Prince of Peace

In this sermon, Pastor Jonathan shares interviews with several youth who returned from the National Youth Conference. They share the insights they found through that time.

Today's lessons tell the stories of Amos and John the Baptist. Amos was exiled from his home country because he dared speak God's word to the people. John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded because he was spreading the word of God's redemption. In modern times, we don't face quite as dire consequences for spreading God's truth and desire for his people to live in peace, but it can be da...

In today's gospel, Jesus sends his disciples forth in pairs to spread the good news. However, in doing so, he instructs them to take nothing but a walking stick with them, leaving totally vulnerable to the whims of the people they meet on their way. We don't enjoy being vulnerable, not having the answers and knowing what is to come. But as Paul later writes to the Corinthians, "... whenever I am w...

Today's gospel includes the story of Jesus raising Jairus' daughter. Pastor Jonathan's message this morning focuses on what Jesus said after, when he instructed them to tell no one what had happened. Jesus ministry often focused on quietly and humbly serving the people around him. While the world around us is has one idea of what power looks like, we see through Jesus acts that humble acts of serv...

In this week's gospel, Jesus is traveling in a boat with his disciples when a storm rolls in, but Jesus calms the storm with a few words. Pastor Hannah shares with us this morning that if we are bad weather or another kind of storm, Jesus is present. Through prayer, he will calm the storms within us

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan describes how while the kingdom of God is in God's hands, our role is to plant tiny seeds to point the way. We must own the vision and plant the tiny seeds of love in the midst of our community as signs of hope along the way to God's end goal.

In the second installment of our Summer Sermon Series, Pastor Michelle explores the the idea of needing others. Our society has conditioned us to believe that being able to 'handle things ourselves' is what makes us strong. God, however, teaches us to think differently. There is more strength in community, in helping each other, indeed on relying on each other.

In today's gospel, Jesus schools the Pharisees that "the sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the sabbath." Pastor Michelle further explains that there is a power in taking rest, despite the world's pressures. Indeed, the world view is that the busier we are, the better we are. But even the natural world has seasons, time for rejuvenation, and God's lesson for us is that we should tak...

Today's lessons include Paul's letter to the Romans, in which he advises the early church that life is not about taking the easy path, but meet the challenges of life. Jonathan recounts the commencement address he gave this week that congratulated a group of high schoolers, but that their learning was not over. Building character does not consist of avoiding the hard stuff, but doing the hard work...

In this sermon Pastor Michelle discusses how Pentecost was a beginning to the work of the church. The Holy Spirit allows us to do God's work and to continue the story of Jesus through us today.

In today's gospel, Jesus asks God to unite the disciples in purpose, as they go into the world to spread his word. Jonathan use this theme to explore the history of unifications and divisions within the Lutheran church. Christ himself shows that unity in love is the way things should be - from the parable of the good Samaritan to dining with tax collectors and other "undesirables." Later Paul writ...

In today's gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples that he has chosen them not to be his servants, but his friends. None of the disciples were perfect, but Jesus chose them anyway. Pastor Michelle explains to us this morning that Jesus chooses us in the same way - not the idealized version, but each of us as we are, quirks and faults included. Jesus asked his disciples, and us, to do the same: choo...

In this sermon Pastor Michelle discusses the importance of abiding in Christ. We know the love of God through the love of other people. Because of this we must abide together in Christ so that we may bear the fruit of God's love.

In this sermon Pastor Jonathan reflect on Psalm 23 as the description of the care and concern God has for us. This takes on its full incarnation as we live out these words each week by being Christ to each other.

Many events in the Jesus ministry involve sharing a meal, from raising Jarius' daughter, to meeting Zaccheus, to the story in today's gospel where the disciples shared a meal with him after the resurrection. Michelle tells us this morning that there is a lesson in all this: Sharing food brings people together to experience God's abundance. We share food when we gather for events or meetings, and m...

In today's gospel, Jesus appears to the disciples twice after his resurrection. both times amid the political unrest of the time. Pastor Jonathan shows us that, just like the disciples, our faith enables us not to avoid the uncertainty and suffering going on around us, but to navigate through it. Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds and believe, and he invites us to do the same.

Todays gospel is the story of the first Easter Morning, where two women first discovered the empty tomb. Pastor Michelle reminds us this morning that with his resurrection, Jesus has rewritten the rules for the world. Might no longer makes right; vulnerability is no longer weakness. This is God's plan for a world filled with grace and peace

The gospel reading for this week tells of the trial and conviction of Jesus. Pastor Jonathan relates to us that this shows us that, just as now, there was political and religious strife in Jesus' time. Just like today, the polarization was a strong influence, with hate and distrust for "those people" rampant. Indeed, such patterns emerge as early as elementary school. But Jesus, with his outstretc...

We Want to See Jesus by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church - Loveland, OH

In today's gospel, Jesus was at a festival, and there were people who were requesting to see him. Amid the suffering and chaos of todays world, often we feel the same. Pastor Michelle explains today that Jesus himself explains how we can see Jesus. "Those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it..." In other words, those who lose themselves by doin...

Today's gospel lesson includes John 3:16, a passage often quoted by those seeking to proclaim the gospel to those who are unfamiliar with the Christian faith. Yet, as Pastor Michelle points out, quoting just that part of the passage almost sounds like "believe or else." To understand God's intention fully, you must read further. "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in...

Today's old testament lesson teaches us the Ten Commandments. Pastor Michelle walks us through what those mean for us today, and how God has set these up for his people the same way we would get a group project in school - clear expectations for peace with God and with each other. Yet God knew that people would have trouble following the rules. Jesus is the grace that allows us to know that we are...

Pastor Jonathan's message this morning focuses on how God is inclusive of all. While it is obvious that society was very patriarchal in biblical times, it is notable that women played prominent roles in Jesus life and ministry, including those who first early announced the resurrection. God does not decide who can be in the club and who is 'out,' that is a human construct. We as the church are cal...

Today's old testament lesson tells the story of God's first, unconditional covenant with mankind after the great flood: that God would never again flood the earth. While this story illustrates God's power, we know through his promise that He is good enough not to do this again. Instead, the 40 days of Lent remind us that, like the 40 days of flooding cleansed the earth of evil, the waters of bapti...

Today's gospel is the story of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus appears to the disciples alongside Elijah and Moses. Pastor Jonathan relates to us the story of a rainy, gray week early in his ministry, during which he had to fly to St. Louis while preparing a message for for that Transfiguration Sunday. He noted how the scene out the plane window transformed from gray skies to bright blue and c...