Lord of Grace Podcast: Recent Episodes
Pastor Lars Hammar
Sermons and the occasional reflections and interviews from Pastor Lars Hammar at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. Sunday sermons, mid-week and special services, and the occasional interview and reflection.
The truth of Jesus is not outside of us, but something you experience and know through belonging to him. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The Bible calls us to provoke one another to love and good deeds, as we are not always our best selves, and sometimes need accountability to be more loving and just. Based on Hebrews 10:24-25. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The work of God is most visible when the people of God go outside the comfort zone. Sermon by Pastor Lars Hammar. November 10, 2024
We have an inheritance in the faith, given us by those who came before, and entrusted to us to hand down to the next generation. For All Saints Sunday 2024. By Pastor Lars Hammar
It's not a lack of facts that keep us from seeing the truth; it's the filters in our mind that block it out. October 27, 2024 sermon by Pastor Lars Hammar at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church, Marana, Arizona
William Willcoxson, member of Lord of Grace Church, preaches on Servant Leadership. October 20, 2024
Our gifts, our service can accomplish so much more than we could imagine with the power of the Holy Spirit. By Pastor Lars Hammar
God does not keep the Holy Spirit only to those with degrees and credentials, only to professional religious people, but gives the power to be prophets and healers to all who are open to his gifts. By Pastor Lars Hammar, September 29, 2024
The easy way, in the short term, not only can have long-term consequences, it's also not the way of love - the way of sacrifices, listening, vulnerability - as Jesus did. Sermon September 15, 2024 by Pastor Lars Hammar
Faith forms when we practice it, when we do the ways of Jesus, not just learning about Jesus. Sermon September 8, 2024 by Pastor Lars Hammar
Discipleship is following Jesus where he goes, to be more Godly in our lives. The transformation can come through new thinking first, then change in behavior, or it can go the other way: acting first and growing into faith. Sermon September 1st, 2024. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17) to protect you from dark forces of evil - the temptations to hate and violence that draw us in. Instead, go with God's power to respond with love, kindness, grace, and faith. Put on the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes that proclaim Gospel of peace, shield of faith, sword of the Spirit, and helmet of salvation. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When Elijah has burned his bridges and gotten in trouble for his life, he goes out into the desert and lays down under the broom tree, where he comes face to face with God and the consequences of his actions. By Pastor Lars Hammar
We talk endlessly about "unity" in the church, but what does it look like to actually put into practice in a way that is authentic, and not just trying to cover up divisions to avoid the discomfort of conflict? By Pastor Lars Hammar
To better cope with stresses and challenges, we need to have some basic things restored in our lives and in our souls - to refill our "inner tank" with God's peace. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Love is to believe in someone and try even when it does not seem like it will work. Sermon July 7, 2024 at Lord of Grace Church by Pastor Lars Hammar
All of us come at faith through the experiences of our lives, the joys and hardships that become points of struggle and growth in our relationship with God. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Life is full of things we can't control, and rather than exhaust ourselves, we can go with the Holy Spirit, like flowing down a river. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
The most important things in life are not things, but the values, dreams, visions from God. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The Sabbath is not given to us by God to ruin our fun or kill our productivity or make us bored. It’s a rebellion against a culture that values only money, and a protection for the poor and working classes against endless work. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Pastor Jim Dew shares the word for Pentecost Sunday, May 19th, 20204 from Lord of Grace.
At the Garden of Gethsemene Jesus says a prayer for the disciples, asking God the Father to take care of them and continue his legacy as one. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Nothing great in life has ever been conquered, won, achieved without effort and following the commands of a teacher. We know this in our personal lives, but forget that Jesus gives us the commands to live a more Godly life, a fuller life.
Note: Forgive the rough voice, I was still getting over a cold....We can get caught in a vicious cycle when fear keeps us from loving, and yet we can't love if we fear. the only way is to turn to doing love, taking the risk, and watch love push fear away. Based on 1 John 4:7-21. By Pastor Lars Hammar
We come burdened with guilt and shame over things we've done, and often avoid approaching God for fear of condemnation instead of compassion. But God's love is greater than anything we do. By Pastor Lars Hammar
This is an edited excerpt from the Stations of the Cross service done at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona in 2024. The original service had a traditional introduction with sermon and hymns, then it shifted to the Stations of the Cross liturgy. With each station came a Bible reading, then an artist statement about the image of the station, then the meditation music. This version includes just the Bible readings and meditation music. Thanks to Stuart Oliver, Lord of Grace Praise Band Director, for doing all this original music live. Check out Stuart’s music at https://www.desertmyth.com/
No matter what people in the world call you, or how much you have been shut out, you are adopted as a Child of God, loved and accepted in his eyes. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The big problem of discerning the truth in the face of overwhelming powers, and the temptation to believe in conspiracies and mystery cults, is nothing new. In fact, combatting the lure of the gnostic cults with their promises of secret knowledge to the initiated is an underlying theme in the writings of John. This first in the series on "Jesus in the Eyes of John" looks at Gnosticism and how it affects language of light and dark, truth and falsehood, and finding God's love. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
The resurrection is a total transformation, like a seed that gets buried and regrows into a tree. We can't see what God will make of us when we put ourselves in his hands, but we know that it will be greater and more spiritual than what we can imagine. Easter Sunday 2024. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Jesus is brought into Jerusalem by the crowd who is filled with expectations, hopes, and dreams for Jesus to the next King, starter of a revolution. The problem is, that's their idea of Jesus, not what he told them he was. So often we project our expectations onto others, instead of letting them be to us who they are. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Palms Sunday, 2024
True forgiveness requires a lot more than just saying so. It's a process than can take time, and need to be repeated over and over to sink in. It's the reason why Jesus tells Peter that we forgive 77 (or seventy times seven) times. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Peter gets nervous about Jesus dying, and tries to convince him not to. But it's a part of God's plan for Jesus, and Peter too. The Cross is the path of the disciple. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Fourth Sunday in Lent
If asked, who would you say that Jesus is to you? What have you experienced of Jesus? What does he mean in your life? What difference has faith made to you? Third Sunday in Lent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The scariest thing to step out and do is often to examine yourself is true honesty. As Peter began to fear when he stepped out of the boat to see Jesus, so we often avoid the deepest connections with Jesus because we're afraid to open up about what we have inside. Second Sunday in Lent.
How quickly we can become exhausted trying the same thing over and over, only to discover that the answer was there, but we wrote it off long ago. First in the Lenten series on Peter and the Wandering Heart. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
We can use mountaintop experiences as moments to empower us to go back into the world, or as an excuse to run away from it. Jesus was clear with his disciples that going back down was his will, not to escape. Transfiguration Sunday. By Pastor Lars Hammar
To understand the Bible you have to think like an artist, or a painter, who describes God's work in the world full of meanings, symbols, analogies, images that draw you in and point you to deeper and higher truth. To read it literally is to fall into the trap of thinking "truth" is only what can be counted and measured, and ignoring the world of experience in the Spirit. Based on Psalm 104. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The Psalm says that God puts burdens on us to test us, but it's not what it sounds like. A careful read shows that it's not about individual tragedies and illnesses, but about the whole people facing consequences for injustices. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
What does God do for us? It's many things, and we can see the evidence in what God does in the world every day. Part 1 of the sermon series "Four Psalms". By Pastor Lars Hammar.
New life requires new commitments, the shaking off of the old and taking on the new. We can be scared of making the move, jumping in, but God carries us through the transition. By Pastor Lars Hammar for the Sunday of the Baptism of Our Lord.
