Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

Solomon was a young man who had just reached a big milestone in his life. For Solomon, it wasn’t Confirmation Day. He had just become the king of Israel! The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5). What would you have asked for? Money? A pickup truck? Success? Young Solomon asked for something totally different: “Give your servant a discerning heart” (1 Kings 3:9). Solomon asked for a heart that listened to the Lord. What could be better? May God give Christian young people who are being confirmed–and all of us–a listening heart that always hears his Word. I hope you can listen to this Confirmation Day Sermon: “A Listening Heart.” God bless you!

It’s a blessing to be a mother. The Bible wants to convince us of that. It was just announced this spring that the birthrate in the United States is the lowest it has ever been. For some reason, being a mother doesn’t sound as good as it used to. The story of Hannah in the Bible shows us a totally different attitude. Hannah prayed fervently to the Lord for a son, and when she was finally blessed with a son, she gave that son back to the Lord. God values motherhood, and there is nothing more beautiful than a mother who loves her children and puts her hope in the Lord. I hope you can listen to this Mother’s Day sermon: “The Blessing of Motherhood.” Jesus loves you!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Nothing good comes from inside us. All good comes from outside us–“from the Father of the heavenly lights.” The more you believe that, the more that trust in God fills your heart, the more peace will fill your life. Forgiveness and eternal life. That’s God’s gift to you from above! Peace with God. That’s God’s gift to you from above! If God has given you those things through Jesus, do you think he can take care of the rest? Food? Health? Money? Clothing? Yes, he can. I hope you can listen to this sermon about God’s grace to you and me: “Every Good Gift Is from Above.” Jesus loves you!

There are aliens on earth. There are living beings on earth from out-of-this world. Do you know whom I’m talking about? You! You are an alien! I hope that doesn’t sound mean. If you’re a Christian, the Bible calls you “foreigners and exiles.” When Jesus talked about Christians, he said, “They are not of this world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:16). If we are not of this world, what are we? Aliens! The book of Hebrews says believers are “foreigners and strangers on earth” who are “longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:13,16). If you’re a Christian, this world is not your home. Where is your home? In heaven! What does that make you? An alien! I hope you can listen to this sermon about God’s plan for us aliens here on earth: “Good Aliens.” God bless you!

When your heart feels restless, return to your Shepherd. He’s the only One who can truly calm it. When your heart is guilty, return to your Shepherd. It might feel like you’re 20,000 miles away from God, but you’re not. He is right here with you. He already bore your sins in his body on the cross. Jesus has forgiven you! When you feel overwhelmed with everything, like you have to carry the burdens of life alone, Jesus says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus wants to carry you. He wants to carry you all the way home. Return to your Shepherd! I hope you can listen to this sermon for Good Shepherd Sunday: “Return to Your Shepherd.” Jesus loves you!

“He descended into hell.” We say that every time we confess the words of the Apostles Creed. Have you ever wondered what those words mean? Whenever we say, “He descended into hell,” think, “Jesus won!” After he rose from the dead, Jesus descended into hell to proclaim his victory over his enemies. The devil is defeated. The enemies of God can’t win. There is vindication for God’s people. It might seem like the devil and his forces of evil are winning in our world today, but one day you’ll see the truth. Believe in what you cannot see: Jesus won! I hope you can listen to this sermon: “He Descended into Hell.” Jesus loves you!

How often in your heart is there a longing for more? More of everything. More time. More friends. More meaning. More purpose. More life. Life isn’t very fulfilling, is it? There is ingrained in our hearts a desire for more. There’s got to be more than this. There is! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Death is not the end. Because Jesus rose, we will also rise. What you see isn’t all there is. No matter how fulfilling or unfulfilling your life on earth is, there is more! “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:19-20). I hope you can listen to this Easter sermon: “There’s More.” Jesus loves you!

