GSLCVA Podcast

The voice is a powerful thing, admired by untold millions purchasing music or sitting breathlessly awaiting the winners of “American Idol” or “The Voice.” Join Pastor James as he challenges us to hear the Spirit's voice – the source and means of our hope for this life and the next.

Join us this Ascension Sunday as Pastor Johann provides us a refresher on what our mission should be…right here, right now. Often, it is easy to get lost in the details of day-to-day activities and forget our purpose. We ask the wrong questions, emphasize the wrong things, and don't move on with the mission He has assigned us. Christ is everywhere he is here and now, calling us to be witnesses. Are you ready to tend His flock? If not now, when?

When God chose to love us, it was His choice. Join Pastor James as he discusses how because of God's choosing us we are empowered and filled with His love and must then resolve to live out that same love each and every day of our lives.

The linkage between our love for each other and God's love for us is a distinctly Christian message from today's epistle reading. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how God is love, love is an action of God, and love is an example through Jesus's atoning sacrifice for our sins. When we abide in God by loving each other, God's purpose in loving us in completed. We are saved by Christ and are assured of this by loving as He did.

Anyone can say, “I love you.” Words are cheap and the meaning can be lost. Even today as Christians, we use the same phrase. What is the Christian meaning of love? Join Pastor James as he delves into our response to God's great love as we seek to define Christian love through the lives we live.

Have you ever wondered, “What is the point of the Resurrection?” Is it simply about Jesus' offering of peace? Join Pastor Johann as he discusses the Resurrection. It happened because the Messiah was meant to suffer and to rise from the dead; it provides a basis for us to wake up and ask for repentance and forgiveness of sins; and finally it allows us to proclaim this message and bear witness of the good news of the Resurrection.

“Peace be with you,” Jesus said to His disciples locked behind doors. Join Pastor James as he discusses today's Gospel. Assuring us that with Jesus' peace-bearing presence, we have a secure foundation in a Savior who accepts us as and where we are.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Throughout Lent, we have heard a drumbeat call from God to return to Him, and today we rejoice that this call was issued so that we might have life in abundance through the One who lived, died, and rose again to secure our salvation. Join Pastor Johann as he discusses how we are called to come and see the Christ; to see the salvation won for us; to see the life that He has secured; and to see the Word that we are to share with others.

The author of creation hangs on the cross, wracked with pain and writhing in agony. It is almost unbearable to look on this scene, and yet without it we would be lost forever, still trapped in our sins. As we gather tonight to remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for each of us, may we focus on the One who is the way and the truth and the life, even Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Join us this Maundy Thursday as Pastor Johann discusses how Jesus invites us to join Him at the Table. He repeats this invitation repeatedly, because He feeds us in order to build us up and strengthen our faith. His invitation draws us into a place where we have fellowship with all believers. Yet, our fellowship is stained by sin. To remedy our sin Jesus gives us His own body and blood with a promise, to make all things new and share the fruit of the vine with Christ Himself.

Today is Palm|Passion Sunday, it is one of the more cluttered and confusing liturgical days of the church year. In celebration of Palm|Passion Sunday, today we remember a parade deliberately staged by Jesus. Join Pastor James as he focuses on the cheers of Hosanna during that parade, shortly followed by the jeers of the crucifixion on Good Friday. The parade and crucifixion both unwittingly show humankind's part in highlighting God's great love for each of us as sinners.

What does Jesus mean when he refers to “the kingdom of God?” Pontius Pilate wrestled with this exact question asking, “What is truth?” How do we navigate the waters of worldly authority and stay true to the eternal authority of God? Join us today as Pastor James discusses how Jesus is our King in a way that no earthly authority could ever comprehend. He loves and provides for His subjects, leads by example, and offers Himself to ensure the salvation of His people.

In today's Gospel reading, some Greeks come to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and say, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” They wanted to see Jesus, which in John's gospel, is closely connected with believing. Join Pastor James as we, on our journey to the cross, come to understand that in the end, you don't have to see Jesus in a physical sense to come to know Jesus through faith.

Join us this Lenten Wednesday as Pastor Johann discusses Peter's denials of Jesus. Like Peter, we too may shrink from our faith. The pressures of living in a culture that does not recognize Jesus as Lord and God can be significant and may lead us to soft-pedal our beliefs or even to outright deny Jesus. However, Jesus will have the last word. He will forgive us, restore us, and send us out with a task to complete. He calls us to return to Him, to return from denial.