Why was it the shepherds' were able to hear the voice of God and not all those who one would expect? Could it be that they lived a life more in tune with God’s majesty and wonder, and were less distracted? By Pastor Lars Hammar
It can be easy in a world full of cynicism to distrust everything and see a darker motive behind every surprise, even God's action in the world. But when Zechariah speaks again, the people are amazed, and embrace the joy of God. Third Sunday in Advent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When overwhelmed we can find joy in connection with each other, community that is a gift from God. Second Sunday in Advent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
To struggle in silence, when you are hurting inside but forced to look strong in the public eye, can cause us to question faith, or God's reality in our lives. But it is in silence that God often speaks to us. First Sunday in Advent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
In times of anxiety we can get tempted to give up our freedoms and turn to a strong man, dictator, or king to protect us and, supposedly, make us proud. But this is giving to a person what belongs only to God - our ultimate loyalty and worship. God delivers and brings peace, so we don't need a king. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Christ the King Sunday
How can we get a a 100% return on the talents God gave us? By investing in the community, the poor, and the things that matter. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Being ready for when God is speaking is about more than waiting for the second coming, it’s a way of life.
To be cursed is to be hated for who you are. To be blessed is to be loved after that. Jesus promises blessings to all who are cursed by the world in the Beatitudes.
The kingdom of God is like a banquet where all those who want to come may join, from wherever they are. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Peace is found in connections with others and the earth, by allowing ourselves to be open to experiencing their pain and joys. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The third in a three-part series exploring the new Lord of Grace mission statement, focusing on the first line: Love God - and celebrate God’s Love for us in vibrant and creative worship. Our mission at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church Love GodOpen our hearts and mindsLive Graciously toward allJune 11, 2023. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The second in a three-part series exploring the new Lord of Grace mission statement, focusing on the first line: Love God - and celebrate God’s Love for us in vibrant and creative worship. Our mission at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church Love GodOpen our hearts and mindsLive Graciously toward all
The first in a three-part series exploring the new Lord of Grace mission statement, focusing on the first line: Love God - and celebrate God’s Love for us in vibrant and creative worship.Our mission at Lord of Grace Lutheran ChurchLove GodOpen our hearts and mindsLive Graciously toward allJune 11, 2023. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The Bible begins with God's Spirit moving over the void and bringing about a world of peace and goodness, without rules or hierarchies. This is the order of creation, and the nature of God. By Pastor Lars Hammar. June 4, 2023
What does the church look like when it is doing what it should, being authentic in following Jesus? Sermon for Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023. By Pastor Lars Hammar
God calls us into a life of experiencing the joy of one God. By Pastor Lars Hammar. May 21, 2023.
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part twelve - Finally getting to some examples of what it looks like to be Christian in a godless world, we are called to get caught up in Jesus' way. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part 11 - What is the difference between the Christian life and the pagan life? It isn't getting things from the gods, or turning to them for favors. It's that the Christian suffers with the God who grieves with us. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part ten - In the boldest terms yet used, Bonhoeffer says that people must learn to manage our lives without God, and not expect God's actions, yet know that it is before that weak God who demands us live without him that we stand. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part nine - As science and secularism continue to make people content to live their daily lives without any reference to God, Christian theologians have been trying to find space for God in things beyond people's lives, or in trying to create angst about sin and death in order to provide a cure for. But Bonhoeffer notes that these "emergency exits" have failed to make inroads, and dishonest to the Gospel. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part eight - After deconstructing the popular idea of "redemption"in Christianity, Bonhoeffer begins to re-imagine what the word might mean in a world where people no longer believe in a literal hell with an eternal punishment that they need to be rescued from. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part seven - Christian theologians have emphacized redemption as a rescuing from this world to the next, but, Bonhoeffer argues, that goes against the Old Testament, and ultimately Jesus. The Christian has no escape from earthly difficulties. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part six - Philosophers, psychologists, and unscrupulous pastors try to create anxiety and worry in happy people's lives in order to induce them to need them, equating faith with an immature stage of personal development. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part five - Bonhoeffer reflects on how the secular world no longer operates with God as part of the equation, and people no longer turn to the question of God when dealing with problems. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part four - A short look at his reflections on missing his fiance, Maria, coping with not seeing her, and debating the selfishness of allowing himself to not think of her to avoid the pain of missing her. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part three - Bonhoeffer confronts directly one of the most common of Christian apologetics: the idea of God as the stop gap (or "god of the gaps" as atheists often call it). Instead of defending God's existence from the negative, and arguing that God exists beyond knowledge and experience, he argues we must move God back to the center of life.By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. Part two - a discussion about how one is to speak of God in non-religious terms, and how Bonhoeffer has become more hesitant to talk religious jargon with religious people, and how he finds God in the center of our world, not in the space beyond human knowledge. By Pastor Lars Hammar
While in the Tegel Prison in Berlin awaiting trial for participating in a plot to kill Hitler, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to contemplate a future for Christianity and the church in a world with science, secularism, and world wars. His idea were formulated in different letters to his pastor friend Eberhard Bethge and compiled with all his prison writings in Letters from Prison. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The voice of God often comes to us in the people he puts in our way, who we don't plan to meet, but who are opportunities to love, serve, and listen to. We can miss out on the spiritual life if we are too focused to hear God in the moment. Based on Acts 8:26-40. By Pastor Lars Hammar
In spiritual and personal matters, more work is not always more results. In fact, without time to spend on God, relaxation, relationships, we become less productive and creative. In the book of Acts, the Disciples decide that they need to delegate out the food bank ministry to free up time for the preaching and prayer. From the sermon series on Acts by Pastor Lars Hammar.
When you are put on a trial that's rigged, you speak the truth for those outside the court, who will see the injustice of it, not to get yourself out. This is the story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. By Pastor Lars Hammar
God speaks to us in many ways and is with us every day because He is a faithful God. By Cindy Stein. April 23, 2023
The first in a series on the Book of Acts, Pastor Lars looks at the ongoing desire of the disciples to mix religion with state and culture, instead of going out and bringing the Gospel to the people.
When Jesus is raised from the dead, he is transformed. There is a body, but it looks different, but it's still him. The resurrection is not a question of resuscitating a corpse, or seeing a ghost, or just having an interesting realization. It's about a transformed body that we recognize not from sight, but from hearing God's voice and rekindling the connection that has always been there. Easter Sunday 2023. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When Jesus says on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me," we should take him seriously, that he means that he feels abandoned by God, and that it is more than just a figure of speech. But if it's a real cry of anger and frustration and doubt, what does that mean for how Jesus saw himself in God's plan? Good Friday 2023. Pastor Lars Hammar
Is Jesus a tough guy, who endures pain without flinching, or the Messiah who embraces weakness so we can be weak together? Palm Sunday 2023. By Pastor Lars Hammar
We get caught up in our limited ways of thinking when we feel defeated and overwhelmed. God gives us visions that are deliberately jarring and non-literal to shake us out of our ruts and stimulate our imaginations. By Pastor Lars Hammar
It's one thing to be shown the truth, but if you are afraid of the consequences of it being real, you're unlikely to change your mind, even if the evidence is right before your eyes. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When a Samaritan woman encounters Jesus waiting by a well in the middle of the day, she ends up getting a new life of acceptance, value, and respect. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When we go into the wilderness, both literally and figuratively, we move outside of our areas of expertise, and into a new place where we have to start over, unlearn and relearn, and let go of being the expert. This is what Jesus is talking about when he tells us we need to be reborn in the Spirit - to let go of being the expert about God, and letting God teach us. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The big temptation for Jesus is to use his power instead of embracing weakness. There is wisdom on knowing when you can't force things, and when you need to take time to detox from life and listen to God. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Listening means being open to being changed or converted to the views of the other. Listening to God means being open to God in your heart, for both challenge and comfort. By Pastor Lars Hammar
We can understand the deeper mysteries of the Spirit when we are not preoccupied with gossip and social positioning. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Inspiration comes from God, as a gift from the Holy Spirit, when we open our hearts. By Pastor Lars Hammar
What if we have it all wrong, when we look at the cross, and our minds skip over it, as a blip along the way to resurrection and victory? What if the whole point of the cross is that it's not the path to winning, but the path to losing? Maybe Jesus wants us to embrace losing and weakness, and reject the whole idea of gaining at other's expense? By Pastor Lars Hammar
Walk through Psalm 40 part-by-part and pray with it. The Psalms are not intended to always be uplifting, but more like prayer journals showing people's real life struggles and doubts and problems with God. By Pastor Lars Hammar
If there was no heaven to reward you, and no hell to fear, and you knew that after you died you would just sleep in the dusty sheol of the Old Testament, would you still follow Jesus? Odds are, you probably already do, because Jesus is worth it even if this is the only life. Sermon January 8th, 2023 by Pastor Lars Hammar
God brings great news to us in unexpected ways. Christmas message from Pastor Lars Hammar.