Do you know where the word “excruciating” comes from? The little word “ex” is the Latin word for “from.” The next part is the key: What’s the “cruc” in “excruciating”? That’s the Latin word for “cross.” The word “excruciating” means “from the cross.” Have you ever made that connection? Every time you say or think the word “excruciating,” you’re referring to a cross. That’s what Jesus endured on Good Friday for you and me: The cross. The more you understand the depths of the sufferings and death of Jesus, the more you understand the wrath we deserve for our sins. And the more you understand the incredible love of God for sinners like you and me. I hope you can listen to this Good Friday sermon: “Excruciating Love.” Jesus loves you!

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Your mindset matters. That’s what everybody says, right? If you change your mindset, you change your life. At least, that’s what we’re told. What if Christ were to change your mindset? What if you lived your life with your mind on the cross? You would be humble. It took the death of God’s own Son to save you from your sins. What if you lived your life with your eyes on Jesus’ empty tomb? You would be confident. Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death for you! This Holy Week, God wants to fill you with humble confidence through Jesus’ death and resurrection. I hope you can listen to this Palm Sunday sermon: “The Mindset of Christ.” Jesus loves you!

The old saying goes, “Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Of course, that’s completely false. Words, especially someone else’s false words that accuse you or attack your reputation, can destroy your career and your marriage and your family. God knows. That’s why he gave the 8th Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). Nowhere do we see that commandment broken more clearly than at Jesus’ trial. The perfect One died for all the sinners. The innocent One was condemned, so that the guilty could go free. Through Jesus’ cross, God looks at us not as others see us but through his eyes of grace. I hope you can listen to this Lenten sermon on the 8th Commandment: “Guilty of the Truth.” Jesus loves you!

Sin is like sand at the beach. There’s a lot of it. It’s everywhere. And it sticks to you. Not to your body. Sin sticks to your conscience. You can look clean, but you still feel so dirty. You can try to leave that sin behind, but guilt rubs between your toes and grits between your teeth. You can’t get rid of it. Sin sticks to our consciences like sand sticks to your body. How can we get a clean conscience? Through Jesus! The blood of Jesus will “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death” (Hebrews 9:14). Jesus’ blood does what nothing else can: It cleans our consciences with the free and full forgiveness he won on the cross. I hope you can listen to this sermon about Jesus’ sacrifice for you and me: “A Clean Conscience.” Jesus loves you!

God’s Word and promises are food for your soul. How long can you go without food for your stomach? A little while. As in, a couple hours. Then you get cranky. Hangry, right? So how long can you go without food for your soul? A little while, but not long. Soon your heart gets anxious and discouraged and guilty and tired. You’re hungry. So come and eat! Every church service. Every Bible study. Every devotion. Every time you read the Word, it’s like a big juicy steak. When your soul is discouraged, come and eat! When your heart feels guilty, come and eat! When you long to be loved, come and eat! “You who have no money, come, buy and eat!” (Isaiah 55:1). God wants to fill your soul. The best soul food is found in Christ. I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Come and Eat!” Jesus loves you!

One of the first things Jesus preached was, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance is at the heart of Christianity. What does it mean to repent?Here’s a Bible verse that explains: “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about turning from our sins and trusting in God’s mercy.Jesus loves you!

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32). If God was willing to give us his own Son… If Jesus was willing to give up his life for us on the cross… What do we need to worry about? Nothing. What do we need to covet? Nothing. Every time you want to curl up in a ball and cry about what you don’t have… Every time your sinful nature tells you that you need… Remind yourself: I have. I have in Jesus. Every day, God is good to you. Jesus’ cross kills coveting. I hope you can listen to this Lenten sermon on the 7th, 9th, and 10th Commandments: “Coveting Kills.” Jesus loves you!

