Faith Lutheran Oregon, Wisconsin

We're all familiar with the visit of the Wise Men, depicted popularly at Christmas with three regal men with their gifts following the Star to the young child Jesus.  But this morning I want to address something that is in the air with Epiphany, and the Wise Men, and the Star.  And it's the idea that the Christian faith is somehow opposed to science or reason.   (They aren't: what I want to develop today is that the Wise Men actually show that true science and Christianity actually fit together.)

Sermon for the third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete, on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Sermon for the second Sunday in Advent, Populus Zion, on Romans 15:4-13.

Sermon on Romans 13:11-14 for the first Sunday in Advent by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Philippians 1:1-11 for Thanksgiving 2024 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” The Pharisees craftily asked Jesus. They knew their government wasn't being lawful or good itself.  So they think they are tricking Jesus.  But Jesus' amazingly simple and profound response, after he has them hold up a coin bearing the image of Caesar, is to say,  “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” Today I want to explore and apply this to our cultural context today living in 2024 under our particular rules and system of government.  What are those things that we owe to Caesar today?

A sermon on John 4:46–54, about a man who comes to Jesus worried about petty things, and leaves trusting the most important thing. Jesus words are true and they are good.

Just like the words Jesus spoke to the paralyzed man were surprising to him and his friends, the original fairytale of Cinderella is surprising. She forgives her wicked sisters and invites them to live with her in the palace. To be forgiven is to have a happy ever after, THE happy every after: the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Sermon on Matthew 9:1-8 for Trinity 19 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Angels are messengers. They tell stories. It is important that we recognize what messages and stories we are hearing and believing. Sermon on Rev. 12 for St. Michael and All Angels by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Fellowship is a pillar of the Christian faith and life in the Christian Church: What it means to understand God and His relationship to us as Christians.  Fellowship is a uniquely Christian word: People who are linked together, united, by their common faith in Jesus, and enabled to have a kingdom relationship as a result of that, which is different from what passes for friendship in our world.  A good way to illustrate what Christian fellowship is, is to use J.R.R. Tolkien's Fellowship of the Rings. Sermon on Luke 14:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Matthew 6:24–34 for Trinity 15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on faith based in objective reality, not subjective feelings. From Luke 17:11-19 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on the Gospel from Luke 10:23-37 for Trinity 13 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. The title of this sermon was going to be a “Master Class in Law and Gospel,” because today's lessons do seem to be a Master Class in Biblical Interpretation – that is, how to understand the Bible.  But I realized (after the service folders were already printed) that Master Class is exactly the wrong message: that's all the Lawyer who came to Jesus in our Gospel thought God's Word was – mere information, instruction, a how-to-manual on how to get into heaven.   And that's also the way many people wrongly understand the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus tells, I think it's why it's the world's favorite parable: for many it's just about morality, being a good person.  But notice that Jesus said at the start to His disciples, “many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it” because they have missed the point of the Word of God.   Like the oft-quoted but terribly depressing acronym, B.I.B.L.E. – “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” – If that's all the Bible is, comparable to a dishwasher instruction manual, there can be nothing more worthless to spend your time on. Not only does Scripture itself tell us that there's more to the Word of God than that, how to understand it and what its main teachings are (namely, Law and Gospel), but the Word actually has power and it works on me, like a refiner's fire, through its two main teachings: the Law and Gospel, or Command and Promise.   To rightly distinguish these two is the most difficult and highest Christian art, only the Holy Spirit can teach this.  But distinguishing the Law and the Gospel provides wonderful insight for understanding all of Holy Scripture.  In rightly dividing the Word of Truth, Scripture opens itself and becomes a book of Comfort, and Consolation – in short, a Book of Life.

Sermon from Mark 7:31-37 on Jesus' healing the the deaf man, allowing his lips to show forth His praise.

Sermon on Luke 18:9-14, Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Two men go to the temple to pray. Who is who? How do we know we can go home justified?

Sermon on 1 Peter 3:8-15 for Trinity 5 on being a disciple of Jesus, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Acts 1:1-11 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord.

Sermon on John 16:16-23 + 1 Peter 2:11-20 for the 4th Sunday of Easter, Jubilate Sunday, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. Joy is not just thinking happy thoughts.  Joy is deeper than happiness (which is simply psychological), and greater than pleasure (which is merely physical).  Joy is something that encompasses body and mind and soul.  Joy is something that needs to be cultivated, or worked.  Like the ground during spring planting, it must be worked and tilled, if you want to eat the fruit.  It takes “a little while.” 

