Sermon Archive
February 22, 2012Joel 2:12-19 Welcome to Lent. Lent is a special time in the life of the church, and not something easily understood by the world around us. Sure, they may understand that this is a somber and sober time. But why? Why would we inflict such a downer on ourselves? Aren’t Christians supposed to be full [...]
February 19, 20122 Kings 2: 1-12 I love Google Earth! I love the ability to “hover” over places….ok, especially places with railroads….and be able to look down. I don’t think there’s a one of us who wouldn’t love to fly like the birds do, so it’s understandable why the story of Elijah blasting off in God’s fiery [...]
February 12, 20122 Kings 5:1-14 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our text is set back in the days after David, after Solomon was King and the nation of Israel had been divided. The story involved two fascinating men. The first was God’s prophet, Elisha. He was the [...]
January 29, 2012There is a difference between “Can” and “Should.” I mention that because the distinction is becoming blurrier by the day. Allow me a brief example… earlier this month, it was made known that a group of scientists have made the bird flu more contagious. On purpose. Sure, it is research – I get that. But [...]
January 22, 2012SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY Deuteronomy 30: 11-20 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus! “Choose life!” How could such a positive, straight from Scripture statement stir up such emotion and such controversy, even among Christians?? It’s because it’s associated with the topic of abortion. There may be people [...]
January 15, 2012John 1: 43-51 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! How many of you are involved in fantasy football? You got some really great players in your draft and every week you hope they do well in real play so their statistics will apply well to your team. [...]
January 8, 2012Epiphany Sunday Genesis 1:1-5 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on this, the day we celebrate the Festival of the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas and the Celebration of Lights! Our Gospel Lesson this morning is the very familiar Epiphany Story of the Wise Men. [...]
January 1, 2012New Year’s Day is always a great day for me. It’s a day where it is easy to be an optimist. New Year’s Eve is about looking backwards over how the last year went, but New Year’s Day is about looking forward. It’s about hope. It’s about clean slates and fresh starts. It’s about doing [...]
December 25, 2011If PNC Financial services is right, this has been the most expensive Christmas since they started figuring out the costs many years ago. Last year the price of French Hens spiked up by 30%, this year they were a deal! The price of calling birds actually went down by 13%: the four of them….do you [...]
December 24, 2011Christmas Eve, 10:00 service The air was cool and dry as the sun dipped descended behind the horizon. It was anything but a silent night, as the city was filled to beyond capacity with people. Most homes and hotels had more bodies than beds, and under almost every roof was someone complaining about how hot [...]
Christmas Eve, 7:30 Service Merry Christmas to all of you gathered here on this wonderful evening, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! It’s Christmas Eve and we’re sitting in this beautifully decorated sanctuary, singing most of our treasured Christmas carols and once again hearing the words of THE Christmas story. Be honest with [...]
December 18, 2011This morning Gospel begins with two couples each expecting their first child. One family is, to be blunt, too old for all this. The other family is a bit overwhelmed by the circumstances of the pregnancy. But whether they are overwhelmed or over-aged doesn’t even slow down the process, and as today’s Gospel reminds us, [...]
December 11, 2011Advent is a very special time for the church. It’s a time of preparation for one of the biggest days of the whole year: the day we celebrate God coming down to Earth in the form of a newborn baby. So how do we prepare for Jesus birthday? Well, we decorate the house (And some [...]
December 4, 20112 Peter 3: 8-15 On the outskirts of a small town there was a big pecan tree inside the cemetery wall. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts. “One for you, one for me. One for you, one [...]
November 23, 2011I think it’s time that the Christian church adopts Thanksgiving as an official church holiday. Oh sure, a lot of people think that Thanksgiving Day is uniquely American – remembering the pilgrims and Plymouth Rock and all that stuff. And yes, I suppose that may be where the tradition started, but I think Thanksgiving Day [...]
November 20, 2011Matt 25:31-46 On the “last Sunday of the Church Year” our focus is most always on the end of time, the last day and the final judgment, where, in the words of today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus will come to “separate the sheep from the goats.” Today, after hearing what Jesus had to say, I think [...]
