First Sunday after Christmas, December 29, 2019

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-25

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Whether it was fulfilling the prophecy about coming from Egypt or being called a Nazarene or anything else, all the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus come to a head when we see Jesus nailed to a cross and under an inscription that again calls him a Nazarene.

It’s there he gave up his life to pay the price for our sins so that he could finally be our Savior who promises us freedom from guilt and sins.

And as the Old Testament prophesied elsewhere, Jesus rose from the dead, reclaimed full use of his divine powers as God, rules as our King forever and ever, and renews our deliverance from our sins by fulfilling his promise to forgive those who come to him in repentance.

Jesus has and will continue to fulfill everything that is written about him and for that, he is rightfully more famous and glorious than any other person in history.

It is for all this we give thanks to God for taking care of our Savior and, in so doing, assuring us of our salvation.

Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Christmas Day Service, December 25, 2019

John 1:1-11

Kassulke

The darkness of our world is at times all too apparent with wars, violence around the world, strife in our own families, and in my own heart, too.

To that darkness, the light of God incarnate (made flesh), the light of God-made-man came. He came to bring light and life. He came because of God’s great love in order to fix sin and dispel the darkness.

The God of the universe came to live under his own law. He was born as a baby and had to grow and learn and mature. He came to live and to die because that was the way to break the hold darkness had on us and on the world.

We have seen his glory. Let us live in the light of his Christmas love, now and forever.

Amen

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2019

John 3:16-18

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John’s well-known verses from Chapter 3 allow us to look at God’s Christmas truths in a newly familiar way.

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is proof that God loves the world, including you.

It is because of God’s love for this sinful world that he sent his only-begotten Son in order to save us from our sins and to give us the promise of eternal life..

Amen.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Stories of the Promise Series December 22, 2019

Isaiah 7:1-17

Koehler

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Among other promises made by God to King Ahaz was this one—-this difficult one to grasp—-that the virgin would have a baby.

• Christians believe that and it makes all the different in their lives and their eternal lives because that baby was the world’s Savior.

• This promise made and fulfilled is the actual story of Christmas, of God sending the Savior into the world.

• And remember: he is not just your Savior, he is the world’s Savior

We pray that the Holy Spirit would fill us so that we are eager to share that saving news.

Amen.

Pastor Ron Koehler

Advent with Isaiah: Midweek Advent Service 3, December 18, 2019

Isaiah 11:1-10

Kassulke

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Jesse was a plain and ordinary man who lived in Bethlehem. So he was as surprised as anyone when Samuel, the prophet of God came to him—to anoint the next king of Israel who turned out to be David.

King David was highly regarded as perhaps the best king that Israel ever had.

It was many years later when a different prophet, the prophet Isaiah, mentioned this same Jesse in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah when he says the stump from Jesse will bear friend and the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—-the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.

This is the Messiah who is described.In the coming of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ, we find the coming of righteousness. In him, we have a glorious resting place, an eternal home ini iheaven.

May our Advent with Isaiah draw us closer to him and may it truly prepare our hearts for our celebration of Christmas and for our Savior’s return as judge.

In Christ Jesus we have righteousness. Repent and believe the good news..

Pastor Nate Kassulke

Stories of the Promise Series, December 15, 2019

Job 1:6-22

Kassulke

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There may be times when we ask, “Why me?” There may be times when the challenges seem to pile up, when the difficulties are almost overwhelming. There may be times when it seems like the joys of Christmas will never get here.

For all those times, let’s take to heart the lesson of Job. Bad things may happen, but we can know that h=the Lord is in charge. our gracious and loving Father is taking care of us.

Let us trust him fully.

Let us persevere.

Let us worship and praise our God.

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”Come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Pastor Nate Kassulke

Advent with Isaiah Series, December 11, 2019

Isaiah 2:1-5

Heiman

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There might be a universal wish at Christmastime---world peace.
Or you might want peace in your community, or your home, or even personal peace. It never seems to come, yet the Lord speaks quite clearly about giving us peace.

The promise that the Lord gave to Isaiah is about the coming Messiah.
He is the peace that God was offering to give to them and to us: eternal peace with God.
Share that good news with the world.

As we prepare for Christ’s first coming on Christmas we also prepare for Christ’s second coming where we will have peace that will last forever.

Come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Pastor Ryan Heiman

Stories of the Promise Series, December 8, 2019

Daniel 4:19-37

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The Three Steps to Repentence

• First, repentance is to genuinely confess your sins.

• Second, repentance is to trust in God’s promise of forgiveness.

• Third, repentance is to live a life free from the sins we just repented of!

In summary, repentance is a change of heart concerning sin.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Advent With Isaiah Series, December 4, 2019

Isaiah 35:1-10

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We are blessed to live after Christ’s First coming. We can see how God fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about our Savior.

Yet we still live in a sinful world that is full of distractions and forces that want us on another path.

So how do we remain on this holy highway? We come to God and his Word.

Continue to make time in your ever-changing schedules for your Lord and listen to what he tells you in his Word and take it to heart so that you strengthen your faith in these wonderful blessings.

Pastor Tim Patoka

First Sunday in Advent, December 1, 2019

Genesis 6:9-22; 7:11-23

Kassulke

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Noah was a man who worked and walked in the light, but he lived in a world darkened by sin.

The lost around him were deaf to his preaching and blind to the signs.

The coming of God’s judgment was as unexpected as it was terrifying for them.

