Messages from the King
279 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago -Sermons from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL - For more information, visit VisitKoK.com. #ConnectWithTheKing
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Episodes
4.2.23 - Our Greatest Needs: The King Who Brings Peace (Zechariah 9:9-12)
April 28, 2023 00:00 - 13 minutes - 9.59 MBJesus is the King of kings, God and man in one person. He knows you intimately. More! He is willing to do absolutely anything necessary to serve and protect you. We see that this Holy Week. It begins with Jesus riding a donkey colt into Jerusalem—as the prophet foretold. As this week nears its end, Jesus is given a crown of thorns. He carries a cross out of Jerusalem and is nailed to it. Placed on his cross was this sign: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The sign was partially right. J...
3.29.23 - See our Suffering Savior! ...But He Did Not! (Matthew 27:27-66)
April 22, 2023 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBDuring the weeks of Lent, we follow Jesus to the empty tomb of Easter. However, before he abandons that tomb, Jesus has a mission to accomplish. He must become our suffering Savior. In Matthew 27, we find Jesus on the cross. While on the cross, Jesus endures suffering at the hands of Roman soldiers, hateful crowds, even the thieves crucified on either side of him. It’s a pathetic scene that breaks our hearts, but why is Jesus there? Why does Jesus allow himself to endure all that suffering?...
3.26.23 - Our Greatest Needs: In the Shadow of Death, Jesus Is Life (John 11:17-27, 38-45)
April 15, 2023 20:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBThe author and poet George Eliot once wrote, “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” The Roman philosopher Cicero said much the same. He wrote, “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” What second rate comfort! But that is the best the unbelieving world can offer—the sappy sentiment that our dead loved ones somehow “live on” in our memories. It is a sad way to attempt to cope as you walk through the cemetery. Jesus provides a better solution to d...
3.22.23 - See our Suffering Savior! Corrected Vision (Matthew 27:1-26)
April 08, 2023 16:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBDuring the weeks of Lent, we ultimately follow Jesus to the empty tomb of Easter. However, before he abandons that tomb, Jesus has a mission to accomplish. He must become our suffering Savior. Tonight, we see Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate—the Roman governor. Even though God had established government for the good of humanity, Jesus innocently suffers injustice and torture at the hands of a ruler who fails to see Jesus for who he really is. Nevertheless, through this suffering, Jesus...
3.19.23 - Our Greatest Needs: I Was Blind, But Now I See (John 9:1-7,13-17,34-39)
April 06, 2023 14:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBWe know that unbelief will have consequences in the future—eternal separation from God. But unbelief also has consequences now. It makes you blind, in a sense. The unbeliever is unable to see the world as it really is. That which is harmful the unbeliever considers good; that which is good he considers meaningless. The unbeliever cannot see the danger that lurks behind temptation. He cannot see the blessing contained in God’s Word. The unbeliever cannot see the tragic fate that lies in his f...
3.12.23 - Our Greatest Needs: Jesus the Living Water and the Living Rock (Exodus 17:1-7)
April 04, 2023 13:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBA person can survive between one and two months without food. But a person can survive only two to three days without water. Water is one of our greatest needs. Research shows that even slight dehydration will adversely affect your mood, memory, and motor coordination. Become seriously dehydrated, and life ends quickly. This helps us understand what Scripture means when it says things like, “My soul thirsts for God” (Psalm 42:2). If one is separated from God, he is adversely affected. If he ...
3.8.23 - See Our Suffering Savior! The Agony of Apathy (Matthew 26:36-56)
April 01, 2023 17:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MBDuring the weeks of Lent, we ultimately follow Jesus to the empty tomb of Easter. However, before he abandons that tomb, Jesus has a mission to accomplish. He must become our suffering Savior. Tonight, we find Jesus with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here the weight of the mission Jesus must accomplish crushes down on his shoulders. As truly human, Jesus recognizes that it would be so much easier to not face the suffering necessary for our salvation. Yet as truly God, Jesus kn...
3.5.23 - Our Greatest Needs: God Loves to Give Gifts! (Romans 4:1-5,13-17)
April 01, 2023 00:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWhen assessing the seriousness of need, one factor is how widespread that need is. A homeless individual needs food. During a famine, an entire nation needs food. It is substantially easier to meet the needs of the former than the latter! The more widespread a need, the greater the need. When Jesus said, “No one can enter the kingdom of God,” he declared that the need for salvation is universal. He rightly condemned humanity as a whole. There is no one on the face of the earth who can make ...