November 13, 2011Eph. 5:22-33 One of the great joys of being a Pastor is to be there with people on the real important days… The birth of a child, a baptism, a confirmation, a funeral… But by far the day that garners the most attention and planning and excitement is the wedding day. Weddings are an exceptional [...]
November 7, 2011All Saints Sunday 2011 Luke 18: 9-14 First, dear Saints of God, allow me to read these verses from Luke 18: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other [...]
October 30, 2011Dr. Martin Luther visits Hope Lutheran as they celebrate the Reformation.
October 23, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting 1 Thess. 2:1-13 Having AFRIZO here on Wednesday was an incredible blessing, and having two of the men, Emmanuel and Michael, in our home was wonderful, even though it wasn’t near long enough. It was very obvious that these fellow Christians have a passion for their Lord Jesus……their faith is certainly contagious! [...]
October 16, 2011Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 22:15-22 They say there are two certains in life: death and taxes. Both seem to be faced with an almost equal dread. I don’t know of anyone — except maybe Warren Buffett — who was excited by the prospect of paying taxes. Let’s face it, part of the success of the [...]
October 9, 2011Rev. Mark Nieting Matthew 22:1-14 Take one trip through your basic cable guide and you’re guaranteed to stumble over a number of (so-called) reality shows all themed around WEDDINGS. Just to name a few, there’s “Say yes to the Dress, Cake Boss, Platinum Weddings, My Big Redneck Wedding, Engaged and Underaged (on MTV, of course) [...]
October 2, 2011Rev. Mark Nieting (on LWML Sunday) Luke 12: 8-12 About 150 years ago General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia moved into the great state of Pennsylvania, towards the little Lutheran town of Gettysburg. As the Confederate army moved north, one German Lutheran lady, Hannah, was her name, felt called to DO [...]
September 25, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 21: 28-32 We are now well into a new school year; we’re now into a new year of Christian education here at Hope; and we’re recognizing a number of our staff, especially our school staff, for many years of ministry this morning, so it’s easy to see that for Hope [...]
September 18, 2011Rev. Michael Cofer Matthew 20 What an incredible day this is! It is one of those exceptional and rare days when our whole congregation comes together as one to worship and pray and celebrate what a great God we have. And not even the threat of rain can take away our joy because barbecue awaits [...]
September 11, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Every generation, it seems, has unforgettable moments. There was “The Redcoats are Coming,” followed by “Remember the Maine”, then “Remember Pearl Harbor,” and most recently the events of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93, which we collectively remember as:“9-11”. Events like these produce vivid and deep memories. The images [...]
August 14, 2011Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 15:21-28 Can you believe the way Jesus talked to that poor woman in our Gospel reading? I mean, in my time, I’ve said some insensitive things… but Jesus called that lady a dog. A DOG. And not even in the, “you are loyal and affectionate” kind of way. Not in the [...]
August 7, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 14:22ff The story of Peter’s walking on water – or his attempt to walk on water – is known to just about everybody. It’s inspired a number of jokes involving golfers, priests or rabbis walking on water, or at least knowing where the stones are! It’s a wonderful story that I [...]
July 31, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 14: 13-21 (Feeding the Five Thousand) Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…..on this, the 7th Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday on which our senior high youth group is headed off for a week of “servant ministry.” The big news this week, [...]
July 24, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 13: 47-52 Bill Gates met God, and God said, “Well, Bill, I’m really confused on this one. I’m not sure whether to send you to Heaven or to Hell. After all, you enormously helped society by putting a computer in almost every home in the world, and yet you created that [...]
July 17, 2011Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 13 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] You know what’s great about the old silent movies? You can tell at a glance the good guys from the bad guys. The good guys have a square jaw, and a barrel chest. They ride a white horse, and hold their chins high. [...]
July 10, 2011Rev. Michael Cofer Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 I’m not much of a farmer. The closest I’ve gotten so far is a few potted mint plants and an aloe. Now, I should tell you that I have this thing I do. First, I get a plant that’s perfectly fine and healthy. Next, I follow the instructions on [...]
