Shepherd of the Desert Podcast: Recent Episodes
Shepherd of the Desert
Welcome to the weekly audio podcast for Shepherd of the Desert in Scottsdale, AZ where our mission is to lead people to follow Jesus. Our desire is that this podcast will encourage you in your relationship with God. Visit us at sotdaz.org.
We dive into a new series called United To The Finish! Join us for today's audio sermon.
As we step out of a victorious and joy-filled Easter, we step into a world desperate to know Jesus. How can we share our faith, and show how much God loves our neighbors? Let's take a cue from the Apostle John and consider whether our lives reflect God's action on us. Jesus brings us close to the Father, and the Spirit shines through us toward others!
This weekend Jesus storms into the temple courtyard overturning tables and booths, and driving out merchants and animals. Talk about some Spring cleaning! What does this surprising outburst from the Savior say to people like you and me, people who try to be quiet, gentle, and loving all the time? Join us in worship as we consider the Spring cleaning Jesus just might have to do in us.
Everyone knows who Jesus is, right? We all have the same general idea about His purpose, His power, and His personality... but are we missing something? Join us in worship this week for a deeper look at Jesus' identity, and what it really means, concretely, to follow Him. In the dark and obscure landscape of earthly life it has never been more important to know who you follow.
As the days grow longer, Shepherd begins a new worship series: When Shadows Fall, Careful Steps with Jesus Toward the Cross. Here in Arizona, we take walking somewhat seriously. Diamondback rattlesnake bites can cause serious damage. We've learned to walk, look, and, most importantly, listen. Warnings abound the wary traveler. Join us this weekend as we take our first, tepid, timid steps into Lent. Even when shadows fall, the Light of Christ guides us safely home.
This Sunday we encounter Jesus in a new light, compared to the rest of the Gospel story. He takes three close disciples to the top of a mountain and reveals to them a glimpse of His heavenly glory! Why? This revelation not only surprises and even scares Jesus' closest friends, but it emphasizes His important and trustworthy nature. This is God's Son, and where He leads, we can most certainly follow.
We've spent the last four weeks together digging into what it means to live a life "guided by God's Word." We've heard from the pages of the New Testament about the principles necessary in identifying goals worth following. This weekend we explore the great challenge of dedication - how far will you go, how much will you give in pursuit of this God-guided life? Join us in worship for the conclusion to our series "Good Goals: Life Guided by God's Word."
Who are your goals about? Of course we make goals for ourselves and families, but God''s work in our lives broadens the scope. How can my goals take others into consideration? What would my life look like if I was oriented toward the care of my neighbor? How can I live a life that brings others closer to Jesus? Join us Sunday as we explore the role of consideration in our journey through Good Goals: Life Guided by God's Word.
There are a lot of competing factors for our attention and devotion in life. If we allow any of one of them to eclipse the central role our relationship with Jesus has for us, we run the risk of constant anxiety and worry because each of them will ultimately fail us. This world is full of things that will eventually pass away, but God gives us the One that will never fail - His everlasting Son. Join us as we dive deeper into Good Goals this weekend!
Getting after a goal can be tough. What if I don't feel like it? What if there are habits or mindsets that get in the way? In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul gives insight into our relationship with Jesus - that He is the One who has redeemed and paid for us! This fact, which reveals our purpose as temples of the Spirit, answers the toughness of goal-getting. No longer living for "just me," I am free to pursue the life God has marked out for me! Join us in worship as we explore discipline: the key to living free.
New Year’s is full of opportunity and potential - will you make this one count? Do you have a resolution that will change things for the better? On Sunday we are hearing the famous story of the Wise Men and will take a lesson from them about how to approach these kinds of “restart” seasons. Join as we kick off our 2024 preaching calendar with Good Goals: Life Guided by God’s Word!
Imagine having a heart-to-heart with two pastors who have wisdom to share about life, friendships, family, and the power of encouragement. That's exactly what you'll get with Pastors John Karolus and Scott Seidler in this episode of Valley Chat. This soul-stirring conversation unravels the importance of male friendships, the role of family encouragement, and the profound power of sincere conversations in sustaining your spiritual journey. Whether you're a pastor, a church goer, or someone embarking on their spiritual exploration, you're bound to gain insights into the importance of longevity in relationships and the significance of family support.
Now, let's talk about you. How do you give and receive encouragement? Are you an extrovert who thrives on uplifting others, or an introvert who finds solace in quiet motivation? In this episode, we reveal how different personalities perceive encouragement. We also touch upon the joy of being an encourager, the exhilaration of creating dynamic loops of encouragement, and the importance of paying it forward. Pastor Scott, with his wealth of experience, shares his insights on how to nurture these relationships and be a catalyst for positivity. So, tune in to reflect, learn, and most importantly, to be encouraged. This is not just a podcast episode; it's a conversation that promises to inspire and uplift you in more ways than one.
Join us this season for our series "Advent-ually": Adventually. What a great descriptor of the blue season of the Church year before Christmas. A mash up of Advent, the season, and eventually, the adverb, and the outcome is a great summary of “the hopes and fears of all the years [which] are met in Thee [Christ] tonight.” Join us as we delight in a new found word-friend, becoming oriented more keenly toward Christmas and CHRISTMAS [the Last Day when Christ comes again].
Adventually. What a great descriptor of the blue season of the Church year before Christmas. A mash up of Advent, the season, and eventually, the adverb, and the outcome is a great summary of “the hopes and fears of all the years [which] are met in Thee [Christ] tonight.” Join us as we delight in a new found word-friend, becoming oriented more keenly toward Christmas and CHRISTMAS [the Last Day when Christ comes again].
Join us for worship this weekend as we begin our Christmas anticipating Advent series “Picture Perfect.” The cards we send and photos we post this time of year would have you believe everything is perfect and we’re all very happy - but real life is different, and as Christians we remember that Jesus is the true center of our lives, no matter how messy our family photographs get.
This week our digital worship is a showcase of the resurrected Shepherd Podcast! Join Pastors Scott and John as they dig into what it means to be a Christian who doesn't forget their identity as a human being, created by God for the very life He has placed them in! Check it out at the link below this Sunday.
I love when something is done really well - even if it is not something I am particularly interested in, like a vegetarian dessert, or historical docu-drama. This weekend, we hear a particularly well-executed parable that leaves anyone who hears it exactly where Jesus wants them to be. What does it mean for us, and how can we be ready for His return? Join us at Shea as we dig into the Parable of the Ten Virgins. ~ Pastor John
This weekend our congregation celebrates All Saints Sunday. This is an opportunity for us to recall the lives of those who have finished their courses in this life and now find rest in God's presence.
Progress and innovation are central priorities for our world and lives today - and this weekend we celebrate the Reformation of 1517 triggered by Martin Luther’s public display of his famed 95 theses on the door to the church in Wittenberg! How does that dusty memory from organ-filled sanctuaries relate to our increasingly fast paced world? Come to worship as we dig into John 8 and hear how the unshakeable foundations at the core of faith give us footholds in our world of constant shift and movement!
Songs have a way of marking new seasons, commemorating events, inaugurating moments of importance. In Psalm 96 we’re told to join with all creation in the singing of a new song! Join us in worship as we explore what that new song is, and how to sing it with every fiber of our being.
One of the most prominent pictures the Bible paints for us to understand our relationship with God is that of a Shepherd and His sheep. Psalm 23 is perhaps the most familiar example we have outside of the Gospels, and this weekend we dive deep into this seemingly simple text to discover a wealth of comfort and joy. Join us for worship as we hear again the promise of God's presence, and the eternal kingdom we will enjoy under His reign.
Everyone, everywhere, at some point will ask the question; "am I enough?" This question arises out of a range of feelings, from despair to curiosity - but it is not a question without an answer! Join us in worship as we explore what it means to count on someone who can make a difference, and understanding whether we really are enough. [Phil 3:4b-14]
What are the melodies in the background of your faith, the sounds and poetic words that shaped your deepest convictions? Music is a gift God gives to us, and in October, we are exploring the beautiful relationship between Scripture and song. Join us as we hear a few classics we know, and a few ancient hymns new to us, all grounded and guided by the unchanging Word of God! [Psalm 25:1-10]
Theories abound around the root of true and lasting love. It's what makes you most happy, what brings you the most joy, where you find the most fulfillment - but these theories all gravitate and find their source in one place... the selfish desires inside each of us. The Truth about love is that it must find its source outside of ourselves! It is a gift received, rather than something we go and take for our own keeping. Join us as we hear from Philippians what this non-theoretical, life-changing love really looks like.
