St. Peter's Helenville

This Sermon's Focus:What does it really mean to be a servant of Christ? Is it about being talented, successful, or having all the answers? In this episode, we dive into 1 Corinthians 4:1-7 and discover that God's servants are called not to greatness in the world's eyes, but to faithfulness. Together we'll explore what it means to be entrusted with the mysteries of God, to live under Christ's judgment rather than human approval, and to recognize that every gift we have comes from Him. Whether you're serving in your home, workplace, church, or community, this message will encourage you to serve with humility, confidence, and gratitude for the Savior who first served you.This Sermon's Text: 1 Corinthians 4.1-7This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.6 Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

This Episode's Focus:Do you ever feel like an imposter—like you're not the person God could possibly use? In this episode, we explore Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3 and his honest question: “Who am I that I should go?” As Moses focuses on his failures, fears, and inadequacies, God redirects his attention to the only question that truly matters: “Who is the One sending you?” Discover how God's answer, “I AM WHO I AM,” transforms insecurity into confidence, not by making us stronger, but by reminding us that our mission rests on the faithfulness, power, and presence of our Savior. If you've ever doubted yourself, this message is for you.This Sermon's Text: Exodus 3:1-15Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”And Moses said, “Here I am.”5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’“This is my name forever,    the name you shall call me    from generation to generation.

This Episode's Focus:We should not be able to carry the message of Jesus to the world. We don't fit the message because of our mistakes and our imperfect speech. And yet, God calls us to be his witnesses about who he is, what he has done, and of a mysterious triune God. Why and how? Why? Because God transforms us by the gospel and it becomes even more powerful in us. How? Through the transformative power of the Word, brought into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, filled by the work of Jesus Christ, and prepared through the wisdom and love of the Father.The Sermon Text: Matthew 28:16-20Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This Episode's Focus:What does it really mean to have “rivers of living water” flowing from within you? When we hear about the Holy Spirit, we often think of dramatic moments like Pentecost—tongues of fire, miraculous signs, and thousands coming to faith. But is that the only way the Spirit works? In this episode, we explore Jesus’ promise in John 7:37-39 and discover how the Holy Spirit most often moves through ordinary believers in extraordinary ways. From quiet prayers and faithful parenting to steadfast trust in the middle of suffering, we'll see how living water continues to flow through God's people today, bringing peace, purpose, and confidence in Christ.This Sermon's Text: John 7:37-39On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Service and Sermon Focus:As our 8th graders graduate, and as all of us go from one known situation to an unknown situation, we have to trust in something - someone - other than ourselves. We don't know what is coming just around the bend. We don't know what blessings and challenges will come. We don't know how we will do this or that. But who does know? Whose ways are higher than our ways? God knows. Not only that, God cares.God uses his knowledge to prepare a path for us to grow closer to him and to reach our heavenly home. That may not always be the path we would have chosen. It may not always look like the path we want to be on. We may often feel that we are lost and abandoned. But Scripture reminds us not to lean on our own understanding. Instead, God's Word reminds us to remember how great our God is and how gracious he is toward us. God loves us. He used his wisdom and knowledge to come into this world and create the perfect rescue plan that no one saw coming and no one could stop. Even those vehemently against God and his plan were part of God's ways.In the same way, be comforted that in High School, in life, and even in death, God knows, he works, he saves, he loves. So... trust fall right into Jesus' arms. He's got you.2025-2026 School Year Theme Verse:Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

This Episode's Focus:What does faith look like through the eyes of a child? In this joyful Kindergarten celebration service, hear young students boldly recite God’s Word from memory and proclaim the promises of their Savior with confidence and joy. Alongside these Scripture recitations is a heartfelt meditation on 2 Timothy 4:7–8, reflecting on the challenges these children have overcome, the growth they’ve experienced, and the greater race all Christians are running by faith in Christ. This episode is a beautiful reminder that even the smallest voices can proclaim the greatest truth: the crown of righteousness is waiting for all who trust in Jesus.This Episode's Focus Text: 2 Timothy 4:7-8I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

