Christ Lutheran Church Harrisburg

Abundance vs. Suffering

1 Kings 17 talks about Elijah and the widow.  There is abundance in the midst of suffering.  And we shouldn't ignore the cause of the suffering - King Ahab's moral bankruptcy.  Terrible leadership causes everyone to suffer.  But God provides.  The sermon is based on 1 Kings 17:1-24.

Foreigners and Barriers

The Temple couldn't be built without foreign help and resources.  And Solomon pleads with God to hear the prayer of the foreigner.  God has always been tearing down barriers and walls that separate humanity from God.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a prime example of that faithfulness.  Pastor Matthew's Sermon is based on 1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:27-30, 41-43.

Humility

God reminds David of who is in charge, and it's not David.  Humility is an essential leadership quality we are told about in 2 Samuel 7:1-17.  But that message is just for David.  It's for all of us.  We encounter humility all the time.  Just look around.  Pastor Matthew's Sermon talks about humility in leadership and in life.  

What is Prayer?

Do you struggle with prayer?  Hannah's story in 1 Samuel offers us some guidance in the midst of struggle.  Prayers from the margins of society upend the meaning of greatness, strength, and might.  The sermon is based on 1 Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20; 2:1:10.  

Golden Calves

When we feel lost and uncertain, how comforting is it to have something tangible that can make us feel safe?  Our politics, economics, relationship, and so much of our lives are uncertain.  And there are golden calves that offer a sense of control and safety.  But they aren't God.  Golden calves help us ignore the reality of the chaos and provide us a false sense of security.  God walks with us in the uncertainty and provides a way forward.  The sermon is based on Exodus 32:1-4

Hope Raises People

The world can feel overwhelming.  So much of what goes on is designed to make us give up.  But hope raises us up and sets people free.  The sermon is based on Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8.  

God is Faithful

In Genesis 15:1-16 we hear about God making a promise to Abram.  Abram struggles with that promise.  There are decades in which he doesn't hear from God.  That's just like life.  So often we can't see how things will turn out, but God is faithful and walks with us and keeps God's promises.   

Blessings and Curses

The second creation account and the accompanying story of the Fall are well known by many.  And the story sets up the rest of Scripture to tell of blessings and curses in so many ways.  It is an attempt to explain to people how we get to where we are.  Look around - see the blessings and the curses of today in your life, your community, and the world.  The sermon is based on Genesis 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8.

How Long, Oh Lord?

People have been lamenting and crying to God with the question "How long, oh Lord?" It is the cry of people oppressed.  It is the cry of people who have suffered.  It is the cry of humanity exhausted by cruelty.  Daniel 12 doesn't give us an answer so much as reminds us that nothing can stop God, not even death.  The sermon is based on Daniel 12.  

A Tale of Two Kingdoms

Over the weekend, we witnessed two different kingdoms on display in Harrisburg.  The kingdom based on fear, anger, division, and hatred was at one end of the city.  The kingdom of God based on seeing the image of God in others, service, care, and love was at the other end.  Daniel 7 shares visions of terrible beasts that represent cruel kingdoms that all fall and shares about God's kingdom which lasts for ever.  We got a glimpse of this over the weekend.