St. John's Lutheran Church Sermons
Web Site: St. John's Lutheran Church
Total Sermons: 179
Total Amens: 1
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Giving in Grace
Paul's words to the Corinthian Christians help us grasp the truth of what Christian stewardship is, and what it is not. Christian stewardship is "the free and joyous activity of the child of God, and of God's family, the church, in managing all of life and life's resources for God's purposes." When all is said and done, Christian stewardship is not about fundraising, but faithraising. We cannot give anything to God since God is the Maker and Owner of heaven and earth. The only thing we can do is to manage faithfully and wisely what belongs to God. Stewardship begins with God's giving the life of his only Son - the greatest sacrifice.
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Walk the Talk
God’s favor has come to us through His Son, who gave his life on the cross so that both our outside and our inside may be made new, so that we may be saved from our sin. God walks the talk for us, and we follow Him.
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Walking by Faith
Walking by faith as a believer in Jesus Christ is not easy. It was not easy for Paul the apostle, author of this text from 2 Corinthians, who endured much for the sake of the Gospel, ultimately giving his life for Christ. Our walking by faith as modern-day disciples may not go to that extreme; however, it is still no easy thing. Our walking by faith begins with what God in Christ has done for us - the grace and mercy that come through him which call us to faith in the first place. The justification (how we are made right with God) must come before sanctification (growing in holiness) as we become more Christ-like through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us through Word and Sacrament. In doing so, we are walking by faith.
1 Amens
Adopted
Father, Son, and Spirit are at work, spending time with us, the adopted children of our Triune God.
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Breathing New Life into Our Bones
The Lord God breathed new life in the dry bones of his people in Ezekiel's vision of old. As we rejoice in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Lord God breathes new life into our bones today through that same Spirit who, as Luther says, "calls us and keeps us in this one truth faith." Although at times we, like Israel of old, feel like "our bones are dried up; our hope is lost, and we are cut off completely," the truth is that the Holy Spirit is more than able to revive us and raise us up to serve God's purpose in the world. Through God's life-giving Word and holy Sacrament, through the fellowship of believers, God is breathing new life into our bones today.
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Unity
All of the things that Jesus asks for us from his Father, the Father gives us through the Holy Spirit.
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From the Father: Faith, Friends, and Fruit
Because Jesus is the true Vine, and we are the branches, our calling is to stay connected to him, loving one another just as he has loved us. This is God's agape love - that holy, self-giving, sacrificial love. This love comes from the Father, is given to us through the Son, and moves out through Christ's people as we show and express this holy love, not just in words, but in action. Jesus calls us his friends - not servants, but friends. Because he has loved us literally unto death (his death upon the cross), his love sets us free to produce the fruits of faith: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is our calling in Christ.
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Voices and Choices
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us to be loved as members of his flock, assured that he gives himself for us. Our voices then echo his in sharing his love with others.
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Best
God has forgiven you, set you free from captivity to sin, and given you a new identity as His child. And He's the best at what He does.
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