In today's gospel, John 3:16, Jesus articulates, as Luther says, “the Gospel in a nutshell.” God is fundamentally a God of love, love is the logic by which the kingdom of God runs, and God's love trumps everything else; even justice, in the end. Join Pastor James as he speaks to how frightening it can be to be so utterly dependent on God, and understanding that it is about God's boundless love in the gift and exaltation of Jesus Christ.

Join us this Lenten Wednesday when Pastor James discusses Judas's betrayal and where the sin of false witness prevails. The false witness of Jesus' sham trial is evident, however ours is seldom so. In what ways do we bear false witness? How do our failures lead us away from God? God calls us to turn from our sin, to look to Him, and to find our rest and identity in Him. When we do, Jesus takes our sins—even our false witness against Him—and offers us forgiveness.

The true power of the cross can be hard to see. In religious culture, it is an icon, yet in the first century, it was a gruesome capital punishment device. Join us as Pastor Johann discusses the message of the cross. To those perishing it is foolish; to those being saved, it is the power of God. The cross shows us the broad love of God, reminds us that God's ways are not worldly ways, and points to grace and unto salvation.

Join us as Pastor Johann explores betrayal, specifically the ways that we betray one another and Jesus through our denials and rejection of faith. We live in a culture that prides itself on rejecting the morality that Jesus taught. Whether it is failing to acknowledge our faith or embracing our own sinful urges, it is too easy to turn away from God and betray Jesus. Yet Jesus did not avoid betrayal and accepted the consequences to ensure that all who believe in Him are free.

In the Gospel for this week, Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Join Pastor James as he discusses the expectations and impact of the cross upon each of us as we face just what the “how” of that is on our journey of cross carrying and denying ourselves.

Today's sermon focuses our attention on Peter, James, and John in the Garden of Gethsemane and explores the topic of prayer. God commands us to pray, but we seldom do a very good job of it. Join us today as Pastor James discusses prayer. When God calls us to pray, He provides us the means to pray, and even fulfills what we ourselves are unable to do. Jesus takes our sins upon Himself and dies on the cross, satisfying the wrath of God and fulfilling what we ourselves are unable to do.

Sometimes in our faith walk, we give up something intentionally, as a homage to the Lord's suffering. We try to create a desert-like experience, highlighting our mortality and the fragility of life. This desert wilderness is a place of loss and grief, where we face our lack of power. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how the wilderness is where we discover who we are, whose we are, and what matters…being filled with gratitude and appreciation for today, and being fully alive in Christ.

God calls us into relationships with Him and with other Christians, people who walk the path with us and share their blessings. Join us as Pastor Johann sets the stage for Lent, a path where we learn from our brothers and sisters in the faith, and where their stories illuminate and direct our own stories. God's call is a call to join Jesus on a path of pain and suffering. But, it is a call that leads to everything but destruction; it leads to blessings from God and eternal life in Christ.

The Transfiguration describes a mountaintop experience, where the disciples wanted to worship and stay with Christ. Today we often want a similar experience, striving for highpoints, shunning the low points. Join us today as Pastor James discusses how life is about coming down from the mountaintop into the sinful world, with low points and not just highpoints. The Transfiguration reminds us who gives us true glory, forgiveness, and eternal life, which has little to do with our highs and lows. 

Scripture speaks of a Father, and a Son, and a Holy Spirit, each member of the Trinity being coequal, inseparable, interpenetrating, and causing no division. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how we need healing, as we are beset by many problems. Jesus represents more than physical healing, He represents eternal healing, as He is the truth and the way to true peace. Jesus is intent on bringing us around to the life we are intended to live, where the greatest are the servants of all.

When we hear the words “because I said so,” we recognize that that person speaks with authority. Join Pastor James as he walks through today's gospel text seeking an understanding that because Jesus said so, His authority came not from rank or position. Instead, His wisdom came from His competence in interpreting God's Word, so that we will understand His desire that all His children enjoy health and life.

Jesus says to the disciples and to you “follow me.” This is not just an invitation to go; it's also an invitation to leave behind earthly pursuits. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how we accept Jesus' invitation to follow, not by packing up, but by letting go. By letting go, where we hear the call to a new life, where we are changed and the ordinary becomes extraordinary. “Follow me” is Jesus' call to participate with God in God's own saving work by discovering God's divinity within us.

