Messages from the King
295 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -Sermons from King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL - For more information, visit VisitKoK.com.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
12.25.21 - What Child Is This? God in the Flesh (John 1:1-18)
December 25, 2021 17:00 - 12 minutes - 8.55 MBThe Lord had told Moses, “No one may see me and live.” If sinners cannot even bear to look upon the glory of God, then they certainly could not hope to live with God in the glory of heaven. So, on that first Christmas, God chose to hide his glory under flesh. What Child is this? It is God and man in one person, exactly what the human race needed to deliver it from its enemies of sin, death, and Satan. Christmas Day serves up the deep stuff of Christmas: the miracle and mystery of the incarna...
12.24.21 - What Child Is This? (Luke 2:6-14)
December 25, 2021 02:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBMillions of babies are born every year. Yet there is something that sets this Child, whose birth we celebrate, apart from all others. It is not simply his humble beginnings or the miraculous nature of his birth. There is so much more because this Child is the only hope we have for peace and a future. This Child can wipe away every tear and drive away every fear. What Child is this? An angel answers that question: “A Savior has been born for you.” What a stunning statement! This child looks ...
12.19.21 - When the Lord Comes Near, He Lifts Up the Humbled (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19, 2021 17:00 - 22 minutes - 15.3 MBBy this time of the holiday season, people are often weighed down. They feel guilty about presents that are not perfect, or parties that did not go as planned, or year-end projects that did not get completed. To top it all off, now is when it dawns on people how little attention they have given to the spiritual preparation Advent invites. If that is how we feel, perhaps the frenzy of December has actually done us a favor. We have been stretched to our limits. We have been made aware of our s...
12.12.21 - When the Lord Comes Near, He Brings Us Peace with God (Philippians 4:4-7)
December 12, 2021 17:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBThe Christmas season is supposed to be about peace, right? Then why is it so peace-less? We have to rush around to buy presents or attend events, plus the normal lack of true peace in our lives only gets amplified with the emotions of the season. How can we possibly find true peace this Christmas season? Look no further than the One who came to restore peace between God and mankind—our King Jesus! The Bible reading for this message is Philippians 4:4-7. Video of this worship service and m...
12.5.21 - When the Lord Comes Near, He Humbles His People (Luke 3:1-6)
December 06, 2021 01:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBPeople tend to feel a lot of pressure this time of year. We want our houses to look good for out-of-town guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief, therefore, to hear what is required to meet the Lord: only repentance. You see, Jesus is not someone we need to impress with our good works. Indeed, repentance is the opposite of work. Repentance is the humble admission of our sin combined with the joyful trust that everything needed to bring us...
11.28.21 - When the Lord Comes Near, He Humbles Himself (Luke 19:28-40)
November 28, 2021 17:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MBWhat would it be like to meet God? We know he is almighty and holy. He loathes sin. No wonder that when God appears to his Old Testament people, their first response is typically terror. But when Jesus Christ came into our world, he hid his glory and power. He humbled himself so that sinners would be drawn to him rather than driven away in fear. The Bible reading for this message is Luke 19:28-40. Video of this worship service and message can be found here. This message is Part 1 in our ...
11.21.21 - You’ll Know Him When You See Him (Revelation 1:4b-8)
November 21, 2021 17:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBWe lift our eyes heavenward with longing for the return of Christ the King. We long for his return because the life of a Christian is often filled with struggle and difficulty and the effects of sin, whether ours or that of others. For this reason, a Christian could easily lose hope, but in Christ the King, the Christian already has victory over this world and the certainty of life eternal in the heavenly courts of Zion, where we will remain with Christ our King forever. To Christ the King w...
11.14.21 - A God-Lived Life: Living Shrewdly (Luke 16:1-15)
November 14, 2021 23:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBWhile stewardship of our finances isn’t the only part of stewardship, it is a part of it. God’s Word encourages us to use all of the financial gifts God has given us with an eye on our purpose. God calls us to live shrewdly with the blessings and treasures he's given us. Yet what did Jesus mean when he encouraged us to be shrewd? Who is someone you know that is a positive example of shrewdness? In what ways are you already shrewd? In what ways are you not shrewd? How can you honor God by ma...
