Almighty and merciful God, you never despise what you have made and always forgive those who turn to you. Create in us such new and contrite hearts that we may truly repent of our sins and obtain your full and gracious pardon; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Where is God? He is Revealing Himself as the Lord of Glory!
We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
The season of Epiphany draws to a dramatic close. Jesus atop a mountain reveals his divine glory, giving Peter, James and John a glimpse of all that He is! Moses and Elijah are there too. The voice of the Father speaks. Together with the disciples we are filled with holy awe at Who Jesus is! Even more amazing: the Lord of Glory insists on leaving this mountain so that at just the right time he can ascend the Mount of Crucifixion to subject himself to the ugliest of punishments but for the most glorious of reasons: to save you and me! Come and see for yourself just how glorious a Lord you have!
Where is God? He Is Loving You!
We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
It is natural for us to love those who love us and hate those who are our enemies. In a world of messed-up love, Jesus reminds us that when our hearts are warmed by His divine and forgiving love for us, then we can share that same love with others. We can love the unlovable and have compassion on those who curse us.
Where is God? He Is Blessing You!
We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
In our world, the rich, powerful and happy are blessed. Jesus turns our world upside down so we may be saved. He blesses the poor with the riches of His grace. He blesses the hungry with the good things in His house. He blesses the weeping with resurrection hope. He even blesses those who are hated, insulted, and persecuted, because these things are happening to them because they are connected to Christ.
Where is God? He is Calling You
We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
Jesus called fishermen to leave their nets and follow Him. We might think it would be nice to abandon our family schedules, work requirements and routine obligations to do some exciting mission work for the Lord. Yet for most of us, Jesus calls us to follow Him in the faithful vocations of a working dad, a stay-at-home mom, a carpenter, electrician, or office manager. God calls us to faithful service. In that service, we live and share our faith wherever we are and whatever we do.
Where is God? He is Healing You
When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
We are sick. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are sick with illness or suffering or loneliness or pain or grief. Jesus is the Great Physician of both body and soul. He uses the scalpel of His Word and Sacraments to cut, clean, bandage, and heal. Our God heals.
Where is God? He is Delivering You
When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
So often we put on our happy Christian face so when people ask us how we are doing, we reply, “I’m fine.” But we are anything but fine! On the outside we appear good, faithful, and even almost holy. On the inside we know there is nothing good that lives within us. We are captives to our sinful nature. We have a Savior who steps into our lives to deliver us from our prison so that He can really make us good, faithful and truly holy in Him.
Where is God? He Is Strengthening You
When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.
As far as miracles go, changing water into wine at a wedding party doesn’t seem to be all that important. Yet there is comfort for us that Jesus chose to reveal His extraordinary power for the first time in a very ordinary situation. There comes a time for each of us when the wine runs out. Yet we have a Savior who cares enough to help us and strengthen us in both the ordinary and extraordinary issues of life.
Where is God? He is there: Baptizing You
We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. In our uncertainty and vulnerability, we often cry out "Where is God?" During the season of Epiphany, we see exactly where God is in our world - He is in the person of Jesus Christ. We may ask “Where is God”, but through His holy writers of the Gospels, God tells us that He exactly where He is.
Despite our best intentions, we find ourselves caving in to the cravings of our sinful nature. In Baptism, we are renewed and reborn. We no longer have to give in to our sinful cravings. Christ stands in the Jordan River in our place, washing us clean of filth, forgiving, restoring, and saving us through the precious waters and words of Baptism.
The Savior Comes for All - The Epiphany of our Lord
We’re right to expect big things out of Christmas. Unfortunately, we often look for those things in all the wrong places. Just like he did at the first Christmas, God often gives us these blessings “undercover.” He puts his best gifts in the last place we’d expect to find them - like in a manger. Just as no one would have guessed that the Son of God and Savior of the world would have been born in such lowly circumstances, so also no one would have guessed that the experts and insiders of his day would be left out in the dark while strangers and foreigners from distant lands would be drawn to the light. God’s wisdom often looks like foolishness to us. Rather than trusting our wisdom for everything, true wisdom is found in the worship that results when we recognize God’s wisdom.
Christ Became Our Brother - The First Sunday after Christmas
In the family of believers, it is our brother Jesus who changed the future for Abraham’s descendants. To be about the Father’s will meant sharing in our humanity and destroying the power of death.
The Festival of the Nativity of our Lord: The Word Made Flesh (A Service of Lessons and Carols)
Our worship this morning is an adaptation of the Lessons and Carols service traditionally held at King's College, Cambridge, England, on December 24th every year. Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve, 1918. It was planned by Eric Milner-White, who at the age of thirty-four had just been appointed Dean of King’s College after experience as an army chaplain.
A Light in the Darkness. Light and darkness are polar opposites. Where one advances, the other must retreat. Thus, they parallel the ultimate of polar opposites—good and evil, holiness and sin. Ever since mankind fell into sin, God promised to send a great Light to pierce the darkness of sin and death. Through a series of seven lessons, we explore that theme of light in the darkness.
With the glory of the Lord still shining from Luke 2, we assemble once again to celebrate with joy the Word made flesh. The mystery of the incarnation is beyond us. Yet we are blessed to participate in him who is born the Bread of Life in the House of Bread. How beautiful is the good news, how radiant his glory, how perfect his timing, how gracious is the Father to give us his son for us and for our salvation.