Holy Trinity Ankeny

You can take people out of prison but you can’t take the prison out of people. We are all imprisoned by the thoughts, ideas, habits and culture that shape us to live as prisoners. And then make us like it. The only true freedom comes when we can become what God calls us to be; to live lives that reflect the image of Christ. Anything that keeps us from doing that is a prison. It may be addiction, guilt, selfishness, the inability to forgive. It may be a culture that teaches us that winning is everything when it isn’t. Christ is the truth that sets us free. In him, and only him, will we be free indeed.

Visiting Pastor Kurt Nordby talks to us about responding to God’s blessings in grace. Hear what an old mortgage and a half-empty bottle of perfume have to do with “Grace-full Living” – how we live and move each day in the reality of God’s abundant and generous grace by touching others with the Love of Christ.

Having difficulty sleeping?  I bet Jacob had many sleepless nights.  Hear the story of Jacob and learn how his struggles lead to blessing.  Have you ever considered where Jesus is in the midst of your struggles?  You might gain some insight from Jacob and also find a blessing!

We pray, “Give us today our daily bread” constantly. It is the part of the Lord’s Prayer that turns us to trust God for all we need to live each day. This is a hard prayer. Worrying about tomorrow comes more naturally than trusting God. In Mark’s gospel a rich man and a poor widow show the difference between worry and trust; selfish living and gratitude. In the end, it comes down to a call to be like Christ.

As humans, we are afraid of lots of things… well, really most everything. We’re afraid we don’t have enough, so we store up our stuff. We’re afraid there is not enough so we keep our stuff to ourselves. We’re afraid of not being important, so we put on a show with our stuff. The trouble is, your stuff and how you use it shapes your heart. Fear makes for selfish hearts, uncompassionate hearts, fragile hearts. Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart.” Maybe Jesus also has some way to break our hard, fearful hearts and open us up for love and compassion. That’s what this sermon is about.

This week’s sermon is about how the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) means that we always feel like we never have enough. FOMO can be cured with gratitude and practicing gratitude in many ways.

What would the world be like without stories?  Stories help us escape the routine of life and wander instead into the world of science fiction or action and adventure.  There are stories of Uncle Harry’s escapades and family vacations.  Stories connect us to others and bind families together.  Today you are invited to listen to a story, our story of God’s generous love.

Have you ever felt lost?  Have you ever experienced a loss in your life?  It feels as if there is a hole inside you, as if part of you is lost.  Today Jesus tells a parable about lost things and the joy that comes in finding what was lost.  As Jesus tells the story, we see the character of God; a ridiculous God.

Clay can’t make itself into pot. Clay needs to be shaped by a competent potter; one who isn’t afraid to start over when the vessel gets wobbly on the wheel. Same is true of you and me. Our lives are shaped by many forces, but only the God who made us knows our true shape and how to form us to be the people we are created to be. Left to be shaped by the world, the market, the job, even the family, we will be wobbly vessels. Eventually that makes us cracked pots, unfit for the kingdom of God. So, what is a savior and God of grace to do?

The things in life that receive most of our attention, time, and concern shape us. Sadly, many things that become the focus of our days can’t give anything back to us. They can’t sustain us. The prophet Jeremiah says they are “worthless things” that give us “worthless lives.” We reject living water, he continues, in favor of stagnant water in a leaky bucket. What is a faithful God, the source of living water, to do with folks who keep rejecting the real thing for the worthless things?