Great is the Lord in the City of Our God, Reformation Worship Oct. 30th

499 years ago a man named Martin Luther was able to see what others had lost sight of, that by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we are saved forever by the grace of God. Martin Luther realized that each and every one of us can find this for ourselves in the pages of God’s Word. In the sacred Scriptures something amazing happens. We get to see a great city, a fortress, a tall, strong citadel. Here we meet God. Here we celebrate with angels that, as Psalm 48 says, “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.”

The Kingdom of God Belongs to Such as These, October 23rd Worship

Sometimes we might rebuke someone by saying, “You are being childish.” Children are far from perfect. We are all fundamentally broken and sinful from birth. But at the same time Jesus sees something universally beautiful in the innocence of children. Children are entirely dependent on their caregivers. Jesus declares this to be characteristic of all who will receive the Kingdom of God. Our trust in God enables Him to bless us in infinite and eternal ways.  

Confident Before God, October 16th Worship

Jacob wrestled with an angelic messenger from God. Jesus tells us a story about a woman who persistently petitions an unjust judge until he finally grants her justice. We can be confident that God is ultimately good and just. Our loving Father always hears our prayers. Though His answers may not always be what we want or expect we can forever be confident that God is always good.

Returning to God with a Grateful Heart, October 9th Worship

God is faithful to His promises. His goodness and mercy are a part of our world every day. Yet it is easy to miss this or lose sight of God’s goodness amidst the complexities of our lives. The blessing of a grateful heart may be the best of things we could ever receive. In our reading of God’s word we hear about the gratitude of Ruth when she finds a place that feels like home amidst people who are not her own. In our Gospel lesson Jesus heals ten men but only one of them returns to express his gratitude. In our epistle lesson Paul reminds his friend Timothy that we can build and rebuild a grateful heart by “remembering Christ Jesus raised from the dead.” Through Christ we can return to God again and again with a grateful heart.

A Living Faith in a Living God, October 2nd Worship

We know that living a faithful life isn’t easy, especially with a challenging culture and world around us. However, we are blessed with the Lord’s continued encouragement in our pilgrimage, just as others in Scripture experienced. Amid wickedness and destruction, God would encourage Habakkuk to remain steadfast in his duty. Through Paul’s letter, God would affirm Timothy in his service, encouraging him to remain steadfast in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Jesus also gives His disciples and us encouragement in our daily living through forgiveness and an increase of faith. By God’s grace we can have a living faith in Him who is alive among us.

The Rich Abundance of God, September 25th Worship

  Jesus tells a parable of a rich man, whose name we never know, and a poor man, whose name is Lazarus. The rich man had it all---fine clothes, rich food, a big house with a gate.  Lazarus had nothing but crumbs and dogs licking his sores. But in death, this is all reversed. The rich man is in anguish and Lazarus is right next to Abraham in honor. The rich man begs for mercy, but it is too late; a great chasm has been fixed that no one can cross. The rich man begs that his five living brothers might be warned; he is told that even if someone should rise from the dead, they will not be convinced. The name "Lazarus" means, "God is my help."  The parable reveals that God wants us to have His eternal and infinite riches forever. We believe that Jesus has triumphed over all things. Knowing Him, the One risen from the dead, we are rich in God's most priceless treasure.

Our Generous God, September 18th Worship

The parable in today’s Gospel has one main point: how generous the master is to his very core. He has a reputation for generosity. When his unjust steward discounts everyone’s bills, he doesn’t assert his legal right to reverse the steward’s actions; instead, he stays consistent with his reputation and generously forgives the debts. So it is with our Master, the Lord God. He is generous, providing each of us with, as Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism, “body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses . . . clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children, land, animals, and all I have.” We rejoice in the generosity of God. In our joy, we hear God’s call to use wisely and well whatever God entrusts to us. Today and for eternity we get to celebrate our generous God.

"Rejoice with Me" September 11th Worship

This is a time of new beginnings. As a new school years begins and the weather begins to turn God sets new things before us. He is a consistent renewing Spirit for us. Our readings today speak to us of God’s ability to lead us back, or help us to find what was lost. Paul writes in 1st Timothy about the dramatic turn His life took by the grace and mercy of God. Jesus tells us a couple of short little stories to help us imagine the transforming nature of God’s care and compassion for us. Once we have found this, we like the woman who finds a valuable coin that had been lost, will exclaim, “Rejoice with me.”

Ready to Choose What God Has Given, Sept. 4th Worship

Jesus echoes Moses’ challenging words that we need to make a distinct, carefully considered choice to try to follow God.  Of all the other possibilities given we must choose to follow the God who wanted to lead His people to a Promised Land. We must choose to follow Jesus who wants to lead us into our promised land of heaven itself. Of all the different options as to how you will think and feel about this day, what will you choose? God has set before us good and eternal things that are right and true. Are you ready to choose?

Faith, The Eyes of the Heart, August 14th Worship

What is this thing called Faith? To start the journey of faith you could just look at the world around you and decide that it must have been designed and built by someone. Once begun the journey of faith can carry you pretty far. You can look at the evidence and decide to believe that a man named Jesus rose from his grave alive. Believing that will change a lot of things about your life, both now and forever. Faith can be a way of looking at the world and interpreting everything that happens. Things look very different when you are always ready to affirm that there is a good, merciful, and just God out there somewhere. Holding onto that no matter what is called faith. That’s why it is a truly dramatic choice to let your heart be led by the eyes of faith.