Author: Kim Braatz

Sermon:           “We Trust in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior”

Theme:            We are defined by our relationship with Jesus as our guide and the one who provides us for all our needs.

Purpose:          The congregation will focus on our relationship with Christ as our primary guide and direction.

Scriptures:       Isaiah 43:1-7   The Lord God will be with us when we pass through trials and will provide for our needs.

Mark 9:14-29  The disciples were unable to do anything for the man’s son, and needed to be in prayer in order to have ability.

Questions:

What difference does it make that we trust in Jesus Christ? Do we trust more in money, influence, insurance policies, and power than we trust in Jesus Christ? Is Jesus Christ truly our Lord, the authority for the decisions we make individually and as a church? Or do we tend to trust in things we can control? In what ways are we practicing our faith so as to be in submission to Christ Jesus? In what ways do we need to change so that we can truly identify that we are serving Christ rather than our own egos or carrying out traditions?  In what ways are we like the disciples, needing to work more at prayer, fasting, and focusing on Christ in order to be effective in our work as a church?

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Sermon:           “The Word Became Flesh”

Theme:            Christ’s presence is a real experience of God’s loving power in a form that we can experience and we can be renewed through a living, fleshly presence of God.

Purpose:          The congregation will seek to become more engaged in Christ’s presence in their lives.

Scriptures:       Jeremiah 31:7-14        God promises to bring healing, peace, and consolation to all of the people.

John 1:1-18      The Word became flesh, and the experiences we have of God are through Word become flesh in our midst.

Questions:

What difference does Christmas make to us now that the presents have been unwrapped and the New Year has come? How do we experience God’s presence in our lives? What can we do to experience God more fully? What difference does it make that Jesus was born two thousand years ago? Are experiences of depression, sadness, anxiety, and fear a lack of faith? How do we come to know Christ as the “Word become flesh?”  What is our role in helping others to know and experience the presence of Christ as living human care?

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Click to listen to the Message by Rev. Paul Zoschke from December 27, 2015 – Finding Christ at Worship

Sermon:           “The Gift of a Shepherd

Theme:            God sends us direction and love so that we may joyfully participate in the reconciliation and justice that is from God.

Purpose:          The congregation will be open to direction in seeking justice and peace.

Scriptures:       Micah 5:2-5a   The Lord will send ones to shepherd the people and lead them in security and righteousness.

Luke 1:46-55   Mary’s Magnificat, the description of the Messiah as one who will care for the poor and bring justice.

Questions:

Are we ready for Christ’s call to humility and openness? Why do we want to preserve our own myths of control and power rather than open our hearts to the security of God’s steadfast love? What is it about keeping control that is so attractive to us, even when we know that we are not actually in control? How do we open our hearts to receive Christ when we are slow to embrace God’s call to justice and mercy? How do we let go of our grasp of the things that are not that important in order to focus on the gifts that come from God and which last?

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Sermon:           “The Way to Joyfulness and Peace”

Theme:            A relationship with Christ calls us away from empty living and sets us free to know meaningful relationships and lasting joy.

Purpose:          The congregation will take time to think about what is important in their relationship with God and what is getting in the way.

Scriptures:       Philippians 4:4-7         Rejoice in the Lord, The peace that passes all understanding.

Luke 3:7-18     John the Baptist calls the people to a new relationship of righteousness with God.

Questions:

How does John the Baptist fit into the Advent season? What does it mean to seek to be renewed by focusing on our relationship with God over and above our traditions? What might happen if we take seriously a call to find meaning in God’s love and purpose? How do we learn to set aside the things that get between us and our healthy relationships with God and our family? In what ways would a renewal of our hearts result in renewal of other parts of our lives? How do we commit to what is really important for Christmas?

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Sermon:           “Preparing the Way for the Messiah”

Theme:            We humbly submit our hearts to God for the stripping away of what separates us from Christ and draws us back into our old hostilities, anxieties, and grudges.

Purpose:          The congregation will pray and offer to God their hearts, offering to be released from attachment to control, revenge, and those things that attach them to past hurts.

Scriptures:       Philippians 1:3-11       The one who has begun the work in you will bring to completion a harvest of righteousness

Malachi 3:1-4  The messenger will come

Luke 3:1-6       John the Baptist will come to bring a refiners fire.

Questions:

In what ways do we see our faith as “A work in progress?”  Why do we schedule ourselves to be so busy, and not set aside time to enjoy the gifts of the Advent season? What is it we are trying to ignore or leave behind? In what ways is there “hard work” to be done, dealing with loss, grief, and change so that we may welcome the gift of Christ’s love? In what ways do we need to focus on our own need to grow so that we may fully enjoy the gift of Christmas? How can we set aside time for spiritual renewal as we approach the gift of Christmas?

Click HERE to listen to the message.