3.1.23 - See Our Suffering Savior! Conspiracy and Covenant (Matthew 26:1-35)
March 26, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBDuring the weeks of Lent, we ultimately follow Jesus to the empty tomb of Easter. However, before he abandons that tomb, Jesus has a mission to accomplish. He must become our suffering Savior. Tonight we see how the people he came to save—people who should have identified him as the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies—plotted to kill him. We hear how Jesus makes the heartbreaking revelation that every one of his own disciples will betray, deny, or abandon him in his hour of need....
2.26.23 - Our Greatest Needs: A Champion for the Defeated (Matthew 4:1-11)
March 11, 2023 18:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MBOur modern English word “champion” comes from an old English word that meant “warrior.” In ancient times, when two armies gathered to fight, sometimes as a prelude to the battle—and sometimes in place of the battle—each army would pick a mighty solider, and these two men would fight each other. These elite warriors, these champions, would represent their people in battle. They would meet in the middle of the field. With everyone watching, they would fight to the death. Today we are reminde...
2.22.23 - Our Greatest Needs: A Wholly Humbled Heart (Luke 18:9-14)
March 08, 2023 16:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBTo understand our greatest needs, we need to understand our greatest problems. So, here is the irony. One of our greatest problems is we do not think we have many problems at all. This can be especially true of those who are religious. We look to our religious activity—our regular time in prayer, our generous offerings, our volunteerism—as proof that we are just fine, certainly better than most. This belief is reinforced when others notice all the good we do and praise us for it. Ash Wednes...
2.19.23 - We Were Eyewitnesses of His Majesty! (2 Peter 1:16-21)
March 05, 2023 12:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBThroughout his ministry Jesus said astounding things and did astounding things. Yet, he looked like a normal man. The prophet said, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2). This would all change one day atop a high mountain. There, Jesus gave his disciples—gave his Church—a glimpse of the glory he set aside to be our Savior. The voice of the Father thundered from the heavens, just as it did at Jesus’ baptism, annou...
2.12.23 - The Savior's Sermon: Love...It's Not What You Think (Matthew 5:38-48)
February 25, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBThroughout Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount he describes life in the Messiah’s kingdom. It seems completely upside down. He talked about the meek being the ones who will inherit the earth. He said that those who are poor in spirit are actually the most blessed by God. Now today he tells us to love our enemies. It seems counterintuitive and a recipe for being treated like a doormat. Why would Jesus ask us to do this? It’s simple. We belong to him and are meant to be like him. Christ calls us to l...
2.5.23 - The Savior's Sermon: Called to Live a Holy Life (Matthew 5:21-37)
February 11, 2023 19:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBThe word “holy” comes from an Old English word, which means “whole” or “healthy.” We have a holy God. He wants us to live a holy life, one that is wholly dedicated to him, one that is spiritually and emotionally healthy for us. So, as Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, he makes a crucial point that not all his followers (including present day followers) understand well. Jesus came to free us from sin. He did not come to free us to sin. God commands that we live a holy life. He provides...
1.29.23 - The Savior's Sermon: Be What God Made You to Be (Matthew 5:13-30)
February 04, 2023 18:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBImagine a beautiful guitar, carefully crafted out of the finest mahogany and steel strings. Now imagine that fine instrument is never played. It is placed atop a bookshelf and never touched. It just collects dust. Tragic, right? What a thing is finds fulfillment when that thing does what it was made to do. Of what use is a guitar that makes no music? What would be the point of turning on a lamp and then throwing a heavy blanket over it. It might still be a lamp, but it provides no light. (It...
1.29.2023 - The Savior's Sermon: Be What God Made You to Be (Matthew 5:13-30)
February 04, 2023 18:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBImagine a beautiful guitar, carefully crafted out of the finest mahogany and steel strings. Now imagine that fine instrument is never played. It is placed atop a bookshelf and never touched. It just collects dust. Tragic, right? What a thing is finds fulfillment when that thing does what it was made to do. Of what use is a guitar that makes no music? What would be the point of turning on a lamp and then throwing a heavy blanket over it. It might still be a lamp, but it provides no light. (It...