Have you ever stopped overthinking something and refocusing somewhere else only for that first thing to start naturally improving and falling into place? This weekend we hear from Paul about how keeping our focus on God reorients our human relationships. Join us in church as we take a close look at who we are trying to please, what opinions matter, and how our faith changes the nature of our friendships and connections! [Romans 14:1-12]
Pastor John is leading us through the question of LOVE: Given or Taken? Is love something we discover on our own, or shape for ourselves? Or, as the apostle Paul will reveal, is it something that God has designed especially for our good? Walk through Romans and Philippians with us as we discover the truth behind the love God gives. [Romans 13:1-10]
This weekend Pastor John spends time talking to Maryanne Krueger about Shepherd's partnership with Family Promise. Learn more about how you can get involved.
This week we finish up our summer series on Jesus' parables. We fittingly turn to Matthew 21 and find the parable about evil farmers who act out against the one who hired them. Though the narrative is familiar, and the underlying point perhaps even more so, we are left with a challenging conclusion which may shake us to our very core. What do I think about Jesus? Join us in worship as we consider the claims of the Son of David... and the impact He has on our lives.
Sometimes the conversations Jesus has seem to be aimed at one or two people in particular. This weekend, Jesus uses a short parable to prove a point to the religious leaders who rejected His message. At the same time, when we dig deeper into what He says, we realize that Jesus has a critical message for us, too! Join us this week as we take a look at what really counts, in Matthew 21:28-32.
New beginnings often call for special attention and special ceremony. Every Fall our staff begins a new school year and this week we want to embrace our theme verse at the preschool, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD!” We are creatures made for noise making - but do we always sound joyful? Join us this week as we take a deeper look at Psalm 98 and what it means to sing this song to our loving and righteous God.
This weekend we encounter the favorite among parables, the lost sheep. As we explore the short passage on the heart of our loving God, we will learn how our hearts might be shaped to reflect His toward our brothers and sisters in the world around us.
Some of the greatest speeches are incredibly short. The Gettysburg Address is only 271 words long, but by it Abraham Lincoln galvanized a democracy in peril. This weekend Pastor john takes a look at two parables comprising 3 verses but communicate volumes about the beauty of the kingdom and the great cost it requires to acquire it.
Who are your enemies? That's a provocative question given that most of us don't have enemies. We may dislike people and people may dislike us. Personalities do rub the wrong way. But having an enemy is a rarity for most people. This weekend we learn about God's enemy--His, and by extension ours. In Matthew 13 we bump up against a parable by which we learn to estimate rightly the insidious power of our great Enemy. And, we learn the patience of God in dealing with this Foe and those who labor for its cause.
Our journey through the parable of Jesus in Matthew continues this week as we hear the familiar story of the sower. A man plants some seeds, and where they fall has incredible consequences for their growth. The question that faces all of us, of course, is what kind of soil are we? Join us for worship as we explore the significant lessons from this parable, seeking to be the good soil where the Kingdom of God expands!
The End Times are a perennial favorite of Christians everywhere. How the whole world as we know it meets eternity is a delicious, scary mystery we can't stop binge watching. This July 9th Sunday sees our ministry team leading us to edge of eternity with the parable of the 10 Bridesmaids who longed to meet the groom as the Church longs to meet Jesus in eternity. Come and get a taste of heaven this weekend.
Have you ever been so caught up in something that you can't get away? Distracted by some project or need that you feel trapped? The truth is, we all have a hard time escaping what has us under its control - and at the root of it all we find sin inside us. But Jesus has a plan for victory, accomplished in His own life and ministry, His death and resurrection. This freedom is ours through Him! Join us as we hear about this cosmic conquest from Matthew 12!
Have you ever been a part of something that took time as well as effort? This weekend we hear a very short story from Jesus with a very deep application into the way God works. Though we hear of extraordinary examples of miracles and conversions, it is important to remember how God works every ordinary day, too! Join us for worship as we explore the impact of something as small as a pinch of yeast when God is doing what He does!
This Father's Day weekend we continue our journey through stories and sayings of Jesus. In just two short verses we are given a picture of the Kingdom of God that flies in the face of our expectations - a tiny seed planted into soil. How might this simple picture reveal a complex and beautiful reality of the reach and reign of God’s authority?
For the next installment in our series on Jesus’ parables, we turn to one of his familiar sayings. Join us in worship as we explore how Jesus unpacks the reality for us that being transformed by Him comes from the inside out, rather than our external efforts to bring about internal change!
Have you ever seen someone work shorter hours, have less skill, and achieve less for the supervisor just to be rewarded more than they should be? Jesus uses this kind of story to teach us an important lesson in the first week of our Summer Series Planted: Jesus' teachings on life and the Kingdom of God. We will be hearing from the Great Teacher as he opens our eyes, hearts, and minds to the beautiful and wonder-full wisdom of God's grace! Let's grow deeper and be planted more firmly together over the next few months!
Pentecost is one of the "big" Sundays in the church year - the day when the Holy Spirit kicked off the movement we call the Church all across the world! What began with twelve people following Jesus exploded into thousands and thousands trusting in His message. This weekend, join us in worship as we dig into the story of Pentecost, and see how it still matters, even today!
This week we are spending a lot of our time together in the narrative and story of Acts chapter 1. We will learn about the desire Jesus has for His church to live and move in unity, and how that looks in real life. The disciples had to adjust and adapt to changing circumstances - and we have a lot to learn from their example!
This week in worship we hear the familiar account of Paul in Athens. When faced with the marketplace full of different idols and ideas, he speaks the truth in love and witnesses effectively. What we learn from his message is the importance of listening to understand, and speaking to be understood.
This weekend in worship, as part of our "Toward the Dawn" series, we step further into the 1st Letter of Peter who was an eyewitness of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Peter challenges us to consider what it means to live as Easter people. Hint: It's about transformation!
Shepherd’s Easter services were an amazing gathering of over 1000 souls. The celebration continues this week as we open up the resurrection letter of First Peter and dive into the faith of a church scattered by internal and external threats. Sound familiar?
He is risen indeed! We remember and rejoice in the victory Christ has over death once and for all. We celebrate the life that is ours because of the faith God gives, a faith that endures through all the darkness and difficulty of life, bringing us into an eternal glory beyond our imagination! Alleluia!
This weekend we hear the familiar story of Jesus coming into Jerusalem to cheering crowds on Palm Sunday - but we notice how some out of town visitors are caught up in the excitement! Why did Jesus come? What was his purpose? What does that mean for me?
Pastor Scott wraps up our study of David with a message appropriate for the season of Lent and simply titled, “Whoopsy, Davey!”
Zadok was an Old Testament priest. So what’s the point? Today we finish our examination of the life and ministry of Zadok and his descendants as part of our “Cast of Characters” sermon series. In this final segment on Biblical priesthood, Pastor Alan will help us see from Scripture how the “point of it all” centers on Jesus.
People often speak of leaving behind a legacy when they pass from this life – a desire to make some sort of positive “imprint” on the world. Legacies can take many different forms and can arise from a variety of motivations. Today we continue our exploration into the life and faith of Zadok from the Old Testament, we take particular note of his legacy and what we might learn from it as we consider our own lives of faith.
This Sunday in worship as we continue our “Cast of Characters” sermon series, Pastor Alan will present part 2 of our focus on the Old Testament priesthood with a close-up look at one particular priest – a man named Zadok. As we examine the life of this Bible character, we’re challenged to examine our own. Character matters. What of Zadok’s character is worth emulating? More importantly, in what way does Zadok point us to Jesus, the purifier of our character? After all, it’s all about Jesus – the true Prophet, the faithful Priest, the righteous King.
Pastor Alan begins a 4-part deep-dive into the Biblical priesthood and an examination of the life and character of one of the men who served as a priest – Zadok. Haven’t heard of him? Come meet him.
Do you like to hear a story you already know the ending to? What about a promise you KNOW is going to come true? Jesus is the answer to many of the questions and fears in Isaiah, and the fulfillment of the promises. This week we hear a beautiful and poetic description of who the Savior is and how He carried our burdens on His shoulders.
Our journey with Isaiah takes a big turn - we’ve learned his language, we’ve heard his law, and now we explore the great promises found in his prophecies. “Zion,” or “Jerusalem” plays a central role in the covenant God has with his people, and for good reason!
