The sermon text for today is found in Romans 2,

verses 17 through 24.

But if you bear the name Jew and rely upon the law and boast in God and know his will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those

who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the

foolish, the teacher of the immature, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and of the

truth. You therefore who teach another do you not teach yourself?

You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? Do you steal?

You who say that one should not commit adultery.

Do you commit adultery?

You who have poor idols, do you rob temples?

You, who boast in the law, through you are breaking the law, do you dishonor God?

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because

of you, just as it is written.

Oh, Father in Heaven, this is a weighty text and I pray that you would come and minister the text to us.

Or let your word be heavy and sweet and transforming upon us.

Open the hearts of people to see the truth in it and to believe and be changed.

Lord, we need you now in the preaching and the hearing of your word,

guard us from the evil one,

guard us from error, guard us from the evil one,

from error, guard us from pride, guard us from fear, and every form of unbelief.

In Jesus' name name I pray. Amen.

I want to begin this morning with a warning against anti-Semitism.

...