Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Sermon | ”It‘s Worth the Wait” | November 28

Waiting is hard. Most of us want what we want, and we want it now. Yet, more often than not...waiting is worth it. This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent and the beginning of the 'Church Year.' Advent is the season that teaches us to wait for what is beyond the obvious and to look for God in places we often ignore. Jesus enters into Jerusalem to the shouts of "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." But, Jesus wouldn't ascend the throne immediately...there was a period of waiting. And...it was worth the wait.

Acts Bible Study | November 21

Sermon | ”Living With Jesus at the Door” | November 21

This Sunday marks the end of the Church year and with it we get to look toward the end of the world--the return of Jesus and the world being made new again. The new creation is a reality that is still in the future, yet it's certainly coming. In fact, Jesus says it's coming "soon". How do we live in light of what's certainly coming but hasn't come yet? What does it look like to live as if not all your tomorrow's were guaranteed. Jesus has answers that position us to be unique beacons of hope both to fellow Christians and to those who don't yet believe.

Sermon | ”When Everything Comes Tumbling Down” | November 14

When life comes tumbling down, when the people we thought would always be there aren't or when we are overrun by chaos we grasp at anything that feels stable. Ironically, when our lives are in chaos, it's impossible to think clearly. In our text today, Jesus makes clear that hard times are coming - when life will come tumbling down, when the one we love will abandon us, when we will face persecution for our faith. In those moments, Jesus wants us to be prepared so that we don't grab on to the wrong thing. Indeed, He wants us to stand firm until the end.

Acts Bible Study | November 14

Bible Study | November 7

Sermon | ”When What You Eat, Eats You” | November 7

As we heard last week, abiding withe Jesus (and in His word) is a process; a journey of both self-denial and self discovery. As Jesus continues to unpack the upside-down nature of God's present and active kingdom, He warns us to be mindful of what we consume so that it doesn't consume us, to be wary of getting rather than giving. The upside-down nature of God's kingdom calls us to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength - with our EVERYTHING.

Bible Study | October 31

Sermon | ”Truth and Lies” | October 31

James Garfield once wrote, "Truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." Because the truth is often hard to swallow, it's easily avoidable. In fact, most of us would prefer to live in the world of illusion. Or, in order to maintain a certain social contract we don't speak the truth to others for fear of relational fracture or retribution. Jesus invites disciples into a full and abundant life in which they will experience freedom - freedom as a result of knowing the Truth. Today, we'll come face to face with the truth we need to hear about the lie we actually believe.

Sermon | ”To See or Not to See” | October 24

Miracles abound in the gospels...and this week is no different. Jesus encounters one who is blind and who desperately wants to "see." As Jesus brings healing to this man, who once was blind but now can see, He confronts those in His day (and us) about our own blindness. What's obstructing our vision of Jesus, His kingdom, and the mission to see all people come to faith? What blinds us to following Jesus with our whole heart and lives? What keeps us from seeing the freedom and abundance of His kingdom of earth? What keeps us blind to the glaring truth that He is Lord of all? AND, do we really want to see...because once you see it...you can't unsee it.