This week we see the struggle of a humanity caught up in corruption and brokenness in the words of Isaiah. The prophet needed to be honest with the people about what he saw - people lost in the worship of creation, having totally lost the reverence and relationship they had with The Creator! Surprisingly, the struggle continues even for us…
We're kicking off our "Cast of Characters" series for the first part of 2023 with the prophet Isaiah. One of the major ancient prophets with some of the heaviest messages and most beautiful revelations of God's grace, stepping into this Old Testament book can be intimidating. We'll take those steps together, though, and discover a messenger who is maybe a little more like us than we thought.
This time of year always has us thinking about greetings - seasons greetings, if you will! “Happy Holidays,” or “Merry Christmas,” followed by a “Happy New Year!” In worship we will be hearing about a greeting to an early church congregation - what did those words mean? How did they impact the people they were written toward? How might they have a message for us, today? Come to worship as we dig into the greetings we use each day!
Advent 2022 brings with it significant weeks in the month before Christmas - Baptism Sunday last week, this Sunday the welcoming of New Members gathered into our family over the last year. What a joy to embrace the life of waiting that Jesus calls us to as we expect His soon return! Join us for church on Sunday as we hear the words of Jesus in what the life of expectation looks like: gathering with each other, listening to His words, receiving His gifts!
Well, it’s Advent and we're headed to Christmas! Before we get there, though, we've got Baptism Sunday happening this weekend! This second week of Advent is a time to remember how John the Baptist called on people to return to God, and we are going to celebrate and welcome those receiving God’s grace in the waters of Baptism on both campuses! Join us this weekend as we welcome seven people into the family of God.
As we leave Thanksgiving and the month of celebrating it behind, we turn our eyes to the joy of Christmas. Our greatest Thanksgiving happens in December, not November. Jesus Christ, the intentional sacrificial and joyful savior of the world arrives in "mean estate." Shepherd, let’s go there.
November is for Thanksgiving and this weekend the joy of saying “Thank you” stands front and center. To get there, we go to Calvary and listen to all the weeping and wailing happening around Christ’s cross. In the midst of it all, Jesus said with relief in his voice and hope in his heart, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Thank God, for heavenly hope and for eternal joy in Jesus.
Gratitude has a way of opening our hearts to generosity that transforms. Just as God generously works on our hearts and lives to make us more like him, so our generosity has the potential to make an impact! This week in church we explore what it means to give sacrificially - in such a way that our sacrifice is used by God for His purposes!
Often, the first Sunday of November celebrates saints of two different kinds. First, All Saints' Day offers us the opportunity to reflect on Christians who have received their heavenly reward in the past year. We say, "Thank you, God!" for your faithfulness to them in this life and their faithfulness which provided an example to many of us. Second, this Sunday we say thank you to saints of a different kind. Veteran's Day is Friday, November 11, and we anticipate that national recognition in worship this November 6 weekend. Technically, a "saint" is simply one who has been "set apart." As Americans we say, "Thank you, God" for those who have served in our armed forces and shone a beacon of liberty throughout the world during their service. This is going to be a great weekend.
This weekend we welcome eight confirmation students into our church and into The Church! These young people will be sharing their testimonies and boldly proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, and we will be extending a hand of encouragement and support for their lives of faith.
Confirmation is coming up – which means we should ask the question, “Are we ready for this?” Come to church this week as we explore what it means that confirmation is not a finish line, but a starting point for a faith being formed each day after. The joy of being part of a worshiping community, the work of God in our hearts. While we prepare to confirm some young new members on October 30th, we are reminded on the 23rd of the ongoing confirmation happening in each of us even now.
Every Christian knows we should pray. And every Christian probably also knows we should be praying more. But sometimes we don’t really have clarity on how we should pray or what we should pray for. This weekend we are going to zero in directly on what Jesus says about those two specific pieces of prayer - and our hearts will be blessed with a bright and beautiful picture of conversation with Him!
The familiarity of church traditions can sometimes cause a loss of just how powerful these age-old practices really are. This week we take a close look at The Lord’s Supper, through the lens of a familiar miracle in Jesus’ ministry, to better grasp the face-to-face reality with a Savior who meets us as outsiders on our way. Do you ever wonder why communion is so important to us at Shepherd?
Have you ever felt like church is the place where you walk in, hear “you’re bad but God loves you” and you walk out until next time? This week we are digging into the gift and opportunity God gives us to draw close to him and trust him with our problems and pains. God desires intimacy with you, as a dear Father rather than a distant judge. As we tackle the conversation around “confession” this week, come ready to hear how even our troubles are part of how God wants our whole selves.
What is baptism? Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word. (from The Small Catechism of Martin Luther)
What does baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sin and evil desires, and that a new person should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. (from The Small Catechism of Martin Luther)
This week we continue our walk through the foundational anchors of our faith - and focus on the Apostle’s Creed. This short summary of our Christian beliefs carries deep implications in life. It can be a source of great encouragement, a strong reminder in the face of doubts, and a rallying point in moments of weakness.
What we believe can be an unbelievably divisive conversation. Not impolite. Not inconsiderate. Not antagonistic. But divisive. The conviction of the pastoral staff of Shepherd and the Bible itself is this: As many people live in the world, as many convictions and worldviews exist as well. Whenever you talk to another human being about eternal, spiritual, fundamental matters, you are having a divisive conversation. With this awareness, in this opening message for our "This We Believe" Fall 2022 worship series, Pastor Scott Seidler steps cautiously into a conversation about right and wrong, good and bad, whether in thought, by words or in behavior. But always with the confidence that in spite of many shortcomings we worship with joy a God who says, "With me you will always find grace and a warm welcome."
Labor Day Weekend always invites us to consider our callings in life for which we Labor. This weekend Pastor Scott shares an optimistic and encouraging message to keep us in the game as we labor for those we love and the life we live.
This week in worship we finish up our August series: By Faith. Hebrews 13 guides our reflection on what it means to live a life characterized by our faith - a life that is founded not on unstable things in this life, but the confidence of the Kingdom of God. When that is our foundation, we live lives filled with words, works and praise that look different to the outside world. Yet, these very things open the door for more people to encounter the faith we hold dear.
FAITH KNOWS ITS FATHER
We’ve walked through Hebrews 11 together, leaning on the examples of the faithful who came before us. Sometimes, though, the distance between us and God remains. We feel lost, we feel uncared for, like shooting in the dark. Yet in Jesus God meets us here, in real life, in person, in powerful ways.
This August we started looking into the final chapters of what may be the final book written in the New Testament—historically speaking that is. The book of Hebrews, according to many scholars, was written long after the days of Jesus walking on water and earth—some 60 years later. Times of great testing were settling on the early church. Faith was more important than ever. Saying “no” to the world and “yes” to the kingdom became indispensable. This weekend Pastor Scott catch us up to the faith that moves mountains each and every day as with the writer of Hebrews we remember the heroes of faith in ages past.
Do you struggle with believing in a truth you can’t see? Is it hard to trust God’s word in a world that seems so contradictory against it? August is a chance to surface those struggles and difficulties. On Sunday we take our first steps in a month long study of faith. Come to church these next four weeks as we read through and appreciate the book of Hebrews!
What does generosity really mean? As we wrap up the Here We Grow sermon series, Pastor John brings us the message from Cancun, Mexico ....
Have you ever felt like God isn't listening to your prayers? Or maybe just that prayers are a nice exercise but they don't do anything? This week we dig into a lesson Jesus gives to his own disciples about prayer. To sum it all up, "keep praying, and pray boldly!" Join us in digital worship as we consider what it means to keep prayer at the forefront of our minds!
This weekend we dig into what it means to have once been alienated and hostile toward God in our sin, yet out of His love for us we are rescued and reconciled, made new and set free in Him!
Jesus tells us throughout the Gospels to "love our neighbors." Most of the time, it is easy for us to picture who our neighbors are and even to obey Jesus' command toward those people! But sometimes we get tricked into restricting the definition of "neighbor" far more than Jesus ever would have wanted - so we turn back to a familiar story with an important lesson: our neighbor is the one who shows us mercy. To be a neighbor is to show mercy, to look outward, to serve without judgment or division. Let's grow together this week with a look at the Good Samaritan!
This weekend marks our annual celebration of freedom and independence as a nation! While pondering and remembering the great gift of national freedom we have is important, as Christians we cling to the more powerful reality that true freedom comes only from God. Come to church this weekend as we dig into spiritual freedom, and discover the joy of Jesus and his earning of our freedom as God’s children.
What does being a Christian cost you? In this week's Gospel reading from Luke 9, Jesus explains that those who follow Him are to proclaim His kingdom and do so without hesitation or excuse! On the one hand, the cost for you to be a Christian is everything for it means giving up your self-reliance. However, the cost for you to be a Christian is also free of charge because Jesus selflessly died for you. As a Christian, you have comfort knowing that your price has already been paid by Jesus.
