Sermons from Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

Sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 13 September A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 18:21–35 21Peter came up and said to [Jesus], “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. 23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.' 29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Sermon for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 6 September A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 18:1–20 1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 7“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. 10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11For the Son of Man came to save the lost. 12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Sermon for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 30 August A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 16:21–28 21From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 27For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 23 August A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 16:13–20 13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Sermon for the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 16 August A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 15:21–28 21Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Sermon for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 9 August A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Job 38:4–18 4[The Lord said to Job:] “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8“Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, 9when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, 11and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed'? 12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, 13that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? 14It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment. 15From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken. 16“Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? 18Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.”

Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 2 August A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 26 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 13:44–52 44[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost 8 Wednesday, 22 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Romans 8:18–27 18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 19 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch   Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 24[Jesus] put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'” . . . 36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 12 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost VI Wednesday, 8 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 5 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost V Wednesday, 1 July A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 28 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 21 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost III Wednesday, 17 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 14 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost 2 Wednesday, 10 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost (A) Sunday, 7 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Trinity Wednesday, 3 June A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for The Holy Trinity (A) Sunday, 31 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Pentecost Wednesday, 24 May A+D 2025 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Day of Pentecost (A) Sunday, 24 May A+D 2066 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Easter VII Wednesday, 20 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 17 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for The Ascension of Our Lord (A) Thursday, 14 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 10 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Easter V Wednesday, 6 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 3 May A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 26 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Easter III Wednesday, 22 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 19 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Easter II Wednesday, 15 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter (A) Sunday, 12 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Easter Wednesday Wednesday, 8 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Easter Day (A) Sunday, 5 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Easter Sunrise (A) Sunday, 5 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Vigil of Easter (A) Saturday, 4 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Good Friday (A) Friday, 3 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Maundy Thursday (A) Thursday, 2 April A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion (A) Sunday, 29 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Lent V Wednesday, 25 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Lent III Wednesday, 11 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent (A) Sunday, 8 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Lent II Wednesday, 4 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent (A) Sunday, 1 March A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the Midweek of Lent 1 Wednesday, 25 Feburary A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch

Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent (A) Sunday, 22 February A+D 2026 Rev. Matthew D. Ruesch