Fifth Sunday in Lent, April 3, 2022

Sunday Lenten Series: Crushed

First Reading: Isaiah 43:16-21. The Lord provided Israel with deliverance from other nations.

Second Reading: Philippians 3:4-14. Paul valued Christ over the world.

Gospel Reading: Luke 20:9-19. The cornerstone of the church is Christ

Sermon: Philippians 3:4-14. Prize True Treasure, Not the Trash.

God sent his Son into the world, knowing that the world would reject him

What Paul valued was Christ, whom God exalted in the resurrection.

Through Christ God exalts us as well, regardless of what the world thinks of us.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Fourth Wednesday in Lent, March 30, 2022

Wednesday Evening Service

Lenten Series: The Crucial Hours

“Satan Has Asked to Sift All of Your”

Sermon Text: Luke 22:31-32

Have confidence that Christ will be with us when we are tested and he will keep you close to himself forever

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 27, 2022

Sunday Lenten Series: Crushed

First Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6. The Lord forgives and saves!

Second Reading: Romans 8:1-10. We have been set free from sin and death.

Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. God responds to us with grace upon grace.

Sermon: The Grace of God in Three Stories. Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Undeserving “sinners” and the “faithful” few. Verses 1-2

The “Undeserving” son and the “faithful” son. Verses 11-32

Undeserving us and the faithful God.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Third Wednesday in Lent, March 23, 2022

Wednesday Evening Service

Lenten Series: The Crucial Hours

“I Will Keep the Passover”

Sermon Text: Matthew 26:18

Pastor David Parsons, Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Third Sunday in Lent, March 20, 2022

Sunday Lenten Series: Crushed

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-15; The Lord reveals his presence to Moses as flaming bush.

Psalm of the Day:  Psalm 85. The glory of the LORD will dwell within our land.

Second Reading and Sermon Text:  1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

Gospel Reading: Luke 13:1-9. We are tempted to think that those experiencing hardship are the ones who need to repent.

Sermon: A Reality Check from Israelite History. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

God is faithful; he helps and upholds us; he saves and forgives.

In everything we turn to him and rely on him. That is the reality check that we need.

Without him we are nothing, but with God and as his people we have everything.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Second Wednesday in Lent, March 16, 2022

Wednesday Evening Service

Lenten Series: The Crucial Hours

A Part for the Whole?

Sermon Text: Luke 23:13-16

Pastor Seth Scheuerlein

Second Sunday in Lent, March 13, 2022

Sunday Lenten Series: Crushed

First Reading: Jeremiah 26: 8-15. Even in the face of death, Jeremiah was determined to preach the call to repentance.

Psalm of the Day:  Psalm 42.. 

Second Reading:  Philippians 3:17-4:1. The path to heaven ultimately includes crosses.

Gospel Reading: and Sermon Text: Luke 13:31-35. Determined to Go to Jerusalem.

Jesus was determined to g o to Jerusalem on the paths of danger and rejection so he could be our Savior and gather us under his wings.

Let us be determined to remain under his care as we journey to heaven and crush every sinful shortcut that comes up along the way.

Pastor Tim Patoka

First Wednesday in Lent, March 9, 2022

Wednesday Evening Service

Lenten Series: The Crucial Hours

What to Remember When You are Seized with Remorse

Sermon Text: Matthew 27:3-4

Pastor Ron Koehler

First Sunday in Lent, March 6, 2022

Sunday Lenten Series: Crushed

First Reading:  1 Samuel 17.  David’s victory over Goliath is as much a spiritual vistory as a military one, for it teaches us the battle is the Lord’s.

Psalm of the Day:  Psalm 91.  My dwelling place is God Most High; my refuge and my fortress.

Second Reading:  Hebrews 4:14-16.  Jesus understands how hard life is because he faced every temptation we have faced, and more.

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:1-13.  Jesus overcomes Satan’s temptations in the wilderness, winning the victory for us.

Sermon.  God to Jesus When Tempted.  Hebrews 4:14-16.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Wednesday Evening Service

Lenten Series: The Crucial Hours

The Semblance of Legality.

Sermon Text: Luke 22:66

Because Jesus lived both in perfect legality and in perfect love and that he did it for you in in your place, we don’t need to worry about striving for a semblance of legality. We already have a true holiness through Jesus.

