They grew up with him. They thought they knew him. They were so excited when he came back home. How their thinking changed when they heard what he had to say. Their excitement turned to murderous anger in an instant! What was it that Jesus said? What keeps us from reacting the same way?

Do you ever feel completely unworthy to be a Christian, much less to tell others about Jesus? Your past and present sins haunt you. Your shortcomings stare you in the face. Your fear of failing both yourself and God cripples you. This Sunday, we hear from someone who has been there. And we marvel at how God steps into his life and into ours.

"Do you know who I am?" That question often is asked when someone isn't getting the treatment they expect based upon their wealth or fame or position. "If you knew who I was," the question implies, "you would treat me differently." There were many different ideas about who Jesus was. When Jesus asked a similar question, his goal wasn't to shame anyone into honoring him. Instead, he was inviting his followers to make a clear confession of the life-saving truth based upon the faith that God had planted in their hearts. It is good for us to hear the answer they gave and to wrestle with our own answer to Jesus' important question.

Children need to know that their parents love them. They long for their parents' attention and approval. A simple hug or the words "I love you" go a long way. Jesus needed his father's love and approval as well--not for his own sake but for ours. This Sunday, as we remember the Baptism of our Lord, we will witness that approval and be amazed at what it means for us.

Murder Mystery Dinner Theater is a form of interactive entertainment in which audience members become part of the action along with the actors, as together they try to solve the mystery presented to them. Almighty God, in perfect love and wisdom, also involves us Christians in the "mystery" of his plan for the world.

The blessings of Christmas continue long after the lights come down and the gifts are opened.

That night in Bethlehem wasn't really all that silent. And we, who have witnessed the birth of our Savior, can't be silent either.

Have you given up trying to find peace? You've decided it will just have to wait...until the holiday preparations are done...until the kids are grown up and move out...until you can finally retire...until you leave this world and go to heaven. But does peace really have to wait? Or is there a way to have peace, even in the chaos, stress, and struggle of life...even during the waiting season of Advent?

"It's the most wonderful time of the year." Do you agree? Or do the "magical" moments of the days before Christmas get overshadowed by the stress of how much has to get done with limited time and money before Christmas comes? Does the illness or death of a loved one steal the joy out of the season? This week, our God wants to lift our spirits above the troubles of life and fill us with true and lasting joy.

Do you ever feel completely unlovable? You've done or said something that really hurt someone. You've given in to that same temptation all over again. You've let someone down. And you feel terrible about it. How can they forgive you? Why would anyone love you? If we take God's law and his coming judgment seriously, we should be asking, "Why would God love me?" In this sermon, we hear what God promises to do, when we are unlovable.

This Sunday, we begin a new church year with the season of Advent, a time in which we focus on the advent (coming) of the Christ as the Savior born in Bethlehem, on his coming to us in Word and Sacrament, and on his coming on the Last Day as King and Judge. For us who see him as their Savior, Advent fills us with real and certain hope in a world made hopeless by sin.

In the busyness of life, in times of struggle and times of joy, let us keep our focus on the giver of every good gift.

On this last Sunday of the Church Year, we rejoice because Christ our King reigns--the King who once came as a sacrifice; the King who still shepherds us day by day; the King who one day will conquer all of our enemies. Rejoice in his reign and look forward to the day when every knee will bow with us before the King of kings and Lord of Lords!

Maybe you've heard from friends who are somewhere warm this week. Is there a part of you that wishes you were there? No need to bundle up. No threat of snow. A break from the daily routine. This week, we get a glimpse of someplace far better, and we get to stay there forever! And every week, our time together in God's house is a sweet foretaste of the glory to come!

The other day on the radio, I heard someone say, "I don't like being called a sheep." (I think they were talking about being accused of blindly following the crowd.) The Bible often compares Christians to sheep. Do you like being called a sheep, especially when Jesus tells us that he sends us out "like sheep among wolves"? Like it or not, it's a good illustration of our life and mission as Christians in this world.