This week we kick off our summer series “Here We Grow!” while we celebrate Trinity Sunday! We worship a God who shows us to Himself as a creating Father, a redeeming Son, and a working Holy Spirit, calling us to faith! Though we struggle to grasp this fully, we know that true wisdom comes as a gift from God and not a product of our own efforts or achievements. Let’s dig into a posture of growth this summer
This Sunday we continue our summer series "Here We Grow!". There’s nothing better than “A Father’s Love." Let's take a moment and reflect on our Heavenly Father's love for us. As dads, we remember our own spiritual growth, receiving the love of Jesus and now extending His love to our children and grandchildren.
Life brings us to places where we feel isolated, misunderstood, and confused. All this is a result of our own brokenness - yet God in His wisdom and mercy meets us even in those place, and uses us there for his incredible purpose! Come to church this week to hear about how God has put you in a special and specific place, and meets you there for the furthering of his kingdom! Life brings us to places where we feel isolated, misunderstood, and confused. All this is a result of our own brokenness - yet God in His wisdom and mercy meets us even in those place, and uses us there for his incredible purpose! Come to church this week to hear about how God has put you in a special and specific place, and meets you there for the furthering of his kingdom!
This last weekend of the Easter season sees Shepherd celebrating the Ascension of Jesus Christ, the 40 day triumph of a Son's return to His heavenly Father. Leaving his beloved church behind, Christ works behind the curtain of history leading, guiding and establishing the Gospel of mercy and grace and forgiveness for sinners. Get ready for a great celebration of Jesus rising (again).
This week in worship we encounter a seemingly trivial story of a person coming to faith, and a home being opened to missionaries. When we look deeper, we see the Spirit of God opening a heart to hear the Truth of God's love, causing a whole family to change course for the Gospel. Since Easter, we've been studying the real-life impact of Jesus' resurrection on our daily lives. Come to church this week to hear how ordinary people (like you and me!) are called to extraordinary purpose because of the Sunday that changes everything!
Last week we learned how the Easter story transforms us into people no longer keeping ourselves as our number one priority. This week, we encounter a challenging story - God opening the gates to a relationship with Him for people outside His Jewish covenant! This story teaches us a lesson in not only putting our selfishness aside but taking hold of an attitude that focuses on others first! Our prayer is to join in the words of Peter who said, “Who was I to stand in God’s way?”
Happy Mother's Day from Shepherd! As we spend some special time this weekend celebrating and thanking God for our mothers and our motherly figures in life, worship with us! Paul writes to the Ephesians at the end of Acts, "it is better to give than to receive." Mothers are certainly examples of living out this generous lifestyle, and we all are called to embrace the Word of Grace from God, helping others, and giving more than we are receiving. See you in church!
This week we celebrate Baptism as a church! Baptism is one of God's powerful gifts to His children - its commanded, beneficial, and lifelong! Through Baptism, God calls us His own, he washes us clean from our sins, and we put on the perfection of Jesus! God works through the water of Baptism and the Word he speaks so that all who are baptized are welcomed into His Kingdom - the Church!
Easter comes with consequences. Doubting Thomas believes. Persecuted disciples stand strong. Eternal hope is a revelation to behold and hope for. These are our themes for worship these weeks at Shepherd.
When Jesus rose on the third day, He won for us eternal life! Join us on an Easter journey. When He walked out of a dead man’s tomb, Jesus literally changed the way we do time.
Hosanna! Come to worship this Palm Sunday as we finish out our mini-sermon series, Last Laps: Getting Ready for Good Friday.
About the series: The last laps of a race are both the hardest and the most hopeful. Hard, because the physical resources necessary to compete are quickly being depleted. Hopeful, because the hard labor of competition is nearing its end. Jesus is in the last laps of His saving mission. As Lent draws to a close we fix our eyes on the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God, His heavenly Father.
Having a heart of darkness breaks every relationship. As we take the final turn in our March sermon series, "The Heart of Darkness", we hear a familiar story starring a prodigal son. In fact, there are two sons in this story--one who lives in wild and reckless abandon, the other who embraces a prideful perspective. Interestingly, both sons fall prey to sin and give in to their unique hearts of darkness. Does a little bit of both sons lurk in us? Which son has the strongest hold on you these days? Come to worship and feel the embrace of the Father as you are welcomed here, even with the baggage or the anger that weighs you down. There is nothing He can't make right.
Death is the necessary outcome and consequence for sin. In Luke 13 Jesus recalls a story steeped in death. These Scriptures paint a gruesome picture of the deep brokenness and evil in the world. In fact, the world may try its best to convince us that death is not an enemy; to convince us that death is something to be denied. God shows us the grave mistake that comes with such a point of view. This week, we focus on the deadly consequence of sin, the call to repent, and the true value of the grace God gives. This is the week Lent gets real.
Having a heart of darkness mutes the voice of God, causes us hardship in hearing clearly what He says. In our defense, we may ask, "With all the voices in the world, how can we be blamed for listening to the wrong ones?" Or, "Is it my fault I don't hear God's truth in a chaos filled with lies?" This week we take seriously our responsibility for sin and ignorance in the face of God's patient pursuit of and crystal clear call to his people as Jesus weeps over His Jerusalem 2000 years ago.
Having a heart of darkness is like walking in a spiritual wilderness. Rescue cannot happen without the Rescuer entering that same wilderness. In this opening weekend of our Lenten sermon series, "The Heart of Darkness", we'll take stock of our Rescuer as Jesus enters the wilderness and the temptations that are found there. His fight with Satan is our fight with Satan. His strength to overcome temptation is our strength and only hope as well.
At the top of a mountain, in advance of death’s valley, the Son of God speaks with his Father. A who’s who cast of Old Testament saints surrounds him and his three apprentice-disciples. Humility is anchored to who you really are at heart. This Son who well-pleases His Father is the perfection of a humble servant ready to come off the mountain and descend to humiliation for all of us. Thank you, Jesus.
Pride cometh before the fall. To understand and appreciate humility is to confront head on the other side of the character coin: pride, arrogance, conceit and envy. Every virtue is matched by an opposing vice. Sometimes disciples enhance their virtue. Sometimes, through the power of mercy and renewal, disciples knock down their vice. This weekend we’ll take seriously the second part of that character equation and tackle some vice.
Humility takes many forms. The Son of God was conversant in the many sizes and shapes humility might take. In this second week of our February worship series, we spend some time studying these many facets of humility in Luke 6.
Humility stands side by side with power. The closer we come to the cross, the place of God’s greatest power, the more humility Jesus displays. In this opening weekend of our worship series, “The Heart of Humility”, we take in the simultaneous power Jesus possesses and the humility he exudes.
Have you ever seen something so incredible that you just had to tell someone? Do you love to re-watch the highlight reels from great seasons of sport, or if you come across a delicious new recipe do you share it with everyone you know? Whenever we hear or see something amazing, we naturally want to share it with others. In Luke 4, Jesus displays amazing power and wisdom, and we see how even Christ himself knows this is a message that is meant to be shared! Jesus is not something we can keep quiet about!
Have you ever found yourself hoping God would just show up in a big way and solve a problem? Have you ever just really needed a miracle? Sometimes the God we really need isn’t exactly the God we want or think we need.
In the course of your daily living are you feeling stuck in a rut and helpless to get out? Have you pretty much concluded that “it will never change,” whatever “it” might be? Perhaps you need a “breakthrough” – a new experience of God’s grace and glory to set you on a new course. Perhaps you need an “epiphany.” Today as we continue our sermon series on “Everyday Epiphanies” we see how Jesus’ divine glory broke through into the lives of those around him, provoking in them a particular response. How might a glimpse of God’s glory provoke a response from you? From those around you? Time to leave the ruts behind and let God do a new thing!
This week in worship we hear about the humble work of Jesus in setting aside his heavenly authority to live and walk as a human being. A man, created by God to bring salvation to his people - beginning that important work in earnest at his baptism by John the Baptist! We look to Jesus as an example. Sometimes our titles, our authority, our responsibilities get in the way, but God always is calling us into relationship with him.
What's the best way to celebrate something you know is coming? The Bible is full of songs and poems that create magnificent pictures of God's action in the world - and Christmas is our chance to jump in alongside all of God's people in singing praises and celebrating! Come to church this week as we prepare for expectant rejoicing!