Therefore, we can strive for something higher. We can strive for an obedience that follows God’s commands—-from the heart.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Last Sunday After Epiphany, February 27, 2022

The Transfiguration of Jesus

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Uncovered Glory: When God’s Glory is most hidden, it is most on display.

First Reading:  Exodus 34:29-35. The glory of God was reflected in the law which God established through Moses.

Psalm 2: Great are the works of the LORD.

Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 3:7-18. The glory of the New Covenant of grace surpasses the glory of the Old Covenant of the Law.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:18-26. The glory of God is hidden in Christ but shines through on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Sermon Text: Luke 10:25-37. Help for the Hurting.

Pastor James Mattek

Christian Family Solutions

Seventh Sunday After Epiphany, February 20, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Uncovered Reactions: Love your enemies; overcome evil with good

First Reading:  Genesis 45:3-15. Jesus asks us to befriend our enemies, to love those who hate us, and to repay evil with good.

Psalm 103/ The Lord is Kind and Merciful..

Second Reading:  Romans 12:14-21. Believers are encouraged to operate on the principles of grace, forgiveness, and humility.

Gospel Reading: Luke 6-27-38. Jesus calls us to disregard what people deserve. Instead, we are to show the same grace that God has shown to us.

Sermon Text: Genesis 45:3-15. See Where the Right Education/Educator Gets You.

Pastor Joel Naumann, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Sixth Sunday After Epiphany, February 13, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Uncovered Blessings:  Blessings are cursed; curses are blessed

First Reading:  Jeremiah 17: 5-8. The one who is blessed is the one who has been given the gift of faith, whose trust is in the Lord .

Psalm 1. How truly blessed are they who shun the sinners’ ways..

Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Paul came to see his infirmity as a blessing as it forced him to rely on God’s strength.

Gospel Reading and Sermon Text: Luke 6:17-26. Jesus Defines Blessings Differently.

Jesus teaches that the good things we seek are found in places we would least expect.

The things that feel to us like curses are really blessings when they bring us closer to our Savior and when they remind us to rely on his strength.

And the things that often come to the top of our list when we think about blessings—-those things can actually draw us away from him and his love and salvation. We are so easily distracted by the things of this world.

Jesus wants us to be truly blessed; let us rejoice in his love.

 Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Fifth Sunday After Epiphany, February 6, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Uncovered Messengers:  The least qualified are the first sent

First Reading:  Isaiah 6:1-8.  Isaiah admitted he was guilty of sin; in his grace, the Lord not only takes Isaiah’s sin away, but also sends him out as a messenger of grace.

Psalm 67: Oh God, show us your mercy and bless us with your grace.

Second Reading:  Romans 10:12-17.  God’s plan is to send saved sinners to proclaim salvation to other sinners.

Gospel Reading:     Luke 5:1-11.  Jesus tales simple, self-admittedly sinful fisherman and removes their fears, calls them to follow, and makes them fishers of men.

Sermon Text:  Isaiah 6:1-8.  Are You Qualified to Share the Gospel?

Sin says ‘no’ but God says, “yes.”  Like Isaiah, like the disciples, you are qualified because God has made you so.  You are because God has forgiven your sins.  You are because God has called you to the job.  You are really just the messenger; you can’t make the message more persuasive or powerful; that is the work of the Gospel.  It is the Holy Spirit who changes hearts.

Amen

 Pastor Ron Koehler

4th Sunday after Epiphany, January 30, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, January 30, 2022

First Reading:  Jeremiah 4:1-10.  God chose to give Jeremiah a narrow agenda:  to share God’s Word with the people of Judah, regardless of what they wanted to hear.

Psalm 71: In you, LORD, I have taken refuge.

Second Reading:  2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.  A temptation for the Lord’s messengers is to say what ears want to hear.

Gospel:  Luke 4:38-44.  After preaching and doing miracles in the area around Capernaum, the people wanted Jesus to stay there permanently, but he had a different agenda:  to proclaim the gospel to many others.

Sermon:  2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.  The Christian’s Agenda:  Make Sinners Wise for Salvation.

Our Uncovered Worship series today looks at “agenda uncovered.”  Even though Jesus could have attracted crowds and he often did by healing and performing miracles, he focused on the main purpose of his ministry which is sharing the good news. And he wants us to share the good news, too.

Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

3rd Sunday after Epiphany, January 23, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Third Sunday after Epiphany

First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-6. The Lord allowed the Israelites to be conquered, but not forever.

Psalm of the Day, Psalm 146: The LORD is worthy of praise.

Second Reading:: Acts 4:23-31. The Apostles prayed for boldness to proclaim the Gospel

Gospel Reading: Luke 4:16-30. Jesus is rejected by his hometown when he revealed himself as the Annointed.

Sermon: Isaiah 61:1-6. The Annointed One Brings Good News.

Consider the Old Testament people who were exiled to Babylon. The people faced that fate because they had rejected God. And while some listened to amazing promises of salvation those who did were always a small remnant.

Many years later, Jesus used these promises to introduce himself to his hometown synagogue but in one of the saddest reactions, they not only left the good news behind, they tried to toss him off a cliff.

This needs to be a warning for us that the news in the verses can be taken for granted and dismissed when what we see doesn’t meet our expectations. The same sinful heart that has led so many to reject the good news resides in us.

Listen to the good news. Hold on to it. And share it with others.

Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

2nd Sunday after Epiphany, January 16, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

Second Sunday after Epiphany

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5. The prophet Isaiah pictured the Church’s relationship with the Lord as an infinitely happy marriage.

Psalm of the Day, Psalm 145: The LORD is worthy of praise.

Second Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21. There is no limit of love that our God our Savior has for us.

Gospel Reading and Sermon Text. John 2:1-11

It is possible for us to have a heavenly focus even while enjoying God’s gifts to us in this life.

We pray that Jesus’ presence and miracle at the wedding in Cana, will help us to remember that our enjoyment of life can be pleasing to God, who gives us all things.

We pray also that we are able to set aside the idea that a life of following God is boring or somehow less than what life without Jesus can offer.

Amen

Pastor Ron Koehler

1st Sunday after Epiphany, January 9, 2022

Epiphany Series: Uncovered

First Sunday after Epiphany

Anointing Uncovered: What the eye sees differs from what God decrees.

First Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13. To the eyes of the average Israelite, the young boy David was not the best choice to be king, yet he was God’s choice: a man after God’s heart.

Psalm of the Day, Psalm 2: David describes the futile resistance of the world rulers to the kingdom of the Messiah.

Second Reading: Titus 3:4-7. Baptism is a second birth that bestows salvation and the Spirit.

Gospel Reading and Sermon Text. Luke 3:15-17, 21, 22.

God uncovers to us who the Christ is, the one anointed to save sinners from their sins. That person is Jesus alone as God decreed from long ago and publicly declared his baptism with his Triune presence.

There need be no question about who to look to for our Savior, for it is Jesus alone who is our Promised Savior.

Who is the Christ? It is Jesus my Savior.

Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

The Epiphany of Our Lord, January 2, 2022

A Light for All People

First Sunday in Epiphany

First Reading: 1 Kings 10:1-9. The Queen of Sheba learns of God’s love for all people from King Solomon.

Second Reading and Sermon Text: Acts 13:46-49. God’s desire for salvation for the whole world for all time.

Gospel Reading. Matthew 2:1-12. God used a special light to lead foreigners to the Light of the World.

Sermon: Acts 13:46-49. A Light for All People.

We have a gracious God. We have spent weeks preparing for the most special child ever born. He is a Light for all people and that means that we get to partner with Paul and Barnabas in sharing that light with anyone and everyone. And we get to offer up treasures of our time and talents and money like the wise men did because we, too, have seen the light of the world who has brought salvation to us.

Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2021

New Year’s Eve Service: A Time for Everything

Psalm 90: We live, O Lord, within your grace; you are true God eternally

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. For everything, there is an appointed time.

Second Reading and Sermon Text: Hebrews 13:5-8, 14. God has said he will never leave you.

Gospel Reading. Matthew 25:1-13. Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour the Lord will come.

Sermon: Hebrews 13: 5-8, 14. The Lord’s Help in Every Changing Time.

The Lord’s help is constant and unchanging. He will do what He said He will do even if we don’t see it in our lifetime. We can face our future unafraid because of His unchanging word.

We can be content with what God has given us, because what His greatest gift to us is for us to share the same outcome as all believers of all time who have gone ahead of us into eternal life with Him in heaven.

We can look forward to what is coming in our future.

Pastor Tim Patoka