Divine Savior Church-Santa Rita Ranch Sermons

This week focuses on the joy and longing for fellowship within the church community, reflecting Paul’s desire to see and strengthen the faith of believers. It connects to Baptism Sunday by celebrating the inclusion of new believers into the church family, emphasizing communal love and encouragement as newcomers begin their journey in faith. Support the show

This week establishes the church as the body of Christ, where every member is uniquely placed by God to contribute to the whole. It emphasizes unity, diversity, and interdependence, highlighting why believers are “better together” in pursuing God’s purpose as a loving, life-changing family.  Support the show

Pastor Stephen shares a message for Epiphany on Matthew's account of the Magi. Support the show

Pastor Stephen shares a message for Christmas on Simeon and Anna. Support the show

Pastor Stephen Apt shares a message for Christmas. Support the show

Joseph had his life planned, but it all came crashing down when he found out Mary was pregnant with a child not his. But God sent his angel to give him hope.  He pointed to the one who actually takes away guilt and gives real hope. Through Jesus, God brings forgiveness, peace, and a future we can trust. He doesn't let us navigate it alone, but Immanuel, God with us, goes too. This Christmas,...

Zechariah’s voice had been silent for months, yet when he finally spoke, he celebrated God’s faithfulness. God had kept his promises and was bringing salvation to the world. His song reminds us that we don’t have to face life’s uncertainties alone—God’s mercy and faithfulness give our hearts confidence as we wait for Christmas. Support the show

Mary wasn’t rich, powerful, or famous. She was an ordinary young woman. Yet through her, God brought his Savior into the world—the one who would lift up the humble and bring hope to all people. Mary’s story reminds us that Christmas isn’t about what we do for God, but about what God has done—and is still doing—for the world. Support the show

The Christmas season often leaves us feeling scattered and stretched thin. But what if the best preparation isn’t about doing more, but about coming home? John the Baptist’s birth was announced as part of God’s plan to turn people’s hearts back to him. This Advent begins with God inviting us home—to forgiveness, peace, and a fresh start. Support the show

We come to the part of the story we have all been waiting for! It’s wedding bells for Boaz and Ruth. She is finally a bride and he is her redeemer. A redeemer is someone who does for us what we could not do ourselves. Pays a price we could not pay. So we could be redeemed. The marriage in this story gives us a beautiful picture of the relationship we have with our Redeemer… what He did for us to m...

How often have you been willing to use others for your advantage? How often have you tried to manipulate events and situations to benefit yourself? Without caring how it will impact others? It can be too easy to do this. The real test of faithfulness is doing something that might not be desirable or easy to do because it’s the thing God wants you to do. Like Jesus did for us. Our character is test...

Today’s installment of our story is the heart-warming meeting of a girl and boy, Ruth and Boaz. God is bringing them together for a very important purpose. God has been bringing men and women together since the beginning of time… for very important purposes. God has a purpose for your marriage. For Ruth, not everything had been going very well. She had been through difficult circumstances. But wou...

It’s a classic opening to a tragic short story… “It was a dark and stormy night.” That opening line usually leads to all the challenges and hardships that are making things “dark and stormy.” In the beginning of this story, death separates three marriages, all in one family. The widows have no place to live. No way to make a living. It’s a time of bitterness. Why did this happen? How does God see...

We’re told from every angle—school, work, even church—that our worth depends on how we perform. But this Reformation Sunday, we remember the truth that set the Church free: you are saved not by performance, but by grace. As we celebrate 175 years of God’s grace in the WELS, we’re not bragging on ourselves—we’re boasting in Christ alone. Support the show

We all crave happiness—but what kind? The kind that fades the moment life gets hard? Or the kind that endures even in pain? This week, God challenges the popular belief that his highest goal is our short-term comfort. In Hebrews 11, we see an example of someone who could have chosen comfort, ease, and status—but instead chose something better. Through this, God shows us that true happiness isn’t f...

In a society that has almost tried to get the word “sin” out of circulation, it’s fascinating that self-loathing over unresolved guilt anger over unexpressed forgiveness is still one of the largest drivers of behavior. This week, we look at the most famous fail of processing guilt in history, the story of Judas Iscariot, to see the necessity of finding forgiveness, including self-forgiveness. Supp...

Modern America is what philosophers might call a “soft closed religious society.” What that means is that it’s technically not illegal to discuss matters of faith in public, but it’s considered socially inappropriate. Particularly inappropriate would a discussion of Hell. But it’s actually impossible to be a Christian witness, without modifying the gospel of Jesus, if you never address Hell. So th...

Modern Americans are very familiar with the practice of the privatization of faith. But if good news is, in fact, good, then how private can you truly keep it before you insinuate it’s not all that life-changing? This week, Jesus shows us that faith was never meant to be hidden—it was meant to be lived, spoken, and shared. Because when the gospel grabs hold of your heart, it can’t help but overflo...

“If your marriage isn’t happy, you should leave.” It sounds reasonable—even compassionate. But Jesus speaks a better word. In Matthew 19, he challenges not just our decisions, but the lies we believe about happiness, commitment, and love. This week, we’ll wrestle with what God permits in a broken world, what he commands for our good, and what Jesus himself vows to us—an unbreakable covenant love t...

Most philosophers and religious leaders throughout history have suggested that contentment is the secret to happiness. And yet, modern research also seems to suggest that $34k/year income is a threshold, and $75k/year is another income threshold for happiness. So which is it? Can we be content without X amount of dollars? Should we be content where we’re at and never pursue more money? What can we...

Pastor Stephen Apt shares a message on the Great Commission for the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Divine Savior Church. Support the show

It is not a matter of “If suffering will happen… It’s a When?” The better question then is “how do you experience the suffering?” Do you throw pity parties and live as a victim moping around in the darkness? The final secret to a great life is your life changed on a cross 2000 years ago. You are no longer a victim, but a victor in Jesus. Never Forget Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, this is the...

Unlike the fleeting hacks for lunches, cleaning, or relationships, there is a life hack that when we live it and strive to daily implement it, will radically change our lives. It will transform how you live, impact your health, wellness, emotions, and relationships, and it all flows from something given to you that will drive you. The truth, the real-life hack? Living each day in light of our sure...

Are you choosing to follow influencers or leaders? We have the privilege of choosing those who will influence our world view, how we handle our emotions, morals, and values. We do this through the podcasts we listen to, the shows we stream, the friends we keep, the mentors we choose and media we consume. An influencers’ job is to get clicks, likes, and views, a leader’s job is to help develop, lea...

Living for family, friends, our social media followers, or even just our own view of ourselves is overwhelming and leads to a constant fear of imposter syndrome and not good enough. Our second Biblical truth leading to a truly great life is living every moment of every day for an audience of one! When we live for that ONE, it changes how we view ourselves, how we engage with others, and the power...