10.31.21 - Here We Still Stand (Daniel 3:16-28)
October 31, 2021 16:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBWhere can we stand? Error runs rampant in our world. Nature and nations are often in chaos. Everything seems to be uncertain and changing all around us all the time. Like shifting sand, there is no firm place to stand. Yet as each error, each natural disaster, each country in turmoil, each uncertainty drives us to cling all the more tenaciously to the Word of God, we find the one, firm place we can still stand—on Christ, our Rock and Refuge. Through that Word alone, we are saved and can stan...
10.24.21 - Followers of Christ Imitate Christ’s Selfless Service (1 Corinthians 9:7-12, 19-23)
October 24, 2021 20:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBIs ambition ever an appropriate characteristic of those who follow Jesus? We certainly how much of a negative quality ambition can be in the life of a follower of Christ. Far too often ambition drives the promotion of self or the interests of self as opposed to Christ. This can even happen within a Christian congregation or that congregation’s ministry. Yet there is an appropriate place for ambition in the lives of those who follow Jesus? We see it in our selfless Savior who comes to serve,...
10.17.21 - Followers of Christ Maintain Proper Priorities (Mark 10:17-27)
October 17, 2021 21:00 - 21 minutes - 14.9 MBWhether we realize it or not, everyone has priorities. We give first place or highest priority to what is most important in our lives. If someone were to ask your priorities, you would probably say something like “God, family, others, myself.” Yet take a look at your weekly or daily schedule and how you prioritize your time or at your bank account and how you’ve spent your money or even at a list of items that people are passionate about and which of those items gets a strong response from y...
10.10.21 - Followers of Christ Love Their Family (Mark 10:13-16)
October 10, 2021 17:00 - 22 minutes - 15.7 MBThe Lord in his wisdom and love makes us part of a physical family. Through the family, the Lord provides for our physical and spiritual needs as parents care for their children. Through the love of fathers and mothers, we can experience, even in a small way, the love our God has for us. Yet the Lord in his wisdom and love also makes us part of his family through faith in Jesus. Through the waters of Baptism, made powerful and effective through the Word of God, our heavenly Father welcomes u...
10.3.21 - A God-Lived Life: Loving Neighbors (Luke 10:25-37)
October 03, 2021 22:00 - 24 minutes - 16.7 MBIn October, our focus on the God-lived life will be a life lived for others, a life of generosity. God allows us the opportunity to serve and love one another, especially those who are part of our communities. The Bible reading for this message is Luke 10:25-37. Video of this worship service and message can be found here. This message is Part 3 in our series: A God-Lived Life. This series is adapted from a stewardship series developed by WELS Congregational Services. Support the show (ht...
9.26.21 - Followers of Christ Are Zealous, Not Jealous (Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29)
September 26, 2021 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16 MBHow privileged we are to serve our Lord and to serve one another! The gifts that God gives to his people are so rich and varied and undeserved. Yet Satan tries to use God’s generosity to his people to stir up jealousy and envy, to lead God’s people to grumble when others fail to appreciate my gifts or my service. So what spirit will we have as blessed servants of God? Will it be a grumbling spirit jealous of the gifts of others or a spirit zealous to bring glory to God’s name that gives than...
9.19.21 - Followers of Christ Are Humble Servants (Mark 9:30-37)
September 19, 2021 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBThe way of this world is to seek recognition and honor. The world sees leadership as a way to wield power. That is not our Savior’s way nor is it what he wants for his followers. Leadership is not conforming others to your will, but being conformed to the will of Christ and serving those you lead. Followers of Christ, even leaders among them, are humble servants. Yet that is easier said than done, isn’t it? For sinners like us, even our humble service can become a point of pride. Let your Sa...
9.12.21 - A God-Lived Life: Craving the Word (1 Peter 1:22-2:3)
September 12, 2021 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBIn September, our focus on the God-lived life will be that of being a disciple, a learner, one who grows in God’s Word. May God’s Word cause us to crave that pure spiritual milk so that by it we grow up in our salvation. The Bible reading for this message is 1 Peter 1:22-2:3. Video of this worship service and message can be found here. This message is Part 2 in our series: A God-Lived Life. This series is adapted from a stewardship series developed by WELS Congregational Services. Suppo...
