The Joshua Victor Theory

Sermon Originally delivered by Pastor Mike Hintze of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Westminster, MA on Father's Day, June 20, 2004. Grace, Mercy and Peace from God our Heavenly Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The text is taken from the Gospel reading Luke 11:2, Jesus told them, “When you pray, say Our Father in Heaven.” This is the Word of the Lord. He said, “Say, ‘Our Father in Heaven,’” so say it: (Congregation: “Our Father in Heaven”). All over the globe that prayer rises up to Him, morning and evening, and I know a lot of it’s rote, but a lot of it isn’t. Our Father in Heaven, our Father who art in Heaven, day after day, day after day. And fear not little flock it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, it is your Father’s good pleasure to answer the prayer from all over the planet for the last 2,000 years. Our Father who art in Heaven. What does this mean? Dear Luther says in our catechism, “God would by these words tenderly invite us to b...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Today’s Gospel lesson contrasts two sinners, and their response to Jesus’ message of forgiveness. The first, Simon, was a Pharisee and doubtless a well-respected, righteous man in the community. The second, a nameless woman, was known through the city to be a great sinner. As we can see in their example and the parable that Jesus teaches, the greater the gift someone receives, the greater their gratitude is toward the giver. I want us to reflect today on how great a gift we have received, so that we might show gratitude for it. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The stage for this encounter between Jesus and these two sinners was in all likelihood, literally staged. I mean that whenever the Pharisees arranged to meet Jesus, there was usually a setup, a hidden agenda. Test Him out, trip Him up in His words. A couple of things tip us off. First is tha...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Today in two of our readings we see the nearness of God to those who grieve—in particular, how He raised the dead sons of two widows. The Old Testament reading is about Elijah raising the son of the Widow of Zarephath, and the Gospel reading is about Jesus raising the son of the Widow of Nain. Whether we experience grief from the death of a loved one, or whether our grief stems from something else, one thing stands sure. The words of the Psalmist, as true today as when they were penned some 3,000 years ago by King David, state this lasting truth: “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18). Today we’ll reflect on what grief is, and how God brings comfort in grief. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Grief could be described as overwhelming sadness. A deeply felt sorrow, usually over some loss or suffering. Man...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Today’s Gospel reading from John describes the end of a lengthy and heated exchange between Jesus and the Jews. They were claiming Abraham as their ancestor, and God as their Father, but Jesus had some very pointed words for them. Because they did not accept His teaching and message, it showed that they were NOT the children of Abraham or of God, because they rejected the one whom God had sent, and the one whom Abraham looked forward to in faith. Look closely today at the line of questioning they raise to Jesus, and how He ultimately proclaims to them that He is greater than Abraham, greater even than death. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. As anyone who knows me well can attest, I love asking, answering, and discussing lots of questions on all kinds of topics. I guess I was born with an inquisitive nature. In the course of teaching, either in sch...