There is a lot of “finding” in John's quirky account on the calling of Jesus' disciples. Join Pastor James as he shares our calling as Christians, to share the gospel with others. It is through our inviting, going, and showing that those “found” may also take part in finding and sharing in God's grace-given promise through faith to be with him in eternity. 

Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how we are recreated in baptism just like the image of creation in Genesis, where the Spirit of God moved over the waters. Mark's gospel makes it clear that it is the Spirit's movement that distinguishes Jesus' baptism from John's. The Spirit has come upon us like Jesus and the Ephesians, calling us God's beloved children. Through baptism, we are set on Jesus' mission to recreate the world in the image of God's vision of justice and peace.

Christmas has come and gone and the New Year lays directly ahead. Join Pastor James as he shares carrying Christmas beyond December 25 and into everyday of our lives, shining the light and living the God-given promises seen through the manger and on the cross. 

During this season of giving, we often look for examples of goodwill through Saint Nicholas giving his presents, Luke's Christmas account, and the message of world peace. Humanity achieves peace with God through Jesus Christ filling our hearts with generosity and compassion, so that others may experience the same. When peace is present, goodwill abounds. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses the meaning of peace and goodwill, how it is God's will, and a message of God's undying love for all.

In this Sunday's gospel John, the Baptist was called not to baptize, but to witness to the light, and the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Join Pastor James as he discusses how like John, we are also called by God to witness to the light. Witnessing is about how we are called to talk about what matters most to us, questions of meaning and purpose, our relationships, and what happens in our daily lives in light of our faith.

In life, we have checklists of tasks to remember and perform ahead of our daily activities. Preparation and adaptation are vital as we face challenges to our checklists. In today's Gospel, we see how our daily checklists pale in comparison to the story of John the Baptist. Join Pastor Johann as he discusses the vital preparations of the believer's life as we strive to prepare our hearts, purge sin from our lives, repent, and focus on Jesus, as he gives us deep peace and rest.

Perhaps more than any of the other Gospels, Mark offers a distinctly apocalyptic view of only Jesus and the Christian life. Not, mind you, apocalyptic as in the end of the world. His views pull back the curtain of false hopes and realities. In doing so, Mark helps to reveal God's commitment to enter into, and redeem, our lives and world just as they are.

People are more comfortable with the known rather than the unknown. We want certainty, the bottom line, and we want to know what is going to happen more than wanting a particular outcome to happen. As we crave certainty, we realize that life is full of uncertainty. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how in a world with seemingly no certainty about anything our Lord is clear. He lived and died for us, and through His grace, we will inherit the kingdom of God the Father for eternity.

Noticing and thanking – the first step to setting in motion a cycle of gratitude and grace. Join Pastor James as he discusses how after noticing the blessing we have just received, we cannot forget to turn and give thanks, just as the leper did on the road to Jerusalem. And having been noticed with gratitude, we will discover it easier to gratefully notice in return.

When considering today's text, The Parable of the Talents, one of the great scholarly debates is whether or not we should treat the landowner as God. Join Pastor James as he examines just how do we imagine and treat God in light of the text. Do we see Him as arbitrary and capricious or as loving and gracious? Moreover, just how does what we see impact the way we live our lives?

Do you procrastinate and get things done at the last minute? Do you realize that procrastination typically has poor results? Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how our Lord is patient and full of grace; but judgment day is coming, and we should not procrastinate with our spirituality. Instead of doing the minimum to get by, we should be ready to carry out the commission God has given us. We should have a Christian attitude, doing the best for the Lord, transformed to serve Him always.

Humanity holds a fascination with life, death, and the afterlife. We all share a mortal nature and death is an inevitable part of life. On this All Saints Day, we honor and remember the saints gone before us. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how salvation is for all people; how those who have gone before us have found lasting rest through the mercy and grace of God; how we remember them today; and rise to serve Him until we are called to the Lord.

The rise of an earthly civilization and its preeminence never lasts as societal values and morals ultimately break down. Join us this Reformation Day as Pastor Johann discusses how history has shown that selfish ambitions have veered people, and civilizations, off-track. Instead of judging our shortcomings we should focus on revitalizing our faith lives by repenting, focusing on Christian fundamentals, and understanding how His gift of grace transform us providing lasting salvation.

Sunday, we arrive at the point in Matthew's story about Jesus where things are getting tense. Riding the wave of popular acclaim, Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders regarding the authority behind his actions. Jesus asks to see a coin and answers with a question, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” Join Pastor James then asks us, just whose likeness do we bear? Do we bear God's likeness? Or act for ourselves instead of for Him?

In verse 8 of today's reading from Romans chapter 4, Paul's encouragement is deceptively simple: think on whatever is right, on whatever is good, on whatever is best. That's about it. Simple, indeed. Join Pastor James as he discusses how when we know God and His holy word, there is no shortage of good and true and beautiful words and images for us to think on to shake off the bad, false, and ugly thoughts that cross our minds, and how that's a lovely way to live rejoicing.    

Do you love God or hate God? He has provided us with life and all that we need. It is up to us to determine if we will cherish these gifts or abuse them. Join us today, as Pastor Johann discusses how people find it difficult to accept that God's will and theirs might differ, dismissing Him as irrelevant. God is incredibly merciful and patient with us, but not infinitely so. The time to realign our hearts with Jesus is now, focusing on a relationship with Him sharing His gift of love and grace.

In today's gospel text from Matthew, the religious leaders challenge Jesus' authority to teach and preach, particularly in the Temple. Listen as Pastor James explores Jesus' question to the religious leaders and that His answer pushes us to the point of reflection that the real issue is not about authority. It is about the extent of God's grace. That God invites us once again to see, accept, actualize, and respond to God's amazing grace and live into the future that God has prepared for us.

We all struggle with life in one way or another, at one time or another, and live in ways that seem best to us rather than in faith and love as Jesus teaches us. Through Jesus, God calls us to repent, to turn away from our self-centered lives, to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Through His saving love, we can bring the good news to people, including those outside of our fold, sharing His grace and giving us true life through Jesus.

Forgiveness is rarely easy to do, and there is not a simple formula for living it out. Join Pastor James as he talks about how this business about forgiveness is not about a particular requirement or a number of times at all. Rather that forgiveness lies at the heart of our faith in God and our love of one another and that it is not something we do, but a way of being in a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Conflict is a part of relationships and life in community. Join us as Pastor Johann discusses how Jesus' words from today's gospel are often used in situations having to do with church discipline. The prophet Ezekiel tells of warning the wicked to turn from their ways, and Paul reminds us that love is the fulfilling of the law. We gather in the name of Christ, assured that He is present among us, and with gifts of peace and reconciliation.

In today's Gospel Jesus discusses the importance of being ready for His return, and how we can prepare ourselves.  This reminder of faithfulness to Jesus is important as it is truly easy to lose sight of what is important in today's world. Join us today as Pastor James discusses how we are either standing with Jesus or against Him, there is no middle ground. If we seek a life of worldly possessions we will lose them, if we live a life of devotion to God and service to others, we will find life in abundance and salvation.

Choices. They have been with us from our birth. Choice is one of those elements that makes us uniquely human. One day Peter made one of those crucial choices for Christ. It was a momentous day. Join Pastor James today as he asks, “how about you?” What choices have you made and/or are ready to make? What affect have they have had, or could they have on you? Your choices, and the changes they create, are ultimately no different than they were for Peter and his choice for Christ.

God uses everything in our lives, good and bad, to teach us and cause us to grow. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses what is required to have great faith; a great need, knowing Jesus alone can fill that need, and a persistent trust in God even when failure seems imminent. Great faith is not about being worthy, but instead about grace and the simple gift of God's love and relying on Him.

Do you fear that you will be unable to do great things? And falter when times are tough? Join us today as Pastor James discusses how the root of all fear is spiritual, connected with sin, and knowing that we are not all right. It is only through our faith that we see the power in the Word, and God's promise. He will never give up; He is with us and for us, doing what we cannot. His promise and action overcome our fear and send us out armed to live and share His abundant life, love, and grace. 

Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how we are missing the point of Jesus feeding the 5,000 if we focus on the how and the why of what He did. Instead, we should focus on Jesus' response: “YOU give them something to eat.” We are often unsure and unwilling to do God's bidding. However, Jesus reminds us what a high opinion God has of believers. Through Him, we have all we need to do the Christ's work. When we do there is plenty of love, grace, and hope to go around – with leftovers to share.