The soul is the deepest part of our selves, the seat of our deepest longings, desires, and joys. Rather than being a separate entity inhabiting a body, a shell, the Bible teaches that the soul is inseparable. When we have lack in the good things we desire, the soul is empty, and God brings healing by meeting our deepest desires with his greatest good.
Using the image of a council of heavenly beings, seated before God, getting a lecture about what is right and good, the Psalmist shows that what matters to God is protecting the weak and the needy, and upholding their rights. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Hear Sue Justis tell her story of finding healing for herself and others through the power of God. December 11, 2022
Second in a series on healing for Advent 2022, we explore what it might mean to find healing in your mind through finding peace and calm through being in God’s spirit. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Healing the body is about the whole self, and that view has been in the Bible for centuries. Miracle cures are actually fairly rare, and occur mostly when either a prophet, Jesus, or one of the twelve disciples comes around. Instead of debating miracles, we should be looking to God for the healing of our whole selves, body, mind, soul for true health and renewal.Because I got covid again, I had to pre-record this sermon and have it played back on Sunday to keep everyone safe, hence why it's not a live recording during the service. - Pastor Lars HammarFirst Sunday in Advent. November 27, 2022.
The love of God is constantly with us. When you think you are alone, you are not.Lord of Grace member Cindy Stein shares the word on Christ the King Sunday.
When in total desperation the people turn to God with a plea for help. They acknowledge they’ve done their time, and that God has given them nothing nourishing, but fed them only with tears. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Our God is so great that even those in prison and captive are not outside his grace. By hearing the complaints of those sentenced to death and sparing their lives, God demonstrates power and love. By Pastor Lars Hammar
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
Psalm 79:1-8
God comforts us in our struggles and times of abuse with a word that is honest and does not shy away from the hard parts of life, and the challenges of faith. If God only gave encouraging words, and never challenged us in our worldviews, it wouldn't be honest or authentic. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
5 He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children;
6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
Psalm 78:1-8
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psa 77:11-20
When gave humanity rules, people found every way around them. In the prophet Jeremiah, God makes a new covenant, one that writes the rules on our hearts, so that when we are followers of God we seek to love and serve. Jesus affirms this 600 years later.
4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago.
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:
7 "Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?" Selah
10 And I say, "It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed."
Psalm 77:4-10
Our spiritual practices should make us more loving and compassionate people, especially those that require us to give things up for our faith. But behind ever abstention lies the danger of both envying those who don't make the sacrifice, as well as judgment for their perceived lack of self control. The fast that makes you a self-righteous snob is not one that God wants. By Pastor Lars Hammar
I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
Psalm 77:1-3
2 At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. 3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, "Do not boast," and to the wicked, "Do not lift up your horn; 5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck." 6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; 7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. 8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. 9 But I will rejoice forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
Psalm 75:2-9
To download and read the official statement: https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Human-Sexuality?fbclid=IwAR1QNOcN1yNP7kN1edfTFZyrs51-HMHHtMzEP4vijIGYQ8TRG3YFNMM_HQ8
God offers us healing for our deepest pains, but in our pride we often refuse his gifts, letting hangups about the nature of the cure get in the way of accepting God’s gift. Based on 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15
In a plea for God to protect his innocent people, and not just in their bodies but in their hearts and selves, the Psalmist reminds God of what he’s done in the past, and how letting his people suffer humiliation reflects poorly on him.
To download and read the official statement: https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Human-Sexuality?fbclid=IwAR1QNOcN1yNP7kN1edfTFZyrs51-HMHHtMzEP4vijIGYQ8TRG3YFNMM_HQ8
To download and read the official statement: https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Human-Sexuality?fbclid=IwAR1QNOcN1yNP7kN1edfTFZyrs51-HMHHtMzEP4vijIGYQ8TRG3YFNMM_HQ8
We follow Jesus because we love Jesus, and we obey his commandments because we love God and neighbor. It's not about getting a reward from God, or angling for a better place in heaven. It's a loving obedience. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The Bible has little remnants of an old creation story involving dragons and a sea monster named “Leviathan” getting crushed by God and fed to the animals. Without a lot of explanation for what, exactly, these things are, we can see that they serve to show how powerful God is making the world.
Take a few minutes to return to God and reflect on your self in God's light, based on the examen of Ignatius of Loyola.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Original music by Stuart Oliver: https://www.oldbisbeerecords.com
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe.
It’s natural, when we feel that promises have been made, to ask how long until they are met. So it is with God’s people, as they return to a ruined city and wonder how long they will have to endure, before God follows through.
Luke 16:19-31
[Jesus said:] 19“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ 27He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house—28for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
A conversation and study of how ELCA Lutherans understand human sexuality, both in the Bible, and in the 2009 Social Statements on Human Sexuality. Part one of four classes - this one focusing on a selection of Old Testament passages.
Things can make us bitter and resentful, keeping scores and feeling like we have gotten the short end of the stick in life. This anger can make us less capable of rational, and spiritual thought. In spite of all that, God continues to be present with us in our grumpiness, give us guidance, and welcome us into his presence with honor.
While we would like to believe that the world rewards the kind and pure-hearted with prosperity and success, and punishes the arrogant and cruel, we all know that, too often, the exact opposite is how it works. Why are we so drawn to people who are mean, cruel, arrogant – jerks? Why do we envy them, instead of standing against them? Why do we make them popular and try to emulate them? It’s not God’s will. It’s our human nature. In this Psalm the writer reflects on the inherent injustice of how people are, and confesses to almost falling into envying the wicked as well.
God’s love for us is unconditional. There are no strings. It cannot be earned, and has nothing to do with what other people say about us. In a world where our value is determined by the desire of the crowd and the “likes” on our posts, God’s love just is. By Pastor Lars Hammar
When the Psalmist asks God to make the king not a great conqueror, not a wealthy empire-builder, not beautiful and popular, but a champion of the needs of the poor, and a defender of justice for them. It’s the job of the one in power to be on the same side as God – the side of the poor against those who oppress them.
Is it only God's job to show us the comforting things, the things that make us feel good about ourselves and our beliefs? Or is it also God's job to push us to see things we don't want to, things that are painful and difficult, to push us out of our apathy towards being more loving and conscientious people? Reflection on Psalm 71:19-21 by Pastor Lars Hammar
Hospitality can mean inviting people over to your house, and in the Bible that’s a high value. Jesus lived off the hospitality of others for years. But it can also mean to simply invite new people into your life, and find opportunities to serve others. Based on Hebrews 13:2 and Luke 14:12-14. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Isaiah 58:9b-10
9bIf you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
10if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come. Your power
Psalms 71:17-18
A guided prayer meditation to help you bring your ultimate questions to God in prayer. You don't have to either feel the need to hide your questions from God, or walk from faith because of them. Bring them to God in prayer and own them to God in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Our big question is: When have I experienced God?