What's the best way to celebrate something you know is coming? The Bible is full of songs and poems that create magnificent pictures of God's action in the world - and Christmas is our chance to jump in alongside all of God's people in singing praises and celebrating! Come to church this week as we prepare for expectant rejoicing!
This season is a time of announcing Jesus' arrival. Preparing for His coming. Celebrating His birth. But how will anyone know Jesus is here if we don't let them know? In worship we will focus on Jesus' cousin John who prepared the people in Jesus' day for his arrival - and how we can learn to do the same in our lives!
"In Those Days" - Jeremiah 33 is one of the hallmark promises in the Scriptures of Jesus' coming to minister to His people! As we dig into this age-old prophecy, we will see how Jesus fulfilled it through his teaching and miracles. He brought wisdom and right action to Israel, just as God said he would! Worship with us this week as we begin the journey toward Christmas!
November is for Thanksgiving. That gratitude washes over the past, present and future. If last week our focus was on the past blessings for which we can say, "Thank you, God!", this week is cause to celebrate thankfulness today... for today. Jesus was clear that not a moment passes from a Christian's life that wasn't anchored to the Spirit's companionship and encouragement. As we come together in worship this weekend, especially if the past year has left you somewhat cold, maybe the word Jesus speaks to followers chilled by this world's evil will warm you up.
November is here! This month, as the days get a little shorter and the weather a little cooler, here at Shepherd we focus on Ephesians 5:20 ~ "Give Thanks In Everything".
Do you know the best car brand? Or the most caring pediatrician? What about the best neighborhood? We love to tell people about the great things in life, especially when it comes to things that matter to us. Can we harness that same passion of sharing great things and use it to share the GREATEST thing, our relationship with God our Father? Join us as we explore what it means to go with Jesus on His mission to tell the world about God’s love!
Nobody likes it when a church talks about money - but Jesus talked about money A LOT in His ministry on Earth! What can we learn from our generous God who gives us everything we have? Jesus teaches us how to see the world and our neighbors as targets for our generosity in time, talent, and treasure. When we give our money, it no longer threatens to guide our decisions and endanger our faith.
Have you ever asked, "what will I get out of it?" when someone approaches you with an opportunity to help them? It's easy to always be thinking about what will get us the best perks, the strong reputation, the high credibility. But as Christians we are called to put ourselves lower on the list. Jesus helps us to think more about how to help others, than about what might be the best for us. Worship with us as we explore the challenge of serving!
We live in a world built around doing things. What will you do to accomplish your goals? What are you going to do in the event of crisis? What are you doing this weekend? As followers of Jesus, though, before we can "do," we are called simply to "be." Come to worship this week to learn more about "being" with Jesus!
Readying ourselves for the Red Letter Challenge here at Shepherd.
We are not the first to do this. Not just because over 100,000 Christians have engaged this study, but, as Jesus prepared to leave this world through the doorway of his death on a cross and resurrection from a hole in a rock, his disciples had to decide on what place his "red letters" would play in their lives. These red letters, the color of typeface marking the words of Jesus in many Bibles, are the foundation of faith and give rise to the whole of the Church. Are you ready to grow as a red letter Christian?
The book of James is a difficult read - it challenges us to live out our faith in the way we treat the people around us. Caring for the poor, advocating for the widow and the orphan, caring for the alien - all of these responsibilities fall on the Christian individual. How do we handle these tough instructions even in our imperfect state? Come to worship to unpack the beautiful relationship between our faith and the good deeds we carry out!
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What do you remember about Preschool or elementary school? Even though we learned simple things at that age, those lessons changed our lives and taught us how to be who we are!
God's Word has a similar, life-changing and transforming power. It convicts us when we falter in weakness, but it restores us and our hope in him through Jesus! Join us for digital worship as we explore what it means to be transformed by God's Word!
Traditions - we all have them. Even the most free-spirited, spontaneous persons have some traditions, some habits or patterns of behavior that give a sense of order to their lives. Religious traditions can help or frustrate a Christian's walk with God.
Pastor Scott tackles religious traditions in light of Jesus' challenging words to religious leaders neck-deep in tradition in Mark 7.
The fall is upon us, and we are jumping into new things! Ministry opportunities abound, school is starting up again, students are back in class and calendars are filling up! Even in these hectic and exciting moments, God calls us to ask the question - is this leading me to Jesus or away? Join us in hearing from Joshua 24 about clinging to that which pulls us toward Jesus and letting go of that which pushes us away.
There are times when the Christian church just calls it like it is... this is one of those Sundays. Character matters and the character God expects from his followers is unrelenting. This weekend Shepherd studies the call of God in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, especially the call to be gracious to others, kind and humble.
What does it mean to live in a mature faith? The apostle Paul helps us to see past our immaturity and dig into a deeper realization of the gift of faith God gives us through Jesus. Gentleness and peaceful talk guide the life of a mature Christian. Join us in worship this week as we hear about how God provides for His people through the church in the development of mature faith.
Jesus is The Answer: Life throws a lot of different situations at us. When we walk with Jesus, though, we don't have to let fear guide us in those various circumstances! Instead, faith in Jesus as our One Compassionate Lord leads us to step into whatever comes our way in confidence. We might still struggle in our beliefs, question our convictions, but with Jesus our faith is rock solid because he is The Answer to whatever is in front of us!
When we know who Jesus is, it changes how we see the world. Jesus is our Lord, he teaches and cares for us, he is The One who connects us to God the Father, and he calls us to see the world with compassion just like him. Compassion pushes us to sympathy and care for one another - hear how God calls you to compassion this week in worship!
The internet is everywhere, are you thriving online? Do you have confidence in the online presence of your children and their friends? Do you feel safe online yourself?
Listen in on this powerful and informative conversation between John Karolus and Shane Watson from notMYkid.
NotMYkid is an organization aimed at inspiring positive life choices for youth. Their comprehensive approach to education allows people in all stages of life a chance at having a positive effect on the world around them.
From internet safety to bullying prevention, with strong support for families impacted by addiction, notMYkid aims to help people in many situations.
This week in digital worship, we continue our mini worship "series within a series" and explore more from Mark 6 and that Jesus is _________ ?
July 4th is a civic holiday that falls on a Christian holy day. Today we look forward to thanking God for our nation and the freedom history has afforded us through it to worship with a clear conscience and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll peer into Mark 6 and think of our "hometowns" where we speak a word of peace and a vision of hope found in Christ alone.
We live in a world that thrives on instant gratification and promises meant to be kept "by tomorrow morning." But the promises of God give us a hope that lasts into eternity! How do we live in light of this hope, even a world that seems to function in a totally opposite way? Come explore Lamentations 3 with us.
A portable kind of Christianity sees God's fingerprints in everything...even difficult times and circumstances. It's hard to appreciate the part God plays in even the stickiest of human situations...but he's there...not as a powerless spectator, but a powerful participant, ally, friend, and Savior. This week we immerse ourselves into the story of Old Testament Job. If ever there was someone who struggled with God's role in the. midst of suffering, Job was that man. Our Heavenly Father is never absent this Fathers' Day weekend.
Have you ever been an “outsider?” Or maybe you are an “insider?” This week in VBS we learned with our kids how to trust Jesus no matter what. Trusting in Jesus is what makes us part of the family of God! A family where all of us are brought in from other places, but we find our true home in Jesus. Insiders, outsiders, and everyone in between are bound together in the kingdom, the family of God.
When it comes to human suffering, followers of Jesus do not get a “free pass.” Christians experience the full range of human hardships and agonies, including physical suffering. So what is unique about a Christian approach to dealing with one’s suffering?
Particularly particular people often get labeled as just plain difficult. Which makes sense if you are not particularly particular. It's one of the reasons Christianity is having such a tough go in America these days. No one really wants a particularly particular religion. It's just too hard, exacting, demanding. This weekend in worship our Shepherd family settles in to some of the exacting details of our Christian faith as we celebrate "Trinity Sunday." Ours is a God, particularly known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It can be a bit exhausting for human hearts trying to comprehend this eternal God. We'll give it a go this weekend and make sense of how important it is to be a particularly particular people.
Human sin has wreaked havoc on the world, resulting in brokenness and sad divisions. We all sense a need for greater unity, yet not all unity is good unity. If people unite around an evil cause, the result is always tragic. So how do we experience true unity as God intends it? This Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, Pastors Alan will examine two Biblical stories -- the story of the Tower of Babel and the story of Pentecost -- in the interest of exploring the source of true unity. HINT: It doesn’t come from human ingenuity.
