Tag: prayer

A sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Dan Suelzle.

Modern culture defines freedom as the unchecked pursuit of individual happiness—doing whatever feels good so long as it doesn’t break any laws or hurt others. Yet, this self-centered definition inevitably collapses into a hedonistic paradox: chasing endless selfish desires only leads to anxiety, emptiness, and a deeper form of bondage. As Christians, we recognize that we are never entirely autonomous; we are always serving a master. The critical question is: which one? Sin, which pays out only in death? Or Christ, whose apparent “slavery” is actually the only path to true, lasting liberty.

True freedom is not a self-help program or a checklist for behavioral modification, but a reality anchored entirely in the work of Jesus. Through Holy Baptism, our old, sinful nature is drowned, and Christ claims us as His own, shifting our ultimate allegiance. When we inevitably struggle with the flesh and fall short, our hope does not rely on our own willpower or renewed commitments, but on returning to the objective promises of our baptism, the forgiveness of the Holy Eucharist, and the truth of His Word. To be a slave to Christ is to be truly free, resting in a good and holy order that protects us from hurtful things and equips us for eternal life.

Listen to the full sermon below.

A sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Josh Leigeber.

Jesus did not come to lower God’s standards or soften His commandments. In this Sunday’s Gospel, He reveals the true depth of God’s Law, exposing not only outward sins but the sinful heart itself. Every attempt to excuse ourselves, redefine sin, or compare ourselves favorably to others ultimately collapses before the searching words of Christ.

Yet the One who proclaims the Law is also the One who fulfills it. Where we have failed, Christ has been perfectly righteous in our place. Through His cross, our sins are forgiven; through Holy Baptism, we are united to His death and resurrection; and through His Word and Sacraments, He continues to strengthen us to walk in newness of life. The Law leaves us with no confidence in ourselves so that our confidence may rest entirely in Christ, whose righteousness alone opens the kingdom of heaven to sinners.

Listen to this week’s sermon as we consider how Christ strips away every excuse, calls us to genuine repentance, and comforts us with the good news that our righteousness is found in Him alone.

Listen to the full sermon below.

A sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, by Fr. Josh Leigeber.

In this week’s Gospel (Luke 5:1–11), Jesus fills Peter’s nets with an overwhelming catch of fish. But the miracle is about far more than fish. It is a picture of how Christ continues to build His Church.

The boat becomes an image of the Church, the sea represents the fallen world, and the fish are those whom Christ draws to Himself through the preaching of His Word. Just as Peter caught nothing apart from Jesus’ command, so the Church does not grow through human ingenuity, programs, or entertainment, but through Christ’s Word alone. Wherever the Gospel is faithfully preached and His Sacraments are administered, Christ is still at work gathering sinners into the safety of His Church.

Drawing on the theme of this year’s Higher Things conference, Dying Church, Rising Hope, this sermon also reflects on what truly needs to die—not Christ’s Church, but our sin, our pride, and our fear. The Church will never fail because she belongs to the risen Christ, who continues to forgive, nourish, and preserve His people through His means of grace.

Though Christians will one day die, death itself has already been defeated by Christ’s cross and resurrection. Safely sheltered within the Ark of His Church, we await the day when the last enemy is destroyed and we behold our Lord face to face.

Listen to the full sermon below.