This Sermon & Service Focus:What does it actually look like to stand firm in the faith when life gets difficult? In this special Confirmation service episode, hear young Christians boldly confess what they believe through Scripture-based essays, public examination questions, and a message from 1 Peter reminding believers that suffering, pressure, and spiritual battles do not have the final word. This episode is a powerful encouragement for parents, students, lifelong Christians, and anyone needing the reminder that the God of all grace is still strengthening and establishing His people today.The Sermon Text: 1 Peter 4:12–17; 5:6-11Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

This Sermon's Focus:This Ascension sermon wrestles with one of the deepest fears hidden inside the human heart: Will he come back for me? From abandoned disciples staring into the sky to our own insecurities about worth, failure, and faithfulness, this message from Acts 1 reminds us of the breathtaking promise of Jesus’ ascension — not that He left us behind, but that He reigns for us and will return for us. The same Savior who endured the cross, forgave fearful disciples, and conquered death has not abandoned His people. He is still present, still ruling, still interceding, and He will come back. If you’ve ever wrestled with fear, doubt, loneliness, or wondered whether you are truly loved by God, this sermon is a powerful reminder that Jesus does not walk away from His sheep.The Sermon Text: Acts 1:1-11In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

This sermon was preached at Mark Genz's Funeral, focusing on the comfort all of us have as Christians, both young and old, that WE are the little lamb in the picture. We are the sheep that our Good Shepherd stops at nothing to save. He lays down his life for US. This is the great comfort Mark's family has and this is the great comfort you can have as well, that when we know and believe in Jesus, we know and believe that we are loved and cared for here and we also know we will be loved and cared for in the house of the Lord FOREVER. The Sermon Text: John 10:11-13, 27-28“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

This Sermon's Focus:Have you ever felt too far gone, too broken, or too overlooked for God to notice? In this encouraging message from Luke 19:1–10, we meet Zacchaeus—a man despised by others but relentlessly pursued by Jesus. Discover how Christ seeks out the lost, calls sinners by name, and brings salvation into lives that seem beyond hope. More than a story about a man in a tree, this is a powerful reminder that Jesus still pursues and saves sinners today—and that those transformed by His grace can't help but pursue Him in return. Join us as we explore the life-changing truth that salvation begins with Jesus' pursuit of us and results in a joyful response of faith, repentance, and renewed purpose.The Sermon Text: Luke 19:1–10Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This Sermon's Focus:What if the most loving thing you could do… is speak a truth the world calls offensive? In this powerful sermon from Acts 4:8-12, we explore why the gospel of Jesus is both radically inclusive and undeniably exclusive. Discover how fearful disciples became bold witnesses, why truth still matters in a culture of “your truth vs. my truth,” and how the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. If you’ve ever struggled to share your faith without sounding judgmental, this message will challenge and encourage you to stand boldly in the love and truth of Christ.This Sermon's Text: Acts 4.8-12Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is“‘the stone you builders rejected,    which has become the cornerstone.’12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

This Sermon's Focus:Whose voice is shaping your life? In a world full of anxiety, distraction, pressure, and empty promises, Jesus says: “My sheep know My voice.” In this powerful message from John 10, discover how the Good Shepherd still calls His people by name, leads them through the chaos, and offers a life deeper, fuller, and more secure than anything this world can give. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the noise around you or the struggles within you, this sermon is an invitation to hear the one voice that changes everything, and hear his voice more than any other.This Sermon's Text: John 10:1-10Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter thesheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out allhis own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow astranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure ofspeech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I amthe gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

This Episode's Focus:What gives your life real value? In a world chasing success, money, and identity, 1 Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. In this episode, we explore what it means to live as redeemed people — strangers in this world whose faith and hope are anchored in the risen Savior. Discover the incredible worth God places on you, the freedom found in Christ’s sacrifice, and the hope that changes how we live every day.The Sermon Text: 1 Peter 1:17-21Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

