St. Paul Lutheran Church

Ephesians 2:8-9 is a critically-important passage for us to know that we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ. We have no credit when it comes to our salvation–all the glory goes to God! And we Christians love and cherish these verses…but sometimes we stop reading before we get to 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We can certainly do the good works God has prepared for us without mistakenly thinking we are saved by our good works! The rest of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is full of instructions, encouragements, and even commands to walk according to the Spirit’s leading and do good works. So why do we tend to downplay or even shun good works? What place is there in the life of a Christian for specific teaching toward holy living? We will find the balance in Ephesians between resting in the grace of God in Christ Jesus, and boldly doing the good works God has prepared for us to do.

We all deal with suffering at different points in our lives. What do we do with it? Many people try to numb or ignore it, but Paul tells us to rejoice in it. Pastor Josh dives deeper into what that means and what that looks like.

In Thessalonica Paul and Silas begin to preach the Crucified and Risen Jesus as Lord and King, just as they do wherever they go on their missionary journeys. They usually receive mixed reviews when they do this–some hear and believe the news about Jesus, while others hear, get angry, and try to imprison or kill them. This particular time the opponents of Paul and Silas say something especially interesting: “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also…and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” In this sermon, Pastor Smith will explore how the preaching about Jesus as King turns the world upside down. Why does this message cause so many negative, angry reactions even today? And why does this message still need to be preached? We will look at how the world does indeed need to be turned upside down…so that we can truly be right-side up under the lordship of Christ.

At Jesus’ ascension, the disciples stared into heaven, waiting for Jesus to return. They were brought back down to earth as they were reminded by the angels that yes, Jesus will come, but there’s work to do in the meantime. The same is still true for us today- that we have work to do while we are waiting for Jesus to return. Join Pastor Josh as he dives into this passage.

Throughout Lent we have looked at six of the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus. We’ve saved the best one for last here on Easter Sunday– “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.” We look at John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We see in this account three major differences in the way Jesus deals with death vs. how the world deals with death. How you deal with death says a lot about your belief system and what you think happens at death and after death. Death is terrible--do you try to minimize or ignore it, or do you treat it as the enemy, something worth crying about? Death is ugly–do you try to make it look prettier, or do you accept the ugliness and face it head on? Death is inevitable–do you try to control the timeline of your death, or do you meet it according to God’s timeline? In this sermon Pastor Smith shows how the world and Jesus both approach death in polar opposite ways. Which way will you approach, knowing that Jesus is the resurrection and the life?

There is one thing all people in the world have in common: one day, we will all die. This may seem like a grim outlook, but it’s a reality we all will face. But Jesus’ claim that he is the resurrection and the life is the hope that we have in the face of death. Join Pastor Josh as he dives into this claim from Jesus found in John 11.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Jesus rides into Jerusalem and is praised by the crowds. It seems to be a good start to the week…although we know what ends up happening. In this passage from John 12, we see some interesting things going on. Greeks are seeking Jesus. His enemies are making plans to kill him. And Jesus declares that it’s time for Him to be glorified. However, the type of glory Jesus is talking about is not what anyone else expects. It involves dying and being buried. On this Palm Sunday we will reflect on what kind of Jesus we expect to see, and which Jesus we end up seeing. What does burial have to do with glory? For Jesus, or for us for that matter?

This week we read about that sharp shift in the story of Holy Week in which now Jesus’ suffering and death becomes inevitable. He’s been predicting that it will happen, we’ve seen His enemies making their plans, and now finally things that have been long foretold are set into motion. It is interesting to see how Jesus responds as these things unfold. In the past He has used His divine power to ward off physical danger and verbal traps. But now on this Thursday evening…Jesus changes course. He doesn’t take any action to protect Himself. Rather, each thing He says or does actually hurts His cause and leads Him closer to certain death. What can we learn from this? How is the life of a Christ follower also marked by a commitment to make things worse personally in the short term in order to make them better in the long term? Pastor Smith explores this based on the words and deeds of Jesus in this passage from the passion narrative in Matthew’s Gospel.