July 3, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matt 11: 25-30 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For most of the world, July 4 is a normal calendar day, but for Americans it is very special. We call it “Independence Day,” celebrating our country’s freedom from England. We celebrate with a variety of symbols. Fireworks remind us of the [...]
June 26, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 10: 38-42 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] The four of us were in the San Diego Safari Park, my son Ben, his daughters Kaylee (6) and Karina (4) and me. There were tons of animals to be seen, laughed at, oohed and aahed over, fed, and photographed. But one [...]
June 19, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 28:16-20 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Grace, mercy and peace from God our Heavenly Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Wednesday evening I came back from a week in San Diego visiting my two oldest children, Ben and Reba. Reba is married to Ian; they’re [...]
June 5, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting John 17: 1-11 (Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer) [Audio clip: view full post to listen] On Wednesday evening a small group of us gathered to celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. We read the story from Luke and Acts, snuffed out the Christ candle, and then went outside to watch the children’s group release [...]
May 29, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting John 14:15-21 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] One of the most common topics that finds its way into most conversations is a simple “how’s the weather?” We almost say it without thinking…..kind of like “did the sun come up this morning?” But ask someone in one of the many places [...]
May 22, 2011Pastor Michael Cofer John 14:6 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Well, we’re here, which means that the world didn’t end yesterday after all. I have to say, I am a little disappointed, but I’m not terribly surprised. You might remember that Jesus said, “About that day or hour no one knows, not even [...]
May 15, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting John 10:1-10 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It’s not MY favorite Christmas movie, but it seems to be Pam’s, and I do like Jimmy Stewart, so I’ll watch it occasionally. The title is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and here’s the plot. George Bailey is a man whose life seems so [...]
May 8, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Luke 24:13-35 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] I love to walk. Most mornings I try to walk at least 2 miles. It’s one of those times when, even though my body is moving rapidly, my life actually slows down. I take the same route almost every day, so I see [...]
May 1, 2011Pastor Cofer John 20:19-31 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Have you ever thought about Jesus’ appearances after Easter? They are strikingly different than what it was like before he died. It’s as though many of the constraints that Jesus had previously no longer applied. Doors and locks and solid walls have no meaning [...]
April 21, 2011Pastor Cofer Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday was a Passover celebration like any other: the house had been swept clean of leaven, the table had been set, the food had been prepared. Thousands upon thousands of homes in Jerusalem would celebrate the festival in the same way that it had been done for thousands of years. [...]
April 17, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Palm Sunday 2011 Matthew 21: 1-11 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, on Palm Sunday in the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven. If you’ve been journeying with us this Lent via our Wednesday services, it won’t surprise you at all when [...]
April 10, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 7: 15-27 Sermon on the Mount, part 10 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It was a simple email, and it looked perfectly legit; just a few pieces of information were needed to keep my hotmail account up and running. Who can live without email, right? So I entered what [...]
April 3, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 7: 1-14 Part 9 in our series on the Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus. Ever heard of the Golden Rule? I’m sure you noticed that it was in today’s text as part [...]
March 27, 2011Pastor Cofer Matthew 6:19-34 Sermon on the Mount Part 8 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] In light of our Gospel lesson for today, I feel like I should share a story with you all. I was involved in planning a wedding with a groom, his bride-to-be, and his future mother-in-law. Suffice it to [...]
March 20, 2011Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 6:1-15 Part 7 of our series on The Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] I think every Christian knows someone in their life who is just a fantastic pray-er. You know who I’m talking about. They open their mouths and poetic verse oozes from their lips [...]
March 16, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Genesis 22: 1-14 The first promise in Scripture was recorded in these words, pronounced by God upon Satan. “I will make you and the Seed of the woman enemies. You will bruise His heel, but He will crush your head.” (Gen 3:15) Satan had plenty of reason to tremble, even given the [...]
March 13, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 5: 38-48 Part 6 in our study of the Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For Terry Anderson, a reporter in Lebanon back in 1985, it started right after a game of tennis. He was just leaving the court when a group of Shiite Muslim terrorists [...]