Is it worth it to be a Christian? Following Jesus can be hard. Some days, the devil makes it seem like it isn’t worth it. Is it? Yes! You have what everybody else is looking for. Do you realize that? You have forgiveness for every sin. You have peace with God. You have hope. You have a future. You have life—life here on earth and forever in heaven. You have what everybody else is looking for! You have value. Jesus died for you! You have an identity—the blood-bought child of God. Is it worth it to be a Christian? Yes! It’s true that Jesus asks you to give up everything. But then he gives you so much more. I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Take Up Your Cross.” Jesus loves you!

No commandment makes you and me feel more dirty than the 6th Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Lust, adultery, pornography… Do you struggle with any of those sins? Then no commandment better helps us picture the depths of Jesus’ forgiveness. There is forgiveness for lust. Jesus gave himself to make you clean! There is forgiveness for adultery. Jesus washed you with water through the word in your Baptism! There is forgiveness for guilt and shame. Jesus has made you radiant, without stain or wrinkle, but holy and blameless! I hope you can listen to this Lenten sermon about the 6th Commandment: “Adulterous Eyes.” Jesus loves you!

Who was the thief on the cross? You’re probably used to seeing three crosses, with Jesus in the middle. Two criminals were crucified with Jesus, and one of them even had a conversation with Jesus. Who was that thief on the cross?He probably wasn’t a thief. It’s more likely that he was a violent rebel, which makes Jesus’ words to him that much more amazing: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about the amazing grace that Jesus showed both to the insurrectionist next to him and to you and me.Jesus loves you!

God calls on Christians to have a different perspective on sex than the rest of the world. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). How you control your body reflects on the faith in Jesus that’s in your heart. I hope you can listen to this sermon about God’s will for sex and the grace and forgiveness that he offers for all our sins in Jesus: “God’s Will for Sex.” Jesus loves you!

At first, the 5th Commandment might seem like the easiest: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). But it’s not so simple. Jesus says that anger in God’s eyes is equal to murder (Matthew 5:22). After hearing Jesus’ words, the 5th Commandment might seem like the hardest! Here’s what it really is: The heart of the gospel message. God loves all people. He shouldn’t. We don’t deserve it! But God loves all people. That means that God loves you! God loves all people so much that he sent Jesus to forgive people. He sent Jesus to forgive you. Now God asks us to love people too. Not just with our hands, but also with our hearts. I hope you can listen to this Lenten sermon on the 5th Commandment: “Murderous Hearts.” Jesus loves you!

Why doesn’t God speak to me? Concerned people ask that. “I wait and I wait to hear God’s voice, but it never comes. Why doesn’t God speak to me?” Have you ever wondered that?Long ago, God told his people, “Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” (Jeremiah 23:28).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about how God speaks to you every time you read and hear his Word.God bless you!

Does it feel like you have nothing? Maybe even like you are nothing? As strange as it might sound, that’s all you need: Nothing. What do you need for God to love you? Nothing. What do you need to bring to the table for God to save you? Nothing. Because it’s all by God’s grace. In fact, it’s often only when a person has nothing that they finally see Jesus. God wants you to know his grace. Sometimes God takes everything else away, so that you stop trusting in your health or your money or your relationships. So that you have nothing. Why? So that you can see his grace to you in Jesus. I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Having Nothing, Yet Possessing Everything.” Jesus loves you!

“Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12). For some, the 4th Commandment seems like common sense. For others, the 4th Commandment seems downright impossible: “What if they don’t deserve it?” God wants all of us to see that honoring those in authority is simply an extension of honoring him. Long ago, David’s trust in God’s control and his patience with God’s plan led him to honor even wicked King Saul. David’s great descendent–Jesus–even allowed the wicked authorities of his day to put him to death, but it was all part of God’s plan to win salvation for us. How we treat those in authority is a direct reflection of what we think of God himself. I hope you can listen to this Lenten sermon on the 4th Commandment: “Honor Your Father and Mother.” God bless you!

What is Lent? Many Christians observe a 40-day season of repentance in the spring, leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Why? What is Lent?Lent is focused on this encouragement from the Bible: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)I hope you can listen to this short devotion about the blessing of fixing our eyes on Jesus during the 40 days of Lent.God bless you!

