The 14th Sunday after Pentecost
September 15, 2019

John 13:34-35
Test Your Discipleship – Do You Obey Jesus' New Command?

1) Jesus' command to love is new in power.
a. It is a new command - “Love as Jesus Loves you.”
b. How sad is a world without this love!
c. Jesus acted in love to give Himself for our sins.
* Sink the roots of your faith deeply into Christ's love as you hear and believe His holy Gospel. Then you will have His new power to love!

2) Jesus' command to love is new in purpose.
a. Our life has a new purpose - “I love as Jesus loves me!”
b. Brotherly love of the first Christians is an example for us.
c. People will know we're Jesus' disciples when we love one another as He loves us.
* We'll pass through this world only once. Any good you can do now to show love for your brothers do it now!

The 13th Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday 8, 2019

John 8:31-32
Test Your Discipleship – Are You Remaining in God's Word?

1) Remain in God's Word to be a disciple.
a. Jesus can look into hearts to see a genuine disciple.
b. Genuine disciples remain in His Word.
* Doubt and confusion can overshadow us. We need to hear the Word since faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ.

2) Remain in the Word, for it is truth and sets you free.
a. What is His truth?
b. It sets us free!
* Some turn from the Word and are enslaved again by unbelief. Test your discipleship. Are you really Jesus' disciple? Continue in His Word and be free.

The 12th Sunday after Pentecost
September 1, 2019

Ephesians 6:10-24
Be Strong in the Lord!

1) The Prince of Peace has given us victory over the Enemy.
2) Put on the full armor of God.
3) Pray in the Spirit.
4) Rest your soul in Word and Sacrament here at Mountain View.

The 11th Sunday after Pentecost
August 25, 2019

Ephesians 5:21-6:9
Live Your Relationships under Christ

1) Christians – submit to one another.
a. Christ loves and cares for us.
b. We care for one another.

2) Husbands and wives – love and submit.
a. Husbands love their wives wives as Christ loves the church.
b. Wives submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ.

3) Parents and children – train and obey.
a. Children obey their parents as Jesus' representatives.
b. Fathers (parents) train their children in Christ's instruction.

4) Workers and employers – work for Jesus, consider their welfare.
a. We aren't serving a boss/teacher. We're serving Jesus.
b. We are responsible for how we treat/train those under us.
* No government or social agency can do what we can do when we live our relationships under Christ!

The 10th Sunday after Pentecost
August 18, 2019

Ephesians 5:1-20
Live as Children of Light

1) Imitate your Heavenly Father.
a. He's not abusive. Suffering and death result from sin.
b. He is love and gave His Son as our Saviour from sin!
2) Repent of and flee sins that imitate the world.
a. Don't be deceived by empty words about sexual sins.
b. Don't be deceived by empty words about greed.
* When we fall into sin by imitating the world, return in repentant faith to your heavenly Father, who loves and forgives!

3) Live as children of light.
a. Live in the light of God's Word.
b. Be filled with the Spirit – through Word and Sacrament.
c. Praise and thank the Lord in worship and in your life.
* “Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 1:9).

The 9th Sunday of Pentecost
August 11, 2019

Ephesians 4:17-32
Take Off the Old Self and Put on the New!

1) Why do we need a change of “clothes”?
a. Our old self would live as an unbeliever.
b. Our old self would give itself to sinful indulgence.
* When unbelievers give themselves over to sensuality, God turns them over to their sin as punishment. What a relief to know Jesus rescued us from our sins!

2) How do we talk off the old and put on the new?
a. Until we're in heaven we'll daily struggle with sin.
b. By the Holy Spirit's power we repent and believe in Jesus for forgiveness of sin and new life.
* How do we live as new people through faith in Christ? We speak truthfully; share with those in need; build others up; and forgive just as in Christ God forgave us.

The 8th Sunday after Pentecost
August 4, 2019

Ephesians 4:1-16
Live a Life Worthy of Your Calling

1) In our personal lives.
2) In our life together in Christ's Church.
3) Using our gifts to serve Christ in His Church.
4) Growing to maturity in Christ.
5) Every one of us functioning to keep growing in faith and life.

The 7th Sunday after Pentecost
July 28, 2019

Ephesians 3:1-21
The Mystery and Meaning of Faith

1) We could never have discovered God's plan to save us.
a. We assume we're not too bad!
b. We never would have known we're saved by trusting Jesus!
* We also never would have expected God to make our salvation known by ordinary men, extraordinarily inspired by the Holy Spirit!

2) Look what our faith means!
a. We who would have been pagans are saved!
b. Jesus Christ is in us and a part of our daily living.
* Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross and said, “I love you this much!” Now, we say, “Here, because of the grace of God, go I!”

