2020 Archived Sermons
The Holy Cross sermons are available in transcribed text or .mp3 audio format. Simply click on the “text” link to read the sermon or click on the “audio” link to listen and/or download the .mp3 audio file. Note: The sermons are listed by most recent. Typically, the text version is delayed by two months due to the transcription process.
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December 31, 2020, New Year’s Eve- Pastor Mark Bartels
James 4:13-15
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
December 27, 2020, 1st Sunday after Christmas- Pastor Bernt Tweit
Luke 2:25-40
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said, 29Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace,
according to your word, 30because my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared before the face of all people, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory
of your people Israel. 30Joseph and the child’s mother were amazed at the things that were spoken about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Listen
carefully, this child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And a
sword will pierce your own soul too.” 36Anna, a prophetess, was there. She was a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old. She had lived with her husband for
seven years after her marriage, 37and then she was a widow of eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple complex, since she was worshipping with fasting and prayers night
and day. 38Standing nearby at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord. She kept speaking about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39When they
had accomplished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town, Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong. He was filled with
wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
December 25, 2020, Christmas Day- Pastor Bernt Tweit
Isaiah 52:7-10
7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of a herald, who proclaims peace and preaches good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God is king!” 8The voice of
your watchmen—they lift up their voices. Together they shout for joy, because with both eyes they will see it when the Lord returns to Zion. 9Break out, shout for joy together, you
ruins of Jerusalem, because the Lord is comforting his people. He is redeeming Jerusalem. 10The Lord lays bare his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the
earth will see the salvation from our God.
December 24, 2020, Christmas Eve- Pastor Mark Bartels
Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
December 20, 2020, Fourth Sunday in Advent- Pastor Mark Bartels
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” 29But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. 31Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. 37For nothing will be impossible for God.” 38Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
December 13, 2020, Third Sunday in Advent- Pastor Bernt Tweit
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the afflicted. He sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for those who are bound, 2to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3to provide for those who
mourn in Zion, to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a cloak of praise instead of a faint spirit, so that they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord to display his beauty.
10I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. My soul will celebrate because of my God, for he has clothed me in garments of salvation. With a robe of righteousness he covered me, like a bridegroom who wears a beautiful headdress like a priest, and like a bride who adorns herself with her jewelry. 11For as the earth produces its growth, and as a garden causes what has
been sown to sprout up, so God the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up in the presence of all the nations.
December 6, 2020, Second Sunday in Advent- Pastor Mark Bartels
November 29, 2020, First Sunday in Advent- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Come, O LORD and save us! ” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google. Text: PDF
Isaiah 63:16b-17; 64:1-8
You, the Lord, are our Father. Our Redeemer from everlasting is your name. 17Why do you cause us to wander from your ways, Lord? Why do you harden our heart so that we do not fear you? Return for the sake of your Servants, the tribes that are your heritage. 64:1Oh, that you would rip open the heavens and come down. Mountains then would quake because of your presence. 2As fire ignites stubble and as fire makes water boil, make your name known to your adversaries. Then nations would quake in your presence. 3You did amazing things that we did not expect. You came down. Mountains quaked because of your presence. 4From ancient times no one has heard. No ear understood. No eye has seen any god except you, who goes into action for the one who waits for him. 5You meet anyone who joyfully practices righteousness, who remembers you by walking in your ways! But you were angry because we sinned. We have remained in our sins for a long time.
Can we still be saved?
6All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth. All of us have withered like a leaf, and our guilt carries us away like the wind. 7There is no one who calls on your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you. So you hid your face from us. You made us melt by the power of our guilt. 8But now, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. All of us are the work of your hand.
