Sermon
The Why in Worship
June 29, 2025
Psalm 33
JD Gierach Preaching
"In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name."
Why do we worship? As we explore Psalm 33, we’ll see that worship isn’t just about singing or routines—it’s about responding to who God is. The psalmist gives us some beautiful reasons to worship: God’s goodness, His creative power, how He knows and cares for us, and the way He saves and sustains us. By further understanding the "why" in worship, we will open our hearts to the love God desires to pour in.
More than We Dare Hope
June 22, 2025
Ephesians 1:1-14
He destined us for adoption as his children
through Jesus Christ.
Each of us has images of God, of who God is, and of what God does. The Apostle Paul writes to Christians in Ephesus who have their own images of God — some thought God was only for the Jews, others clung to human traditions. However, Paul writes that God is far greater and more wonderful than our limited understanding.
In today's passage from Ephesians, we discover a God who blesses, creates, loves, and embraces us as His own —redeeming us through Christ’s blood, forgiving our sins, and paying a price we could never afford. This is not a God who only lives on Sunday mornings or stays distant from our lives. This is a God whose eternal purpose is to lovingly draw us to Himself, not to punish, but to restore. God invites us to come—whether we are saints or sinners, strong or doubting—and to see that the Lord is good, that His mercy endures forever, and for us to know that God sees far greater things in us than we often see in ourselves.
Divine Math
June 15, 2025
John 16:12-15
But when the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you into all the truth.
Throughout Scripture, God is described as one—“You shall have no other gods before me,” and “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one”—and yet there is a “three-ness” about God. Jesus affirms both the unity and diversity of God when he says, “He who has seen me has seen the Father,” and teaches his followers to baptize “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” T
Some may wonder what difference this makes. The answer is: a great deal. The triune God is not divided—one aspect does not act without the others. This keeps us from picturing God as only a distant judge or, conversely, as someone whose love ignores justice. Ultimately, God is beyond our comprehension, His thoughts and ways higher than ours. We often seek definitive answers and definitions, but we are left with mystery. Yet this mystery is good news: God is bigger than us, but knows and loves us. He entered our world in Jesus, is present through the Spirit, and remains far greater than we can imagine. As Paul prays in Ephesians, we are invited to grasp the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and be filled with the fullness of God.
New Life for Old Bones
June 8, 2025
Acts 1:1-11
I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.
God has a way of using the least likely to accomplish the most extraordinary.
In an amazing vision, God brings Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry, dusty bones—what could be less likely and less useful than a bunch of dry, dead bones? Yet God tells Ezekiel to speak the Lord’s words to them, and as he does, the bones begin to rattle and find each other, connecting across the valley. Tendons form, flesh covers the bones, and skin wraps them—but they are still lifeless. God then tells Ezekiel to speak to the four winds, and as he does, breath enters them. The bones come to life and stand as a great army.
It’s both incredible and incredibly weird. This vision, which at first may seem too strange or unsettling for Pentecost, reveals a powerful truth: the people represented by the bones—those exiled and hopeless—believe they are cut off from life and a future. But where Ezekiel sees dry bones, God sees resurrected life.
God tells Ezekiel that the bones represent the whole house of Israel, a people who have been defeated, exiled, and spiritually dead due to their own rebellion. They had turned from God, rejected His ways, and exchanged Him for idols. Still, God doesn’t abandon them. Instead, He asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Only God knows—and only God can bring life where there is none. The Hebrew word ruach—used for breath, wind, and Spirit—appears throughout the passage, filling it with the promise of God’s Spirit.
This same Spirit breathes again at Pentecost, when Jesus’ fearful followers, feeling like dry bones themselves, are filled with power. The Spirit comes like a rushing wind, tongues of fire rest upon them, and thousands are saved as they speak the words Jesus gave. This Spirit has not stopped moving.
May that holy wind fill us today, breathe life into our dry places, and empower us—not because of what we can do, but because of what God can do through us.
Who? Me?
June 1, 2025
Acts 1:1-11
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witnesses.
God’s call often stretches us beyond what we think we can handle. Yet throughout Scripture and in our own communities, God uses unlikely people to do extraordinary things. Like Jesus' disciples, who were flawed, fearful, and unqualified, we too are invited into God’s mission. The Holy Spirit is God’s answer to every excuse we offer. We’re not alone, and we’re not expected to succeed on our own. Jesus calls us to turn from sin, embrace his love, and follow him into unexpected places—not for a better life, but for a new one. Through the Spirit, God empowers us to live beyond our expectations and to live and share the Gospel of Jesus.
Remembering Forward
May 25, 2025
Joshua 4:1-7
These stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever.
