Slow is when someone laps you in the hundred yard dash.
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Atlantis: the domain of the Stingray
25Dec
2019
Wed
14:19
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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The Nativity of Our Lord

John 1:1-18

Name Year Wordle
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2) So the author of the letter to Hebrews reminds you of the means of God’s presence in the Old Testament. God is always present in His Word, and long ago His Word was most often proclaimed by the prophets. But, at many times and in many ways, God also spoke to the fathers. Abraham had dinner with God. (cf. Genesis 18:1-15) Jacob wrestled with God. (Genesis 32:22-32) Moses spoke with God in a burning bush. (Exodus 3) Isaiah was granted a vision of the heavenly throne room. (Isaiah 6) Daniel had night visions.

But now, in these latter days, God’s presence among men is through His Son. There are still prophets, so to speak, who relate to men the Word of God. However, unlike the prophets of long ago, the prophets today speak the Word already revealed in the Scripture, nothing that was told them in a vision or dream, because that’s how God interacted long ago. So, to you it is given to hear the Word of God as it has been handed down from the Apostles and Prophets, recounted for you again and again, because you need to hear it again and again, hear the message of the Gospel again and again, that the Son of God was incarnate of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, buried, and rose again, all for your forgiveness, life, and salvation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The beginning—long ago—the Word existed as was given to man by way of dinners and wrestling matches and visions and dreams. Now, the Word still exists and is given to man in flesh and blood.

24Dec
2019
Tue
23:13
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord

Matthew 1:18-25

Name Year Wordle
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

[ NB: I'm getting over a cold, and my throat decided to seize up during the preaching of this sermon ]

History is filled with young kings and queens, some of whom were even crowned as infants.

18Dec
2019
Wed
22:08
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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Mid-week Advent III

Revelation 22:6-21

Name Year Wordle
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

μαράνα θά!

So cried out St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:22) It’s the Aramaic equivalent, written in Greek, of the prayer of the bride of Christ. It is the prayer that John wrote as you heard in the text this evening: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’”

μαράνα θά! “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!” Or, perhaps more appropriately, “Come now, O Lord!”

11Dec
2019
Wed
23:22
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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Mid-week Advent II

Revelation 12:1-6

Name Year Wordle
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The text tonight seems to describe Christ in His first coming to earth. The selection of Matthew 1:18-25 would back up such an assumption. There in St. Matthew’s Gospel is his short telling of the birth of the Messiah. Mary, with child, gave birth to a Son, whom Joseph, her betrothed, named Jesus. A little later in St. Matthew’s Gospel, after the visit of the Magi, the holy family flees into Egypt.

4Dec
2019
Wed
22:05
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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Mid-week Advent I

Revelation 1:5b-18

Mid-week Advent I 2019 Wordle
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Behold, he is coming!”

This isn’t the message of some crazed street-corner preacher. Nevertheless, even if it was, he would be right!

This is the message of St. John in his Apocalypse. “Behold, he is coming…” John wrote of Jesus, the King, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and everything in between. All of that is a poetic way of saying, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:3-4) So, the Creator of all things in Whom is life is coming.

1Dec
2019
Sun
14:43
author: Stingray
category: Sermons
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Ad Te Levavi

Matthew 21:1-9

Ad Te Levavi 2019 Wordle
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It’ll happen right there in the middle of the Sanctus during the Service of the Sacrament. You will sing the very same words sung to Lord Almighty, Jesus Christ the Savior, as He rode into Jerusalem to accomplish the taking away of the sins of the world. The King entered the royal city to claim His throne, the cross, in order to give His life as the ransom for the sinful, that they would be cleansed and purified and brought into His kingdom, and the people said, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Hosanna: “Lord, save us now,” they proclaimed, and Jesus was coming to do just that. This is the Advent of the King, on His way to fulfilling the promise for which He was conceived and born—for which He took on flesh and blood like yours and became one like you, the Son of Man who is the Son of God. In three-and-a-half weeks, that fact will be celebrated, and the marvel at the Infant who is God will commence, but right off the bat as preparation is made for that celebration, the rubber is hitting the road.