I Had Mercy on You

"And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt." Matthew 18:33-35

Where does the servant go wrong? You may answer, in not forgiving his fellows servants. And this is true enough. But it begins with his own refusal of forgiveness in saying he will pay back everything. For this is what he has in mind in demanding his debtors repay him.
In essence, the servant is not letting the master be who and what he is—a merciful and gracious lord.

For the full audio and manuscript of this sermon preached October147 at Trinity, Layton, go to http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=2954.

And God Sad, ... And It Was So

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Genesis 1:3-4a

God creates everything necessary to sustain the life of man even before He creates man. That’s Gospel. That’s love. That’s pure grace. That’s unconditional. There is nothing left for man to do but live in the gracious provision of the Lord. Even the work he is given to do in God’s gracious creation is Gospel because it cannot help but produce good fruit. Man’s work doesn’t create but reaps the harvest of the creation.
Genesis and creation is not just an academic argument, or legalistic exercise. It is fundamental to the Gospel. God speaks and it is so. God gives and we receive.

For the full audio and manuscript of this sermon preached October147 at Trinity, Layton, go to http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=2950.

Chosen

"For many are called, but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14

Isn't it great to be chosen? For that is what it means to be baptized and dearly beloved of God. It means you have been chosen by God to have a place in the kingdom of heaven and a seat at the wedding feast of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
... being chosen is even better than choosing, although as our text reminds and warns and even comforts us, most people would rather choose than be chosen.

For the full audio and manuscript of this sermon preached October 7 at Trinity, Layton, go to http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=2945.