How do earthly treasures compare to heavenly ones? They compare quite poorly. Our Lord Jesus describes earthly treasures as thief-ridden and moth-perishable. Even if they were to last, how could you ever enjoy them all? You will die and you can’t even guarantee your loved ones will use them wisely. Heavenly treasures instead are money bags which will never run out. Who would not like that right now? A credit card which you never pay back. Where can I find that? It is already yours. When you hear the words, “I forgive you all your sins…” or “Take, eat this is the true body your Lord…”, you should think to yourself: “Aha! How precious to me are my Savior’s words. I am securely in heaven right now and nothing can shake me. I don’t know what I would do without these words. I would give up everything to hear those words from the pastor.”

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“If you focus on the world, you will see no end of trouble. If you focus on yourself, you will see no end of sinfulness. But if you focus on Christ you will see grace, peace & every blessing.”

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“You see, your prayers aren’t effective or powerful because you said or thought just the right words. Your prayers are powerful and effective, dear Christians, because you pray to a Gracious God, who invites you to pray and promises to hear you.”

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“So, what do we say to all of this? What does it mean that Jesus calls Peter to preach the Good News? It means this—Jesus calls preachers to proclaim His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of the world. Jesus sends Pastors in His Name to bring the Good News of Him to you right now in your ears. Jesus sends Pastors in His Name to forgive your sins, to baptize you, to put His body and blood into your mouth.

Jesus is never content to be silent. He wants to be preached to you. He wants His promises to be heard by you. He wants to be believed in by you. He wants His Name and kindness to echo in your ears and in your hearts because He loves you.”

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“Faith, hope, and love: the Christian life in a few words. Each and every day remember who you are in Christ Jesus; you are one who was bought back from the reign of darkness into the reign of light. Remember where you are heading; you are confident that God will give you the inheritance of all the saints. Remember how your life will look: walking in a pleasing manner to the Lord.”

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“You see, the peace of the 72 was tied to Christ. It was tied to the one who makes peace with God for us through His obedience in life, His humiliation in death, and His victory in resurrection. As God’s Word declares, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).”

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“When God gives you His Word, that’s something different. He actually delivers. And He always delivers. His word is true, and powerful, and dependable. He shows this in the creation. And He proves it again through Jesus His Son.”

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“The dark spiritual realm of the devil and his demons could cause us to fear. But with Christ, that dimension is defeated and we need not be afraid. As you are in Christ’s Word and Christ’s Word is in you, the dark powers flee from you.”

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“A God according to the flesh rewards righteousness and strength and heredity and breeding according to the flesh. But that is not the God of Israel. Never was. Never will be. Instead, the God of Israel does for you what’s entirely out of your control. He saves you.”

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“God’s Word talks about the Spirit as a deposit, as a guarantee, on the promises that the Lord has made. Promises like: the promise of the resurrection; the promise of a relationship completely restored with God our Father; the promise of a Grand Reunion in heaven with all of God’s people. This is all yours because of Christ. And you can be certain of this because you have the Holy Spirit.”

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“The ‘game’ you’re in—this ‘game’ of life and eternal life—it has already been won. Christ’s grave is empty for a reason. That’s what we celebrate during Easter. And because Christ’s grave is empty, so will yours be. Your death has been vanquished because sin has been vanquished in Christ’s death. By Holy Baptism, the dead old heart of stone has been ripped out, and the throbbing, pumping heart of flesh has been put in in its place.”

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“How is it that you learned what Jesus had done for you in His birth, death, and resurrection? Only by His Ascension into heaven.How is it that you learned what Jesus had done for you in His birth, death, and resurrection? Only by His Ascension into heaven.”

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“If you live your life without prayer, you live the life of that dysfunctional child, and your life is no reflection of your doctrine. Luther on this passage even goes so far as to say that the Christian who lives without prayer is no Christian at all and no member of God’s kingdom. There’s a profession with the lips there, but no faith in the heart.”

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“Dear friends, the promised coming of the Holy Spirit then is a great comfort to us.  Without the Holy Spirit we would be disconnected from Christ.  But the Holy Spirit will be sent when Jesus is glorified in order to keep us connected to Christ who reconciles us to the Father.  The unity of the Trinity means we never get part of God.  We get all of Him!”

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“The Lord wants to make a theologian out of all His baptized children. And He will. No matter today if you’re young or old; rich or poor; well-adjusted or awkward; strong or weak; in control or out of control—no matter what, the Lord desires and wants to make a theologian out of every one of you. And He will. And thanks be to God for that. Because that’s exactly what you need to be—a theologian, a true theologian, who takes God at His Word and promise.”

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“One flock. One Shepherd. You don’t get there by doing more. Christ has already done it all for you. You don’t get there by doing better. Christ has done far more excellently than 10,000 saints could do…. You get there through the voice of the Good Shepherd who has already laid down His life for the flock.”

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“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed. To have the real Jesus you see with your ears. You touch with your ears. You feel and smell with your ears. Why? Because the real Jesus has packed Himself up inside His holy Word.”

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“Whatever the resurrection means, it means it because the resurrection of our Lord Jesus happened. Sundered soul has been rejoined to His body. That body, cold as the earth itself in death is now warm with life. And the grave that held Him in holds Him no longer.”

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“Jesus has prepared everything. He has done all that you needed. He lived a sinless life. He offered the perfect sacrifice. He has won the victory by His resurrection from the dead.”

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“When it’s all done, He speaks words over what He has done, words that echo what His Father had said in the beginning. τετέλεσται. “It is finished.” “It is complete. It is good. It is very good. Because I have redeemed my creatures from their sin, their death, and their hell. I have sprung the cursèd from the curse. I have given life by My death.”

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“Most in our culture either think, or at least question, whether church is essential. What happens here today declares otherwise. Because today the God who took on our flesh, gives His flesh and blood for us Christians to eat and to drink in order to give us exactly what we need: forgiveness, life and salvation.”

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“The Palm Sunday Lamb, the Lamb of the 10th of Nisan in the year 33 A.D., is God’s Lamb. His death is God’s death—and covers all sin. His blood painted on your door through faith is God’s blood, and makes all death pass over.”

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