This Sermon's Focus: What if life isn’t just random chaos… but a mission with an eternal ending already secured?In this episode of the St. Peter’s Helenville Podcast, we dive into 1 Peter 1:3–9 and explore what it means to “play the game of life” with a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Using themes inspired by Jumanji, this message wrestles with suffering, second chances, fear, faith, and the promise that in Christ, failure and death never get the final word.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by trials, exhausted by the struggle, or wondered how to keep going when life gets hard, this episode is for you. Discover the unshakable inheritance waiting for God’s people and why the resurrection changes everything about how we live today.The Sermon Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This Sermon's Focus:What would it have been like to stand at the empty tomb through the eyes of Mary Magdalene? In this episode of From the Eyes of Those Who Were There…, we step into the story of a woman once trapped in darkness, delivered by Jesus, and forever changed by his love. From the agony of the cross to the despair of the empty tomb, Mary believed she had lost everything—until the risen Jesus spoke a single word: “Mary.” Discover the hope, identity, and new life found in the voice of the Savior who still calls each of us by name and invites us to run out of our graves and into the joy of his resurrection.Sermon Texts: Luke 8:1-3, Matthew 28:1-10 Luke 8:1-3After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.Matthew 28:1-1028 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”The video material was kindly provided by HikingFex.com.https://www.hikingfex.com/en/videos

Sermon Texts: Hebrews 11:13–16All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.Job 19:25–27 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Sermon Focus: From the Eyes of JesusWe’ve seen Jesus through their eyes—Peter, Judas, Mary, the Centurion. Ordinary people standing in extraordinary moments. But now… we turn the lens. What did Jesus see as the crowds shouted “crucify”? What was on His mind as He carried the cross? This week, we step into the most powerful perspective of all—the eyes of the Savior.Sermon Text: Luke 23:26–32As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”    and to the hills, “Cover us!”’31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

Sermon Focus: Christ Must be the Cornerstone of Every House of GodWhat does it really mean for Christ to be the cornerstone? In a world—and even in churches—where Jesus can become just one voice among many, this message calls us back to something deeper. From Ephesians 2, we’re reminded that Christ is not an add-on, not a helpful influence, but the very foundation everything else stands on. When He is truly the cornerstone, He doesn’t just support the structure—He defines it. This sermon challenges us to examine what we’re really building on… and invites us to center everything on the One who holds it all together.Sermon Text: Ephesians 2:19–22Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.This sermon and the subsequent speech by Richard Pfeifer were delivered for the rededication service of St. Peter's Lutheran Church after the renovation and expansion of our facility on top of the hill. Thank you to Richard Pfeifer for delivering a special poem for the occasion!

Sermon Focus:What if the very thing you’re afraid to hope for… is exactly what God is calling you to believe? In this powerful message from 2 Kings, we walk with a grieving mother whose miracle child is suddenly taken from her—and watch as God does the unthinkable. This sermon wrestles with the fear of disappointment, the pain of shattered expectations, and the bold invitation God gives anyway: get your hopes up. Because in a world where death feels final, our God still raises the dead—and promises that this is not the end of your story.Sermon Text: 2 Kings 4:17-37But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.”“That’s all right,” she said.24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! 26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”“Everything is all right,” she said.27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.” 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

What do you do when you’ve said you’d never fail… and then you do? Through Peter’s eyes, we feel the weight of regret, the ache of shame, and the desperate longing for forgiveness. But we also witness something greater—Jesus’ unwavering love. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’ve gone too far or failed too deeply, this message is for you. Come and hear the voice that still calls, “Follow me.”Sermon Text: John 21:1–19Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”“No,” they answered.6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

He came in the dark, full of questions… and left forever changed. Nicodemus once struggled to understand Jesus’ words about being “born again,” wrestling with faith through the lens of reason and tradition. But standing at the tomb, everything is different. What changed? What moved a cautious religious leader to publicly honor a crucified Messiah? In this message, we see how the Spirit works quietly but powerfully—transforming doubt into bold faith, and revealing a Savior who came not to condemn, but to save.Sermon Text: John 19:28–30, 38–42Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[c] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