When a couple celebrates a milestone wedding anniversary (25, 40, 50, 60 years), people might ask, "What's your secret? How has your marriage lasted so long?" If someone were to ask us similar questions, as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of our congregation's founding, how would we answer? What is our secret? How has it lasted this long? God's Word gives the only real answers to those questions.

Parents have certain expectations of their children. Bosses have certain expectations of their employees. Teachers have certain expectations of their students. When those expectations are not met, there is a problem and there are often consequences. This week, Jesus tells us a story that helps us to understand God's expectations of us and how those expectations are met.

We have basic standards by which we tend to measure fairness: rewards for hard work and good deeds, punishment for doing wrong. The more you work, the more good things you do, the more you deserve. It's something that's so ingrained in us that we expect God to operate by the same standard. But this week, Jesus tells a story to teach us that God doesn't work that way, and for that we praise him!

When a loved one dies, we may have many questions. Sometimes those questions are about the Lord's timing. The words of King David in Psalm 31 help us with those questions.

Is it any wonder that Independence Day is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in our country? Following in the footsteps of our forefathers, who resisted the tyranny of the British government, we are taught to be independent in the way we think and live. Depend on no one. Answer to no one. Live for no one but yourself. But God's Word for us this week reminds us that there is a better way to think about and use our freedom.

Debt is a difficult subject to talk about. Many of us hate the thought of owing anything to anyone. But not all debt is bad. This week, God's Word teaches us that there is a debt we can never pay off but that we consider a joy and a privilege to make payments on.

God makes all of his children unique, each of us with our own set of gifts and abilities. Our attitude toward those gifts and how we use them reflect our relationship with the Giver of those gifts.

What do you do when you don't understand God? How do you feel when God just doesn't seem to make sense? How do you react when you have more questions than answers about him? The Word for this week gives us comfort, encouragement, and advice for such moments.

The readers of Paul's letter to the Romans were primarily Gentiles. Yet, Paul had not forgotten about the Jews, and neither had God. Despite generations of disobedience and unbelief, God wasn't giving up on them. The reason for his persistence is great news not only for the Jews but for all people. Indeed, it is news we all need to hear.

A family member doesn't go to church. A once-faithful Christian drifts away. A classmate or neighbor is a follower of a non-Christian religion. How does it make you feel? What, if anything, do you do or say about it? Paul's words to the Romans this week reveal his reaction to the same situations we see every day. Through his words, God challenges us to examine our own hearts, as we think about the importance of knowing, following, and sharing Jesus.

There are many ways people show love to one another. Flowers, gifts, cards, hugs, or even a simple smile can be great ways to say, "I love you!" Without outward actions, the words, "I love you," are hard to believe. We often need to see love to believe it. How does God show his love to make sure that we believe it? And how does God's love affect our lives in good times and bad? God's Word answers those important questions.

Why? It's one of the most common and most difficult questions that people--even Christians--ask. Why did this happen to me? Why didn't that happen? Why am I going through this? God doesn't always give us specific answers to those questions. But the Bible does gives us one important and incredibly comforting fact to cling to and all the proof we need that it is true. Here we find hope in answer to every "why?" in your life.

Martin Luther once wrote, "A Christian without prayer is just as impossible as a living person without a pulse" (Luther's Works, vol. 24, p. 89). The conversation which God invites us to have with him is an important fruit of our faith and a vital component of our Christian life. But have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when you want to pray? You don't know where to begin. You don't know what to pray for. God's Word speaks to that very situation.

How easily we compare our lives to the lives of those around us. Who has more money? Who works harder? Who endures more hardships? And, when life gets tough, it is tempting to respond with sinful attitudes--questioning God's love, accusing him of injustice, doubting his promises, even growing angry at him. God wants to give hope and meaning to our lives by shifting our perspective.

It seems so simple--just a few drops of water and a few words. If you judge by appearances, you can understand why some see baptism as an optional symbolic ceremony. But, when we listen to what God says about it in his Word, we realize that there is much more than meets the eye. Baptism is a powerful and precious gift from God that changes our lives every day in this world and for eternity in heaven.