November 25, 2020, Thanksgiving Eve- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“A Thanksgiving Message” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google
November 22, 2020, Christ the King Sunday- Last Sunday of the Church Year- Pastor Mark Bartels
20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For since death came by a man, the resurrection of the dead also is going to come by a man. 22For as in Adam they all die, so also in Christ they all will be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ as the firstfruits and then Christ’s people, at his coming. 24Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has done away with every other ruler and every other authority and power. 25For he must reign “until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 26Death is the last enemy to be done away with. 27Certainly, “he has put all things in subjection under his feet.” Now when it says that all things have been put in subjection, obviously that does not include the one who subjected all things to him. 28But when all things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, in order that God may be all in all.
November 15, 2020, Saints Triumphant- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Encourage on another with these words” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope. 14 Indeed, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then in the same way we also believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 In fact, we tell you this by the word of the Lord: We who are alive and left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not go on ahead of those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
November 8, 2020, Last Judgement – Second Sunday of the End Times- Pastor Mark Bartels
“He Will Separate the Sheep from the Goats ” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google Text: PDF
Matthew 25:31-46
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36I was lacking clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or lacking clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40“The King will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you did not give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink. 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, lacking clothes and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not take care of me.’
44“Then they will also answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or lacking clothes or sick or in prison and did not serve you?’
45“At that time he will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
November 1, 2020, The Festival of the Reformation- Pastor Bernt Tweit
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again. 2Look, I, Paul, tell you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3I testify again to every man who allows himself to be circumcised that he is obligated to do the whole law. 4You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law are completely separated from Christ. You have fallen from grace. 5Indeed, through the Spirit, we by faith are eagerly waiting for the sure hope of righteousness. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. Rather, it is faith working through love that matters.
October 25, 2020, Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Mark Bartels
4Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if anything is excellent, and if anything is praiseworthy, think about these things. 9The things that you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: Keep doing these things. And the God of peace will be with you. 10I rejoice greatly in the Lord now that you have revived your concern for me once again. Actually, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I lack anything; in fact, I have learned to be content in any circumstances in which I find myself. 12I know what it is to live in humble circumstances, and I know what it is to have more than enough. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, while being full or hungry, while having plenty or not enough. 13I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
October 18, 2020, Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Press On” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google. Text: PDF
Philippians 3:12-21
12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus also took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it yet, but there is one thing I do: Forgetting the things that are behind and straining toward the things that are ahead, 14I press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Therefore, let all of us who are mature continue to think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this to you too. 16Only let us think the same thing and walk in line with what we already have attained. 17Brothers, join together in imitating me and in paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you. 18To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping. 19Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite, and their glory is in their shame. They are thinking only about earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. We are eagerly waiting for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21By the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, he will transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body.
October 11, 2020, Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Mark Bartels
“A Christ Like Attitude” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google
Philippians 2:1-11
1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility consider one another better than yourselves. 4Let each of you look carefully not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 6Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, 7but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant. When he was born in human likeness, and his appearance was like that of any other man, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
October 4, 2020, Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“I Will Give You Whatever Is Right” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google
Matthew 20:1-16
“Indeed the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing to pay the workers a denarius for the day, he sent
them into his vineyard. 3He also went out about the third hour and saw others standing unemployed in the marketplace. 4To these he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give
you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6When he went out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing
unemployed. He said to them, ‘Why have you stood here all day unemployed?’ 7“They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “He told them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8When it was
evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group and ending with the first.’ 9“When those who were hired
around the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. 10When those who were hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But they each received a denarius too.
11After they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner: 12‘Those who were last worked one hour, and you made them equal to us who have endured the burden of the day
and the scorching heat!’ 13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not make an agreement with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go. I want
to give to the last one hired the same as I also gave to you. 15Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16In the same way, the last will be first,
and the first, last.”
