Royal Redeemer Sermons

God has given us faith, and He promises to maintain it and grow it. But that can be challenging on this broken planet. Join us as Pastor Mark concluded our sermon series as he preaches about faith in faithless times.

As we continue in our series "Unseen", we will look at Ephesians 6 where Paul talks about fighting those spiritual battles waged against us by the devil himself. Thankfully, with God's help and the power of His Word, not only are we instructed to start off each day "Dressed for War", but we are also given full access to the spiritual armor, or equipment, necessary to be victorious.

There is a gun-wrenching scene from the film Forest Gump where the lead character is at the grave of his wife. He is talking to her about how much he misses her and how he is raising their son on his own. It's heartbreaking. Why does the world seem so difficult? What causes all the trouble we experience? Is there hope for this broken world? Join us as Pastor Mark preaches from I John 2 on "A Sin Damaged World".

We fight spiritual battles every day. Martin Luther defines 3 enemies that every Christian faces: the devil, the world & ourselves. Despite all that God has done for us, we tend to allow our minds to be filled with shame, insecurity, fear, uncontrolled thoughts, compulsions, bitterness & hopelessness. Join us as Pastor Dave unpacks Romans 8 to help you identify areas of concern & to be reminded of God's promises to help you win the spiritual battles you face within yourself daily.

Beneath our visible and tangible reality lurks an unseen reality where spiritual battles rage. It's real. It's dangerous. And if we want to win the war, we need to lean upon the truth of God's Word and engage His battle plan to uncover the cunning deceptions of our sinful nature, the world, and Satan himself. With Christ living inside us, we have His power and protection to overcome, and victory can be ours! Join us as Pastor John shares a message on Staying the Course.

Jesus calls His followers to go and tell others about the Good News. That's you and me. Join us this Missions's Celebration Weekend at Royal Redeemer as Pastor Mark encourages and challenges us with his sermon from Luke 10.

"That's not a hill I am willing to die on." It's a phrase common in our vernacular today. It means it's not worth it. Today we especially focus on someone who decided the opposite. It's as if Jesus said " that is a hill I am willing to die on." Despite our selfishness, foolishness, lack of discernment, weakness, evil-intentions and overall rebellion, Jesus still loves and is willing to help us all.Join us as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but first we are faced with His death.

Jesus, the night before His Sacrifice for you and me, gathered His disciples for the Passover meal. He taught them a "new command" to love and serve one another. He demonstrated that Love and His Grace by humbly doing a servant's job, washing their feet. He then served them the ultimate meal of His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of their sins. Join Pastor Dave this Maundy Thursday as he reminds us to follow Jesus lead by serving others.

How we perceive the world around us often shapes our expectations & beliefs. Every year on Palm Sunday, Christians around the world celebrate the triumphant entry of our Lord & Savior, Jesus the Christ, into the Holy city of Jerusalem. Just like the Israelites in John 12:12-18 waved palm branches & shouted out to Jesus as He passed by, we too wave & shout to the Christ. What do we expect from Jesus? What is our perception of His ministry & mission? These questions we will humbly ask ourselves as we celebrate Palm Sunday.

What does it mean to be fully devoted? What do you give your full attention to? What is your focus every day? Join us as we continue our Lenten sermon series from the Gospel of John as Pastor Mark preaches on the extravagant worship Mary gives to Jesus with a bottle of expensive perfume and her costly devotion.

In John 11, Jesus performs an amazing miracle supporting a very powerful declaration, "I am the Resurrection and the Life". As we continue in our series "Iconic", we will look at how - like Mary and Martha - many of us face various frustrations and disappointments of life, as well. Yet, as we live in faith, we can be fully confident that our Savior Jesus cares for us and will bring us the help we need.

Our eyesight is a valuable gift from God. It allows us to see His creation, as well as the needs He has placed in our path. Here's the problem - we may have physical eyesight yet be spiritually blind. The blind man in John 9 had his sight restored but still couldn't see who Jesus really was. Only after experiencing Jesus, did he finally proclaim, "Lord I believe", and worshipped Him. Join us as Pastor Dave helps us assess the question, how is your spiritual eyesight?

