Sure Foundation Lutheran Church

“Scripture was written for you, but not to you.” This powerful phrase anchors our exploration of Revelation and helps us faithfully interpret its message in context. In this sermon, we dive deep into one of the most vivid and hope-filled visions in Scripture: the Rider on the White Horse from Revelation 19. We begin by unpacking the importance of genre and historical context—understanding apocalyp...

About six months ago, a simple puzzle activity with my daughter sparked a deep reflection: life doesn’t make much sense when you only see a few pieces. And that’s exactly how the disciples must have felt during Holy Week. They knew Jesus was the Messiah, but they didn’t yet have the full picture. In this sermon from John 16, we explore Jesus' words to His disciples in the Upper Room—the night befo...

Have you ever known someone who’s all talk and no action? In this sermon, we explore how Jesus was accused of just that—people wanted Him to “say it plainly” that He was the Messiah. But Jesus’ actions, miracles, and teachings spoke louder than words. He didn’t just claim to be the Savior—He proved it. Dive into John 10:22-30 as we unpack what it means to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd....

Some things you don’t want to see clearly—like your high school hairdo or a dirty floor in sunlight. Clarity can be uncomfortable. But when it comes to our spiritual lives, clarity is essential—even if it reveals things we’d rather not face. This sermon walks through the powerful moment of Saul’s conversion and how his encounter with the risen Jesus gave him true clarity—about who Jesus is, who Sa...

24 years ago, Shrek reminded us that "ogres are like onions"—they have layers. We do too. Emotions like shattered expectations, guilt, sadness, and fear often swirl together in us, just as they did for Jesus' disciples between Good Friday and Easter morning. But when Jesus appeared to them, everything changed with one powerful greeting: "Peace be with you." In this sermon, we discuss the layers of...

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known in the Bible, and it has even made its way into pop culture—used to describe underdog victories in sports, business, and life. But what if we’ve been misapplying this story all along? This battle was not just about courage, strength, or overcoming life’s obstacles. It was about God’s victory—not David’s. David couldn’t defeat Goliath by...

Some things in life are irreversible. Once an egg is broken, it can’t be put back together. Once time has passed, you can’t get it back. And once words are spoken, they can’t be unsaid. King David learned this painful truth when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and orchestrated her husband Uriah’s death. He couldn’t undo his sins. He couldn’t erase his guilt. He could only try to cope—until Go...

Moses and Elijah were two of the greatest figures in the Old Testament—Moses, the great lawgiver, and Elijah, the fearless prophet. Their lives were unique, filled with miraculous events and powerful encounters with God. But as great as they were, they were not the end of the story. In this sermon, we explore how the Old Covenant was glorious, yet fading—pointing ahead to something greater. The La...

How do you love those who make your life difficult? How do you bless those who mistreat you? Jesus’ words in Luke 6:27-36 call us to a radical love—one that goes beyond fairness and justice to reflect God’s mercy. Imagine hearing these words as a Jewish person living under Roman rule—facing oppression, heavy taxes, and the constant threat of violence. Loving your enemies wasn’t just hard; it felt...

In this thought-provoking sermon, we explore the them of resilience through life's challenges, drawing inspiration from biblical teachings and modern experiences. Pastor Mark Birkholz delves into 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10, examining Paul's thorn in the flesh as a metaphor for personal struggles. Church attendance in Sioux Falls has been declining. Perhaps there are many reasons for this like disappoi...

Have you ever felt unqualified for a big task? Maybe it was your first time staying home alone, driving a car, or starting a new job. That feeling of doubt—Am I really ready for this?—is something we all experience. In this sermon, we look at the calling of Simon Peter and the disciples in Luke 5. Jesus asks them to follow Him and become "fishers of men." Peter, recognizing his own sinfulness, fal...

History is filled with examples of people who ignored what they needed to hear in favor of what they wanted to hear - with devastating consequences. Napoleon Bonaparte believed his army was unstoppable, yet he ignored the warnings about invading Russia in winter. Blockbuster was at the top of the at-home entertainment industry but dismissed the rise of streaming. Both refused to hear the truth, an...

