Huntersville Lutheran Podcast

Living Out Your Identity | Matthew 5:13-17 by Douglas Van Sice

Given Fullness in Christ | Colossians 2:6 - 15 by Douglas Van Sice

From Stranger to Heir | Ephesians 3:2 - 12 by Douglas Van Sice

The Holy Innocents | Matthew 2:13 - 18 by Douglas Van Sice

To respond like Noah after he gets off the ark, we need one thing as God's people: promises. We need the promises of God. And not just that we need them. We need to cling to them with our whole heart. Listen to this sermon based on Genesis 8:15-22 to learn more about responding like Noah in your daily life.

Gomer was a woman who fit the very definition of lost. She wandered from her children and husband for the love of another. She wandered far from God through her sin. She was lost. But Hosea sought her. Hosea loved her. Hosea found her and brought her back. Through the story of Hosea and Gomer's relationship, God shows us the lengths he will go to love and find the lost, and how we, too, can and should do the same.

When defeat seems imminent, Cling to Christ's Victory | Revelation 19:11-16 by Douglas Van Sice

It is so easy to get caught up in the world's idea of crushing goals and chasing after success. But in Philippians 3, Paul upends that notion by showing up what our goal as Christians in this world is and what success looks like. Take a listen to find out what they are!

When giant problems come into your life, making you feel helpless, hopeless, and filled with fear, do you know what you need? You need a champion who fights for you and always comes out victorious.

Our fascination with glory can cause some pretty serious when it comes to our understanding of Jesus and our place in his kingdom. But in the transfiguration, Jesus shows us that the way to glory, for him and for us, is through suffering.

Rejection is the Rule, Not the Exception | Luke 4:16-30 by Douglas Van Sice

Did God Really Say? | 2 Timothy 3:10-4:5 by Douglas Van Sice

Leaving It All Behind | Luke 5:1-11 by Douglas Van Sice

What Child is This? | Luke 2:1-20 by Douglas Van Sice

Do you ever find it difficult to reconcile God's promises with what you see in the world? That's been a struggle for God's people for centuries. External evidence can make it seem like God has forgotten his promises and that he is no longer working in this world. But, in Luke 3, God proves that despite all the evidence to the contrary, he is still working and still fulfilling his promises.

"What are you willing to die for?" This is a question that not many of us have ever had to seriously consider. But it is important to contemplate because it forces us to wrestle with what is most important to us. Listen to this sermon, based on Daniel 3, that explores this question and it's implications for our future!

Because the world is such a dark place, we can often feel like we have no reason to be joyful. We feel like we have no reason to sing with joy. Between spiritual struggles, life not going the way you thought, and the messiness of the world, joy seems to have disappeared. But the Prophet Jeremiah would beg to differ. In Jeremiah 31, the prophet offers a message of restoration and hope that enables us to sing with joy even in our darkest days.

God's grace is the greatest gift we could ever receive. But have you ever scratched your head and wondered if some people really should have received it? Listen to this sermon based on Romans 3 to see how Paul addresses what grace is and for whom grace is meant.

When push comes to shove, are you willing to give up everything to follow Jesus? The only way to follow Jesus is to have a heart that stands on the Word alone. And to stand on the Word alone requires you to sell out the rest of the world--something the rich young man could not do. Listen to this sermon from Mark 10 to learn more.

Have you ever felt alone in this world? Felt like no one could understand what you are going through: the burdens, the pain, the sorrow, the hurt? That's exactly how Moses, the leader of God's people, felt. And God's promise to Moses is the same promise meant for you: You are not alone!

Varying and competing ideas exist for wisdom and what it means to live wisely in the world. Which one is right? James has the answer for you. In James 3, he uncovers the folly of worldly wisdom and unveils the beauty of a life lived under heavenly wisdom.

Finding yourself struggling with doubt or maybe even unbelief? Listen to this sermon from Mark 9 to see how Jesus clings tightly to those stuck in their doubt and replaces their doubt with his power.

