After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshiping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. Those teachings include a description of the footsteps that we as Christians walk while following Jesus. Today we see that the Christian is engaged in ongoing conversation with God. Because our relationship with God is secure - he is our Father, we his children - we speak to him boldly and confidently. We trust that he hears and answers. We trust that our prayers are powerful and effective.
Followers of Christ Listen When God Speaks
After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshiping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. Those teachings include a description of the footsteps that we as Christians walk while following Jesus. Today we see that those who follow Christ are eager and glad to hear his voice. Even when the busyness of life makes it difficult, even when what God says seems downright laughable, Christians let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly. Christ's words are the one thing needful.
Followers of Christ Love Their Neighbor
After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshiping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. Those teachings include a description of the footsteps that we as Christians walk while following Jesus. Today Jesus calls us to love not only those who are easy to love. He calls us to love strangers, enemies, and outcasts. He calls us to love our neighbor whether he appears all that lovable or not. This kind of love can only come from a heart that has first known God's love for us.
Followers of Christ Understand the Call for Total Commitment
After reliving the great events of the life of Christ, the worshiping Church spends half a year focusing on the teachings of Christ. Those teachings include a description of the footsteps that we as Christians walk while following Jesus. Today we see that Jesus asks his followers for a total commitment. Every area of our lives must be examined to see whether it can be held onto as we continue to follow Christ. If not, we must be ready to leave it behind to follow Jesus with single-minded devotion.
Following Christ Means Confessing Who He Is: The Suffering Savior
Is faithfulness to Christ worth the trouble it brings? The life of faith is lived in a godless world, and it is therefore certain to be met with persecution. Like our Suffering Savior, we too bear his cross in our daily interactions. The Lord, however, uses these persecutions suffered for the sake of the Gospel to refine us into the pure, precious metal of his children. Strengthened through the means of grace, we boldly confess Jesus as the Christ in the face of any persecution or trouble. The Church prays that God in his mercy would direct the affairs of this world so that the Church might have peace, but at the same time we prepare ourselves for persecution.
Guest Preacher: Mr. Andy Westra, 2nd Year Seminary Student at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
God's Global Goodness - Mission Festival Sunday
Today’s theme is the universal offer of salvation which our gracious Lord extends in the gospel of Christ to all nations. Let us marvel at God’s love and his goodness that he would save us, then call us to be his messengers of the Good News to those around us and to the ends of the world!
Guest Preacher: Pastor Bramdeo Ramgolam, Trinity Lutheran Church, Castries, St. Lucia
Did God Really Say... Death Is A Natural Part of Life
It has been said, "Tell a big enough lie, repeat it enough times, and people will eventually believe it." From the beginning, Satan, has been spreading some pretty big lies about God. And yet, some of them have been repeated so often that we are tempted to believe them. This week we take a look at the common expression that death is a natural part of life. We try to console ourselves as we face death’s inevitability. However, today we see that the solution to death is not to pretend that it’s normal, natural, or good. Rather, it’s to look to the one who holds power over death and the grave: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Did God Really Say... If you do good things, good things will happen?
It has been said, "Tell a big enough lie, repeat it enough times, and people will eventually believe it." From the beginning, Satan, has been spreading some pretty big lies about God. And yet, some of them have been repeated so often that we are tempted to believe them. This week we unwrap the lie that God's favor toward us is impacted by our behavior toward him. It's easy to think that our efforts to do good will lead God to give good to us. Instead we are reminded that, although we are unworthy of any good gift from God, he graciously carries out his ultimate purpose in our lives: to bring us to eternal life. Whether he sends good days or bad, our eternal salvation is his ultimate desire.
Did God Really Say... All Religions Worship the Same God?
It has been said, "Tell a big enough lie, repeat it enough times, and people will eventually believe it." From the beginning, Satan has been spreading some pretty big lies about God. And yet, some of them have been repeated so often that we are tempted to believe them. This week we unwrap the lie that all religions worship the same God. Many believe that every religion has one portion of the truth and that many paths will lead to heaven. As a result, when Christians claim that there is one God and one way to heaven, the reaction is often unpleasant. Thankfully, God's word reveals to us the truth. That truth leads us to share it with the world in the same way that God deals with us -- with patience, gentleness, respect, and love.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit - The Day of Pentecost (Confirmation Sunday)
The fifty days have passed and the promised Holy Spirit is poured out upon the Bride of Christ. The once-hidden gospel is no longer the possession of a chosen few. For the Spirit enables the message of salvation to enflame hearts for bearing witness to the ends of the earth.
The Risen Lord Commissions His Church (Seventh Sunday of Easter)
The Season of Easter draws to a close today. Now as then, our risen and ascended Lord Jesus prays for Spirit-inspired unity between the Father and his church. With much anticipation, we look for the coming of the Holy Spirit, confidently living a new life of faith in our ascended Lord.
The Festival of the Ascension
We're all chasing after certain things in life. When that chase starts at Jesus' empty tomb, life will always be full. For the fifty days of the Easter season, we celebrate all of the blessings with which the empty tomb fills our lives. This week we see that Jesus' ascension into heaven assures us that every promise he makes will be kept. His ascension signals the end of his work on earth, the successful completion of his mission, and the fulfillment of every promise made about him. As we ponder the promises he's made to us, we can be completely confident that each one will be kept.