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Original music by Stuart Oliver: https://www.oldbisbeerecords.com
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe. https://teresablythe.net/50-ways-to-pray/
We approach faith at Lord of Grace with an open mind, acknowledging that we are following God into an unknown future, that we don't have all the answers, and that that is OK because God is with us in this journey. Take some time to relax, clear your mind, and just sit in a place where you own up to now knowing the answers, and let God fill your heart in that space.
By Pastor Lars Hammar
Original music by Stuart Oliver: https://www.oldbisbeerecords.com/
A guided prayer meditation to help you bring your ultimate questions to God in prayer. You don't have to either feel the need to hide your questions from God, or walk from faith because of them. Bring them to God in prayer and own them to God in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Our big question is: Where is your faith now?
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Original music by Stuart Oliver: https://www.oldbisbeerecords.com
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe. https://teresablythe.net/50-ways-to-pray/
Luke 12:49-52 [Jesus said:] 49“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
7 I have been like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all day long.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my life consult together.
11 They say, "Pursue and seize that person whom God has forsaken, for there is no one to deliver."
Psalms 71:7-11
n you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Psalms 71:1-3
Hebrews 11:1-3 1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall live there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall live in it.
Psalm 69:32-36
A guided prayer meditation to help you bring your ultimate questions to God in prayer. You don't have to either feel the need to hide your questions from God, or walk from faith because of them. Bring them to God in prayer and own them to God in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Original music by Stuart Oliver
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe. https://teresablythe.net/50-ways-to-pray/
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
2Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
12I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. 14I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
2:18I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me 19—and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? 23For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress-- make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
19 You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies.
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.
27 Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29 But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.
Psalm 69:16-29
A guided prayer meditation to help you bring your desires to God with all your imagination and senses, and pray through those desires.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe. https://teresablythe.net/50-ways-to-pray/
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me. Psalm 69:13-15
A guided prayer meditation to help you bring your desires to God with all your imagination and senses, and pray through those desires.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church: lordofgrace.org
Original Music by Stuart Oliver
Based on the book "50 Ways to Pray" by Teresa Blythe. https://teresablythe.net/50-ways-to-pray/
Luke 10:38-42
38Now as [Jesus and his disciples] went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
There is no one outside of God's love, no person we are absolved from caring about, nobody who's past (or present) life choices makes them no longer our neighbor. Jesus challenges us in the parable of the Good Samaritan to love without lines. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
We agonize in relationships whether we should stay or go, whether it's better to work with what you have, or seek something new. Jesus provides a different way of thinking, one where we start at the beginning seeking out a person who puts us at peace, not thrills, and staying there. Based on Luke 10. By Pastor Lars Hammar
1I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here I am, here I am," to a nation that did not call on my name. 2I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks; 4who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat swine's flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels; 5who say, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you." These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. 6See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps 7their iniquities and their ancestors' iniquities together, says the LORD; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions. 8Thus says the LORD: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, "Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it," so I will do for my servants' sake, and not destroy them all. 9I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.
The key to healing hurts is not to isolate or become hardened, but to find a place to be vulnerable and heal. God invites us into fellowship with him in the trinity, where all three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) are sitting at a table inviting you to take a spot, dwell there in safety and peace. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Why do we seem to lose our openness to dreams and visions as we get older? God has not stopped trying to get through, but we have things in our lives that block the Spirit's work. Some of the ways we block ourselves, and some ways to open ourselves back up.
Sermon by Pastor Lars Hammar on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022.
Freeing people from oppression, captivity, debt, imprisonment is Jesus' mission, and what gets him and his disciples in trouble. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
In Jesus we can make a new and better world, and not be limited to the thinking that tells us we have to accept injustice and pain as simply the way it is. Pastor Lars Hammar's Easter message.
It's not the love of money that is the root of evil, but the things we desire to get with the money that gets us into trouble. It's what we think we lack, that we think money will fill. - Pastor Lars Hammar from the sermon April 24
Follow along with this Easter sermon series on "Navigating Modern Life", where we look at some of the challenges we deal with being people of faith today. Both practical, and Biblical, the series explores things of our lives today.
Bible Readings: Luke 19:28-4028After he had said this, [Jesus] went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” Philippians 2:5-11 5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
John 12:1-8
1Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
When Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people welcomed him as the new messiah, as the new king. When he was on trial, they called for his death. How does one go from being the savior to the enemy? The hero to the villain? Why is the mob so fickle? Or, is it that the mob is doing something different, redirecting their anger at Rome to Jesus, and blaming him for their problems? Is he being scapegoated - carefully set up by Pontius Pilate to take the brunt of the people's anger at Rome?
This livestream looks at the practice of scapegoating, of how it works, and how Jesus was a victim of it.
This 5 part Lenten series of livestreamed Bible studies will look at alternative ways to understand Jesus' death on the cross, why it happened, and what it could mean. Contrary to much tradition in the West, there are many ways Christians throughout history have seen the cross and understood it's meaning - beyond the usual "he died for your sins".
When Jesus is asked if the people who got their blood mixed in with some pagan sacrifices made by Pontius Pilate, Jesus understands that the real question is if they can feel smugly confident that their avoidance of the tragedy is proof of their moral superiority. Instead, Jesus flips it back on them and shows that they would be better to examine themselves.
By Pastor Lars Hammar. March 20, 2022.
The idea of Jesus being a sacrifice is so bundled up in symbolism and history that it's hard to imagine any other way of seeing Jesus' death than "He died for your sins". But what does it mean to be a sacrifice for sin? Who's being sacrificed? To whom? Why is a sacrifice needed? And, does Jesus being a sacrifice have to mean that he's just buying off an angry God by taking punishment for others who were destined for hell? In fact, the Gospels are very vague on why Jesus died, and he never himself uses "die for sin" language. All that comes later, and is a tidy formulation that gives a concise and simple explanation to an idea that was always deeper and more mysterious than one sentence can explain.
This 5 part Lenten series of livestreamed Bible studies will look at alternative ways to understand Jesus' death on the cross, why it happened, and what it could mean. Contrary to much tradition in the West, there are many ways Christians throughout history have seen the cross and understood it's meaning - beyond the usual "he died for your sins".
Why was it that Jesus' disciples all fell apart at the end and left him behind? After three years, and all that time together, and everything they'd seen, they all disappeared (John remained in one Gospel version). Could it be that they were clinging to an idea of Jesus being something he wasn't, and never claimed to be, but which they couldn't give up in their minds: that Jesus was some sort of political revolutionary who was going to overthrow Rome? And when he died, did that prove the revolution failed, and Jesus wasn't worth following any more?
This 5 part Lenten series of livestreamed Bible studies will look at alternative ways to understand Jesus' death on the cross, why it happened, and what it could mean. Contrary to much tradition in the West, there are many ways Christians throughout history have seen the cross and understood it's meaning - beyond the usual "he died for your sins".
Luke 14:15-24
15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' 19 Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' 20 Another said, 'I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23 Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.'"
It's usually referred to as the "temptation of Jesus" in the wilderness, but it's really more of a test of how he will handle power in the face of challenges to his call.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Technical Note: This was the first week of our new livestreaming system, and the audio was really low. We should have that fixed in the next week or two.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 7 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith. This week will start a little sub-series of "Being an Un-Fundamentalist Christian" with "Things Jesus Didn't Say", looking at some popular beliefs about Jesus that are not actually in the Bible. This week it's about the belief that Jesus was interested in increasing the number of disciples and followers. While he did believe in sharing the Gospel (literally - the "good news"), and making disciples "of all nations", he was often very demanding of those who wanted to follow him, and quick to turn away people who were not on board with his agenda. This is not to say that all the disciples he did have always agreed, just that they were willing to go along with Jesus' program, while many others excluded themselves because they could not accept what Jesus said.