Christians are called to be "in the world but not of it." Jesus gave his disciples this mission before he went back to heaven. Our world might be broken and dark, but God loved it so much that he sent Jesus, and now Jesus sends us to love it, too. Join us Sunday to explore what it means to hate the world so much we want to change it, but love it enough to find it worth changing!
Shepherd is a holy communion! And each week we gather in worship, Holy Communion anchors us to Christ and to each other. This weekend Pastors Jake and Scott take us into the holy communion of disciples at Christ's last supper. Together we'll see how our Lord cemented his church to himself in a single night of self-sacrifice and love.
Jesus: I am the vine and you are the branches...this is a counter-cultural message and concept; perhaps one of THE most counter-cultural sayings of Jesus in our cultural landscape/moment in America.
Compare to the idea of being "self-made," pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, success, achievement, self-worth being located/found in status/success...illustrations abound here, and also create space for the Law to be showcased in a big way.
Everyone needs a good shepherd. Four Sundays of Easter bring us to the one known warmly as "Good Shepherd Sunday." We peer into Jesus' words in John 10 and take up the heart-wrenching story that gave rise to them in John 9. If you've been wandering or felt a little lost lately, this Sunday is custom made for you.
Easter is happy. What do we do when our spiritual life isn't so much fun? Sometimes all the talk about God's forgiveness through Jesus rings hollow when we consider how many missteps we experience in everyday living. In this week's message, Pastors Alan and Scott help us deal with the life we see in the mirror each morning with the faith that brought Jesus from the grave. Refreshment awaits at Shepherd this weekend
Our world seeks to drive us apart - convincing us of our independence and superiority. We don't need help, we don't need each other, and we can figure it all out on our own! Yet God's Word teaches us the truth: this world is a world in the dark. Jesus is the light, and the light shows us two facts: we are in need of a savior, and we receive forgiveness and life through Jesus! This truth binds us together in a world that pushes us away from each other. Rise and Shine in a world of darkness, through the light of Jesus!
Come and celebrate Easter morning with us! To say “rise and shine” means that someone woke up first and now wants the rest of the household to do the same. Jesus rose first. Because of His victory over death and the grave, His Easter morning becomes our Easter morning. Rise and shine, Church! As we navigate the lengthening Spring days of Easter, Shepherd takes stock of the ways we rise from the ashes of Lent and rise from the grave of Good Friday.
The greatest "storm before the calm" is the week leading up to Easter. What begins as an exciting parade at the kickoff of a festival shortly spins into a violent mob. Jesus goes from hero to victim and even public enemy in just a few days, eventually standing before the Roman ruler beaten and abused. Some crowds celebrating Jesus' arrival, others gathered to demand his death. We feel the pull of the crowds, too - sometimes toward good things and sometimes toward bad. Instead of always shifting, should we be stable in something more sure? Storms move us this way and that - but there is calm when we know what to cling to.
In the middle of the storm, we serve others.
Do you want to be great? Make yourself a servant of others. Do you want to be first? Make yourself last. These words of Jesus in Mark's Gospel are stormy words indeed. They are counter cultural, challenging, and altogether backwards according to conventional and worldly wisdom. Yet Jesus calls us to this way of life nonetheless. As we experience the storm before the calm, we live lives of service, sacrifice, and selflessness. Because ultimately, we walk in the footsteps of Jesus, the Son of Man, who came not to be served but to serve...and to give his life as a ransom and payment for you and me.
Lent is a time to get smaller as the sense of our sin grows larger. This weekend in worship we listen in to a particularly wicked moment when God's people turned their eyes upward and said of heaven, "You have given us nothing." If the outcome of Easter means we see how God gives everything for us, then this weekend is good preparation. Come here how the grumbling of God's people then mirrors the grumbling many of us still do today. And, yet, God's love endures with us forever. Now, that's something!
What is the meaning of life? How you answer that question is shaped by your worldview -- how you see the world, how you explain human existence. St. Paul's message to the 1st century Corinthians is just as relevant for our 21st century world that is "upside-down," mired in confusion over worldview. It's a message not always readily embraced. It's a message that sounds downright foolish to some. But it is the one true message that can set the world right-side up. Join us March 7 for the next installment of our weekend Lenten sermon series: "The Storm Before the Calm."
In the midst of the storm, we find our way by following Jesus.
At Caesarea Philippi, Peter confessed that Jesus was the true Messiah. But Peter struggled to understand the storm that was coming. Uneasy and filled with doubt, he even reprimanded Jesus for talking about crucifixion, death, and resurrection! However hard we try, we can't avoid the reality of Jesus' passion narrative. A storm is brewing, whether we believe it or not. This weekend, we listen to the words of Jesus as an invitation not only to turn away from the tempting voice of Satan, but to take up our cross and follow Him. In the middle of the storm, Jesus is our captain. He leads the way as we follow him in his life, death, and resurrection.
Transfiguration is upon us as we pass from Epiphany to Lent. The mountain of glory Jesus ascends will become the mountain of humiliation as he comes down.
Life is filled with difficulty and struggle. In our hardest moments, we ask ourselves, "Where is God in my suffering? Doesn't He know how hard this is for me?" Yet, as Isaiah reminds us, God certainly does. He has the whole universe in his hands, and he lifts us up in our moments of weakness. Our trust in the promise is the foundation for our faith that even in the troubles of life, God is surely with us.
When we are long gone the legacy of our life in the promised land will remain.
After living in the promises of God for a lifetime, will those you love and have lived with bear out a legacy of your life? In simpler terms, will you leave a legacy of faith? In this final week of our “Promised ‘And’” worship series our pastors put that question to us. Remaining in God’s promises a task for every generation. Helping the next generation receive and revere those promises is the task of every Christian. #shepherdazonline
The measure of our worthiness to enter and remain is a daily endeavor and effort.
Entering the Promised Land was not a walk in the park, a Sunday afternoon stroll on a woodland path. There was a measure of worthiness required by the Promiser to the ones promised. This week in our third installment of our Promised ‘And’ worship series our ministry team leads us to consider what makes for worthy entry and access to God’s promises. What you learn, may surprise you.
Perseverance can be the coin of Christ's kingdom, the currency by which we steadfastly walk through all manner of trial. This weekend in our second installment of "The Promised 'And"" worship series we learn about the persevering faith God's people needed in the Old Testament to fortify and strengthen us in our 21st century testament.
In our kickoff of the new year worship series, The Promised "And", Pastor Scott lead us in a study of the Old Testament anchor point of the land God promised his people. After every dark chapter in human history, the Christian church has simply held out a single, hopeful word: “And”. There is more to every story. This week, we begin writing a new chapter in 2021. #shepherdazonline
12 days after Christmas comes the January 6th celebration of Epiphany. Remembering wise men from the East following the Bethlehem star we see Christmas cross the boundaries of God's Old Testament people to reach a whole new world of nations and peoples, tribes, and tongues with God's amazing grace.
Mary and Joseph (Wrestling with Why!). Luke 2:1-20
Big Idea: When the reason for our walk is cloaked in mystery and we are overwhelmed by how small we are within God’s greater plan. Ponder.
Anna and Simeon (Wrestling with Fleeting Time). Luke 2:21-40
Big Idea: When the days grow short and the achievement of life appears small, the sustained energy to keep the faith can be overwhelming. Keep going.
John the Baptist (Wrestling with Others). Luke 3:1-20
Big Idea: When the purpose for which God uses us is contested so obviously by others, the sustained energy to endure it can be overwhelming. Rebuke and regroup.
When we signed up for Christianity, we honestly didn’t expect it to be a walk in the park. We knew hard days would come. Maybe even hard weeks. But months? Years? For some the fight of faith can even span a decade or two. A hardened attitude, nagging habit or something worse clings to us like an Arizona summer stench in the heat of July. The Bible makes no bones about the fact that Jesus visited a sinful, fractious world when he landed in Bethlehem. Every cast member of this divine drama, from his parents, to his kinsman, and even the unexpecting bystander, didn’t have it easy. This Christmas, there fight becomes our fight (or vice versa) and with them we come to the cradle of salvation in that cattle stall a fair pace from the warm inn where everyone else was staying. Are you ready enter the octagon or the boxing ring and go a few rounds.
Zechariah and Elizabeth (Wrestling with What?!). Luke 1:5-25
Big Idea: When God does what we don’t expect and can’t foresee, the reactive energy to deal with it can be overwhelming. Worship.
