God's Word is Our Life, September 13 Worship

Jesus opens the ears of a deaf man and loosens his mute tongue so that he could speak. What a fitting image for us to consider on the Sunday when we open the doors of our church and ask for His life-giving Spirit. Perhaps we know better than ever what the Book of Proverbs tells us, God’s Words “are life to those who find them, and health for the whole body.” Together we praise the goodness of our Heavenly Father, and gather our prayers to him for the healing of the nations, and the blessing of His Living Spirit among us.

The first and second hymn is LSB 537, “Beautiful Savior”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 727, “On Eagle's Wings”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

God Creates Anew

God is creative. The Bible tells us from its first pages that God has infinite power to make new things, and maybe even more amazing, He can also renew and recreate. When Jesus finds his disciples squabbling about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven he invites them to think about themselves as children. In thinking of ourselves in this way we prepare ourselves for the newness of life God can create. By his Word and Spirit God can bring newness in wonderful, graceful, and eternal ways. Today as we begin new things we gather to pray, “God, come among us, and create anew”.

The first and second hymn is LSB 817, “Earth and All Stars”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 809, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

The Amazing Way of God

God works in the simple natural order of things most of the time, but God’s way is also sometimes amazing and unexpected. Jesus willingly went to the cross when His disciples could not see what that would accomplish. His sacrifice made the way that leads to our salvation. St. Paul tells us in Romans how it is that what looks like a loss can be the very way in which we gain something great from God. Our God is awesome, surprising, and amazing. We pray for His Spirit now to bless us in God’s amazing way.

The first and second hymn is LSB 905, “Come, Thou Almighty King”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 810, “O God of God, O Light of Light”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

God is Our Rock

Jesus promises that He will be the Rock of our salvation and our sure and eternal defense. We can build our faith and live our lives on this Rock. Celebrating God's infinite grace and eternal might, we can say "To Him be glory forever. Amen."

The first and second hymn is LSB 575, “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 645, “Built on the Rock”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

God's Great Mercy

A woman comes to Jesus to plea for her daughter’s well-being. Jesus gives them his compassion, healing, and mercy. God has abundant mercy for everyone who calls upon Him in faith. This means we can be bold with God and bring him our needs. So great is God’s mercy, that from Him we can be inspired to be merciful and care for the people in our lives.  

The first and second hymn is LSB 779, “Come, My Soul, with Every Care”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 791, “All People That on Earth Do Dwell”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

Nothing is Impossible for God

Quite in contrast to us, God has no limitation. He can walk on water. He can create a splendid world out of nothing. He can even declare us holy and set apart simply because He wants to. We are not alone if we struggle with understanding the nature of God. We join Peter and Job, and Paul who all were amazed to see that indeed, God has no limitation. In God’s unlimited strength, care and love we can have courage.

The first and second hymn is LSB 804, “O Worship the King”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 807, “When Morning Gilds the Skies ”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

Jesus Gives Nourishing Strength

A crowd follows Jesus out of town. As long as they can see Him they feel like they can go anywhere. He takes them to a remote place. Somehow it was easier to listen and absorb the strength of His spirit here. Jesus had everything they need for body and soul. We too can rejoice in this: Our God is leading us and provides all that we need.

The first and second hymn is LSB 907, “God Himself is Present”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 733, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past ”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

The Greatest Treasure of God's Love

God’s Word gives us an amazing array of statements about the love of God. “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.”  God is “keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations.” Jesus tells us several parables trying to convey that this love is the greatest of treasures in all the world. He wants us to embrace the idea that God’s love is the most vital thing for each of us. It makes an eternal and infinite difference in every way and in everything.

The first and second hymn is LSB 686, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 802, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

Faith in God's Good Harvest, July 19 Worship

Jesus saw the farm fields around him as a place of drama. In many of his parables Jesus would point to those fields to illustrate the essence of God’s relationship to His Creation. As Jesus looked at those fields he could see the whole of God’s plan, from beginning to end. But how to communicate that plan to us? In the parable Jesus tells about Weeds we hear that despite every challenge God is still bringing in the harvest of what he wanted from the beginning. Even though there are weeds, God is growing wheat and He will bring it to harvest. Jesus is telling us that we can trust that God is carrying us toward His triumphant and amazing harvest.

The first and second hymn is LSB 794, “The Lord My God Be Praised”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 549, “All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.

Growing Under the Father's Care

What does it take to keep something growing in your backyard? Typically the battle is with the heat, insects, hungry animals, and weeds. We have such things to battle to keep our souls growing as well. Especially now our Spirit must be carefully tended if we want them to grow and mature in this challenging time. The ground of our hearts and minds might be hard-packed, rock-infested, and thorn-choked. But God’s merciful Spirit creates fertile, receptive soil in which small, new life finds purchase, takes root, and bears much fruit. Today we celebrate God’s attentive care and His ever nurturing Spirit.

The first and second hymn is LSB 790, “Praise to the Lord Almighty”. The third and fourth hymn is LSB 806, “Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart”. If you have a Lutheran Service Book Hymnal at home, please sing along.