AND DELIVER US FROM EVIL (Mt. 6:13b) by Emmanuel N. ILAGAN Another translation of the verse is “Deliver us from the Evil One”, namely the devil. The apostle Peter attests to the reality of the devil as he advises the believers who were exiled in Read More …
Brother, Sister, Let me Serve You – Witness of Diakonia in my Congregation – by Xuming Sun As my course of ELCA Diakonia reaches its midpoint, I recall how my congregation is faithful in serving God and people at Trinity Lutheran Church at Middle Village, Read More …
SERMON Epiphany 7C 2019 Love Your Enemies If we want to be Christians, there is really only one thing we need to know, one thing we need to be, one thing we need to live into: Jesus tells us everything we need to know in Read More …
SERMON Epiphany 4c 2019 I Corinthians 13 First Corinthians 13 is probably the most popular chapter in all of scripture; it even has a nickname: “The Love Chapter” and I am sure I have heard it read out at just about every wedding I have Read More …
As you can imagine, the story of the wedding at Cana is one that we pastors are called upon to preach often; it is the gospel lesson commonly appointed for weddings. This makes some sense; it is the only time in our scriptures that Read More …
I don’t know about you, but I am very hungry for some good news just now. I’ve been an avid consumer of world and national news at least since the Vietnam War, and I can’t remember a time when I have felt so discouraged, so Read More …
Lead Us Not into Temptation (Sixth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer – Matt. 6:13) This familiar wording of the sixth petition can be misleading. It seems to imply that God may actually lead us into temptation and therefore we have to plead that God Read More …
“Forgive Us Our Trespasses” Matt. 6:12a –A Second Look– “It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.” I heard this slogan for the first time early in my career from a young office mate who attended an expensive, boys-only Read More …
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matt. 6:12) “Do I forgive someone who has sinned (trespassed) against me but who has not asked for my forgiveness?” Some of us have probably struggled with this question, especially if Read More …
Divorce One of the great blessings of ministry is the opportunity to work among so many intact, loving marriages. The statistics suggest that being grounded in a life of faith and of a faith community is a strong indicator for success in marriage, and in Read More …