Pentecost
May 31, 2020

Acts 2:1-21
The Holy Spirit – God's Wonderful Pentecost Gift to You!

7th Sunday of Easter
May 24, 2020

1 Peter 4:12-17, 5:6-11
Victorious Cross-bearers

1) Humble themselves under God's mighty hand.
2) Cast all their anxiety on God, who cares for them.
3) Resist the devil, standing firm in faith.
4) Trust God has called them to eternal glory.

Ascension
May 21, 2020

Ephesians 1:16-23

6th Sunday of Easter
May 17, 2020

1 Peter 3:15-22
This Is Our Hope – Christ has Brought Us to God

He gives us this hope to confess.
He makes our hope secure.

5th Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2020

1 Peter 2:4-10
You Are a Royal Priesthood

Offering Spiritual Sacrifices
Declaring God's Praise

4th Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2020

1 Peter 2:19-25
We're Eternally Blessed under the Good Shepherd's Care

3rd Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020

1 Peter 1:17-21
Heaven Is My Home

2nd Sunday of Easter
April 19, 2020

1 Peter 1:3-9
Christ is Risen! Now what?

Easter Sunday
April 12, 2020

Live with your Head in the Clouds
Colossians 3:1-4

Good Friday
April 10, 2020

Readings, Prayer and Devotion
The Power of the Cross!

Maundy Thursday
April 9, 2020

Readings:
Exodus 12:1-14
1 Corinthians 11:23-28
John 13:1-15,34

Devotion:
John 13
1 Corinthians 11

Palm Sunday
April 5, 2020

Love Conquers Fear
Philippians 2:5-11

Lent Midweek Sermon, Prayer and Song
April 1, 2020

Calvary, a place of Suffering
Matthew 27:33-44

5th Sunday in Lent
March 29, 2020

Theme: Hope Conquers Fear
Jeremiah 17:5-8
John 11:17-27, 38-45

Sermon: I Can Hardly Wait
Romans 8:18-25

Lent Weekday Service
March 25, 2020

The Way of Sorrows
Luke 23:26-31

4th Sunday in Lent
March 22, 2020

Faith not Fear
John 16:33, Luke 2:29-30, Psalm 23:4

Jesus prophesied two things:

1) “In this world you will have trouble.” We Christians face countless troubles.
* The pandemic panic, the loneliness of isolation, the pain of disappointment, the financial fear, the pang of disappointment, and of course the inevitable shadow of death.

2) “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”
*Jesus offered His sinless life as the sacrifice for the sin of the world, dying, and rising from the dead in glory!

3rd Sunday in Lent
March 15, 2020

Ephesians 5:8-14
Christ's Light Shines Brightly!

1) To bring us into His light.
a. Spiritual darkness once overshadowed the Ephesians.
b. They were now “light in the Lord” by faith in Jesus.
* We too were in the dark, but by grace we trust in Jesus as our Saviour. Children of the Light – follow God's Word!

2) To keep us away from the dark.
a. We avoid and expose the “fruitless” deeds of darkness.
b. We heed God's call to “wake up!”
* Where do you put a lamp? In dark places, of course. What dark places can you shine the light of Christ?

2nd Sunday in Lent
March 8, 2020

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
God Credits Us with Righteousness – by Grace!

1) We can't receive righteousness by our own works.
a. Abraham obeyed God in many ways.
b. Abraham wasn't saved, however, by His works!
* We can't be saved by keeping the Law. The Law “brings wrath.” If we depended on our works, we would be rejecting God's offer of salvation as a gift. We would deserve God's punishment.

2) We receive righteousness through faith in Christ alone.
a. God's promise comes to us by grace (undeserved love).
b. God's grace is unconditional – and unrepayable.
c. Abraham was righteous by faith in Jesus.
* What is the central teaching of Scripture? We're righteous before God by grace, through faith in Jesus alone. God offers His grace freely to all. Stoop before Jesus in humble faith to drink deeply of forgiveness and life!

1st Sunday in Lent
March 1, 2020

Romans 5:12-19
What a Difference One Man Can Make!

1) Adam's sin brought death to all.
a. Sin came to all through one man.
b. We were also born in sin (John 3:6, Psalm 51:5).
* The Lord diagnoses our “sin” problem to warn us and urge us to repent. Lest we think we're not guilty of sin like Adam, look how his sin shows itself in our own lives!

2) Christ's righteousness brought life for all.
a. Jesus lived and died in our place.
b. God offers us the free gift of righteousness and life.
* How can we trust in Jesus? God gives the gift of faith by the gospel in Word and sacrament. What a blessing to observe Lent and see the difference the One who is God and Man in one Person made!

