University Lutheran

We start off our series about the Theology of the Cross talking about the ways that we try to attain righteousness, or becoming a good person, and how that can't be about our religion or our irreligion, but about a third way called the Gospel.

Pastor Ken Chitwood from First Lutheran in Gainesville FL ends our “echoes” sermon series on the catechism by talking about transfiguration and the table of duties found in Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.

What are we eating? We’re normally so conscious of what we put in our mouths, that it only makes sense to wonder about what is “in” communion. We take a look at what God’s Word tells us about what is present in this meal – as well as what the meal takes away.

Today at University Lutheran we’re continuing our series on the 6 basics of Christianity (the 6 chief parts of the Small Catechism), and we also confirmed the faith of Josiah Miller. We talked about what God wants us to give Him, particularly how God wants us to give Him our sins so that He might forgive them.

It's Super Bowl Sunday! It's also the 5th Sunday after Epiphany and we're talking about Baptism at University Lutheran. Today we talk about Baptism and the concept of "remembering your Baptism" and why it might be better to say "remember that you have been Baptized."

When we think about all of the things that God could listen to, it's amazing that He promises to listen to our prayers. We talk about the grace that God shows us in the promise to hear us, and the grace that He shows us in giving us

The Disney corporation is famous for putting “Easter eggs” – things hidden to create joy in those who find them – in their animated movies. Today Pastor Jay talks about an “Easter egg” that he found in Exodus 3, and how the story of God contained in the Creed and in Scripture is the best Easter egg of all.

Today we talked about the 10 commandments and what it means to have 10 commandments. We couched that especially in the understanding of what it means to be commanded to Baptize Taylor Andrew Jordan, who was Baptized right after the sermon in the worship service. You’ll hear about Pastor Jay’s past as a “Party Captain” and what that taught him about management and what that learning taught him abou...

Catching up with posting some older sermons - We celebrate Pastor Jay's second daughter's baptism along with the celebration of Baptism of Our Lord - and we start a new series talking about this book called a catechism.

A multigenerational Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace located on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL

A multigenerational Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace located on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL

A multigenerational Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace located on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL

A multigenerational Jesus Centered Community of Scripture, Faith, and Grace located on the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL

About the 12th Sunday After Pentecost: We begin our exploration into Vintage Faith with the stories of the first human beings and how their stories led to them choosing God when it wasn’t popular to do so. Nonetheless, the people in the Genesis account followed in faith and lived according to God’s design and plan.

About the 6th Sunday after Pentecost: There is a predominant theme of discipleship and calling in these readings. Twice we hear the story of the demands of following as a disciple, first in 1 Kings and then in Luke. The Psalm gives us words to consider as we offer ourselves as disciples to God. Paul in Galatians outlines how we are to walk by the Spirit in the midst of our discipleship.

About the fifth Sunday after Pentecost: The readings for this Sunday all include an element of God’s saving work. He promises that He will save some out of the judgment in Isaiah 65, the Psalmist in Psalm 3 cries out for God to arise and save, and in Luke 8, we read a story of a man who is saved from demons. This all ties with the salvation that we have in faith that Paul is speaking about in Gala...

About 4th Sunday after Pentecost: Sin plays a big role in the theme of this day's readings, but so does forgiveness. The readings show that no matter the sin, the solution is always the same - the justifying work of Jesus Christ, not the Law which cannot utterly defeat sin, but only justification.

About Third Sunday after Pentecost - There is no escaping the theme of death vs life when reading these readings this week. We are called to look at the death that our sin deserves, but also to the life which Christ offers us through the justification of our souls by His suffering and death. We are called to consider that our natural lives are worth nothing, but that our lives that are found in Ch...

About the Fifth Sunday of Easter: God's Kingdom is revealed in a New Heaven and a New Earth in the book of Revelation. It is described as a New Jerusalem coming down out of the heavens, where God's dwelling place is with man. This New Jerusalem is a place where there is no separation along the usual sinful lines that we are so used to in this world. In this New Jerusalem there shall be no bigotry,...

About the Fourth Sunday of Easter: The fourth Sunday of Easter is often called "Good Shepherd Sunday" because the readings traditionally center around the image of Jesus as a shepherd. Even in the book of Revelation, Jesus is pictured as a shepherd - here a sort of ironic shepherd, a Lamb who is a shepherd. The least of the flock, the young lamb, is pictured here as leading a great multitude of al...

About the Third Sunday of Easter: The readings this week revolve around the idea of worthiness. In the reading from the book of Revelation, we see that it is only the Lamb, who is Jesus, that is found worthy. No others are worthy of the responsibility and action of heaven. Because we learn that it is "only the Lamb", we may be struck to the heart because we are excluded. We are not the Lamb. Yet t...

About Easter Sunday: Alleluias return to the sanctuary of University Lutheran as we consider emptiness again, but this time joyously, as we consider the empty tomb of our Lord whom death could not hold. Together with Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women and disciples, we consider the mystery of the question of the angels: "Why do you look for the living among the d...

Throughout the lectionary readings this week, we see hints of Jesus' crucifixion and how we are called to lose our lives in His life. As Jesus was persecuted, we are given the command to give of ourselves in love as well.

Sometimes culture views the Christian God of judgment, and while this is true about God's fairness, it neglects God's love and restoration of the human being. As we consider the God whom Jesus portrays as the father in the story of the prodigal, we consider a God who has given grace and forgiveness.

The readings this week are about repentance, and so it makes sense that we talk about how we are called to something greater than simple songs in our worship, but how we are turned around by God in our repentance.