Your Coming King
December 1, 2024 – First Sunday in Advent
Rev. Shayne Jonker

Your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation. He came once in humility to die and rise. He comes now to bless, to forgive, to make you His own, and to give you a share in His life and royalty. He comes to establish His reign, not on earth, but in the hearts of men and women, turning hearts in faith toward Him and to the Father.

Sermon Text: Zechariah 9:9
Readings: Psalm 89:6, 14-16, 18 and Antiphon from Zechariah 9:9; Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 19:28-40

Prepare the Way
December 8, 2024 – Second Sunday in Advent
Rev. Paul Shoemaker

John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament (old covenant) prophets, even though he appears in the New Testament. He calls upon people to prepare the way of the Lord. We, too, need to prepare the way of the Lord in our hearts and lives as we repent of our sins, receive God’s forgiveness, and walk in the newness of life. At the end of this earthly journey, we receive the crown of glory prepared for us.

Sermon Text: Luke 3:1-20
Readings: Psalm 66:1-12; Malachi 3:1-7b; Luke 3:1-20

Advent is for Rejoicing
December 15, 2024 – Third Sunday in Advent
Rev. William Mueller

For some, the season of Advent is a far cry from a joyful season. For others, they might be caught in a feedback loop of rejoicing only for the repetition of loved traditions. Our Lord invites us through His message, by way of Zephaniah, both to rejoice and to know why it is we rejoice!

Sermon Text: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Readings: Psalm 85; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Luke 7:18-28

One of Us
December 22, 2024 – The Nativity of Our Lord
Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer

Christmas Eve – the time for us to celebrate the underwhelming arrival of an overwhelming love. The Old Testament gives our newborn Savior the title, “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” We have everyday and eternal peace and joy by having a God who is One of Us.

Sermon Text: Matthew 1:21
Readings: Psalm 110; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 1:18-25

Mundane and Beautiful
December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
Rev. Jonathan Meyer (Guest Pastor)

God works things out so beautifully. We see that particularly in the Christmas story, but not in the places where you would think. It’s not the angels tearing open the sky or the picturesque idea of a stable, but in something utterly unremarkable.

Sermon Text: John 1:14
Readings: Psalm 2; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-14

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Anna
December 29, 2024 – First Sunday After Christmas
Rev. Dr. Walter Maier III

Anna was an elderly woman who lived in Jerusalem. She had experienced great grief at a young age when her husband died, and she, thereafter, had remained a widow. But God sustained her in her time of sadness and preserved her in saving faith through his Word. In fact, she became a powerful witness for the Lord, used by him for the benefit of many people. Her story speaks to you today.

Sermon Text: Luke 2:36-38
Readings: Psalm 111; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:22-38

Filled with Wisdom
January 5, 2025 – Second Sunday of Christmas
Rev. Thomas Eggold

God’s Wisdom saves you. The teachers in Jerusalem were being taught by the One in whom all wisdom is found. In Christ Jesus, the Passover Lamb was sacrificed for our sins once and for all. In Christ Jesus, the punishment for our foolishness was received. We have been forgiven and heaven is ours.

Sermon Text: Luke 2:40
Readings: Psalm 119:97-104; 1 Kings 3:4-15; Luke 2:40-52

Baptized into Christ
January 12, 2025 – The Baptism of Our Lord
Rev. Shayne Jonker

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5 ESV). Today we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord in the Jordan, God in the flesh, and so also we celebrate our baptism into Christ. What a great comfort in the midst of temptation and trial, sin and death, and every distress that we can say to ourselves, “I am baptized into Christ!”

Sermon Text: Luke 3:21-22
Readings: Psalm 29; Romans 6:1-11; Luke 3:15-22

Read the Signs
January 19, 2025 – Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Paul Shoemaker

Recognizing and understanding signs is an important skill to master when learning to drive. Jesus performed many miraculous signs and wonders so we can see the signs and know He is the Christ, the Son of God.   

Sermon Text: John 2:11
Readings: Psalm 118; Isaiah 62:1-5; John 2:1-11

Scripture Fulfilled
January 26, 2025 – Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. William Mueller

Jesus is invited to choose and read the Scripture reading at a worship service in His hometown of Nazareth. He reads a powerful section from Isaiah the Prophet about the work of the Messiah. He startles the worshipers with the statement, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” What? How could this be? But it begs us to examine our own lives and ask ourselves, “Are we offended at what Jesus says?”

Sermon Text: Luke 4:16-30
Readings: Psalm 119:7-14; Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Luke 4:16-30

Live in the Light
February 2, 2025 – The Purification of Mary and Presentation of Our Lord
Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer

The forces of light and darkness have clashed since the creation of the world. Jesus brings light into every corner of creation. Do we suppress His light through ignorance and neglect? Or do we live in the light?

Sermon Text: Luke 2:32
Readings: Psalm 84; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-32

Holy, Holy, Holy
February 9, 2025 – Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Dr. Walter Maier III

We know all too well that God is holy, and we human beings are not. Isaiah also knew this, and each one of us joins with him in crying out, “Woe is me!” But Christ became sin for us, and that means for us a blessed reality here on earth and in the life to come when we will be holy!

Sermon Text: Isaiah 6:1-8
Readings: Psalm 99; Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11

Blessed Are You
February 16, 2025 – Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Thomas Eggold

The term “blessed” is one of the most misunderstood and misused words in our cultural vocabulary. Today we find this word “blessed” coming straight from the mouth of Jesus, but the way He uses the word stands in blatant contrast to the way it’s used in the world. Everything about today’s Gospel lesson challenges our natural and cultural understanding of what it means to be “blessed.”

Sermon Text: Luke 6:22
Readings: Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:5-8; Luke 6:17-26

The Baptized Life
February 23, 2025 – Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Rev. Shayne Jonker

Our Lord Jesus Christ had mercy on us though we did not deserve it. Our ingratitude should be punished, but instead He forgave it and gave us even more. Our wickedness should be judged as worthy of hell, but He gave His own Son hell, and gave us heaven instead. Living in and under the love, grace, and mercy of God in His Son, Jesus Christ, life looks different, sinners look different, enemies look different, and love and mercy is not only possible, but natural.

Sermon Text: Luke 6:27-28
Readings: Psalm 103:1-13; Genesis 45:3-15; Luke 6:27-38