Lift High the Cross: Recent Episodes
Trinity Lutheran Church (Algona, Iowa)
Jesus at the Upper Room tells his disciples about the Helper who would come and be with them while Jesus was absent with the Father after his ascension.
Walk through the Passion reading from Mark's Gospel to help prepare for Holy Week and Easter!
Pastor Tom Schlund shares a sermon on a Hebrews texts that shows Jesus as our great priest who not only offers the once and for all sacrifice that brings our salvation, but is also the sacrifice itself.
This week we continue our journey through Mark 10. Pastor Schlund takes a look at a brief encounter that Jesus has with a man who has an important question to ask. However, after Jesus answers the question, the man goes away sorrowful. Listen to find out why.
Welcome to Lift High the Cross. In today's messages, Pastor Schlund looks at James 3:1-12 where we receive a warning to guard our mouths so that we don't sin by the way we speak.
Pastor Mark Lund shares the message today from the Gospel of Mark where we hear Jesus describe what "good faith" looks like when he encounters a gentile woman with a demon possessed daughter.
Is Christianity supposed to be comfortable? That's the question that Pastor Schlund explores in this sermon. Sometimes we want our lives as disciples of Jesus to be comfortable and yet we find ourselves experiencing pain and suffering just like everyone else. In both of our readings we hear about God's grace being sufficient for us.
This week Pastor Schlund shares St. Paul's words of encouragement from 2 Corinthians 4. Paul reminds us that the suffering we face in this life is only momentary and there is something far more glorious to which we are looking forward.
This week on Lift High the Cross, Pastor Schlund takes a look at Jesus' words to Nicodemus in John 3 and how the bronze serpent in the wilderness foreshadows Jesus' own work on the cross.
Today is Pentecost. It's a day that we remember and give thanks to God for sending the Holy Spirit into the world. Pastor Schlund's sermon is based on our Old Testament reading which is pretty weird because it includes a valley full of dry bones. God's power is able to make these bones alive again and that power is the same power that came upon the disciples on Pentecost and continues working in our lives today.
This week Pastor Tom Schlund talks about staying on the mountaintop of joy that comes with Jesus' resurrection just like we hear about the disciples in the reading from Acts 4.
Throughout Lent we've been returning to things and returning from other things as we've explored our theme "Return to the Lord". Today we're invited to "return and see" Jesus' empty tomb. To return even if we're angry, disappointed, hurt, or crushed. Jesus' resurrection means forgiveness and eternal life for all who believe.
This week Pastor Schlund's sermon focuses on the bold question and statement made by James and John to Jesus as the look to have authority and prominence by sitting at his right and left hand. Jesus flips the idea of greatness on it's head. Those who want to be great must be servants.
Pastor Tom Schlund preaches today's sermon based on Exodus 20 where God speaks the 10 Commandments and gives some explanation for a few of them. Often we make our relationship with God more difficult than it should be, however when we simplify it we find that it is basically a relationship between a parent and child. His rules aren't to kill our fun, but to keep us safe.
In this week's Gospel reading, Jesus tells his disciples what it will take to follow him. In this text we learn three rules for following Jesus. 1)You're not the leader, Jesus is. 2) You will suffer. 3) Don't sell out to satisfy the world.
Today we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before Lent starts. In our Gospel reading, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain and is changed in front of them. Not only does he change but Moses and Elijah show up too. God announces that this is His son and we ought to listen to him. As you listen, Pastor Schlund will share what that means for our lives as Christians.
Join Pastor Mark Lund as he shares God's Word from Mark's gospel and looks at Jesus calling Simon and Andrew to follow him.
Pastor Schlund shares the message this morning from 2 Peter 3 where Peter helps us understand why it seems like God is taking so long to return. It isn't because he's slow like some people might think -- it is because he is patient and desires all people to be saved.
Our family trees are full of great things and not so great things. So was Jesus'. On this All Saints Day we're reminded that God worked even through the sinners in Jesus' family tree to bring about the savior and to forgive us so that we can forgive others.
