Episodes

  • Special Music - The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

    Special Music - The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
    Jan 21 2025

    This is a special musical presentation of The Heavens Declare the Glory of God by the Faith Bells at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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    3 mins
  • Sermon - 1/19/25

    Sermon - 1/19/25
    Jan 21 2025
    Many of us here know the anxiety that goes into planning a wedding. Whether large or small there are many variables. Between people, flowers, site for wedding and reception, food & drink, etc. In the end we find out that something will not be just the way we wanted it. My parents, whose wedding was on May 9, 1959, had the experience of running out of food and drink. My dad grew up out in the country, thus many of his family and friends were farmers and it took them longer to be able to get to the reception which was about 40 minutes or so away. My parents both had large families, thus what they had budgeted didn’t seem to be covering. Someone who’s family my mother lived with her senior year in high school, after her parents had divorced, provided funds to keep things going. My parents were in a bind and Elmer came through to keep things going as if nothing had had been wrong. Weddings are always hopefully joyous occasions, but with so many variables, something is bound to go wrong. Thus Elmer, behind the scenes came through and my parent’s party went on. Does this story sound a little familiar to the story that we heard in our Gospel lesson for today? Jesus came through to provide what was needed for the celebration to go on just as Elmer did. Of course he is not Jesus, but Elmer gave of himself and did not make some big announcement as to what he had done. Neither did Jesus as there were very few people who knew the wine was replenished. When things don’t go right at events, the planners often feel shame when they can’t turn it around. Elmer knew that and of course Jesus did too. I want to say it is a heart thing and in a sense a humble act. Elmer and Jesus did not want shame to come upon the planners nor did they want to be recognized. Because of the relationship that my mother had built with Elmer, he felt that he wanted to support her. While my mother lived in their home she took care of their kids while she was finishing high school. Their children who are still living, remember my mother. With Jesus, I wonder if part of it is the relationship with his mother as she is the one who informed him that the wine had run out. We don’t know how well he knew the couple who got married, but he and his disciples attended it. This celebration often lasted a week. Thus, it was quite a chore to keep food and drink going, let alone the cost. Nonetheless, Jesus felt the need to allow the celebration to continue without a hitch with the replenished wine. This was his first sign as John labels Jesus’ work. So many other signs were done, but were more public and dealt with healings and raisings, etc. This first sign was done in a common ordinary setting so the celebration of this relationship could continue. It was also done to show his disciples who he was, and it says they believed after they saw the sign done. Jesus’ mother seemed to know what he was capable of as she told the workers to do whatever he told them to. Even after he was questioning why he should get involved with it. Signs in John were about revealing Jesus’ glory, they were to help people see who he was, the Messiah. He did not do them to impress people, but to help them believe. Even in this first sign it was because he cared about the people and did not want them to be shamed. This is what we call grace. He didn’t have to do it, but he did out of love for them. When you think about this, it is a model for his disciples, to do acts out of love, out of grace. Jesus had no real obligation, maybe in a sense to his mother, but not to the couple getting married and those who were in charge of the celebration. From JB Phillips translation we hear from John chapter 1:14-18 So the word of God became a human being and lived among us. We saw his splendor (the splendor as of a father’s only son), full of grace and truth. And it was about him that John stood up and testified, exclaiming: “Here is the one I was speaking about when I said that although he would come after me he would always be in front of me; for he existed before I was born!” Indeed, every one of us has shared in his riches—there is a grace in our lives because of his grace. For while the Law was given by Moses, love and truth came through Jesus Christ. It is true that no one has ever seen God at any time. Yet the divine and only Son, who lives in the closest intimacy with the Father, has made him known. So, in this first sign in the Gospel of John, Jesus is modeling grace. This was a model for his disciples, for you and me. Jesus is already setting the tone and direction for his ministry and ultimate act of grace, his death and resurrection. We see and experience grace from Jesus through others. Without this, it would be difficult to share grace if we have not experienced it ourselves. I can say with complete certainty that everyone here in this room has received grace. Number one, our baptism is a means of grace. We have received this gift as infants or adults....
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    20 mins
  • Special Music - Wade In The Living Water

    Special Music - Wade In The Living Water
    Jan 12 2025

    This is a special musical presentation of the Wade In The Living Water at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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    4 mins
  • Sermon - 1-12-25

