Church guide

Sermon for Trinity 11 1 Corinthians 15:1-10 + Luke 18:9-14 After He rose from the dead, Jesus told His apostles that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Repentance and remission (or forgiveness) of sins should be preached. Two things had to be preached. First, to repent—which means both admitting that you’re a sinner worthy of death (you might call that a half-step of repentance), and being sorry that you’ve sinned against God (you might call that the full step of repentance). [ 1,452 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/the-pharisee-is-farther-away-from-god-not-closer-to-him/

Sermon for Trinity 10 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 + Luke 19:41-48 The Gospel takes us back to Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. It’s a sad text as Jesus literally stops and weeps for Jerusalem. It’s also a strikingly violent text as Jesus drives the buyers and sellers out of the Temple in Jerusalem. There’s a powerful message here for Jerusalem and for us. [ 1,847 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/christs-fervent-love-for-his-corrupted-church/

Sermon for Trinity 9 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 + Luke 16:1-9 In the whole chapter of Luke 16, Jesus warns His hearers about getting caught up in wealth. Earlier this Trinity season we looked at the last verses of this chapter—the rich man and poor Lazarus—and we saw how foolish men are to get wrapped up in their wealth, because the temporary pleasure wealth can bring is nothing compared to the suffering of hell. [ 1,187 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/take-your-stewardship-job-seriously/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUhHdRuHRZU

Sermon for Trinity 8 Romans 8:12-17 + Matthew 7:15-23 Jesus is beginning to wrap up His sermon on the mount in this morning’s Gospel. He has just warned the crowds, Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it… [ 1,427 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/judge-every-prophet-by-his-doctrine-and-life/

Sermon for Trinity 7 Romans 6:19-23 + Mark 8:1-9 As we deal with the aftermath of the terrible shooting that took place yesterday in El Paso, we do well to come to the One who reigns at the right hand of God, to our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, for help and for answers. If we don’t turn to God’s Word for answers, then we’ll end up making fools of ourselves, like so many who have been so swift to blame people and things that aren’t to blame. [ 2,061 more words ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/this-is-how-god-treats-his-slaves/

(Due to technical difficulties, there is no audio or video for today's sermon or service. Our apologies.) Sermon for Trinity 6 Romans 6:3-11 + Matthew 5:20-26 What does it take to get to heaven? I still remember from my time in Mexico the contrast between the average person’s thinking in Mexico and the average person’s thinking here in the U.S when it comes to answering that question. [ 1,485 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/gods-requirement-of-righteousness/

Sermon for Trinity 5 1 Peter 3:8-15 + Luke 5:1-11 It’s good to be back home, here with you, after our vacation. It’s hard for a pastor to be away, but it’s also helpful for many reasons, not the least of which is that it allows a pastor to experience again, a little bit, for a little while, the life of a layman, to go from the pulpit back to the pew, to remember the challenges that you face right here at the divine service: the challenge to pay attention when you’re not the one preaching or leading the congregation in prayer or in song. [ 1,699 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/hearers-and-preachers-working-together-in-the-kingdom/

Sermon for Trinity 2 1 John 3:13-18 + Luke 14:16-24 Last week’s Gospel (the rich man and poor Lazarus) taught us to set our eyes on the goal of eternal life with the Triune God, which will both help us get through the trials of this life and help us avoid the temptation to get caught up in the good times of this life. [ 1,452 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/enter-gods-kingdom-by-grace-or-you-wont-enter-at-all/

Sermon for Trinity 1 1 John 4:16-21 + Luke 16:19-31 Last week we celebrated Trinity Sunday and thus stepped into the longest season of the Church Year, lasting half a year. In the festival half of the year, we focused on the major events in the life of Christ. In this non-festival half, the focus is still on Christ Jesus, but specifically, it’s on how Christ rules His Church from the right hand of God and what it means to live in the world as a part of His dear Church, as disciples of our Master Teacher. [ 1,693 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/an-eternal-perspective-for-your-earthly-life/

Sermon for the Feast of the Holy Trinity Romans 11:33-36 + John 3:1-15 Today’s Epistle highlights for us this truth: that our God is far beyond our ability to comprehend. St. Paul is referring specifically to God’s judgments and God’s ways, to the mind of the Lord. Why God determines to do what He does is something we can never hope to fully grasp as creatures, except to the extent that He reveals it to us in His Word. [ 1,600 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/the-doctrine-of-the-holy-trinity-simplified/

Sermon for the Feast of Pentecost Acts 2:1-13 + John 14:23-31 The high feast of Pentecost is the culmination of the Easter season and, really, of the entire Church Year. So it will be good for us to hear what the Scriptures say about all the amazing events of that day. You heard already the Epistle from Acts 2:1-13. Listen now to the rest of the story, through verse 42. [ 1,614 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/knowing-the-spirit-by-his-works/

We highly recommend all these 10-minute videos posted by Pastor Joshua Sullivan, where he answers a wide range of questions about the Christian faith. https://www.youtube.com/user/ATPHolyCross

Sermon for Exaudi 1 Peter 4:7-11 + John 15:26-16:4 The Paschal candle (standing here in the middle of the chancel) was extinguished during our Ascension Day service on Thursday. It was lit during the Easter season to symbolize Christ’s visible presence with His disciples for those forty days after His resurrection, and now it’s lit no longer, because His disciples saw Him no longer after He ascended into heaven and took charge of the universe invisibly as the crucified and risen One. [ 1,846 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/witnesses-to-christ-and-the-church-that-hates-them/

Acts 1:1-11 + Mark 16:14-20 Forty days ago today we gathered on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. These forty days always seem to pass so quickly, don’t they? Imagine how quickly those forty days must have passed for Jesus’ disciples. It was such a strange, in between period of time for them between the day of Jesus’ resurrection and the day of His Ascension. [ 1,088 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/sermon-for-ascension-day/

Sermon for Rogate - Easter 5 James 1:22-27 + John 16:23-30 I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that Rogate Sunday is focused on prayer. In the new catechism, we ask the question, Why do we pray? And there are three basic reasons given. We pray because God has commanded it; because our needs are very great; and because God has promised to hear and help. [ 1,398 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/christian-prayer-is-always-christ-centered/

Sermon for Cantate - Easter 4 James 1:16-21 + John 16:5-15 It’s Maundy Thursday evening. Jesus and eleven of His twelve apostles are on their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. He’s told them many things on this night, including the revelation that they—together with many who come after them—will face terrible persecution in the world. And to make matters worse, He now tells them that He is going away! [ 1,938 more word ] https://www.godwithuslc.org/the-advantage-of-having-the-holy-spirits-help/