Transfiguration Sunday
February 23, 2020

2 Peter 1:16-21
We Have the Word – More Certain!

1) Certain through eye-witness testimony.
a. We may have doubts about our Saviour?
b. The apostles were eye-witnesses of His glory! (They saw it on the Mount and proclaimed it in their Ministry)
* Our faith is based on historical fact – God's son lived, died, rose, and returned to heaven to give us eternal life!

2) Certain through the Holy Spirit's inspiration.
a. Sin's darkness overshadows our lives.
b. God's Word shines the light of Jesus.
* After seeing Jesus' glory in worship, we must go down from this mountaintop back to life, following the light of God's Word- made more certain!

6th Sunday after Epiphany
February 16, 2020

1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Do You Know God's Secret Wisdom?

1) It's a secret – because only He can reveal it.
a. Worldly wisdom leaks to self-righteousness or despair.
b. God's secret wisdom reveals our Saviour Jesus!

2) It's a secret – because God has revealed it by His Spirit.
a. Things we see will all pass away.
b. Unseen things the Spirit reveals last forever.
* Continuing to know, trust, and proclaim God's secret wisdom, inspired by the Holy Spirit, brings blessings to us and many others through our missions!

5th Sunday after Epiphany
February 9, 2020

1 Corinthians 2:1-5
On what will you base your faith? God's Power or Human Wisdom?

1) Human wisdom cannot grasp the truths of eternal life.
a. Paul came in weakness and trembling to preach the gospel.
b. We cannot rest our faith on human wisdom.
* No human wisdom, can grasp the mystery of God's revelation for our salvation.

2) God's power – the message of Christ crucified – gives us life!
a. The Holy Spirit works through the power of the Word of God.
b. Knowing “Christ Crucified” is wisdom for eternal life.
* “Worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange.” Base your faith on God's power, not human wisdom!

4th Sunday after Epiphany
February 2, 2020

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Let Him who Boasts Boast in the Lord

1) No one may boast since we're saved by grace.
a. We readily admit our sin.
b. We trust God's “foolishness” for our salvation.
* All human boasting is in vain. Every good gift comes from God.

2) When we do boast, we boast in the Lord.
a. Blessed are the “poor in spirit”.
b. We joyfully boast of the Lord, His wisdom, and His salvation.
* You may have no prominence in this world's system, but the Lord has chosen you. You are the salt and light of the world!

3rd Sunday after Epiphany
January 26, 2020

1 Corinthians 1:10-17
Promote Peace in Christ's Church

1) Be United in the Gospel Truth
a. Unity in only a few things. No, be perfectly united.
b. Unity is based on God's Word.
* Can we simply agree to disagree? (See John 10:35, John 17:17, Matthew 24:35). God wants us united in mind and thought on the basis of Scriptures. Only Christ's true Gospel can give us eternal life and guide us through our lives.

2) Be United in Proclaiming the Gospel.
a. The Corinthians split as they boasted on their teachers.
b. Christ, however, is not divided.
* What's the problem when we're tempted to split over non-biblical matters? (Our sinful nature). What's the solution? (The cross of Christ). Let's “make the church together” focused on Christ and His cross!

Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 19, 2020

1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Confused about Identity?

1) Why do we have an “identity crisis?”
a. The world suggests we're just animals.
b. God reveals He created humans in His image.
c. The fall into sin destroyed our identity in God's image.
* Why can't we find our identity on our own? Sin has separated us from God who loves us and longs for us to know who we really are!

2) What is our new identity in Christ?
a. Who are we? We're saints, cleansed of sin through Jesus.
b. Why are we here? To serve Jesus in faith and love.
c. Where are we going? To be with Jesus in heaven.
* The devil, the world, and our flesh try to destroy our new identity, but God is faithful – through the Word and Sacrament, He will keep us blameless and in fellowship with His son Jesus!

First Sunday after Epiphany
January 12, 2020

The Lord Cares for His Children!
Exodus 2:1-10

1) Thank God through faith in Jesus you are His child.
a. God cared for His child Moses.
b. God showed Jesus is His eternal Son our Saviour.
The Lord adopted us. Giving us faith in Jesus by the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. Appreciate this miracle!

2) Take up the task of caring for His little children.
a. God used Moses' parents to provide His care for Moses.
b. God uses us as His representatives to care for His children.
* Children are a sacred blessing and trust. Within our family and our congregation we have opportunity to show God's love and care for them.

Epiphany Celebration
January 5, 2020

Jeremiah 31:15-17
There Is Hope for Your Future

1) Because the Lord lovingly chastens us.
a. Rachel was weeping for her captive children.
b. Rachel wept again when Herod murdered.
* Why doesn't God prevent all evil? His Word assures us He disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12).

2) Because God will accomplish His will to save us.
a. The Lord dried Rachel's tears after Babylonian captivity.
b. The Lord's promises of life dried the parents tears in Bethlehem.
* When you suffer, trust in the God of your salvation!