This Sermon's Focus:Are you seeing clearly? We often think blindness is just about the eyes, but the most dangerous kind of blindness starts in the heart. This Sunday, we’re diving into John 9 to see how a man who gained his sight ended up seeing more than the people who had it all along. You need the right glasses to see the right Savior. Find out if your "spiritual prescription" needs an update.The Sermon Text: John 9:1-7,13-17,34-39 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”The man replied, “He is a prophet.”34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

This Sermon's Focus:What if the greatest barrier between you and God isn’t distance—but thirst you don’t even feel anymore?In this sermon, we step into a powerful encounter at the well—and a modern-day story that feels strikingly similar. Walls go up fast. Assumptions. Hurt. Fear. The internal thoughts swirl like, “I’m not good enough.” “God couldn’t want me.” But Jesus doesn’t walk away. He leans in. He breaks through every excuse, every wound, every lie, and offers something no one else can: Living water.This episode is about the thirst we try to ignore, the barriers we build, and the Savior who refuses to leave us there. Because when Jesus meets you at the well everything changes.The Sermon Text: John 4:5–26So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”17 “I have no husband,” she replied.Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

He had seen it all. War. Blood. Death. Nothing shook him until this moment.In this sermon from our Lent Series: From the Eyes of Those Who Were There, stand at the foot of the cross through the eyes of a Roman centurion—a hardened soldier confronted with things he couldn’t explain.An innocent man who didn’t fight back.A king crowned with thorns.A dying man who still forgave.As darkness falls and the earth begins to shake, everything changed for him and for the world. It compelled that Centurion to cry out:“Truly this man was the Son of God.”What did he see and what did he believe that made him say that? What do you see? What do you believe about the man on the cross?Sermon Text: Mark 15:33-39At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

What would it be like… to raise the Son of God?In this sermon from our Lent Series: From the Eyes of Those Who Were There, step into the life of Mary—the mother of Jesus. Not as a figure on a pedestal… but as a real mother. A sinner. A woman chosen by grace.She held Him as a baby, raised Him as her son, And yet she knew he was so much more—He was her and the world's Savior.From the wonder of His birth, to the confusion of His mission, to the heartbreak at the cross, Mary’s story is one of love, loss, and a faith refined through it all.A sword would pierce her soul, but through that pain, she would see the grace of God more clearly than ever.This isn’t just her story... It’s ours too!Sermon Text: John19:25–27Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

What would you do… if you knew you were standing in the presence of the Savior—just days before He would die?To some, it looked like waste.A year’s wages… poured out at His feet.But through Mary’s eyes, it was something entirely different.In this second sermon of our Lent Series: From the Eyes of Those Who Were There, step into the room… feel the tension… hear the criticism… and witness a moment of radical love and deep faith.She had seen His power over death.She had sat at His feet and heard His promises.And now—she responds.This isn’t just a story about perfume.It’s a story about recognizing Jesus for who He truly is…and giving Him everything.Sermon Text: John 12:1-11Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

What's the one thing that resonates the loudest in people's minds about you and specifically your faith? Is it a good sound? Mixed? Are you unsure? This lesson wrestles with how we can make sure we are sounding a clear call for faith in Jesus being the most important and life-changing thing about us and about life in general. SBS = Sunday Bible StudyLiving My Life as a ChristianLesson 11: Sounding a Clear Call (Witness!)Lesson Handout: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U6QniBSu15fGjsIrbyD-iYelcH2Ik7Xa?usp=sharingLesson Homework:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-FumPADfsQjOHQ_7uAkWFDesnf7dSFf2?usp=sharing

This Sermon's Focus:Ever wondered what it takes to have faith like Abraham? Abraham was just an ordinary guy, but when he encountered God, everything changed. He didn’t have a prototype or a grand plan—just a simple command to leave everything behind and trust in God's promises. His journey teaches us that faith isn’t about perfection; it’s about trusting God’s presence and word, even in uncertainty. As we reflect on Abraham’s story, let’s remember that God’s promises are still true for us today. How are you navigating your journey of faith? Sermon Text: Genesis 12:1-8The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.2 “I will make you into a great nation,    and I will bless you;I will make your name great,    and you will be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you,    and whoever curses you I will curse;and all peoples on earth    will be blessed through you.”4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.#FaithJourney #Abraham #GodsPromises #ChristianLiving #Inspiration

