Grace Abounds

When Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:1-11): he went to prepare a place for us all in our heavenly home; he entrusted his healing work to his followers - including us; and he promised we would share his good news by the power of the Holy Spirit, “you will be my witnesses.” With your words, and actions, and life, how are you witnessing to our good and gracious Lord Jesus Christ? *** Join us In-Pe...

In his Farewell Discourse (John 14-17), Jesus assures his disciples – then and now – that he will send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who comforts us, gives us peace, guides us in the truth. The Holy Spirit comes alongside us and nudges us toward grace. The Holy Spirit reveals what is real and authentic and good and helps us discern “what Jesus would do?” The Holy gives us life and shows us how to...

In the midst of a debate about his identity and mission, Jesus states, “I am the Good Shepherd,” and “I am the Gate for the Sheep” (John 10:1-16). With these “I am” statements, Jesus helps his listeners understand that he is the Lord our Shepherd (Psalm 23), who leads us in the way of goodness and mercy, who walks with us through the darkest valleys, who gives us abundant life, now and forever. **...

As the two disciples walking on The Road to Emmaus discovered (Luke 24:13-35), the risen Jesus is really with us on our journey, even when we don’t recognize his presence. In this sermon, I share the ways in which Jesus is present with us here and now, and how Jesus has been practicing “gastrodiplomacy” (a word I learned recently visiting Sunnylands) for over 2,000 years. *** Join us In-Person or...

This week's sermon is brought to us by Pastor Jim Schoenrock. (John 20:19-31) Each of us has a different-looking architectural design in our heads. So when I see, I may not exactly see what you see. Or even if we see the same thing, we may interpret it differently according to our inner constructs. So, what does this say about seeing? About believing something to be so? Perhaps, instead of say...

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the joyous good news, “Christ is Risen!” Jesus Christ joined with us so that we might join with him; suffered with us so that we know we never suffer alone; took our death as his own and gives us life, now and forever. And one day, Christ will make all things new. In Christ, we know, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” *** Join u...

There are many ways to answer this question, but here’s what I believe. The suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, reveals God’s profound love for us, makes known to us the God who would go that far for us. The God who suffers with us, so that we know, no matter what we suffer in this broken world, we are not alone. The God who participated even in our death, and thereby defe...

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11) and reveals the truly good news that he is the source of life, now and forever. Even in the messiness and sorrow of life in this broken world, Jesus does wondrous and beautiful things. Even as life in the here and now is often hard, life forever with our good and gracious Lord is already ours. Even though we die, yet we shall live. *** Join us In-Person...

In the story of Jesus restoring sight to the man who was born blind (John 9), people have very different visions of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done in healing the man. The man’s parents, his neighbors, and the local religious authorities lack the spiritual insight to see the good that has taken place. The man himself not only regains his physical sight, but also comes to see that Jesus, the o...

They may be two people chatting at a well (John 4), but Jesus crosses an ocean of social, political, and religious divides in speaking with the Samaritan Woman, as she does in speaking with him. Jesus gives her the space to share who she is, and he shares who he is with her. He is the Savior, the Lord, the source of living water. *** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am and 11...

“Do you want to be made well?” Jesus asked the man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9). If Jesus asked you this question right now, how would you respond? *** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am and 11am. Find out more about upcoming events and ways to serve our community by joining our mailing list. Email office@stjohnslutheran.church and request to be added! If you are in...

In one of my seminary classes, a student wondered how the disciples knew about the temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). We realized the simplest explanation is that Jesus told them. Jesus shared his experience - so that we know we have a Savior who was tested as we are, who knows the questions and challenges we face, and who walks with us through the wilderness places of this broken world. *** Jo...

The Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountaintop (Matt 17:1-9) - where the disciples see him shine with divine light - gives them, and us, a glimpse into who Jesus is. Jesus is the God of all Creation, who joined with us in our humanity. Jesus is the Savior of the world, who loves us so much that he gave his life for ours. Jesus is with us always, in the mountaintop moments and in the difficult val...

Martin Luther once said, “next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise.” Scripture is filled with songs and singers - Moses and Miriam (Exodus 15:1-20), Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Luke 1:46-55), Jesus and the Disciples (Matthew 26:30), and many more. We follow in this wonderful tradition when we join our voices in song as the people of God. May you “sing to the Lord a new song” (Isai...

“You are the salt of the earth.” “You are the light of the world.” With these metaphors (Matt 5:13-16), Jesus teaches his followers, then and now, how to follow him. He calls us to preserve what is good and make things better. He calls us to reflect the love of God in our words and actions. He calls us to flavor the world with God’s grace and illuminate the world with God’s light. How might you do...

Our contemporary culture often defines being blessed as being rich and powerful and prosperous, untouched by the troubles of this life. But this worldview crumbles when the troubles, inevitably, come. In the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12), Jesus offers a true, authentic, and sustaining definition of blessing: We are blessed because the Lord loves us, because we have life in Christ, because we have the o...

Jesus calls his disciples, then and now, to ‘fish for people’ (Matt 4:12-23) - to cast the net of God’s good news far and wide and bring all people into the beloved community of Christ. We are called, personally and as a community, to tell people about Jesus and to show people his love. In this sermon, we hear from three members of St. John’s about the fulfillment they find in doing so. *** Join u...

The “Beloved Community” was a frequent theme in the sermons of Martin Luther King, Jr. - a community grounded in the agape love of God. God is Godself is a beloved community of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and we are made in God’s image. How might you today, and every day, live into the blessed reality of the beloved community of Christ? *** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am a...

The baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17) reveals that God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is a divine eternal relationship of love. When we are baptized, we are immersed in this relationship of love, and empowered to share God’s love with others. We have the opportunity, every day, to overflow with the love of God and change this world for good. Don’t you want to be a part of that? *** Join us In-P...

The wise men who visited Jesus as a child (Matthew 2:1-12), were looking for the sign, saw the Christmas star, discerned what it meant, and followed that star to Jesus. May we do the same. May we seek to know God’s way, and see the signs of God’s presence, and go where the Lord guides us. May we, like the wise men, see and follow the stars that led us to Jesus. *** Join us In-Person or Online for...

Mary was an ordinary, extraordinary young woman called by the Lord to give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world. And Mary said ‘yes’ to God’s call: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:26-38). As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may we follow Mary’s example of faith. May we embody the good news of life in Christ. May we remember that we are all ordinary, extraordinary people, and it is...

*** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am and 11am. Find out more about upcoming events and ways to serve our community by joining our mailing list. Email office@stjohnslutheran.church and request to be added! If you are in need of prayer or pastoral care, email Pastor Jen at pastor@stjohnslutheran.church. We continue to be deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity of our St....

*** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am and 11am. Find out more about upcoming events and ways to serve our community by joining our mailing list. Email office@stjohnslutheran.church and request to be added! If you are in need of prayer or pastoral care, email Pastor Jen at pastor@stjohnslutheran.church. We continue to be deeply grateful for the ongoing generosity of our St....

When Jesus invites himself over for dinner with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), he is declaring to Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus’ hometown community, that this despised tax collector is not despised by him. Jesus came to seek out and to save sinners - that is, all of us - in great and unending love. Zacchaeus responds to the invitation of Jesus with joy and generosity. How will we respond? *** Join us In-Per...

In response to a question from the religious authorities in Jerusalem (Luke 20:27-38), Jesus speaks the gospel truth that God is the God of the living, now and forever; death is not the end of the story; the ones we love are always with us. We are God’s children now, and one day we will be as our good and gracious Creator intends. Sainthood is our present reality and our future hope. *** Join us I...