This is Pastor Jared's weekly sermon info and his weekly Study and Share devotional Bible study. Unless otherwise noted all sermons and studies are copyright Jared Stillions 2020-2023. The devotional Bible studies may be reproduced & shared for personal, non-sale use, provided this copyright notice is included. The studies are formatted two to a page to make sharing it easier. Weekly posts go live at 9:00 AM on Sundays.
You can find his sermon podcast on the sermon-cast page. Check back each Sunday for new content. The podcast will soon be listed with major services. Why not put them on the same page? Due to limitations of our website builder.
By the way, here's the Lutheran Confessions, The Book of Concord, online and in the public domain. These writings, including Luther's Small & Large Catechisms are frequently referenced in these devotional studies. The Confessions are the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church and a faithful exposition of the Bible. You could say they are squared, leveled, and plumb by and to the Bible itself.
Serving God Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
As evangelists, we proclaim the Scriptures in words of grace & lives of faithfulness
Current Series: Anointed; Now What?
God has anointed us to be his evangelists, knowing, showing, and telling about him for the sake of the world
Study & Share Insert
...#5. Whom do you know that is hungry to learn more about God? How can you encourage & support their growth? Write down their names (at least 3 people) & commit to praying daily for them & your role in their life. Keep this up for at least the next 30 days. Keep notes/journal on your prayers & what happens.
Current Series: Anointed; Now What?
God has anointed us to be his evangelists, knowing, showing, and telling about him for the sake of the world
Study & Share Insert
...#5. Name at least 5 brave, adventuresome, courageous, exciting things that took guts that you did *because your faith put you in the situation*. If you can’t name 5, what has caused you to have such a sheltered, safe, secure (immature? timid? effete?) life in the Gospel? Of course, different folks will answer this question in different ways; don’t assume you’re expected to be “James Bond for Jesus.”
Me & Jesus & You Luke 3:15-18, 21-22
As evangelists, we share the good news that Holy Baptism is deeply personal and widely communal
Current Series: Anointed; Now What?
God has anointed us to be his evangelists, knowing, showing, and telling about him for the sake of the world
Study & Share Insert
...#5. Many people wish to see something like v22; what evidence would you point to of the Holy Spirit in everyday life? Start with Small Catechism Creed, 3. Remember the Holy Spirit is a person at work, not a happy feeling welling up inside you. SC available < bookofconcord.org >
Packing Up Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
It’s time to pack up the mess & go back to “regular life,” this time by a different road
Current Series: What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene
Study & Share Insert:
...#1. Consider vv10-11 & Isaiah 1:3, 60:3, 6. What do they explain about our nativity scenes/creches? See Matthew 2:1, 16; Luke 2:4-6. Hint: carefully read Matthew & Luke; what’s not listed/named in the stories? Nativities are intended to be symbolic, representing much more scripture than Luke 2:7-17.
Today is the second day of Christmas, just like the old song goes. Christmas is such goodness that it takes 12 days to celebrate it fully. No sermon this week as we celebrate our annual Lessons & Carols service, hearing the story of our Savior's birth from its promise in the Old Testament to its fulfillment in the New.
Next Sunday, January 2, we'll observe our celebration of the Festival of Our Lord's Epiphany. During coffee time we'll have a king cake and according to the south Texas tradition, whoever finds the baby in their piece of cake gets to bring tamales next week for coffee time. Good luck! (Yes, we know Epiphany is properly January 6, 13 days after Christmas.)
Current Series (returns next Sunday): What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene
Study & Share Insert:
...#1. How do we know the Old Testament tells us about Jesus? See Matthew 10:35-36 (Micah 7:6), 13:14-15 21:13, 42, 22:43-44, 26:31; Luke 4:16-21, 22:37, 24:25-27,
44-48; John 6:45, 12:35-43, 13:18, 15:25
What a Mess! Pt. 2 Luke 2:8-20
Unwrapping the presents makes a mess; Jesus wraps himself in flesh, in Word & sacrament, & around us, making us clean
Current Series: What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene
Study & Share Insert:
...#1. What do the following add to the notion of the living presence of the Son of God (v11)? See Romans 13:14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:27; Galatians 3:27; Revelation 21:3
What a Mess! Pt. 1 Isaiah 9:2-7
Messy modern life burdens us from the inside out; Jesus breaks “their yoke of burden.”
Current Series: What a Mess!
Real life isn’t neat & tidy like a nativity scene
Study & Share Insert:
...#4. Consider Exodus 23:5; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:20-26; Galatians 5:13-14, 6:2; Philippians 2:1-8. What do they tell us about at least one of God’s ways/methods/means for handling his people’s everyday life burdens? How are you doing on this measure, both giving and allowing others give to you?
Magnifying the Details Luke 1:46b-55
No detail will be overlooked, no matter how insignificant or hidden it seems
Current Series: Under Construction
God is busy rebuilding the world between the first Easter and the Last Day
Study & Share Insert:
...#2. Compare the Gospel reading to Luke 6. What connections do you find? What about Micah 6:8? See Deuteronomy 10:12-13; Proverbs 21:3; Jeremiah 22:3; 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:24; Matthew 5:17-18
The Big Picture Philippians 1:3-11
Incremental progress in a building project seems so slow; the architect’s illustrations give us focus
Current Series: Under Construction
God is busy rebuilding the world between the first Easter and the Last Day
Study & Share Insert:
...#2. How is Jesus’ promised return (v10) central or marginal to faithful Christians’ doctrine & belief? See Matthew 16:24-27, 24:1-51, 25:1-46; Mark 13:1-8; Luke 12:35-40; John 14:1-6, 21:20-23; Acts 1:6-11; Romans 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:2; Colossians 3:4; 2 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 9:28, 10:25; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:7
Less Ideology, More Love
John 18:33-37
Jesus’ kind of love conquers the world, not Pilate’s violence & injustice. Here's "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley, as mentioned in the sermon.
Current Series: Love God & Love Neighbor
Loving God and loving neighbor reforms the world
Study & Share Insert:
...#1. & 2. Compare & contrast these readings with those of the Festival of the Our Lord’s Epiphany. Consider themes, actions, language, grammar, plot, similarities, opposites/inversions, parallel ideas, extensions, reversals, metaphors/symbols, etc. Make a list of at least 12 similarities, 12 dissimilarities, 12 “morals of the story” or lessons learned, & 12 questions you still have. See Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12
