Lenten Midweek 1 - The 8th Commandment

Passion Reading I - the Lord's Supper | The 8th Commandment and Meaning | Matthew 26:59-61

Hymns - 420 | 433 | 878

For Shut Ins

Lent 1 - G - 2015 - Cast Out Into the Wilderness

Divine Service Setting 2 | 25:1-10 | Genesis 22:1-18 | James 1:12-18 | Mark 1:9-15


If Video doesn't play - it is still uploading.  It should be available by Tuesday morning. 

Hymns - 547 | 656 | 438

For Shut Ins

The Transfiguration of our Lord - G - 2015 - The Hidden God is Revealed in Jesus

Divine Service Setting 2 | 50:1-6 | Exodus 34:29-35 | 2 Corinthians 3:12-18; 4:1-6 | Mark 9:2-9
  

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Hymns - 594 | 413| 417
Communion Hymns - 414, 578, 415, 422

For Shut Ins

Howard Orville Grumbo Funeral Sermon

Isaiah 49:13-16     Philippians 1:21-26     John 5:24-30

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

Dear friends in Christ, especially Joyce, Michele, Michael, and Jeff, family and friends of Howard.  The last few years have been difficult.  A man who was well loved by so many in the community slowly grew more forgetful, weaker, and less responsive.  A husband, a father and grandfather, a coach, and principal and a friend struggled more and more.  Alzheimer’s wretchedly took from Howard his memories of all the many activities that he did in his life.  Parkinson’s made his body weaker and weaker, so that he even struggled to eat.

I have to admit, that being relatively new to Southeast North Dakota, that I didn’t know Howard the way that so many of you remember him.  I can scarcely believe all the things he accomplished as I read his obituary.  It’s hard to imagine the number of lives that he impacted in some way.  In the same fashion, it is so difficult to imagine the struggles, tears, and difficulties as he slowly deteriorated to the point where at times he would hardly even open his eyes.  How hard to know that a man with whom you all have so many memories, these past few years had hardly any memory left. 

That’s the way it is with Alzheimer’s.  It destroys one’s memories.  It makes you forget.  It makes you confused.  It is one of the terrible ways that sin works in our world.  Families are left mourning as they watch their loved one’s memory slowly fade.  Friends struggle watching the good times disappear. 

But this I can tell you today, dear friends in Christ, with all boldness and certainty:  even as we forget in this world, even as sin-caused diseases like Alzheimer’s do their dastardly work among us, God does not forget.  God will not overlook one of his beloved children, he will not abandon them or leave them behind.  For as our Old Testament lesson says, “They are engraved in the palms of his hands.” 

God will not forget.  So much so that God sent his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ into our world, for one reason and one reason alone.  To suffer for our sin.  To bleed for our weakness.  To die for our deaths.  Nails were driven into the hands of Jesus because God did not forget his servant Howard.  Those nails held him as he willing gave up his life so that all who trust in him might have the hope of eternal life.  And by his death, Christ proves that God does not forget his servants, no matter what. 

That’s the promise that was given to Howard in the waters of Holy Baptism.  The promise that because Jesus died and rose again, so too would Howard.  Or don’t you know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death – words we’ve just read a few minutes ago.  That means Howard will be raised, just as Jesus was raised from the dead.  As Christ says, “A day is coming, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live… A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out. 

And so, dear friends, though we weep today, though we mourn, though we hurt, and though we will miss Howard, we know the truth – Howard is in a better place.  God did not forget him, and I can say with certainty that will not forget him even now.  For Howard to die was gain, for Howard no longer deals with the struggles of this world, Alzheimer’s or even with sin.  He’s with Christ forever more. 

And so we weep with hope.  And that hope extends even to each one of you who is here today.  God will not forget you either.  He won’t forget you in the days and weeks ahead where your mourning will continue.  He won’t forget you as you yourself grow old and deal with the challenges which that brings.  He won’t forget you as you yourself lay in your death bed.  He won’t forget where your body is laid to rest, but will remember to raise you as well.  He will remember you even forever more, and give to you and all believers eternal life. 

He won’t forget you, as he didn’t forget Howard, for you are engraved in the palm of his hand.  He died for you, because he loves you so much.  He won’t neglect that love, just as he hasn’t for Howard. 

We may forget things.  But God won’t.  He will remember all his promises to us.  Even forevermore.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Epiphany 5 - G - 2015 - Jesus Silences the Lies of Demons

Divine Service Setting 2 | 147:1-11 | Isaiah 40:21-31 | 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 | Mark 1:29-39                 

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Hymns - 543 | 398 | 664

For Shut Ins

Epiphany 4 - O - 2015 - A Greater Prophet

Divine Service Setting 2 | 111 | Deuteronomy 18:15-20 | 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 | Mark 1:21-28

Hymns - 698 | 842 | 533  Communion - 849 | 394 |740 | 629

For Shut-ins