Where this becomes such a big issue is in with the obsession today with getting increased numbers in churches, amid a decades-long decline. One strategy is to double down on the old beliefs and promote them harder, while another is to water down and loosen rules and boundaries to make it easier. Is either really the way Jesus did it? Or is his way some of both, and some of neither?
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 6 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith. This week will start a little sub-series of "Being an Un-Fundamentalist Christian" with "Things Jesus Didn't Say", looking at some popular beliefs about Jesus that are not actually in the Bible. This week it's about the teaching, popular among so many "prosperity Gospel" preachers that God wants people to be rich. In fact, Jesus is so consistently critical of wealth itself, not just its use, that you have to both turn his words into pure "spiritualized metaphor" and put new ones in his mouth. How did we get from a wandering, poor, working class country boy, prophet to a tool for individual material gain?
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 5 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith. This week will start a little sub-series of "Being an Un-Fundamentalist Christian" with "Things Jesus Didn't Say", looking at some popular beliefs about Jesus that are not actually in the Bible. This week it's about the belief that Jesus would condone making people starve to death if they aren't able to find work. The quote "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat" is actually not from Jesus, but is taken from 2 Thessalonians 3:10, and is not even written by the Apostle Paul, but by an unknown writer under Paul's name. We'll explore the context of that particular verse, and contrast it with what we know of Jesus' own actions and teachings around food and hunger.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 4 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith. This week will start a little sub-series of "Being an Un-Fundamentalist Christian" with "Things Jesus Didn't Say", looking at some popular beliefs about Jesus that are not actually in the Bible. This week it's about condemning people to hell, threatening people with hell, or, really, just being concerned much about hell at all, which Jesus didn't do much of.
By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 3 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith. We'll look some more at the relationship between priests and prophets, laws and criticism of laws, and how Jesus fits much more the tradition of the prophets than of the law givers.
Livestreamed on January 20, 2022 Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 2 is going to continue our discussion of being an active, critical thinker in tandem with having a deep relationship with one's faith.
This week’s episode deals with the difference in worldview between prophets and priests, how they both have valuable functions, but how the prophetic side gets sidelined in the desire for order, rules, and hard truth.
Livestreamed January 13 by Pastor Lars Hammar
Learning to love Jesus without checking your brain at the door. Week 1 is the experience of finding grace again.
The last in the series on "Things We Value", we explore the value of creativity and creation.
By Pastor Lars Hammar
What does it mean to say "all are welcome"? Do we really mean it? Or do we put conditions and qualifications on it. Sometimes, in fact, it's necessary to accept that welcoming all will mean that some have to be told to leave because their behavior is hateful or intolerant of others. Jesus provides an example of this in his repeated attendance at parties with "sinners and tax collectors" where he draws the ire of religious conservatives for mingling with an unclean crowd. But in order to show grace to one group, he had to accept rejection from his fellow religious leaders.
The second in the sermon series on "Things We Value" that explores ideas and beliefs the ELCA and Lord of Grace take seriously and want the world to know. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
First in the sermon series for Epiphany titled, "Things We Value," Pastor Lars Hammar explores what it means to be a Christian who thinks critically and asks questions that may take you to places the may initial unnerve you and create uncertainty, but that ultimately allow you to know God and scriptures better and deeper than before. January 16, 2022 at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona.
Can you allow yourself to live in the moment, and trust that God will take care of things, or are you beholden to risk-assessment and always trying to control things to gain certainty over the future?
By Pastor Lars Hammar. Fourth Sunday in Advent.
So much of life is spent chasing after things to fill our lacks and wants and desires. What if in God we had all that, and could rest in a state of satisfaction? By Pastor Lars Hammar. Third Sunday in Advent
We have hope in the future because God has hope in us. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Second Sunday in Advent.
When you view the world as full of uncertainty, you can easily reach for things that eliminate that dis-ease. But with a trust in God's promised future, we have patience.
In the Book of Revelation, The Apostle John receives a vision of God's throne room. It is rich with imagery, symbolism and nuance. Reading a passage like this in our present day can almost feel a bit alien. It is not often that an individual will experience something so vividly imagistic in their daily walk with God. Even as we try to draw others closer to us and share our walk, it can be difficult to escape the "buffered self." Today we are going to discuss the times in our lives that we feel particularly close to God, and how we can look at these moments of openness as opportunities to share and grow together in our relationship with the spirit. Thank you for joining us!!
The self-help industry relies heavily on an individual's drive to push toward being an ideal version of oneself. The "self" in "self-help" typically becomes a central focus, and while garnering a strong inner sense of will is important, we forget that we are all here together, working towards the future. "Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps," while admirable often yields less desirable than creating a sense of community, encouraging each other, and keeping accountability mutual accountability toward our goals. Other people can often see things that we can't, and a different perspective can be invaluable when we are trying to transform ourselves and the world around us.
Join us while we explore the book of Hebrews, and look at the a Biblical perspective about how are to gather and encourage one another.
"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Hebrews 10:23-25
Join us today while we discuss some background on "All Saints Day," a liturgical holiday in which we recognise all of those good and faithful servants that have come before us, paving a way for us to continue in the ways of faith and a deep spiritual life. Often, when we talk about end times, we think of chaos, cinematic scenes filled with drama and billowing smoke. Advertisers love to play on these images and talk about the end times of relationships, states of the economy and social eras as being harkened by horsemen of various sorts. However, when we look at the end times, it can be exceedingly powerful to look toward those who have come before us, and laid the groundwork for us to live lives of faith and stewardship. We can be inspired by the legacies of faith created by the lives of those that came before us.
Reformation Day, as it pertains to the Luthern Church, is the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis (a series of criticisms and commentary on 'indulgences'), to the doors of the 'All Saints Church'. Today, Pastor Lars Hammar will attend to some the historical significance of this act by Martin Luther, as well as detailing his own perspective of the beauty and significance of the Luthern Church as it is now. Please join us for this excellent discussion on perspective, gratitude, growth and tradition.
In this sermon, we will discuss three different paths that we can take as we move through our lives. It is easy to fall into a default mode, maintaining a sense of familiarity and comfort in our day-to-day lives; life can often feel like this and there is nothing wrong with routines. Sometimes, we are drawn towards personal interests, diving into one hobby after another, seeking a deeper sense of personal fulfillment and self actualisation. This is often an extremely useful and rewarding way of being, but it can at times feel self indulgent and detached from the rest of our community. Occasionally, we are stirred into action, seeing unrest in the world, seeing a place where we can make a difference and give of ourselves even if it makes us a little bit uncomfortable. This third path is often what we refer to when we feel "called" to something. It can be inexplicable, but taking on responsibility and giving much of oursevles can lead us into deeper spirituality and relationship with God. Please join us while we discuss Eli, Samuel and the way that the Bible uses their story to illustrate how we should respond to being called.
All of us are drawn to success. We want to see our lives, families, and fortunes multiply. Churches today will often use this desire as a means of attracting people to their congregation, but what does the Bible have to say about discipleship and evangelism? When Jesus is confronted by two of his disciples, and asked to give them the two highest positions that they could occupy, Jesus responds by saying that the outcome is not his to give, but they surely can endure the trial that he will soon endure. Jesus tells us that there may not be any glory in it, but we are given the opportunity to offer hardwork, give, care, stand up for those in need and give our lives in service. This may not be a new car or a beautiful mansion, but it is a way of being that lifts others up and makes the world a better place for everyone.
Thank you for joining us.