In America today, a lot of people have the mentality that faith is just a matter of “me and Jesus.” In John 17, Jesus’ high priestly prayer, he prays for all Christians- that they would be one. Join Pastor Josh as he dives into what that actually looks like in our lives as followers of Jesus.

Are you ready to meet your maker? That’s a question asked in many different forms, but it’s one that needs to be asked. Jesus gives warning about being and staying ready to meet him. Join Pastor Josh as he discusses this challenging text, and see how, for those who are in Christ, we are ready.

We have arrived at Holy Week in our Bible reading plan. In the early part of the week, Jesus has a “head to head” with his major opponents. They try to trip him up in His words, but as usual, they fail. Jesus tells several parables directed at them to pronounce judgment upon them for their sinful rejection of Him, and by extension their rejection of the Father. These are difficult parables for faithful Christians to read. The exact condemnations do not apply to us, but we would do well to receive these stories as sober warnings, lest we also become proud, entitled, and think lightly of God’s grace. The Parable of the Wedding Feast shows God’s generous invitation for all people to take part in the Son’s wedding feast…but it also shows God’s just judgment upon those who are dead set on dishonoring His Son. 

The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is almost like a scene out of a horror movie. It is striking and haunting. The rich man is suffering in hell, but he wants to send a message back to his living brothers to warn them. Father Abraham, up in heaven, essentially says “They have God’s Word. That’s all they need.” Today the reality is the same–people have God’s Word. That’s all they need. People will have no excuses on Judgment Day. So many people live as if God doesn’t really mean what He says. What if He does though? This sermon explores how people think about God’s Word today. Is it optional? Is it filled with suggestions? Or is it filled with eternal truths that have an eternal bearing on us?

Jesus takes sin very seriously. How seriously? He says to cut off your hand if it causes you to sin. But as Pastor Josh digs into the text, you will discover that: it’s not your hand that causes you to sin, it’s something else. And you can’t pass off the blame of what your hand does.

This sermon focuses on Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. He asks “Who do people say that I am?” Several answers are given, all of them kinda sorta close, but definitely wrong. The most dangerous false versions of Jesus are the ones that are kinda sorta close…but definitely wrong. We will explore some of these false Christs, and look for the real Jesus as revealed in the Scriptures. 

In the reading, there are 2 people very desperate for healing. God provides healing according to his timing, not theirs. Through this, he strengthens their faiths. And the same is true for us.

This week we take a look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Again and again Jesus reveals the original intent of God’s Law. Over the centuries, it’s been weakened repeatedly by sinful human beings looking for loopholes. Today we also love a good loophole, especially when it allows us to avoid a difficult aspect of God’s Law. This love for loopholes reveals a heart condition. We may go through the motions of obedience, but is our heart into the act of truly following God’s will? We will examine our own heart condition, as well as rejoice in the fact that God Himself has a heart condition that leads Him to fulfill the Law Himself and save us.

Why did Jesus come? A lot of people think God is a vindictive God, looking for opportunities to zap people to hell. People who look at it this way look at God completely backwards. God did not come as a way to say, “Gotcha! I’ve caught you in sin, now I can condemn you.” But came to give life. And he came to give us freedom from the guilt of our sins.

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Some things that you experience in life are so strange and unrelatable to most people. Usually we try to seek other people out who have gone through similar life experiences. Mary and Elizabeth are both going through unique circumstances. Both have received outlandish news from an angel and both are now impossibly pregnant! This is unrelatable to the rest of humanity. Mary eventually sings a song of praise, known as the Magnificat. In this song, she describes how God reverses the world’s expectations in the way He brings salvation. What she sings about will be relatable to all people: the proud and arrogant and ungodly will fall from their seemingly secure positions, while the humble, lowly ones who trust in God will be raised up and graciously blessed. All people will be able to relate to these experiences. 

The prophet Micah was sent to give a similar message that Isaiah gave to God’s people. Judgment and destruction are coming justly in response to your sin. But grace and mercy are also coming close behind! Micah speaks to a people who have little security and peace because of their sin, and also because of the sinful, oppressive rulers and priests who are over them. These beaten down people need some good news! And they receive good news about the coming Savior, the one who will make them dwell secure and who will be their peace. In this sermon, Pastor Smith especially focuses on how trusting in Christ brings you true, lasting security. He saves you. In Him, you are safe right now.

