St. Paul's Howards Grove Podcast

SPL Worship | "Epiphany Moments" | 01.19.25

Epiphany Moments: God delivers more, not less._ It is easy for us to assume that if God says “no” to a request…we are getting less than we wanted. We need to have an epiphany moment, seeing the reality…that God always wants more for us than we want from him. Saying “yes” to all our requests would often result in us receiving less joy, less blessing, a lesser life. So, when God says “no” to our request…we can be assured it is because he wants to give us more. Far more than existing as a “help desk” or 911 dispatch…God’s love for us is like that of a groom for his bride. His love for us exceeds all expectation and understanding. In that love, God always delivers more than we ask…not less.

SPL Worship | Epiphany Moments | 1.12.25

This weekend, we begin a new series: Epiphany moments. God chose a childless old man to be the father of a great nation? He chose the younger brother, Jacob the deceiver, to inherit the blessing over the first-born, Esau? God chose a stammering fugitive with blood on his hands to be the prophet who would lead his people out of slavery? God operates in ways that we wouldn’t have imagined, yet in just the way that we so desperately needed. Today, we consider God’s choice of Israel’s new king, his approval of his Son, the Christ, and also his choice in saving you and me – not by anything we had done – rather by his mercy and his Spirit and his washing. Let’s marvel at the Lord’s unexpected choice! Our sermon comes from Luke 3.

SPL Worship | "The Gift of God" | 01.05.25

_The Gift of God: a gift for all people._ For centuries, God had given special attention to one nation…Israel. There were Jewish religious leaders who taught that only members of that special people would be saved. Not according to the Christmas angel! The birth of the Savior was good news for all people. When the Savior was born, he was first revealed to Israelites: the shepherds, Simeon, Anna. But today…we see the Lord miraculously guides foreigners across countless miles so the Savior could be revealed to them as well. How did the magi respond? _“They were overjoyed”_ (Matthew 2:10). We Gentiles (non-Jews) rejoice in the good news that this Jewish baby is not just a gift for the Jews. He is a gift for all people…the Savior of the world.

SPL Worship | "The Gift of God" | 12.29.24

The Gift of God: both substitute and sacrifice._ The Son of God took on flesh for two reasons: to be our substitute and our sacrifice. Jesus is the only human being to keep all of God’s law perfectly. He did that as our substitute. Through faith, we claim his perfection as our own. But we needed another gift…one who could pay for the sin we had committed. And so, the Son of God became human for another reason…so that he might die as the sacrifice for our sins, removing that barrier between us and a holy God. Understanding we needed both…substitute and sacrifice…helps us to better understand Jesus’ saving work. That work includes more than Jesus’ death on the cross.

SPL Worship | "Christmas at St. Paul's" | 12.22.24

Come and see what God has done! From the beginning, God spoke, and creation sprang into existence. Everything was made perfect, and man walked with God. Yet, in love, God foreknew the fall, and before the foundations of the world, He prepared for our salvation. Today, we gather to remember God's perfect plan—a plan fulfilled in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and a plan that continues as we wait for his return. Christmas at St. Paul's features the children, choirs, instrumentalists, and teens of our congregation as we use our gifts to God's glory in sharing the message of Christmas. The devotion will be based on Matthew 1.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran, Howards Grove, WI - Dec. 15th, 2024

A Real Christmas: results in great joy._ We all need a real Christmas…one that results in great joy. But joy is not the same thing as happiness. It is infinitely better. Happiness is an emotion. Joyfulness is a condition. Happiness comes from your circumstances. Joyfulness comes from Christ assuring you of his abiding love and your glorious future. Therefore, happiness – “holiday cheer” – is fleeting. Joyfulness is enduring. The historic Christian Church gave Latin titles to each Sunday. They titled the Third Sunday in Advent “Gaudete”…which means “Rejoice!” As we reach the midway point of Advent…we ask Christ to empower us to do just that.

SPL Worship | "A Real Christmas" | December 8, 2024

A Real Christmas: rooted in repentance. The closer we get to Christmas, the greater the pressure. There is so much work to be done! We want our houses to look good for guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief, therefore, to hear what is required to really be ready for Christmas: only repentance. Repentance is actually the opposite of work for us. It is the admission of our sin combined with the trust that Christ has already accomplished everything needed to bring us close to God. At this busy time of year, the call to repent is not a demand to do more. It is a gracious invitation to set down our work and look to Christ’s work. Then we can fully enjoy a real Christmas. Our sermon comes from Philippians 1.

SPL Worship | "A Real Christmas" | 12.01.24

_A Real Christmas: remembers why Christ came._ Why did the Son of God come into our world and take on human flesh? So that he might die as the sacrifice for our sins. Advent marks the start of a new Church Year. We begin at the end…watching Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey colt, knowing full well that he would be killed before the end of the week. The events of Palm Sunday serve as a microcosm for all Jesus’ work…proving the Son of God was willing to humble himself and endure anything for our salvation. That is precisely why Christ came. And a real Christmas requires remembering why Christ came.

SPL Worship | "Live Like You'll Live Forever" | November 27-28, 2024

Live Like You’ll Live Forever: a life of thanksgiving. One of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the New World occurred in 1621, when the Plymouth colonists from England shared an autumn harvest feast with the Native American Wampanoag people. In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. In 1942, President Roosevelt solidified it as the last Thursday of every November. Though not a festival of the church calendar, Christians for generations have found it appropriate to gather for worship this week to give thanks to the LORD: our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Our sermon today comes from Philippians 4.

SPL Worship | "Live Like You'll Live Forever" | 11.24.24

_Live Like You’ll Live Forever: with your eyes on the skies._ “Eyes on the prize.” That axiom stresses that when pursuing some good goal…focus is important. You don’t want distractions of a lack of self-discipline to keep you from obtaining whatever that prize might be. The prize that we want most is spending eternity with Jesus. As the Church Year comes to a close, Jesus promises that he will come again “in clouds with great power and glory” to give us the prize. That prize will be so unbelievably good…it is worth fixating on. Let us be ready. Let us keep watch. Let us live with our eyes on the skies.