"Living Stones: God’s Chosen People" 

A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:2–10

Introduction:

The Apostle Peter’s first letter was written to encourage Christians facing persecution and hardship. In 1 Peter 2:2–10, he paints a beautiful picture of who we are in Christ—newborn infants craving spiritual milk, living stones in God’s temple, and a chosen people called to proclaim His praises. This passage reminds us of our identity, purpose, and mission as followers of Jesus.

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1. Craving Spiritual Growth (v. 2–3)

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."

• Spiritual Hunger: Just as a baby craves milk for growth, believers should hunger for God’s Word. Growth is not optional—it’s essential.

• Tasting God’s Goodness: When we experience God’s grace (as Peter’s readers had), we desire more of Him. Have you lost that hunger? Return to the Word.

Application: Are you feeding on Scripture daily? Growth comes from consistent, humble dependence on God’s truth.

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2. Built into God’s Spiritual House (v. 4–8)

"As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house."

• Christ, the Cornerstone: Jesus was rejected by the world but is the foundation of God’s kingdom (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16).

• Living Stones: We are not just observers—we are part of God’s temple, joined together in Christ. The Church is God’s dwelling place.

• Two Responses to Christ:

  • To believers, He is precious (v. 7).

  • To unbelievers, He is a "stumbling stone" (v. 8).

Application: Are you aligned with Christ, the cornerstone? Are you actively connected to His body, the Church?

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3. A Chosen People with a Purpose (v. 9–10)

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

Peter echoes Exodus 19:5–6, showing that the Church now fulfills Israel’s calling:

• Chosen Race: Not by bloodline, but by grace.

• Royal Priesthood: We offer spiritual sacrifices (praise, service, love).

• Holy Nation: Set apart for God’s mission.

• God’s Possession: Bought by Christ’s blood.

Our Purpose: Proclaim His excellencies. We are saved to shine!

Application: Are you living as light in darkness? Your identity shapes your mission.

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Conclusion:
Peter’s message is clear:

1. Grow in Christ.

2. Belong to His Church.

3. Proclaim His glory.

You are not an accident—you are a living stone in God’s temple, called to declare His praises. In a world that rejects Christ, will you stand firm and shine?

Closing Prayer:
"Lord, thank You for making us Your people. Help us to grow in Your Word, find our place in Your Church, and boldly proclaim Your light. Amen."

 

"The Harvest is Plentiful, the Laborers Few"

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Text: Matthew 9:35-10:10 (Primary); Genesis 12:1-4a, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, Psalm 73 (Supporting)

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Introduction

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today’s Gospel presents us with a scene both urgent and tender: Jesus looks upon the crowds with compassion, seeing them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). He then tells His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (v. 37). This text reveals to us our helplessness under the Law, Christ’s mercy in the Gospel, and our calling as His laborers.

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I. The Law: Helpless Sheep Without a Shepherd

Jesus sees the crowds and recognizes their true condition—lost, weary, and oppressed. They are like sheep without a shepherd, vulnerable to the wolves of sin, death, and the devil.

This is not just a description of first-century Israel—it is a mirror of our own condition apart from Christ. The Law exposes our helplessness:

• We cannot free ourselves from sin.
• We cannot escape death.
• We cannot find true peace on our own.

Even in our modern world—with all its technology, wealth, and self-help programs—the human heart remains restless, harassed by guilt, fear, and emptiness. The Law leaves us with no illusions: we need a Savior.

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II. The Gospel: The Compassion of Christ and His Sending of Laborers

But Jesus does not leave us in our helplessness. He has compassion (v. 36)—not just a feeling, but action. He does three things:

1. He preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom (v. 35)—the good news that God has come to save.
2. He heals every disease and affliction (v. 35)—showing His power over sin’s curse.
3. He sends out laborers (10:1-10)—first the Twelve, and now His Church—to proclaim the same message.

This is pure Gospel: Christ does not wait for us to come to Him—He comes to us. He sends His Word, His ministers, His Sacraments to gather His scattered sheep.

And how does He send His laborers? Not with worldly power, but with His Word and authority (10:1, 7-8). The disciples are to go empty-handed (10:9-10), showing that the kingdom comes not by human might, but by God’s grace alone.

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III. The Imperative: Pray, Go, and Trust

What, then, does this mean for us? Jesus gives us both a promise and a task.

1. Pray for Laborers (v. 38)
• The harvest is still plentiful—souls are perishing without Christ.
• We must pray first, because only God can raise up workers for His harvest.
2. Go as Laborers (10:1-10)
• Every Christian is sent—not just pastors.
• We go not with our own wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18-25) but with Christ’s Word.
• Like Abraham (Gen. 12:1-4), we go in faith, trusting God’s promises.
3. Trust Christ’s Provision (10:9-10)
• The world says, “Take security with you.”
• Jesus says, “Freely you have received; freely give.” (10:8)
• Like the Psalmist (Ps. 73:23-26), we learn that God alone is our strength.

