our security and happiness from them and when we do that we further misuse them by keeping them for ourselves rather than for serving our neighbor so we become enslaved to and trapped by these best things or better our desires for them entrap us then we become disappointed you see these best things cannot give us what we seek from them satan has lured us god s beloved human creatures into captivity we have become pows behind enemy lines but here s the wonderful and remarkable thing about this second article since god has created this world he refuses to let go of his creation he made it good he loves it the world is not the problem so god does not scrap his creation and start over no he sets out to reclaim and restore his creation beginning with us because the problem began with us just as god made room in his creation for us creatures now he makes room for us sinful creatures who rebelled against him he who created us is he who redeems us true god and true man how does god redeem us first god dives down into the depths of his creation to take up residence in it and fix it for good but he does this in a completely unexpected way ponder this god has always been present and active in his creation the universe cannot contain him but as luther noted god is still present and active in the smallest flower petal it s how he keeps his creation going also ponder this god revealed himself in many ways in the old testament the angel to abraham the burning bush to moses the pillar of cloud and fire to the israelites but now in jesus christ god reveals himself and intervenes in his creation in a most personal and intimate way he takes a created body into himself and he lives a creaturely life he makes room in his life to take on a human body and all that entails a human mind a human history and human dna that goes all the way back to adam and eve he is true god begotten of the father from eternity and also true man born of the virgin mary creator of the universe and a creature within that creation all at the same time who would have imagined this jesus incarnation affirms the goodness of creation like nothing else god is saying his creation is good and important to him and jesus does more than just take on a human body to live in the midst of sin and evil he becomes human in order to do away with to destroy and to overcome sin and evil and everything that pollutes and disfigures his beautiful world what does this mean for the art of living by faith first it means that we cannot and should not look for god anywhere else than in this man jesus christ faith does not look to some spiritual ethereal realm it does not look to some impersonal force on the outer fringes of the galaxy no faith looks to this one man our brother as god himself where jesus is there is god this man is god god is this man as jesus said whoever has seen me has seen the father jn 14 9 so whoever rejects jesus also rejects their creator god it s personal a personal rejection second jesus incarnation also means that god s work of redemption does not devalue the physical creation nor our physical bodies they are just as important as our souls they are so important that god himself has embraced them by becoming part of his own creation he comes to redeem both body and soul not only does god redeem us by taking on a physical creaturely human body but he also works through that creaturely body to accomplish our redemption you see our sin and rebellion were deeply personal they offended god because they showed our rejection of him and his good purposes for us they showed our betrayal of god and yet god in the most personal way enters his creation personally takes our sin and rebellion upon himself personally does away with it and personally conquers it our loving god works through his creation his human body to accomplish the redemption of all human bodies and all of creation itself how so as luther wrote not with gold or silver but with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death the creed itself hammers it home in his very body jesus suffered under pontius pilate was crucified died and was buried and he rose again in that same body c s lewis spoke of jesus as a pearl diver who strips himself then dives into the murky depths in order to reclaim a priceless pearl and then bursts back up through the surface with that pearl firmly in his grasp the entire christian story turns on this point as lewis said god really has dived down into the bottom of creation and has come up bringing the whole redeemed nature on his shoulders emphasis added the miracles that have already happened are of course the first fruits of that cosmic summer which is presently coming on christ has risen and so we shall rise in the first article we cannot deal with god apart from his creation now in the second article we cannot deal with god s graciousness in redeeming us from sin apart from the creaturely human body of jesus through this physical human body of a jewish man we encounter our redeemer and lord what does this mean for the art of living by faith it means that we seek god s gifts only in jesus christ only because of jesus christ only in the body of christ does god reveal his attitude and his intentions toward us like a devoted parent god will stop at nothing to reclaim and restore his creation that includes taking upon himself a frail human body a body that he keeps into all eternity it also includes suffering and dying in that human body at the hands of his rebellious lost human creatures all this he does for us creatures made in his image creatures made to manage all creation creatures who rejected him and tried to usurp his glory all this he does to restore us and adopt us as his children and heirs of his kingdom this changes everything for us it means that when things happen things we cannot understand tragic things that defy explanation things we cannot make sense of faith turns to the person and the work of jesus christ this is what luther gets at when he speaks of the hidden god and the proclaimed god when