Messages From Trinity Galewood: Recent Episodes
Trinity Lutheran Church: Lisle, IL
Live messages recorded at Trinity Galewood in Chicago, IL. Join us as we explore God's word together.
There are a lot of spiritual options out there, but not all of them are for our good. In this passage Peter lays out several “warning signs” to help us identify dangerous teachings and false paths in a world of multitudinous options.
There has been a lot of debate about the Bible and its reliability over the past two hundred years, but what Peter makes clear is that everything we have heard about Jesus is trustworthy because it came from God through eyewitnesses.
How do we grow spiritually? That is a question that both Christians and non-Christians have asked themselves down through the centuries. Today’s bookstores are filled with self-help manuals and transformation books that promise to help us become more peaceful and purposeful than every before. But Peter offers us a better way. He says that if you want to grow spiritually, then it means being formed in a relationship with the God who loves you and invites you to become more like Him. By being with Him we become more like Him, with our virtues growing as the fruit of our faith. Peter’s invitation is to once more get to know Jesus who, by his divine power, “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness”
The last conversation that we have between Jesus and Peter takes place shortly after the Resurrection. Jesus takes Peter aside and restores him to his calling by reminding him of what it truly means to love Him; it means serving and caring for His people. Our love for Jesus is meant to overflow into how we love and serve others. This is the mark of a truly Christian life; we love the way Christ first loved us.
Peter closes his letter with wise words for both leaders and followers. In a world where high-powered leaders and self-made influencers have taken center stage, Peter calls on leaders of the church to be humble and to serve their people the way that Christ has served them.
Too often we look for comfort in the physical pleasures and pursuits of this world, but Peter is pretty clear that this is a road to nowhere.
Suffering is one of those things that Christians not only will experience, but should come to expect. And for Peter’s audience, this was a very real thing as they were facing persecution at the hands of Rome. But what Peter calls them to is a hopeful witness in the face of suffering, using both their words and their deeds (vv.15-16) to point people to the hope that we have in Christ.
The church has always had a sticky relationship with politics. To those outside the church, it often appears like Christians are just the tools of a political party, adding holy sound bites to someone else’s political agenda. On the flip side, there are many inside the church who have taken an increasingly adversarial posture toward government and politics. So which is it?
Being a Christian is not about joining some kind of holy huddle, separated from the world. God’s grace is not given to us only for our good, but for the good of others. “Through Jesus, God is building a community of believers who will bring glory to His name.”
A lot is made of identity these days. We are told to be who we are. But who are we really?
In the opening lines of his first letter Peter addresses Christians as “elect exiles” two terms which, by worldly standards, seem to be at odds. An exile is someone who lives far from home, often because they had no other choice. And yet, Peter says that it is exactly what God intended for His people. This world is not our home. His kingdom is. God has chosen to call us His people and has granted us the gift of new life and the hope of an inheritance because we are part of a much larger story.
Following Jesus means embracing an entirely different way of living; one in which we turn our backs on the ways of the world and embrace the ways of His kingdom. But what does that look like?
The book of Acts ends in a rather abrupt way: with an ending that really isn’t an ending. Paul is in Rome continuing to preach. What does this mean? Why is it here? The answer is quite simple: the mission goes on.
One of the things that we sometimes miss when it comes to the mission is the beauty of what takes place when someone experiences the grace of God. Acts 16 contains a series of small stories that paint a larger picture of the better life God gives us through Jesus. By listening to the Spirit, Paul meets the spiritual needs of the Macedonian people by calling them to faith (Lydia), freeing them from darkness (the demon-possessed girl), and extending grace and hope in the face of personal failure and fear (the Philippine jailer). God still desires to give that better life to others through us. Will we go and help?