9.5.21 - Who Am I? I Am Strong in Christ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
September 05, 2021 16:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBWe live in a world constantly talking about strength. You are expected to be strong on your own. If we are going to be honest with ourselves, we all know that no one can really handle all the stresses and struggles of everyday life on their own. Though we don’t want to admit it, we so often find ourselves feeling weak! Yet our God, who created all things and overcame sin and death, gives us strength. In Christ, he gives us the strength to endure all things through his all-sufficient grace. ...
8.29.21 - Who Am I? I Am Priceless in Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19)
August 29, 2021 16:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBWhat is my worth? So many things and so many people make me feel worthless. I don’t live up to the arbitrary standards the world around me sets in place. I am not as gifted or as wealthy or as talented or as successful or as popular as I think I should be compared to others. So I feel worthless. Yet in Christ, I am priceless. God specially made me and gave me life. Above all, God himself paid a price beyond value for me to be his own. I am priceless in Christ. The Bible reading for this me...
8.22.21 - Who Am I? I Am Innocent in Christ (John 8:1-11)
August 22, 2021 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBMy identity is not defined by my sins. Yet Jesus kept the commands I could not keep. He died as payment for the sins I committed. He sent the Spirit into my heart so I believe. God now sees me through Jesus. God looks at me as innocent. I can now look at myself as innocent. I can forgive myself, because God has forgiven me. I now rejoice to live a life of righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. The Bible reading for this message is John 8:1-11. Video of this worship service and message...
8.15.21 - Who Am I? I Am at Peace with God in Christ (Philippians 4:4-7)
August 15, 2021 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBAlone. Afraid. Anxious. Feelings that plague every one of us. Feelings amplified by many months of pandemic and uncertainty, isolation and unrest. Loneliness, fear, and worry leave us disconnected, uncertain, and troubled. Mental and emotional health suffer as these feelings grow so strong that they cripple us. Yet my identity is not defined by fear, anxiety, and loneliness. Why? I am connected to God because of Jesus. I am reassured that God cares for me because of Jesus. I am at peace with...
8.8.21 - Who Am I? I Am Loved in Christ (John 15:9-17)
August 08, 2021 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBMy identity is not defined by how much others love me. We all yearn for love, but so often we look for love in all the wrong places. We love, but others fail us or we fail them. Others hurt us, and we are left feeling unloved. We can even think that God does not love us. Yet in Christ, I am loved by God. I am loved by God by grace—freely and fully. I am loved by God by grace with a measureless, boundless, endless love. I am loved by God by grace with a boundless love, from which nothing can ...
8.1.21 - A God-Lived Life: Eating with Sinners (Matthew 9:9-13)
August 01, 2021 22:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBThe God-lived life is a life of showing God’s love. Today we see that the God-lived life is one that is more than doing things for others. It’s opening our lives to them. As we invite people into our lives and our homes, God gives us opportunities to show what we are all about and share who we are all about. Through hospitality, as messy and dangerous as it can seem, relationships are built, and Jesus is shared. The Bible reading for this message is Matthew 9:9-13. Video of this worship se...
7.25.21 - Foundation: God’s Word Finds Glory in Unlikely Places (Mark 10:35-45)
July 25, 2021 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBWhere do you expect to find glory? Do you expect to find it on a battlefield or in the halls of power? Do you expect to find it on the court or on the field? Do you expect to find it in the church or in education or in the business world or in your community? Do you expect to find it in life or in death or both? Where do you expect to find glory? Today, as we commemorate the first apostle to be martyred—St. James the Elder, we see how God uncovers glory in the most unlikely of places. Not wh...
7.18.21 - Foundation: The Great Shepherd Shepherds His Sheep (Hebrews 13:20-21)
July 18, 2021 16:00 - 18 minutes - 12.4 MBThe Good Shepherd demonstrates he is our Great Shepherd as he shows compassion for his harassed and helpless sheep. Jesus brings us what we need most—not just physical help and healing, but the help and healing of his Word. With that Word, he, then, equips us to serve him with thankful hearts, seeking out those sheep that continue to be lost in sin and unbelief and straying from his flock. The Bible reading for this message is Hebrews 13:20-21. Video of this worship service and message ca...
7.11.21 - Foundation: Jesus Sends His Messengers (Mark 6:7-13)
July 11, 2021 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MBTo proclaim the good news of salvation, the Savior needs messengers. Yes, he sends out pastors and teachers and missionaries to be at the forefront of that proclamation, but as members of his family, Jesus also calls you to share that good news with those you know and love. Though at times you may feel unqualified, the Lord in his grace trains and blesses you for the task through the riches of his Word and Sacrament. The Bible reading for this message is Mark 6:7-13. Video of this worship ...