What is Ash Wednesday? That’s a strange name for a day, isn’t it? What is Ash Wednesday about, and what does it have to do with ashes?Long ago, God told Adam in the Garden of Eden: “For dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about why it’s good to think about dust and ashes and about what God is really looking for in our lives.Jesus loves you!

What is love? Picture Paul with a bag of candy hearts. One by one he reads them off: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). That’s love. Doesn’t that sound good? Don’t you want a love like that? You can only find it in one place: Jesus. I hope you can listen to this sermon about love: “Love Never Fails.” Jesus loves you!

What if I don’t feel loved? What if I don’t feel wanted or cherished? Isn’t it hard to look at everyone else’s relationships and feel left out? Alone? What if I don’t feel loved?God wants you to hear this: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about God’s everlasting and unfailing love for you. You are loved. You are cherished.Jesus loves you!

What if I don’t feel saved? What if I feel guilty and anxious and afraid? Do you struggle with that? Many Christians do. What if I don’t feel saved?The Bible has a beautiful answer: “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about turning away from our hearts and finding peace in God and his sure salvation through faith in Jesus.God bless you!Pastor Nathan

Many of you feel pain today. Satan wants to use that pain to drive you away from God. God wants to use that pain to drive you to Jesus. Why? “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Some of you today are facing heartbreak in relationships. What someone has said or done feels like it’s ruining your life. Satan wants to use those thorns to drive you to despair. God wants to use those thorns to lead you to the cross. Why? There is One who was falsely accused for you, so that nothing can separate you from the love of God. All of us face troubles in life that make us feel powerless. Why? So that we take to heart God’s promise: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I hope you can listen to this sermon about the thorns of life: “God’s Grace Is Sufficient.” Jesus loves you!

Are you sure? You might say, “About what?” About anything. Isn’t it hard to be sure about anything? We are trained to doubt everything. This is dangerous. Our culture of doubt is dangerous. Without being able to trust someone or something, everything is going to fall apart. Do you know who’s plan that is? Satan’s. He wants us to doubt everything, so that we eventually doubt God himself. But you can be sure about something: The Bible. “No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:16-21). The Bible is the sure Word of God. I hope you can listen to this sermon about the Bible: “The Sure Word.” Jesus loves you!

Do you feel foolish, at least compared to other people? Great! Know why? “God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Do you feel weak? In fact, do you see yourself becoming weaker? Know what? Great! “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Do you feel lowly, maybe even despised? Do you feel like a nobody? You’re not, not to the One who matters most! “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:28). It’s all God. It’s all grace. God loves using simple things. Like water. Like his Word. Like bread and wine. Through his Word and Sacraments, he says to you, “I chose you!” I hope you can listen to this sermon: “God Chose You.” Jesus loves you!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). God’s mercy changes you. God’s mercy leads you to want to offer your whole life to him. Not just an hour a week on Sundays. Every moment. Whether you’re working or going to school, offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Live for him! Whether you’re a mom or a bachelor or a widow, offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Live for him! Every single thing you do is your act of worship to God. As we begin a new year, I hope you can listen to this sermon: “A Living Sacrifice.” Jesus loves you!

When an old man named Simeon saw the Baby Jesus, he said some powerful words: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:28-29). When Simeon saw Jesus, he knew he was ready to die. That’s what seeing Jesus did for Simeon. He had seen God’s salvation. He knew that through that little Baby, all his sins would be forgiven, that he had peace with God, that he had eternal life waiting for him in heaven. This is at the heart of our Christian faith: If you have Jesus, you have everything you need. If you believe in Jesus, you’re ready to die. I hope you can listen to this funeral sermon for a dear old man who, like Simeon, saw God’s salvation: “Depart in Peace.” Jesus loves you!