A woman goes to a well and is surprised that Jesus is there. They have an amazing conversation about sin, worship, Living Water, and a lot more. Join us as we continue our Lenten sermon series with a message from Pastor Mark on the good news at the well.

the word "iconic" refers to someone or something influential or famous. Working thought the Gospel of John, we learn how our Lord's iconic life and sacrifice continue to makea powerful impact upon people's hearts and lives to this day. Join us as we look at Jesus' cleaning out the temple. As God's temples today, we ask Jesus to drive out whatever sin might be cluttering up our hearts so that, by His grace we can be forgiven and empowered to be the people God wants us to be.

The word "iconic" refers to someone or something influential or famous. While icons come and go, Jesus of Nazareth remains iconic because He alone is synonymous with hope, mercy and love. Working through the Gospel of John, we learn how our Lord's story, His teaching, and His sacrifice continue to make a powerful impact upon people's hearts and lives to this day.

The Bible is very clear that God is Holy and Pure! The Bible is also very clear that we are sinful, and on our own, we will never be holy and pure. So, do we just give up? No, there is Hope found in our Lord and Savior. Join us as Pastor Dave looks at how God reveals himself as Yahweh M'Kaddesh. This name identifies God as the God who purifies (sanctifies) us to His Glory. We will learn steps to take for us to be growing, maturing, and becoming more Christ-like.

Deuteronomy 7:9 reads, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is (El Hanne'eman) the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." Join us as we continue our sermon series, Power In The Name, as Pastor Mark preaches on El Hanne'eman, our God who is faithful.

"The protective layer did what it was supposed to." That is the response of building officials when the glass-bottom observation deck on the 108th floor of Chicago's Willis Tower cracked with a mom and child standing on it.We have a God like that. He is a protective God. He is Yahweh Nissi, or the God who defends. Join us as Pastor Mark preaches on Yahweh Nissi: The God Who Defends.

Some names are given because they're trendy or cool. Other names are given out of fondness for a family member or family name. While there is only one God in the Bible, God has different names with different meanings. As we look at some different names of God, we will see that, regardless of the meaning, there is Power in the Name! Join us as we look at the name Yahweh Shalom, which basically means, "The God who brings peace: to remind us that, when we want real peace in our life, we can find it in Him.

The Bible makes it clear - God created everything! God sat back and assessed His work each day of creation and said, "It is good!" So, what happened? Join us as we address why the world is broken with a message from Pastor Dave who will unpack the fact that sin is the cause of this broken world. We'll answer questions like: if sin is wrong and it has broken everything then why do we continue to sin; why does God allow it; and how should we live in this sin-broken world? We'll focus on God's grace, be reminded that this world is temporary, and that we are empowered to reach out with the same love that God has given us.

The Bible has been trusted for centuries as the Word of God. It's been the most tested, most debated and most attacked book in the history. The question over the years has been, is the Bible true? As we're continuing the sermon series, Faith 101, Pastor Mark preaches on how we can trust the Bible.

People want to know why they're here on this earth. they want to know if there's a purpose or reason for their existence. As we continue in the series "Faith 101", we will look at several truths from God's Word that address why we exist. We will also examine several implications that, when known and understood, can have a great impact on a person's life. January 12, 2025

Merry Christmas from Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church! December 24, 2024

When the angels appear to the shepherds in Luke 2, they say the birth of Jesus would bring exceedingly abundant joy. It sounds like supernatural joy. And that kind of joy is for the whole world. It changes everything. Join us as we continue our Advent sermon series, "The Colors of Christmas", as Pastor Mark preaches on the Gold Standard of Joy.

Whenever you are feeling blue, remember that there is hope in Christ. Join us this Sunday as we continue in our Advent series on the color Blue with a message from Pastor John on Hebrews 6:19 and the three "anchors" for your soul. December 15, 2024

As winter blankets the world in its lack of warmth and light, the color GREEN becomes a beacon of hope and renewal. Whether in the steadfast leaves of evergreens or the faint buds of new growth, green reminds us of God's promise of life even in the darkest seasons. Even when we fail to sense forgiveness, goodness, or salvation, God assures us of His abiding presence and the life we find in Him through Jesus Christ. Resting in the promise of God's grace and abundant life, we journey together through this Advent season.

This time of year, people are decorating, shopping, backing & getting ready for their Christmas gatherings. more importantly, this week begins the Advent season... a time for us to prepare our hearts for the birth of our Lord and Savior. Join us this Advent season as we look at the Colors of Christmas, celebrating the coming of Christ. Pastor Dave will look at the color Red, reminding us of the blood that this Christmas child will one day shed for the forgiveness of our sins. We'll learn to assess, confess, repent & be transformed by God's love.

