A Vision of Death For Life

Sunday September 3, 2023 Text: Matthew 16:21-28 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 16:21-28

Last week we heard Peters confession “you are the Christ.” We saw how through this confession Peter became one who was built on the rock that is Christ. We all also with Abraham, Job, David, Peter and many others become children of God through this same confession. Having become children of God through faith, Jesus

What Is the Church?

Saturday August 26, 2023 Text: Matthew 16:13-20 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 16:13-20

“On this rock I will build my church.” The meaning of this passage is one that has been in contention for over 500 years since the beginning of the Lutheran church. The Catholics have always insisted that “this rock” refers to Peter and that therefore Christ’s church is those who follow the one they consider

Jesus Walks Through The Storm

Sunday August 20, 2023 Text: Matthew 14:22-33 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 14:22-33

When the children of Israel were trapped between the Egyptian army and the red sea God delivered them by removing the obstacle that stood in their way, namely the red sea. The sea was parted, and the people walked through. When obstacles large or small stand in our way, we often wish that God would

Jesus Has Compassion

Sunday August 6, 2023 Text: Matthew 14:13-21 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 14:13-21

The account of the feeding of the five thousand is one most of us are familiar with. Thinking back on this account, what part do you remember best? What stands out the most. For a lot of people, the focus of this miracle is that “they all ate and were full.” This is what the

The Cost is Christ’s, the Value is Yours

Sunday July 30, 2023 Text: Matthew 13:44-52 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 13:44-52

Jesus does not speak about cost but about value. Cost and value are two very different things. A gift may cost you nothing but might still be incredibly valuable. On the other hand, if you are at a sports game and want to buy a beer the cost might be far more than its actual

God’s Living Water: Covered in Jesus’ Grace

Sunday July 23, 2023 Text: John 4:10-14 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: John 4:10-14

One day when we lived in India, we turned on our kitchen faucet and it wasn’t just water that came out but also a little wiggling worm. We live with so many wonders that we often take them for granted. One of those wonders is not just wormless water but running water in your house.

God’s Word Gives The Increase

Sunday July 16, 2023 Text: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Many of you are farmers and gardeners. How many of you plant your seeds the way this man does? If I were to ask some of you to come up and speak about how this man might be a better farmer, I’m sure there is a lot you could say. Not least of which would

Blessed Is the Man Who Sleeps In Church

Sunday July 9, 2023 Text: Matthew 11:25-30 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 11:25-30

Earlier this week I had to make some pocket joints. I knew before I even started that I needed a new pocket hole jig and that I didn’t have the right type of screw. But Menard’s is 25 minutes away, and I thought I’ll just make it work with these screws I have rather than

Christ Has Cut Us Off

Sunday July 2, 2023 Text: Matthew 10:34-42 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Matthew 10:34-42

Would you be able to cut off a limb if it was necessary to save your life? You hear stories occasionally, about hikers with an arm or leg stuck in a crevice or caught under a boulder. To save their own life, they cut the limb off. Similarly, a hundred years ago before modern medicine

God Made The Thistle

Sunday June 25, 2023 Text: Genesis 1:9-13 Speaker: Pastor Matthew Ude Festival: Trinity Passages: Genesis 1:9-13

On day three God created the nettle and it was good. It is not our place to judge what God has made. Yet because in our sinfulness we do often judge one another, God made the waters of baptism to cleanse our hearts.

Speaker Pastor Matthew Ude