7.4.21 - Foundation: How Jesus Handles Rejection (Mark 6:1-6)
July 04, 2021 18:00 - 20 minutes - 13.8 MBThe Lord of the Church sends us out with the gospel into our homes and neighborhoods and communities. You share Christ with someone you know, someone you love, someone you care about, but then…they reject your message. They object to what you have to say. Even Jesus, his prophets, and his apostles faced rejection for their message. Rather than get discouraged, we are encouraged to follow him beneath the cross and take his Word out to the world. The Bible reading for this message is Mark 6:...
6.27.21 - Foundation: Jesus' Word Has Power Over Death (Mark 5:21-24a, 35-43)
June 27, 2021 18:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBWhen death confronts us in this life, where do we turn? Where do we go to find peace and security? Do we look within to the memories of days gone by? Do we look to friends or family? Or do we look to God’s Word? When death confronts people in our lives, what greater love can we show in that moment than to share that Word that brings peace and comfort in this reality—Jesus has conquered death. Life and immortality await us with him in the glories of heaven. The Bible reading for this messag...
6.20.21 - Foundation: God’s Word Goes Out to Build His Kingdom (Mark 4:26-34)
June 20, 2021 16:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBIf you plant a seed, can you cause it to grow? You can fertilize and water it, but yet you are not the source of its growth. No matter how hard you try, you cannot force a seed to grow. Today Jesus teaches us that his Word works the same way. As the good news of the Savior is planted in human hearts, can we cause it to grow? Can we predict or even force spiritual growth or fruit? We cannot, but through his Word, the Lord sends that seed out to create and strengthen faith in human hearts, def...
6.13.21 - Foundation: Have No Fear! Jesus Is Here! (Mark 4:35-41)
June 13, 2021 23:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBIs it easier to trust the Lord when times are good or when times are bad? For Jesus’ disciples, they trusted him when they had heard his teaching and the seas were calm, but they lost that trust when the seas threatened their lives, even though Jesus himself was sleeping right there in their boat. When times are tough or uncertain, when times are filled with fear or worry, life can seem so much like a storm. We feel like we’ve lost our way and that we have no reason for hope. We’re quick to ...
6.6.21 - Foundation: Why Such Doubt and Fear? (Matthew 14:22-33)
June 07, 2021 00:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBDo you know that there is a war going on inside your heart? Arrayed on one side are doubt and fear, fueled by your sinful nature’s desire to deny God’s promises and his ability to keep those promises. On the other side is trust, fueled by your faith in Christ your Savior. The trouble is that doubt and fear often get the upper hand, but thanks be to God! We have a Savior who not only overcomes our doubts and fears, but he fills our hearts with trust in him. How? Through his holy Word, which b...
5.30.21 - Foundation: The Triune God Speaks Through His Word (Isaiah 6:1-8)
May 30, 2021 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBDo you know that there is a war going on inside your heart? Arrayed on one side are doubt and fear, fueled by your sinful nature’s desire to deny God’s promises and his ability to keep those promises. On the other side is trust, fueled by your faith in Christ your Savior. The trouble is that doubt and fear often get the upper hand, but thanks be to God! We have a Savior who not only overcomes our doubts and fears, but he fills our hearts with trust in him. How? Through his holy Word, which b...
5.23.21 - Foundation: The Spirit Breathes Life Through the Word (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
May 23, 2021 18:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBCome, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful people, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Alleluia! On Pentecost, we focus on the Holy Spirit and how God poured out his Holy Spirit, giving birth to the Christian church. Yet the Holy Spirit’s work of creating and strengthening faith is not carried out through dreams or visions or indigestion, but rather through physical means, specifically the Word of God. Yet how is that Word more than just a book full of promises? The Holy Spirit ...
5.16.21 - By Faith: We Wait with Certain Hope (Acts 1:1-11)
May 16, 2021 16:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBOn Easter Sunday, we celebrated Christ’s resurrection victory from the dead. We rejoiced in the certain hope we have in the living Savior, but is your hope still certain weeks later? Is your hope still confident that not only Jesus lives, but that you will live too? Yet as the Easter season comes to a close, we see Jesus visibly returning to heaven. Will our hope disappear with him too? Praise God that as Christ ascends into heaven, we can still have the same certain hope that we had on East...