God’s people felt hopelessness in exile. But God had prophesied that they would be in exile, but also that he would bring an end to their exile. We too experience some level of hopelessness living as exiles in the world we live in, but God has promised us that he would act in power and bring an end to our exile as well. 

In Isaiah’s vision, he rightfully is terrified to be before God’s presence. He is sinful, God is perfect. That is not a situation that goes well for sinful people. But God takes away his sin and guilt, allowing him to be in his presence. Join Pastor Josh as he talks about how we are brought into the presence of God, but don’t have to fear. 

Our readings this week focus on God’s people in exile in the land of Babylon. In reality, God’s people have always been in exile. From the time of exile from the Garden of Eden, up to our current day, we are exiles in a strange land. We long to go home! As we live in exile, we have several different choices for how to live. We could compromise. Or we could revolt! Or, we could choose a third way, which is the way Daniel and his friends live in exile–they are loyal as far as they can be, but they are also subversive. This is also the way of Jesus in the Gospels. This is the way we are called to live today. And as we struggle as strangers in a strange world, Christ is with us. He is with us in the fire and in the lions’ den. And eventually He will lead us to our home in His eternal kingdom. 

Throughout Israel’s history, most of the kings- even the good kings- failed to do one thing: completely remove idolatry from the nation. King Josiah was the one to do this. To live a God-pleasing life, not only must we recognize the idols in our hearts, but we also must do something to remove them. Join Pastor Josh as he discusses this important teaching for Christians.

The more you read about Israel in the books of 1 & 2 Kings, the more troubled and disturbed you become. All around is corruption, conflict, and sin. The kings are supposed to be godly leaders, yet they give up the one true God for false gods. They give up truth for foolishness. They give up worshipping the Creator to worship created things. It seems to be hopeless. In this text, King Ahaziah is a troubled leader of a troubled nation. Yet, the prophet Elijah is still around, remaining faithful to the Lord. There are many similarities between ancient Israel and our modern world. Join Pastor Smith for this sermon as we see how dangerous it is to give up God. You may want to give up all hope when you see the extent of our troubled world. But there still is a God–keep holding onto Him in hope, and He will save you!

The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, was led astray to do what he knew with his mind he should not do. He was led astray by his feelings/desires. Pastor Josh explores the proper role of our feelings and our logic, and how God has made us to use each of those in their proper contexts.

As we continue to read about David’s life and reign as king over Israel, we start to see sin and failure, even from the man who is “after God’s own heart.” God warned Israel about how an earthly king would be far worse than Himself as their king. This was obvious when it came to King Saul, and now King David falls into some of the same sinful pitfalls. When you are successful and powerful, it is easy to hear people say “You are the man!” and agree, and think you are entitled to whatever you want. But sooner or later, God will reveal that “You are the man!”--a sinful, guilty man. When we, like David, realize we need someone else to really be “The Man” for us, then we behold The Man–our Lord Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Smith directs us to The Man Jesus, who comes to save us from our sin.

Who you relate to in a story affects how you see the story, as well as yourself. Join Pastor Josh as he talks about one of the most well-known Bible stories there is, the “story of the underdog,” David and Goliath, and see how he puts us into the story.

No one likes being told “no.” We want to get the things we ask for, and it’s not fun to be told no. But as a parent tells their child no to things that will cause harm, God does that to his children. Join Pastor Josh as he discusses 1 Samuel 8 and how, when God tells us no, it’s often for our own benefit.

The book of Joshua shows the process by which the Lord gives the Promised Land to Israel. God’s people are entirely passive in this process. It is only by following God’s commands, fully believing and trusting in Him, that they receive the land. Whenever they try to act according to their own power or wisdom, the result is total failure. At this point in our “Growing Through the Bible” journey, we have enough information to see that God’s people are called to believe and do things that are completely different from the rest of the world. God strongly warns Israel against allowing themselves to be influenced by the nations. He knows they will start following their ways and they will fall away from His righteous way. Interestingly, there are many parallels between the situation in which God’s people found themselves in the book of Joshua, and the situation in which God’s people find themselves today. This sermon explores which way to choose–God’s way or the world’s way. We will discuss how baffling the actions of believers may seem to the world, but how these “baffling ways” are the ones that lead to life.