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Conclusion: The "Foolishness" of God’s Mission

The world will always mock the way of the Gospel. It seems foolish to:

• Trust a crucified Savior (1 Cor. 1:18).
• Preach repentance and forgiveness to a self-sufficient world.
• Give generously when the world hoards with no expecting return or recognition.

But this is the way of Christ—the way of compassion, sending, and faith.

So, dear Christians, you are the laborers He sends today. You may feel weak, unprepared, even foolish—but Christ’s Word is your authority, His cross your power, and His promise your certainty.

The harvest is still plentiful. The Lord still has compassion. And He still sends. Let us pray, go, and trust—for His kingdom is at hand.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Lutheran Distinctives Emphasized:

• Law & Gospel: The Law shows our helplessness; the Gospel shows Christ’s mercy.
• Means of Grace: The kingdom comes through Word and Sacrament, not human methods.
• Vocation: All Christians are sent, not just clergy.
• Theology of the Cross: God works through weakness, not worldly strength.

 

 

"The Kingdom Comes Through Christ’s Word, Not Our Strength"

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Text: Matthew 9:35–10:10 (Primary) | Genesis 12:1–4a, 1 Corinthians 1:18–25, Psalm 73 (Supporting)

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Introduction

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When Jesus looks at the crowds, He doesn’t see a problem to be managed—He sees sheep without a shepherd, lost in sin and death (Matthew 9:36). His response? Not a program, not a self-help strategy, but the preaching of the Gospel and the sending of laborers with nothing but His Word (10:7–8).

This is how God’s kingdom comes—not by power, not by wisdom, but through the foolishness of the cross (1 Cor. 1:18) and the weakness of preaching. Today, we see:

1. The Law’s diagnosis – We are the helpless sheep.
2. The Gospel’s remedy – Christ has compassion and sends His Word.
3. The Church’s mission – We are sent in the same weakness, trusting His promise.

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I. The Law Exposes Our Helplessness (Matt. 9:36; Ps. 73:2–3, 16–17)

Jesus sees the crowds as “harassed and helpless”—not just physically weary, but spiritually lost, trapped under sin’s tyranny.

• Like sheep without a shepherd, they (and we!) are vulnerable to false saviors—money, pleasure, power, self-righteousness.
• Like the Psalmist (Ps. 73), we are tempted to envy the wicked, thinking, “Does it even pay to follow God?”
• Like Abram (Gen. 12:1), we are called to leave behind false securities—yet we cling to them, proving we do not truly trust God.

The Law’s verdict? We are incapable of saving ourselves. Left to ourselves, we wander into destruction.

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II. The Gospel Reveals Christ’s Compassion (Matt. 9:35–38; 10:1, 7–8)

But Jesus does not leave us in our lostness. He acts.

1. He Preaches the Kingdom (v. 35)
• Not moral advice, but a royal announcement: “God is here to save!”
• This is the same Word that called Abram (Gen. 12:1–4)—a Word that creates what it commands.
2. He Heals the Broken (v. 35)
• His miracles are signs of the coming restoration—forgiveness for the guilty, life for the dead.
3. He Sends Laborers with Nothing but His Word (10:1, 7–8)
• The disciples are told to take no supplies (10:9–10)—why?
• Because the kingdom doesn’t come by their efforts, but by Christ’s authority alone.
• This is the "foolishness of God" (1 Cor. 1:25)—salvation by a crucified Savior, delivered through weak preachers.

The Gospel’s promise? “Freely you have received; freely give” (10:8). Forgiveness, life, and salvation are gifts—not rewards.

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III. The Imperative: Sent in Weakness, Sustained by Christ (Matt. 10:5–10; 1 Cor. 1:18–25)

What does this mean for us?

1. Pray for Faith to Trust the Shepherd (Matt. 9:38)
• We are still prone to wander—pray that Christ would keep us in His Word.
2. Go as Those Who Have Been Given Everything (10:8)
• You are sent not because you are strong, but because Christ is.
• Like Abram, you go with only a promise—but His Word is enough.
3. Preach the Cross—Foolishness to the World, Power to Save (1 Cor. 1:18)
• The world will mock: “How can a crucified Jesus help me?”
• But this is the very power of God—for only in dying with Christ do we live.

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Conclusion: The Shepherd Still Sends

Dear Christians, you are the weak, foolish laborers Christ sends today.

• You will feel inadequate—good! The kingdom depends on His strength, not yours.
• You will face mockery—rejoice! You bear the cross, which is the power of God.
• You will doubt—but the Lord who called Abram, who sent the Twelve, still speaks: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9).

So go—not in your name, but in His. Preach—not your wisdom, but Christ crucified. And trust—not your worthiness, but His promise:

“The harvest is plentiful… The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Key Lutheran Emphases Strengthened:

✅ Law/Gospel Dialectic – Sharp contrast between helplessness under sin and Christ’s free mercy.
✅ Means of Grace – The kingdom comes only through Christ’s Word, not human methods.
✅ Theology of the Cross – God works through weakness, suffering, and foolish preaching.
✅ Vocation – All Christians are sent, but always as receivers first, then givers.