Week 5: “One Last Snapshot of a Thankful Heart:” Philemon
Sometimes gratitude can be taught as, for instance, our Shepherd family learned a few weeks ago in this message series. Usually, gratitude is “caught”. The discipline and habit of showing gratitude bleeds over into the lives of others. In this final week of November, we’ll spend some time taking in the lessons of a short letter of the New Testament: Philemon. Here we’ll see a grateful Paul pay it forward on behalf of a servant by the name of Onesimus. Advocating for his well-being with his master, Philemon, Paul underscores all of his words with a single sentiment: thankfulness. The anchor of Paul’s gratitude? Our common faith and hope in Jesus Christ, whether slave or free, Jew or Greek, rich or poor.
Week 4: “Thanksgiving Heals Most Everything” Colossians 3:12-17
Happy Thanksgiving, Blessed Thanksgiving, Shepherd family. The past decade has yielded greater hostility among human beings, especially here in America. This week many will be breaking bread at some kind of Thanksgiving dinner table. Pray there will be no broken noses or, worse, broken spirits from the conversation had at those tables. This week as congregation we prepare for what may be for some a family reunion by fire. We’ll hear Paul’s words of comfort and instruction that places gratitude at the center of every act of reconciliation. This week, you may not successfully correct the errant politics of your sibling or their spouse. You can make progress restoring the relationship with them, however, by putting thankfulness at the center of it. #shepherdazonline
Week 3: Thanksgiving Leads to Giving Always I Thessalonians 1:2- 2:8
The freight and meaning of the phrase “pay it forward” was around long before those three words got connected with one another. In fact, almost every letter the apostle Paul wrote began with a statement of gratitude. This thankful beginning led this beloved pastor to contribute even more to the faith and life of his letters’ recipients. Sometimes those contributions were filled with warmth. Sometimes those contributions were somewhat stern. Regardless of how the letter ended, though, thankfulness was always worth offering first.
Pastor Josh Hatcher from the flagship Lutheran church of the Missouri Synod, Historic Trinity in Soulard, St. Louis City, Missouri, joins Pastor Seidler for our latest podcast. They talk covid, mission, urban suburban rural differences and the spiritual habits to make life change for the better in anyone who comes to the cross. @TrinitySoulard @sotdaz #trinityminute #shepherdazonline
Week 2: “The Theology and Practice of Thanksgiving” Romans 1:21; Psalm 136
Gratitude is not just a human skill or cultivated habit. Gratitude and thanksgiving is part of God’s design of the universe. Seriously. Today we turn our attention to one of the fundamental traits of someone who truly knows God—giving thanks. There are few sins which rise greater in God’s sight than ingratitude. In many ways, it is the most severe form of idolatry. The opposite is equally true. Gratitude is a virtue above all others and by which heavenly blessing comes to the thanker, those thanked, and those onlookers of that precious transaction. #shepherdazonline
In this latest edition of our Shepherd Podcast, Pastor Scott interviews Rev. Dr. Paul Raabe, Professor of Old Testament at Grand Canyon University about “Divine Repentance”, the ability of God to change directions and even respond to Christian prayer. This podcast is a follow up to several questions which arose during the recent Being Challenge study of Prioritizing Prayer. In that study many participants wondered, Does God really change his mind in response to Christian prayer.” #shepherdazonline
Week 1: “Replacing Angst with Thanks” Philippians 4:6,7
2020 has been an anxious year. The tried and true antidote for anxiety is the extended effort at gratitude, publicly expressed and positively infectious. This weekend we launch a five week series of messages that invert the many monumental negatives of 2020. Today, by faith, we obey the Word of God which admonishes us, “Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” #shepherdazonline
Every single day of His ministry, Jesus would spend His time in the temple courts. Church today looks very different from the day that Jesus walked this Earth. Even our churches may look very different from each other today. In a world filled with so much bad news, we crave and need the consistent practice of gathering together as a church to hear the Good News of God’s faithfulness in our past, His presence in our present, and His hope for our future. This constant reminder of God’s grace is what propels us to grow in our relationship with Him and compels us to be more like Him. #shepherdazonline #beingchallenge
We live in a very loud and distracting world. It is very easy to become enamored with the things of this world and lose our focus on why we exist. Jesus, in the midst of pressure, stress, and busyness managed to remain focused on His mission that would lead Him all the way to the grave and back. One of the regular practices of Jesus that helped Him keep His focus was solitude with God. In order for us to stay focused on the mission God has for us, may we turn off the noise of this world and spend alone time with God. #shepherdazonline #beingchallenge
Have you talked to God lately? Simply put, prayer is conversation with God. It's how we communicate with Him as our Father and Creator. All relationships require regular and intentional communication, and our relationship with God is no different. This week in the Being Challenge we'll be honing in on the third keystone habit- Prioritize Prayer. Our world is full of distractions and confusion that divert our attention away from our relationship with God and His Son, Jesus. When we prioritize prayer in our lives, we carve out habitual time to lay our hopes, dreams, struggles, joys, and fears at our Lord's feet, trusting that He not only hears us but actually desires to be in relationship with us. Prayer is our first response rather than a last resort in our lives. As we learn what it means to prioritize prayer this week, we will learn to walk more closely with God our Father as Jesus did. In turn, we'll discover what it means to stay connected with our Lord no matter what life throws our way. Join us on Sunday as we continue the Being Challenge in worship, and stay committed to your small groups and daily Being Challenge devotions as well! #shepherdazonline #beingchallenge
Have you ever struggled to dive into God's Word? Maybe you've tried every reading plan on the internet and you still can't seem to get into the groove of studying Scripture. You're certainly not alone. As we look at the second keystone habit in the Being Challenge - Study Scripture - we discover that being in the Word means so much more than simply following an obligatory reading plan or posting Bible verse memes on social media. Studying Scripture means finding our story in THE story - the greatest story ever told. When we dig into God's Word, we learn more about who God is and what he set out to accomplish through his Son, Jesus. And as we learn more about Jesus, in turn we learn more about who God has created us to be on this earth. #shepherdazonline #beingchallenge
Jesus prized being with people. And it wasn't just him being a Middle Eastern extrovert! Jesus knew that his human life on earth needed to have other human beings in it. Companions of faith that like him looked to His, their, heavenly Father. This weekend, Pastor Scott along with the rest of Shepherd's ministry team plumbs the depths of Christian community and invites from our Shepherd family a greater commitment to it. Nearly a dozen small group communities are walking through this Being Challenge together. There are still opportunities to lay a strong foundation--for faith and for the forward progress of this worship series. #shepherdazonline
We hope you have gotten a chance to order your books, sign-up for a small group or even volunteer to lead one! Check out some helpful hints we have outlined for you below.
Here’s what you need to do to say “yes” to this challenge that will change and grow you, your family and our church:
Take the provided assessment to make the most of your Being Challenge journey.
Worship every week online or in-person and learn from the sermons.
Get the “BEING CHALLENGE” book and start your 40-day journey toward being more like Jesus.
Register for a 6-week, staff-led small group or start one on your own. Small groups are a critical source of strength for discovering these new disciplines and habits that help us become more like Jesus.
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This weekend, Pastor Scott get us ready for next week and the Being Challenge. For now, we dig into Matthew Chapter 7, versus 24-27, and learn how important it is to do something, not just be something, but always with the blessing of Jesus Christ. #shepherdazonline #beingchallenge #redletterchallenge
Work -- do you see it as a blessing or a curse? What does the Bible say about work? Did God intend for people to labor, or is labor a part of God’s curse on humanity?