Sadly, we often have a hard time seeing the mission beyond our own walls or communities, preferring our own narrow spheres to the culture-crossing, boundary-breaking mission of the Kingdom of God. But God’s grace is not bound. He leads us, by His Spirit, to bring Good News to everyone,
The members of the early church were animated by the very Spirit of God as they pursued the mission of God together. And this shaped every aspect of their common life. Just as they had received God’s power, God’s presence, and God’s grace, so they extended grace and gave the gift of presence to others. Their story was one in which each person saw themselves as a part of a much larger community, extending God’s grace in tangible acts of generosity, service, and visible acts of witness to the wider world. And the result was not only that needs were met, but the message of Jesus spread outward to others. It is a beautiful picture of common life animated by the grace of God that speaks volumes to the world about the God we worship. It is what it looks like to be a part of a much larger community, one which we continue to be a part of to this day.
The first thing that we see about the early church is that they were called and empowered by God to be a part of a much Bigger STORY!
God has made some amazing promises to Abraham: family, land, nation. The question is, “Is that the only reason Abraham is following Him?”
One of the things to note is that Abraham is the only person in the Old Testament who is explicitly given the title “friend of God” (see 2 Chron. 20:7 & Isaiah 41:8). Abraham the doubter, the fearful one, the failure, becomes God’s friend. How did this happen?
One of the things to note is that Abraham is the only person in the Old Testament who is explicitly given the title “friend of God” (see 2 Chron. 20:7 & Isaiah 41:8). Abraham the doubter, the fearful one, the failure, becomes God’s friend. How did this happen?
In Genesis 16 we encounter a third obstacle that faces Abraham in his journey with God: his own plans and desires.
In Genesis 16 we encounter a third obstacle that faces Abraham in his journey with God: his own plans and desires.
What is it that led Abraham to have such faith and trust in God? Genesis 15 provides us with the answer to that question. In this story Abraham encounters another obstacle to following God: doubt. In the face of his own circumstances, he has begun to doubt whether God can really follow through on His promises.
What is it that led Abraham to have such faith and trust in God? Genesis 15 provides us with the answer to that question. In this story Abraham encounters another obstacle to following God: doubt. In the face of his own circumstances, he has begun to doubt whether God can really follow through on His promises.
Out of fear and a desire for self-preservation Abraham leaves and goes to Egypt, where his fears lead him to lie at the expense of his wife and almost endanger the promise itself. Luckily for Abraham, God delivers him from the consequences of his bad decision and returns him to the land, reassuring him of His promises.
Out of fear and a desire for self-preservation Abraham leaves and goes to Egypt, where his fears lead him to lie at the expense of his wife and almost endanger the promise itself. Luckily for Abraham, God delivers him from the consequences of his bad decision and returns him to the land, reassuring him of His promises.
Genesis marks an absolute low point in the story so far: human (and angelic) wickedness has reached such a degree that God regrets that “he made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart”
Genesis marks an absolute low point in the story so far: human (and angelic) wickedness has reached such a degree that God regrets that “he made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart”
“That’s wrong! That’s terrible! That’s not the way it is supposed to be!” Such are the words we say when we encounter pain, suffering, disease, death, disaster, and tragedy. We scroll through our newsfeeds and are bombarded daily with stories that highlight the reality of the broken world that we live in. So if God made the world to be so good, what happened?!
“That’s wrong! That’s terrible! That’s not the way it is supposed to be!” Such are the words we say when we encounter pain, suffering, disease, death, disaster, and tragedy. We scroll through our newsfeeds and are bombarded daily with stories that highlight the reality of the broken world that we live in. So if God made the world to be so good, what happened?!
Every story has a beginning and it is often in our beginnings that we begin to understand the truth about ourselves and the world we live in.
Every story has a beginning and it is often in our beginnings that we begin to understand the truth about ourselves and the world we live in.
Though made up of several books containing a variety of literary genres, the Bible is not a collection of random stories or pieces of literature. Rather it is one single narrative from beginning to end, with one central character: God. In its opening pages we are introduced to him and to some foundational truths which echo throughout the rest of Scripture’s pages. Specifically, in the opening lines of Scripture we learn that, before the beginning, there was God, there was love, and there was darkness. And these three things are important for us because they help us understand that all of creation ultimately finds its purpose in God and that our lives are designed for self-giving love with God.
