Grace Abounds

Martin Luther could not meet the expectations of the church of his time that earn his salvation by doing his very best. It changed his life, the church, and the world, when Luther realized that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Christ frees us from sin and death, and frees us for love and life. How are you living into your freedom in Christ? *** Join us In-Person or Online for Worship...

Jesus offers the “Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector” (Luke 18:9-14) for those who trust in themselves that they are righteous and regard others with contempt. This parable invites us to ask - Who are we trusting to make us righteous? Are we self-righteous and disdainful of those who don’t meet our moral standards? Are we aware of God’s mercy in our lives and ready to share that mercy t...

When Jesus heals a man of leprosy (Luke 17:11-19), he recognizes what Jesus did for him, and goes to the source of his new life to express his gratitude, to give thanks, to acknowledge the grace of Christ in his life. May we also express our gratitude in giving thanks to God, in telling others about what Christ has done for us, in how we live our lives every day. *** When Jesus heals a man of lepr...

*** When the disciples ask Jesus to “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5-10), Jesus helps them understand they already have the faith they need to do what he has called them to do. Even with faith “the size of a mustard seed” they can do the good, productive, life-giving work of the Lord. So can we. Join us In-Person or Online for Worship Sundays at 9:30am and 11am. Find out more about upcoming events...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 25, 2022 • 11:00 Service: “What about all the different colors that change with the seasons? When did that tradition start?” “If Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday, where does three days come from?” *** 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 j...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 25, 2022 • 9:30 Service: “Why are there different Synods in the ELCA and why do their beliefs vary so much?” *** 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 ar...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 18, 2022 • 11:00 Service: “Where do the truly evil people go when they die, especially if they were faithful to God – are they ever punished for their actions in life?” “When Jesus descended to the place of the dead to collect the souls, does that mean the place of the dead is where our souls will go to await his second coming?” *** Join us In-Pe...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 18, 2022 • 9:30 Service: "Someone once said to me that ‘denying the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin.’ What does that mean?" "How much of the Bible is meant to be an allegory, not to be taken literally?" "What about our beloved companion animals (dogs, cats, birds, etc.)? Are they given the same blessing and promise of eternal life after death...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 11, 2022 • 9:30 Service: “Please explain the afterlife and what we should be anticipating…and all who will be there (surprised that WE made it through the gate!)” *** 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@stj...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 11, 2022 • 11:00 Service: “What does God have beyond the universe?” “In the Apostle’s Creed, ‘He descended to the dead?’ what does that mean?” “If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, is the Holy Spirit still working in you?”

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 4, 2022 • 11:00 Service: “Regarding when the congregation recites the words listed on the screen, specifically “I believe in the Saints and the Holy catholic Church” – how do these words fall into the Lutheran beliefs and how would I go about learning more?” “What does signing the cross over your chest mean? I've always seen it in reference to th...

Pastor Jen answers questions YOU send in. September 4, 2022 • 9:30 Service: "Please share the many experiences that lead you to be Pastor here at St. John’s Lutheran Church." "What does it mean to be 'made in God’s image'?" "Demons might be another subject to explore...How to explain the pigs." "How should we be regarding angels? Is it wrong to pray to them? There are Christians who believe in Jes...

Invited to a meal with “a leader of the Pharisees,” Jesus teaches those present to act with humility - ‘Do not seek the best seats at the table’ - and hospitality - ‘Invite the poor and vulnerable to eat at the table with you’ (Luke 14:1-14). May we follow his counsel. May we “do good and share what we have” (Hebrews 13:10). May we welcome others as Christ welcomes us. *** Join us In-Person or Onl...

Jesus does the ‘work’ of healing on the Sabbath (a holy day of rest), and a religious leader complains about Jesus ‘breaking the rules’ (Luke 13:10-17). Jesus responds that restoring a person to wholeness is holy work rightly done on a holy day. The Sabbath Commandment is not about rules governing how we behave on a particular day of the week. Sabbath is about how we live all the time in relations...

After recounting stories of the “great cloud of witness” who have come before us (Hebrews 11), the author of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes of Jesus Christ, the staring mark and finish line of faith, to strip off the sin that weighs us down and trips us up, and to run with perseverance the race ahead of us (Hebrews 12:1-2). What does that mean for you today? *** Join us In-Person or Online...

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is not simply what we say we believe. Faith is the lived experience of being in relationship with God our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer. Faith is trusting that God is good and wants good for us and will work all things together for good. Faith is expressed in the hope that keeps us going and the l...

In response to two brothers fighting over an inheritance, Jesus says, “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Jesus illustrates this truth with a parable about a “rich fool” who builds bigger barns to keep his abundance all to himself (Luke 12:13-21). As Jesus teaches, our toil for worldly possessions is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2); our labor for the Lord is never in vain (1 Cor...

When Jesus visits with Martha and her sister Mary (Luke 10:38-42), Mary focuses on Jesus, while Martha is “worried and distracted” by her many tasks. Martha is so busy carrying the burdens of her daily life, she fails to recognize the presence of the one who will pick her burdens up, who will pick her up, who will never let her go. As we go about the many tasks of daily life, may we keep our focus...

In the “Parable of the Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus teaches that loving our neighbor means caring for everyone and anyone God places in our path. And while we might picture ourselves in this story as the unhelpful Levite or the compassionate Samaritan, it is perhaps the Innkeeper who best represents us. The Innkeeper is given the resources and responsibility to care for the person in nee...

In his public ministry, Jesus consistently crossed over human barriers to heal people in need and reveal God’s love for all, and he took his disciples with him, and he told them to do the same (Luke 8:26-39). May we follow the example of Jesus. May we live that gospel truth that Christ has united us in our wondrous diversity to share his good news (Galatians 3). May we remember that our essential...

On Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1-21), the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, who spoke the gospel in the languages of people from all over the known world and welcomed thousands into the community of Christ. The same Holy Spirit who filled those first disciples fills us. The Spirit is still moving, still speaking to us and through us, still working in this world in wondrous and mysterious ways. Are we...

“You will be my witness.” We are all called, as Christians, to live out these words of Jesus Christ to his disciples on the day of his Ascension (Acts 1:8). Whatever our profession, our vocation is to follow Jesus, to tell people about him, to do his life-giving work, to live the gospel every moment of every day. May we hear and respond to our Lord’s Great Commission to share the good news.

During the Last Supper, Jesus said to his disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:53). Jesus does not say people will know we are his followers by our doctrinal beliefs or our moral code or our church traditions. These things are important, but they are not what define us as followers of Christ. Love is what defines us followers...

While teaching in Jerusalem, Jesus described himself as the “Good Shepherd” (John 10). He knows and cares for the sheep because they belong to him. He lays down and takes up his life for the sheep. His sheep hear his voice and follow him. How are you listening for the voice of our Good Shepherd? And how are you following him?

The Apostle Peter is a profound example of the Gospel truth that Jesus calls us to do his good work not because we are perfect, but because we are his. As Jesus did for Peter on the seashore after his resurrection (John 21:1-19) - so Jesus does for us. Jesus rests our faults and failures in his grace and shows us a better way. Jesus loves us, always. Jesus will restore us, and the whole creation....