Today’s sermon is based on Matthew’s gospel and we’re going to hear Jesus challenged by two different groups that are trying to catch him saying something that they can use to arrest him and maybe even kill him. Jesus is masterful in deflecting their attacks and in doing so reminds us of the things that are most important.
Today Paul wraps up his letter to the church in Phillipi and we are reminded that both our joy and our strength comes from the Lord.
This week we get to explore Philippians 2 and hear Paul encourage the Christians in Phillipi to act like Christians. It is fascinating because the challenges and encouragement are just as applicable today as they were when Paul first wrote them. Join Pastor Schlund to hear more.
We begin a new series this week on the book of Philippians. This letter from Paul to the church in Philippi is full of joy. Today, Pastor Lund shares with us the foundation for that joy that we have as Christians.
Jesus is coming back! This is the truth that gives hope to our whole lives. In the meantime, he continues to rule over all things. We can trust that he will be with us until that day that he returns.
Just saying the word "government" or "politics" might make your blood pressure go up for one reason or another. Some people love the government, others don't. Regardless of your position, our text today from Romans reminds us how we live under and respect those who have governing authority over us.
The life of a Christian is a life of love. We have received love that gives us forgiveness and new life from God and then he sends us out to share that love with other people around us. We are never to think more highly of ourselves than we do of others and we have the privilege of being the hands of God to love and serve others.
What good is our Christian faith anyway? When we become Christians do we just have a free pass to do whatever we want because we know that God is going to forgive us? Not at all. We are not conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Holy Spirit.
This week in our "God's Greater Story" sermon series, Pastor Mark Lund shares how we, as God's people, live by the Words that He gives to us and how those guide our lives and our hope.
What's the point of your life? Do you ever wonder? In this week's sermon, Pastor Lund explores what our purpose is in life as God's children.
Pastor Mark Lund continues our "God's Greater Story" sermon series by exploring Romans 9 and reminding us of the promise of God in which we live.
This week on Lift High the Cross we kick off a summer sermon series, "God's Greater Story". Today we hear about how we are joined to that greater story through our baptism and what that means for our lives.
This week on Lift High the Cross, Pastor Lund speaks about Jesus' authority and how he delegates that authority within our world.
Today is Trinity Sunday. It is also Confirmation Day. We're living in an unusual time with COVID-19 and the protests that are taking place around the country. Jesus and his disciples lived unusual lives and Jesus has some unusual gifts for the human family. Pastor Schlund explores all these things in today's sermon.
Today on Lift High the Cross we celebrate the day of Pentecost. In today's sermon, Pastor Mark Lund focuses on Jesus' words where he promises streams of living water that give life for all who receive them.
Pastor Schlund's sermon from Ascension Day (May 24th) based on the text from Luke 24:44-53
Today on Lift High the Cross, Pastor Mark Lund reminds us that God is our comfort and strength and that He never leaves us or forgets about us.
Today on Lift High the Cross we celebrate "Good Shepherd Sunday" and Pastor Mark Lund preaches on what is probably the most familiar Psalm in the whole book -- Psalm 23. We get a great image of Jesus as our good shepherd.
Pastor Tom Schlund's Easter sermon finishing the series "Eyes on Jesus" with us looking through the eyes of the angels who were there on Easter morning.
Today on Lift High the Cross, Pastor Mark Lund shares a message based on John 12:12-19 where he reminds us that Jesus is King of the universe!
Pastor Tom Schlund's sermon from the first Sunday that everyone had to be home looking at the changes that are happening in our lives and how we deal with them.
Today on Lift High the Cross, Pastor Mark Lund shares a message based on a familiar passage of Scripture -- John 3:1-17 -- where we hear Jesus talk about being born again and how that leads to eternal life.
Did God Really Say? It is a great line that Satan uses to tempt us. He's been using it since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. There are certain things that God does say and we need to listen and follow them.
Today Pastor Mark Lund shares a message based on Matthew 17:1-9 reminding us that we should listen to Jesus.
Lambs are all over the place in Scripture. In today's reading we hear John the Baptist say, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
We don't like it when someone tells us what to do. God, however, has created the whole world and lays out his expectation for us. We keep breaking them. What are we to do?