5.9.21 - By Faith: We Love One Another (John 15:9-17)
May 09, 2021 17:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBWhy do we do what we do? The Christian life is a life of self-sacrificing love, a love that looks very different from the “love” found in our world today. Why? The love of a Christian reflects and flows from the love of the living Christ, who is not just our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, King, Shepherd, etc. No, he is also our friend in the truest, purest form of the word. Christ’s love moved him to give up his life for us. With the same self-sacrificing love, therefore, we love one another. The ...
5.2.21 - By Faith: We Are Branches Connected to the Vine (John 15:1-8)
May 02, 2021 17:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBThere are few images that more clearly display the intimate connection Christ has with his people than that of a grapevine and its branches. Through faith in our risen Savior, we are intimately connected to Christ. Through him, life flows to us. Yet apart from him, we wilt as life ebbs from us. Only if we remain in Christ through faith and he in us through his Word can we possibly bear good fruit in our daily lives. The fruit of a Christian, therefore, is a life of thanks for God’s love give...
5.1.21 - Love Begins (1 John 4:19)
May 01, 2021 21:00 - 11 minutes - 8.03 MBThis message was preached for the wedding of Destiny Miller and Joshua Hilgen at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Maitland, FL The Bible reading for this message is 1 John 4:19. Support the show (http://visitkok.com/donate)
4.25.21 - By Faith: We Follow the Faithful Shepherd (John 10:11-18)
April 25, 2021 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MB“I am the Good Shepherd.” The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one of the most familiar and most comforting in all of Scripture, an image beloved by Christians for centuries. Why is that image so comforting? How is Jesus our “Good Shepherd”? Today, we see why. Jesus demonstrates why he is both capable and committed as our shepherd. He is no hired hand, only taking care of us because he has to do so or because he will get something out of it. Instead, Jesus lays down his life and takes ...
4.18.21 - By Faith: We Are Witnesses of the Living Christ (Luke 24:36-49)
April 18, 2021 16:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBWhile this Gospel account sounds similar to last week's, the focus is different. Luke emphasizes the physical reality of Christ's resurrection, which Jesus demonstrates with word and action. Since the disciples were witnesses of this, the good news of the living Savior went out, bringing the reality of what they had seen and heard down to us today. The physical resurrection gives us hope that someday we will physically rise. We are witnesses of this reality and what this means for our lives....
4.11.21 - By Faith: We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight (John 20:19-31)
April 11, 2021 16:00 - 27 minutes - 19.1 MB“Unless I see…I will never believe!” We hear these words of Thomas and shake our heads at his doubt and denial. “How could he be so foolish?” Yet is it not true that such words, or at least thoughts, come from us as well? So often we are tempted to trust only what we see and deny what Christ calls us to believe. Yet our risen Lord calls us to walk by faith and not by sight—to trust him and his Word as we follow Jesus. Why? He has kept every promise and conquered our greatest enemy-death. By ...
4.4.21 - Certain Hope for Uncertain Times (1 Corinthians 15:19-20)
April 04, 2021 16:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBUncertainty is the worst. It causes stress. It leaves our minds spinning and burdened. Yet uncertainty gets even worse when nothing around us seems certain. Have you felt that way at all since last spring? We all have experienced it in some way, shape, or form in the past year or more. In such uncertain times, we need hope. We need answers—solutions to what we are experiencing whether that is with the pandemic, our job situation, our family situation, our health, even our nation. So where ca...
4.4.21 - See Your Savior Alive! (John 20:1-18)
April 04, 2021 16:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBOn Palm Sunday, the writer to the Hebrews encouraged us to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal.” During the holy days between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday, we have a clear opportunity to do just that—to fix our eyes on Jesus as he makes his way from an upper room to the halls of justice to a cross and finally from an empty tomb—all for us. In spite of the shame, Jesus endures all that to win our salvation that we may not gro...
4.2.21 - See Your Savior’s Sacrifice (John 1:29)
April 03, 2021 00:00 - 9 minutes - 6.28 MBOn Palm Sunday, the writer to the Hebrews encouraged us to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal.” During the holy days between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday, we have a clear opportunity to do just that—to fix our eyes on Jesus as he makes his way from an upper room to the halls of justice to a cross and finally from an empty tomb—all for us. In spite of the shame, Jesus endures all that to win our salvation that we may not gro...