1.22.23 - The Savior's Sermon: Blessed Are the Unlikely (Matthew 5:1-12)
January 29, 2023 04:00 - 22 minutes - 15.4 MBJesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a series of blessings. “Blessed are…” Jesus says, again and again. In the Latin translation of the Bible, these all begin with the word beati which translates as “blessed” or “happy.” Thus, this portion of the sermon is often called “The Beatitudes.” We often think of them as the doorway to the Sermon on the Mount, but these statements of blessing had to have given Jesus’s listeners pause. For what Jesus calls blessed, the world never would. The wor...
1.15.23 - Why Is Jesus Here? (Matthew 3:13-17)
January 26, 2023 21:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MB“Christ” is not Jesus’ last name, of course. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing—“The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid (typically oil) over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. However, when the Lord anointed heroes to do his saving work, what he poured over them was his Spirit. For centuries people of faith had patiently waited for the promised Messiah, the servant of God who wo...
1.8.23 - A Savior Is Born: A Light for the Nations (3 Commentaries on Matthew 2)
January 22, 2023 04:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBAs the Christmas season comes to a close, we see that the child born in Bethlehem is the Savior who brings light to the nations. This weekend we hear the full account from Matthew 2 as wisemen from afar visit the Christ Child with precious gifts to worship him as the Light of the nations. Yet the darkness of Herod’s hatred threatens to snuff out that Light. The Savior has to flee, but tragedy will follow as Herod commands that all boys around Bethlehem two years old and younger are to be put...
1.1.23 - A Savior Is Born: Now and Forever (Psalm 121)
January 13, 2023 19:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBWe find ourselves in a unique place this weekend. On the one hand, our celebrations of the Child born to the Virgin Mary on that first Christmas continue. On the other hand, this weekend bridges our journey from the close of 2022 to the opening of 2023. This weekend we look back at the joys and sorrows, the blessings and the challenges, the additions and the losses, the consequences of sin and the outpourings of God’s grace. At the same time, we see all that through the saving work of the Ch...
12.25.22 - A Savior Is Born: Who Is This Child Who Dwells Among Us? (Hebrews 1:1-9)
January 08, 2023 02:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBFor centuries on Christmas Day, the Church has read chapter one of St. John’s Gospel. There, in just a few simple words, Scripture describes the indescribable: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). The word God had spoken in the Garden, promising to send a Savior who was part of mankind, came true. God himself became flesh and blood—to be born under law, to suffer, and to die that he might redeem us. God came into our broken world to dwell for a time, so that on...
12.24.22 - A Savior Is Born: This Birth Changes Everything (Luke 2:6-14)
January 05, 2023 15:00 - 19 minutes - 13.6 MBFamilies cherish their Christmas traditions. When it comes to family Christmases, people generally don’t like things to change. Christmas traditions are wonderful, but make no mistake about it. Christmas is all about change. Jesus came to change the world by becoming part of the world. Because we are part of the world, that means Christmas changes us too. This Christmas Eve, see how! The Bible reading for this message is Luke 2:6-14. Video of this worship service and message can be found ...
12.18.22 - Come, Lord Jesus: When God Interrupts... (Matthew 1:18-25)
January 01, 2023 02:00 - 21 minutes - 14.8 MBDuring this time of year, it is so easy to get caught up in the beautiful trappings of Christmas and forget why this birth had to take place. Mankind fell into sin. Sin brings an awful burden. Hatred and oppression. Suffering and pain. Guilt and shame. The devastation of death. These are all natural consequences of sin, but what can we do about any of it? Nothing of substance. We can numb ourselves to pain, but we cannot avoid it. We can fill our life with distractions in an attempt to forge...
12.11.22 - Come, Lord Jesus: When the Messiah Comes... (Matthew 11:2-11)
December 25, 2022 13:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBHumanity wants a made-to-order Messiah. We want the Savior we want. The Jews wanted a political Messiah who would remove Roman oppression and reestablish the kingdom of Israel. The generic Christian of today wants a Messiah who is a good teacher and an inspiration for brotherly love. Even faithful Christians face the temptation of a made-to-order Messiah. We want a Messiah who isn’t bothered by the sin that keeps cropping up in our life, who doesn’t call for total dedication but is fine if...
12.4.2022 - Come, Lord Jesus: When The Shoot Springs Up... (Isaiah 11:1-10)
December 17, 2022 22:00 - 17 minutes - 12.4 MBWhen Jesus comes back as judge, all people will either be judged righteous and experience the peace and joys of Paradise or they will be judged wicked and suffer unquenchable fire (Matthew 3). John the Baptizer’s job was to point to the only way to prepare for a judgment, one where the stakes are that high. Repent! And look to the Lord Jesus. For when Jesus came into our world the first time, it was not as judge, but as Savior. All those whose faith is in Christ have already been judged ri...