In this sermon, we explore the surprising truth that grace can offend. Jesus' hometown of Nazareth was initially excited to hear him proclaim himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah 61, but their joy quickly turned to anger. Why? Because the grace of God extended beyond their expectations—beyond their nationality, their status, and their assumptions of who "deserved" it. Grace, God's undeserved love...

What if you could glimpse into the childhood of Jesus? Imagine Him as a toddler, a boy, and a teenager—growing, learning, and experiencing life just like us, yet without sin. In this week’s sermon, we reflect on the account from Luke 2, where 12-year-old Jesus stays behind in the temple, astonishing the teachers with His wisdom. Through this story, we see the profound mystery of Jesus’ dual nature...

Awe is a difficult thing to describe, but you know it when you experience it. Awe is great and it is an experience that doesn't come around all the time. In fact, because awe can be killed by familiarity, awe is very rare. Our familiarity with anything can dull our sense of awe for things that are so beautiful or so vast or so important or so meaningful. How many times have you heard the Christmas...

The Ark of the Covenant was cherished by the people, but also feared, because this was where the Holy God promised his presence. And the holy and the unholy just don't mix. That's a truth that Old Testament believer knew well. It was built into their worship life. And this is still true today. We have no right to stand before a perfectly holy God, nor could we. God made a plan to solve this and th...

There is a hopeless despair that comes when you are too far behind that you can't catch up. That is our state before the Lord, although many times we need convincing. We need convincing that our sins are serious and God takes them seriously. Jeremiah did his best to preach to the people and get them to take their sins seriously, but they did not repent. God wants us to take our sins seriously and...

The evil that we perceive in this world can be overwhelming - natural disasters, wars, diseases, and the evil we do to one another. And that's just the evil that we can perceive. All of this is enough to leave us desperate for help. This Psalm calls us into that situation where we ask - "Where does my help come from?" The answer is quick and comforting - "My help comes from the Lord the Maker of h...

It is a nice feeling that we get when we earn something, when we accomplish something. There is a certain sense of pride that we feel in using our gifts and abilities in this way. Yet, this pride can (all too often) get out of control. The Israelites were looking ahead to a time that was much different from the experience of their ancestors. Their ancestors experienced famines, suffering, and slav...

All of us have an aversion to judgment. We don't like the thought of being judged by other people, so we typically don't go looking for it. In fact, we do everything that we can to avoid being judged by others. If we are that averse to judgment from classmates, co-workers, or family members, than how much more fear ought we have of Judgment Day, when God will judge the living and the dead? The Bib...

Humans are naturally drawn to what looks good on the outside. That, in and of itself, is not an issue. However, it can lead to a certain set of misconceptions because outward appearances tend to not be a great litmus test for what is true and what is false. Outward appearances only tell part of the story. Jesus warns about this in Mark. People in that day were drawn to the teaching of the teachers...

There is a shroud that hangs over all of mankind. It is this heavy blanket that casts darkness and obscures the glory and splendor of our God. This shroud is the shroud of death and it is there on account of sin. God sent his One and Only Son to suffer the result of sin - death - on our behalf. That through his death and through his resurrection, we may have life - eternal life, in heaven. Heaven....

The stories of fearless faith of others are powerful. But it is interesting that as you dig into the stories, that it is not something special about the person that allowed them to be fearless, it is what God has given them that equips them to be fearless. God, through the saving work of Jesus and through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, gives fearless faith to people, who are then emboldened...

If you have the right and if you have the freedom, why wouldn't you use it? That's an interesting question to ask. It seems sensible to use the rights and enjoy the freedoms given to us. But is there a situation where it would be wise to NOT use those rights and freedoms? The Apostle Paul says, "Yes!" If foregoing the use of your rights and freedoms allows other people to hear the gospel message,...

God cares about your companionship. He wants you to not experience loneliness. What a beautiful thing to know about God! From the very beginning, he made that clear. When he created Adam, he said that it was not a good thing for man to be alone. And after he created Eve, Adam responded in incredible thankfulness. This account is the last account we have of perfection. After this, sin entered into...