SBS = Sunday Bible StudyLiving My Life as a ChristianLesson 8: Encouraging One AnotherLesson Handout: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U6QniBSu15fGjsIrbyD-iYelcH2Ik7Xa?usp=sharingLesson Homework:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-FumPADfsQjOHQ_7uAkWFDesnf7dSFf2?usp=sharing

Special Episode:This episode features a special presentation put on by the Chronicle Heritage Foundation. They are the group that helped us excavate near our church building for our construction project and identify any remains that were there. Despite radar only showing a few places with remains, the Foundation found many more than anticipated. They carefully and respectfully exhumed and reburied those who helped found and build this congregation and this community. Tune in to learn more about their methods, the respect that was shown, and the beautiful reality we cling to, that while we may not now their names, God knows them. Their names are written in the book of life.

Sermon Focus:This sermon explores the significance of Lent, Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, and how His victory over Satan offers us hope and strength in our own spiritual battles. It emphasizes reliance on God's Word, trust in His protection, and the power of Jesus' sacrifice.Sermon Text: Matthew 4:1-11Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you,    and they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Description:Take a walk back in history with Mr. Tim Prost, our 5-8th grade teacher at St. Peter's Lutheran School and avid historian. He will lead you into the complicated world at Jesus' time, specifically the Roman Empire, the political complexities in Judea, and the power struggle going on during the trials of Jesus. This is a 6-part series happening each week between our Midweek Lent Services at 3:45pm and 6pm.

Focus:This sermon focuses in on the side character of Jesus' ministry: Bartimeaus. Bartimeaus was a blind man who knew that Jesus could help him. He must have heard about Jesus and the powerful things he had done. He must also have heard Jesus' bold words that he came to heal, to save, and most importantly, be the Messiah all people need him to be. Bartimeaus confidently cries out, "Jesus, help me!" And his faith is rewarded with sight and then a path forward as he follows Jesus to death and life everlasting.Reading: Luke 4:14–21Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. Hewent to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”Reading: Mark 10:46–52Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesusstopped and said, “Call him. So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “Whatdo you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Sermon Focus: This episode explores the profound significance of the Transfiguration of Jesus, revealing his divine glory and its implications for our faith and future hope. Join us as we delve into biblical accounts, theological insights, and the hope of eternal life through Christ.Sermon Text: Matthew 17:1-9After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Sermon Focus:This sermon explores the struggles of faith, envy of the wicked, and the strength we find in Christ to remain heart-strong amidst life's challenges. It emphasizes honest prayer, the importance of sanctuary, and trusting God's final justice.Sermon Text: Psalm 73A psalm of Asaph.1 Surely God is good to Israel,    to those who are pure in heart.2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;    I had nearly lost my foothold.3 For I envied the arrogant    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.4 They have no struggles;    their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]5 They are free from common human burdens;    they are not plagued by human ills.6 Therefore pride is their necklace;    they clothe themselves with violence.7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity[b];    their evil imaginations have no limits.8 They scoff, and speak with malice;    with arrogance they threaten oppression.9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,    and their tongues take possession of the earth.10 Therefore their people turn to them    and drink up waters in abundance.[c]11 They say, “How would God know?    Does the Most High know anything?”12 This is what the wicked are like—    always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure    and have washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been afflicted,    and every morning brings new punishments.15 If I had spoken out like that,    I would have betrayed your children.16 When I tried to understand all this,    it troubled me deeply17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;    then I understood their final destiny.18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;    you cast them down to ruin.19 How suddenly are they destroyed,    completely swept away by terrors!20 They are like a dream when one awakes;    when you arise, Lord,    you will despise them as fantasies.21 When my heart was grieved    and my spirit embittered,22 I was senseless and ignorant;    I was a brute beast before you.23 Yet I am always with you;    you hold me by my right hand.24 You guide me with your counsel,    and afterward you will take me into glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but you?    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.26 My flesh and my heart may fail,    but God is the strength of my heart    and my portion forever.27 Those who are far from you will perish;    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;    I will tell of all your deeds.