March 9, 2011Pastor Mark Nieting Genesis 4: 4-16 Ash Wednesday 2011 Dear Friends In Christ, Gathered together wearing the “mark of the ash.” All things, except for God, have a beginning…..a ‘genesis.’ Only God is eternal. Only God has always existed. God’s WORD begins with some very majestic words, ”In the beginning God created the heavens and [...]
Joel 2:12-19 Welcome to Lent. Lent is a special time in the life of the church, and not something easily understood by the world around us. Sure, they may understand that this is a somber and sober time. But why? Why would we inflict such a downer on ourselves? Aren’t Christians supposed to be full [...]
2 Kings 2: 1-12 I love Google Earth! I love the ability to “hover” over places….ok, especially places with railroads….and be able to look down. I don’t think there’s a one of us who wouldn’t love to fly like the birds do, so it’s understandable why the story of Elijah blasting off in God’s fiery [...]
2 Kings 5:1-14 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our text is set back in the days after David, after Solomon was King and the nation of Israel had been divided. The story involved two fascinating men. The first was God’s prophet, Elisha. He was the [...]
There is a difference between “Can” and “Should.” I mention that because the distinction is becoming blurrier by the day. Allow me a brief example… earlier this month, it was made known that a group of scientists have made the bird flu more contagious. On purpose. Sure, it is research – I get that. But [...]
SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY Deuteronomy 30: 11-20 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus! “Choose life!” How could such a positive, straight from Scripture statement stir up such emotion and such controversy, even among Christians?? It’s because it’s associated with the topic of abortion. There may be people [...]
John 1: 43-51 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! How many of you are involved in fantasy football? You got some really great players in your draft and every week you hope they do well in real play so their statistics will apply well to your team. [...]
Epiphany Sunday Genesis 1:1-5 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on this, the day we celebrate the Festival of the Epiphany, the 12th Day of Christmas and the Celebration of Lights! Our Gospel Lesson this morning is the very familiar Epiphany Story of the Wise Men. [...]
New Year’s Day is always a great day for me. It’s a day where it is easy to be an optimist. New Year’s Eve is about looking backwards over how the last year went, but New Year’s Day is about looking forward. It’s about hope. It’s about clean slates and fresh starts. It’s about doing [...]
If PNC Financial services is right, this has been the most expensive Christmas since they started figuring out the costs many years ago. Last year the price of French Hens spiked up by 30%, this year they were a deal! The price of calling birds actually went down by 13%: the four of them….do you [...]
Christmas Eve, 10:00 service The air was cool and dry as the sun dipped descended behind the horizon. It was anything but a silent night, as the city was filled to beyond capacity with people. Most homes and hotels had more bodies than beds, and under almost every roof was someone complaining about how hot [...]
Christmas Eve, 7:30 Service Merry Christmas to all of you gathered here on this wonderful evening, to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus! It’s Christmas Eve and we’re sitting in this beautifully decorated sanctuary, singing most of our treasured Christmas carols and once again hearing the words of THE Christmas story. Be honest with [...]
This morning Gospel begins with two couples each expecting their first child. One family is, to be blunt, too old for all this. The other family is a bit overwhelmed by the circumstances of the pregnancy. But whether they are overwhelmed or over-aged doesn’t even slow down the process, and as today’s Gospel reminds us, [...]
Advent is a very special time for the church. It’s a time of preparation for one of the biggest days of the whole year: the day we celebrate God coming down to Earth in the form of a newborn baby. So how do we prepare for Jesus birthday? Well, we decorate the house (And some [...]
2 Peter 3: 8-15 On the outskirts of a small town there was a big pecan tree inside the cemetery wall. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts. “One for you, one for me. One for you, one [...]
I think it’s time that the Christian church adopts Thanksgiving as an official church holiday. Oh sure, a lot of people think that Thanksgiving Day is uniquely American – remembering the pilgrims and Plymouth Rock and all that stuff. And yes, I suppose that may be where the tradition started, but I think Thanksgiving Day [...]
