Acts 8:26-39 {Prayer} With songs like “Everyday is a Winding Road” and “Life is a Highway”, it’s easy to think of life as a journey. And with songs and hymns like “When We All Get to Heaven”, “I’ll Fly Away” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” … it’s no surprise that people think the…
Acts 1:1-11 {Prayer} In a year and a half from now, in 2028, Salem Lutheran will be celebrating its 100th anniversary. While planning hasn’t started yet, I’m envisioning a year-long series of mini celebrations with one big celebration at the end. One of the things that will happen then will be taking…
Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60 {Prayer} Tis the season of celebration meals. Graduation parties. Confirmation celebrations. Family and friends gathered around long tables. Kids running around. Someone asking where the buns are. Someone realizing there aren’t enough plates. Someone busy in the kitchen. Enviably … someone already eating dessert. If you’ve ever hosted one…
Acts 2:14a, 36-41 {Prayer} When people go to ball games or especially concerts … where do they really want to sit? In the front row, right? While sometimes we’ll say it is more enjoyable or you see more if you are sitting back a ways or up high … for some, they want…
Acts 2:14a, 22-39 {Prayer} What’s in a name? Names reveal identity. They tell us who we are, and often, who we belong to. Today, on this Trinity Sunday, we celebrate the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus. A name that is revealed and lifted up by the Father, confessed…
Genesis 11:1-9 & Acts 2:1-21 {Prayer} I don’t know how much kids do it today, but back in the day when I was growing up, which wasn’t all that long ago, we had this fun little game called “The Telephone Game.” It’s a pretty simple game. You start out with a word or…
Acts 2:14, 22-36 {Prayer} Each and everyone one of us gathered here is in a relationship with someone else. I’ll even go so far to say that each of us are in multiple relationships. I know, that may sound a bit risqué … but it’s true right? If you go on my…
Acts 2:14a, 36-41 {Prayer} Back before there were computers, a little boy was watching his father, who happened to be the pastor, write a sermon. The little boy always wondered about his dad’s sermons so he asked him one day, “How do you know what to say?” “Well son, God tells me.” Little…
Acts 5:29-42 {Prayer} Cursing in general is rude. To call someone “rude” for cursing someone or something is a great way to get one’s attention. And if you look at our reading from Acts, this is how Peter and the other apostles are in their preaching, in their addressing of Israel’s behavior,…