The Joshua Victor Theory

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The sermon text for this 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, is John 10:22-30. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Do you enjoy suspense? Novels, TV shows, movies, sporting events. We are surrounded by a world of entertainment, that draws much of its audience by the ability to keep us in suspense. Popular TV shows like “24” revolve around the ability to always keep you guessing about what’s going to happen next. I’ve always enjoyed good suspense, in books, in entertainment—the sense of something always hanging in the balance, the outcome is uncertain. Well, in entertainment, that might all be well and good, but how about life? We may know people who live their actual lives in constant suspense. How would you describe a life lived in suspense? Constantly worrying about what tomorrow will bring? How am I going to pay the bills? Am I ...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! The sermon text for this Easter Sunrise is Luke 24:33-49. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. “If Christ is not raised, then I am a liar!” This is essentially what St. Paul says in today’s Epistle. Listen again to his words, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ.” Worse than just being a liar, if Christ has not been raised, both he and I and all preachers of the Gospel are guilty of the greater sin of misrepresenting God!! What does all this mean? Paul explains that everything, EVERYTHING about Christianity depends on the historical, factual truth of this claim, that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. That Christianity really does hinge on the clai...