Though made up of several books containing a variety of literary genres, the Bible is not a collection of random stories or pieces of literature. Rather it is one single narrative from beginning to end, with one central character: God. In its opening pages we are introduced to him and to some foundational truths which echo throughout the rest of Scripture’s pages. Specifically, in the opening lines of Scripture we learn that, before the beginning, there was God, there was love, and there was darkness. And these three things are important for us because they help us understand that all of creation ultimately finds its purpose in God and that our lives are designed for self-giving love with God.
Among Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples was the command that they were to be his witnesses to the very ends of the earth. But such a calling is not one that any of us can achieve alone.
Among Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples was the command that they were to be his witnesses to the very ends of the earth. But such a calling is not one that any of us can achieve alone.
From the beginning of time we were called to partner with God in the work He is doing in the world. At creation we were made as His image to care for the world He has made. Now, in salvation, we partner with Him in reaching those who are far from Him and introducing them to Jesus. And these relationships are all around us!
From the beginning of time we were called to partner with God in the work He is doing in the world. At creation we were made as His image to care for the world He has made. Now, in salvation, we partner with Him in reaching those who are far from Him and introducing them to Jesus. And these relationships are all around us!
We aren’t called to live our life of faith alone. It should be instructive to us that Jesus didn’t just call individuals to follow Him; He called them into a community.
We aren’t called to live our life of faith alone. It should be instructive to us that Jesus didn’t just call individuals to follow Him; He called them into a community.
We are made for a relationship with God. He has made us with a deep longing for Him that nothing else in life will satisfy.
We are made for a relationship with God. He has made us with a deep longing for Him that nothing else in life will satisfy.
One of the things that we were designed for is relationships (see Genesis 2:18). And this shouldn’t surprise us because we are made in the image of our God who is Himself a community (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Perhaps that is why this past year has been so difficult: it has been a year in which we are not only separated physically, but separated relationally. Between COVID and cultural conflict, social media fights and social division, it is no wonder we are exhausted, worn down, and depressed. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
One of the things that we were designed for is relationships (see Genesis 2:18). And this shouldn’t surprise us because we are made in the image of our God who is Himself a community (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Perhaps that is why this past year has been so difficult: it has been a year in which we are not only separated physically, but separated relationally. Between COVID and cultural conflict, social media fights and social division, it is no wonder we are exhausted, worn down, and depressed. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Old Simeon waited patiently in the temple – hoping and praying to see God show up in the form of a baby to rescue the world and reunite them with their God. Then, there he was: God’s Messiah had come! Simeon held the child in his arms and praised God!
Old Simeon waited patiently in the temple – hoping and praying to see God show up in the form of a baby to rescue the world and reunite them with their God. Then, there he was: God’s Messiah had come! Simeon held the child in his arms and praised God!
When Jesus comes into the world, from his “fullness” we receive grace upon grace. Paul describes this in this way: “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) This “love in action” by Jesus did not just extend to certain people, but to all.
When Jesus comes into the world, from his “fullness” we receive grace upon grace. Paul describes this in this way: “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) This “love in action” by Jesus did not just extend to certain people, but to all.
Wise men come, seeking the newborn king. They bring gifts and give generously, inspired by the gift that God gives to all mankind!
Wise men come, seeking the newborn king. They bring gifts and give generously, inspired by the gift that God gives to all mankind!
Advent Conspiracy is a radical idea that we can celebrate Christmas humbly, beautifully, and generously. Advent is the story of a wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes everything — including the way we celebrate Christmas.
Advent Conspiracy is a radical idea that we can celebrate Christmas humbly, beautifully, and generously. Advent is the story of a wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes everything — including the way we celebrate Christmas.
One of the consistent images that we find in the New Testament for the life of a disciple is a race. Paul himself writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). This means that though our journey through the Being Challenge is coming to an end, the journey is just beginning. As we wrap up the Being Challenge, we want to Invite you to reflect: what challenges didn’t you do and why? What might God be calling you to revisit and reflect? What is the one challenge you want to work on?
