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Text: Matthew 17:1-9 Summary: Have you ever been in a conversation where the other person just wants to talk and won’t listen? Peter displays this sinful human failing in our gospel reading on the mount of Transfiguration. He speaks when he should be listening and receiving the teachings of Jesus. We should do the same. Pastor Adam Thompson, Ascension Lutheran Church

In our final session for the New Members class, we finish up our discussion of the Divine Service. The final parts of the Service of the Sacrament and the conclusion of the Divine Service in the name of God. We also covered the questions that each new member will be asked when they make their public confession to become a member of the congregation.

In this session we finish looking through the Service of the Sacrament.

Text: Matthew 5:21-37 Summary: The question asked in the garden of Eden by the devil “Did God actually say…?” is answered by Jesus in Matthew’s gospel. Jesus reveals God’s true intention with the Torah (Law of God) that had been softened by our impulse to soften or relax God’s law to something we can manage. Why does Jesus do this? He wants us to turn from ourselves and our doing and instead turn...

Text: Matthew 5:13-20 Summary: Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount continues. We have entered through the “door” of the Beatitudes to discover that because Jesus’ brought us the thing we lacked, we are now the salt and light of the world. Because of what Jesus has done for us, what we do actually means something now! Not for our own salvation, but so that others may receive the thing they l...

In this session, we begin to talk about the next major piece of the worship service, the Service of the Sacrament. In it, our Lord is bringing to Hi people the gift of His very body and blood to eat and drink. We begin to look at what that means, why we don't give communion to anyone who walks in off the street and what is being given in this wondrous divine gift!

In this session we cover essence of worship in the Lutheran Confession of the Christian faith and the transitional part of the Divine Service that bridges the Service of the Word and leads us into the Service of the Sacrament. We look at some of the history of the practice of the Offering and discuss the theology of tithing or giving a tenth back to God. 

Text: Matthew 5:1-12 Summary: The Beatitudes function as the doorway into the sermon on the mount. In it, Jesus describes who the kingdom of heaven has come for and what it will do to them and for them. It describes who the disciple of Jesus is and what their new life in Christ is all about. If we cannot hear and understand what He says here, then we won’t understand what comes next in his teachin...

Pastor Adam Thompson, Ascension Lutheran Church

What does it really mean to be in God's Word? Why should I read it? How often should I read it? What does reading God's Word really do? We look at all these questions in today's new member lesson. Come listen in an learn why it is a core part of the Christian life to be in God's Word!

Text: John 1:29-42a Summary: Behold is a word used to draw our attention to something important. In the season of Epiphany our attention is being drawn to the great revelation of God in Jesus. That God has come in the flesh to save us from our sins. Like John the Baptist, we meditate on how our lives can be lives that cause others to “Behold!" Jesus and the gospel of salvation He brings. Pastor Ad...

Pastor Brian Bocian, Ascension Lutheran Church

Seminarian Pete Candreva, Ascension Lutheran Church

Pastor Adam Thompson, Ascension Lutheran Church

Pastor Adam Thompson, Ascension Lutheran Church

Text: Matthew 11:2-15 Summary: Are you the One? This is the question John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus while he is in prison. He had heard about Jesus’ ministry and works, but it wasn’t exactly what He had pictured. God’s plans often surprise us and perhaps the most surprising one of all is sending Jesus to be born as a human baby to be a sacrifice for sinners. That is what we anti...

In this class we look at one of the two great gifts our God brings to us in the Divine Service each week: His Word. We spend some time talking about the rhythm of the Service of the Word and the history of where it comes from in Christian worship. We also talk about how it is essential for us to regularly hear it read and preached. This understanding helps us to hear it and respond with "Thanks be...

In this episode of our Catechesis class, we are doing a brief review of the Confession and Absolution teaching and going over the doctrine known as "The Office of the Keys." This doctrine explains why the ordained and called pastor is able to say to the congregation on Sunday that, "in the stead of, and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father,...

Text: Matthew 3:1-12 Summary: The season of Advent is one of highway making. Not literal highways, but the highway into each human heart. John the Baptist was called to preach the Word of God in order to destroy the barriers in our heart to Christ so that Christ could give us what we lack and sorely need, Faith and forgiveness of sins! Pastor Adam Thompson, Ascension Lutheran Church

Text: Matthew 24:36-44 Summary: Have you ever marked a day in your calendar and waiting for it with anticipation? Maybe a big day like a wedding or reunion? During the season of Advent all Christians await with eagerness the arrival or advent of our king and savior. Advent prepared us for both a celebration of our King’s first coming in Bethlehem and his second advent when He will return in glory....

Text: Luke 23:27-43 Summary: Do you not fear God? The condemned criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus asks the other criminal who is joining in the mocking of Jesus as the King of the Jews. A good question for us to meditate on as well for the Last Sunday of the Church year. This question brings us to the cross where we see God’s just wrath poured out against the sinner and His mercy in that...

Text: Luke 21:5-28 Summary: Be prepared is the motto of the Scouts. A valuable truth that applies to all of life. Does it apply to the life of faith? As we focus on the return of Christ on the Second to Last Sunday of the Church Year, Jesus teaches us that “Be prepared.” applies to our life of faith as well. Let’s learn from Luke 21 how we can be prepared for what is to come when our Lord returns!...

Our second new member class focuses on an introduction to the Christian life. In this episode we are looking at the first thing we say in the Divine Service each Sunday, the Invocation. The Invocation brings up many key points of Christian theology; most notably, it addresses the importance of the name of God, the Sacrament of Baptism, and the overall rhythm of the Divine Service.

Text: Matthew 5:1-12, Revelation 7 Summary: On All Saints Sunday we mourn and celebrate. Sadness and joy at the same time is a hard state of mind for a non-believer to understand, but we have hope in the face of death! Jesus taught in Matthew 5 the poor in spirit are blessed because the kingdom of God belongs to them. That is you, me, and all the saints in glory. Revelation 7 gives us the glorious...

This is the first lesson of Ascension’s new member class in 2022. It contains introductions of the members of the class and an introduction from Pastor Thompson regarding what the class will cover.