Text: John 19:1-42 In the name of Jesus. Amen. It isn’t very popular to say, but nonetheless, it is true: we have an angry God.  Yes, you heard that correctly: we have an angry God.  Some may push back against this and say,  “No, God is love; in God, there is no hate or anger.  We certainly do not have an angry God!”  This begs the question, then, did God giggle with glee when Adam and Eve first sinned?  When God looks down upon His creation and sees pride, envy, wrath, greed, gluttony, lust, and sloth, does He say,  “Those rascally humans are at it again ..read more

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 In the name of Jesus. Amen. What is it that we eat and drink this evening?  What is it that Christ instituted long ago in that upper room with His disciples?   Many people will answer this by saying that communion is nothing more than a symbol.  They will say that the bread and wine are visible signs of Christ’s body and blood crucified on the cross. And so, according to this way of thinking, communion is definitely important, but it is not really the real thing.  In other words, as a symbol, communion points to what is genuinely importan ..read more

Text: Zechariah 9:9-12 In the name of Jesus: Amen. Kingdoms exist to provide security and maintain order for a particular nation. Without a kingdom or government, well… citizens are subject to lawlessness, which leads to widespread crime and violence. Yes, without a kingdom, anarchy breaks out, insecurity abounds, disorder deteriorates, and everything becomes unstable, leading to death, rape, theft, and utter chaos.    Kingdoms also sometimes exist to prop up the ego and narcissistic appetites of an evil tyrant.  That is right; a tyrant can try to establish their personal king ..read more

Air Date: February 15th of 2024 Access Audio Versions of this Episode (i.e., iTunes, Podbean, Spotify, etc): Pastor Brademeyer's Podcast Page:  https://www.stjohnsoakes.org/podcast... Pastor Richard's Podcast Page:  https://thegreatexchange1518.podbean.... Episode 1 Details: Join Pastors Richard, Neuendorf, and Brademeyer - as well as Mr. Thorson - as they discuss the emasculated church ..read more

Text: John 6:1-15 In the name of Jesus. Amen. In our reading from the Gospel of John, Jesus multiplied bread and fish to feed the 5000 people who had gathered by the Sea of Tiberias.  Our reading says that the people sat down in a great deal of grass and were given bread and fish – so much that they were filled and satisfied.  Indeed, they were saturated with food; they were comfortable.  However, that is where things went off course.  You see, after they were filled and satisfied, they thought that they would seize Jesus to let the good times roll.  The thought proc ..read more

Text: Matthew 15:21-28  In the name of Jesus. Amen. I sometimes wish all of you could wear a clergy collar just for a day, not to prove anything to you or make you feel the burdens of the pastoral office. But instead, it would be neat for you to experience all the spiritual conversations about faith that happen at the hospital, Walmart, and mall – to name a few.  You see, when I go for lunch, when I go to the hospital, or when I swing by Walmart, the grocery store, or the bank after I am done working for the day, I typically leave my clergy collar on, which then leads me to have ..read more

Tom: You know, we should really be modeling the Gospel.  Bob: Like, be more like Jesus? Tom: Yeah, exactly.  We gotta model Jesus.  Bob: We are totally on the same page, but modeling Jesus is ‘not’ the Gospel. Tom: Huh? What do you mean?  Bob: Well, trying to be like Jesus, our good deeds always end up a bit messed up by sin.  It’s like we can’t hit that perfect righteousness, which leaves us short.   Tom: So, if we can’t do good with a pure heart, we don’t need to even try showing Christ’s love?  Bob: No, way.  I did not say that. That is the ..read more

  Text: Joel 2:12-19 In the name of Jesus. Amen.  Some day, when your dead body is laid 6 feet under the ground, the pastor will say,  “We now commit the body of our dear brother to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Indeed, from dust you came, O Man, to dust you shall return!  This is the inheritance given to you by your first parents, Adam and Eve.  As a member of the human race, your fate is to be laid in the ground where worms will destroy your body.   This is how it is in this life.  We live in a world where moth and rust ..read more

Welcome to the “3 Padres & A Shepherd Podcast" where three North Dakota Lutheran Pastors and a real-life shepherd combine serious theology with fun laughter. This is a podcast from the local church and for the local church; however, the local churches of these three pastors do not take any responsibility for the banter, foolery, and assertions that will follow.  Date: February 15th of 2024 Episode 1 Details:   Join Pastors Richard, Neuendorf, and Brademeyer - as well as Mr. Thorson - as they discuss the emasculated church.  ..read more

When a baby is baptized, I place my hand upon her, drawing two crosses while saying, "Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified." Then I say, "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." When the child kneels at the altar with mom and dad, I draw a cross on her head saying, "The Lord bless and preserve you in your baptismal grace to life everlasting."  When the child grows up and is confirmed, I place my hand upon her head, saying, "The almighty God and Father of o ..read more