Sermon for Easter 3, Miseriacordias Domini, Good Shepherd Sunday, on John 10:11-18 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

"The disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews...Jesus breathed on them." Jesus forgives their sin, giving them the holy spirit, the breath (spirit) of God as healing for their psychological (spiritual) fears. Sermon on John 20:19-31 for Easter 2, Quasimodogeniti Sunday, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on John 8:46–59 for Lent 5, Judica Sunday by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on John 6:1-15 for Laetare Sunday, the 4th Sunday in Lent by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Sermon on Luke 11:14-28 for Oculi Sunday, the 3rd Sunday in Lent. The Devil, called Beelzebul in our text, is the only being who finds pleasure in us taking pride in our own righteousness.  Our righteousness is like a pile of manure.

Sermon on Matthew 15:21-28 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix for Lent 2 - Reminiscere.

Sermon for Invocavit Sunday, the 1st Sunday in Lent on the temptation of Jesus by the Devil in the wilderness from Matthew 4:1-11.

Sermon on the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:13-17 and how the opening of the heavens, even though the opening of the heavens may bring storms, disasters, or trials, to God's people, nevertheless, whenever the heavens are opened, they open for the benefit of the Baptized children of God.

Understanding what is happening at the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple can help us to make sense of, and have a proper focus, for what's happening today.  Many people will hear Simeon's words “the glory of Your people Israel” and come to the wrong conclusion that the Bible demands how we're supposed to think about a certain modern-day geopolitical nation-state.  But in reality, the Presentation of Jesus frees us from that.   Sermon on Luke 2:22–32 for the Presentation of Christ.

Sermon on the Transfiguration of our Lord from Matthew 17:1-9 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Sermon on Matthew 2:1-12 for the feast of the Epiphany by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on waiting, purpose, and aging, based on the account of aged Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:33-40 for the 1st Sunday of Christmas. Through Simeon's prophecy and Anna's example, we see the cross, but we also the redemption of Jesus. Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on the Key of David, the Antiphon for Dec. 20, as well as Isaiah 22:20-23 and Luke 1:26-38a, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Sermon on Matthew 11:2-10 for Gaudete Sunday by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon based on 2 Corinthians 10:17-11:2 and 1 Corinthians 7, for the Commemoration of St. Lucia on December 13, 2023. Parts of this sermon were borrowed from one by the Rev. Rick Stuckwisch at Gottesdienst.org: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2020/12/13/living-with-santa-lucia-in-the-light-of-christ

Sermon on everything St. Luke lists as coming in Luke 21:25-36 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix. (Also contains a reference to Disney's Frozen and how endless Winter will give way to eternal Summer).

Sermon on Matthew 21:1-9. Jesus, unlike any other king, is a King who doesn't ask you to come to Him. He comes to you.

Sermon on Psalm 45 – a love song about Christ and the Church – for the Last Sunday of the Church Year, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 50 (and Matthew 25:31-46) for the 2nd to Last Sunday of the Church Year: Judgment Day / Last Judgment.

Sermon on death and dying, based on Psalm 31, the Psalm quoted by Jesus from the cross as His last words: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5). Sermon by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 130 for Trinity 22 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on the power of God's Word, through the prayer, meditation, and spiritual affliction (oratio, meditatio, tentatio) of Psalm 119:1-8 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Sermon based on Psalm 115 for the 20th Sunday after Trinity

Sermon on Psalm 108 for Trinity 15 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 92 for Trinity 14 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 34 for Trinity 7 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon based on Psalm 28 for Trinity 6 at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 21 for the 5th Sunday after Trinity by Rev. Jeff Hendrix

Sermon on Psalm 113 + Luke 1:39-56 for the Feast of the Visitation, by Rev. Jeff Hendrix at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.

Sermon on Psalm 119:34-48 for the Anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession on June 25th, 2023.

Sermon for Pentecost based on Psalm 104 by Rev. Jeff Hendrix.

Presentation by Rev. Jeff Hendrix, given at the 2023 Family Altar Conference: For Altar and For Hearth, by Return to Wittenberg at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI, May 20, 2023. The liberal arts, liberal in the classic sense, are meant for freedom. After the Reformation, the Lutheran emphasis on a liberal arts education led to unprecedented social mobility.  It was a flourishing of all of society.  Rev. Jeff Hendrix makes the case that perhaps this type of education is a remedy for many of our burdens today.

Exordium and Sermon preached by Rev. Zachary Semmann, guest preacher with Return to Wittenberg, for the Feast of the Ascension, May 18, 2023, at Faith Lutheran Church, Oregon, WI.