September 27, 2020, Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Michael Helwig
“Prepared to Answer for Christ!” – Video: Facebook, Google. Audio: Google
1 Peter 3:13-17
13 Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you should happen to suffer because
of righteousness, you are blessed. Do not be afraid of what they fear, and do not be troubled. 15 But regard
the Lord, the Christ, as holy in your hearts. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 But speak with gentleness and respect, while maintaining a
clear conscience, so that those who attack your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame because they
slandered you as evildoers. 17 Indeed, it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
September 20, 2020, Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“We are Watchmen for Each Other” – video or audio or text
Matthew 18:15-20
15“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his sin just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And, if he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as an unbeliever or a tax collector. 18Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19Amen I tell you again: If two of you on earth agree to ask for anything, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20In fact where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am among them.”
September 13, 2020, Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Mark Bartels
“Be Transformed!” – video or audio or text
Romans 12:1-8
1Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God—which is your appropriate worship. 2Also, do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you test and approve what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. 3So by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think in a way that results in sound judgment, as God distributed a measure of faith to each of you. 4For we have many members in one body, and not all the members have the same function. 5In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace God has given us. If the gift is prophecy, do it in complete agreement with the faith. 7If it is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. 8If it is encouraging, then encourage. If it is contributing, be generous. If it is leadership, be diligent. If it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully.
September 6, 2020, Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“I Am the LORD” – video or audio
Exodus 6:2-8
2Then God spoke to Moses, telling him, “I am the LORD. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name, the LORD, I was not known to them. 4I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land where they were residing as aliens. 5I certainly have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have remembered my covenant.
6“Therefore tell the Israelites, ‘I am the LORD. I will bring you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from being their slaves. I will redeem you with an
outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the LORD your God, the one who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8I will bring you to the land which I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.”
August 30, 2020, Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Mark Bartels
August 23, 2020, Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The Lord Assures” – video or audio or text
1 Kings 19:9-18
9He came to a cave and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord suddenly came to him, saying, “Why are you here, Elijah?”
10He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of Armies, but the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking to take my life.”
11Then the Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is passing by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains and shattered rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
12After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a soft, whispering voice.
13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak, and he went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?
14He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of Armies, but the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking to take my life.”
August 16, 2020, Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Mark Bartels
35What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36Just as it is written: For your sake we are being put to
death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death
nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powerful forces, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
August 9, 2020, Tenth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Bernt Tweit
“We Have the Ultimate Treasure!” – video or audio or text
Romans 8:28-30
28We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, 29because those God foreknew, he also predestined to
be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified. And those
he justified, he also glorified.
August 2, 2020, Ninth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Spirit Intercedes for Us!” – video or audio or text
Romans 8:26-27
26In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we should pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that are not expressed in words. 27And he who searches our hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints, according to God’s will.
July 26, 2020, Eighth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Bernt Tweit
“God’s Word Is Like Rain and Snow” – video or audio
Isaiah 55:10-11
10Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it.
July 19, 2020, Seventh Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Mark Bartels
15For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not keep doing what I want. Instead, I do what I hate. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17But now it is no longer I who am doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18Indeed, I know that good does not live in me, that is, in my sinful flesh. The desire to do good is present with me, but I am not able to carry it out. 19 So I fail to do the good I want to do. Instead, the evil I do not want to do, that is what I keep doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I whoam doing it, but it is sin living in me.21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is present with me. 22I certainly delight in God’s law according to my inner self, 23but I see a different law at work in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me captive to the law of sin, which is present in my members. 24What a miserable wretch I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
July 12, 2020, Sixth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Bernt Tweit
“You are Baptized into Christ Jesus” – video or audio
Romans 6:1b-11
Shall we keep on sinning so that grace may increase? 2Absolutely not! We died to sin. How can we go on living in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him by this baptism into his death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father,
we too would also walk in a new life. 5For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. 6We
know that our old self was crucified with him, to make our sinful body powerless,so that we would not continue to serve sin. 7For the person who has died has been declared free from
sin. 8And since we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he will never die again. Death no longer has
control over him. 10For the death he died, he died to sin once and for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way also consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in
Christ Jesus.
