Sermons | Living Hope and Christ the King ELCA Lutheran Churches

As our nation marks its semiquincentennial, we exercise our religious freedom by gathering for worship on Sunday morning. In worship, we give thanks for the many blessings God has given us, and this weekend, we consider how this occasion challenges us to live up to our nation’s ideals of liberty and justice for all. As Christians living in 21st century America, we are blessed with tremendous oppor...

What does it mean to welcome others? In this Sunday's brief Gospel reading from Matthew 10, Jesus tells us that when we offer even a cup of cold water to welcome someone, we are really welcoming him. Welcoming our neighbors means seeing them in their full humanity, as beloved children of God. As members of the body of Christ, we share the welcome of grace which we ourselves have received throu...

Pastor Daniel is traveling with Lighthouse Youth to Nashville for a service trip, so this Sunday, we are grateful to Pastor Jennifer Olson for leading us in worship. Today's Scripture readings are Romans 6:1b-11; Psalm 69:7-10, 16-18; and Matthew 10:24-33. Learn more about Christ the King Lutheran Church in Port Washington and Living Hope Lutheran in Saukville, Wisconsin at  https://www.living...

Today's joint worship service celebrates a great week of "Do Something Superheroes" Vacation Bible School! No matter your age or abilities, God has a mission for you. Everyone can answer the call to DO SOMETHING to share God's love through your words and actions! This week’s readings are Jeremiah 1:4-8, Psalm 105:1-5, 1 Timothy 4:12, and Mark 12:28-34. Learn more about Christ the K...

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading from Matthew 9, the religious leaders criticize Jesus for spending time with sinners and even (gasp!) eating with them. Jesus responds, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” How often do we fall into the trap of thinking we need to be “good enough” to come into God’s presence? More than once, I’ve heard people concerned, “If I step into the door of th...

Right before he ascends to heaven, Jesus gives his disciples some instructions. He sends them out into the world to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”  (Matthew 28:18-20) This “Great Commission” is given not only to the 11 disciples who heard...

Happy Pentecost! As we celebrate the birthday of the church, this week's message from Pastor Daniel Flucke looks at three aspects of the Holy Spirit's Pentecost work: The Holy Spirit fills the church. The Holy Spirit sends us. And the Holy Spirit goes with us. Those promises are as true today as ever. Receive the Holy Spirit! This week’s readings are John 20:19-23, Psalm 104:24-33, 1 Corin...

Today we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, the moment when the risen Christ departs from the disciples and commissions them for the work ahead. Although we mention Jesus’ Ascension each time we say the Apostle’s Creed together, it’s one of those parts of Jesus’ story we often gloss over. What do we do with this strange, awkward, almost unbelievable story? This sermon from Pastor Daniel Flucke expl...

Many people imagine God as a distant heavenly being watching from afar. But as Christians, we believe in a God who refuses to stay distant. God insists on coming into the world. God wants to be involved in our lives. God is personal and knowable, hearing and answering our prayers. As Jesus promises in today's reading, even though he himself is no longer physically walking around in our world,...

What does faithful Christian witness look like? Stephen is remembered as the first Christian martyr, but his death is only part of his legacy. Today’s sermon explores Stephen’s story as an example of how the Gospel is proclaimed in both word and deed. Along the way, we look at how the early church’s ministry of compassion became a powerful witness to the world around them. Today’s Scripture readin...

In last week's sermon, we met Jonah, a reluctant prophet given a tough assignment. Although he ran away from God's call, God refused to give up on him. We left Jonah in the belly of a big fish. This Sunday, we hear the rest of Jonah's story, focusing on chapters three and four. It’s a great story about a shockingly successful sermon to some really terrible people, and a powerful object...

For the next two weeks, we're exploring the book of Jonah. Today's message on Jonah 1 introduces us to a reluctant prophet given a tough assignment. Listen along as Pastor Daniel Flucke explores themes of sin, forgiveness, and faith in Jonah 1, and look for the rest of the story next week as we get to the point of Jonah's story in chapters 3 & 4. Additional readings for this Sunday...

