God uses even our bad stuff
God does not stop when the cross comes. Quite the opposite, God uses the cross to remind us that God won’t quit loving us and doing good among us, even when we are at our worst.
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Jonah and the Big Fish
Our series on the Bible – where it came from, what’s in it, and how to use it – is underway. Last week we looked at scripture as “inspired from below,” a way of saying that the Holy Spirit worked in the lives of people and they then shared their ...
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Sent to do the work of Jesus
Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last…” (John 15:16) Jesus’ call in our lives is to join with him in the work of loving the world. As much as we want to be ...
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Love – the basis for faith in public life
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:10) We begin a 5-week series on faith and civics this week – a journey into what it means to be a Christian and participate in public life. In our baptism we are joined to ...
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A Spirit for Today
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:8) As Lutherans, we don’t often think of ourselves as Spirit-filled people. We think the Pentecostals focus on that. But Paul is very clear, all of us who trust Christ have the Spirit – it’s ...
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Are We One in the Spirit?
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you but that you be knit together in the same mind and the same purpose. (1 Corinthians 10:10) I have worked ...
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You Will Be My Witnesses
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy ...
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Finding Strength in Community
Mark 14:3-11 Nelson Mandela learned what Jesus knew: Struggles are harder when we go alone. Jesus is now getting close to the end. He has to decide how to live out what are likely his last few days. He knows that most of the people in power are angry. He ...
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“Staying Alert – Not being afraid in changing times”
Based on Mark 13:1-8, 24-37 When Mark wrote his gospel, the world was a shifting mess. The Apostle Paul had recently been executed. Peter was likely in jail awaiting execution. The Roman emperor Nero hated Christians and was also likely to have been mentally ill. It was a scary time. ...
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Love at the Center
When challenged by the leaders of his time about what was the most important commandment, Jesus replied, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ...
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The Cross of Jesus Leads to Service for Us
Mark 10:32-52 This week we resume our blogging after a hiatus that started when we had to adjust for the Covid pandemic. As we have worked to decide what’s helpful since the pandemic status ended, we’ve done a lot of work assessing the community, the congregation and our ministry. Church ...
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Return to the Lord… God will come to you
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing…Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; (Joel 2:12, 28) Following Jesus is an odd thing. On the one hand, God ...
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