One of the most common interpretations of Jesus' miracle of calming the storm sounds like this: "Jesus calmed the storm, therefore he will calm the storms of my life." But is that really the best way to understand this miracle? At the heart of understanding this miracle is a rather deep question: What do you want Jesus to be? Do you want him to be your fixer or do you want him to be your savior? Listen to find the answer.

When we make a mess of our lives by doing things we know we shouldn't, our first instinct is to try and cover it up. We get that notion from our first parents, Adam and Eve. Their first reaction after disobeying God was to try to cover up their shame behind fig leaves and hide their guilt behind trees. But cover-ups only make things worse. Listen to this sermon and discover the promise that God has provided the one cover-up for sin that will actually work.

There is something about biblical Christianity that is mysterious simple. It can make us wonder if it's all too good simple to be true. Can my forgiveness, my eternity, my entrance into the kingdom of God really have nothing to do with me and everything to do with God? Jesus gets to the heart of this simplicity in his conversation in John 3 and shows why that is such a blessing.

What does it mean to truly live? That's a question we all want to be answered because we don't want to waste a single moment of the time we have on this earth. But do we always answer it in the right way. What does it mean to truly live? That question is at the heart of Ezekiel 37. Listen to find the answer!

There are plenty of moments where we do what the disciples did on the day Jesus ascended. In the midst of pain and suffering, in anger and agony, we look to the sky and wonder where Jesus is. But, when you understand the ascension, you begin to see that you don't need to wonder that any more...because in the ascension, Jesus promises you that he's right there with you.

Self-reliance is part of who we are. It defines our country and our daily lives. And while being self-reliant can be good, do we understand the dangers of self-reliance when it comes to our relationship and daily walk with Jesus? Listen to this sermon about setting aside self-reliance and benefits of relying on Jesus.

Do you recognize the difference between the hired hand and the Good Shepherd? When the line between the two of them is blurred, we begin to look to the "hired hands" of our life to provide things for us that only the Good Shepherd can provide. This is problematic, especially because the hired hands are fickle and flighty, and can never provide the things they promise. So, how is the line between these two unblurred? Listen to find out more.

Slow to Believe? | Luke 24:13-35 by Douglas Van Sice

Because of the resurrection, you have real, lasting peace, knowing that your sins are forgiven and heaven stands open. And once you have been given that peace, Jesus sends you out to give resurrection peace to others.

We live our lives by the mantra, "Seeing is Believing." But is that true when it comes to Christianity and the resurrection? Do you really need to see the resurrected Jesus to believe in him? Mark's account of the resurrection gets to the heart of the issue. Listen to find more.

When you are blind to Jesus, you can't see God. And when you can't see God, it is impossible to make sense of any of the hardship and suffering that we endure in this life. But Jesus comes to us and gives us sight. Through the lens of John 9, Jesus teaches us an important lesson on the presence of hardship and suffering in our life–helping us to see its purpose.

Do you find yourself distracted when you come to worship your God? Every so often, Jesus needs to come and clean these distractions from our hearts so that we can focus on hearing the Word that gives life. Listen to how Jesus cleans house.

When hardship arises in our lives, it can feel as though those hardships have the ability to separate us from Jesus' love. But, in Romans 8, Paul explains that because Jesus was completely victorious, there is nothing that can separate us from Jesus' love. And, because Jesus was completely victorious that means we are completely victorious.

On some level, we all understand that the words we speak have power. Words have the power to alter the course of history or change a life. But do we always understand that Jesus' words have power? In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus confronts our doubts about the power of his words. By doing the impossible with his words...twice...he shows that his words have power for our hearts and lives.

When anxiety fills your life and weighs you down, how do you deal with it? In 1 Peter 5, the Apostle Peter lays a plan for anxiety relief that is second to none! Listen to this sermon to discover the plan for anxiety relief.

It is so easy to become distracted in life; to spread ourselves so thin that we lose focus on the one thing that's actually needful–Jesus. In Hebrews 3, the author encourages his "holy brothers and sisters" to fix their thoughts on Jesus because he is greater than anything else in the world that is seeking to get our attention.

