A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” How did you get the face of an angel? No, this weekend our theme isn’t about a beauty makeover, although in a way it is. Nor is it a listing of cheesy pickup lines, although this one ain’t bad. This question is prompted by deep theology inspired by the Holy Spirit, demonstrated by St. Stephen, and now passed on to us. We’re glad you joined us online to study Acts 6:8-15 and to receive the Spirit’s blessing through it.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” Show me a perfect church and . . . I’ll show you heaven. Dr. Luke records how the earliest Easter people sometimes didn’t act like Jesus came out of the grave. But then, because they knew he did, they repented and set a new course. Sounds like us. Luke didn’t record the book of Acts to hold up the early Christian church as an impossible example to follow. His purpose was to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the growth of Jesus’ church. And that sounds like us, too. We are glad you found us and invite you to contact us if we can serve you.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” The four-year-old looked up from her chicken nuggets and announced to her parents, “We’re all gonna die.” Her parents looked up startled and fearful they had allowed her to see too much COVID coverage on TV. But then she continued matter-of-factly, “But Jesus moved the stone.” No matter what has happened in this world or will happen, the best news is this: Jesus moved the stone. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is true. Let’s celebrate it together, even from a distance.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” On Palm Sunday, the crowds turn out waving palm branches, laying their coats, and cheering for Jesus. A few months later, the whole city is astir again as Jesus’ disciples are, by faith, healing the sick, driving out demons, caring for the poor, and proclaiming life in Jesus’ name. The faith-filled excitement collides with the cold, selfish, fearful jealousy of the religious leaders. Today we see how two groups are stirred up, one by jealousy, and a second by faith.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” I can’t count how many people I’ve talked to recently who are struggling with fear, anxiety, and worry. Isolation, pandemic, and an invisible illness that can infect without one’s knowledge is all a bit terrifying and like something out of a novel or the movies. Perhaps that’s why Outbreak is one of the top movies streaming on Netflix right now. This weekend we turn our focus from what we are currently enveloped in to see our Savior’s powerful hand at work in his early church. As we gather digitally this weekend, we will see how Jesus used signs and wonders to give legitimacy to his apostles while also providing a message so contagious that the region came to experience it, and many were added to their numbers.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” This week in our study of Acts we meet two interesting characters: Ananias and Sapphira. They’re beautiful names, aren’t they? But they rank right down there with Judas in the biography of Biblical characters. Why? For the same reason you’ve noticed shelves devoid of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Their greed. Our study of Acts is taking us deeply into every area of our lives. It takes courage to let the Spirit do that, but it’s how the Spirit works. Grab your favorite mug and fill it with coffee, tea or, as some do, just hot water. Know that your brothers and sisters around the region are doing the same. May Jesus bless your attention to his Word.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” People have always known Christians are different. The Book of Acts shows us in the first few chapters two ways that difference was apparent: how they died and how they viewed economics. Christians’ drastic and unreasonable generosity was one reason they gained attention and turned the world upside down. God’s grace breaks the power of money over us and makes us more generous. God’s grace to us makes giving that grace to others our greatest thrill.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” Ever since Carole King released Tapestry, one of the top ten selling albums of all time, we’ve sung, “I feel the earth move under my feet.” She was describing a romantic interest, but there are other ways we feel the earth move under our feet. What things are shaking your world today? The early church felt the earth move under their feet because of Jesus. Then they went out and shook their world. We’re glad you’re here today to acknowledge the real reasons our world is shaken, to find hope in the way Christ shakes us, and to find power to go out and shake the world because of it.

A sermon from the series “Acts (2020).” What do you do when someone criticizes your faith? How do you handle the snide or disparaging comment when someone finds out that you are one of those “Christians”? What do you say, and how do you handle it without feeling guilty or ashamed? How do you confront a friend that thinks they are religious but are holding onto false teachings, or worse, their own version of salvation? It may not happen daily, but when it does it can be challenging. Today we learn from Jesus how to handle such situations, as Peter and John face their first confrontation with boldness and confidence in Acts 4:1-22.

A sermon from the series “Summer in the Psalms (2021).” The Psalms aren’t simply to be read; we are to be immersed in them so that they profoundly shape how we relate to God and each other. Luther called the Psalms a “mini Bible” because in them we receive an overview of salvation history from creation through Jesus’ return and the renewal of all things. But the Psalms are more than theological instruction. They’re also a medicine chest for the heart and the best possible guide for practical living. The church father, Athanasius, wrote, “Whatever your particular need or trouble, from this same book [the Psalms] you can select a form of words to fit it, so that you . . . learn the way to remedy your ill.” Psalms anticipate and train us for every possible spiritual, social, and emotional condition—they show us what the dangers are, what we should keep in mind, what our attitude should be, how to talk to God about it, and how to get from God the help we need. Sounds like a pretty good way to spend our summer…together.