St. Paul Lutheran Church

Your Labor is Not in Vain | 1 Corinthians 15:58 Pastor Smith Your Labor is Not in Vain | 1 Corinthians 15:58 Think of a time when your “labor was in vain.” What was that experience like? Think of another time when your labor was meaningful and it mattered. What was that experience like? How does the resurrection of Jesus give more meaning to the work you do in His name? What was the biggest takeaw...

In his Easter Sunday sermon, Pastor Smith explores the power of memory. We see the angels tell the women to remember Jesus’ words, foretelling that He would die and rise again. They do remember and then they understand that He is really risen. Memory has the power to do two different things. First, it can take you away from the present to a time that has passed. But this is not the only role memor...

In this sermon, Pastor Smith focuses on how the little children “get it” when it comes to Jesus. They give him worship and praise, as they should! Whereas the adults, especially the leaders, WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER, don’t get it at all. Jesus quotes Psalm 8 which gives rise to the common expression “out of the mouths of babes.” It is interesting to speculate that perhaps the same children whom Jesu...

The Psalms: A Playlist for Life’s Journey, Forged Through Fire | Psalm 116 Pastor Josh The Psalms: A Playlist for Life’s Journey, Forged Through Fire | Psalm 116 What is one of your biggest pet peeves? Do you find it difficult or easy to thank God for answered prayer? _____________ Why? _____________________________ Discuss Luther’s (dying) words, “We are beggars, this is true.” What types of pray...

The Psalms: A Playlist for Life’s Journey, Why We Should Sing Praise In Lent | Psalm 98 Pastor Buegler The Psalms: A Playlist for Life’s Journey, Why We Should Sing Praise In Lent | Psalm 98 There’s a joke about “being Lutheran in the Midwest is to live as though everyday is Lent”. Discuss why LENT is understood as being a somber, emotionless season? If Psalm 98 points us to the coming of the Mess...

This week we look at the group of psalms known as the “imprecatory psalms.” These psalms are characterized by the curses and calls for destruction the psalmist cries out for God to bring upon his enemies. It is likely that when you’ve read a psalm like this before, it has made you uncomfortable. How can we love our enemies, while at the same time asking God to wipe them out? We will take a careful...

What makes someone a “safe” person to open up to with your raw emotions? Do you find yourself able to openly lament to God, or is that uncomfortable for you? Have you ever felt like David in Psalm 13, “How long O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” What benefits come from opening your heart to someone like this?

Remember the New Testament encouragement to “put on the whole armor of God” because the devil “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to devour” believers? Discuss the reality of this warning and encouragement. King David knew all about the need to engage the physical enemy. And then he wrote Psalm 27 to encourage us in our spiritual battles. He begins by saying: “If the Lord is my LIGHT should...

In this sermon Pastor Smith ties in Jesus’ teachings right before the Transfiguration event with His “exodus” to come in Jerusalem. We see a brief moment of glory here on the mountain, but things will get gory once Jesus goes to Jerusalem and the cross that awaits Him. It is cross first, then glory. This goes for Jesus and it also goes for us. We too have future glory in store for us. But first…th...

Is there an example of something that was “simple but not easy” in your life? (How) does it change your perspective to think of people who bring harm/treat you poorly as your enemies? Discuss how it might look to love your enemy even if you don’t like them. In your experience, how has it “cost you” to truly forgive someone who has deeply wronged you? Why do you think it’s important for Christians...

In Luke’s gospel lesson for today we have his version of the BEATITUDES. It gives us Jesus’ advice for living a “blessed” life. When we greet one another and say, “Have a BLESSED day” are we making a statement about Christ’s Easter resurrection miracle? “Goodness without Godliness” is how a lot of people live. They believe being a good person and doing good things in life will somehow make them ri...

Surprising Second Chances | Luke 5:1-11 Pastor Smith Surprising Second Chances | Luke 5:1-11 NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here: https://bit.ly/News21025 Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact churchoffice@stpaulwestlake.org to update your information. Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons...

With hundreds of voices and causes seeking your attention every day….why is it that we search through them all seeking some lasting authority? And when we find an authoritative voice, we are amazed? Why? Is it because most of the voices we hear lack meaningful authority? Discuss. Young Jeremiah was hesitant to take up the task of serving as the Lord’s prophetic voice. But God assured Him that “all...

Hometown Zero | Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:12-31a; Luke 4:16-30 Pastor Josh Hometown Zero | Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:12-31a; Luke 4:16-30 What’s a time when you’ve been left feeling disappointed? What did you do/how did you respond? Have you ever seen someone/something far exceed your expectations? (Why) do you think having “IF…THEN” type thoughts when it comes to God can be...

A common thing to wonder and worry about is this: “How do I please God?” We hear warnings from people like John the Baptist about how there are only two eternal destinations, and we want to know exactly how we can avoid punishment and find God’s favor. We hear in our Gospel reading from Luke chapter 3 what the Father declares to the world after Jesus’ baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I a...

How were you as a child? For parents: how were your kids? Why do you think it’s important for Luke to highlight (several times) that Jesus was human in this text? Have you wrestled with this text thinking that Jesus was being disrespectful to his parents? Has that changed after this sermon?

A Year End Christian Inventory Pastor Beugler NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here: https://bit.ly/News122324 Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact churchoffice@stpaulwestlake.org to update your information. Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

What’s your least favorite chore and why? What is your reaction to Paul using the language of, we are to “put to death” the earthly things? Is it easy or difficult for you to take off the old (nature) and clothe yourself with the new (nature)? Why or why not? Have you seen (in yourself or someone else) God working these virtues in?

Lots of the Faithful Who Came Pastor Beugler NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here: https://bit.ly/News122324 Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact churchoffice@stpaulwestlake.org to update your information. Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

Christ is Born for You Pastor Smith NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here: https://bit.ly/News122324 Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact churchoffice@stpaulwestlake.org to update your information. Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

Come, Though You Have Nothing Pastor Josh NEWS: Catch up on all the latest St. Paul Westlake news in our Monday and Friday emails or read it here: https://bit.ly/News122324 Not seeing our emails? Check your junk file or contact churchoffice@stpaulwestlake.org to update your information. Enjoyed this sermon? Listen to more St. Paul Westlake Sermons below! Permalink

Our theme for Advent and Christmas this year is “O Come, All You Unfaithful.” One of the lyrics invites the “guilty and hiding ones” also to come and see that Christ is born for them. When you think of guilty and hiding ones, your mind probably goes pretty quickly to Adam and Eve. Immediately after they fall into sin because of Satan’s temptation, they hear God coming, and they hide. They realize...

What does your name mean? (If you have kids) Did the meaning of the name play a factor in why you chose the name(s) for your child(ren)? Has there been a time that you’ve been able to relate to the bitterness and brokenness that Naomi experienced? What name or title of Jesus (and its meaning) resonates with or means the most to you, and why?

In Hebrews, chapter 11 there is listed several Old Testament “heroes of the faith” and yet we know each of them were marked by sinful behavior. The list includes Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson and David. At the end of that list of sinners God used is YOU. Discuss this paradox. The “UNFAITHFUL HYMN” uses the words “O come, barren and waiting ones - Weary...

Our theme for Advent and Christmas this year is “O Come, All You Unfaithful.” We will explore the biblical truth that God does not demand that you reach a certain level of faithfulness, righteousness, or “enoughness” before He will receive you as His child. In fact, it is just the opposite. Jesus enters our world as the baby in Bethlehem to be faithful, righteous, and enough in all the ways we are...