1 Thing Matters

WHAT CHILD IS THIS? The ability to appreciate Christmas is directly proportional to the understanding of whom Christmas is for. Christmas is only meant for those who are held captive by our enemies, sin and death. Christmas is for people who have no power of their own to free themselves from those enemies. Christmas is for people who patiently wait for God to redeem them and set them free. God's C...

There is something that sets the Christ child apart from all others. It is not simply his humble beginnings, with a cattle trough as his first cradle. It is not just the miraculous nature of his birth, his mother being a virgin. There is so much more. This child is the only hope we have for peace and a future. This child can wipe away every tear, drive away every fear. Here is the truth of Christm...

By this time of the holiday season, people are often weighed down. They feel guilty about presents that are not perfect, or parties that did not go as planned, or year-end projects that did not get completed. To top it all off, now is when it dawns on people how little attention they have given to the spiritual preparation Advent invites. If that is how we feel, perhaps the frenzy of December has...

Last week we saw that the Lord sends messengers to call us to repentance. This week we learn that those who refuse to heed that call to humble themselves will be humbled anyway. The Lord who once came near in flesh and now comes near in Word and sacrament will one day come near with consuming fire and judgment. The Lord will humble his enemies. This truth does two important things. First, it adds...

People tend to feel a lot of pressure this time of year. We want to stay on top of our family traditions. We want our houses to look good for out-of-town guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief, therefore, to hear what is required of us to meet the Lord: nothing. Well, there is something. It is the humble acknowledgment that we can do nothing t...

Today marks the beginning of the season of Advent (which marks the beginning of a new church year!) and the start of our Humble Expectations series. The word Advent means “coming,” in reference to the ways Jesus comes to his people. What are your expectations when it comes to Jesus’ coming? This morning Jesus sets the tone for our Advent preparation as we see him humbly enter Jerusalem on Palm Sun...

“Give thanks to the Lord…” but why? There are many reasons, but here are two of the greatest: 1) He is good, and 2) His love endures forever.

God’s Word encourages us to use all of the financial gifts God has given us with an eye on our purpose. Our challenge this week will focus on living shrewdly with the blessings and treasures that God has given us. But what did Jesus mean when he encouraged us to be shrewd ? Who is someone you know that is a positive example of shrewdness? In what ways are you already shrewd? In what ways are you n...

This week, we look at the God-lived life as one that opens our lives to others . As we invite people into our lives and our homes, God gives us opportunities to share Jesus as we build relationships with them. Our challenge this week will focus on living a life of hospitality—opening our hearts and homes to others. How did Jesus show “radical” hospitality? Think of a time someone showed you radica...

This week, the particular focus of the God-lived life is a life lived for others , a life of generosity. God allows us the opportunity to serve and love one another, especially those who are part of our communities. Our challenge will focus on being a good neighbor. What makes someone a good neighbor? How can you show God’s love to others by being a good neighbor? How can our church be a good neig...

This week, the particular focus of the God-lived life is that of being a disciple, a learner, one who grows in God’s Word. May God’s Word cause us to crave that pure spiritual milk so that by it we grow up in our salvation. Our challenge this week will focus on growing and learning in God’s Word. What’s your biggest motivation for spending time in God’s Word? What’s your biggest obstacle to spendi...

What is the room capacity in heaven? How many will be there? Many of the Bible’s descriptions of heaven include some imagery of food and feasting - will heaven be an endless buffet or are those descriptions figurative? While there are many unknowns regarding heaven, Jesus would have us focus on what we do know: you’ve been invited and there is room - room for us and plenty of room for others.

There are many things we look forward to. In fact, it is often the anticipation of some future experience that excites us as much or more than the experience itself! Heaven, though, will be different. No matter how much we look forward to it, experiencing it will surpass anything we could have anticipated. Heaven is coming! Are you looking forward to it?

The Word of God works. But what do we do when others are not interested in hearing it? We apologize - defend - our faith. While reason takes a back seat to faith, that doesn’t mean the Christian faith is unreasonable. Reason can pave the way to open others up to hearing the Word. Sometimes the first step in simple evangelism is defending what you believe. #simpleevangelism

As we become better at listening to others, opportunities for us to witness will increase. However, those occasions are more likely to occur rather sporadically than they are to be scheduled ahead of time. So how do we prepare ahead of time if we don’t know when these opportunities will arise? We make sure we’re always ready. And how do we make sure we’re always ready? We acquire a taste for the L...

A witness providing testimony in a court of law isn’t required to be an expert. Such a witness merely testifies about what has been seen and heard. It isn’t any more complicated than that when it comes to our Christian witness: we merely testify about what we have seen and heard. When it comes to Jesus, what have you seen and heard in your life? Tell others. Witness. #simpleevangelism.

Just about everyone today has something to say. Everyone wants to be heard. Few, however, are all that interested in listening. The result? Listeners are in high demand. That means an open door for us - one that is very simple: we just have to listen. #simpleevangelism.  Evangelism - making the extraordinary news of Jesus known to others - can be intimidating for many. But sometimes that’s be...

Getting out of the rut of chasing after other empty escapes is not easy on our own. The good news? We aren’t on our own. We have the power and strength at our disposal to overcome. But that power and strength do not come from us; they come from the Lord, and he equips us with everything we need to escape and find #realrest

No one would doubt that technology has provided us with many blessings. However, many of those blessings can also double as doorways by which we tune out the world. When such things serve as an escape to avoid adversity or ignore responsibility, they become part of the problem, not the solution. If entertainment becomes our escape, we’re not only missing out on the greatest invitation ever offered...

Inside each of us is the desire to be known and appreciated. We seek significance. If we’re not careful, that can drive us to value our self-worth heavily on the basis of what others think of us. We can quickly become infatuated with status and success, and the endless pursuit of such desires can become an unhealthy escape. How do we avoid that unhealthy endless hamster wheel? We look to the One w...

Once a gift is received, there isn’t really any guarantee that gift will be used the way the giver intended. It is now up to the recipient to determine how or if he wants to use that gift. This is too often the sad reality of God’s gift of sex. He both gives it and has provided us with clear guidance on how to make the absolute most of this special gift, but we end up using it however we wish. The...

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17). God has indeed lavished us with gifts! However, what happens when we allow those very gifts - our possessions - to serve as our go-to escape, when we turn to stuff for relief instead of to the One who gifted it to us in the first place? It is our possessions that end up owning us. No matt...

You don't have to be an alcoholic. You don't have to be an addict. The truth is, any one of us can have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol or drugs (whether legal or not). But how can we tell? How does one avoid crossing the line from moderation into excess? How does one determine when a permissible thing has become a necessary thing that we can't live without, and more importantly, which then...

Achievement and success so easily become “ours,” don’t they? The more hard work and effort we put into something, the more natural it is for us to overlook the true source of our success: the Lord and his strength. May we grow in our ability to humbly give credit where it is due, and always remember to thank God for the strength he provides to accomplish even the smallest good through us. Sermon I...

The same individual or group who previously dismissed you or rejected you now needs you. Do you help? Do you come to their aid? Jephthah was in a similar situation. He wasn’t the only one. So was Jesus. We know how Jesus responded and are eternally grateful for it. How did Jephthah respond? How would you respond? Sermon Info: " JUDGES - Rebellion → Regret → Rescue: (Jephthah) ”  •  Judge...