One of the consistent images that we find in the New Testament for the life of a disciple is a race. Paul himself writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). This means that though our journey through the Being Challenge is coming to an end, the journey is just beginning. As we wrap up the Being Challenge, we want to Invite you to reflect: what challenges didn’t you do and why? What might God be calling you to revisit and reflect? What is the one challenge you want to work on?
In talking about how the early church grew, Tim Keller says that the reason Christianity displaced the “the older Greco-Roman Empire and culture itself and way of thinking” was because they were “attractively different.” And what was so attractive about them? Quite simply, they were sold out for Jesus…together...and people noticed. Choosing church brings consistency into our lives. And the consistency that it brings is the good news of Jesus. The church is the consistent place where the good news of Jesus is proclaimed in word and deed, so that we can hear, experience, and live in light of his grace. And part of being the church is recognizing that God has given each of us gifts to use in helping others to look, live, and love more like Jesus.
In talking about how the early church grew, Tim Keller says that the reason Christianity displaced the “the older Greco-Roman Empire and culture itself and way of thinking” was because they were “attractively different.” And what was so attractive about them? Quite simply, they were sold out for Jesus…together...and people noticed. Choosing church brings consistency into our lives. And the consistency that it brings is the good news of Jesus. The church is the consistent place where the good news of Jesus is proclaimed in word and deed, so that we can hear, experience, and live in light of his grace. And part of being the church is recognizing that God has given each of us gifts to use in helping others to look, live, and love more like Jesus.
We live in a world that is increasingly distracted, and the result is that we are no longer present to the relationships that matter most. Which is why, in the midst of his busiest seasons of ministry Jesus took time away to be with his Father. Solitude was a central practice of his life, for in solitude he could be truly present to what his Father was saying. Solitude isn’t isolation; it is a place of restoration and re-focus in which we get back in tune with the God who loves us and allow him to re-shape our priorities.
We live in a world that is increasingly distracted, and the result is that we are no longer present to the relationships that matter most. Which is why, in the midst of his busiest seasons of ministry Jesus took time away to be with his Father. Solitude was a central practice of his life, for in solitude he could be truly present to what his Father was saying. Solitude isn’t isolation; it is a place of restoration and re-focus in which we get back in tune with the God who loves us and allow him to re-shape our priorities.
When you take a close look at the four gospels what you find is that Jesus either practiced prayer or taught on the importance of prayer nearly 50 times. He prayed to seek his father’s guidance, he prayed before feeding the 5000, he prayed at meals, he prayed in the morning, he prayed in the evening, he prayed before he raised Lazarus from the dead. Looking at all these prayers of Jesus, what we find is that he was in nearly constant conversation with his Father. In fact, Jesus’ prayers seemed so powerful and moving that, finally, his disciples came to him and demanded, “Teach us to pray!” And the beautiful thing is…he does!
When you take a close look at the four gospels what you find is that Jesus either practiced prayer or taught on the importance of prayer nearly 50 times. He prayed to seek his father’s guidance, he prayed before feeding the 5000, he prayed at meals, he prayed in the morning, he prayed in the evening, he prayed before he raised Lazarus from the dead. Looking at all these prayers of Jesus, what we find is that he was in nearly constant conversation with his Father. In fact, Jesus’ prayers seemed so powerful and moving that, finally, his disciples came to him and demanded, “Teach us to pray!” And the beautiful thing is…he does!
The Bible is easily one of the highest selling books of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records estimates that over 5 billion copies of the Bible have been printed. It has been translated into over 700 languages. But why? What it is about this book that is so powerful?
The Bible is easily one of the highest selling books of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records estimates that over 5 billion copies of the Bible have been printed. It has been translated into over 700 languages. But why? What it is about this book that is so powerful?
Jesus did not call his disciples into individual one-on-one relationships with him. He called them into community so that “they might be with him and that he might send them out” (Mark 3:14).
Jesus did not call his disciples into individual one-on-one relationships with him. He called them into community so that “they might be with him and that he might send them out” (Mark 3:14).
God has chosen us to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29), but that kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident, nor simply by following a random set of religious rules.
God has chosen us to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29), but that kind of transformation doesn’t happen by accident, nor simply by following a random set of religious rules.
