Death in Law – Life in Jesus

Sermon at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Cassville WI Audio Version Micah 3:4-12 Psalm 43:1-5 1 Thessalonians 2:9–13 Matthew 23:1–12 The Holy Gospel according to Matthew, the 23rd Chapter Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat (for us today this would be parallel to … [Read more…]

Love of Neighbor, Even when Wronged

Audio Version Psalm 119:33–40 Romans 13:8–14 Matthew 18:15–20 Our gospel today is just so jammed packed full of good stuff that Jesus tells his disciples, you and me and all those that are members of the Christian church. The verses of 15-17 are key for resolving conflict but most specifically conflict with a fellow disciple. … [Read more…]

What If?

Audio Version Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 What if we follow Jesus, leave our families as He told others, and follow Him. What if we let the dead bury the dead?  There are so many “what ifs” that Jesus presents us.  Today’s reading in Matthew is no different.  What if we recognize the flute being … [Read more…]

Is Seeing Believing? A Mark of Discipleship

Audio Version 1 Samuel 16:3, 5-13 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-7,13,17-21,24-25,28-31 Is being blind about not having sight?  It could be, if we are speaking only in physical terms.  The gospel speaks of sin and sight, cause and effect.  But does it really?  To see is beyond sight physically.  To see changes us entirely in our … [Read more…]

Mark of Discipleship, Weekly Worship

Lent 2014 Theme,  Six Marks of Discipleship based on the book, “Power  Surge: Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church”, Michael Foss Audio Version [youtube http://youtu.be/R5SD3rjF07I] 1 Corinthians 11:23-26  TVB 23I passed on to you the tradition the Lord gave to me: On the same night the Lord Jesus was betrayed, He took the bread in His … [Read more…]

The Purpose of Christmas: Time for Salvation

Based upon the Book, The Purpose of Christmas, by Rick Warren Video Link Audio Link  1John 1:8-10 Romans 7:14-20 When I say the word salvation, what comes to mind?  Some of you might say, going to heaven, NOT going to hell, saved from sins, or a variety of other things that take you from something … [Read more…]

Truth Leads to Life

Reformation Sunday Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 46:1-11 Romans 3:19-28 John 8:31-36 Audio Version Video Version Last week pastor spoke about wrestling with faith.  We heard the story of Jacob being renamed after wrestling all night with a man who in the end gives another name to Jacob, which is Israel.  As we heard, Israel means, one … [Read more…]

Why do we do what we do and how?

Proverbs 25:6-7 Psalm 112:1-10 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Luke 14:1, 7-14 Audio Link When I was a police office, I told myself initially, that I wanted to do this job because I wanted to “Help Others”. On the surface, this was very much true, I liked doing, and there is nothing wrong with doing for others. … [Read more…]

Follow God and disgard your demons

Audio Sermon Link Luke 8:26-39 It is all to easy to dismiss, with our scientific knowledge of today, that this man who approached Jesus in Gerasen as being just mentally ill.  We can so easily justify that the lack of knowledge of the people of Jesus’s time, just did not understand mental illness and that … [Read more…]

Do you know how much you need Jesus?

Audio version of sermon Luke 7:36-8:3 I was speaking with a friend of mine this last week and he was telling me about a book that he had read that looks at the difference between sin and evil.  The book is “People of the Lie”.  The author is Dr. M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist and … [Read more…]