July 5, 2020, Fifth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Bernt Tweit
“My Times Are In Your Hand” – video or audio or text
Psalm 31, selected verses
In you, Lord, I have taken refuge. In your righteousness deliver me.
Be a rock where I take refuge, a fortified place that saves me.
Into your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
My times are in your hand. Save me in your mercy.
How great is your goodness, which you store up for those who fear you.
But you heard the sound of my cry for mercy when I cried out to you.
June 28, 2020, Fourth Sunday After Pentecost– Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Harvest is Plentiful” – video or audio or text
Matthew 9:35-10:8
35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.
36When he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into his harvest.”
10:1Jesus called his twelve disciples to himself and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness. 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
June 21, 2020, Third Sunday After Pentecost – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Jesus Calls Sinners!” – video or audio
Matthew 9:9-13
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s booth. He said to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed him.
10As Jesus was reclining at the table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were actually there too, eating with Jesus and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “The healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ In fact, I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
June 14, 2020, The Second Sunday After Pentecost – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Put These Words of Mine in Your Heart and Soul” – video or audio or text
Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28
18Put these words of mine in your hearts and in your soul, and tie them on your wrists as signs and as symbols on your forehead. 19Teach them to your children by talking about them when you sit in your house and when you travel on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21so that your days and the days of your children may be many on the land that the Lord promises to your fathers with an oath, as many as the days that the heavens remain over the earth.
26You see, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, 28or the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God and you turn away from the path that I am commanding you today by walking after other gods whom you did not know.
June 7, 2020, The Holy Trinity – Pastor Mark Bartels
“The God of Grace, Love and Fellowship” – video or audio
Corinthians 13:11-14
11Finally, brothers, rejoice. Set things in order. Be encouraged. Agree with one another. Be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13All the saints greet you.
14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
May 31, 2020, The Day of Pentecost – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The Coming of the Holy Spirit” – video or audio
Joel 2:28-29
28After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams.
Your young men will see visions.
29Even on the male servants and the female servants,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
May 24, 2020, The Ascension of our Lord- Pastor Thomas Heyn
“The Son of Man Reigns with Our Father” – video or audio
Revelation 5:1-14
1 And I saw a scroll in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, with writing on the front and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll by breaking its seals?” 3 No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed and is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw a Lamb standing in the center, near the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. The Lamb seemed to have been slain, and he had seven horns and seven eyes (these are the seven spirits of God that have been sent into all the world). 7 The Lamb came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when the Lamb took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls full of incense (these are the prayers of the saints). 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and you bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You made them to be a kingdom and priests for our God,
and they will reign on the earth.
11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels who were around the throne and around the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands upon thousands. 12 With a loud voice they were saying:
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.
13 I also heard every creature that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders bowed down and worshipped.
May 17, 2020, Sixth Sunday of Easter- Pastor Eugene Kock
“Set Apart Christ In Your Hearts” – video or audio
1 Peter 3:15-22
15But regard the Lord, the Christ, as holy in your hearts. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you. 16But speak with gentleness and respect, while maintaining a clear conscience, so that those who attack your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame because they slandered you as evildoers.
17Indeed, it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, 18because Christ also suffered once for sins in our place, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in flesh but was made alive in spirit, 19in which he also went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20These spirits disobeyed long ago, when God’s patience was waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. 21And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22He went to heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
May 10, 2020, Fifth Sunday of Easter- Pastor Mark Bartels
“Living Stones” – video or audio
1 Peter 2:4-10
4As you come to him, the Living Stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious, 5you also, like living stones, are being built as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, in order to bring spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it says in Scripture:
See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will certainly not be put to shame.
7Therefore, for you who believe, this is an honor. But for those who do not believe:
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
8and,a stone over which they stumble and a rock over which they fall.
Because they continue to disobey the word, they stumble over it. And that is the consequence appointed for them.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10At one time you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. At one time you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy.
