As we continue our focus on how we can “join Jesus on His mission,” we reflect this week on how the mission of Jesus is to bring His kingdom into this world. But what does the kingdom look like? For those who follow Jesus already, it will look like Christian community, hearing God’s Word, the fruit of the Spirit being evident, etc. But for those who don’t follow Jesus, the kingdom of God will usually look like human need. How does Jesus respond to the needs of humans who are not in a faith relationship with Him? How can we join Jesus in what He is already doing in their lives?

Christ is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!) On Good Friday, we considered the final words of Jesus, and what we could learn from the words Jesus chose to speak as He suffered and died on the cross. Here on Easter Sunday, we are turning to the first words of Jesus to see what else we can learn! First words are critical. They can set the tone and communicate what is most important. What can we learn from the first words Jesus uses to begin His ministry? And what can we learn from the first words Jesus speaks after His resurrection? We learn that Jesus has completed His mission, and now He invites us to join Him in the mission to make disciples by calling others to repent and believe the Gospel. 

As we begin our series preaching/reading through Luther’s Small Catechism during Lent, Pastor Smith starts us off with the 10 Commandments–specifically the “First Table” of the Law, dealing with our relationship with God. We hear the will of God for our life, partially expressed in the 10 Commandments. And because we are sinners and saints at the same time, we have a “love/hate” relationship with God’s revealed Law. We will explore the different uses of God’s Law in our lives, as well as how our relationship with God ultimately affects our relationship with our neighbor. And we will learn why God’s Law is a blessing for us to love and cherish!

A common concern among Christians is that the Bible might be unreliable. We get concerned because our entire future hope is based on the message of salvation the Bible teaches us! And the world has some favorite arguments that it puts forward to shake our trust in the authority and truth of the Bible. Join Pastor Smith this week as we explore some of these biggest concerns. We will learn some ways to better understand how we got the Bible, how to respond to some of the world’s most popular claims against the Bible, and ultimately and most importantly, we will grow in our confidence that God has preserved His truth and presented it to us in His Word.

In the first week of our “Ask Me Anything” sermon series, Pastor Smith tackles how Christians can be faithful even in difficult situations regarding forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus gives us essential teaching in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35), and St. Paul also gives us helpful exhortation in Romans 12:9-21. We know we are called to forgive just as God in Christ has forgiven us. But what about when the other person isn’t sorry or won’t try to reconcile? How can I find peace? How can I avoid harboring hatred and bitterness? Join Pastor Smith as we turn to God’s Word for wisdom and guidance.