11.27.22 - Come, Lord Jesus: When the King Comes... (Isaiah 2:1-5)
December 12, 2022 23:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWhy would the Church Year begin with a reading that describes an event near the very end of Jesus’ life—his entry into Jerusalem at the start of Holy Week? The events of Palm Sunday serve as a perfect summary of the entire plan of salvation. It is odd to see this man riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey, to cheers and the celebratory waving of palm branches. Understandably, many asked, “Who is this?” The answer: This is not just a rabbi. This is the King of all creation. This is God Almi...
11.20.22 - The Last Day: Blessed Are Those Who Wait (Luke 12:35-40)
November 27, 2022 04:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBJesus promised, “I am coming soon.” Yet what does soon mean to the one who is the eternal God? We don’t know. We want Jesus to return quickly, because we know the Last Day will be a day of great deliverance for us. Yet how long will we have to wait? Will it be in a few months or a few millennia? We cannot know. As we await Christ’s return, we want to avoid two extremes: impatience and indifference. Let us not despair if the deliverance of the Last Day does not come as quickly as we would l...
11.13.22 - The Last Day: The Day Is Surely Drawing Near (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)
November 24, 2022 16:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBOur world is full of victims of abuse, violence, and oppression. In many cases, this evil goes unnoticed or unpunished. Injustice can drive victims in two possible directions. They can be filled with despair over the unfairness of the situation. Or they can be filled with hatred and a desire for revenge. While Christians wait for Christ’s return on the Last Day, they are by no means the only ones who suffer at the hands of others. They are, however, often included among them. Believers have ...
11.6.22 - I Am Making All Things New (Revelation 21:1-6)
November 19, 2022 14:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWe believe in “the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints” (Apostles’ Creed). All with saving faith in Jesus as their Savior are holy. (Saint comes from the Latin word sanctus which means holy.) God grants the status of saint to all believers. Since sainthood is achieved through faith in Christ, we refer to believers as the invisible Church. Members are unknown to us since only God can see the heart. Furthermore, even if we knew the identity of each saint on earth, they would not loo...
10.30.22 - Lord, Keep Us Steadfast to the End! (Matthew 10:16-23)
November 17, 2022 22:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBThroughout the history of the church, the story of faithfulness to the Word of God has always been the story of persecution. After all, Jesus promised it! Who would send defenseless sheep into a world of ravenous wolves? It makes no sense, yet that is precisely the plan that Jesus describes for his church. It makes no sense—unless you are the Good Shepherd who wants his sheep to utterly depend on him. Our trust in Jesus doesn’t mean an absence of persecution, but faithfulness despite it. We...
10.23.22 - Lord, Increase Our Faith: Trust in God's Gracious Ability (James 1:1-12)
November 12, 2022 02:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBRecently, we were reminded to trust not in our own ability or understanding, but to trust in God’s ability to bless. As we commemorate St. James of Jerusalem, that theme is amplified. We are called to trust in God’s gracious ability, but ability to do what? To change hearts and attitudes? Yes. To bring us joy in the face of suffering? Yes. To help us to grow through that suffering? Yes. To keep his promises even if we have to depart this life for the Christian faith? Yes. God is able to keep...
10.16.22 - Lord, Increase Our Faith: Face-to-Face with God (Genesis 32:22-30)
November 06, 2022 03:00 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBDisciples of Jesus need to learn how to pray. We need Jesus to teach us to ask for those things which our Father in heaven promises us. We need to learn to claim in prayer what he wants for us more than what we want from him. However, learning to pray is not like many of the other things we learn to do in our lives. Once we know how to write our name, tie our shoes, or ride a bike, the learning is done. There is virtually no danger we will forget how to do those things. Not so with prayer. P...
10.14.22 - A Successful Marriage Starts with Grace (Ephesians 4:31-32)
November 04, 2022 16:00 - 12 minutes - 8.4 MBA Christian marriage is established not on the success of the individuals, but rather on the gracious love of Christ that forgives the sins of husband and wife and enables them to forgive and love one another. This message was preached for the Christian Wedding of Cathy Maddox and David Garrett on 14 October 2022 @ King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL. The Bible reading for this message is Ephesians 4:31-32. Support the show Messages from the King is produced by King of Kings Luth...
10.9.22 - Lord, Increase Our Faith: Thankfulness Flows from Faithfulness (Luke 17:11-19)
October 30, 2022 03:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBGratitude is the appreciation and thankfulness we feel when someone does something kind to us or for us. There are two key factors that influence the intensity of gratitude. First, there is the deservedness factor. Say you do a favor for your neighbor, picking up his mail when he is out of town. A month later he does a favor for you, giving you a ride to the airport. You are grateful for his help, but not overwhelmingly so. You feel by doing a favor for him, you deserved his help to some deg...
10.2.22 - Even the Wind and the Sea Obey Him (Mark 4:35-41; Jonah 2:1-9)
October 22, 2022 14:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBThis weekend we were going to start our new worship series – “Lord, Increase Our Faith,” but the Lord had other plans. Hurricane Ian made a direct hit on the southwest side of our state and plowed its way northeast over our homes and communities here in Central Florida. Tremendous amounts of rain fell from the heavens, causing lakes and waterways to flood homes and communities. Relentless winds knocked down trees and weaker structures, leaving millions without power. Devastation lay in the w...
9.25.22 - Our God Is in the Saving Business (Micah 7:18-20)
October 18, 2022 17:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MB“It’s just too much.” Maybe there are times when you feel like you’ve wronged someone just one time too many. Maybe there are times when feel like you’ve wandered from a close connection to Christ and his people for far too long. Maybe there are times when your guilt weighs on you that much heavier or your hurt cuts that much more deeply or you feel so broken that you can’t put the pieces back together anymore. In those times, in those seasons of life, we might think to ourselves, “It’s just...
9.23.22 - Psalm 73:23-26 - The Real Source of Gloria's Strength
October 14, 2022 17:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MBWe find lasting comfort in Christ Jesus, our strength and our portion forever. This message was preached for the Christian Victory Service of Gloria Guderyon on 23 September 2022 @ King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL. The Bible reading for this message is Psalm 73:23-26. Video of this worship service and message can be found here. Support the show
9.23.22 - The Real Source of Gloria's Strength (Psalm 73:23-26)
October 14, 2022 17:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MBWe find lasting comfort in Christ Jesus, our strength and our portion forever. This message was preached for the Christian Victory Service of Gloria Guderyon on 23 September 2022 @ King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL. The Bible reading for this message is Psalm 73:23-26. Video of this worship service and message can be found here. Support the show Messages from the King is produced by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL. To find out more about King of Kings... Please ...
9.18.22 - Hard Truth: The Source of True Contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)
October 08, 2022 20:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBThere are more than 2,300 Bible passages that speak about money. Why? Money is a master Satan frequently tempts us to serve. And that evil foe knows how successful his efforts with money can be. Money provides us with a false comfort and a sense of security. It serves as a source of pride. It serves as a wonderful tool for a favorite pastime: justifying ourselves in our own eyes and the eyes of others. Jesus knows that serving money makes it impossible to serve God. The human heart is not bi...
9.11.22 - Hard Truth: Jesus Welcomes Sinners (Luke 15:1-10)
October 02, 2022 02:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MB“He’s lost.” We use that term not only to refer to someone who is bewildered about where they are but also to refer to someone who is in a helpless, hopeless state. Mankind’s natural state is one of complete spiritual helplessness, a profound lostness. It manifests itself in countless ways. The one who simply wants God to leave him alone: lost. The one who feels she can handle life on her own: lost. The one who thinks he has the right to repent of his sins on his own timetable and on his own...
9.4.22 - Hard Truth: Serving the Lord—A Matter of Life or Death (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
September 11, 2022 02:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBIt is an unavoidable hard truth. Our relationship with Jesus will put us in situations where we must decide where love for him ranks compared to love for other people and things. And Jesus is not content to be one of many important things in our life; he wants to be first. He wants us to follow his Word unwaveringly, even when he asks us to do difficult things. As a result, following Jesus will force us to let go of things we love and embrace things we would naturally loath. Jesus is loving ...
8.28.22 - Hard Truth: Where Do I Sit? (Luke 14:1,7-14)
September 04, 2022 02:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBEveryone knows that humility is a positive trait and pride is a negative one. So, why bother talking about what we already know? Because in spite of that knowledge, we still helplessly fall into the trap of pride. We cannot help but think that our ascent to the exalted status we desire is our responsibility. We even take our exaltation into our own hands, either by treating poorly those we believe we can stand on top of or by showing favoritism to those we believe can provide us with upward ...
