Faith in Daily Life

Text: Luke 2:4-7 The story begins with Mary and Joseph getting ready for the birth of Jesus and not finding room at the inn.  In the crowded busyness of our lives, do we turn away the Savior as well or can we learn to make room for the Prince of Peace in our lives- even when his presence makes demands of us? New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our websi...

Join us to celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas Eve! New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our website: https://standrewlu.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/standrewlu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standrewlu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/StAndrewLu To automate your giving on a continued basis or to make a one-time donation, http://bit.ly/S...

Text:  Luke 1:46-55 The beloved song of Mary, the Magnificat, proclaims great praise and joy at God’s coming.  Jesus’ birth is truly the heart of the Christmas season and the very reason we celebrate!  We hear the joy of the Lord reflected in our favorite carols and we see the joy of the Lord in the face of every child!  “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” New to St. Andrew?...

Text: Song of Songs 8:6-7a, 1 John 4:7-8 Too often we have seen our faith rejected by the world when Christians act without love. Our call as Christians is to reflect the God who not only shows us love but who is love. The Word became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and the Word becomes flesh in tremendous ways when we, God’s people, live out our faith in everyday life. New to St. Andrew? Clic...

Text:  Isaiah 2:1-5 Christ’s coming as the Prince of Peace teaches us about God’s heart and God’s desire for us to live in peace.  How are we called in this present age to “beat our swords into ploughshares” as we make a statement for peace through humble service to our neighbors? New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our website: https://standrewlu....

Text: Isaiah 64:1-9, Mark 1:1-8 When we light a candle, we say “no” to the darkness: this is the essence of hope.  The prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist both remind us in their own way that God will rend the heavens and come down to us and that he comes to be the very Light of the World for all of us who need real hope. New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ V...

Text: Luke 10:25-37 Our storytelling Savior gives us a parable that is packed with meaning and shows us the essence of Christian love.  We focus today on how compassion for others can be the driving force that ultimately brings meaning and purpose into our own lives even as we touch others.  How are to be “good Samaritans” in this time and place and how does St. Andrew’s story of mission...

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Matthew 22:34 -40 There’s more to 1 Corinthians 13 than just a nice wedding text: it is both a vivid picture of how Jesus loves and also how we are called to love others at all times.  Our mission and ministry at St. Andrew is rooted in the greatest commandment of all: love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  God’s own Spirit comes alongside...

Romans 8:38 -39 This Sunday marks a special time in the church year when we remember those loved ones who have received their eternal rest in heaven with our Lord.  Candles are lit in the memory of departed saints and our music and preaching combine to tell the story of the reason for our eternal hope in Christ.  The Canticle Choir and Chamber Choir join together with orchestra to perfor...

Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36 The Rev. Dr. Hans Wiersma will be preaching at St. Andrew on Reformation Sunday. Dr. Wiersma is a very highly respected author and scholar of Martin Luther. Dr. Wiersma has a Ph. D. in Church History from Luther Seminary and is a Professor of Religion at Augsburg College. New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our website: https://s...

Text: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-19, 27, Colossians 3:12-14 In spite of all our differences, God has made us one body and calls us to live in peace and unity.  How is God inviting us not only to tolerate but actually to celebrate the differences among us even as we are called to go and make disciples of all nations? New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our web...

Text: 1 Corinthians 12: 12-19, 27, Colossians 3:12-14 In spite of all our differences, God has made us one body and calls us to live in peace and unity.  How is God inviting us not only to tolerate but actually to celebrate the differences among us even as we are called to go and make disciples of all nations? New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our web...

Text:  Matthew 5:17 -18, John 21:24 -25 Jesus said, “I didn’t come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them.”  The story of the New Testament is the story of God’s promise fulfilled in Jesus and it’s the story of God establishing his church through the gift of the Holy Spirit.   Miracles, parables, epistles, and prophesies all point us to God’s Son, Jesus Christ,...

Text: Ephesians 2:19-22 Community lies at the heart of our faith and life together in the church. As we all seek a place to belong, we are reminded by God's Word that we are "no longer aliens, but God's people and members of God's household." We continue to recognize and celebrate how God is building us together into a holy place where God is living among us by his Spirit. New to St. Andrew? Click...

Text: Psalm 150 As our Rally Days continue, we celebrate St. Andrew's music ministry and, specifically, we give thanks and praise to God for Jan Maudlin's many years of music ministry with the Canticle Choir. We praise God for his marvelous gift of music, of which Martin Luther said, "next after theology, I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor." New to St. Andrew? Click here: htt...

Text: Joshua 24:14 -15 Like Jake and Elwood in the classic movie "The Blues Brothers", we are "putting the band back together." And we, the church, like Jake and Elwood, are "on a mission from God." Join us on this first of three Rally Sundays where we will explore and celebrate all that St. Andrew has to offer this fall and beyond! New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visit...

Text: Romans 12:9-12 God, through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, has given us ample reason to be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”  As we wrap up our series, we examine Christian hope that is firmly rooted not in mere optimism that denies the reality of contemporary problems but in the truth of God’s love for us and for the all the world; a truth that changes every...

Text: Acts 2:42 -47 In a time when so many people are experiencing such profound divisions, loneliness, and isolation, God’s gift of community is needed more than ever.  The story of the early church paints a compelling picture of what “doing life” together can look like and reinforces the need for a deeper experience of community that is so elusive today as social media gives a false sense o...

Text: Acts 2:42-47 In a time when so many people are experiencing such profound divisions, loneliness, and isolation, God’s gift of community is needed more than ever.  The story of the early church paints a compelling picture of what “doing life” together can look like and reinforces the need for a deeper experience of community that is so elusive today as social media gives a false sense of...

Text: John 21:15-17 Forgiveness is hard. But Christians have the best role model imaginable in the person of Jesus. What's the point of forgiveness if it doesn't happen authentically enough for relationships to grow and thrive from that point forward? Peter learns that forgiveness from Jesus comes with a bonus: a reinstated measure of trust that helps to heal the relationship. What does this mean...

Text: Ephesians 4:1-3 Being a difference maker on this earth starts with the acknowledgement that God has called and gifted us all uniquely to play an important role in the kingdom of God.  What does it mean for us to live a life worthy of the calling that we have received from God? New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our website: https://standrewlu.org...

Text: Hebrews 4:12 -13 The Bible is used in many different ways.  In some countries it has been banned, in some places it has been weaponized or politicized, but there is one thing that it cannot be: ignored.  For those who dismiss it as outdated and outmoded, the author of Hebrews reminds us that “the word of God is living and active… sharper than any two-edged sword.”  How does th...

Text: Luke 9:18 -21 We have explored many aspects of the person of Jesus Christ.  The last may be the most important: “But what about you?” Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?”  We examine how our faith, personal but not private, informs our Christian identity and shapes who we are as followers of Jesus. New to St. Andrew? Click here: https://standrewlu.org/about/visitors/ Visit our w...

Text: Luke 18:15-17 When the disciples tried to stop people from bringing their children to Jesus, Jesus responded with these words: “let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them…”  When we see the truth that all people are God’s children, what can we do to foster relationship with them and how do we bring them to the Savior in meaningful ways?  What does Jesus mean when he...

Text: Matthew 4:12 -17 In times of great turbulent change, we need the comfort of the Gospel more than ever.  We have seen great darkness in recent times but we focus the eyes of our hearts on this good news: “on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”  Jesus teaches us to live out the greatest commandment by his example and he is there to catch us when we fa...