Bloghardt's Reflector

St. Matthew 17:1-9  – The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ - 2012
Zion Ev.

St. Matthew 3:13-17 - The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus - 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
January 14-15, 2012
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St. Matthew 2:1-11 - Epiphany 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
January 7-8, 2012 
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In the Name of Jesus.  Amen.  Epiphany! 

St. Luke 2:1-20  - Christmas Eve Candlelight - 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church - Dec. 25, 2011 
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Merry Christmas!  In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

St. John 1:1-14 (15-18) – Christmas Day 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
December 25. 2011
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Merry Christmas! In the Name of Jesus.

St. Matthew 28:18-19 - “Something about Baptism”
Higher Things Retreat 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
Nov. 11, 2011
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In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You can’t learn everything about Baptism in a weekend.  You can’t learn everything about Baptism in your whole life.  But, in a weekend, you can learn “Something about Baptism.”

Probably good to start at the beginning:  your Lord Jesus.  He lived the life that you should live perfectly before God.  Every commandment, He kept.  Every law, He fulfilled.  For you, each one, checking them off as if you had done them.

Then, for you, for your salvation, Jesus paid the penalty and took the punishment for all your sins.  All the wraith and anger that God could have for you, Jesus bore on the Cross.  And after three days, this same Jesus who died for you rose again from the dead.

That is salvation’s achievement - Jesus’s holy life and bitter sufferings and death.  To make that salvation yours and deliver it to you, Jesus sends His eleven disciples after His resurrection to deliver His salvation to you.   

He comes to them - they don’t meet Him.  He sets the place - on a mountain.  Mountains are where God does business.  He gave the Law on a mountain.  Tonight, we hear that He’s sending His men to deliver His salvation to you and me.

“All authority on Heaven and earth has been given to me.”  He says.  The authority of the Father comes to Him as a gift.  Then, He uses it not for Himself.  No,  He uses this power to save you and me.