This Sunday, we welcome a special guest, Pastor Larry Harpster to Living Hope & Christ the King. He is the mission developer pastor for Milwaukee Wild Church, a new worshiping committee in our synod. If you’ve ever said, “I feel closest to God when I’m out in nature,” marveled at the peace and stillness of a forest, or been awed by the beauty of a sunset, you won’t want to miss his message. Wi...

Alleluia! Christ is risen! And the good news of Jesus' resurrection changes everything. Sorrow and grief are transformed into joy and hope! Because he lives, death no longer gets the last word. The grave is empty, and a new creation has begun. Good news! Happy Easter! Our Scripture readings for this Easter Sunday are Colossians 3:1-4; Psalm 118:1, 14-24; and the resurrection story in Matthew 2...

Tonight we wrap up our midweek community Lenten worship series "Tell Me Something Good" with a profound story of the forgiveness and grace Jesus offers. When the religious leaders drag before Jesus a woman caught in adultery, he refuses to condemn her, instead pointing out their hypocrisy and choosing to offer grace, mercy, and forgiveness to her. The Scripture readings for tonight's L...

Have you ever wondered why God takes so long to act? In this Sunday’s Gospel story, Jesus hears his friend Lazarus is sick—and then waits two days before going to him. By the time he arrives, it seems too late. Lazarus is dead. No wonder the people say, “Lord, if you had been here…” Sometimes faith sounds like frustration. The good news is that Jesus doesn’t turn away from those questions. Instead...

Today's message explores the story of Jesus healing the man born blind, inviting us to consider how Jesus invites us to see differently. Thank you to Rev. Chris Manke, Executive Director for Outreach for Hope , for leading worship and sharing the message this Sunday while Pastor Daniel is away for the weekend. The Scripture readings for this fourth Sunday in Lent are Ephesians 5:8-14, Psalm 23...

In John 4, a Samaritan woman's routine trip to the well turns into a life-changing encounter with Jesus. By offering her “living water,” he breaks cultural barriers, revealing the surprise of God’s grace. Today's Lent 3 sermon from Pastor Daniel invites you to notice God's holy interruptions in your own life. This week's Scripture readings are Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, and John 4:5-...

God tells Abram to go without giving him a destination. God calls young Jeremiah before he feels ready. Nicodemus risks his reputation to ask honest questions. In each of today’s story, bravery isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting the One who calls. Today’s sermon kicks off this year’s Lutheran Schools Week theme of “Brave” by exploring how God equips the called, walks with us in...

On this first Sunday of Lent, as we begin our 40-day journey to the cross, we hear about Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. Following his baptism, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus to the wilderness where he faces temptations challenging his identity.  A sermon reflecting on how temptation works, where we look for our worth, and the powerful promise spoken over us in baptism: you are God’s beloved. B...

Welcome to Ash Wednesday! Too often the church's message (especially on days like Ash Wednesday) can come across as bad news and condemnation. Sin is real, and we are called to repent. But there is good news too: Jesus offers forgiveness for our sin. A sermon on law, gospel, and the classic children's story, "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." Today's Scripture reading...

Transitioning from the season of Epiphany to Lent, this week we hear the story of Jesus' transfiguration. In this mountaintop moment, the disciples glimpse Jesus' true glory, a vision which will shape how the disciples will understand the events to come as Jesus is arrested, killed, and resurrected. These stories continue to shape how we encounter the world as people of faith. As Richard L...

Welcome to worship! Today’s message is a little different than normal. Rather than sharing a full sermon on a few verses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, today’s message includes a brief introduction from Pastor Daniel, then the full text of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. Included in this podcast is also an extended welcome to the communion table and the post-communion...

In his “Project Kingdom of Heaven,” Jesus rejects the world's standard of "might makes right." Instead, he calls us as his followers to participate in God's work of transforming this world ruled by violent, armed force into a world ruled by the power of gracious love. Thank you to Rev. Wendy Wirth-Brock for leading worship and sharing the message this Sunday while Pastor Daniel is...

On this annual meeting Sunday, we hear Paul make a passionate plea for the church to be united in Christ, knit together in the same mind and the same purpose. Yes, church annual meetings are bureaucratic procedures, but on another level, they offer an opportunity to practice living out this call for unity. Today's sermon is also a reminder that unity does not mean conformity, but rather workin...