Are you looking for a God who accepts you, or, a God who forgives you? There's a pretty big difference. Which do you want? Take a listen to this sermon to find out that the God of the Bible is the God who forgives you because of your substitute, Jesus.

What does it mean for a person to be spiritually wise? What does it mean to be a wise man or a wise woman? Well, God shows us as we search for wisemen in Matthew chapter 2.

We spend so much time building up to, anticipating, and preparing for Christmas. And every year, Christmas comes and goes. But how much time do we spend pondering Christmas once it is passed? This is an important question because if we stop pondering Christmas, we can begin to lose sight of why Christmas is important in the first place.

In a world that seems hopeless, where do find hope? It's found on the night it went down--on that first Christmas where God came down in flesh and blood to be your savior! Enjoy this Christmas Eve Sermon based on Luke 2:1-20.

When we feel as though we've fallen out of favor with God, it is natural to think that we can and must try and earn that favor back. Even when the Word of God assures you that "you are highly favored," we doubt that promise and think that we can and must earn favor with God. But through the interaction between the angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary, we are shown 1)how we have favor with God; 2) how we are to react to that great news.

Since the fall into sin, God has been moving, promising, acting, and pointing to one thing—the salvation he would win through the coming Messiah. When John the Baptizer, the forerunner, arrived, he faithfully and humbly carried out his calling—he pointed people forward. But people weren’t satisfied with John or his message. They weren’t satisfied with who he was pointing to. Can the same be said about us? Are we satisfied with what Christmas points us to—the Light that dispels the darkness of our sin? Or, would we be more satisfied if Christmas was only a little religious; a little more lights and gifts than the manager and worship? What do we want for Christmas?

How do you prepare for Christmas? Most of us put up a tree with lights and ornaments. We make travel plans or get the house ready to receive company. We procure gifts for the people on our lists. But is that the way we really should be preparing for the day that changed history and our etenity. John the Baptist came with a message of preparation–one that is meant to prepare our hearts!

"The Lord Provides" is an anthem for the life of Abraham. Throughout his entire life, the Lord provided for Abraham both physically and spiritually. When we, as Christian, evaluate our lives, there can moments when we think that the Lord is not providing for us. But, even in those moments, the Lord still provides–even in ways we wouldn't and couldn't plan for ourselves.

The entire life of the Christian can be summed up as a life lived between the now and the not yet. As God's children, we eagerly wait for Jesus to return and bring us home to be with him. But until that day comes, Jesus calls us to be preparing our hearts now. And in Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus warns about the dangers of failing to prepare now.

So much of life can pass by without much pause for the hugely serious. It can seem a bit easier to walk through life not talking about or finding answers to questions regarding God, death, and what happens next. Although that may seem simpler, there comes a time when we must have some kind of hope that doesn’t disappoint…some kind of peace that lasts. What is that for you? Whatever it is, it needs to be something to which you point and say, “This is it.” And in both what God says and how he says it shows God’s solution to that eternal dilemma. And it’s more than you might anticipate.

For whom is God’s grace meant? Scripture says it’s for all. And if God’s grace is for all, then it’s for you. But that also means God’s grace is for the person who has done incredible wrong by our own measures. This seems like a contradiction, and it definitely isn’t fair. But, what if…what if that’s the point. What if this apparent contradiction and unfair nature is what makes grace, well, grace?

"How do I stand right before God?” This is the one big idea and question that is above and beyond all others. To stand right before God, is there something, even in the slightest, I must do? Or prove? Or decide? This question has done more than just impact those who are Christians. It is at the heart of the struggle of every single person, including you. There are only two ways to answer this question: one relies on you; one relies on God. One brings burden and uncertainly; one brings comfort and peace. How do you answer the question that is above all others?

“Things aren’t always as they seem.” That axiom rings true for much in this world, including our individual lives. We work so hard to curate an image for others to see. We do this through very calculated words and actions, social media posts and text messages. People are given this perception of you through what you show them. But things aren’t always as they seem. More dangerous than a curated and calculated life is a curated and calculated faith. In Matthew 21, Jesus shows us the danger of having a curated and calculated faith and how we, as Christians, can avoid such a temptation.