by Andreas Wagner | Dec 26, 2018 | Sermons
This is one of my favorite evening services of the year. Of course, we don’t have all that many evening services in church. Chances are always good that someone greets me cheerfully and in autopilot mode for an evening service, “Good morning, pastor!” But honestly, I...
by Andreas Wagner | Dec 26, 2018 | Sermons
The gospel for this Sunday begins with a dose of irony that is too often missed. We don’t expect it here, in the Holy Gospel leading up to the Nativity, and we don’t necessarily believe that the historian and doctor Luke possessed a sense of humor. In the beginning of...
by Andreas Wagner | Dec 26, 2018 | Sermons, Uncategorized
The third Sunday of advent is traditionally called “Gaudate” Sunday, which means “Rejoice.” And fittingly, we heard two readings that spill over with exuberant joy, the passage from Zephaniah and the one from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. “Rejoice in the...
by Andreas Wagner | Dec 4, 2018 | Sermons
An elderly man, suspecting his wife is losing her hearing, goes about 20′ behind her and asks, “Can you hear me sweetheart?” No reply. He moves a little closer and inquires again. No reply. He gets really worried now and moves to within 5′, but not a...