Sunday Sermons

Joseph receives a promise from God in the form of a dream. But then Joseph experiences betrayal, slavery, imprisonment, and years of seemingly divine silence. It’s interesting to note that there are no record accounts in Genesis of God speaking directly to Joseph. In life, we can interpret God’s apparent silence as abandonment. However, Joseph’s story teaches us that God not speaking does not mean God is not present. It is important to remember that when God is silent about the plan - He is still very much present in the process (see Genesis 39:2,3, 21, and 23). We can le...

Paul doesn't describe baptism merely as something that happened to us in the past. Baptism establishes a new identity and therefore a new way of living. Luther believed that everyday a Christian should remind him or herself of their baptism. Why? Because the Christian has been united to Christ's death and resurrection. That means the old identity - the sinner who lives for him or herself - has been put to death, and the Christian now lives from a new identity in Christ. Paul asks: “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:2). He isn't sayi...

Paul presents a fundamental biblical reversal: God reveals His wisdom and power precisely where human beings would least expect to find them - in the weakness, suffering, and apparent foolishness of the cross. This is at the heart of Luther's theology of the cross. The cross tells us that we cannot discover God by looking for Him according to our own expectations of glory, success, strength, or human wisdom. Instead, God reveals Himself through Christ crucified. For Luther, this is more than a doctrine about what happened on Good Friday. It describes how God deals with sinners and how...

Both Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of God’s grace. But also important is the practice of confession and absolution. Forgiveness is a gift that allows us to live freely as God’s sons and daughters. Forgiveness releases us from the impossible task of justifying ourselves. The Law tells the truth about us: we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. But the Gospel tells the greater truth: God has justified sinners through Christ. Therefore, in confession, we are free to stop hiding; in absolution, we are free to stop carrying our guilt; and in faith, we are fr...

Wisdom (personified as a woman), offers a gracious invitation to all who live apart from the life she longs to bring. Opposite is Folly (also personified as a woman) who strives to seduce people away from the truth of God and His Word. NOTE: Jesus addresses this theme at the end of the Sermon of the Mount when He shares the difference between the wise and foolish builder, both of which having to do with how a person responds to God’s Word.

Provide an introduction to the book of Proverbs while helping hearers understand what a biblical understanding of wisdom is, keeping in mind that true wisdom is from the Lord. Look to define hokma (wisdom) and the foundational concept of the "fear of the Lord." NOTE: Solomon’s introduction is helpful in reminding us of the difference between true wisdom and the wisdom of the world.

Idolatry is fundamentally related to spiritual warfare as it represents the core mechanism used by spiritual enemies to divert human devotion from God, creating footholds for demonic influence and breaking the covenant with God. It is viewed as "spiritual adultery" and a voluntary submission to enemy forces rather than to God.

Why is it important that we know that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus? And what does this mean for our everyday lives as followers of Jesus?

Why do we rejoice in suffering? In our weakness - Christ is strong.

What is biblical spiritual warfare? What does the Bible say spiritual warfare is? And what does it mean to live in victory, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God?

Father, Son, and Holy Who? The third person in the Trinity, who has been named the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, is somewhat overlooked. Yet we can’t have God’s power within us without Him. Together, we’ll explore what God’s Word says about the role His Spirit plays in our lives, starting with the basics: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? And why do we need the Holy Spirit in our lives? May God’s Spirit fill our hearts and minds as He leads us closer to our Heavenly Father and equips us...