II Corinthians 9:6 says, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." As biblical Christians, we want to understand how this works, why it works and how we can put this into practice. Join us as Pastor Rein wraps up our sermon series with his sermon called Gifted to Give. November 24, 2024

Generosity is a beautiful attribute. God the Father demonstrated generosity by giving us His one and only Son. Jesus modeled generosity by offering His life a living sacrifice. The Holy Spirit lives generously within us, empowering us to honor God with our lives. In response to our generous God, we are called to use our areas of influence and blessings to live a life of generosity, as well. Join us as we look at how we are gifted to serve and can generously serve God through our gifts, talents and abilities.

We love God because He first loved us (I John 4:19). But what does it mean to love God? And how do we do it? Join us as we continue in our current sermon series "First Things First" as we learn from the Bible what it means to love God with all that we are, with a message from Pastor Mark preaching on loving God with our soul. November 3, 2024

Your mind is an amazing and complex system hand made by God to glorify Him. Throughout the day our minds wanter from thought to thought, some thoughts are just passing through, while other thoughts get invited in and can control our actions. Some of those thoughts are evil, while others are God-pleasing. Join us as Pastor Dave shows us God's plan for you to put "First Things First" as you "love God with all of your mind".

Jesus summed up the most important thing we can do with our life in two words: Love God. There is nothing more important than that and, as Christians, one of our life goals should be to learn how to love Him in a deeper way. A huge part of that involves making sure we put first things first and keep God as our top priority. Join us as we begin our series by looking at the example of David, a "man after God's own heart", and what it means to love the Lord with all our hearts. October 20, 2024

On this Sunday, we will wrap up our series based in chapters 2 and 3 or Revelation and will look at Jesus' letter to the church in Laodicea. The Christians there had become "lukewarm" about their faith and needed to rekindle the fire of their love for Him. Today, it is just as easy for us to slip into indifference with regards to our relationship with Christ. Thankfully, by the work of God's Spirit within us, we can turn away from this spiritual complacency and once again redevelop a deep passion for our Lord and Savior. October 13, 2024

Have you ever felt weak, powerless, or ineffective? The Christian church in ancient Philadelphia (Asia minor, not Pennsylvania) was small and felt insignificant. But Jesus saw them and encouraged them. And the Bible reminds us that God delights in raising up the small, weak, marginalized and the underdog. This weekend, Pastor Mark continues our sermon series from Jesus' letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, as he preaches "Jesus' Letters to the Weakened Church." October 6, 2024

As we continue our series, "Letters from Jesus", we look at what our Lord says to a church He declares spiritually dead, and how He then challenges them to wake up! Today, when we feel like our walk with Christ has hit a wall and our faith has spiritually dried up, the call is the same. By the work of the Holy Spirit, growth and revitalization can happen, and we can once again enjoy a restored relationship with God and the future He has in store for us. September 29, 2024

We hear the word tolerance used in many circles today. Be careful, it may be a very slippery slope to take. Jesus tells the church at Thyatira (and each of us today), to not tolerate anything that is in opposition with God's Word. Join us as Pastor Dave challenges us to avoid "dropping our guard" with our culture's desire to water down and change God's Word. We'll see how tolerance leads to compromise...and how compromising God's Word is never a wise thing to do.

Many followers of Jesus deal with poverty, slander, fear and more. The early church dealt with those challenges, too. Join us as Pastor Mark preaches the second sermon in our series from Revelation titled, "Letters from Jesus." We'll learn about Jesus' comfort and encouragement from the suffering church. September 10, 2024

Have you ever wondered what Jesus would say to the church today? I na way, He already has. In Revelation 2-3, Jesus writes seven letters to seven different churches. As we explore the strengths and shortcomings of these real communities of faith, we will see with greater clarity Jesus' challenge and encouragement for us today. Join us as we go over the writings of Jesus to "The Busy Church" in Ephesus, we will learn what is needed to help keep Jesus as our first love. September 1, 2024

Having confidence in our future is something all of us deal with. Can we have peace about tomorrow? Is there an assurance that the time ahead will be okay? What we're really looking for is hope. Solomon encourages us in his memoir titled, Ecclesiastes, to find hope in the Lord. Join us as Pastor Mark wraps up our current sermon series with a message titled "How Can I Face the Future?"