Sermon Focus: This sermon explores the biblical perspective on justice, God's nature, and how Christians are called to respond to injustice with love and humility. It features a deep dive into Scripture, including Matthew's Beatitudes and Zephaniah, and discusses practical ways to live out God's justice in today's world.Sermon Text: Zephaniah 2:3, 3:11-13Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,    you who do what he commands.Seek righteousness, seek humility;    perhaps you will be sheltered    on the day of the Lord’s anger.On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame    for all the wrongs you have done to me,because I will remove from you    your arrogant boasters.Never again will you be haughty    on my holy hill.12 But I will leave within you    the meek and humble.The remnant of Israel    will trust in the name of the Lord.13 They will do no wrong;    they will tell no lies.A deceitful tongue    will not be found in their mouths.They will eat and lie down    and no one will make them afraid.”

Summary:This sermon explores the significance of Jesus as the light of the world, contrasting spiritual darkness with divine illumination. It emphasizes trusting in God's Word over occult practices and highlights the hope found in Christ's resurrection.Sermon Text: Isaiah 8:19-9:4When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. 21 Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.9 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—2 The people walking in darkness    have seen a great light;on those living in the land of deep darkness    a light has dawned.3 You have enlarged the nation    and increased their joy;they rejoice before you    as people rejoice at the harvest,as warriors rejoice    when dividing the plunder.4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,    you have shatteredthe yoke that burdens them,    the bar across their shoulders,    the rod of their oppressor.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 49:1-6Listen to me, you islands;    hear this, you distant nations:Before I was born the Lord called me;    from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,    in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me into a polished arrow    and concealed me in his quiver.3 He said to me, “You are my servant,    Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;    I have spent my strength for nothing at all.Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,    and my reward is with my God.”5 And now the Lord says—    he who formed me in the womb to be his servantto bring Jacob back to him    and gather Israel to himself,for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord    and my God has been my strength—6 he says:“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant    to restore the tribes of Jacob    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Sermon Text: Isaiah 42:1-7“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,    my chosen one in whom I delight;I will put my Spirit on him,    and he will bring justice to the nations.2 He will not shout or cry out,    or raise his voice in the streets.3 A bruised reed he will not break,    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;4     he will not falter or be discouragedtill he establishes justice on earth.    In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”5 This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,    who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,    who gives breath to its people,    and life to those who walk on it:6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;    I will take hold of your hand.I will keep you and will make you    to be a covenant for the people    and a light for the Gentiles,7 to open eyes that are blind,    to free captives from prison    and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-12After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for out of you will come a ruler    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.Sermon Theme: WORSHIP LIKE THE MAGIWorship that overcomes obstaclesWorship that gives generouslyWorship that lives faithfully.

SBS = Sunday Bible StudyLiving My Life as a ChristianLesson 8: Encouraging One AnotherLesson Handout: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U6QniBSu15fGjsIrbyD-iYelcH2Ik7Xa?usp=sharingLesson Homework:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-FumPADfsQjOHQ_7uAkWFDesnf7dSFf2?usp=sharing

Pastoral Assistant Tyler Prekop led us in reviewing and remembering the works of God on our behalf, especially those accomplished by Jesus Christ for our salvation, and our ongoing life of faith. When we begin a new year or any new phase of life, it is vital for us to review and remember all the Lord has done for us in the past and to anticipate and welcome his work in and for us into the future. Let us do that today!

Enjoy our Christmas Eve Children's Christmas Service as our little ones share with us the greatest story every told. This needs to be a core memory for all of us, when God came to earth to save us from our sins and bring us back with him to the everlasting kingdom. "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord."

Sermon Text: Matthew 2:12-23And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,    weeping and great mourning,Rachel weeping for her children    and refusing to be comforted,    because they are no more.”19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Sermon Text: Isaiah 7:10-14Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.