May 3, 2020, Fourth Sunday of Easter- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The King of Love My Shepherd Is” – video or audio
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. 2 He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You set a table for me in the presence of my foes. You drench my head with oil. My cup is overflowing. 6 Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
April 26, 2020, Third Sunday of Easter- Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Road to Emmaus” – video or audio
Luke 24: 13-35
13Now, on that same day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about all of these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing this, Jesus himself approached and began to walk along with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?” Saddened, they stopped.
18One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19“What things?” he asked them.
They replied, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. 21But we were hoping that he was going to redeem Israel. Not only that, but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Also some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning. 23When they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”
25He said to them, “How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter his glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28As they approached the village where they were going, he acted as if he were going to travel farther. 29But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, since it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them. 30When he reclined at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and began giving it to them. 31Suddenly their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those who were with them assembled together. 34They were saying, “The Lord really has been raised! He has appeared to Simon.” 35They themselves described what had happened along the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.
April 19, 2020, Second Sunday of Easter- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“A Living Hope” – video or audio soon
April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday- Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Joy of the Resurrection!” – video or audio
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she left and ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she told them, “and we don’t know where they put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5Bending over, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in.
6Then Simon Peter, who was following him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there. 7The cloth that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths, but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, also entered. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.)
10Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, weeping. As she wept, she bent over, looking into the tomb. 12She saw two angels in white clothes sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
14After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.
15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?”
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you carried him off, tell me where you laid him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and replied in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means, “Teacher”).
17Jesus told her, “Do not continue to cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father—to my God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” She also told them the things he said to her.
April 10, 2020, Good Friday- Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The Burial of Jesus” – video or audio soon
Weekly Worship Guide
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
April 9, 2020, Maundy Thursday – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Jesus, Our Passover Lamb” – video or audio
Weekly Worship Guide
9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?”
10 He told them, “Just as you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.” 13 They went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is being poured out for you.
April 5, 2020, The Sixth Sunday in Lent – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord” – video or audio
Weekly Worship Guide
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Immediately you will find a donkey tied there along with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”
4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5Tell the daughter of Zion: Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
6The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their outer clothing on them, and he sat on it. 8A very large crowd spread their outer clothing on the road. Others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them out on the road. 9The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed kept shouting,
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!
10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, asking, “Who is this?” 11And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
April 1, 2020, The Sixth Wednesday in Lent – Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Warrior Fights with the Truth” – video
Weekly Worship Guide
John 18:38
38 “What is truth?” Pilate said to him.
After he said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
March 29, 2020, The Fifth Sunday in Lent – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Waiting for the Quarantine to be Lifted” – video or audio
Weekly Worship Guide
11And if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit, who is dwelling in you.
12So then, brothers, we do not owe it to the sinful flesh to live in harmony with it. 13For if you live in harmony with the sinful flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the actions of the body, you will live.
14Indeed, those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery so that you are afraid again, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we call out, “Abba, Father!” 16The Spirit himself joins our spirit in testifying that we are God’s children.
17Now if we are children, we are also heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, since we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him.
18For I conclude that our sufferings at the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. 19In fact, creation is waiting with eager longing for the sons of God to be revealed.
March 25, 2020, The Fifth Wednesday in Lent – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The Warrior Rejected by Many Followers” – video
Weekly Worship Guide
After this, many of his disciples turned back and were not walking with him anymore.
March 22, 2020, The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Thanksgiving for Divine Comfort in Affliction” –text, video, audio
Weekly Worship Guide
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
March 18, 2020, The Fourth Wednesday in Lent – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Know Your Enemy” – video
Weekly Worship Guide
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
“Was Blind but Now I See” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39
As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him. 4I must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.” 6After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. 7“Go,” Jesus told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. 13They brought this man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15So the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man told them. “I washed, and now I see.”
