New Beginnings Lutheran Church

He was the man with the plan, until Grace broke in. He wasn’t ready for Grace. So he resisted Grace—sought to kill Grace. Not everyone appreciates the arrival of Grace in their lives. They are a warning for us all! Scripture: Matthew 2:13-18 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

They waited and waited. The promise appeared to be late. But no, Grace broke in just in time to complete lives that appeared wasted. Now their faith was proved right. Scripture: Luke 2:23-38 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Measure twice and cut once. You do things right the first time to save yourself the extra work. But then Grace breaks in and disrupts your best laid plans. You just play the hand you’re dealt the best you can. Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Life is already difficult. Just put one foot in front of another and make the most of what you’ve got. But then Grace breaks in, making the earth beneath you quake and shake. “God’s will be done,” is all you can say. Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

You’re drawing toward retirement and have long accepted your earlier dreams are never happening. You’ve become comfortable with the state of affairs, and even feel grateful for your other blessings. Then Grace breaks in and assigns you a role that appears perfectly misplaced. Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/se...

Gratitude interrupts anxiety and provides a path for peace. God given gratitude rewires our attention, according to Scripture, setting us free to greater fulfilment! These biblical truths are even being touted by psychologists as the healthiest of all emotions. Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

God never told us to give thanks FOR all things. It is a practice we can maintain all the time, even when recognizing some unpleasant realities in our lives. God wants gratitude for us, and uses it to reframe life’s difficulties. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

The wisdom of the ages already identified what science is only beginning to acknowledge: gratitude changes us for the better. But how does one experience gratitude? Gratitude is a practice that begins with God’s grace. Scripture: Psalm 136 **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Let me tell you about the parties God throws—they’re always for the wrong people! And the door is open for all to come. And, finally, these celebrations are often scandalous! Read Luke 15:1-32 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Who do I have to love? That’s not the question Jesus wants us to ask. Instead Jesus forces us to consider, What kind of person am I becoming? Jesus moves us from obligation mindsets to character formation. Read Luke 10:25-37 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

We cannot hold our tongues. We have faith on our lips! Our faith finds a voice because of what we have seen and heard. And we don’t need polish. We just need to be present. Read Luke 24:13-35 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Prayer is a call and response. Having heard God’s Word, we pray it—quote it. That’s why every prayer we pray shapes who we are. It’s like the Bible’s echo in our hearts. Read Luke 1:46-55 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

We don’t just read the Word, but the Word reads us. Scripture doesn’t just inform us, but transforms us. It’s like the Bible is alive! Read Hebrews 4:12 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

The last time this preacher spoke at NBLC, someone offered him a job! Always a blessing to receive the Word from someone whom Jesus called to ministry and grew in the trenches of mission for decades. You don’t want to miss this one! Read Joshua 1:8 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Talk about demonizing your opponents! Jesus didn’t mince words when it came to a vitriolic exchange with the religious authorities of His day. If WWJD applies, should we resort to name-calling? Read John 8:39ff to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

This is gonna be a helluva sermon. Is it true that Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone else? What should we think about Jesus’ comments involving eternal damnation? Read Matthew 25 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

If there’s any commandment in the Bible that we’re able to keep, this one seems accessible. But it’s definitely difficult to wrap our heads around these words. Read Luke 14:26-27 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

I’ve said in sermons past that the Bible doesn’t prohibit slavery. This shocked some. This week we’ll see that Jesus not only condoned it, but advocated that we become slaves! Read Mark 10:44 to prepare. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Who doesn’t love a bingeable mini-series? Gone are the days we’d watch an episode and wait, painstakingly, for seven-days to pass to resolve a cliffhanger. Immediate results are delightful. If we can get them, why not? When we cannot, then what? **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

We notice things: brand names; status symbols; famous people. Points of pride, lusts of the eyes, boastings of what we have and do pale in significance to the unseen seeds lovingly sown in faithful obedience. These produce tectonic shifts in the unseen realm. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Personal ambition is lauded by our culture, but many of us do not dream small enough. When Jesus’ disciples had dreams of grandeur, He shut them down and pointed to unlikely candidates for esteem. Perhaps, with God’s help, we can want less. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

Ever feel like you don’t know enough to effectively share your faith? Jonah delivered a terrible sermon to Nineveh, leaving out critical information (apparently), but somehow God used a reluctant prophet to reach a whole city! **For the best uninterrupted livestream experience, participate in this week's sermon at nblc.net/sermons

God’s grace comes to us in many forms. For Jonah, grace had scales. As God’s prophet looked forward to death rather than to heed God’s call, God’s grace devoured him in the depths of his rebellion.

Isn’t it ironic that unbelievers believe better than believers? Jonah, a member of God’s chosen people and a prophet, no less, was going off-grid to avoid obedience to God’s call. But pagans did exactly what God told them to do.