Sermons

So often we see only what we do not have in matters of faith, and think little of those seemingly small things. But little is much in the hands of the Lord! Paul's prayer for believers here in Ephesians 3 ends with a triumphant song of thanks to God: "Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

What a promise! God is able to do far more than anything we can imagine, and so we trust that little really is much in the hands of the Lord.

We who once were the walking dead are made truly alive by God's grace, living out lives as willing workers, doing that which God has prepared for us.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians makes known t he riches of God's grace in Jesus, the Beloved. Of infinitely greater value than any earthly treasure, the riches of God's amazing love, mercy, and forgiveness are freely given through faith in Jesus. This is not something which can be earned or merited; nor is it something which we deserve. The riches of God's grace are given to us as a gift through the cleansing blood of Jesus. Rather than hoarding this incredible treasure and keeping it all to ourselves, our calling is to share with others what we ourselves have received so they too will be blessed with the riches of God's grace in Christ Jesus.

As we celebrate our nation's Independence Day, we remember that as Christians are dependent on our Lord, whose love overcomes our weakness

Paul's words to the Corinthian Christians help us grasp the truth of what Christian stewardship is, and what it is not. Christian stewardship is "the free and joyous activity of the child of God, and of God's family, the church, in managing all of life and life's resources for God's purposes." When all is said and done, Christian stewardship is not about fundraising, but faithraising. We cannot give anything to God since God is the Maker and Owner of heaven and earth. The only thing we can do is to manage faithfully and wisely what belongs to God. Stewardship begins with God's giving the life of his only Son - the greatest sacrifice.

God’s favor has come to us through His Son, who gave his life on the cross so that both our outside and our inside may be made new, so that we may be saved from our sin. God walks the talk for us, and we follow Him.

Father, Son, and Spirit are at work, spending time with us, the adopted children of our Triune God.

The Lord God breathed new life in the dry bones of his people in Ezekiel's vision of old. As we rejoice in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Lord God breathes new life into our bones today through that same Spirit who, as Luther says, "calls us and keeps us in this one truth faith." Although at times we, like Israel of old, feel like "our bones are dried up; our hope is lost, and we are cut off completely," the truth is that the Holy Spirit is more than able to revive us and raise us up to serve God's purpose in the world. Through God's life-giving Word and holy Sacrament, through the fellowship of believers, God is breathing new life into our bones today.

All of the things that Jesus asks for us from his Father, the Father gives us through the Holy Spirit.

Because Jesus is the true Vine, and we are the branches, our calling is to stay connected to him, loving one another just as he has loved us. This is God's agape love - that holy, self-giving, sacrificial love. This love comes from the Father, is given to us through the Son, and moves out through Christ's people as we show and express this holy love, not just in words, but in action. Jesus calls us his friends - not servants, but friends. Because he has loved us literally unto death (his death upon the cross), his love sets us free to produce the fruits of faith: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is our calling in Christ.