Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Fox Chapel

We fear death and the cross. Like the pandemic, they tear at the social fabric. These things isolate, scatter and divide humanity. But, Jesus has promised that he will gather and lead his people from beyond the cross and death. The trustworthiness of Jesus and his word were confirmed for Peter, at least in part, when the rooster crowed. Peter broke down and wept when he remembered that Jesus had said, you will deny me The word of Jesus was confirmed for Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James and Salome when they saw their Lord die on the cross. Fear seized them on Easter morning because they had been wrong and Jesus had been right. The resurrection of Jesus disrupted their adaptations.

The first response to the Resurrection of Jesus did not consist of joyous Alleluias. When Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of James and Salome went to the tomb where Jesus was laid they saw the large stone rolled away. They saw a young man, perhaps an angel. They heard that young man say Jesus had been raised, and their first response was not joy but fear! http://www.gslcfc.org//easter-sunday-at-home-service-for-/

Reminder for our Holy Week services: they will be in-person and outdoors! Good Friday | 3 p.m. Easter Sunda | 9 a.m.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem the people cheered, waving branches and greeting him as if he had just won the greatest victory of all time. They yelled Hosanna! which in their language meant, Lord, save us. They said that word the way we would shout, Hooray (CEV). They hoped Jesus would be their friend because he was such a great and wonderful person, but they also expected him to do exactly what they wanted. They wanted Jesus to keep them from ever having any troubles. N...obody wants a friend who gets you or other people into trouble! Most people want good friends, but not many people know yet how to BE a true friend. Judas, and Peter, and the other disciples thought they knew how to be a friend to Jesus. As we will hear today (on Good Friday), Peter and the others left Jesus all alone when being his friend might have brought them trouble. See more

To summarize his approach Paul wrote, Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The passage read today from First Corinthians was a continuation of those thoughts. Again, Paul wrote about the rights related to liberty and freedom. However, he set those things as well as the debate about food in a broader context that can only be discerned by a Christian.

Last week we heard how Paul warned the church at Corinth to take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. Those words were Paul’s response to the controversy concerning whether Christians should eat food that had been used in pagan idol worship. http://www.gslcfc.org//fifth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-at/

Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians has provided the basis for this series of sermons. Today’s sermon focuses on answering the question, How should we use our liberty or freedom in Christ?

The word of God present in all things draws us into the Word of comfort that, while rooted in the past, directs us toward a future promised.

On the 2nd Sunday in Advent, we focus on Words of Comfort. They come from the glory of the LORD revealed to us through Jesus. He is our Good Shepherd, feeding, gathering, carrying, & leading (Isaiah 40:11) us through the communal actions he has commanded us to observe. Follow along with our At-Home service or watch our Sunday morning service.

It’s the first day of Advent & we are focusing on Prayer! The sermons during Advent are based on the Old Testament readings appointed for this year. In the coming weeks, other sermons will focus on Words of Comfort, Hope, and Fulfillment.

The Advent season is upon us and it’s time to prepare our hearts for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. During Advent, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world as both God and man so that our sins might be forgiven. It is a time of great anticipation and excitement as we wait for his birth.