The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods,” seems like a pretty easy commandment to keep, right? After all, you probably don’t have idols in a shrine that you bow down to every night. But Pastor Josh takes us through the story of the Israelites with the golden calf to see how: a god is not just a physical object, it’s where we find our identity. And where we find our identity is a daily struggle for us to wrestle with.

Why do bad things happen to good people?” “Where was God in this tragedy?” “Why is God allowing this terrible thing to happen to me?” These are all questions asked when trying to make sense of why bad things happen, and where God is during it.  Join Pastor Josh as he looks at the story of Joseph to learn some important lessons about God’s role in and response to bad circumstances we experience.

This week we focus on the story of Jacob, and in particular the memorable dream God gives him where he sees a ladder, or stairway, to heaven. This is a powerful vision for Jacob as he sees that God comes down from heaven to earth to be present with him and to deliver him great promises. Many years later, Jesus will refer back to this vision of the stairway to heaven in reference to Himself! This sermon focuses on how God created all things initially for heaven and earth to be united–God living with His people. Sin messed this all up, but the story of the Bible is how God is working to reunite heaven and earth, so that one day He and His people will dwell together again. We will discuss these implications in the story of Jacob, the life of Jesus, and our own lives today.

When you read through the Bible, you might assume all the people in God’s story are holy and perfect and qualified. You’d be wrong. In fact, it is downright laughable the types of sinful people God chooses to include in His story of salvation. Laughter is a big theme in the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. Laughter can mean multiple different things depending on the situation. We might laugh because of disbelief, bitterness, sarcasm, or it may be because of humor, relief, or joy. We see several examples of this kind of laughter in the section of Genesis we are reading this week. Join Pastor Smith as we discover how laughable it is that God chooses people like Abraham (and people like us!) in His story. 

Who gets to decide what’s right and wrong? If you and I disagree, then how do we actually decide? Pastor Josh takes us through Genesis 1 to see how: when God created, he gave definition to things- including what’s right and wrong. He walks us through how understanding that fundamental truth is key to understanding morality today.

Imagine that you are running a marathon for which you did not willingly register. And it’s really hard. There are numerous obstacles and difficulties, not to mention pain and suffering, standing between you and the finish line. You feel like giving up. But then you notice people cheering you on. These are people who have already finished the race, and they are encouraging you toward the finish line. This is what the author to the Hebrews describes to us in this passage. The life of faith is like a marathon. A multitude of the faithful have gone before us, and by the grace of God have also finished the race. We look to them, and especially to Jesus, for an example, for encouragement, for strength. This helps us endure to the end to receive the victory Jesus has won for us. 

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “Heroes of Faith,” or the “faith hall of fame.” As Christians, we have a very strong connection to them, “by faith.” Join Pastor Josh as he draws upon what this connection is, what it means for us, and what it means for those around us.

We will look at two different men in this text. The first is rich beyond all comparison, but willingly gives it all away. The second thinks he is rich, but actually possesses nothing at all. The first is Jesus. The second is the man who is the main character in Jesus’ parable. In this sermon we will explore our relationship with material possessions and wealth. What does it mean to be rich? What does it mean to be rich toward God? How does it happen that someone could lose their soul because of their sinful relationship with possessions? Jesus gives a strong warning, but also provides the way to be saved.

When we have to ask someone else for something we want, we often think we have to form a strategy for how to get what we want. We approach this with the underlying assumption that the person whom we ask does NOT want to give us something. So we come up with somewhat sneaky ways to get it anyway. We might use flattery, persuasion, bargaining, persistence, or other such approaches. Should we try the same thing when we ask God for what we want? Looking at both the Genesis 18 and Luke 11 texts, we learn that we do not have to trick God into giving us good things. Through careful study of these texts, we will learn the exceedingly simple way we are to approach God in prayer for the things we want and need.

