Mt Olive Lincoln: Lutheran Sermons and Teaching in the Christian Faith

Formed to Be God's Servant

Sermon preached by Pastor Julius Buelow at Mt Olive in Lincoln, NE for Trinity 19 on Oct 11, 2026.

Sermon text Isaiah 44:21-23:

21Remember these things, O Jacob, because you are my servant, Israel. I am forming you to be my servant. You, Israel, you will never be forgotten by me. 22I am blowing away your rebellious deeds like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I am redeeming you.

23Shout for joy, you heavens, because of what the LORD is doing.

Make a joyful shout, you depths of the earth.

Burst forth with shouts of joy, you mountains,

you forest and every tree in it,

because the LORD has redeemed Jacob,

and in Israel he will display his beauty.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Is 44:21-23.

Whose Side Are You On In This War?

Sermon preached for St. Michael and All Angels on October 4, 2026 at Mt Olive in Lincoln, NE.

Sermon text: Matthew 18:1-10

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2Jesus called a little child, had him stand in the middle of them, 3and said, “Amen I tell you: Unless you are turned and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever receives a little child like this one in my name receives me.

6“But, if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of temptations to sin. Temptations must come, but woe to that person through whom the temptation comes!

8“If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to be thrown into the eternal fire with two hands or two feet. 9If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to be thrown into hell fire with two eyes. 10See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Mt 18:1-10.

Unity Takes Effort

Sermon preached for Trinity 17 at Mt Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE by Pastor Julius Buelow. Sermon text: Ephesians 4:1-6

As a prisoner in the Lord, therefore, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. 2Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love.

3Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in the one hope of your calling. 5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Eph 4:1–6.

Don't Give the Stones a Chance

Sermon preached on the occasion of the dedication of Mt Olive's organ, on Sept 20th, 2026. Sermon text: Luke 19:37-40.

37As he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40He replied, “I tell you, if these people would be silent, the stones would cry out.”

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Lk 19:37–40.

Leave the Cult of Mammon!

Sermon preached by Pastor Julius Buelow at Mt Olive Lutheran in Lincoln, NE for Trinity 15 on September 13, 2026.

Sermon text: Matthew 6:24-35

24“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.

25“For this reason I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

27“Which of you can add a single moment to his lifespan by worrying? 28Why do you worry about clothing? Consider how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin, 29but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not clothe you even more, you of little faith?

31“So do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32For the unbelievers chase after all these things. Certainly your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Mt 6:24–34.

Don't Spoil the Gift

Sermon preached for Trinity 14 at Mt Olive Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE on September 6th, 2026.

Sermon text: Luke 17:11-19

11On another occasion, as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12When he entered a certain village, ten men with leprosy met him. Standing at a distance, 13they called out loudly, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they went away they were cleansed.

15One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. 17Jesus responded, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Get up and go your way. Your faith has saved you.”

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Lk 17:11–19.

The Holiness Is in the Details

Sermon preached by Pastor Julius Buelow at Mt Olive Lutheran Church in Lincoln NE for Trinity 13 on August 30th, 2026.

Sermon text: Leviticus 19:9-18

9When you reap the harvest from your land, you are not to finish reaping all the way to the edge of the field. Do not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. 10Do not strip your vineyard clean, and do not pick up the fallen grapes from your vineyard, but leave them for the poor and the alien who live with you. I am the LORD your God.

11You shall not steal. You shall not swindle. You shall not lie to one another. 12You shall not swear falsely by my name so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

13You shall not exploit your neighbor. You shall not rob him. You shall not keep the wages of a day laborer with you overnight until morning.

14You shall not curse a deaf person, nor shall you put an obstacle in front of a blind person, but you must fear your God. I am the LORD.

15You shall not act unjustly in court cases. Do not show favoritism to a poor person, and do not show undue honor to an important person. You must judge your fellow citizens with justice.

16You shall not go around spreading slander among your people. You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor in a capital case. I am the LORD.

17You shall not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. You must openly rebuke your fellow citizen so that you do not become responsible for his sin. 18You must not take revenge. You must not bear a grudge against the members of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Le 19:9–18.

God Can Teach the Worst Students

Sermon preached for Trinity 12 at Mt Olive Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE on August 23, 2026.

Sermon text: Isaiah 29:11-13, 17-19, 24

11For you this whole vision has become like the words of a sealed scroll. If you give it to someone who can read, and you say, “Read this, please,” he will say, “I can’t. It is sealed.” 12And if you give it to someone who cannot read, and you say, “Read this, please,” he will say, “I can’t read.”

13The Lord says:

These people approach me with their words,

and they honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

Their worship of me is nothing but commandments taught by men.

17Isn’t it true that in a very short time

Lebanon will be turned into a fertile field,

and the fertile field will seem like a forest?

18On that day, the deaf will hear the words from a book,

and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

19The humble will rejoice in the LORD once again,

and the poor will delight in the Holy One of Israel.

20But the ruthless will come to nothing.

Those who mock will be no more,

and all those who plan evil will be cut off—

21all those who slander others with a word,

all those who argue cases at the city gate,

all those who use false testimony to deprive the innocent of justice.

22Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham,

says about the house of Jacob:

Jacob will not be ashamed anymore.

His face will not grow pale.

23But when his children see what I do among them,

they will honor my name.

They will honor the Holy One of Jacob.

They will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

24Those who are confused will come to understand,

and those who complain will gladly receive instruction.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Is 29

Pick the SInner Out of the Lineup

Sermon preached by Pastor Julius Buelow for Trinity 11 at Mt Olive Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE on August 16th 2026.

Sermon text: Luke 18:9-14

9Jesus told this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves (that they were righteous) and looked down on others: 10“Two men went up to the temple courts to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13“However the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes up to heaven, but was beating his chest and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14“I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Lk 18:9–14.

Plan Your Life God's Way

Sermon preached at Mt Olive Lutheran in Lincoln, NE by Pastor Julius Buelow for Trinity 9 on August 2, 2026.

Sermon text: Proverbs 16:1-6

1A person may have thought things through in his heart,

but an apt answer from his tongue comes from the LORD.

2All of a person’s ways are pure in his own eyes,

but the LORD weighs motives.

3Commit what you do to the LORD,

and your plans will be established.

4The LORD has made everything for his own purpose,

even a wicked person for a day of trouble.

5Anyone with an arrogant attitude is disgusting to the LORD.

Be sure of this: That person will not go unpunished.

6Through mercy and truth, guilt is atoned for,

and through the fear of the LORD, one turns away from evil.

Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing House, 2019), Pr 16:1–6.