Reformation Day 2016

Happy Reformation Day! Monday, October 31 is the 499th year of reformation, and to celebrate I'm sharing a link to a sermon preached in 2013, by Pastor William Cwirla. The text is Romans 3:17-28. Next year is the 500th year of the reformation, so I've got a whole year to plan! :) 

Reformation Sermon

Pastor William Cwirla / Holy Trinity Lutheran Church-Hacienda Heights, CA

Preached: October 27, 2013 Text: Romans 3:17-28

Later this week, I'll be posting a link to a six part series of short videos on Martin Luther and the Reformation. Three cheers for Youtube! If you are enjoying the blog and want to share it with someone else, please share a link. Some of the sermons are being listened to over 100 times! 

Dying to Self

Below is a link to something I found helpful in thinking about justification, sanctification and what it means to die to self. It's not an easy read, but I recommend it for your consideration. Happy reading!

Dying To Self by Gerhard O Forde

Jesus, Transfiguration, and the Bible

Click to learn about this image.

It's time for another great sermon! What I appreciate about this message is the quality of his exegesis, how he explains the meaning of the texts in the broader context of scripture, and the focus on the Bible as God's Word to us. I am impressed with Pastor Wolfmueller's ability to preach an articulate, engaging, and thoughtful sermon while staying close to the text. What do you hear? I'd love for you to share your thoughts. Here are the texts for the sermon: Matthew 17:1-13 and 2 Peter 1:16-21. 

Jesus, Transfiguration, and the Bible

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller / Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora CO

Sermon date: January 17, 2016 / Sermon text: Matthew 17:1-13 & 2 Peter 1:16-21

Interview with Eylse Fitzpatrick

This post is late, but since the message is about grace, I guess you'll just have to forgive me. This is not a sermon, but a podcast interview from Christ Hold Fast Cast. The podcast hosts are two pastors and this episode is an interview with author and conference speaker Eylse Fitpatrick. This isn't my favorite podcast, but this particular episode is interesting and helpful because we hear the testimony of someone discovering the Gospel and the impact it has on her life. This episode is long: one hour and sixteen minutes, but it is worth the time and is generally light enough to listen to while multitasking. I would enjoy hearing your comments on this podcast episode. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed!

Interview With Eylse Fitzpatrick

Law, Gospel, Books, Games and Loving Legalists with Eylse Fitzpatrick

Christ Hold Fast Cast Podcast

April 1, 2015

Washing Water To Wedding Wine

This is the first sermon I heard by William Cwirla. After listening to it several times, Eva and I came up with this phrase: "We've been Cwirla'd!" I will post additional sermons by Cwirla, but this one is an excellent introduction to his preaching. Lutherans divide scripture into two broad categories: law and gospel. You will hear the distinction between law and gospel in this sermon and how this distinction is helpful in understanding the Bible. I also keep these categories in mind when I listen to other sermons. Here is the text for the sermon: John 2:1-11. As always, I suggest you read the text and take a minute to reflect on it before listening to the sermon. Enjoy!

Pastor William Cwirla

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church-Hacienda Heights, CA

Preached: January 17, 2010

Text: John 2:1–11

Sermon Manuscript

I would love to hear your feedback on the sermon. What did you hear? What did you like or dislike? What is missing? For anyone interested in learning more about law and gospel, here is an excellent book. I have read it and found it very helpful! If you read the book, let me know what you think.

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

Warning...this blog post might make you think, or get mad, or set you free. Feel free to comment!

"Not Feeling It"-The Gospel for Everyone Else

An Offering Of Spilled Purfume

Thank you to everyone who subscribed to the blog or visited from Facebook or Twitter. This week I'm excited to share another great sermon. In a few weeks, I plan to share more about what makes a sermon "great." But first I want to have a few examples for us to consider. Using the metaphor of cooking: before we study the recipe, lets simply enjoy some great food together. I pray these sermons create faith and love in your hearts.

An Offering of Spilled Perfume | a sermon for the 5th Sunday in Lent - saint benedict's table

This sermon is preached by an Anglican minister in Canada. I listened to many of his sermons as I hiked this summer and found this one to be especially thoughtful and passionate. He has a great Christmas message I can't wait to share! The text for this sermon is: John 12:1-8. I encourage you to read the text before listening to the sermon.

Jamie Howison / St. Benedict's Table Winnipeg, Canada

Preached: March 18, 2013 / Text: John 12:1-8

WHO Is The Bible About?

 

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me. John 5:39

If we are going to understand how to read the Bible, a crucial question that we must answer is: Who is the Bible about? Jesus says the scriptures are about him. In the passage below, Jesus teaches us how to read the Bible.

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.  

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”  

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”  

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  Luke 24:13-27

We miss the point of the Bible if we read the Bible as if it is about us.

Here is a short video to consider:

Here are two brief articles that also makes the case that the Bible is about Jesus: 

The Bible Is Not About You by Byron Yawn

How Luther Taught Me to Read the Bible by Donavon Riley

I encourage your questions and comments!

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Fighting the Pharisee

This is an excellent sermon on the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. Here is a link to the Biblical text. Enjoy the sermon and let me know what you think by leaving a comment! (I won't tell anyone if you listen to it more than once...it will be our little secret.)

Fighting the Pharisee - Lk 18:9-14

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller / Hope Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO 

Sermon date: 08/16/2015 / Sermon text: Luke 18:9-14

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Beggars Sharing Bread

The purpose of Beggars Sharing Bread is to promote a Christ centered conversation about the Bible. I am learning to read, study, and hear the Bible from the prospective that it is about Jesus and not about me. I am also learning to distinguish between God's two words in scripture: law and gospel. I invite you to join me on this journey. I will be posting various resources that I have found helpful, as well as some of my own thoughts. Please join the conversation by posting questions and comments.

“The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.” Martin Luther

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