And....We're Back!

Yes, it's true.  You will soon see some activity on this blog!  Instead of the mountains of Pennsylvania, we will be bringing you God's Word from the farm fields of southern Minnesota.  Thanks be to God that while things in our lives may change, God's Word, the truth of the Gospel, never changes.

A Sermon on John 6:51-68

Text:  John 6:51-68
Theme:  "Why We Follow Jesus"
Location:  St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, McConnellsburg, PA

People follow Jesus for all sorts of reasons.  The Jews in John 6 were following Jesus initially because he provided bread in the miraculous feeding of the 5000 and wanted more stuff for life in this world.  In this text, we explore what Jesus means by saying He is the Bread of Life, and why we join with Peter when asked "Why are you following Me?" by responding in faith "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life!"

About the "Enrollment" Board

I've had a few people ask me about the numbers on the "Enrollment" board that is seen behind me in a couple of the videos.  These were done at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Big Cove Tannery.  The "Enrollment" board posts the information for the Sunday School at St. Paul's and records the offering and attendance for Sunday School, not our attendance numbers for our Sunday worship services.

I hope that answers and clarifies things for you all.  Thanks for watching and God's blessings!

Pastor Christopher Martin

A Sermon on Exodus 16:2-15

Text:  Exodus 16:2-15
Theme:  "God Provides Forgiveness and Daily Bread"
Location:  St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, McConnellsburg, PA

Being in need when you have no idea how that need will be met can be a very frightening time.  It can be tempting to doubt that God will help us.  In this sermon, we look at an occasion during the Exodus when the Israelites were grumbling because they were in need of food, but there was none to be found.  We see how God met for their needs, and how He meets our needs today, not just for our needs in this life, but for our needs for eternal life through the Bread of Life, His Son, Jesus Christ!

A Reformation Day Sermon John 8:31-36

Text:  John 8:31-36
Theme:  "Christ's Word Will Set You Free!"
Location:  Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Little Cove (rural Mercersburg), PA

Reformation Sunday is one of my favorite festivals of the church year.  Not because it's a "Lutheran Pride" Sunday, but because it is a day we give thanks for the rediscovery of the Gospel that Martin Luther brought back into the church of his day, and the challenge the church  has to keep the message of Christ Crucified that is revealed to us through God's Word as the center of our proclamation today.  This sermon encourages us to find our true freedom in that story of Christ revealed to us in the Scriptures!

(Note:  I wish to apologize for the darkened video.  The lighting in the Mt. Zion church didn't lend itself to a good video recording for this particular sermon.)

"Christ is in Our Boat" Mark 4:35-41

Text:  Mark 4:35-41
Theme:  "Christ in our Boats!"
Location:  St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, McConnellsburg, PA

None of us are immune to stormy times in life.  In this sermon, we hear of a time where the disciples and Jesus were caught in a sudden storm that left the disciples afraid for their life.  In this text, we learn the comforting truth that Christ is in the boat with us in the midst of life's storms!

"About Seeds, Kingdom Growth, and the Gospel" Mark 4:26-34

Text:  Mark 4:26-34
Theme:  "About Seeds, Kingdom Growth, and the Gospel"
Location:  St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Big Cove Tannery, PA

Living in a rural area, most of my parishoners here are familiar with planting seeds.  In this sermon, we examine two "seed" parables of Jesus and learn some lessons that Jesus has for the people of His day, and the church of our day, when it comes to planting and growing the Kingdom of God.