    Sermon - 1-12-25
    Jan 12 2025
    Relationship is about connection. Baptism is about a relationship or connection with God in Jesus Christ and the beloved community. Even though Jesus’ baptism was not like ours, it is still about connection. The Hebrew people had been waiting many years for the prophesied Messiah. So here was John out in the wilderness baptizing people with the baptism of repentance. He really stuck out and people came to find him in the wilderness. John was bristling the church leaders. The Hebrew people were not hearing this kind of message from them, and they were waiting in hope and expectation. John clarified for them that he was not the Messiah that they had been waiting for. The Message puts it this way: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. She’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. She’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false she’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” Wow, so baptism is about cleansing, about cleaning our houses. It is not the kind of cleaning that we can hire someone else to do. Only the Holy Spirit can do this kind of cleaning. This is what it means to be in relationship with Jesus and to stay in right relationship with him. The theological term for this is sanctification or being made holy. We are brought into a healthy relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Martin Luther has reminded us that this is a daily process. Making the sign of the cross reminds us of this. What can we learn from Jesus’ baptism that will help us in our connection or relationship with him? Jesus waited and possibly encouraged all who were present to be baptized by John. This was really a baptism of preparation or cleansing for following Jesus. As Jesus was praying, which was a common theme in Luke, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit or dove descended down on Jesus. Then a voice was heard, God’s, saying, “You are my beloved Son, chosen and marked by my love, with you I am well pleased.” Luke is telling us that God confirmed for Jesus that he was God’s son chosen and loved, and that God was pleased with him. Now we could gather that this voice was heard by all the people present, but we don’t know that for a fact as Luke does not tell us of their immediate response. Instead, Luke goes into a genealogy that connects Jesus back to Adam and then is followed by Jesus’ temptation story in the wilderness. Jesus waited and encouraged all to be baptized and then he was baptized as one of the people. This baptism of John was about being prepared, about being cleansed and for us keeping our relationship with Jesus healthy. Thus, Jesus was modeling for us the need for this baptism and the Holy Spirit cleansing us. Jesus waiting and encouragement also modeled humbleness and a heart for the people. This baptism of repentance and the Holy Spirit is what keeps our connection to Jesus healthy. Our connection with Jesus really begins the day we are born. Baptism recognizes this connection. It recognizes God’s grace for us. Our parents and often sponsors bring us to be baptized. Years ago, and sometimes still today, baptisms are done apart from the worship service. It is more appropriate for one’s baptism to be done in the context of worship as it is really about welcoming the child or adult into the beloved community. Also, it is the responsibility of the congregation to provide and encourage one’s growth in a person’s relationship with Jesus, just as Jesus modeled at his baptism. Today we are going to affirm our baptism. We will publicly say to God and each other that we are followers of Jesus Christ. We will be stating that we are continuing in this relationship or connection with Jesus, that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to come and clean our house. Through water and the Word, we strengthen our connection to Jesus. We are reminded that in this gift of baptism that we receive freely forgiveness, salvation and new life. Let us now affirm our baptism and the promises that go with it. AFFIRMATION OF OUR BAPTISM Pastor: God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God's mission for the life of the world. Thanksgiving The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise. Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and ...
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    23 mins
  • Sermon - 1-5-25

    Sermon - 1-5-25
    Jan 5 2025
    We have begun another new year, 2025. It usually takes a little while to remember this when writing the date. Some people set resolutions or goals for the year. This may help us to decide where our focus will be. Our country will be looking and run differently. There are many different views on whether it will be good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. I’m not sure how much control we have over it one way or the other. For me the bottom line is where will our focus be and whom will we trust. Today we begin a new season, Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation. Where we place our focus and whom we trust has everything to do with how we represent or manifest Jesus in our world. God has a plan of how God wants to be represented. In our lessons today, we see contrasts and descriptions of this. Folklore has us thinking that there were three kings. In reality they were Magi or also called Wise Men, and it doesn’t really say that there were three. The Magi or Wise Men originated in Persia. They were followers of Zoroastrianism, a system of belief that was a precursor to Islam. There were most likely women in this group also. But Matthew sticks with the patriarchal context. We could easily question God how people not of the Jewish faith could be used in God’s plan. But that would be our way of thinking and not God’s. This is one thing to remember for the new year that God doesn’t follow our plans. In the Zoroastrianism religion, the primary prophet was conceived by a 15 year old Persian virgin. He predicted that other virgins would conceive additional divinely appointed prophets. They were waiting for the birth of a true Savior also, just as the Jews were. The Magi had heard of the birth of Jesus and went to Jerusalem to find out where this baby was. King Herod became frightened that this baby would be the Messiah that the Jews had been talking about and he did not want to lose the power and control that he had. He called together all of the chief priests and scribes and basically asked them, where do you think this baby that could be the Messiah, was born. They went back to the prophecy that said the baby would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod called the Wise Men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem to find the baby and then let him know so that he could go and visit the baby. A frightened leader is not to be trusted. The wise men followed the star and found Jesus in Bethlehem. They arrived and were overwhelmed with joy. Upon entering the stable they knelt down to give Jesus the gifts that they had brought. Consider this, leaders in their religion kneeling in reverence before a baby and acknowledging Jesus as the king of the Jews. This title was not used again until the passion story. God was using unexpected Gentiles to identify who Jesus was. I can remember other times in Jesus’ time on earth where he was identified for who he really was, such as the demons. Again, not what we would expect. God in Jesus Christ has plans that often do not match up with ours. This is where trust enters in. Whose plan are we going to follow, ours or God’s? The Wise Men heard in a dream not to return to Herod, and they left for their country by another road. They weighed out whether they needed to in a sense collude with Herod or bypass him. They may have sensed that he was a frightened man and not to be trusted. This also contrasts the two kingdoms, Herod’s and Jesus’. Herod’s was one of power and control over others creating an atmosphere of hostility created by his insecurity. He used whatever method he could think of to keep himself in power. But what might have he sensed in a baby that would threaten him and his power and control? Jesus’ kingdom represented one of peace and love. A kingdom that was called to love neighbor. Neighbor meaning all people. The fact that God used people from Persia who were not even of the Jewish faith helps us realize that neighbor includes all. In our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah, we hear about nations coming to God’s light. When Isaiah talks about nations coming, he is talking about building a community that includes all people, foreigners and sexual minorities, at this time meaning eunuchs. At one point explicitly includes sons of foreigners. I believe it is very revealing that God has been trying to build an inclusive, diverse kingdom from the beginning. Human beings are threatened by this. God’s community is built on love and acceptance not power and control. If we know all of this, what is our role in the kingdom. How will we represent or manifest Christ in 2025? Paul in our second lesson gives us some clue. First of all, Paul says, according to The Message, This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message, the good news. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. This is our life work as followers of Jesus as part of God’s kingdom: helping ...
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    21 mins
  • Special Music - Away In A Manger