The phrase “Grow Up!” has become something of a put-down in our culture today, but what is interesting to note is that growing up is exactly what Paul expected Christians to do!
The phrase “Grow Up!” has become something of a put-down in our culture today, but what is interesting to note is that growing up is exactly what Paul expected Christians to do!
What does it mean to be “all in” when it comes to our faith in Jesus? In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome he gives us a dramatic picture! In view of all that God has done for us, including giving his own life on the cross, we are to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices.”
What does it mean to be “all in” when it comes to our faith in Jesus? In Paul’s letter to the church in Rome he gives us a dramatic picture! In view of all that God has done for us, including giving his own life on the cross, we are to offer ourselves as “living sacrifices.”
The final vision of Ezekiel is a beautiful one. Just as God’s glory came to His people in exile, so His glory will one day return to the Temple, but not just a single building, but all of creation
The final vision of Ezekiel is a beautiful one. Just as God’s glory came to His people in exile, so His glory will one day return to the Temple, but not just a single building, but all of creation
In Ezekiel 37, God gives him a vision that begins with destruction and ends with resurrection. He shows Ezekiel a valley of death, a place where bodies lay unburied and bones dried out. He asks Ezekiel, “Can these dry bones live?”
In Ezekiel 37, God gives him a vision that begins with destruction and ends with resurrection. He shows Ezekiel a valley of death, a place where bodies lay unburied and bones dried out. He asks Ezekiel, “Can these dry bones live?”
The First Commandment You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.
The First Commandment You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.
In Jewish thought, the first commandment is not so much a commandment as it is a declaration
In Jewish thought, the first commandment is not so much a commandment as it is a declaration
Guilt and Shame are closely related topics - but are significantly different in one important way.
This week we ponder the very strange and beautifully intricate poem that Jonah utters in the belly of the fish. This is a powerful and heavily ironic moment in the story.
This week we ponder the very strange and beautifully intricate poem that Jonah utters in the belly of the fish. This is a powerful and heavily ironic moment in the story.
Jonah is God’s own prophet and yet he is the only one in the story who refuses to listen to God.
Jonah is God’s own prophet and yet he is the only one in the story who refuses to listen to God.
This first week we lay the groundwork for exploring the story of Jonah from a fresh perspective: Who is Jonah? Why did he flee and get on a boat to Tarshish? And why is his story in the Bible?
This first week we lay the groundwork for exploring the story of Jonah from a fresh perspective: Who is Jonah? Why did he flee and get on a boat to Tarshish? And why is his story in the Bible?
Before we begin a discussion of our own generosity, we need to ponder anew the generosity of our God!
Before we begin a discussion of our own generosity, we need to ponder anew the generosity of our God!
The story of Jacob and Esau is a story of two brothers who, from the moment they were born, lived in conflict.
The story of Jacob and Esau is a story of two brothers who, from the moment they were born, lived in conflict.
The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when all wars would end, and peace would once again rule God’s creation
The prophet Isaiah foretold a time when all wars would end, and peace would once again rule God’s creation
In the days before the ministry of Jesus, the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah comes to pass.
In the days before the ministry of Jesus, the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah comes to pass.
As believers we have a different perspective, focused on Christ and the new life we have in him.
As believers we have a different perspective, focused on Christ and the new life we have in him.
Attitudes toward gender roles in American culture have moved well beyond assessments of those roles in the workforce.
Attitudes toward gender roles in American culture have moved well beyond assessments of those roles in the workforce.
The problem of suffering is one that every religion and philosophy has to deal with, and that is because suffering is a universal human issue.
The problem of suffering is one that every religion and philosophy has to deal with, and that is because suffering is a universal human issue.
We have discussed priority, intentionality, and now we look at the influence that being a good steward has for our lives.
We have discussed priority, intentionality, and now we look at the influence that being a good steward has for our lives.
To be a good steward means that you care for something and one of the first steps that we must identify is what are the things that have the potential to pull us away from the plan that God has created for us.
To be a good steward means that you care for something and one of the first steps that we must identify is what are the things that have the potential to pull us away from the plan that God has created for us.