St. Mark Lutheran Church

Joy To The World - Romans 15:4-13 “Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King.” It’s easy to have Joy AFTER we receive. But why do we sing this song BEFORE Jesus arrives? God knows how badly our hearts need hope, and advent is a reminder that hope is always on the way.

This is a part of our sermon series "The Songs of Christmas: Timeless Truth From Your Favorite Carols." Go Tell It on the Mountain – Psalm 146 “Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.” The message of Christmas is all around us – family, fun, and connection. Our world, however, is desperate for real hope. Who among us needs to hear the truth: that behind all the tradition is an unshakable hope in a shaky world?

This is a part of our sermon series "The Songs of Christmas: Timeless Truth From Your Favorite Carols." O Little Town Of Bethlehem – Luke 1:46b-55 “No ear may hear his coming but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.” Mary readies herself to meet both her child and her savior with a simple prayer of humility. As we approach Christmas, we must consider how ready our hearts are to let God speak to us.

This is a part of our sermon series "The Songs of Christmas: Timeless Truth From Your Favorite Carols" "O Come O Come Emmanuel" – Isaiah 2:1-5 "Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel." These words feel so different than the cold, dark season of winter. The promise, however, is clear: God is on the move. Our advent journey leads us to a place of preparation to see what God will do next.

Philippi: More Like Christ – Philippians 2:1-11 Paul is overjoyed to write to the Philippians, and his happiness shows through.  He is encouraging them not to lose focus on what has brought them to this place: a life shaped like Jesus.  We too need to be fed spiritually throughout our lives.

Galatia: Forgetting The Truth – Galatians 3:1-14 When Paul is frustrated, everyone knows it.  He starts with “you foolish Galatians” and it goes downhill from there.  The thing that makes Paul so mad is something that can fool us today – namely that the Galatians have taken salvation into their own hands.  Paul emphatically tells them what can happen if they know the truth about Jesus

"Ephesus: What God Can Do" – Ephesians 3:14-21 Paul needed the Ephesians to see something important – that what they were faced with wasn’t too much for them.  As he prays for his readers, we are reminded of how much more God can do through us than we ever could have imagined.

"Corinth: Remember Your Neighbor" – 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 The Corinthians were incredibly blessed – with a large community, plenty to eat and plenty to share.  They were, however, forgetful of what it means to bless others.  Paul reminds us – when we see the generosity of our neighbor, it is a call to generosity for ourselves.  This is part of our "Connecting in Faith: Paul's Letters to the Church" series.

"Colossae: Jesus At The Center" – Colossians 1:3-14 Paul writes to the Colossians to encourage them in their faith.  Over the years Jesus had become one of many Gods they worshiped, but Paul implores them to learn and grow in their faith.  We, too, are compelled to share our faith, ESPECIALLY with the generation behind us This is part of our "Connecting in Faith: Paul's Letters to the Church" series.

Acts 28:1-6 Paul’s early life is ordered in obeying the rules, gaining an identity, and then being God’s child.  But by the end of Acts, he has learned something – when God gives him an identity and he obeys from that, he is not swayed by the opinions of others.  We are meant to have an unshakable understanding of who we are and what God has for us.

Matthew 16:13-19 When God gives us an identity, we are given a purpose.  For Peter, that purpose is to strengthen the faith of everyone around him.  When you hear your name from God, how does that shape the purpose God has given you?

Mark 2:13-17 Levi (AKA Matthew) has a name that tells him who he is – a servant of God.  But he is living in a way that doesn’t care for the people.  When we ignore the one who gives us identity, we can forget who we are.

Numbers 13:4-16 When Moses changes Joshua’s name, he is signaling a change in the people – from hoping for freedom to receiving it.  In baptism, God changes us from slaves to ourselves to become God’s free people, living in the world.

Genesis 32:22-30 Jacob is the “trickster,” and tries to pull a trick on God, wrestling for a blessing.  God shows him the truth – both that the blessing is meant for him, and that it is difficult to bear.  Our blessings come from hearing that we have a heavenly father, and that God offers blessing to us.

What’s In a Name? - Genesis 17:1-8, 15-16 Abram and Sarai simply cannot believe the promise that they would be the parents of a great nation.  God gives them a new identity and a new name, reminding them that they carry God’s image forever.

My Place In the Kingdom -  Matthew 20:20-28

"The Rich Young Ruler"  - Luke 18:18-30

The Raising of Lazarus – John 11:1-46

The Parable of the Two Sons – Luke 15:11-32 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25-37