Pastor Mark: Recent Episodes
Mark Winkelman
Sermons and devotional thoughts from Rev. Mark Winkelman, serving the saints in Freeport, IL and surrounding areas.
Our Lord's ascension and what it means to our 8th grade graduates and to all of us. Why did he leave after promising to always be with us? What does that mean for our lives here on Earth? How is that comforting in our unknown future.
Peace begins not as a feeling, it is objective, a thing. When we 'keep on heeding' God's Word His peace is felt, it gives us courage, and guides our lives. May you keep on heeding His Word so that His peace will guard your heart and your mind.
The Apostle Peter is commanded to make no distinction between Jew and Gentile - so he goes and the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles. Peter does not want to be found going against God even when it seems contradictory to his thoughts. Today we are to go to all nations with the Good News of Jesus.
God leads Peter to the Gentiles and the Holy Spirit falls upon them just as on the Apostles.
The Shepherd continues to seek you out and will until that day He comes to bring you home. While we are here, there are dangers all around, many voices continue to call out - are you hearing the one who gives you life?
Who do you find yourself following in this world? What voices do you listen to? There's only one that will lead you to the place you want to go - make sure you listen and follow that voice.
What does it mean when Jesus commands, "Follow Me"? What does your confession before God and the Church mean to you now? See why God commands and we take seriously the confession to never fall away.
What does Jesus mean by "Peace"? Because it sure seems the disciples are still in danger, in fact they are all martyred in this life (excepting John). Also, what did he mean by giving them the authority to forgive or withhold sins?
Our King comes humbly, to serve. In our sinful flesh we would prefer a worldly conquering hero, but Jesus came to destroy sin, death and the devil, to reconcile us to God, to bring glory to God in the highest.
What does it mean to forget what lies behind? To strive towards the upward call? Listen and grow in the faith.
The love, grace, and mercy of our Heavenly Father shines through in this parable of Jesus. So, then, once we understand it what do we do with that? Live it out!
The history of the Israelites in the wilderness was written down for our instruction. St. Paul calls us to take heed lest we fall for we have not yet attained our heavenly glory, we are still under attack by Satan and our sinful flesh and world. However, God provides the way out.
The temptations which Satan uses against Christ are the same ones you and I experience. What does that teach us, what did Christ do for us, and what can we do?
We long to remain on top of the mountain, but we must go down into the valley. We must realize that on this earth there is no permanent nor perfect mountaintop.
Try to be like Joseph? Like Jesus? Only if Christ is in you - through him we can even love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.
Which do you prefer? You think life, but we battle to overcome the desires of our flesh which lead to death.
Jesus did not stay on the mountain. While you and I want to stay, we are called to go down, to carry our cross, to proclaim the good news for all to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Jesus' sermon on the plain in Luke 6 seems to give us a lot to handle. How can we accomplish all of that?
God calls Isaiah. God calls Peter. God calls you. We are all called and gifted for the purpose of building up the body of Christ.
St. Paul outlines what Godly love is in 1 Corinthians 13. We see God's love most clearly through His Son Jesus.
God never ceases calling out to His beloved. Who are they? All humans, from conception to natural death. While we may tire of calling out to people, God never tires, it is who He is - the God who calls.
Some of the sermon was not recorded due to internet issues, but this is the Sanctity of Human Life Sermon.
Jesus manifests his glory for the first time with a seemingly simple miracle - water into wine. Yet, it shows us so much more about who He is and what He has come to accomplish. And in the midst of it all, we learn what it means for us to be servants of Christ.
During a service of prayer of preaching the devotional sermon focused on our need for Jesus to fulfill all righteousness.
What does the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river mean for you? How does it connect us to God's work and His Kingdom?
Why wait for another day to live a new life? Put on your new life every morning - it's a new day given by God.
The angels told the shepherds where to find Jesus....what about us? Where do we find Jesus now?
As God's chosen ones we are called to put on compassion, kindness, meekness, patience, forgiving, loving - live faithfully.
Why listen to sermons a second time? Because even Pastor forgets what he preached sometimes! However, like a meal fills us and keeps us going even when we forget a few days later what we ate, so also God's Word fills our souls and keeps us strong even when we forget later. Therefore let us return again and again to be fed and strengthened for the work He has called us to do!
The Son of God, who once dwelt among His people in a tent made of animal skins, has made His eternal dwelling place among us in our human skin in order to bring us back to life with God.
What does Moses' encounter with a bush burning but not burning up have to do with Jesus' birth? As we look at the Symbols of Salvation during this Advent season, we'll see that Jesus always appears in order to save.
The disciples want to know the signs for the time when the temple will be destroyed. Jesus warns them and encourages them to endure to the end. Hebrews encourages us to not give up gathering together.
Who are the saints? How did they become saints? Why is it so awesome to gather with the saints?
What a shocking difference in the response from the rich young man to the poor blind beggar! And yet Jesus treats them both equally, calling both of them to follow him - it makes no difference how society views you, how "good" or "bad" you seem to be - Jesus stops, listens, and offers the healing and freedom that only He can give.
If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. So why do we look for so many other options? The Reformation was about getting back to Christ Alone, Grace Alone, through Faith Alone found in Scripture Alone - not 'along with' or 'as long as you...'
October 10th sermon on the rich young man and Jesus telling him to sell all he has. What possesses you? Is it God or is it a worldly item like money, job, car, reputation, etc. The first commandment tells us "You shall have no other gods" so whatever you're trusting, loving, or fearing more than God needs to be "sold"
God grants many gifts, most of all He grants us the gift of faith which delivers salvation. We are called to not neglect this gift, do not take it for granted but feed it (Go to church, receive His sacraments, read His Word, pray) and work it out (use it to glorify God and serve your neighbor). The readings were from Genesis 2:18-25, Hebrews 2:1-18, Mark 10:2-15 - God's gift of marriage, children, salvation.
You shall have no other gods means you shall fear, love, and trust in God above all things. We speak a good game, but how well do we follow through?
From Mark 9, the father brings his demon-possessed child to the disciples who are unable to cast it out, then to Jesus. He cries out "I DO BELIEVE! HELP MY UNBELIEF!" What do we do when we feel our faith waning?
September 12th, 2001 is a special day in many of our memories because it was a day we felt united as a nation. Yet, it did not heal us. On top of that it seems our prayers are left unanswered, what are we to do when that happens? Into the chaos of this world Jesus stepped and revealed His authority and His plan to save us.
James tells us that when we commit one sin we are guilty of breaking all of the Law. How do we proceed?
There is much we can learn from the account of Jesus and the Deaf man. We see the care and concern of friends and of Jesus. We find our hope in the only one who is able to restore creation. I encourage you to place your trust in Jesus and to bring a friend who is in need for creation is ruined by sin, impacting everyone, and Jesus came to restore.
Thursday evening sermon from the 14th week after Pentecost. Based upon Mark 7:14-23 and Ephesians 6:10-20
Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. Where does evil come from? From within. So, what do we do?
Jesus accuses the Pharisees of honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. So the question for us is: Do we do the same?