Matt 25:31-46 On the “last Sunday of the Church Year” our focus is most always on the end of time, the last day and the final judgment, where, in the words of today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus will come to “separate the sheep from the goats.” Today, after hearing what Jesus had to say, I think [...]
Eph. 5:22-33 One of the great joys of being a Pastor is to be there with people on the real important days… The birth of a child, a baptism, a confirmation, a funeral… But by far the day that garners the most attention and planning and excitement is the wedding day. Weddings are an exceptional [...]
All Saints Sunday 2011 Luke 18: 9-14 First, dear Saints of God, allow me to read these verses from Luke 18: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other [...]
Dr. Martin Luther visits Hope Lutheran as they celebrate the Reformation.
Pastor Mark Nieting 1 Thess. 2:1-13 Having AFRIZO here on Wednesday was an incredible blessing, and having two of the men, Emmanuel and Michael, in our home was wonderful, even though it wasn’t near long enough. It was very obvious that these fellow Christians have a passion for their Lord Jesus……their faith is certainly contagious! [...]
Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 22:15-22 They say there are two certains in life: death and taxes. Both seem to be faced with an almost equal dread. I don’t know of anyone — except maybe Warren Buffett — who was excited by the prospect of paying taxes. Let’s face it, part of the success of the [...]
Rev. Mark Nieting Matthew 22:1-14 Take one trip through your basic cable guide and you’re guaranteed to stumble over a number of (so-called) reality shows all themed around WEDDINGS. Just to name a few, there’s “Say yes to the Dress, Cake Boss, Platinum Weddings, My Big Redneck Wedding, Engaged and Underaged (on MTV, of course) [...]
Rev. Mark Nieting (on LWML Sunday) Luke 12: 8-12 About 150 years ago General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia moved into the great state of Pennsylvania, towards the little Lutheran town of Gettysburg. As the Confederate army moved north, one German Lutheran lady, Hannah, was her name, felt called to DO [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 21: 28-32 We are now well into a new school year; we’re now into a new year of Christian education here at Hope; and we’re recognizing a number of our staff, especially our school staff, for many years of ministry this morning, so it’s easy to see that for Hope [...]
Rev. Michael Cofer Matthew 20 What an incredible day this is! It is one of those exceptional and rare days when our whole congregation comes together as one to worship and pray and celebrate what a great God we have. And not even the threat of rain can take away our joy because barbecue awaits [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Every generation, it seems, has unforgettable moments. There was “The Redcoats are Coming,” followed by “Remember the Maine”, then “Remember Pearl Harbor,” and most recently the events of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93, which we collectively remember as:“9-11”. Events like these produce vivid and deep memories. The images [...]
Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 15:21-28 Can you believe the way Jesus talked to that poor woman in our Gospel reading? I mean, in my time, I’ve said some insensitive things… but Jesus called that lady a dog. A DOG. And not even in the, “you are loyal and affectionate” kind of way. Not in the [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 14:22ff The story of Peter’s walking on water – or his attempt to walk on water – is known to just about everybody. It’s inspired a number of jokes involving golfers, priests or rabbis walking on water, or at least knowing where the stones are! It’s a wonderful story that I [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 14: 13-21 (Feeding the Five Thousand) Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ…..on this, the 7th Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday on which our senior high youth group is headed off for a week of “servant ministry.” The big news this week, [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 13: 47-52 Bill Gates met God, and God said, “Well, Bill, I’m really confused on this one. I’m not sure whether to send you to Heaven or to Hell. After all, you enormously helped society by putting a computer in almost every home in the world, and yet you created that [...]
Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 13 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] You know what’s great about the old silent movies? You can tell at a glance the good guys from the bad guys. The good guys have a square jaw, and a barrel chest. They ride a white horse, and hold their chins high. [...]
