FAITH LUTHERAN ALIEN RIGHTEOUSNESS SERMONS

From Babel to Emmanuel: Christ Rebuilds God's Temple

This sermon examines the Biblical titles in the final stanza of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," showing how humanity's fall in Babel led to scattering and spiritual domination, and how God responds through the incarnation. Christ's life, death, resurrection, and ascension begin the undoing of Babel by reclaiming the scattered nations and inaugurating a new humanity.
Advent is presented as Yahweh's counter-invasion to recover his people, and Pentecost as the Spirit's work that gathers the nations into one temple—the church—bringing unity, victory over sin and death, and the hope of Christ's return.

Steadfast Love: God's War, Not Your Feelings

This sermon explains that God's "steadfast love" is not an emotional feeling but divine, covenantal action — God's military conquest and fulfillment of promises through Christ. Your salvation and standing before God rest on Christ's accomplished righteousness, not your feelings or works.It highlights the cross as both conquest and sacrifice, the legal/forensic nature of God’s mercy, and the sacraments and church as tangible assurance of the gospel in the believer's life.

From Stump to Shoot: The Branch of Jesse and Emmanuel's Return

This episode examines Biblical title of the Messiah as found in stanza four of the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," tracing the biblical story from Eden's loss of God's presence, through Israel's failure and judgment, to the surprising emergence of the Messiah as The Living Shoot from Jesse's stump, Who restores life, the Christ.
Listeners are reminded that believers are grafted into this True Vine, called to live and suffer with eternal joy in everyday vocations, and sent out in hope as they await the second advent.

The Burning Tree: Christ Who Enters the Fire

This sermon contrasts Israel’s failure to keep God’s vows with Christ’s perfect obedience, portraying Jesus as the ‘burning tree’ Who enters the fire to rescue and redeem.
Using texts from Malachi, Psalms, Isaiah, Exodus, and Daniel, it explains how believers are grafted into Christ, cleansed by his sacrifice, and given the strength to stand before the Son of Man on the last day.

Emmanuel in Exile: Psalm 137 and the Promise of the Messiah

This sermon reflects on Psalm 137 and the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," exploring Israel’s exile, the loss of God’s presence, and the desperate need for a Messiah. It traces how human rebellion leads to exile and how only the Divine Warrior, Jesus, restores God’s presence.
Through the themes of judgment, repentance, and hope, the sermon affirms that Christ is Emmanuel—God with us now in baptism and communion and fully at His return—bringing redemption and reconstituting God’s people.

The King Who Shares His Throne: Advent Reflections on Good and Bad Shepherds

This sermon for the first Sunday in Advent explores Jeremiah 23, Psalm 24, and Matthew 21 to show how God shares authority with "under-shepherds," how corruption entered both human and divine leaders, and how Christ the Righteous Branch restores and gathers the scattered. It emphasizes Jesus as the True Shepherd who conquers false rulers, re-establishes the church as His bride, and gives believers a foretaste of the renewed creation through sacraments and mission.

When Christ Enters the Wilderness: Your Substitute and Savior

This sermon draws on Deuteronomy 8 and Matthew to show how Jesus shared Israel’s wilderness trial, succeeded where they failed, and now shares His victory with us. Christ was present with Israel, suffered their rebellions, and fulfills God’s promise by giving the Promised Land as a gift through his righteousness.
Through baptism, the Lord binds Himself to His people, covers sin with His obedience, and sustains us with Word and Sacrament. The sermon calls us to gratitude for Christ’s substitutionary suffering and to trust that our salvation rests in Him, not our works.

When Wisdom Marries: Jesus as Bridegroom and Wise Virgin

This sermon, drawing on Matthew 25 and Isaiah 65, explains the parable of the ten virgins as a portrait of Jesus as both the bridegroom and the true Wisdom. Though all humanity is foolish in sin, we are grafted into Christ and made wise through his life, death, baptism, and Eucharist.
We are invited to follow as bridegroom in suffering and faithfulness now, with the sure promise of being received into the eternal wedding feast and the new creation.

When Mountains Accuse: Micah’s Question and the Messiah’s Answer

This episode traces the indictment of Israel in Micah—framed by Deuteronomy’s blessing and curse—and the nation’s hopeless plea of what can be offered to God. It then shows how Psalm 116 points to the Messiah as the definitive answer: Christ’s obedience, sacrifice, and resurrection satisfy God’s justice.
Listeners are invited to share in Christ’s merits, receive the cup of salvation in the sacraments, and respond with the lifelong sacrifice of thanksgiving expressed in worship and service to neighbor.

Restored: Adam's Office and Christ's Victory

This sermon explores Genesis 1 and Psalm 8 to show how humanity's original priestly office was meant to rule and serve in God's cosmic temple, how sin broke that office, and how Jesus, the new Adam, restores and fulfills it through His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection.
It invites listeners to rest in Christ's accomplished victory, participate in His kingdom now, and hold on to hope that the grave cannot finally hold those united to Him.