4.1.21 - See Your Savior Give Himself (Mark 14:12-26)
April 02, 2021 00:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBOn Palm Sunday, the writer to the Hebrews encouraged us to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal.” During the holy days between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday, we have a clear opportunity to do just that—to fix our eyes on Jesus as he makes his way from an upper room to the halls of justice to a cross and finally from an empty tomb—all for us. In spite of the shame, Jesus endures all that to win our salvation that we may not gro...
3.28.21 - When God Suffers: Watch Jesus Keep Going (Hebrews 12:1-3)
March 28, 2021 16:00 - 15 minutes - 10.5 MBWhy does Jesus keep going? He knows what is coming. He knows the opposition he will face. He knows the suffering and death he will endure. He knows how the cheers on Sunday will turn to jeers on Friday. Yet he keeps going to the cross. He disregards its shame. He endures all matter of hostility at the hands of sinners. He keeps going for us. So we watch. We worship. We fix our eyes on Jesus and do not lose heart. The Bible reading for this message is Hebrews 12:1-3. Video of this worship s...
3.24.21 - Prepare for the Feast! By Living a Life of Repentance (John 20:21-23)
March 25, 2021 00:00 - 14 minutes - 9.87 MBIn the early centuries of the Christian church, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time of instruction and preparation for God’s people, particularly those who were new to the faith or interested in it. Time would be spent during the 40 days of Lent to instruct and prepare these new believers for the reception of the Holy Supper at the celebration of Easter. During our midweek Lenten worship services, we prepare our hearts for the Feast with the help of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism as ...
3.21.21 - When God Suffers: The Time Has Come (John 12:20-33)
March 21, 2021 16:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBJesus gives us a glimpse of his human nature and the anguish he felt as he considered dying for us. At the same time, we also get a glimpse of his divine resolution to glorify his heavenly Father and deliver us from eternal death at just the right time when all of human history came to the right moment. What a price he paid for us! May our love for him and his compassion grow greater every day! The Bible reading for this message is John 12:20-33. Video of this worship service and message ...
3.10.2021 - Prepare for the Feast! By Praying to Our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:9-13)
March 11, 2021 01:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBIn the early centuries of the Christian church, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time of instruction and preparation for God’s people, particularly those who were new to the faith or interested in it. Time would be spent during the 40 days of Lent to instruct and prepare these new believers for the reception of the Holy Supper at the celebration of Easter. During our midweek Lenten worship services, we prepare our hearts for the Feast with the help of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism as ...
2.17.21 - Return to the Lord Your God! (Joel 2:12-19)
February 18, 2021 01:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the Christian’s 40-day journey to Jesus’ cross and tomb in anticipation of Easter. Ash Wednesday begins the Christian’s Lenten journey with a reminder of our mortality and a call to repentance. Ashes remind us forcefully of our need for God’s redeeming grace as they recall words from the rite for Christian burial: “…earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…,” words that will someday be spoken over us all. The Bible reading for this message is ...
2.14.21 - Who Is This Jesus? The Lord of Glory and Grace (Mark 9:2-9)
February 14, 2021 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.2 MBDuring the church season of Epiphany, so much has been revealed to us about Jesus—the Son sent by God, the Answer to the skeptic, the Shepherd feeding his flock, the Teacher with authority, and the Savior who cares. We have a clearer understanding of who this Jesus is, but we need to follow Jesus up the mountain to witness him transform his appearance to reveal who he truly is above all. Perhaps we can be like Jesus’ disciples and forget that he is not just a human being like us, but he is a...
2.7.21 - Who Is This Jesus? The Savior Who Cares (Mark 1:29-39)
February 07, 2021 18:00 - 21 minutes - 14.8 MBThroughout the church season of Epiphany, we have seen different aspects of Jesus’s character. We have seen his divinity, his authority, and his power. Yet as Jesus has revealed himself, one aspect of his character shines through again and again—his care as our Savior. Time and again, we have seen Jesus’s care for sinful individuals, who are struggling with illness or fear or the power of a demon. We have seen him care for skeptics, and today we will see him reveal himself as the Savior who ...