Sermons on Karl Menninger:

The Gate Of Heaven

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 12, 2003

Death is viewed a lot of ways by different people, but for us as Christians it is nothing less than the Gate of Heaven.

Genesis 28:17 The Gate of Heaven 04/12/03 It wasn’t too long ago I was snooping through some boxes that I had long packed away, and found one of those little electronic games I used to play with when I was a teenager. Maybe you had one – a Mattel hand held football or baseball game – with the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:17

Denomination: Lutheran

Stay With Us

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 12, 2003

In death we rest with the assurance that our Lord will stay with us when we pass and with our loved one’s still on earth.

Luke 24:29 Stay With Us 04/25/03 (Spouse’s name), it was but about 3 weeks ago that I first shared this story of our Lord’s resurrection with you and (name). We sat at your kitchen table and I read from a pamphlet like this one here as it recounted how two disciples of Jesus bid a friend to tarry ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:29

Denomination: Lutheran

Living In The Light Of Christ

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 12, 2003

Living in the light of Christ means admitting our wrongs, but it also means new life by His Spirit.

Confirmation Sunday 1 John 1:5-10 Living in the Light of Christ 05/04/03 One of my favorite contemporary Christian tunes is a song by Geoff Moore entitled, Best Days. Throughout the song Geoff highlights some of the most memorable days of his life – a day when his dad took him fly fishing, taught ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:5-10

Denomination: Lutheran

I Will Be With You

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 16, 2003

As God promised Joshua after Moses’ passing, so He would promise us in the face of grief and death, "I will be with you."

Joshua 1:1-9 I Will Be With You! 04/17/03 Dear family and friends of (name), I don’t know if there have ever been 5 more powerful words that have ever been spoken to someone who has survived a loved one’s passing than these five words at the end of Joshua 1:9. “I will be with you.” “I sure hope ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9

Denomination: Lutheran

Miracles Often Do Come In Small Packages

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 16, 2003

God’s miracles, God’s power, His awesome designs, His victorious works have often come in small, disregarded, overlooked packages. Don’t discount the miraculous things that God can do through me and you if only we were bold enough to ask, expectant enoug

Easter 4 B Miracles Often Do Come in Small Packages Acts 4:23-33 04/11/03 "Feddersen’s Fables" has the story of a rancher who rented a famous stallion, to sire a champion by one of his thoroughbred mares. The owner of the majestic beast delivered and unloaded the stallion directly into a corral, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-33

Denomination: Lutheran

Staying Connected To The Vine

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on May 16, 2003

Jesus bids us to a fruitful life by pointing out the importance of abiding in Him and His Word

Easter 5 B John 15:1-8 Staying Connected to the Vine 04/18/03 “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” Have you ever had one of those weeks where no matter what you do, nothing ever seems to go right? Try as you may, you just can’t seem to accomplish anything. Last week was one of those weeks for me. ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Lutheran

A Peaceful Passing

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Dec 31, 2002

Christmas is not a time when we like to discuss death, but the story of our Lord and the calendar of the church year won’t allow us to ignore it. The question then is how can we face this experience we would rather not discuss with peace.

Christmas 1 B Luke 2:25-35 A Peaceful Passing 12/29/02 "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ...those they love are taken from them, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-35

Denomination: Lutheran

All Dressed Up

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Jan 8, 2003

Unable to dress up our lives with a "righteousness" of our own, Jesus dresses us in "His" righteousness.

Christmas 2 B Isaiah 61:10-62:3 All Dressed Up 01/05/02 Yes, they’re still here – the manger, the advent candles, the decorations and the trees. Signs of Christmas, so hastily put up, in many cases so slow to be put away. For a couple of months now our homes, our businesses, our churches; yes, ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Justice For The Nations

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Jan 14, 2003

Justice is not just a matter for that guy over there, nor is it simply a matter of punishment. God shows us His brand of justice in His Servant-Savior who would make us just by grace and then send us out as agents of justice to the world.

Epiphany 1 B Isaiah 42:1-7 Justice for the Nations 01/12/03 The images seem so stark in contrast don’t they? Last week our chancel was decorated in color and light, green trees and a Christmas stable. This week it’s back to its original design. It’s beautiful still, but bare in contrast, not ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-7

Denomination: Lutheran

A Call To Obey

Contributed by Karl Kruse on Jan 25, 2003

This sermon speaks especially to congregations and communities experiencing stress, and a lack of unity; reinforcing the call to obediently seek and follow the will of God.

January 26, 2003 "A Call To Obey" Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20 “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’” Now, if the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, it only makes sense to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20, Jonah 3:1-5

Denomination: Lutheran

He's Risen

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

Using C. F. W. Walther’s hymn He’s Risen, He’s Risen this sermon celebrates the truth that Christ is risen and the certain comfort that brings.

Epiphany 6 C 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Hymn Study LW 138 02/15/04 Our hymn’s story begins with a group of German theological students from the region of Saxony. Among them were men like E. G. W. Keyl, Theodore Buenger and a young pianist and accomplished hymn-writer by the name of C. F. W. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Denomination: Lutheran

Be Mature

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

While the text is about the gift of tongues, Paul greater concern is how all the gifts of the Spirit are being used for personal gain with little thought of others. Paul would encourage the building up of the body of Christ instead.

Epiphany 5 C 1 Corinthians 14:12-20 02/08/04 A recent front-page story in the Wall Street Journal (January 6, 2004) reported U.S. Marines being trained for duty in Iraq are getting drilled in people skills as well as heavy weaponry. They are receiving instruction about staying respectful as well ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:12-20

Denomination: Lutheran

Conversion: A How To

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

This sermon was written as kind of an evangelism primer in that it discusses how people come to know Christ and what that means for us as we try to live out our Christian life of witness.

Conversion of St. Paul Galatians 1:11-24 01/25/04 There once was a brier growing in a ditch when a gardener came along with his spade and dug it up. He dug around it and gently lifted it out of the ground, bringing the brier to ask itself, “What is he doing? Doesn’t he know I’m a worthless ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:11-24

Denomination: Lutheran

Blessed In This Confession

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

Why is knowing Jesus as the Christ such a "blessed" thing?

Confession of St. Peter Matthew 16:13-19 Blessed in This Confession 01/18/04 King of Prussia, Frederick the Great, was once touring a Berlin prison when a group of prisoners fell to their knees in unison before him to plead their case. I’m innocent, I tell you. I’ve been falsely accused. I’m a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Lutheran

A Test Of Authenticy

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Apr 29, 2002

Jesus helps his listeners to identify faithful shepherds of His Word and how they can know they are true sheep of His pasture.

Easter 4 A A Test of Authenticity John 10:1-10 04/21/02 You wouldn’t think it would be all that difficult. Loading a computer program onto your computer these days is usually as simple as placing the CD in the computer and following the simple instructions on the screen. But this is not ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran