Go in Peace: Recent Episodes
Ben Ingelson
These podcasts are sermons recorded during worship at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois. Ben Ingelson is the pastor and preacher and these sermons try to share both the good news of God's love for you and also how this gracious love shapes our lives.
Sometimes adjusting the question we're asking can be a gift, especially in the midst of life's wilderness experiences. This sermon is based in Jesus' experience in the wilderness.
This sermon picks up on the quote from St. Francis: "Preach the gospel always, when necessary use words."
This sermon draws on God calling Samuel and how it helps us hear God's call in our lives, too.
God's grace through his Son, Jesus Christ that always declares us as being God's beloved.
God's prophets call out, "Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight!" This sermon explores what it might mean for us to prepare the way of the Lord.
"How is your heart today?" Not the question we often ask, but seems to be the one Jesus is asking in this particular Gospel passage in Matthew 15.
Jesus walks across the rough sea to call out to the disciples, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Matthew 14:22-34
Jesus says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This sermon explores what it means to receive God's gift of the Holy Spirit. Sunday May 28, 2023
God sends Jesus with a metaphorical ladle in hand to serve up God's goodness! Our Christian life, then, picks up the ladle, too, serving up the goodness that God is cookin'.
Jesus says, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you." In other words, Jesus commands us to keep the love of God we have received moving: keep it movin'! Sunday May 14, 2023
Our lives are filled simultaneously with seemingly contradictory experiences, feelings, emotions, that aren't necessarily resolved as either-or but as all true all at once. God send his Son for our whole self and to speak peace into the midst of it all. John 14:1-14.
Although Awe might not be the first word that comes to mind when we think of church, this sermon explores how upon closer inspection it is actually a good word for describing our experience of participating in the life of the church. Acts 2:42-47
In this sermon, we lift up the theme of Vocation and Daryl shares about his faith journey and the role the church community has played in his life.
This sermon explores the pattern of the resurrection story in the Gospel of Matthew and how we see this same pattern of resurrection in our lives, too.
This sermon imagines being a disciple at the table with Jesus during the Last Supper and in the garden with Jesus.
Jesus calls Lazarus from death into life (John 11:1-45) and Jesus also call us forth into life, too.
When we look for signs of spring this time of year, we can find them upon closer inspection. Similarly, when we look for signs of God's presence, we see it. Sunday sermon, March 19, 2023 based in John 9:1-41.
In this sermon, we hear that we are fully known by God and fully loved by God. The sermon is based in John 4: 5-42, the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well.
There's something about the night that creates the space for our hearts and mind to wonder and to worry. It's during the night that Nicodemus and Jesus are having a conversation and it's in the night that Jesus says, "For God so loves the world..." This sermon explores the significance of this conversation happening at night. John 3:1-17
Welcome to the audio podcast of Sunday sermons at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Today's sermon is about saying "yes" to God's values and the role of "no" to power a fuller "yes." Matthew 4:1-11. Lent. February 26, 2023
This is a Vocation Sunday in the life of Resurrection Lutheran Church, which is when we share stories of following God's call in our daily life. On this Sunday, you will hear kids and adults sharing how participating in Scouts is one way they share God's love.
God sends Jesus to gift us life and life abundant and Jesus leads us in the way of life.
Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth." This sermon explores what Jesus means to be salt. Sunday February 5, 2023
Jesus invites us to follow him and live for people, or in his words to the first disciples, to fish for people. This sermon explores what this can mean in our daily life.
Although we aren't gathering in the church together, the Holy Spirit still unites our prayer and worship.
In a time of virus pandemic and high stress, our faith compels us to ask, "What is it time for?" Turns out, it is always a good time to love God and our neighbors.
Jim shares his vocation stories and journey and affirms that how we encourage and support each other is God's call in our lives.
As we go about daily life, we tend to drift out of tune, but God gifts us with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to bring us back into tune with God, with ourselves, and in community.
We see a familiar pattern in the disciples during Jesus' transfiguration, which is the transformation from telling God our plans to listening to Jesus and following God's vision. Matthew 17:1-9
Through Jesus Christ, God's word to you is always "yes." Jesus also teaches us about God's "no," too. This sermon focuses on the power of these two words in our faith starting first with God's "yes" and "no" and then what we're called to say yes and no to. Matthew 5:21-37.
Jesus says, "You are here to be light." This word from Jesus assures us of our identity and purpose. Matthew 5:13-16
In Psalm 27 and Matthew 4, we hear that God shines light in our darkness, replaces our fear with faith, and swaps our despair for hope. This sermon uses a case study from recent conversations with the youth and parents from our Confirmation program in which we're dealing with the heightened fear and anxiety our Jr High youth experience, especially around either being bullied or feeling pressured to participate in it.
Jesus asks us “What are you seeking?” He listens to our response and then invites us to “Come and see.” As we take Jesus up on the invitation we experience and discover what we are seeking. John 1:29-42
Each and every day we encounter countless voices whether our own internal voice or the many external ones we hear, and through all of this, the voice of the Lord also speaks life to us, too.
Nikki shares one of her vocation stories of feeling God's peace in the midst of a job change. This is part of our Vocation series in which the people of Resurrection share stories of listening to God's call in their life.
The beauty of the Christmas story is all the ways the ordinary becomes the means of God's extraordinary gift of Jesus Christ. Just like Mary, Joseph, a manger, shepherds, and a stable, we, too, are means of God's extraordinary love. Christmas Eve 2019
God takes a risk in sending his Son for the sake of saving us from sin so that we would have peace within ourselves, peace between ourselves, and peace among communities.
God wraps us in love, grace, and new life especially when we need it most. Isaiah 35:1-10. Video of time-lapse worship service and sermon activity: https://youtu.be/e7FWV1KShhM
Jesus Christ is the headwaters of God's peace flowing into our lives and into the world, and along the banks of this river is peace within and peace between. The season of Advent invites us to stop paddling so hard and to flow with God's gift of grace and love.
How do you finish the sentence, "Let's go to the house of the Lord so that..." In Isaiah 2, the people go to the house of the Lord to learn God's ways and walk in God's pathways.
God calls us to serve others in big and small ways. Mike shares his vocation stories and some examples of what Christian greatness looks like.
The ingredients of any bountiful potluck are intentionality, generosity, and teamwork. It turns out that what we know about potlucks is also true of generous living and God's mission happening through the church.
We experience joy as we live the two greatest commandments. Although we give of ourselves, we actually feel like we receive more than we give away when we live by the acronym J.O.Y. Jesus, Others, Yourself. Link to the video of Joyfully Following Jesus: https://youtu.be/8xqfpqoZaU0
God turns our offering into tangible experiences of God’s love. Even when we give, we end up being receivers of God’s generosity.
Sam, a high school senior, describes listening for God's call in his life both in his professional pursuit and also saying "yes" to being an Assistant Scout Master. This is part of our series on Vocation: the ways we respond to God's call in our daily life.
Jesus encourages us to pray always so that we do not lose heart. (Luke 18: 1-8). This sermon explores Jesus' parable and offers three prayer postures that can help us to pray always.
Jesus praises the Samaritan for returning to thank God for healing him. (Luke 17: 11-19). Jesus also encourages us to turn to God and give thanks, too, because gratitude is good for our heart, soul, faith, and discipleship.
Jesus embodies God’s loving humility and Jesus leads us into a life of humility that blesses our neighbors with God’s love. Luke 16:19-31.
A story of how Pastor Ben’s prayer evolved and changed over two years while hoping to become parents.
God's parties look different than typical parties. God's parties reflect the grace and generosity of the host. In Luke 14, Jesus compares a typical dinner party to God's gatherings. Through Jesus, God always says to us, "You are invited!"
For the sake of sharing God's goodness, Jesus disrupts patterns that harm, and Jesus leads us to do the same. Luke 12:49-56
God promises that a light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) Life brings about experiences of darkness, such as pain, loss, grief, discord and the like, and God promises that even in these moments, the eternal light of Christ stays lit.
In our Vocation series, we hear personal stories of God’s call in our lives. Sue shares her journey through self-doubt to trusting God is indeed calling her to use her musical gifts in service to others.
This sermon explores the paradox of experiencing the hardships of life while also experiencing God's goodness: the paradox of the cross and resurrection.
Jesus changes the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “What does it mean to be a neighbor?” To illustrate the difference between these two questions Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Jesus calls us to live by the latter question and to thus, be merciful. Link to the video "People Walk Past Loved Ones Disguised As Homeless On The Street Social Experiment" https://youtu.be/Bel3vITdnGE
The Christian faith is more than an insurance policy for what happens to us after we die. God sends Jesus so that we would be made whole in the here and now, too. This sermon also explores mental health as a specific example of God caring for us in this moment, too, and this sermon attempts to lift the veil on mental health so that we experience the healing Jesus brings us.
As baptized children of God, we follow Jesus into lives of serving and loving others. Danielle shares her vocation story of becoming and being a Speech Pathologist.
The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak God’s love in ways that other people can receive it. Acts 2.
Jesus commands us to let the love of God we receive to flow through us and be God's love for our neighbor.
God leads us in the ways of abundant life. This sermon guides the listener through Psalm 23 and provides opportunity for reflection and listening to his/her inner teacher. Hopefully, this intentional reflection blesses the listener’s relationship with God and walk with Jesus. This link will provide the Psalm 23 "worksheet:" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BFp-xvuRs6Z-VnaQSwKF2qSchM6Mkiss/view?usp=sharing
Jesus frees us to be who he needs us to be and in so doing Jesus brings us from mundane to abundant life, from death to life. John 21:1-19
Al tells his story of being raised to new life through recovery from alcoholism. "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!"
God brings forth a super bloom of resurrection, new life, and hope from the ashes of Good Friday. Easter Sunday. Luke 24:1-2
Our faith life needs the full experience of Holy Week. Although it is a hard week, God promises us that the story never ends on the cross. Easter always comes.
When Mary pours perfume all over Jesus' feet, she shows us to express the gratitude welling up in our hearts. John 12:1-8.
Jesus tells three stories showing the many ways we can experience being lost, but Jesus’ stories are first and foremost about our God who seeks us out when we are lost and who celebrates every time we are found. Luke 15
Jesus turns us from pointing out the sins of others to instead look in the mirror and 1) see ourselves as God sees us and 2) be who God calls us to be. In this sense, Jesus gives us the gift of being transformed by God's love. Luke 13:1-9
Jesus calls us on our tendency to initially resist what he's calling us to do, but keeps calling us anyway and when he follow, we discover the eternal life he was leading us in all along. Luke 13:31-35.
During Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, we see that nothing will deter Jesus from living out God’s mission. This sermon also explores how we can nurture our faith relationship with God. Luke 4: 1-13.
When Jesus calls us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to be merciful just as God is merciful to us, Jesus frees us with God's love and also leads us in ways that bring forth new life in us, in our relationships, and beyond.
In worship on February 24, we made use of rocks, jars, and fresh plant cuttings to experience the power of Jesus' life-giving and challenging call to be merciful just as God is to us. Video of the worship activity: https://youtu.be/WmHLNqMf_YE
Audio of Kim Phuc's "The Long Road to Forgiveness" https://thisibelieve.org/essay/44965/
Jesus sets us free with God's love. Some days Jesus frees us with a word of comfort and other days we are freed by his word of caution. Both the blessings and woes serve the same purpose: to set us free with God's love so we can live a resurrected life. Luke 6
Turns out there are some repeating patterns in our life of following Jesus. The story of Simon and Jesus illustrates said patterns in our life with Christ, too. Luke 5:1-11.
Sarah shares her stories of hearing the whisper of God's call in her life and one story of God's megaphone call. This is part of Resurrection's Vocation series.
God sees us through Christ glasses and declares once and for all and every day, "This is my child, my beloved; with you I am well pleased." God, then corrects our vision by inviting us to wear Christ glasses, too.
The wise men journey from the East following the star to Jesus. As we observe the wise men in this story, we also learn about growing in wisdom and discovering God's grace gifts in our daily journeys, too. Matthew 2:1-11. Epiphany.
Rather than wait on high for us to somehow make our way to God via good deeds or righteousness, God instead comes to us through Jesus Christ and says "Do not be afraid. You are who I love." Advent 4. Link to Richard Rohr's Advent reflection: https://vimeo.com/246331333
John the Baptist visits Resurrection Lutheran Church and explains why he suggests giving away a coat as a way to get ready for the arrival of Jesus Christ. Luke 3. December 16, 2018.
"Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his pathways straight." Luke 3: 1-6. John the Baptist calls us to get ready for Jesus and to make room in our heart, soul, and life for God's gift of Jesus.
Jesus anticipates our tendency to hunker down when we feel stuck and calls us to keep at it and to light a candle. Luke 21:25-36.
Through the waters of baptism, God calls us into a life being Christ to one another and to our neighbors. Fred shares his stories of responding to God’s call as a teacher and the ways he blessed his students and was also blessed by them. John 13:34-35.
Jesus leads us in a life of empathy: treating others how we'd like to be treated. In so doing, God's empathetic love is shared. Matthew 5 and 7.
Jesus' ways of grace, mercy, and compassion are not normal and often generate push back from the way things normally work. John 15: 18-19.
Jesus us present in us during our moments of vulnerability and Jesus calls us to see himself in others during their times of struggle. Matthew 25:31-40, www.facebook.com/resurrectionchannahon
Jesus says, “Go. Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor.” Jesus calls us to see our possessions as opportunities to help our neighbors in need and Jesus calls to shift our focus from what we will no longer have to instead see the people who will be blessed. Matthew 19: 16-22. October 21, 2018
When you throw a party, Jesus says, by all means invite you friends, just be sure to also invite the new guy, the person who recently lost her job, the one who’s spouse died, and anyone else who tends to be forgotten. Luke 14:12-15. Who is God calling you to include this week?
Part II of the October 7 Vocation Sunday: Brenda shares her stories of the way God calls her to bless others through teaching, singing, and writing.
Through the waters of baptism, God calls us to serve the people in our life as a way to share God's love. Beth shares her stories of how this plays out in her family in her role as spouse, mother, and sister.
Jesus has a hard conversation with his disciples so that we can experience more fully God's love and so that we can more faithfully love our neighbor as ourselves. Mark 9:38-50.
Jesus defines greatness differently: serving and willingly being last for the sake of blessing someone else. This sermon involves crafting two different resumes as a way to explore Jesus’ freeing message. Mark 9: 33-37.
In our baptism, God baptizes us into Christ and calls and sends us to be Christ to one another and to all people. Jim and Dan reflect on God’s call in their life and how they bless others with God’s love.
Jesus crosses dividing lines and heals two people. In these healings, we see that God's love is for the people we might label as "them," and we see that Jesus pushes past the dividing lines we create in order to reveal God's mercy. Mark 7. September 9, 2018.
When we are content to point out the faults of others, Jesus invites us instead to tune into our own heart. Jesus’ message of “You worry about you” becomes a life-giving corrective that blesses us even though it is the harder work to do. Mark 7. September 2, 2018.
Jesus generously gives of himself so that we receive abundant life. The mystery and power of Jesus, the bread of life in John 6:51-58.
In our baptism, God baptizes us into Christ and calls and sends us to be Christ to one another and to all people. Laura and Ruth reflect on God’s call in their life and how they bless others with God’s love.
Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” This sermon uses a loaf of Wonder bread and a loaf of organic French bread to explore Jesus’ comparison of the bread that leaves us hungry and the Bread of Life that satisfies our hunger and that is God’s gift for you. John 6:25-35. August 5, 2018.
Jesus feeds 5,000 people from one boy’s bread and fish. Jesus teaches us to entrust what we do have into his hands so that he can feed people with God’s love rather than get discouraged by what we fear we don’t have and can’t do. John 6. July 29, 2018
God calls us into a life of loving one another just like Jesus loves us. Heather and Laura reflect on how they live this daily calling as mothers, as a hair stylist, a volunteer, and more. July 22, 2018. Vocation series Part 2.
God sends his Son to seek us out when we are lost and God calls us to be part of the rescue team. Luke 15. VBS Sunday 2018.
We are freed by God’s love to be God’s love. Jesus leads us to love our neighbors as ourselves and everybody is our neighbor: family, friends, coworkers, and beyond. June 24, 2018. John 13
God calls, frees, and sends each of us to be Christ to one another and to our neighbor. This is Part 1 in a series in which the people of Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois tell their personal stories of following God’s call in their daily life. June 17, 2018: Lisa and Jeanne.
Jesus upsets the apple cart with God’s Love. He messes with the way the world normally works to free us with a new truth and way of being. Mark 3:21-35. June 10, 2018
God gifts us with Sabbath for renewal and refreshment of our heart, mind, soul, and body. The challenge is actually stopping and discerning what actions suit the Sabbath. Mark 3. June 3, 2018
Each and every day God makes us well through grace and then asks, “Who will go for us? Whom shall I send?” Our faith and walk with Christ compels us to raise our hand and say, “Here am I. Send me.”
The Holy Spirit empowers us to be fluent in both God’s language and the local language so that we can live and speak God’s life-giving gift of Jesus Christ. Pentecost Sunday. Acts 2.
Jesus prays for you, and in his prayer, he gives thanks for you and prays for your daily discipleship. His prayer is for you and for all the disciples as we live in the world but are not of the world and yet are called to reveal the love of God within the world. John 17. May 13, 2018.
Jesus commands us to imitate him: to love one another in the same way he loves us. In so doing, God’s Love is shared and our joy is complete. John 15:9-17. May 6, 2018
God blesses us with gracious love to also be a blessing God's gracious love to others. This sermon is about how we abide in God's love and how we prune what gets in the way of connecting with God. John 15: 1-8. Link to the video in the sermon: https://youtu.be/Wt7X1Rx6aLU
God is the good shepherd and we are the sheep. God frees us from the anxious cycle of wanting and instead gifts us with a content and grateful life through Jesus Christ. April 22, 2018
Jesus opens our eyes to God’s full use of the color palette to reveal God’s love for us and the world. Luke 24
Although we know Good Friday and dying, in Jesus's resurrection, God assures us that resurrection and living always have the final word. Easter Sunday 2018. Mark 16:1-8.
God gifts us with Eternal Life in the present, and God sends his Son so that we experience eternal life as we follow him. This sermon explores how Jesus leads us in the ways of eternal life using his image of a seed dying to bear much fruit. Link to see the photos that accompany the sermon: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1B1DORdTuTPV3QBDmYn8RJBO5d7QMsKRd, or visit Resurrection’s Facebook page and find the March 18 album: www.facebook.com/resurrectionchannahon
God loves us so much God gives us his Son so that we experience eternal life in the here and now. This sermon explores how God shifts us from withering to flourishing today and also how we’ve limited the gift of this passage by seeing eternal life as something that only kicks in after we die. March 11, 2018.
It is because God loves us first, that God calls us to live as beloved people. This sermon explores the context of the Ten Commandments and how they continue to bless our relationship with God and one another. March 4, 2018.
Jesus dies so that we can rise to new life with him, and Jesus leads us to give of ourselves to follow him and bless others with God’s resurrecting love. Sunday February 25 sermon. Mark 8: 31-38.
In Mark 1:9-13, Jesus is baptized, tested, and sent. We experience this same sequence in our daily life of following Jesus: loved/baptized, tested, and sent. Sunday February 18, 2018.
God shifts the disciples from anxiously guessing to faithfully listening, from fear to trust, and from uncertainty to peace. God does so by assuring them that Jesus is his son. God does the same for us, too.
Jesus’ message and actions communicate the same good news: God is near! The nearness of God is revealed in healing, mercy, and compassion. As followers of Jesus, we’re also called to have our words and actions communicate this same good news and to be sources of healing, mercy, and compassion. Mark 1:29-39.
Jesus amazes the congregation with his teaching and when he heals a man with an unclean spirit (Mark 1:21-28). Consequently, he yanks the rug out from under the status quo to reveal the kingdom of God.
As Christians we are not called to be people of good intentions but people of loving action following Jesus. Mark 1:14-20.
When Nathanael isn’t so sure about Jesus, Philip invites him to “come and see.” In our lives of faith, it is in going and seeing that we discover who Jesus is and it is in following Jesus that we experience God’s gracious love for us and all people. John 1:43-51.
The great Christmas paradox: God gifts all creation with the fullness of love and grace through Jesus and also entrusts this immeasurable gift into Mary and Joseph’s arms as a completely dependent newborn. Luke 2.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you and the Lord has anointed you for special work. Isaiah 61 and John 1.
“Prepare the way of the Lord!” God calls us to make a clear pathway for his gift of Jesus Christ to reach us and to also reach others through us. Mark 1:1-8. Advent.
Jesus assures us he will return and calls us to keep following him while we wait. Mark 13
The gift of baptism also includes a job description: all the ways we are called and expected to further God's mission.
Jesus invites us to follow him and be set free in the process. It is in recognizing how we are not free that we open ourselves to becoming free.
Remembering the countless people in our lives who have nurtured our faith: the great cloud of witnesses.
Jesus turns the disciple's two fish and five loaves into more than enough food for over 5,000 people. Similarly, God has been turning our offerings into an abundance. Matthew 14:13-21. Accompanying video: https://youtu.be/AC-VXD8Bnxo
Jesus directs us to love God with our heart, soul, and mind and to also love our neighbor as ourselves. This applies to all areas of our life, which turns out to be a life-giving gift, even our financial giving.
We are loved by God in order that we would share God's love. Giving as a faith practice that shines the light of Christ. 1 Peter 2. Matthew 5.
God entrusts everything we have into our care (i.e. relationships, time, energy, money, etc.), but God never transfers ownership to us. And so our daily question becomes "What would God have me do with this?" Psalm 24:1, Matthew 6:25-33.
Forgiveness is a gift from God and a way we experience God's grace. This podcast is a series of reflections on Rev. Dr. Michael Barry's sermon and Forgiveness Project presentation at Resurrection on September 24, 2017. He is the author of the book The Forgiveness Project and co-director of Luther College's FoRGo Project. He blessed us with his research, faith, and experience. This audio podcast tries to share what he brought to us.
Jesus promises that God forgives us and calls us to play by God's same grace rules and forgive each other, too. Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus teaches us what to do after we sin against each other. Within the church, we forgive and mend broken relationships so that God's healing and grace is made known. Matthew 18:15-20.
Jesus promises us that when we follow him in a life of serving we actually discover a fulfilled life. Matthew 16
Through Jesus, God comes near to us in love and grace and removes any and all barriers, and Jesus establishes the church to be the nearness of God, to be a thin place. Matthew 16:13-20.
The Holy Spirit holds us in God's love even when we are at a loss for words. Romans 8 and Matthew 13.
Three stories of taking Jesus up on the promise and invitation: "Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28-30.
Jesus says, "Whoever welcome you welcomes me." We receive and share the nearness of God through daily acts of love, grace, and generosity.
Jesus instructs us in what a life following him is all about. Matthew 10:24-39. Sunday June 25, 2017. Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois.
Jesus gives us authority to be his loving presence. Matthew 9:35-10:8. Sunday June 18, 2017.
An ancient gesture centers us in God's grace and also calls us forth to be followers of Jesus. This sermon wonders how our everyday life can be effected by making the sign of the cross before seemingly ordinary tasks and conversations.
Pentecost Sunday: the gift of the Holy Spirit. Sermon preached by Beth Bullard, June 4, 2017.
Jesus says we show our love by doing what he teaches us. John 14 invites us to ask a life-giving question: how will I love Jesus today?
God is our shepherd: an intentional walk through Psalm 23. Sunday May 7 sermon, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, IL.
Through Jesus, God always and unconditionally says to you and all people: "You matter." In the Luke 24 story Jesus directs our eyes to where and how we hear and see God's love. April 30 sermon, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, IL.
God is faithful to us no matter our current level of faith at any given moment. Thomas' experience of belief and unbelief provide an opportunity to explore our own experience of the same thing. April 23 sermon at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Channahon, Illinois.
Jesus' resurrection forever shakes up life as we know it. Easter Sunday, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois.
Jesus gives us a new commandment: to love one another just as he loves us, which includes washing feet just as he does for us. Maundy Thursday April 13, 2017.
God does not cause suffering; rather, God enters into our suffering with the gift of Jesus Christ so that suffering gives way to new life and death gives way to resurrection. April 2 sermon rooted in John 11 at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, IL.
God shows us mercy and calls us to be merciful, too. Sunday March 26, Resurrection Lutheran Church. Sermon by Beth Bullard
When Jesus offers the Samaritan Woman living water we hear about who God is, who God's love is for, and how God's love is shared. Sunday March 19 sermon based in John 4:5-42, Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois.
Jesus offers a life-giving corrective to our tendency to try to appear righteous by pointing out the sins of others: you worry about you. Sunday March 12 sermon based in Luke 13:1-5.
Jesus can't be swayed from his mission to live, die, and be raised for you. Sunday March 5 sermon at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois.
God reminds us who we are and invites us to listen to Jesus, especially when our mind is racing with uncertainty. Sunday Sermon based in Matthew 17:1-8, February 26 at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois.
God's gift of grace is like a meal in a hallway that turns division and coldness into connection and warmth. Link to watch accompanying video: https://youtu.be/vDuA9OPyp6I
In this section of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to live and act in ways that extends God's love to our neighbors (Matthew 5: 21-37).
Jesus gives us a light to shine and to do so also means being aware of our own bushel basket, too. Matthew 5: 13-16
Jesus assures us of God's blessing when we just might be feeling discouraged by a life of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.
Before we ever believe in Jesus, he invites us to "come and see" God's gift of grace. In this sermon, we "hear" from the disciple Andrew about how our faith relationship with Jesus develops.
God always labels you as "This is my child, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Sermon for Baptism of our Lord Sunday, Matthew 3:13-17
The gift of Christmas isn't one day in which everything is perfect. In our darkness, God gives us the light of Christ, which changes how we experience darkness.
John announces the nearness of God and the coming of the Lord. This sermon provides some everyday ideas for how we can experience the nearness of God and also prepare the way of the Lord.
Final sermon in the series attempting to bust some myths about financial giving. This time, the myth to bust is that when the church gives away money, it means less for "us."
Financial giving as a Faith practice that shares God's love instead of having to pay the church's bills. Click link to watch accompanying mythbusting video https://youtu.be/n6w44-udVRM.
When we give at church, the money gets turned into God's love being shared. This is week two of financial giving myth busting and today's myth is my giving just goes to paying the church staff and pastor.
To see the accompanying video, click this link: https://youtu.be/Ty9kOjDZfko.
In this sermon we explore whether our financial giving simply pays the church's expenses of having a building, or if it our giving does more than just pay for the building. Spoiler Alert: our giving becomes so much more than just a building.
See the Video on mysthbusting week 1 by clicking the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/XxuBagx0xnY
God's blessings flow like water (Isaiah 55) and we are called to share God's blessings, too.
Jesus invites us and encourages us to pray always so as not to lose heart. This sermon includes a how-to on prayer. Pastor Ben's guide for prayer can be found at www.facebook.com/resurrectionchannahon or by emailing Pastor Ben.
Saying thank you to God with our praise and our lives for the healing we have received through Jesus Christ.
God goes into the wilderness, the disconnected place, to seek us out when we're lost, to reconnect us, and to celebrate. Luke 15:1-10
Jesus teaches about a life of integrity. Sunday August 21, 2016 Sermon at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois
When we experience heartache, Jesus sees us, has compassion on us, and assures us new life will emerge.
Some thoughts on how we can talk about our Christian faith so that our story just might become a blessing for someone else.
Looking at what it means to have peace like a river in our souls and how we might find peace in daily life.
God uses the ordinary to share God's extraordinary love. Sunday sermon preached at Resurrection Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois January 17, 2016.