Hymns for 31 January 2010

From the Lutheran Service Book (LSB)

578 Thy Strong Word

541 Away from us! The Demon Cried

637 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord

726 Evening and Morning

704 Renew Me, O Eternal Light

737 Rejoice My Heart

An Immodest Proposal

A satirical article from ALPB was featured in First Things.
It aptly illustrates the problems facing the ELCA and other churches who have unbuckled themselves from the Word of God to chase the bride of this age.

Temple prostitution: a modest proposal
by Peter Speckhard, associate editor

HT: Extreme Theology by Chris Rosebrough

A Brief History of Water

Sermon Podcast

When the Nazarenes rejected Jesus, they rejected the Incarnate Word of God declaring the preached Word of God from the Written Word of God.
For pride, that they thought they had a special place before God by being Israelites, they could not stomach Jesus' message, but the liberty he brings is not by nationality, but grace.

Nominee for worst praise song ever!

Few praise songs are so bad that they make heaven sound less appealing. Listen to this one and you will see what I mean.

Not the Worst Praise Song Ever

I was looking for hymns on Last.fm and ran across this.

It made me laugh.

And it made me glad that my boys were in bed and did not hear it.

The Knights of the New Crusade.

At least it's better than Brian McLaren's song.

As a praise song genre: is punk better or worse than funk?

Hymns for 24 January 2010, Third Sunday After Epiphany

(LSB Series C)

 

Service: Divine Service Setting 1

 

761 Rock of Ages

849 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (Hymn of praise in place of This is the Feast)

839 O Christ, Our True and Only Light

401 From God the Father, Virgin-Born

Secular activist throws hilarious fit over the Marines' use of "Jesus Rifles"

ABC News reports that in a remarkably powerful and subversive plot, a rifle scope manufacturer has transformed US Marines into Crucaders killing Muslims for Jesus by stamping a secret Bible code on the scopes that it sells to the US Military.

Hidden in the string of letters and numbers that designate the model of the scope in question is hidden the "Bible code." This code, whether noticed or unnoticed transforms the weapon to which it is affixed into a "Jesus rifle," according to Michael "Mikey" Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. "It allows the Mujahedeen, the Taliban, al Qaeda and the insurrectionists and jihadists to claim they're being shot by Jesus rifles," he said.

When terrorists read the code, from 200 meters down the barrel side of the rifle and it is properly illuminated by a muzzle flash, they are enraged and emboldened in their hatred of America -- for a few seconds anyway.

This appalling violation of atheists rights not to be offended by any Christian who views their work as service to God and neighbor may imperil Trijicon's $33 million contract for new scopes for US Military Machine guns. Trijicon is the manufacture of the Jesus scopes and the last known employer in the State of Michigan.

Hymns for 17 January 2010

Lutheran Service Book

394 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

401 From God the Father, Virgin Born

618 I Come O Savior to Thy Table

636 Soul Adorn Thy Soul with Gladness

408 Come join in Cana's Feast

Advent Sermon: Joseph's Story

A narrative sermon.
When Joseph learns of Mary's pregnancy, his preparations for the wedding take pause, until the angel comes to tell him the good news not to be afraid, for the child in Mary's womb is the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph finds joy and relief at this good news, that he can take Mary as his wife.

Sermon Podcast from Advent: Mary's Story

A Narrative Sermon telling the story of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her (and our) need for a savior and her faith and joy in bearing Him in her own womb.

Sermon Podcast from Advent: Elizabeth's Story

Catching up from previous weeks before I took some time off:

This is a sermon which is told in the narrative form. In telling the story of Elizabeth, fleshed out with historical detail and context, I tried to convey our need for a savior and our joy in receiving Him. This was a bit of an experiment that I used for the Advent services this year, inspired by the encouragement of Dr. William Houser and his narrative preaching. I hope you find it edifying.

Hymns for Sunday 10 January 2010, 1st Sunday after Epiphany, the Baptism of our Lord

Come, Thou bright and Morning Star (LSB 872)

God's Own Child, I Gladly Say It (LSB 594) as Hymn of praise in place of This is the Feast

To Jordan came the Christ, our Lord (LSB 406)

All who believe and are baptized (LSB 601)