The 6th Sunday after Pentecost
July 21, 2019

Ephesians 2:11-22
One in Christ

1) The Lord doesn't set us apart because we're better.
a. God's covenant with Abraham set him apart from others.
b. God's covenant with Israel set them apart from others.
* By the time Jesus came into the world, tragically so many people thought they were set apart because they were better!

2) The Lord Sets us apart so we can belong to Him!
a. God set Israel apart so they wouldn't lose their faith.
b. God sets us apart so nothing harms our faith in Him.

3) The Lord sets us apart to bring us together as one in Christ.
a. God sent His son as Savior of all.
b. Jesus broke down the division between nationalities.
c. God brings every believer into unity in Christ.
* Building our faith on the solid foundation of Christ's Word, we are “living stones” in God's dwelling – united to serve Him!

The 5th Sunday after Pentecost
July 14, 2019

Ephesians 2:1:10
Power for a New You!

1) Why do we need a new life?
a. We were by nature dead in sins.
b. What did we deserve? God's wrath.
* Wrath is God's justice in action. He can't ignore sin, nor coexist with it. But still He loves the world – He loves you! He sent His Son to win forgiveness so we're object of His love!

2) In grace God gave us a new life.
a. God in love (agape – seeking our welfare.) and grace (God's love we don't deserve) made us alive with Christ!
b. In His eternal plan – we're already enjoying heaven!
* We can't earn or pay for this new life. We have been saved (rescued) through faith. Now we live as God's workmanship, crated to do good works in love for Jesus!

The 4th Sunday after Pentecost
July 7, 2019

Ephesians 1:15-23
A Pastor Prays for His People

1) Thanking the Lord for the miracle of faith.
a. Instead of looking at empty pews and complaining ...
b. Thank the Lord for what the Lord is doing!

2) Asking that we know the Lord better.
a. Through the Scriptures we are made wise for salvation.
b. Is the church a consumer-driven marketing organization, or the dispenser of God's Means of grace?

3) Asking for greater hope in Jesus for life eternal.
a. Only in Christ can we be sure of eternal life.
b. Only in Christ do we have God's power for our life on earth.
* We, the Church, are Christ's body and His fullness. Be filled with His grace through the Gospel and share Christ's life with others!

The 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
June 30, 2019

Luke 7:11-17
The Lord of Life Helps the Living Deal with Death

1) He feels our pain.
2) He deals with our problems.

The 2nd Sunday after Pentecost
June 23, 2019

Ephesians 1:1-14
God's Eternal Plan – Our Place in It!

Introduction: Why is my church important?

1) An apostle – writes to people in God's plan – Saints!
* Through Jesus we are holy in God's eyes!

2) We were in God's plan from eternity.
* Why did God “choose” us? In grace alone!

3) God's plan unfolds through these words:
Chosen
Redemption
Forgiveness
Grace
The Word of Truth
The Holy spirit
* People search for “identity.” What is yours? Through God's amazing grace in Christ we sinners were chosen to be children of God!

The 1st Sunday after Pentecost
The Holy Trinity
June 16, 2019

John 16:12-15
The Holy Spirit Guides Us in God's Truth

1) God the Father has known the truth from eternity.
a. Jesus promised to send the Spirit of truth.
b. He teaches us the truth – about our sin and our Saviour.
* All man-made religions teach we must discover God's truth and earn eternal life. God the Father reveals the eternal truth of eternal life as His gift we receive by faith in His son!

2) God the Same Came to fulfill God's truth.
a. Jesus is the eternally begotten Son God, born a man.
b. His obedience and death earned eternal life for us.
* John 3:16 – Isn't it really just like God?

3) God the Holy spirit reveals the truth through the Bible.
a. He makes known what belong to the Father and the Son.
b. He inspired the truth – the Holy Scriptures.
* We will never understand the mystery of the Trinity. But the Holy Spirit does give us faith in Jesus for eternal life!

Pentecost Sunday
June 9, 2019

Genesis 11:1-9
It's Pentecost! What a Big Deal!

1) The Holy Spirit unites us with Jesus.
a. Human pride and sin would separate us from God.
b. Only the Holy Spirit can unite us with Jesus by faith.
c. Only the Holy Spirit keeps us united with Jesus.
* The Holy Spirit works through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. Don't neglect the gospel in order to build your own tower of Babel!

2) The Holy Spirit unites us with true believers.
a. Pride at Babel produced divisions in the human race.
b. The Holy Spirit unites us as one Body of believers.
* Never take our fellowship for granted. By continuing to believe and live by God's Word we'll grow in our love and unite.

3) The Holy Spirit equips us to serve our Saviour.
a. We devote ourselves to Christ's Word & Sacrament.
b. We serve our Savior in our lives and in His Church.
* Our lives matter as the Holy Spirit equips us to serve.