The Bible is full of stories that depict the world in all of its complex colors. We are told to love our neighbor; give of ourselves beyond what we might think is possible; live in truth, honesty and humility; but what does the Bible say of justice? Today we will look at an example from the modern day: The story of Tarmar Biggins.The God illustrated in the Bible is a protector of the poor and oppressed. Mistreating those who are downtrodden, taking advantage of an individual's misfortune, and further oppressing those who are in pain is not only discouraged, but condemned. We are supposed to share in the struggles of our brothers and sisters. We are supposed to always extend a hand to those in need. Part of love is solidarity and share our burdens with God and with each other. We hope you enjoy this beautiful sermon. Thank you for joining us.
Marriage and the responsibility that accompanies the commitments we make to each other are complex and deeply fulfilling. The Bible comments on the nature of these commitments in such a way as to highlight their sacred nature and how important it is that we are true not only to ourselves, but to those that put their trust in us. Today we are going to look at why it is that in both the Old Testament and New, we are encouraged to hold these vows with the highest degree of care, and how compassion for each other in our modern era allows us to live more fully in Christ's injunction to love each other.
This is the final part of our four part series "Embracing the Struggle: Keeping Faith When Life Isn't Simple or Easy." In the midst of all of our lives, we must confront expectations that we have of others and the world around us. Without realising it, we walk into situations every day filled with expectations about how we should be treated or interact with each other, but it is an all too familiar feeling that these expectations are not met and then we leave frustrated, not knowing what to do or where to turn. How do we have conversations with each other about our expectations? How do we have conversations with God about our expectations? King David expresses this in the Psalms and we are given clues about how to handle these complex feelings we must all confront. Psalm 39 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. 1 I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.” 2 So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased; 3 my heart grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.[b] 6 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. 7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. 8 Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools. 9 I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this. 10 Remove your scourge from me; I am overcome by the blow of your hand. 11 When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, you consume their wealth like a moth— surely everyone is but a breath. 12 “Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were. 13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again before I depart and am no more.”
This is part three of our four part series "Embracing the Struggle: Keeping Faith When Life Isn't Simple or Easy."
We live in a world that is constantly changing. Walking through life, we want to embrace beauty, love and connection; but what do we do when we must confront loss. This last year has made us all confront loss in a profound way: loss of community, loss of familiarity, loss of comfort, etc. We are mortal and have to confront both our own mortality and the mortality of others. Bringing our grief to God can be cathartic, and his gracious love is with us even if we need to scream it at the top of our lungs with tear filled eyes. Healing will come after we allow ourselves to confront the pain, and God will be by our sides, supporting us with grace and love.
Thank you for joining us.
Our lives are filled with so many things that we would love to do, but with work, and other important demands on our lives, it can be difficult to come to terms with the finitude of our time, energy and resources. When we bring these complex feelings to God, we are met with grace and an intimate friend who's love and acceptance allows us to forge new beginnings.
This is part two of our four part series "Embracing the Struggle: Keeping Faith When Life Isn't Simple or Easy."
Psalms 25:9-10 "The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth."
This is part one of our four part series "Embracing the Struggle: Keeping Faith When Life Isn't Simple or Easy." In this sermon, we will explore the experience of faith, how God's presence is powerful enough to withstand tough questions, and how "The Dark Night of the Soul" can help us embrace the beautiful mystery of God. Thank you for joining us!
Our lives are filled with moments that demand us to demonstrate love to one another, but in an increasingly fast-paced, disconnected world it can be difficult to know what to do. Join us as we explore what the Bible says about living in love!
"Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers[...]" James 1:22
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3
2 I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. 3 And I know that such a person-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows-- 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4
Mark 5:25-34 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
Ezekiel 17:22-24
22 Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar; I will set it out. I will break off a tender one from the topmost of its young twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar. Under it every kind of bird will live; in the shade of its branches will nest winged creatures of every kind. 24 All the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD. I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree; I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken; I will accomplish it.
What is the Christian life but a community, a relationship with our family of believers and our God, and a journey, where we go through this life together, living in the moment, and finding joy and meaning in each other's presence. Sermon for Holy Trinity Sunday, May 30th, 2021 by Pastor Lars Hammar.
The Holy Spirit comes in the silence after the work to give us inspiration and see new possibilities. Sermon for Pentecost Sunday 2021 by Pastor Lars Hammar.
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
18 Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?
You can ask God to make you a somebody in the eyes of the world, but the Gospel of John is telling us to embrace our identity in Christ as a child of God. Fifth in the sermon series on "Who Am I? Finding my identity in Christ"
1 John 4:18-10
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
You are made in the image of God, and no trait of yours can make you less. Third in the sermon series, "Who Am I? Finding my identity in Christ" by Pastor Lars Hammar
Who am I to God? What has God made me to be? Part of a community of believers with a belonging, a purpose, and a calling to convey what Jesus has done for us. In a world that often views the word "Christian" with suspicion, and sees it as regressive and repressive, it is up to us to show love, forgiveness, and acceptance of all - to show the marvelous light of Christ. Second in the sermon series "Who Am I? finding my identity in Christ" Based on 1 Peter 2:9-10. By Pastor Lars Hammar
How do we discover our true selves, the person we really are, who God has made us to be? By returning the one who created us, who knows us, and made us - Jesus. The first in a sermon series titled, "Who Am I? Finding my identity in Christ". Based on 2 Corinthians 5:16-17. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
The Lord speaks from Zion in perfection of beauty - which is itself a beautiful way to describe the way God comes to us in experience and truth that is often "fuzzy" and "soft" and seemingly subjective, yet we know the experience when it comes to us.
Despite our desire to explain away the things we experience in life, the voice of God breaks through from time to time, and we can, in those moments, hear the voice of the one who "comes and does not keep silent."
We must struggle against the temptation to make religion transactional, or about anything other than being gracious and faithful to God.
God tells the people they need to check their lies, deceit, and hate. Just because God was not speaking for a while does not mean that they could falsely believe that God was just like them and condoned that behavior.
God brings us unexpected good news in the resurrection, and breaks into our lives with good things when we don't expect it. Sermon for Easter Sunday by Pastor Lars Hammar.
Unlike how we see it depicted in movies, Jesus’ death was probably not the grand event that captivated the whole nation and had crowds and crowds out to see. In fact, in the Roman Empire, killing people who were threats to the social order was very common, routine, and done on a daily basis. Pontius Pilate, who had the final say over Jesus’ execution, was a ruthless killer who could take out hundreds or thousands at a time without remorse. What should shock us about the cross is that it is both horrifying in its cruelty, and ordinary in its execution. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Isaiah 50:4-9a
4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9aIt is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
The crucifixion of Jesus is something we have struggled to find a purpose for, to explain it in a way that makes sense. But maybe we take away from the real meaning of the cross when we try to explain it, instead of allowing the tragedy of it all to be the meaning. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Hollywood makes its movies with conflicts between "good guys" you root for and "bad guys" you can't sympathize with. But in the real world we have mixed motivations, personal histories, and systems of power that don't always make the moral choice easy. In our struggle to find the "bad guy" in the story of Jesus' trial, we miss the larger point about all the actors being both sinners and saints in an unjust world.
Fourth in the sermon series on The Passion Story of Jesus in the Gospel of John. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
We can all sense that we are more than just the materials that make us up - the atoms, molecules, neuro-chemical reactions in the brain. We can feel the need for a connection at a deeper level, and that level is what we call in the Old Testament "the soul". In Psalm 42, the soul is compared to a deer, thirsty and longing to connect with God, and it need the Lord like it needs water. By Pastor Lars Hammar
We imagine that if we were in the crowd, and had to choose between Jesus the Messiah and Barabbas the killer, that it would be an easy choice. But the people chose the criminal, and we need to know the appeal of revenge, pride, and getting even that he promised - instead of Jesus' Kingdom of God. By Pastor Lars Hammar. March 7, 2021
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said." 22 When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" 23 Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
When Jesus is being arrested, Simon Peter takes out his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's slave. But why? He did nothing wrong. He has not choice in being there. But He's also the least able to fight back. In an unfair world we dump on those who don't fight, and we punish the innocent, and Jesus, instead of being above it, suffers as well. The first in the Lent sermon series on the Passion Story of Jesus in the Gospel of John, by Pastor Lars Hammar.
