Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost - October 28, 2018

See what Jesus does with suffering:

• He controls it yet allows it into our lives.

• He uses it to lead us to cry out to him.

• He uses it to lead us to see him as he is.

• He leads us to believe in him.

He leads us through suffering to eternal life without suffering.

To him be glory forever.

-Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Serve others with the Gospel:

• Be willing to put up with anything

• Be all to all to save some

Pastor Tim Patoka

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost - October 14, 2018

How do I inherit eternal life?

• With man it is impossible.

• But with God it is a guarantee

  Knowing that eternal life depends on God and not ourselves, we can now look at the rules and things in the this world and use them to God’s glory. May the Lord ground us in His guarantee so that we may never doubt our inheritance that is eternal life. Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - October 7, 2018

What amazing joy and amazing beauty is there in God’s plan to marriage.

• The devil has done his best to destroy marriage, just as he has from the beginning with Adam and Eve.

• But God in his love continues to bless societies, families, and couples through this special gift of marriage.

Marriage is made by God; may we therefore honor and uphold it. Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost - September , 2018

Because Jesus will always be our joy even when we struggle to keep our motives true in sharing Christ with others:

• Christ is our joy in all circumstances.

• Keep your motives worthy of rejoicing.

May the Lord grant us renewed hearts to treasure the joy that Christ always is and to keep our motives true to God so that we may rejoice in sharing Christ with all people. Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - September 16, 2018

As we apply the Word of God to our lives today:

• If we are honest before our Lord —- and we remember that he is our Savior —- a review like this list from James can encourage us to live for him and be a blessing to the people around us.

  • Are we: envious, selfishly ambitious, sinful boasting, ungodly, unspiritual, evil.

  • Are we: humble, pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, merciful, fruits of faith, impartial, sincere, peace-making.

• We have a Savior who was all these good things for us and did none of the sinful things.

May we go away from church today as God’s wise and righteous people, intent to live in a way that honors our Savior and serves others.. Amen

Pastor Ron Koehler

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - Rejoice in your Suffering - September 16, 2018

Suffer as a Christian:

• Rejoice in your sufferings

• Remain committed to God

May the Lord help us be willing to endure whatever suffering will come our way and keep us committed to him so that we may one day rejoice in the glories of heaven. Amen

Pastor Timothy Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 15 - An Eternal House

We have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven:

• Built for us by God
• It is ours through Jesus our Savior

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 14 - A Spiritual House

We have our life from the living Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.  From this important starting point, we are:

• Built on the living stone (Jesus)
• Adorned with Living Stones (those who call Jesus their Savior)

Pastor Tim Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 13 - A Special Temple

• Jesus is God's Temple.
• Jesus has all authority.

The special temple tat Jesus was referring to in these Bible passages was himself, the physical embodiment of God and his very Son.  He, and he alone, is the special temple of God.

So when he says something, we can believe it to be true no matter how impossible it may sound.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 12 - A Tower

• There IS a cost of following your Savior.
  • To bear our cross means to accept whatever suffering comes our way because we are committed to Jesus and following Him.
• Realize that the price tag is worth it!
  • What a blessing it is to go to Jesus when we stumble in our following and know that we are forgiven.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 11 - "Bigger Barns"

• What does it mean to be rich toward God?  It means to recognize how rich God has been to us and then:
  • To be thankful and content with what God gives us.
  • To be more interested in the things that are eternally important than in those things that are good for nothing beyond this brief life..
  • To be use our material possessions not just for our own needs but also to serve others and to honor God

Not only in these ways, but in all ways, as we consider God's riches to us, may he lead us to be rich toward him.  May he guide our focus away from stuff that doesn't last and toward those gifts that are eternal.   Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 10- The Second Temple

• God's forgiveness for sins is great:  We have Jesus' clean and perfect slate given to us so that it is as if we've never sinned in God's sight.  And that includes the great sins that bring you to sorrow and regret
• Our joy is seen from far away:  We do all things because of the joy that God has given us, the great forgiveness he lavishes on us for our great and many sins.

God is good; his love endures forever.   Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 9- Houses in Babylon

• Peace in trying times:  God will continue to lovingly forgive us all our sins regardless of the good or bad times we're going through in this world.
• Hope for the future:We can look forward to the future with hope that God will continue to fulfill his promises for our eternal well-being.

May the Lord help us take to heart his peace in trying times so that we can always look forward to our future with hope.  Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 8- The Temple built by Solomon

Pastor Ryan Heiman

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 7- A House for David

• God announced an alternate plan for the Temple.
• He announced the building of a different kind of "house."

It is an unexpected and undeserved privilege to be part of God's kingdom.  We are part of the 'house' of God---not a physical building, but a spiritual one and one that will last eternally.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 6- Fine Homes and Blessings

• Avoid the path that leads to destruction
• Remember the Lord who has blessed you.
• Let these Bible passages remind you of God's blessings
  • Psalm 23:1:  The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing
  • Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose
  • James 1:17: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
  • Philippians 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
  • John 1:16: From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another

We live under the love and blessing of God who has provided for us in the past and promises to do so going forward.  May the Holy Spirit work that recognition and thanks and praise in our hearts. Amen.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 5- The Tabernacle

• Where is God? The reason most people ask that question is that things don't seem to be going their way.
• The Tabernacle was not just a teaching tool about God's presence; it was the place where his people would worship.
• The Tabernacle stood among God's people because he was with them and because he was worthy of their worship.

We don't have a Tabernacle any long but God is with his people so we still gather at a place that represents his presence among us and we still learn more about his promises and his keeping of those promises.

God is always with us.  Let us worship him!

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 4- The store cities of Pithom and Rameses

• God allows hardships to come to his chosen people
• God stays with us through the hardships

God always promises to be with his chosen people as they go through their hardships in life.  May God help us to rely on this promise whenever hardships come our way.  Amen.

Pastor Timothy Patoka

Build on the Rock - 2018 Summer Series - Week 3 - Abram's Altar to the Lord

• Abram was in a tent because of an impressive promise from The Lord
• The altar was by his tent because of a wonderful promise from The Lord.

No matter what we call our home, whether it be a tent or a house, all Christians benefit from the Lord's promise and that leads us to "build our altar," to realign our priorities so that our focus may be on and come from our promised home in heaven. Amen.

Pastor Timothy Patoka