    Special Music - Away In A Manger
    Dec 25 2024

    This is a special musical presentation of the Away in a Manger at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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    3 mins
  • Special Music: Jesus, What a Wonderful Child

    Special Music: Jesus, What a Wonderful Child
    Dec 25 2024

    This is a special musical presentation of the Jesus, What a Wonderful Child with soloists Tammy Heilman and Chris Lewis at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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    4 mins
  • Sermon-12-24-24

    Sermon-12-24-24
    Dec 25 2024

    Christmas Eve 2024

    Tonight, I would like to focus on angels. The first time that we hear about angels is back in Genesis. The angel announced to Hagar, after she ran away from Sarai, that she would bear many children. Her first child was Ishmael, Abram’s first son. Ishmael played a foundational role in the Islamic religion.

    Here we have an angel announcing the birth of someone who turned out to be an important prophet in the Islamic religion. It is important to remember that this was God’s messenger. Since Sarai didn’t know what to do with the fact that Abram and Hagar were going to have a child, Hagar had run away. The angel came with good news for Hagar, that she would bear a son that would produce many nations.

    As we gather here tonight, we can remember that the angels assisted in setting up our Christmas story. The angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced that she would be the mother of Jesus who would be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Another angel came to visit Joseph to secure his place as the earthly father of Jesus. God used these beings as messengers to carry out the work that needed to be done in order to come to earth.

    So many of us have asked the question, are angels real? It seems that there are elusive. The angel Gabriel came to Mary in a sense out of thin air. The angel who spoke to Joseph came to him in a dream. What do we make of this?

    Then we hear of the angels coming to the shepherds to announce the good news of Jesus birth. In the case of Hagar, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, the angels came to encourage and tell them not to be afraid and to give them good news. This message was from God and in a sense confirming their role in God’s work.

    Hagar became the mother of Ishmael, who was an important leader. Mary’s role was to be the mother of Jesus and raise him. Joseph became Jesus’s early father to raise him. Each angel or angels came to encourage and give good news to each person in order to fulfill God’s work.

    As we grow in our faith, we learn that we will not understand all of the ways that God works. I believe that what we can learn is that God will work in unexpected ways. God uses many different ways to communicate to us. What is important for me is the role of the angels.

    In all of these cases whether one or many, the message was one that each person needed to hear at that specific time and place. Have we not experienced that in some way? God communicates a message to us through a person, a group or a situation, how different pieces line up and then it is revealed to us.

    Many of us are on edge going into the new year. Are we able to hear the message of the angels tonight, Don’t be afraid? Think about the fact that none of these people knew what was ahead, but the message of the angels resonated in their hearts, and they sensed that God was speaking to them and that God would be with them.

    In Joseph’s dream this was part of the message that the angel reminded Joseph of the prophecy that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. His name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us. Again, the angel is preparing Joseph for what is to come. God prepares God’s people, if we are paying attention and listening.

    The good news that we are hearing again tonight is relevant. There is something about this story that draws us back here. This tells me it is relevant for us in years past and yet again tonight.

    Angels have come again tonight to each one of us to tell us not be afraid that God is with us. We may not know what is ahead, but the good news is that we are not alone that God in Jesus Christ walks with us. Can you hear the angel’s message for you?

    Let us pray, God of the unexpected, we are drawn here again tonight to hear the good news that you came to earth in human form for each one of us. Even though Jesus is not physically here, you have never left us. May your Holy Spirit continue to open our ears to hear the good news that you have for us. May your Holy Spirit help us to hear the message that we do not have to be afraid. As you have sent your angels throughout all of history, we hear them again announce the good news to us. Help us to share that good news with our neighbors. In Jesus name, Amen
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    31 mins