We stand before a God of great mystery, whom we know some things about, and many things we are only able to see in wonder and awe. The spiritual gift of teaching is help convey what we do believe, but also to equip us to go about our lives, and build up the community. By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. www.lordofgrace.org
How can you tell if the spirit that's moving you is from God? How do you know if it's good or not? The answer is not as complicated as you'd think: Jesus. If the spirit that's in your heart is moving you to anger, revenge, grievances, keeping scores, or hate - it's not the spirit of God but the Spirit of the world. Part of the sermon series on Spiritual Gifts by Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church, Marana, Arizona. Feb 7, 2021. Scripture: 1 John 4:1-8
The gift of leadership is so crucial in our families, our homes, and in our churches. But it's often confused with controlling and managing, which are different. The Apostle Paul says that leadership is a spiritual gift because, like all spiritual gifts, they are given by God, through the Holy Spirit, for us to build up the community. Leadership takes effort, and can be frustrating and exhausting, but we don't do it under our own power, but with the Holy Spirit. By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. www.lordofgrace.org
With so many people on TV and online claiming to be giving prophecies predicting victory for their favorite political candidates, how do you even know if they're real? And how does God give prophetic experiences? King Saul was posessed by the Spirit of God and went into a prophetic frenzy, but it wasn't something he chose. 1 Samuel 10:9-13. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The spiritual gift of wisdom is not about only being cautious or hesitant, nor about always taking bold moves, but having the Holy Spirit guide us to know the difference. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
The experience of God can often be blocked by the constant voices that pressure us in our head for attention. When these dominate our lives, they become the "Tyranny of the Urgent", and they keep us from seeing the bigger picture and hearing God speak. Elijah goes into the wilderness and hears the voice of God when he can finally listen to the sheer silence. By Pastor Lars Hammar
To find God, sometimes you have to enter into the darkness, where you see nothing and rely only on God. While feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed, it is also when we are close to God. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Third in the Spiritual Gifts study by Pastor Lars Hammar, we look at how God takes an ordinary mountain and makes it holy, demanding that the place around his presence be kept special. For our own spiritual lives, keeping sacred places makes it easier to experience
Bible study on spiritual gifts and the encounter with God, focusing more on Moses and how God describes himself to him, and what it means about the mystery that is God. By Pastor Lars Hammar
First in a Bible study series on spiritual gifts. We go back to Moses and his encounter with God at the burning bush and what it tells us about the encounter with the divine and finding God. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
God came to earth so that we might not just know about him, but know him, experience him, and be a part of a relationship that is full of endless mystery and love.
What makes us who we are? Is it our choices? The pressures of peers? Marketing? Or will we be formed by God’s grace into what he has made us to be?
When the world rules by might and fear, God sends his messenger to proclaim a peace, a beautiful peace that is found in humility, love, sacrifice, and compromise. By Pastor Lars Hammar
It is when we have experienced a life that's hard that we can appreciate comfort. In the same way, God speaks to us when we are in hardship, giving us comfort through the Spirit. Based on Isaiah 40:1-2. By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. www.lordofgrace.org
Normal math would say that when we give we loose and have less. But in God's way, giving makes us richer. Not often with money, but with the things money can't buy, we gain so much in the fullness of our lives because of God's Spirit. By Pastor Lars Hammar. www.lordofgrace.org
The Psalms say that the Lord sits above the heavens, and yet his glory shines through so strongly and simply that the babes can see it proclaim it. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
When we give away our things, we're not just giving away what we have now, but the potential for those things to be useful, or provide security for us, in the future. A life of generosity puts its future in God's hands, and so does not need to hoard resources to feel secure. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Each day I go through a different Psalm, reflecting on what it means and how it impacts us. This meditation is on Psalm 5
Pastor Lars Hammar
Each day we take a look at a different Psalm, exploring what it means for us today. Today we look at Psalm 3
The first in a series of shorter meditations on the Psalms. Each day we take a look at a different Psalm, exploring what it means for us today. We begin with Psalm 2.
God commands that every seventh day we rest, every seventh year we let the land rest, and every 50th year we forgive all debts. Why does God mandate so much rest, and why, in particular, get involved in banking and credit issues? Debt can be a tool of control - even enslavement - and the forgiveness of debts a good social “reset” to restore society and prevent abuse.
What does it mean to be “blessed”? Is it just getting special stuff? Is it being born with advantages? Or is it, in the Bible, something deeper that gets to the heart of God choosing to give those on born without those things the first place in the Kingdom of God?
After spending many years both growing up in the woods, working in forest camps, and meditating on faith there, I have found my faith in Christ strengthened through learning about both the beautiful and cruel sides of nature.
I thought for the upcoming All Saints Day celebration that we’ll be having at church I would share some thoughts on the day.
You can follow the video, or read out the (approximate) text below.
We’ll be doing two services outside (masks, distance etc.) on our patio that day, and will include a chance for you to bring up a cardstock cross that you decorate yourself and post on a large board. We like to give people a chance to remember their loved ones and celebrate the saints who’ve gone before us.
For the 9:30am service we’ll also have Delta Blues music with special musicians.
Pastor Lars
God commands that we let the farmland lie fallow every seventh year, that it may have rest. This is both good for the environment, to avoid soil depletion, but also a practice for life that we avoid burnout.
How do we measure the greatness of our city or country? For people, it's the size of our monuments, or armies, or the wealth at the top. But God tells the people of Jerusalem that not even the Temple is safe from the coming destruction if they don't change their ways and provide for the widow, the orphan, and the alien. Doing that will earn God's blessings and safety forever. By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. www.lordofgrace.org
Most of us like to think of ourselves as good people, generally caring, but yet there is so much suffering in the world. Why? Because we're looking to our own interests, not to the interests of others. We're just doing right for ourselves. The Christian life is the opposite, it's not a life of caring only after I take care of me, but caring for others first, even when it's not my interest. By Pastor Lars Hammar of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. www.lordofgrace.org
In the parable of the Laborers in the vineyard, Jesus gives us a glimpse of a kingdom of God that is generous with abundance.
At the end of the day, whatever practices we do as part of our faith, and whatever we abstain from, we still do what we do for Jesus.
Jesus specifically tells his disciples that if someone in the church has sinned against another, that they should take it directly to that person in private. Sounds so simple, so why is it so hard to do? And why did Jesus have to have us start that way, instead of just going straight to the board? And what are the consequences of short-cutting his process?
The Holy Spirit and the spiritual life cannot be forced; one must learn to wait with patience for God’s time. Pastor Lars Hammar, August 30, 2020.
Pastor Lars Hammar at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona. Burnout and Gifts - looking at avoiding burnout by pursuing our spiritual gifts and finding where God is leading us.
Occasional short talks from members of Lord of Grace Church on how God has been at work in their lives. This week's speaker is Sue Justis
Occasional short talks from members of Lord of Grace Church on how God has been at work in their lives. This week's speaker is Lori Brown
In the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water it’s easy to get hung up on the miraculous part of the story to the detriment of what it says it about faith and our relationship with Jesus. Jesus is telling Peter to have faith in his promises, that Jesus can pull him through. It’s not a question of belief, Peter knew Jesus existed and was the messiah, but of faith - of trusting in Jesus’ promises to hold his hand as he stepped out into a risky venture with him.
