Sermons | Living Hope and Christ the King ELCA Lutheran Churches

For us as Christians, baptism is a means of grace, a gift from God offering forgiveness of sin and a welcome into God's family. But if baptism is for forgiveness, why does Jesus need it? Today's sermon from Pastor Daniel Flucke for Baptism of Our Lord Sunday explores baptism as identity. Jesus comes to identify with us—not to receive forgiveness, but to stand with humanity, offering grace. In a divided and overwhelming world, baptism reminds us who we are and whose we are.

Today's Scripture readings are Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 29, and Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:13-17.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

Epiphany reminds us that God's light shines in the whole world. Reflecting on the Magi, King Herod, and the weekend's news of US intervention in Venezuela, this week's sermon from Pastor Daniel Flucke reminds us that there is no “them” in God’s kingdom—only a world deeply loved by God. As Christians, we are always called to pray for peace.

Today's Scripture readings are Ephesians 3:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6, and Matthew 2:1-12. The text of the sermon is available here: https://danielflucke.com/venezuela-peace-sermon/

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

Merry Christmas! On this first Sunday of Christmas, we're looking at the lives lived by two lesser-known characters in the Christmas story who could not be more different from one another: Joseph & Herod. One pursues power at all costs, and the other gives of himself to protect another. Although this story of Herod's massacre of the innocents seems like an abrupt turn from the joy of Christmas, we see in this story the sort of world God chose to enter.

Today's Scripture readings are Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, and Matthew 2:13-23.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

Merry Christmas! Tonight's Christmas Eve sermon focuses on the message of good news of great joy for all the people which the angels gave to the shepherds. But what if you don't feel great joy this Christmas? What if not everything feels merry and bright for you right now? Perhaps you are exactly who this news is for.

Tonight's Scripture reading is Luke 2:1-20.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

This final Sunday of Advent is all about proclaiming good news. Heaven is breaking into earth, and God is turning the world upside down. We eagerly await the fulfilment of God's promised reign of peace. In worship, we'll hear Mary respond in song to the miracles God is working. God is entering the world—let us rejoice and sing with joy! 

Today's Scripture readings are Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 1:26-56.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

How did you come to faith? Someone loved you and Jesus enough to introduce you to him! Today's sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent reflects on John the Baptist as a witness who points beyond himself to the true Light of the world. God uses ordinary people like us to share extraordinary good news. As we light the candle of joy, we’re reminded that we are not the light—but we are sent to testify to it.

Today's Scripture readings are Isaiah 61:10-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, and John 1:6-8, 19-28.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

This Sunday we continue our theme of Heaven and Earth by looking at the messenger sent to prepare the way, John the Baptist. In the wilderness, John proclaims that God is on the way, a savior is coming. So, get ready! Prepare the way!

Just continuing in the path we're on requires no preparation. But God interrupts our lives. God claims us in baptism, declaring we belong not only to ourselves, but to our Creator. And because we belong to God, we are called to repent, to change our ways, to let God work in us and transform us. 

At Living Hope, we celebrated this baptismal promise in a special way with Weston Franzen's baptism, in which he is claimed in the waters of baptism, washed clean, and named forever as a child of God.

Today's Scripture readings are 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Psalm 139:1-2, 5, 7-12, 16-18; and Mark 1:1-8. The sermon text is available here: https://danielflucke.com/advent-love-interrupts/

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

This Sunday, we enter into the season of Advent, a season of waiting, watching, and preparing for Jesus.

We often think about our participation in church and worship as us taking time for God, but Advent is about God taking time for us. Advent is about God refusing to leave us alone, and instead relentlessly insisting on breaking into our world.  In Jesus Christ, God is bringing heaven to earth and changing everything. 

Over the next four weeks, our Advent series “Heaven and Earth” celebrates and anticipates the earth-shaking, life-transforming good news that God is coming to us. Watch out. Get ready. God is on the way.

Today's Scripture readings are Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:3-7, and Mark 13:24-37. The text of the sermon is available at https://danielflucke.com/advent-hope-wait/.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

Today is Christ the King Sunday, the festival at the conclusion of the church year when we recognize Jesus as our Lord, our King who reigns over creation. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a redeemer to rescue God’s people and set them free from oppression. He is the long-awaited Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Yet in our Gospel reading from Luke 23, we find Jesus not seated on a king’s throne, but hanging on a cross. This king’s power is revealed not in domination, but in sacrifice as he lays down his life for the world. This scene of humiliation, suffering, and death reveals the triumph of God’s love over human empires built on violence and fear. 

Today's Scripture readings are Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:13-20, and Luke 23:33-43.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/. 

Don't panic! It's just the end of the world. As we near the end of the church year, the focus of our readings in worship moves forward to the end times. In this Sunday's Gospel from Luke 21, Jesus warns about the signs of the apocalypse and the end of the world—and then he says we don't need to worry about it.

As Christians, our hope is in One who is greater than this world. Even if everything else we know falls apart, Jesus assures us God will still be watching over us. The Holy Spirit is still active in our lives, working in and through us. Instead of panicking, we are to continue doing what is right, because God is still good, and God is still faithful.

Today's Scripture readings are Malachi 4:1-2a, Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, and Luke 21:5-19.

Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at https://www.livinghopesaukville.org/ or https://ctkport.org/.