 

 

 

"Mercy in the Kairos Moment"

Luke 6:36-42

"Grace, mercy, and peace to you

from God our Father,
who judges with perfect justice yet clothes us in mercy;
from Christ our Lord,
who bears the weight of our burdens on the cross;
and from the Holy Spirit,
who empowers us to overcome evil with good."

As we turn now to God’s Word, let us hear Christ’s call in Luke 6:36:
"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."
May the Spirit open our hearts to receive—
not as those who judge, but as those judged and forgiven;
not as those who demand, but as those who have been given much.

 

Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ!

We find ourselves standing at a crossroads of time - not merely chronological time that ticks away indifferently, but Kairos time, that pregnant moment of divine opportunity when eternity breaks into our temporal existence. You see, our languages are quite weak in words, the Greek has to words to define time; Cronos and Kairos. Cronos is the time marked on our watches, the days, months and years passed by. The Kairos is the time of critical decisions, the momentum of life when we need take position. In this sacred interval, Jesus' words in Luke 6:36-42 come to us not as abstract moral advice, but as an urgent summons to participate in God's economy and life of mercy.

The passage begins with a radical imperative: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." This command shatters our conventional understanding of reciprocity. In our world, we've grown accustomed to transactional relationships - you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, you hit me and I will hit you doubled. But Jesus introduces a new paradigm where mercy flows not from calculated self-interest, but from our fundamental identity as children of a merciful God.

Consider the profound theological implications here. Mercy isn't presented as one virtue among many, but as the very reflection of God's character that should mark those who call Him Father. We understand ourselves as image of God, or reflexes of God, and it means others ought to see God through us. This transforms mercy and love from a moral achievement to a family resemblance. As Dallas Willard observed, "Grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning" and this means receive Grace is not something I do, but what God does for us.  Our capacity for mercy doesn't originate in our moral resolve, our doings but in our spiritual DNA as God's redeemed children, as daughters and sons of God.

Yet the speech of Jesus doesn't allow us to remain in comfortable abstraction, as good people meditating listening a sermon that won’t change our lives. Jesus confronts us with visceral metaphors that expose our hypocrisy - the image of someone with a wooden beam protruding from their eye attempting to remove a speck from another's eye is almost comical in its absurdity. But this is precisely the point. Our judgmental tendencies, often so natural to us, appear ridiculous when viewed through Christ's lens.

The contemporary implications are staggering. In our digital age where social media platforms have become arenas for public shaming, debates and virtue signaling, Jesus' words cut through our self-righteous posturing. How many of us have played both roles - the one pointing out specks with gleeful indignation while remaining oblivious to our own glaring faults? Jesus forces us into very uncomfortable self-examination:

What planks do I carry? How big is each of those planks? (in Greek it is more than a plank, it is a crossbar)

How have my judgments harmed others?

What structures of self-deception prevent me from seeing my own failings clearly?

This passage also dismantles our meritocratic illusions. The "measure for measure" principle (v. 38) operates not as a mechanical law of destiny, but as a revelation of God's generous character, God’s mercy, God’s love. When we forgive, we don't manipulate God into forgiving us; rather, we demonstrate that we've truly received and understood His forgiveness. As Brazilians say “sin is human but forgive is divine”. Our mercy toward others becomes evidence of our apprehension of divine mercy, it is the purest of being God’s image, letting God’s mercy reflect from us. Is what, as said in Psalm 8, makes us just a bit smaller than God.

The ecological implications shouldn't be overlooked either. If we're called to reflect God's mercy, this extends beyond human relationships to all creation. In an era of climate crisis and mass extinction, what would it mean for Christians to lead in merciful stewardship of the earth? Jesus invites us to consider how our economic systems, often built on exploitation, might be transformed by mercy.

This brings us to the Kairos urgency of the passage. Every moment presents a decision point - will we continue in cycles of judgment and retaliation, or will we step into the liberating way of mercy? For the individual, this might mean forgiving a long-held grievance. For congregations, it could involve creating cultures where people feel safe to be imperfect. It could mean also in being involved in church life in full. For society, it demands reimagining justice systems that prioritize restoration over retribution, that priories the less powerful people, the ones living at the margin of the society, the ones that are being genocide.

The time for mercy is now, now is the Kairos moment. Not because we've achieved moral perfection, but precisely because we haven't. As we stand in the light of God's mercy, we become conduits of that mercy to others, we become the mirror where people see the love and mercy of God. This is the revolutionary power of the gospel - that the forgiven become forgivers, the recipients become givers, and the judged become agents of grace.

In our final consideration, we must ask: What would our communities look like if we took this passage seriously? Perhaps we'd see less moral posturing and more honest brokenness. Less condemnation and more compassion. Less tribal hostility and more bridge-building. This is the vision Jesus holds before us - a people so transformed by divine mercy that we can't help but extend it to others.

As we leave this reflection, the challenge remains: In this Kairos moment, will we choose the costly path of mercy? The world has seen enough of judgment. What it desperately needs to see is people who have been so profoundly affected by God's mercy that they become living embodiments of it in every sphere of life.

Armin Andreas Hollas