People are searching for unity, but we often look for unity in the wrong places. The greatest unity isn’t found in skin color or language or culture or lifestyle. The greatest unity is found at the cross of Jesus. There every person has to confess their sin. There every person can find the grace of God for them. True Christian unity is being united by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Like the shepherds and the wise men. They didn’t have much in common. Yet, they were united by falling to their knees in front of a Baby on whom all their hope depended. “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel” (Ephesians 3:6).  I hope you can listen to this Epiphany sermon: “Heirs Together.” Jesus loves you! 

Christmas is meant to be deep. Not just light and fluffy. At Christmas, it’s good to talk about deep truths. The meaning of Christmas isn’t just that a Baby was born. The Bible tells us who that Baby is: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3). That Baby in the manger is the eternal Son of God who came to purify us from our sins and now sits at his throne at God’s right hand in heaven. At Christmas, it’s good to talk about deep truths. I hope you can listen to this Christmas Day sermon: “The Son of God.” Merry Christmas!

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11). On Christmas night, grace appeared. You need someone to care about you. Jesus cares so much about you that he left his throne to live with us. Grace appeared! You need someone to take your regrets away. To change your past. Jesus redeemed you from all sin by his death on the cross. Your past is forgiven! Grace appeared! You need someone to give you hope for the future. There is no greater hope than the hope of eternal life in heaven. Grace appeared! You need someone to stand by you. Always. When you see that baby in the manger, you can know, “God is with me. Always!” Grace appeared! I hope you can listen to this Christmas Eve sermon: “Grace Appeared.” Merry Christmas!

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? Mary and Joseph didn’t live there. In fact, they lived on the opposite side of the country. So why was Jesus born in Bethlehem?Because God always keeps his promises! The prophet Micah had written, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5:2).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about how Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem proves that God always keeps his promises and was willing to move heaven and earth to save us. Merry Christmas!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Rejoice always? Does that sound impossible? With all the heartache, the pain, the sadness, the stress… How could we possibly rejoice always? Don’t miss the rest of the verse: “In the Lord.” God wants to give you a joy that doesn’t depend on your outward circumstances. God wants to give you a joy that no one and nothing can ever take away. It all depends on Jesus who was laid in a manger and nailed to a cross and rose from the dead, all so that you and I can always have a reason to rejoice. Doesn’t that sound good? I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Rejoice the Lord Always.” Jesus loves you!

Is it right to celebrate Christmas? As we get close to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, there are some Christians who wonder whether it’s even right to celebrate Christmas. Is it?The New Testament clearly tells us that our faith in Jesus doesn’t depend on holy days (see Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5-6). Yet, there was one very important group that most definitely celebrated Jesus’ birth…I hope you can listen to this short devotion about our freedom to celebrate Christmas and who in the Bible gives us a great example of celebrating the birth of our Savior.Jesus loves you!

You need your rest. That’s what the 3rd Commandment is telling us: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8). You need your rest! Not on a certain day. Where? In Jesus. He has rest for you! Every time you’re anxious about something, you can find rest in Jesus. Every time you’re shaken by life, you can find rest in Jesus. Every time you feel guilt in your heart, you can find rest in Jesus. What does that look like? When an old man named Simeon first saw Jesus, he exclaimed, ”Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:29-30). I hope you can listen to this Advent sermon on the 3rd Commandment: “Rest in Jesus.” Jesus loves you!

What makes someone a good pastor? I bet you have your own opinions. Often, picking a favorite pastor can divide a congregation or even lead people to leave a church. Do you know what the Bible says about how Christians should regard their pastors? “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed” (1 Corinthians 4:1-5). Pastors are “servants of Christ” who have been sent by God to share the mysteries of his Word, especially the mystery of how Jesus came to save sinners like you and me. In Advent, as we hear how John the Baptist prepared people’s hearts for Jesus’ coming, I hope you’ll listen to this sermon about what God says about pastors: “Servants of Christ.” Jesus loves you!

