Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Do we seek God's Kingdom? Are we staying focused on Jesus in a world of distractions? Jesus' invitation to "seek first the kingdom of God" is a great starting point in refocusing on Him.

Disciples of Jesus delight in the scriptures because it connects us to Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. And in Jesus we too have life, even life to the full.

Idols come in all shapes and sizes. But to be honest, we here in the west...well, we love our idols. In fact, American Idol has been on for over 2 decades. More often than not, the idols we worship didn't start as idols. In fact, often times something that began as good...slowly turned into an idol. Work is God's gift to humanity but for far too many of us...work has become an idol. And it's an id...

Does it really matter what we do with our bodies in this life?  After all, our earthly body and this creation is just going to die and be destroyed and be made new when Jesus comes again.  The resurrection answers this question with a resounding "YES!"  What we do with our bodies and in this present creation matters precisely because of the resurrection and the new heaven and new earth. Come and e...

One of the most powerful, but often underutilized, tools in the life of following Jesus is prayer. Prayer is simple…yet difficult. Prayer is mysterious…yet practical. Prayer has been a keystone in the life of believers throughout the scriptures - from the very beginning through the very end. For James, the believer’s life should be marked by prayer…in any and every situation. Prayer is how faith w...

Wars, battles, and conflicts are raging around us. But James turns our attention to the wars, battles and conflicts raging within us. Our life in Christ is one in which we must submit our whole selves - our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our desires. It’s often this last one that is most difficult - to reflect on, evaluate and offer to our Lord Jesus our desires. Yet James, with deep pastoral...

Words are never just words. They can heal or harm, bless or burn—and James isn’t silent about their power. This week, we’ll discover how the Resurrection of Jesus transforms not only our hearts, but also our tongues, so that we speak as people shaped by grace.

A pecking order is nothing more than a basic pattern of social organization where some are more powerful and some are less powerful; where some rule and some submit. The danger, of course, is this kind of thinking and behaving would find its way into the community of faith. But, as James instructs, there should be no distinction between neighbors with power and influence and those who are barely s...

On the day of Pentecost, God sent His Spirit; the same spirit who was hovering over the waters at creation, and the same spirit who was breathed into humanity…animating dust. It’s this Spirit who is poured out on Pentecost and who, once again, is put INTO disciples - animating them to live the resurrection and kingdom life. As James encourages and challenges the believers in the Jerusalem church t...

What does it look like to live in the space between promise and fulfillment — when life feels unresolved and ordinary? Today we step into a quiet moment after Jesus’ ascension and discover how small acts of faithfulness become part of God’s bigger story. Resurrection life isn’t just about bold miracles — it’s about trusting Jesus in the in-between.

When we think of the "great mothers and fathers of faith" we tend to think of people like: Martin Luther, Augustine, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Paul. But, what if the "great mothers and fathers of the faith" are not really extraordinary but extra ordinary. When Jesus sets forth the mission, when he calls, equips and sends workers into the harvest, when he see great advances in the kingdom - he d...

What happens when the road ahead of you looks nothing like the road behind you? The resurrection changes the very nature of the journey. As we discover what this new resurrection life looks like, we discover the old way of doing things isn't incorrect, it's just incomplete. God is doing a new thing and asking us to join Him.

In a world full of noise, demands, and uncertainty, the Risen Jesus calls us to trust His voice and follow Him—even when the path ahead is unclear. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to live in the resurrection by reorienting our lives toward the One who knows us, holds us, and leads us.

Failure. Nobody likes it. Everybody encounters it. Failure feels like a spotlight on all that is weak in us - but, what if, failure is a spotlight on something else entirely. What if failure helps us see what we could never see without it? Being "Empty Tomb" people means understanding something profound about failure and God's work in and through it.

The Resurrection is God's guarantee that all our suffering, grief, sin, pain, and brokenness will one day be ended. The Resurrection is God's guarantee of a new life...and that new life has already begun. This new life, life in Christ, is a life that is meant not just for us - but for the whole of the world. Living in the resurrection means leaving fear and heading out to tell others about this ne...

Easter morning didn't begin in JOY. It began in suffering...as the women, weeping, went to the tomb of their murdered master. They went to the tomb with heavy hearts, troubled spirit and overly fatigued bodies. They went to see the inevitable conclusion for all people...to see death. On Easter morning, the women were walking in suffering. But the news that morning, that death had died, would move...

Words are hard...picking the right ones...delivering them clearly. Will they be heard the way you intent? Will they be understood and responded to the way you hope? Jesus picked just a few to say from the cross. Just seven statements were recorded and, in total, very few words. However, He picked them carefully...and they help teach, comfort, and guide us to see how this Friday can be considered "...

Some people are really passionate about food - cooking, discovering, or simply eating! Food holds a central place in our lives - since it's necessary to fuel our bodies. Tables (where the food is served) often have a central place within families and friends circles. It's around a table, with food prepared and served, that we are filled both in body and in spirit. Jesus is passionate about food! H...

Today is the day when we celebrate the King of Kings’ entry into Jerusalem. It’s the day we shout and cry “Hosanna.” It’s the day we wave palm branches in festal procession. It’s the day we join Jesus on His journey to reclaim humanity. But, since the beginning of this Lenten season - this journey has been about one thing…suffering. It’s about…the Cross. Today is not only a day of rejoicing but a...

When one becomes a follower of Jesus, whether in infancy or later in life, their life doesn’t immediately change for the good, but they immediately come into a family of faith. This community of believers is a community that journeys together through all of life’s mountains and valleys. As we walk through suffering, the community of faith has a role - a very important though often overlooked role...