The Feeding of the 5000 is more than a miracle story, it's a story of how Jesus gives all the food he has for a crowd that is hungry and sick, without a plan for himself, other than faith in God.
When we face exhaustion and tragedy we hit the end out our ability to know what to do or pray for. In those moments when all you can do is sigh, the Spirit steps in for us.
Our faith is not built on wishful thinking, but on the promise of God to redeem us and the world. That's why we hope.
Sharing the Gospel and developing faith is not a straightforward, mechanical process, where we control things until we can reliably produce results. We’re working with people and spiritual matters, and the better analogy is that of an ancient sower who casts the seeds out into the field not knowing where they will go.
In the midst of all the stress caused by the isolation and disruption of the coronavirus, our hardest struggle if often having to go it alone, or struggle with it by ourselves. Jesus tells us to give up the burdens of the world and find freedom in taking up his yoke - to find freedom in his teachings, spirit, and way of life.
Social media and TV have lately been filled with people indignant and raging into the screen. Different than an anger at injustice, this kind of public outrage and venting expresses deeper emotions - hurt and powerlessness. St. Paul tells us to not let our minds be ruled by the “passions” - the visceral emotions that cause us to act in hurtful ways to protect our pride and honor from feelings of hurt and powerlessness. Instead, he says, turn to the Spirit and obedience to Christ, to not be ruled by these passions.
Recorded from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona for the online service posted on YouTube.
Recorded from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona for the online service posted on YouTube.
When Jesus returns to The Father, he tells the disciples to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit, but he gives them no timeline. They simply have to wait, in fellowship, and pray. In the midst of these shutdowns and isolation from coronavirus, we have to accept a lot of waiting for something to happen, at some time, we don’t know when, but we know that it will not be a return to business as usual, but a new normal brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We often turn to the Bible for guidance on important matters to us like marriage and family. But to turn to the Old Testament one has to understand the radically different culture it was written in. With very little in common with the practices and expectations of modern marriage and family life, the Old Testament focuses on maintaining extended family alliances, arrangements, property rights - all things alien to the modern Western individual.
In the Gospels we see Jesus preaching that we are all brothers and sisters who follow God. In Paul we are told that we are "neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free". Yet, by the end of the Bible we are told that women must obey husbands, slaves must not rebel, widows must register and on and on. The third installment of the Faithful Together sermon series, today we explore the change from a very egalitarian vision of community to reverting to gender roles, authority, and laws regulating family and personal life - what we call the "household codes".
The first in the series on family and marriage, called “Faithful Together”, here we explore the double-edged sword that is having a large, tight-knit, extended family that can be both a big support and a source of control. When Jesus says that whoever does the will of God is his brother or sister or mother, he’s saying that he’s forming a new community based on faithfulness to God, which is an act of grace for those who do not have family support.
The fourth of my weekly reflections I did after we had to shut down services because of coronavirus. Here I discuss a little about the history of mission work, how the initial missionary would often spend a long time planting seeds of the faith, only to have to step back at some point and leave the indigenous people to take over.
From the Easter season sermon series I call “Finding Grace”. If the word “grace” is to mean anything at all, it has to apply to people who don’t deserve it, who didn’t earn it, who haven’t proven themselves worthy of it, who haven’t passed a means test or a morality test or a thriftiness test or a frugality test or a responsibility test – basically the way Jesus loves all of us.
The third of my little weekly reflections I started during the shutdown for coronavirus, this one deals with the topic we all have had one our minds this whole time – “how long will it last?” The truth is, a lot longer than we thought. I thought we’d be throwing a welcome back party in June. I was really, really wrong on that one. But the idea of lamenting and asking God for a timeline is not new; it’s very Biblical.
Part of the Easter season series I’m calling “Finding Grace”, hear we deal with some of the issues of being clean and unclean, of being accepted and welcomed, and the ways in which the Bible looked an issues of contagion in a pre-scientific world.
The second of my weekly reflections I started after we had to shut down services because of coronavirus. Here I talk a little bit about the challenges and opportunities for moving Christian Education back into the home, where it started long before Sunday schools were created.
The first of a few weekly reflections I started once the services here at Lord of Grace closed for coronavirus. This one was my first go, talking about living in the moment.
In this episode of the "Finding Grace" sermon series we look at how we can demonstrate grace to others through including them and being a part of the things in their lives that are important. This episode focuses on Jesus eating with "sinners and tax collectors" and how he showed grace by being willing to eat and drink - and be seen - with them, even when it cost him social standing.
When the women come to the tomb to prepare Jesus' body, they get confronted by an angel who asks them why they're looking for the living among the dead. They're confused, but soon they realize that Jesus is not off in another plane of existence somewhere, but is here among us still.
The sermon for the online Good Friday Stations of the Cross service, focusing on the injustice of Jesus' trial and execution, and setting the stage for the journey to the cross.
Maundy Thursday is the day we remember with special emphasis the Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples. This message was an audio only, as we did not have the ability to do an online Maundy Thursday service so quickly after things shut down because of the coronavirus.
Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. He has the crowd behind him, and the ability to take political power, if that’s what he wanted. And yet he refuses to take the power over others in the way of this world. On the flip side, he knows that the donkey is symbol of the old Kings David and Solomon, and that by riding it into Jerusalem he’s making a statement about power and the way of God.
Our mid-week Lenten services had to get cancelled for coronavirus in Mid-March, so I finished up the Wednesdays with these little meditations each week, based on the Bible readings we had started walking through: the “I Am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
We can all think of lots of decisions we have made that have had unintended consequences, and we later regret. Jesus had a big one when he decided not to turn around and heal Lazarus, but instead kept on preaching where he was. Lazarus dies while Jesus is away, and when he finally meets Lazarus’ sister, she says the simple, but convicting words, “if only you had been here”.
Recorded for Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona by Pastor Lars Hammar
Our mid-week Lenten services had to get cancelled for coronavirus in Mid-March, so I finished up the Wednesdays with these little meditations each week, based on the Bible readings we had started walking through: the “I Am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Recorded at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona with Pastor Lars Hammar
Our mid-week Lenten services had to get cancelled for coronavirus in Mid-March, so I finished up the Wednesdays with these little meditations each week, based on the Bible readings we had started walking through: the “I Am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Recorded at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona with Pastor Lars Hammar
When there is suffering we look for causes, things that can explain why it happened, and often someone to blame. But if we believe in a loving God, how can we explain when suffering happens for no apparent reason, or when it happens to people who clearly could not have brought it on themselves, like children. Jesus is confronted with this question more than once, people assuming that suffering must be a punishment from God, either the person or someone in their family. But what if God does not work that way, and is not in the business of punishing children for their parents’ sins? Jesus turns the question, and insists that God is not work that way.
Recorded at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona, with Pastor Lars Hammar
When Jesus is talking to Nicodemus in John 3, he tells Nicodemus that in order for him to understand what the Spirit is doing, he needs to be born from above. Jesus means many things by this, but especially he means that when we are reborn we take on a new identity in him, a new place in the world.
Recorded with Pastor Lars Hammar at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona
The perception of scarcity can hamper our generosity and limit our ability to think and dream in the big ways God has in mind for us.
Recorded at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, Arizona by Pastor Lars Hammar
If I am satisfied with the gifts God has given me, and I am satisfied to dwell in God’s presence, then the “temptations” of money, power, wealth have less hold over me. A life that does not need is one of spiritual growth, generosity, and service.
Recorded by Pastor Lars Hammar from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona
Recorded from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona for the online service posted on YouTube.
Recorded from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona for the online service posted on YouTube.
Recorded from Lord of Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Marana, Arizona for the online service posted on YouTube.