But in the middle of all that judgment, God came in unexpected grace to rescue Noah and his family.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Thanksgiving Eve Service, November 27, 2019

Jeremiah Matthew Philippians Revelations

Koehler

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Tonight we gather as a Christian family, to enjoy spiritual delicacies and a soul-sustaining feast of Thanksgiving provided by our God:

The Appetizer: God’s Love and his Plans for Us (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

The First Course: The Blessings of this Life (Matthew 6:25-34)

The Main Course: God’s Spiritual Blessings in Christ

The Side Dishes: God’s Unique Blessings Upon Us (Philippians 4:11-13)

The Dessert: The Joys of Heaven (Revelation 23:1-5)

Pastor Ron Koehler

Welcome Home Series, Christ The King Sunday, November 24, 2019

Luke 23:35-43

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As we look at the verses in Luke 23 with the eyes of faith, we see why Jesus is called Christ the King, for it is on the cross where Christ shows us his glory.

As he did with the believing criminal, so will he also welcome us to his glorious kingdom and our glorious home.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Welcome Home Series, Saints Triumphant Sunday, November 17, 2019

Isaiah 65:17-25

Kassulke

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We have seen God fullfil his promise to rescue his people:

• He sent his beloved Son Jesus into our world to pay the price for our rebellion and wickedness

• Christ died on the cross as he faced the punishment that our wickedness had earned.

• Christ suffered the consequences of the whole world’s sinfulness.

• Christ brought to all who believe in him the sort of peace that God promised through Isaiah, the peace that has undone all of the damage and the difficulty that sinners faced before.

We thank God that his Church is eternal and that through faith we have an eternal and everlasting family.

Cherish this until your Savior says to you, “Welcome home to heaven.”

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Welcome Home Series, Sunday, November 10, 2019

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

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You are perfectly safe:

• At Christ’s Last Judgement when Jesus will judge all people into one of two groups: those who are saved and those who are condemned.

• At the Present Moment because we have God’s righteous verdict. Thanks to Jesus, we are judged not guilty for all the wrongs we have done regardless of how much we have or haven’t earned it. We most certainly believe this.

May our God continually work in our hearts so that we may always look forward to returning to our church home and so ground ourselves in the safety which God alone gives.

Amen

Pastor Tim Patoka

Reformation Service, Sunday, November 3, 2019

Guest Preacher, Pastor Sam Clemons

Romans 4:13,16 (currently (missing last 5 minutes of the sermon)

Clemons

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It is a miracle of God’s providence and a tribute to His eternal Word that we are here today.

• Study the history of the Christian Church

• See how many people over the centuries have tried to destroy it

• Many poisonous false teachings have threatened to tear the Church apart

• 500 years ago, God used Martin Luther to restore the teaching of the true gospel message to the church.

• From the Scripture, God tells us that we are saved by his grace alone, through faith alone.

You can be a part of this continuing miracle:

• Pray for your church body

• Pray for it’s leaders

• Pray for the pastors and teachers.

• Pray for the parents and children

• Pray for the courage to witness the simple message to other, that we are saved by faith alone.

Amen

Pastor Sam Clemons

Welcome Home Series, Sunday, November 3, 2019

John 8:31-36

Kassulke

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Jesus tells us that the one place to which we can always turn for the truth is his Word (the Bible) and he reminds us how important that truth is in our lives.

At home with Jesus is where you are free to be yourself. We don’t need to pretend that we are someone or something that we are not. We don’t need to hide our sins; we freely admit them, confess them, and repent of them. We receive and rejoice in God’s love and mercy as a member of his own family.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Welcome Home Sunday, October 27, 2019

Hebrews 2:9-18

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Do you feel like you are at home when you are in church?

For many, the answer is yes, but for others, they may be surprised to hear that church could ever feel that way.

Ours won’t be a perfect church because it is made up of sinful people like each one of us.

• But it is and can be a place where we meet with our brother Jesus who has promised to be here.

• It is a place that we can meet with and encourage one another as brothers and sisters.

• And it is a place where we can learn about our permanent home in heaven

Until Jesus welcomes us home to heaven, let’s welcome each other home here at church. Welcome home..

Pastor Nathan Kassulke

Christian Character Series, Week 3, Sunday, October 20, 2019

Luke 18:18-27

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The First Commandment: You shall have no other gods..

We all struggle to trust in God above all and fight to have a 1st Commandment faith.

It’s impossible for people to save themselves. But it’s possible for God.

If our hearts are set first on God, then we can more easily look at everything in our lives and consider how we might use them to serve God above all.

Prayer: Let us put our faith into action by using all to serve God above all. Amen.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Christian Character Series, Week 2, Sunday, October 13, 2019

Luke 18:1-8a

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Persistence in prayer:

God will answer His children’s prayers.

• Praying to God is not pointless because we know that God both hears our prayers and will answer them according to His will.

We persistently pray because of God’s love.

• We can be sure that as we pray, God will respond because of His love for us.

• Regardless of how God answers our prayers, we know that He does so out of love for us.

Prayer: Reassured of these promises, let us learn from the persistent widow by persisting in prayer when tempted to lose heart. Amen.

Pastor Tim Patoka

Christian Character Series, Week 1, Sunday, October 6, 2019

Luke 17:11-19

Kassulke

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We need to acknowledge that sin lives in our own lives.

In his great mercy, God rescued us: He sent Jesus to die for us!

How do we put thankfulness to God into action?

• We give God thanks for the blessing he gives us in our prayers.

• We give God thanks as we gather in worship and as we sing and confess.

• We give God thanks when we give our offerings.

• We give God thanks when we listen to his Word and share it with others.

• We give God thanks when we serve the people he has placed into our lives.

• We even thank God when we thank others, the people through whom God blesses us.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke