Bloghardt's Reflector

In the Name of Jesus. Amen. I love games. I began playing the first Massive Multiplayer Roleplay game (MMROPG) Ultima Online, while in seminary. The game provided a virtual world, economy, monsters, spells, and orcs! After that I tried my hand at Everquest and “Evercrack 2”. What can I say? I just love games with orcs in them.

Now, virtual worlds are everywhere. From the SIMs to World of Warcraft (WOW). That WOW game has the added benefit of playing against both orcs and trolls! You just can't go wrong there!

St. Matthew 16:16 – Pentecost 15A – 2008
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the name of Jesus, the Son of the Living God. Amen. Just when mothers were about to go mental, the Lord has rescued them – or maybe he saved their kids. School's back. School supplies, regular schedules, those cool binders that work the first day then don't work again, papers, assignments, and exams.

Today too, questions from Jesus. A question with eternal significance... “Who do men say that the Son of Man is?”

And there were lots of answers. “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

The world has some answers to that question today too. The Muslims and Jews agree on at least one thing: They both say that Jesus isn't God. The JW's and Mormons have Jesus being man, but something less than God.

Inspired by my good buddy Mark Buetow's sermon at "Amen."  But, different...

St. Matthew 15:27- Pentecost 14A – 2008
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. This woman, this Canaanite woman shows up calling Jesus all the right names and having some really prayers, and He... ignores her. She cries, wails, empties herself of her pride. And as she pleads, He does nada.

What's Jesus' deal today? Did He just wake up on the wrong side of the Savior bed this morning? Doesn't He care?

The disciples try to play mediator. Just send her along, Jesus... get rid of her for she cries out after us!

But, don't you just have to wonder exactly how long did she follow them before the disciples were so embarrassed that they had to say something? How much a scene did she make?

Imagine the sight! She's following along. She won't go away. Crying, wailing, and praying. It's shameless and ... awkward.

St. Matthew 14:13-21 - Pentecost 13A
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. More. More. More. The Gospel is always more.

Five thousand men – more if you count the women and children - all fed from five barley loaves and two fish.

And leftovers galore! Twelve baskets of extras! Always more for His Church, His twelve.

That is the way of the Gospel. The Gospel is always more. Always more forgiveness, always more eternal life, always more salvation, always more...

The Gospel starts today as we hear about when Jesus heard that John the Baptist's head had been served to King Herod's daughter on a platter, Jesus withdrew into a desolate place by boat. He wanted to be alone with His disciples.

But, the crowds followed Him. They pursued Him. And when they found Him, He didn't tell them, “Excuse me, my disciples and I are having a private conversation here that doesn't involve you.” And He didn’t say something rude like we would do if we wanted to be alone and were interrupted.