Rev. Michael Cofer Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 I’m not much of a farmer. The closest I’ve gotten so far is a few potted mint plants and an aloe. Now, I should tell you that I have this thing I do. First, I get a plant that’s perfectly fine and healthy. Next, I follow the instructions on [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matt 11: 25-30 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For most of the world, July 4 is a normal calendar day, but for Americans it is very special. We call it “Independence Day,” celebrating our country’s freedom from England. We celebrate with a variety of symbols. Fireworks remind us of the [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 10: 38-42 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] The four of us were in the San Diego Safari Park, my son Ben, his daughters Kaylee (6) and Karina (4) and me. There were tons of animals to be seen, laughed at, oohed and aahed over, fed, and photographed. But one [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 28:16-20 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Grace, mercy and peace from God our Heavenly Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Wednesday evening I came back from a week in San Diego visiting my two oldest children, Ben and Reba. Reba is married to Ian; they’re [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting John 17: 1-11 (Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer) [Audio clip: view full post to listen] On Wednesday evening a small group of us gathered to celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. We read the story from Luke and Acts, snuffed out the Christ candle, and then went outside to watch the children’s group release [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting John 14:15-21 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] One of the most common topics that finds its way into most conversations is a simple “how’s the weather?” We almost say it without thinking…..kind of like “did the sun come up this morning?” But ask someone in one of the many places [...]
Pastor Michael Cofer John 14:6 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Well, we’re here, which means that the world didn’t end yesterday after all. I have to say, I am a little disappointed, but I’m not terribly surprised. You might remember that Jesus said, “About that day or hour no one knows, not even [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting John 10:1-10 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It’s not MY favorite Christmas movie, but it seems to be Pam’s, and I do like Jimmy Stewart, so I’ll watch it occasionally. The title is “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and here’s the plot. George Bailey is a man whose life seems so [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Luke 24:13-35 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] I love to walk. Most mornings I try to walk at least 2 miles. It’s one of those times when, even though my body is moving rapidly, my life actually slows down. I take the same route almost every day, so I see [...]
Pastor Cofer John 20:19-31 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Have you ever thought about Jesus’ appearances after Easter? They are strikingly different than what it was like before he died. It’s as though many of the constraints that Jesus had previously no longer applied. Doors and locks and solid walls have no meaning [...]
Pastor Cofer Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday was a Passover celebration like any other: the house had been swept clean of leaven, the table had been set, the food had been prepared. Thousands upon thousands of homes in Jerusalem would celebrate the festival in the same way that it had been done for thousands of years. [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Palm Sunday 2011 Matthew 21: 1-11 Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, on Palm Sunday in the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven. If you’ve been journeying with us this Lent via our Wednesday services, it won’t surprise you at all when [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 7: 15-27 Sermon on the Mount, part 10 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] It was a simple email, and it looked perfectly legit; just a few pieces of information were needed to keep my hotmail account up and running. Who can live without email, right? So I entered what [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 7: 1-14 Part 9 in our series on the Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus. Ever heard of the Golden Rule? I’m sure you noticed that it was in today’s text as part [...]
Pastor Cofer Matthew 6:19-34 Sermon on the Mount Part 8 [Audio clip: view full post to listen] In light of our Gospel lesson for today, I feel like I should share a story with you all. I was involved in planning a wedding with a groom, his bride-to-be, and his future mother-in-law. Suffice it to [...]
Pastor Michael Cofer Matthew 6:1-15 Part 7 of our series on The Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] I think every Christian knows someone in their life who is just a fantastic pray-er. You know who I’m talking about. They open their mouths and poetic verse oozes from their lips [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Genesis 22: 1-14 The first promise in Scripture was recorded in these words, pronounced by God upon Satan. “I will make you and the Seed of the woman enemies. You will bruise His heel, but He will crush your head.” (Gen 3:15) Satan had plenty of reason to tremble, even given the [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Matthew 5: 38-48 Part 6 in our study of the Sermon on the Mount [Audio clip: view full post to listen] For Terry Anderson, a reporter in Lebanon back in 1985, it started right after a game of tennis. He was just leaving the court when a group of Shiite Muslim terrorists [...]
Pastor Mark Nieting Genesis 4: 4-16 Ash Wednesday 2011 Dear Friends In Christ, Gathered together wearing the “mark of the ash.” All things, except for God, have a beginning…..a ‘genesis.’ Only God is eternal. Only God has always existed. God’s WORD begins with some very majestic words, ”In the beginning God created the heavens and [...]
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