Even though it may be a sad and depressing topic, it makes sense to think about what happens to a person after death. Unfortunately, the perspectives that come from the world or from within us aren't very comforting or helpful. As we continue in our series from the book of Ecclesiastes, we rejoice in the perspective God offers and in His hope-filled answer to the question, what happens after I die? August 18, 2024

Ever wonder what the point of your life is? Why are you here? Does God even know you are here? Does He have a plan for your life?I think we have all wrestled with these types of questions. Join us as Pastor Dave unpacks what God's Word says about the point of life. We will see that the point of life is centered on the God who gives life. God wants each of us to know Him, to grow in our relationship with Him, to service Him, and to share His love with others.

If happiness is possible and is so desired, why do so few find it? Why do people who have everything needed for happiness end up so unhappy? King Solomon addresses that question in Ecclesiastes Chapter 6. Join us as we continue our series as Pastor Mark preaches on how we can be happy. August 4, 2024

Like countless people today, King Solomon wondered if there was an advantage to having a lot of money and owning a lot of material things. Put simply, how much is enough? As we continue in our series on the book of Ecclesiastes, we will look at what it truly brings into their life, as well as what God desires us to do with out wealth.

Why do criminals go unpunished? Why are the oppressed not helped? Why are politicians unethical? Why are good people not rewarded? Why are the capable unsuccessful? The questions are endless, but the reality is that life is not fair. As we continue in our series on Ecclesiastes, Pastor Jeff Steele-Steeber (Campus Pastor at Lutheran High School West) will share God's Word with us in answering the question, why isn't life fair? July 21, 2024

We have more time saving devices than any other country and yet nobody complains about their "lack of time" more than we do. As we continue in our series on Ecclesiastes, we answer the question: "How can I make the most of my time?" With God's help, we can learn that wisdom is found by trusting in Him and living out His will, recognizing that He is at work in our life, and being grateful for the blessing of each moment of every day.

After a busy day at work, have you ever asked the question, "Why work so hard?" It's an age-old question. Adam and Eve's job was to take care of the garden. And yet, there were no weeds, back pain, or sweat. So, what happened? Sin! Join us as we begin a new series from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Pastor Dave will dive into ways to accomplish God's plans for all areas of your work life, setting boundaries to a healthy work life, and knowing what's important. July 7, 2024

It's tough being a parent, and few would argue that there is any job or career that comes close to the challenge of raising another human being. Thankfully, God's Word offers several principles that can help. As we wrap up the series, "Diving Deeper", we will look at those principles and how diving deeper with our kids can help bring out the best in them. June 30, 2024

Our series "Diving Deeper" has been done in conjunction with this past week'v VBS program called "Scuba". This Sunday, we will be reminded that God's desire is for us to enjoy healthy families where everyone feels loved, affirmed, and knows about His grace in Jesus. Looking at God's Word, we will learn several ways to help us enjoy the blessings that come from being intentional in developing healthier homes. June 23, 2024

Our oceans are vast and amazingly deep, and divers are excited to explore their waters. God desires for us to dive deeper and discover the excitement that comes from having an intimate relationship with Him. Called to do this on a personal level, as well as within our own homes, God's Word provides us with the tools we need to deepen our walk with God. As believers in Jesus who have been forgiven by His work on the cross, what should our lives look like? Are there good and wise practices that we can follow that will result in blessings, mature faith, and be a benefit in our families? The bible teaches a lot about living in God's Kingdom. Join us as Pastor Mark kicks off our new sermon series "Diving Deeper". June 16, 2024

Is there any hope for humanity? It's an important question with huge implications. Will we find a fix for mankind in human efforts, the policies or well-run programs? In other words, can we repair this thing on our own? Or is there a Divine solution? Join us as Pastor Mark uncovers biblical solutions with the message, Big Question, Best Answer. June 9, 2024

The Blessing of Facing Opposition (Matthew 5:10-12) Living a supremely blessed life as a Christ-follower also means having a deal with harassment and opposition and persecution from others. As we wrap up our series on the Beatitudes, we will look at how to face the pressures we feel from our society today and remain faithful to our Savior and to the truth of His Word.