Christ the King Free Lutheran

The Scripture readings are Job 19:23-27 ; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 ; and Mark 16:1-8 . The dark, evil, and wicked complexities of this life, they're all fading away, because the light is coming. The sun is rising. Your Redeemer lives. And at the last, so will you.

Sermon for the Vigil of Easter on Luke 24:1-11 . What first sounded like an idle tale and a bunch of nonsense to the apostles slowly became an undeniable certainty. Jesus died but lives. And now, because He lives, death would have no hold on them because it had no hold on Jesus.

Sermon for Good Friday on Mark 15:33-35 . Jesus cries out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” You know the answer. He was forsaken by God so that you will be accepted for all eternity.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Exodus 12:1-14 ; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 ; and John 13:1-15 , 34-35 . The medicine Christ gives in the Lord’s Supper fights the infection of sin and strengthens your love for others. Whenever you feel your sin, receive this medicine. Whenever your love grows cold, receive this medicine.

The Scripture readings are John 12:12-19 ; Zechariah 9:9-12 ; Philippians 2:5-11 ; and Matthew 26:1-27:66 . Follow Jesus out of the tomb, out of all that we deserve because of our sins. Follow Jesus, having His mind and extending His sacrificial love to others until that great day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. 

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Psalm 111:10 , 73:24-26 , 19:14 ; Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 ; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 ; and John 6:28-29 . Through faith in God’s goodness, fully and freely given to you in Jesus, you reach your telos. Through faith in Christ, you are exactly what God intended you to be, rightly oriented toward your Creator and toward the rest of creation.

The Scripture readings are Genesis 22:1-14; Hebrews 9:11-15; and John 8:46-59.  In the coming days, you’ll hear all that Christ did. Yes, it’s sad and somber, but the greatest response to it all is that you would be glad and happy. Receive it all with a thankful and joyful heart. God loves you, so He loves to do this for you.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Psalm 32:1-5, 11; Ecclesiastes 9:1-10a; Titus 3:3-7; and John 10:7-10.  God-given joy comes from being given a merry heart, which could be translated as a ‘clean’ or ‘good conscience,’ and comes only from your Savior, Jesus Christ. In Christ, God already approves your works because He approves of and delights in you.

The Scripture readings are Isaiah 49:8-13; Acts 2:41-47; and John 6:1-15.  Money is useless by itself. The only reason money has ever helped you is that God gave it as a tool. Jesus asks Philip about money to knock that idol out of Philip’s hand. But Jesus doesn’t leave Philip with empty hands He puts bread and fish into Philip’s hands.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Psalm 31:14-15; 145:17-19; 16:7-8; Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, 22; 1 Timothy 6:6-11; and Mark 12:41-44. The past is for thanks. The future is for hope. The present is for joy. Let the beauty and the joy that God gives in each moment give you a hunger and a hope for the eternal joy that God has promised to give you.

The Scripture readings are Exodus 8:16-24; Ephesians 5:1-9; and Luke 11:14-28.  Scripture gives you several ways to fight against the devil and the darkness. But this text gives you one simple, specific weapon to fight back against the forces of evil, and that is thanksgiving. As you give thanks, the darkness flees.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Psalm 127:1-2, 104:24-25, 29-30; Ecclesiastes 2:18-26; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12; and Matthew 11:25-30. The God-given rhythm of your life is to work and to eat and drink. To work and to have leisure and enjoy God’s gifts. This might sound simple or even naive, but this is what the Bible teaches (Ecc. 2:24-26). It is a gift of God.

The Scripture readings are Genesis 32:22-32; Romans 5:1-5; and Matthew 15:21-28.  Dear saints, when you face difficult things and are struggling to even limp along, lean on God. Trust His promises. Jesus is there with you in your limping.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Psalm 37:1-9; Ecclesiastes 1:1-18; Romans 12:1-3; and Luke 12:22-32. God has not called you to fix this broken world. Instead, God has given to His own, dear Son the office of being the Savior of the world. As the Savior, Jesus has and will fix all of the world’s problems by His death and resurrection.

The Scripture readings are 1 Samuel 17:40-51; Hebrews 4:14-16; and Matthew 4:1-11.  Christ has won the victory, and you follow Him on the field of victory. You know who has concurred and gives you the victory. And you also know the promises He has made to you – promises that He will fulfill. Believe those promises, and act and live accordingly.

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are Jonah 3:1-10; 2 Peter 1:2-11; and Matthew 6:16-21. Faith grounds you in Christ. Virtue and knowledge refine how that faith is expressed. Self-control and endurance fortify and guard that faith. Godliness and kindness direct that faith toward others. And love crowns faith and shows to the world that God’s very nature is alive and working in you.

The Scripture readings are Isaiah 35:3-7; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; and Luke 18:31-43. Whether you understand what God is up to or not, no matter how much you understand what God is doing, no matter how much you need from God, no matter how much God has already given you, the conclusion is the same. Follow Jesus to the cross.

The Scripture readings are Isaiah 55:6-13; Hebrews 4:9-13; and Luke 8:4-15.

The Scripture readings are Exodus 17:1-7; 1 Corinthians 9:26-10:5; and Matthew 20:1-16.  Life in God’s kingdom is to live where work is done, but that work culminates in joy and feasting. The whole point of your work and labor and toil in God’s kingdom is to join God in producing joy.

The Scripture readings are Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Peter 1:16-21; and Matthew 17:1-9.  God doesn’t want to be distant. He wants to come near and give you His peace. That peace is yours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Christ, you see God’s glory, full of grace and truth. Link for today's service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmgn2tNVeMg

The Scripture readings are 1 Samuel 1:21-28; Hebrews 2:14-18; and Luke 2:22-40.  Like Simeon, you wait having been declared and made righteous through faith. You wait as the Holy Spirit gives you His comfort and consolation. And as you wait, you eagerly rush to be where Christ promises to meet you.

The Scripture readings are 2 Kings 5:1-15a; Romans 12:16-21; and Matthew 8:1-13. The only way to overcome evil with good is to let the goodness of Christ overcome both you and the evil within you. When evil things happen to you, remember that evil person is one for whom Christ died. Let Christ’s love fill you so that it spills out to others as well.

The Scripture readings are Amos 9:11:15; Romans 12:6-16; and John 2:1-11.  Get to know the different parts of Christ’s Body well enough so you know how to weep with them when they weep. If they’re already weeping, just be there for them. Join them in their sorrow. But when they aren’t weeping, make the effort to get to know them well enough so that, when they are weeping, you have a better idea of...

The Scripture readings are 1 Kings 8:6-13; Romans 12:1-5; and Luke 2:41-52.  Discerning God’s will is a life-long process. It takes work. But don’t forget that this is good work. God isn’t treating you like a blob of Silly Putty. He’s sculpting you, or, even better, He’s metamorphosizing you.

Sermon for the 1st Sunday after Christmas (12/29/2024) from Pr. John Rieth.