| West
Virginia - Western Maryland Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America |
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| Readers'
Sermon Library |
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Licensed Readers under the WV-WMD Synodical Lay Worship
Leaders are welcome to use this library to obtain sermons
for use in public worship, but using the sermons found
here is not required. The selection of a sermon is a matter to be discussed
between the Reader and the Reader's Supervisor. In other
words, the Reader may select a sermon form any source so
long as it is approved by the Reader's Supervisor. Why?
Just because a sermon is published doesn't mean that it is
doctrinally sound. The is more than little sketchy
theology out there, and some of it is rank heresy.
Additionally, even a theologically sound sermon may not be
appropriate at a given time in a given place. Caveat:
Do not assume that publisher or author is a guarantee.
Even the best of preachers periodically preach something
inconsistent with our doctrinal basis. By the same token,
that something is published outside of the denomination
does not mean that it is automatically inconsistent with
our doctrinal basis. The text itself must be tested, not
the publisher nor the author. When selecting a text,
always hold it up to the Scriptures, Creeds, and Lutheran
Confessions. At the most basic level, if a text conflicts
with the Large Catechism, it is in appropriate for a
Lutheran pulpit. Whenever a sermon is read for a church service, proper
attribution is to be made. At no time should the work of
another be presented as if it is one's own work. Proper
attribution includes the author, title, date of
publication (if known), and publishing house (if known). This library is divided into three sections at present.
As time goes on, this library will expand, offering new
resources. Your input is welcome. You may contact The Rev.
Sean Smith with questions, suggestions, etc. |
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Section I: Books of SermonsThese books may be easily obtained and, often, for very
little expense from various on-line retailers. A
congregation or a licensed reader may find it prudent to
buy one or more for ongoing use. Indeed, anyone (preacher
or person in the pew) may find these books salutary for
devotion or study. We do not vouch for the quality of all
the sermons in these books. The reader should work with
his/her supervisor to determine appropriateness. The links will open the title page and table of contents
for each of the books. You can review what is available
there, and use that to inform your purchasing decisions
(or borrowing decisions should you decide to use a real
library). Some of these texts might be found on the
internet. Many of the books are keyed to the Common Lectionary, but
the current resource is the Revised Common Lectionary. It
may not be sufficient in all cases to simply look at the
ecclesiastical date. Look at the text that is indicated.
If you find that a particular ecclesiastical date does not
have the same text listed in the book as the RCL indicates
for use, look a few Sundays before or after. You may find
the desired text there (as the RLC shifted some readings
from the CL).
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All the sermons here are in the public domain and
available on the web. As close as possible, the sermons
are keyed to the Revised Common Lectionary currently in
use in the ELCA. Sermons will be added to this page as the
year(s) progress. If you have found sermons that you would
like to recommend for this page, contact the Commission
for Synodical Lay Worship Leaders (chair, The Rev. Sean
Smith). For sermons that are not keyed to any particular
pericope (assigned reading) but are appropriate to season,
day, or occasion, go to Section III:
Online Sermons for the Occasion, Day, or Season. N.B.,
some of these sermons are longer than is typically
expected of sermons today. In consultation with his/her
Supervisor, a Reader may find redaction helpful.
* Luther's Magnificatis too long for a single sermon. Selecting a section of the work may be a reasonable option. * CCEL preserves the typographical error found in NPNF, First Series, X:50. The sermon is for Matthew 2:11, not Matthew 2:2.
* The link is to Luther's Hauspostille, a collection of sermons for the year intended for home devotion. They may be read with profit in the corporate worship of the church. The online format is a PDF scan of the 1884 two-volume printing. As such, the hypertext link takes you to the volume and not the particular sermon. You will have to find the page (page number is provided in parentheses) on the text (not the PDF interface).
* Wahren Christentum by Johann Arndt is divided into multiple books with chapters (and, sometimes, parts). The full text can be found at Project Guttenburg under the title, True Christianity: A Treatise on Sincere Repentance, True Faith, The Holy Walk of the True Christian, Etc.
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Section III: Online Sermons Appropriate for the Occasion, Day, or SeasonSome sermons are not closely linked to any particular
pericope (assigned reading). They may be appropriate to
the occasion, the day, or the season. Nativity or Our LordAs the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord stretches
across twelve days (the Dodekaemeron), these
sermons may be appropriate for any service from Christmas
Eve through Twelfth Night (the Eve of the Epiphany). Leo the Great, Sermon XXII, On the Feast of the Nativity, II Leo the Great, Sermon XXIII, On the Feast of the Nativity, III Leo the Great, Sermon XXIV, On the Feast of the Nativity, IV Leo the Great, Sermon XXVI, On the Feast of the Nativity, VI Leo the Great, Sermon XXVII, On the Feast of the Nativity, VII Leo the Great, Sermon XXVIII, On the Festival of the Nativity, VIII Sermon on the MountAugustine, Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount According to St. Matthew — This is an extensive exposition on the Sermon on the Mount according to St. Matthew. We present it as a resource. A reader may find that portions of it can be excerpted to form a sermon. The link takes you to the first page ("title page") of this exposition as found in NPNF, First Series, Vol. VI (transcribed for the web at Christian Classics Ethereal Library). Navigation tools are on the colored bar at the top of that page.Maundy ThursdayJesus Washes the Feet of His DisciplesLuther, Hauspostille — Luther's sermon for Maunday Thursday included in the his Hauspostille (House Postil), begins on p.24 of vol. 2 of the Ohio 1884 ed. The sermon is listed in the Hauspostille under the title, "Thursday Before Easter: Jesus Washes the Feet of His Disciples," and is on John 13:1-17.Sacrament of the Lord's SupperLuther, Hauspostille — Luther preached many sermons and wrote many treastises on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Two such sermons are included in his Hauspostille (House Postil), beginning on p.1 of vol. 2 of the Ohio 1884 ed. The sermons include
Passion of ChristLuther, Hauspostille — Luther preached a series of thirteen sermons on the Passion of Christ that are included in the his Hauspostille (House Postil), beginning on p.64 of vol. 2 of the Ohio 1884 ed. The sermons include
Resurrection of Our Lord and
the Easter Season
Luther, Hauspostille — Three
of Luther's sermons for Easter Day and sermons for the
Sundays of Easter following are included in the his Hauspostille
(House Postil), beginning on p.265 of vol. 2 of
the Ohio 1884 ed. The sermons include (but this is only the
first few) |
| Sermon |
Text |
| First Easter-Sermon: The Power and the Benefit of the Resurrection of Christ | Matthew 28:1-10 |
| Second Easter-Sermon: On the 28 Chapter of St.
Matthew |
Matthew 28 |
| Third Easter-Sermon: Luke 24:36-47 | Luke 24:36-47 |
| First Sunday after Easter (Quasimodogeniti) |
John 20:19-31 |
| Second Sunday after Easter (Misericodias
Domini) |
John 10:11-16 |
| Third Sunday after Easter (Jubilate) |
John 16:16-23 |
| Fourth Sunday after Easter (Cantate) |
John 16:5-15 |
| Fifth Sunday after Easter (Rogate) |
John 16:23-30 |
| Ascension Day |
Acts 1:1-11 |
| Sunday after Ascension (Exaudi) |
John 15:26—16:4 |