8.21.22 - Hard Truth: The Narrow Way Is the Only Way (Luke 13:22-30)
August 27, 2022 20:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBWhen it comes to the difficult and uncomfortable topic of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, it is natural to want to avoid the issue. One way we do that is to direct our attention to theoretical questions. “What is heaven like?” “How old will we be there?” Today, someone asks Jesus, “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?” Jesus brushes these questions aside. Instead, he answers the question we should be asking. Rather than talking about how many will be saved, Jesus explains how to ...
8.14.22 - Hard Truth: Keep Going! (Hebrews 12:1-3)
August 21, 2022 00:00 - 22 minutes - 15.6 MBWe often divide humanity into groupings that are not really significant: this ethnic group versus that one, men versus women, wealthy versus the poor. Yet, every ethnic group is under God’s law. That law convicts both men and women of sin. Because of sin, the wealthy and the poor will both die. Only through faith in Christ is sin forgiven and the sting of death removed. God’s Word creates that saving faith, but not in everyone who hears it. Fallen man retains the awful power to resist the wo...
8.7.22 - Focused: Look Forward with Hope (Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16)
August 13, 2022 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBIn our last message, Jesus warned us against overvaluing earthly wealth. This week Jesus warns against undervaluing heavenly treasure. Last week, Jesus exposed the folly of greed. This week, Jesus exposes the folly of worry, even when faced with the prospect of having a shortage of earthly wealth. This week might be the bigger challenge! When it seems we lack providence or protection for our daily lives, it can be hard to avoid worry. But Jesus focuses us. He points to creatures that do not ...
7.31.22 - Focused: Filled (Luke 12:13-21)
August 06, 2022 13:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBJesus wants focused followers. However, one of the things that can most easily get in the way of our focus is our earthly possessions. It is no surprise, therefore, that Jesus’ words so frequently focus his followers on wealth. Jesus’ followers don’t reject earthly wealth or despise it. They can be grateful for every good gift that comes from the hand of God. However, Jesus’ followers value earthly wealth correctly. They understand what earthly wealth can and cannot do. They don’t give earth...
7.24.22 - Focused: Lord, Teach Us to Pray (Luke 11:1-13)
July 30, 2022 21:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBIn a sense, prayer comes naturally to us. We want so we ask. We hurt so we cry out. We are frustrated so we vent. We are blessed so we give thanks. So we sometimes define prayer as “speaking to God from the heart.” Seems so easy. What does not come naturally, however, is the focused prayer God wants for us. We need focus when it comes to the basis of our prayers. Our prayers are based entirely on the unique and unearned relationship with have with God, our Father. We also need focus when it ...
7.17.22 - Focused: What Do I Need Most? (Luke 10:38-42)
July 23, 2022 18:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBWe call worship a "service.” Which raises the question: who is serving whom? In answering that question, it is easy to focus on what we do in worship. “I set aside time in my week to come to church. I am singing praise to God. I brought him an offering. Clearly, I am serving him.” True enough. However, as God speaks this week, he clarifies our focus, letting us see that worship is primarily about him serving us. Through Word and sacrament, he delivers every spiritual gift he wants us to rece...
7.10.22 - Focused: Unexpected Love (Luke 10:25-37)
July 18, 2022 19:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBWe tend to think of distraction and focus as opposites. If someone is focused, they are not easily distracted by random events and encounters. If someone is focused, every decision about how to spend time and resources is calculated. Apart from Christ that type of focus spells disaster for our neighbor. We may dismiss the needs of our neighbor, thinking, “If I spend time helping him, that will distract me from other things I should be focused on.” Today, Jesus teaches us that he has set us f...
7.03.22 - God's Words Possess God's Power: I Am Sending You Out (Luke 10:1-12, 16-20)
July 16, 2022 19:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBChrist has not only given us his powerful Word. In his grace, he gives us ministers who proclaim that Word to us in whatever ways we need at the time: words of comfort, words of instruction, or even words of rebuke. Those who are entrusted with the care of Jesus' flock are expected to shepherd that flock just as Jesus would. They humbly assume that privilege, not to proclaim their own ideas or opinions, but to speak Jesus’ own words. They share Christ’s words, not just when it is welcomed gl...