we look for answers in places other than jesus we often get lost frustrated and angry when we look elsewhere we encounter the silence of god he doesn t always give us the answers we want because after all he is not answerable or accountable to us but in the flesh and blood of jesus in his life and especially in his death and resurrection we encounter god speaking to us and what does he say he speaks his word of love as paul said in romans 5 8 god shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners christ died for us so when i cannot answer a question when i have no explanations i can say i don t know why this happened i don t know what this means but i do know this nothing can separate me from the love of god in christ jesus my lord c s lewis once said that jesus is the missing chapter to our lives the missing chapter that makes sense of our lives in jesus our stories now make sense you see in jesus we see our true story the entire story of our lives we see in him our past and our present he created us and he preserves us we see in him our present and our future he redeems us and will raise us from the dead since he is our creator and redeemer our past present and future are all found and united in him amen posted by randy asburry at 9 48 am no comments email this blogthis share to x share to facebook share to pinterest labels catechesis christianity gospel grace healing homilies jesus christ justification lent original sin preaching salvation sin 20 march 2017 homily for lent 3 oculi 2017 casting out demons luke 11 14 28 listen here today we again hear our lord jesus fighting satan this time by driving out a demon and battling against slander and blasphemy jesus performs a great healing by casting out a mute demon but his detractors arrogantly claim that he must be working in league with the prince of demons now that makes a lot of sense the prince of demons casting out other demons not likely what do we learn from our lord today our lord jesus christ comes to drive out the devil from us and to fill us with himself in our day of technology science and modern medicine we tend to think little of satan or of things demonic our supposedly enlightened american minds lead us to assume that devils and demons are things of the past things from less advanced times things for thriller stories and movies with cool cgi effects in our everyday routines though we really don t think much about satan and his minions and that s exactly what the prince of demons wants he wants us to ignore him and his wily ways after all if you re not aware of his presence and his plots how can you resist his faith numbing soul binding schemes perhaps you ve read the screwtape letters by c s lewis in this fictional series of letters senior devil screwtape tries to advise his young nephew wormwood a devil in training on how to tempt a christian so as to steer him away from the enemy who is god screwtape writes about keeping humans ignorant of devils my dear wormwood i wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence that question at least for the present phase of the struggle has been answered for us by the high command our policy for the moment is to conceal ourselves of course this has not always been so we are really faced with a cruel dilemma when the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism and we make no magicians on the other hand when they believe in us we cannot make them materialists and skeptics at least not yet i have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalise and mythologise their science to such an extent that what is in effect a belief in us though not under that name will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the enemy god the life force the worship of sex and some aspects of psychoanalysis may here prove useful if once we can produce our perfect work the materialist magician the man not using but veritably worshipping what he vaguely calls forces while denying the existence of spirits then the end of the war will be in sight letter vii p 39 40 sounds familiar doesn t it but let s also remember st paul s words they give us a much needed wake up call we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against the rulers against the authorities against the cosmic powers over this present darkness against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places eph 6 12 st peter also wants to sober us up be sober minded be watchful your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour 1 pet 5 8 so if we are not wrestling if the roaring does not disturb us perhaps we are too numbed in heart and mind and that s exactly what our lord wants to remedy here today jesus uses the imagery of a house to describe us and our faith as we are born of nature we are born in the bondage of satan he is the strong man who inhabits every human being born in the line of adam and eve that includes all of us but the lord jesus is the stronger man who enters this world and conquers satan through his incarnation his life his crucifixion and his resurrection our lord jesus comes to you and evicts satan through the washing of holy baptism the preaching of the gospel the hearing of absolution and the eating and drinking of the supper the lord jesus cleans you the house and restores you so the question for you is this does the lord jesus dwell in you or does the house of faith remain empty thus allowing the demon and his seven evil friends to move back in you see there s no middle ground there s no neutral position either the triune god and his loving mercies fill you or satan and his deceiving ways fill you how might the prince of demons influence and inhabit you one way is through the religion of science ism it s a religion preached in textbooks magazines movies and tv shows it says that the world and all of life came about from nothing from non life all by pure chance without god it says that science can solve all of our human problems solely through human intelligence apart from god it says that science and faith just cannot...