When I was little, I liked to watch superhero shows. I loved the old Batman series, the Spiderman cartoon, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I didn’t pay attention to the comics, but I liked the TV shows. . . .

Judah was at war with Israel and Syria. The existence of the Jewish nation state was tenuous. Would they survive? Would they be wiped out? Ahaz didn’t know. He didn’t want to be destroyed. . . .

An angel deceived the virgin. Eve heard the serpent’s words and believed. She rejected God’s Word and desired to know evil. So she with her husband ate the fruit, and she gave birth to death. . . .

We’re now half-way through Lent, so today is a popular day in the Church Year. Today has a few nicknames. One is Rose Sunday – thus the roses. Lent’s theme of repentance is lightened in view of the coming Easter feast, as the Gospel says; so this Sunday is related to the Third Sunday in Advent, the other Rose Sunday, which looks ahead to the joy of Christmas. That’s why the Introit sings “Rejoice!” instead of “Repent!” . . .

Some of you I’ve known about 6 years. Some of you I’ve known a year or two. Some of you I’ve only known a few months. Some of you I just met. But one thing is obvious, and I think I’ve known and perhaps even experienced this all along: the love, honor, respect you have for this man you call “Butch,” Charles Walter Buttgereit, Sr. . . .

Theme: The Praetorium

Today we’re 2 weeks away from Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus’ Death. All through Lent we’ve been preparing to hear about His Death. We’ve been hearing about all He did for us. He didn’t die because people hated Him. He died because He wanted to die. . . .