Everyone has reasons for why they do what they do- especially when it costs you in some form to do it. Join Pastor Josh as he digs into Colossians 1 and discusses why it is that we (should) do what we do as Christians, even when it’s difficult or costs us.

Pastor Buegler's TRADITIONAL sermon based on the TE DEUM canticle in the Matins liturgy?

Focus verses – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” – Eph. 6:10-11

The Public, Old, Delightful Wisdom of God | Proverbs 8:1-4; 22-31It was important for Jesus to assure His followers (Jews and Gentile) that He has power over not only sin and death….but also the DEVIL. Driving demons out of possessed people was an important illustration of this power. Discuss how the power of our BAPTISM gives us that same assurance? Share some modern day examples of how the Devil gets at us with these 3 steps: He creates doubts; lies about God’s will; and throws in worthless promises of his own. Luther said in the Battle Hymn of the Reformation: This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will…he can harm us...none… he’s judged...the deed is done...ONE LITTLE WORD CAN FELL HIM. What is that one little word? (PS. There may be more than one.) The Devil LIES...Jesus is the TRUTH. The Devil works in DARKNESS...Jesus is the LIGHT. The Devil promotes HATE...Jesus promotes LOVE. The Devil urges SELFISHNESS...Jesus urges SERVANTHOOD. So, discuss how we “get the devil out of here” when we live in TRUTH, LIGHT, LOVE, AND SERVANTHOOD.NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here:  https://bit.ly/News62325Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact [email protected] to update your information.Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

It is Holy Trinity Sunday, the time when the church reflects upon the unique relationship and nature of God–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This passage from Proverbs talks about the wisdom of God, and how it has existed since before the beginning. The church throughout its history has identified the Wisdom of God as being the same as the Son of God. So, in a way, we get the “prequel story” of the Son of God, and we get a window into the relationship between the Father and the Son, especially during creation. We learn three important things about God’s Wisdom in this passage: Wisdom is public knowledge; Wisdom has insight to know how God’s creation was meant to be; and Wisdom delights in the Father’s creation. 

Stairway to HeavenHave you ever had some kind of food or project that was missing one key ingredient that made the whole thing not work? Share a time when you tried to communicate with someone who spoke a different language. What was that experience like? Is it difficult or easy for you to come to grips with the fact that you are brought into faith, and it’s not due to anything you’ve done? How do we uphold proper teachings while also working together with other believers who believe differently about certain teachings than we do?NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here:  https://bit.ly/News6925Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact [email protected] to update your information.Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

This is a special Sunday in the church year that falls between Ascension Day and Pentecost, and our Gospel reading actually takes us back to the upper room on Maundy Thursday, when Jesus is praying. The content of His prayer is very striking–Jesus not only is praying for His disciples who are with Him in the room, but He also is praying for us! He says in verse 20: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” This sermon explores how Jesus is still praying this prayer today, as He intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. So we will focus on three aspects of what we can learn from this prayer: how important words are, to whom these words lead, and how Jesus has already been praying for us and for the people who will believe through our words.

Memorial Day Weekend | This Nation Remembers to Live Under GodIn Pastor Buegler’s opening story the punchline was: “Whoever gets the son….gets everything”. He then capitalized the word SON so that it also refers to Jesus Christ. Discuss the similarities and the differences in the sacrifices of the men and women who lost their lives in our nation’s conflicts with the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus against sin, death and the devil. Consider the little 2 words in our Pledge of Allegiance that were added in 1954: UNDER GOD. How does Romans 13:1 give powerful meaning to those words?Before the Lord gave us the 10 commandments in Exodus 20, He told us to REMEMBER who He was and REMEMBER what He has done for us…..therefore, “have no other gods before me”. Discuss how it would be good for us EVERY day to REMEMBER those 2 things: Who our God is…..and what He has done for us.The sermon warned us to never FORGET the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price. That “freedom is NOT free”. Discuss what distractions enter our lives that cause us to forget the price that has been paid. Discuss the best way for Christians to observe Memorial Day.NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here:  https://bit.ly/News52725Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact [email protected] to update your information.Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

Truth Be Told | John 16:4b-22NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here:  https://bit.ly/News51925Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact [email protected] to update your information.Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink