Sermon Audio – Cross of Grace

Same Devil Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that...

The Best and Worst of Times Pastor Cogan Matthew 17:1-9 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good f...

Salt, Light, and Looking Ahead Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 5:13-20 [Jesus said,] “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its taste, how can it’s saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, and is thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill can not be hid. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel basket, but places it on...

A Blessing for the Screw Ups Pastor Cogan Matthew 5:1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed ar...

Walking Hope Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 4:12-32 Now, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan – Galilee of the Gentiles. Those who sat in da...

How to Live a Life Pastor Cogan John 1:29-42 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I...

Vows of the Peacock and Baptismal Variety Pastor Cogan Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized...

A.I. and the Good News of Christmas Pastor Mark Havel John 1:10-18 He was in the world and the world came into being through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own and his own people did not accept him. But to those who received him – who believed in his name – he gave the power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the...

Welcoming the Holy Family Pastor Cogan Matthew 2:13-23 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until...

History Rhymes, Grace Repeats Pastor Mark Havel Isaiah 11:2-9 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and d...

Joseph, Jesus, and What's in a Name Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, took place in this way. When his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, but before they were living together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, he planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he resolved to...

Too Good to be True Pastor Cogan Matthew 11:2-11 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor hav...

Sledding Repentance Pastor Mark Havel Matthew 3:1-12 In those days, John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea proclaiming, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near. This is the one about whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight.’” Now, John wore clothing of camel’s hair wi...

December 17: Mary Graham - Sunflowers Off Prospect St. Sunflowers Off Prospect St. Mary Graham December 17: Dave Baker - It Gets Better Each Year It Gets Better Each Year Dave Baker Dave and Dan at eight months old. Can you tell who is who? December 10: Dan Julian - Ashes and Rainbows Ashes and Rainbows Dan Julian The sun dogs seen by Dan and Deb on their way home after “spreading” her parents’ as...

What's On Your List? Pastor Cogan Matthew 24:36-44 But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the floo...

Toilet Paper, Payback, and Christ the King Pastor Cogan Luke 23:33-43 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him,...

Fire, Brimstone, and Building Campaigns Pastor Mark Havel Luke 21:5-19 As some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the day will come when not one stone will be left upon another, all will be thrown down.” They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be? And what will be the sign that this is...

Zacchaeus and Me Pastor Mark Havel Luke 19:1-10 [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to...

The Risk of Saints - All Saints Sunday 2025 Pastor Cogan Luke 6:20-31 Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor,     for yours is the kingdom of God.  “Blessed are you who are hungry now,     for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now,     for you will laugh. “Blessed are you when people...

Free Indeed - Reformation 2025 Pastor Mark Havel John 8:31-36 Jesus said to some of the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” They said to him, “We are descendant of Abraham, and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free.’?” He answered them, “V...

God the Persistent Widow Pastor Cogan Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though...

Faith, High Hurdles, and Vatican City Pastor Mark Havel Luke 17:5-10 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you. Who among you would say to his slave who has just returned from plowing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at...

Asking for a Friend - How can we hold onto our Shared Humanity in a Divided World? Pastor Cogan Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy times seven. I loathe physical therapy. Thanks to having the back of someone 3x my age, I h...

Asking for a Friend - Is the Church a Mission Center or Social Club Pastor Cogan Matthew 28:16-20 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing th...

Asking for a Friend - Literal v. Literate: Can We Square Scripture and Science? Pastor Mark Havel John 9:1-12 As [Jesus] walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the...