What’s a manger? One of the most well-known details in the Christmas story is that Jesus was placed in a manger (Luke 2:7). What’s a manger?If you’ve ever wondered that, I hope you can watch this short video devotion about what a manger is and how the manger shows us God’s amazing grace to us.God bless you!

We have a problem when it comes to using God’s name. Either we use God’s name flippantly—“Oh my God”—or we don’t use God’s name at all. Either we use God’s name over and over again for meaningless things, or we don’t speak about God at all. See the problem? It’s good for us to think about the 2nd Commandment at Christmastime, because the message of Jesus’ birth is filled with precious names that describe God’s grace to us. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). There is nothing more special than God’s name and all he has done for us. I hope you can listen to this Advent sermon: “Name Above All Names.” Jesus loves you!

God gives us hope. Do you need to hear that? I do. Life is filled with so much hopelessness. Sickness and pain. Conflict in relationships. Frustrated plans. Guilt and regrets. Do you go through each day filled with hope or weighed down with hopelessness? God gives us hope. How? Through his Word. The Bible says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). The Bible was written so that God’s people might have hope in Jesus our Savior. No matter what you are facing today, there is hope for you in Jesus! I hope you can listen to this sermon: “Hope for God’s People.” Jesus loves you!

Why did Jesus come at Christmas? Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Trees and lights and decorations are going up all over. But why? Why did Jesus come at Christmas?The Bible gives us a clear answer: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about the very specific reason that Jesus came into our world at Christmas: To save us from our sins!God bless you!

It’s good for us to think about the 1st Commandment at Christmastime: “You shall have no other gods.” That is hard, isn’t it? To worship God alone? To rejoice in God alone? To long for God alone? There are so many distractions, so many idols and false gods, especially at Christmastime. Yet, I hope you realize that no one and nothing is greater than Jesus. Mary did. Jesus’ mother sang, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” The great things that God had done for her led her to rejoice in the Lord. This Christmas, don’t let anything take Jesus’ place. Instead, with Mary, say, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” I hope you can listen to this Advent sermon. Jesus loves you!

Wake up! Christ the King is coming. All this world is going to pass away. When Christ the King comes, he will separate believers from unbelievers like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Believers will be welcomed to eternal life in heaven. Unbelievers will be condemned to eternity in hell. So the Bible encourages, “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). It’s easy to fall asleep in sin. It’s dangerous to fall asleep in sin. Christ the King is coming! I hope you can listen to this Advent sermon: “Wake Up!” Jesus loves you!

What is “grace”? That’s a word that gets thrown around a lot in the Christian church. But what does it mean? What is grace?Here’s a great Bible verse to illustrate God’s grace: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about God’s undeserved love for you and me.Jesus loves you!

“If I sin, do I lose my salvation?” We know that sin is bad. God hates sin. Yet, even as Christians, we still sin. Every time we sin, do we lose our salvation?Here’s the Bible’s answer: “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about the good news that our salvation doesn’t depend on our sinlessness but on Jesus’ forgiveness and grace.Jesus loves you!

When you think about it, the Bible’s message really sounds foolish. The Bible calls all human beings sinful. Who wants to hear that? Then the Bible says that God himself came into our world and let himself be killed on a cross to save us from our sins. Doesn’t that sound crazy? On top of that, the Bible says that after three days, Jesus raised himself back to life and promises eternal life in heaven to all who believe in him. Doesn’t that sound foolish? But it’s true! “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). I hope you can listen to this funeral sermon for a very intelligent Christian woman who believed the foolish message of God’s salvation for her through Jesus Christ her Savior. Jesus loves you!

What’s a Lutheran? With all the different Christian denominations, that’s a fair question for people to ask. What’s a Lutheran?For centuries, Lutherans have summarized their biblical beliefs with three short phrases: By Grace Alone. By Faith Alone. By Scripture Alone.I hope you can listen to this short devotion about what a Lutheran is and how everything we believe and teach is based on God’s grace to us through Jesus. Jesus loves you!