This Labor Day Weekend, what is your personal view of labor? Pastor Alan Rosnau explores a Biblical view of work under the theme: “Take This Job and Love It.” #shepherdazonline
All good things must come to an end. On the one hand, our August study of the Book of Revelation concludes this weekend. On the other hand, God's gracious plans for history and humanity will end as well. Revelation concludes with a final vision of victory for God and his people. This last chapter also places on us a final call to continue in persevering hope and faith with the full confidence that rest will come at last to souls wearied by sin in all its wicked glory. As Summer 2020 comes to a close, come and rest once more in Revelation. #shepherdazonline
In our second-last week of our Strange Things: Rest for the Soul in Revelation worship series Pastor Scott ushers us into the Rest of the Reward we find in Revelation 19-21. Over three weeks we've heard the invitation for weary Christians to rest in the vision of God's authority, to rest in the correction and affirmation of God's judgment, and to rest in the glorious vision of the Lamb who sits on heaven's throne and receives earth's praise. Now we get a taste of the goodness that is in store for us who have persevered. After slogging through sin and enduring evil, there is a reward that comes to God's people. Take some time to re-read Revelation this week and especially chapters 19-21. #shepherdazonline
This week we learn a new song by way of an old text: Revelations 4 and 5 are filled with songs of the end times...and we'll learn not just to sing them but to see how they magnify the Lamb that sits on Heaven's throne. #shepherdazonline
There are hundreds of thousands of churches following Jesus throughout the world. Probably millions. Some of are faithful to the call of Christ. Some, not so much. This weekend we are given VIP access to seven churches that found themselves at various points between faithful- and faithless-ness. As Shepherd enters its second week of studying the book of Revelation, Pastor Scott helps us navigate the demands God makes of his church with the rest-giving mercy of Jesus that covers over a multitude of their congregational sins. Plan on tuning in and turning out a more faithful kind of Christianity as we study Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
Usually strange times make for restless, unsettled souls. In the case of the New Testament book of Revelation, strange things are meant to bring rest. This unexpected and blessed rest is so important for Christians who daily stare down the wickedness in both soul and circumstance that mars God's beautiful creation. In our August worship series, Strange Things: Finding Rest for the Soul in Revelation, Pastor Scott helps settle us into the strange but life-giving visions of the Bible's final book, from its very first chapter which does not delay our meeting the strange vision of the Son of God who will lead us through the rest of its pages.#shepherdazonline
Okay, so the relationship is strained. Someone acted badly. Someone stepped away. Someone is resentful. When relationships are shattered, what hope is there for healing? How do the broken pieces get put back together? And what about when the relationship is between you and God, and you're the one who stepped away? #shepherdazonline
CLUES: REturn, REceive, and REjoice
Did you know that if a sheep flips over on its back it will die unless someone sets it back on its feet? In what ways are you feeling "upside-down?" In need of REscue? Is it time to make a spiritual 9-1-1 call? True REscue is right around the corner. #shepherdazonline
CLUES: REstore, REvive, REdirect
Are you stuck? Stuck in old habits, old tired patterns of behavior that leave you feeling lifeless, worthless, hopeless? Are you ready for real change? Is it time for REnewal? Good News! God can make it happen, and He wants to! How? #shepherdazonline
CLUES: REalize, REfresh, and REcreate
Week 1 | Rest #shepherdazonline
We all recognize the need for rest. We have a pretty good idea of how to rest the body and the mind. But how does one find rest for the soul?
CLUES: REmember, REmain, and REly
After over three months of upset and unrest, we could all use some R & R, don’t you think? In our July worship series, Pastors Alan Rosnau and Scott Seidler, in the footsteps of The Good Shepherd, will “lead us beside still waters in order to REstore our souls.” Over these four weekends we’ll REturn to some familiar themes of God’s grace toward us: REST, RENEWAL, RESCUE and RECONCILIATION. Who couldn’t use a bit of a REfresher on any and all of these? Set yourself a REminder to tune in each Sunday for what will be a welcome REspite from the heat of this 2020 summer. #shepherdazonline
America affords us the greatest blessings a country can provide. It’s easy to love America along with all the many blessings that America contains. We love many things, to be sure. Our families, the 'dream', apple pie, a sports team. Loving is not the problem. The key question is, “What do we love most.”
This weekend, Pastor Scott challenges us to be ready to hold softly the love of our country’s culture in favor of the greater call to love God above all things. Are you ready to enter the gap between heaven and earth? That’s where we are going this weekend in worship. #shepherdazonline
In this latest installment of our Shepard podcast, Pastor Scott Seidler talks about mission, ministry, and the future of the church with Reverend Dr. Jerry Kieschnick, former president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and currently the Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Deo, an organization that channels financial generosity into the next season of gospel ministry. #shepherdazonline
This weekend in worship, Pastor Scott introduces us to the question which should be on the lips of every Christian. As we re-open Christianity after this shelter-in-place Jesus invites us “to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers” out to do the mission of the Gospel. You are that laborer...the very question we ask has its immediate answer in us. Listen in as Pastor Scott rehearses Matthew 9:35-38 for us and teaches us a new question by which to live faithfully for Christ. #shepherdazonline
Whose kingdom are you living in? Most weekends at Shepherd we share a prayer and ask God “may your kingdom come.” And it did when Jesus Christ was hoisted up on a cross. That kingdom is obscured these days by the kingdoms we create.
The homes we live in, the jobs we have, the families we raise, the facades we erect…all these outward offerings to the world tell a story about the kingdoms we possess. This weekend, Pastor Scott shares a vision of God’s kingdom shining through each of ours. #shepherdazonline
Am I playing spiritual defense or missional offense? When the going gets tough, sometimes it’s prudent to circle the wagons and hunker down. In Scripture, God doesn’t know how to circle wagons or the meaning of “hunker.”
This weekend in worship Pastor Scott takes us to the familiar playing field of David and
Goliath. If ever there was a boy who should have scrapped the fight, David was that
boy. But David’s spirit pursued God’s and, so, there was no defensive play in his
playbook. David was playing offense and an entire nation was looking to him for hope.
Join us this weekend and become an agent of hope for others.
Talk about how when you have something good you use it. Good news of Jesus is
good. Take what God has given to you and use it.
David and Goliath…I won’t sit back. Not with God on my side. Everyone else was
afraid and playing defense…why are we playing defense?
We cannot just sit back and let status quo happen in our country. Not after all that God
has done for us. He’s given you a gift. He’s given you grace. He calls you to use what
you have for His kingdom.
We need the Spirit of David in this place. Take the sling and use it #shepherdazonline.
Pastor Scott talks with Rev. Dr. John Nunes, President of Concordia College, Bronxville, NY, and a thought leader and influencer on #race, #social justice and the #Gospel of Jesus Christ and its #Pentecost mission. Dr. Nunes offers insight for #Christians in #America and across the world regarding the death of #GeorgeFloyd and the social unrest that has gripped our nation from #NewYork to #Louisville to #LosAngeles, even crossing the threshold of our Shepherd family here in #Scottsdale, #Arizona.
@sotdaz @Concordiany #shepherdazonline
In America, Christianity has become a spectator sport with a consumer mentality. It just has. Arguments about worship preferences are given priority over strategies to reach those living apart from God.
This weekend Pastor Scott introduces us again to a women at a well whose sins kept her from others as an outsider to society. When she met Jesus and consumed the living water he gave, her first priority wasn’t to consume more. Rather, her first priority was to do something that will shock you into action.
Am I a consumer of Christianity or a contributor to the mission of Christ? #shepherdazonline
Am I living as if Jesus is my Lord, or is Jesus really my Lord?
In our Reopening Christianity series Pastor Scott is leading us to consider the past is
not our priority. The future into which God calls us is to be our focus and affection. This
is at root a conversation about lordship. Who is the lord of your life? The Lord or some
other lesser and less worthy lord? This weekend we unpack that question and fix our
eyes on Jesus. He alone is Lord of lords and King of kings. Do we really want to go
back to any other kind of life?
Romans 12:1-3
Hebrews 12:1-3
Sadly there is little to distinguish Christians from non-Christians. This is not what God
had in mind. If Jesus is your Lord then quite honestly your life would look a lot different.
We are called to be different. To be aliens and strangers. To live by faith and not fear.
Not to conform but to be transformed. #shepherdazonline
Simply put, we cannot go back.
On the one hand such a statement seems obvious. The fact is that many of us are hankering to return to the good old days of February and before. But, we cannot.
This weekend, Pastor Scott welcomes us to the Reopening Christianity series with a message about going back. Or, not.
God calls forward. This weekend, we reassert our commitment through the simple phrase, “Let’s go!”
For the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. Join Pastor Alan for a special Mother's Day sermon, along with messages to all moms from the Shepherd Preschool staff. #shepherdazonline
Joy does come. Sometime. The old verse is true...Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. This weekend in worship Pastor Scott challenges us in whatever night we find ourselves, to keep faith "joy comes." Maybe not literally the next morning, but joy comes. God who is living Joy imparts it to his people. Even Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament book of Hebrews was fully stocked with joy. "Who for the joy set before him, endured the cross..."
If you need an infusion of joy, this weekend has your name written all over it.
shepherdazonline
Everyone is experiencing loss. This weekend Pastor Scott helps us deal with all sorts of grief as he begins a new worship series, Good Grief. We will take a peek into the real life sadness surrounding the death of Lazarus. His sisters and even Jesus himself were caught up in great grief over the loss of their brother and friend. What appeared to be a really bad and sad situation was turned to good. Tune in and be encouraged this weekend as we confront our own loss in these days. #shepherdazonline
Sermon Series: "A Power Packed Life - A Study of Paul's Letter to the Romans" Pastor Alan Rosnau