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, a time to honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. Remembering their sacrifice helps us value the blessings we enjoy and compels us to stand against evil and injustice. Remembering is not only about honoring the past—it shapes how we live in the present and gives direction for the future. This idea is reflected in the story from the book of Joshua, where the Israelites built a memorial from twelve stones taken from the Jordan River after God miraculously stopped its floodwaters so they could enter the Promised Land. These stones served as a permanent reminder of God's power, faithfulness, and presence.
Just as those stones stood as a testimony to God’s help, we too are called to be “living stones,” as described in 1 Peter 2. Through our lives, actions, and faith, we are to reflect the truth of the cross, where Jesus overcame sin and death. The cross is our memorial—rooted in a past event, yet alive with present hope and future promise. Whether at work, school, or in our communities, we are sent into the world as visible evidence of God’s love. Like the stones at the Jordan, we are to stand out as reminders of God’s enduring faithfulness and as beacons of hope for a world in need.
Lip Service or Life of Service
May 18, 2025
John 21:1-14
Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” ... "Feed my sheep."
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After sharing a meal with his disciples, Jesus turns to Peter and asks him three times, “Do you love me?”—a question loaded with meaning. While many sermons focus on the different Greek words for love used in this passage, the real emphasis here is not on the definition of love, but on its implications. Jesus is not simply asking Peter to declare his affection; he is calling him to action: “Feed my sheep.” True love for Jesus goes beyond feelings or words—it leads to a life of service, selflessness, and sacrifice. If we love Jesus we will enter into Jesus’ life and purpose, caring for others as he did.
Our lives are our answer to Jesus’ question—“Do you love me?”—every day, in how we respond to those in need, turn from sin, make choices with our time and resources, and treat others, especially when it’s difficult. This is not meant to induce guilt but to reveal a path toward deeper faith and joy. Real love for Jesus is inseparable from following him and feeding his sheep.
Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary
May 11, 2025
John 21:1-14
Jesus said to them, “You have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the other side of the boat, and you will find some.”
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God often reveals Himself in simple, ordinary moments—through familiar places, tasks, and choices that reveal hope, meaning, and life. After the overwhelming events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, His disciples returned to the familiar Sea of Galilee. Overwhelmed by grief, disorientation, and the astonishing reality of the risen Christ, they slipped back into their old routines. Peter declared, “I’m going fishing." After fishing all night without success, a voice from the shore told them to cast their nets on the other side. Despite their doubts, they obeyed—and their nets overflowed. It was then they realized: it was Jesus.
Like the disciples, we often divide life into sacred and secular. Yet, Jesus appears unexpectedly, urging us to “cast our net over the other side”—to try His way, whether through kindness to a difficult person, prayer, generosity, or loving our enemies. Though these acts may seem pointless, obedience transforms the ordinary into extraordinary. If we hear and heed God’s voice, many places and situations we once thought ordinary will be transformed as we experience God at work in us and around us, providing for our deepest needs.
More than Expected
April 20, 2025
Passages from Luke 24:1-12
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
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We all face disappointment with God when our hopes seem unmet, just like the disciples after Jesus' death. Thomas’ doubt shows how pain can harden our hearts, but his encounter with the risen Christ reminds us that God meets us even in our questions and renews our hope.
Through Jesus' resurrection, the fearful disciples were transformed into bold witnesses. Thomas’ journey from doubt to faith encourages us to stay connected, trust God’s greater plans, and be open to the amazing ways He works beyond our expectations.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
A Present Hope or a Past Event?
April 20, 2025
Passages from Luke 24:1-12
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here but has risen."
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Easter is far more than a date on the calendar. The women who followed Jesus from Galilee expected death when they went to the tomb, burdened by grief and prepared to anoint His body. They had seen Him crucified, pierced, and buried. But instead of finding a sealed grave, they found the stone rolled away, His body gone, and angels asking, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” It was only when they remembered Jesus’ words—that He would be betrayed, crucified, and rise on the third day—that everything began to make sense. Their sorrow turned to joy, and they rushed to share the news, though not all believed them. Peter ran to the tomb and was amazed, remembering what Jesus had said.
Their remembering changed everything. Easter isn’t about what we expect—songs, lilies, or chocolate—but about what we don’t: that Jesus rose from the dead and death is no longer the end. To remember Jesus’ resurrection is to let His power reshape our present. Like Paul, we are invited to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. If Jesus is risen, then today marks the beginning of new life. Our sins can be forgiven, our grudges released, and our hearts filled with worship. The resurrection means death has been defeated, and we are free to live for Him.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