16Then some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others were saying, “How can a sinful man work such miraculous signs?” There was division among them, 17so they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 34They answered him, “You were entirely born in sinfulness! Yet you presume to teach us?” And they threw him out. 35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. When he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36“Who is he, sir,” the man replied, “that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus answered, “You have seen him, and he is the very one who is speaking with you.” 38Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” and he knelt down and worshipped him.
39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, in order that those who do not see will see, and those who do see will become blind.”
March 8, 2020, The Second Sunday in Lent – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Believe God’s Promises” – text or audio or video
Weekly Worship Guide
Genesis 12:1-8
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country and away from your relatives and from your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to travel to the land of Canaan. Eventually they arrived in the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land until he came to the Oak of Moreh at the place called Schechem. The Canaanites were in the land at that time.
7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
8 He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
March 1, 2020, The First Sunday in Lent – Bethany Sunday – Chaplain Moldstad
“Christ’s Temptation in the Wilderness” – text soon or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. 2After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The Tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”
4But Jesus answered, “It is written:
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”
5Then the Devil took him into the holy city. He placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and he said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you. And they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written:
You shall not test the Lord your God.”
8Again the Devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will bow down and worship me.”
10Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11Then the Devil left him, and just then angels came and served him.
February 23, 2020, The Transfiguration – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Come Up the Mountain” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Exodus 24:12, 15-18
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain. Wait there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commands that I have written, so that you can teach them.”
15 Moses went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The Glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud. 17 The appearance of the Glory of the Lord looked like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered into the middle of the cloud and climbed up the mountain. Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
February 16, 2020, The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Choose Life!” – text soon or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
15See now, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster. 16This is what I am commanding you today: Love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, and keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and increase in number, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are going to possess.
17But if your heart turns away, and you do not listen, and you are lured away, and you bow down to other gods and serve them, 18then I declare to you today that you will most certainly perish. You will not live a long life on the land that you are about to enter and possess by crossing over the Jordan.
19I call the heavens and the earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live 20by loving the Lord your God, by listening to his voice, and by clinging to him, because that means life for you, and you will live a long life on your land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
February 9, 2020, The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Let Your Light Shine” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Matthew 5:13-20
13“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18Amen I tell you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest letter, or even part of a letter, will in any way pass away from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19So whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20Indeed I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and experts in the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
February 2, 2020, The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“The Beatitudes Show True Spiritual Riches” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up onto a mountain. When he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2He opened his mouth and began to teach them. He said these things:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
because they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, because they will receive mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. In fact, that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
January 26, 2020, The Third Sunday after the Epiphany – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Christ is Not Divided” – audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
1 Corinthians 1:10-17
10Brothers, I am making an appeal to you using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask that you all express the same view and not have any divisions among you, but that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11For the news I heard about you, my brothers, from members of Chloe’s household, is that there are rivalries among you. 12What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one can say that I baptized you into my own name. 16(I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides them, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel—not with the wisdom used in speeches, so that the cross of Christ would not be emptied of its power.
January 19, 2020, The Second Sunday after the Epiphany – Pastor Bernt Tweit
“Jesus Appears as the Lamb of God” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2To the church of God in Corinth—those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, who are called as saints—along with all in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
4I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus. 5You were enriched in him in every way, in all your speaking and all your knowledge, 6because the testimony about Christ was established in you. 7As a result you do not lack any gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also keep you strong until the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, who called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
January 12, 2020, The Baptism of our Lord – Pastor Mark Bartels
“Jesus, Savior for all Humanity” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
Acts 10:34-38
34Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really am beginning to understand that God does not show favoritism, 35but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36He sent his word to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37“You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him.
January 5, 2020, The Second Sunday after Christmas – Pastor Mark Bartels
“The Gifts of the Word” – text or audio or video
Children’s Sermon – audio
Weekly Worship Guide
John 1:14-18
14The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15John testified about him. He cried out, “This was the one I spoke about when I said, ‘The one coming after me outranks me because he existed before me.’” 16For out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, who is close to the Father’s side, has made him known.