Sermons – Morrison Zion Lutheran Church

July 13, 2025

Series: Sundays after Pentecost, Undivided Attention

What Does Adversity Reveal About You and Your LORD? (July 13, 2025)

Topic: Adversity, Best, Faith, Feelings, God, God's Word, Grief, Lord, Naomi, Need, Neighbor, Others, Praise, Pray, Reveal, Ruth, Savior, Selfish, Thanks, Worst

We tend to think of distraction and focus as opposites. If someone is focused, they are not easily distracted by random events and encounters. If someone is focused, every decision about how to spend time and resources is calculated. Apart from Christ, that type of focus spells disaster for our neighbor. We may dismiss the needs of our neighbor thinking, “If I spend time helping him, that will distract me from other things that need my attention.” This week, Jesus teaches us that he has set us free to live a life of such distraction. No matter the neighbor and no matter his need, we are free to give him our undivided attention, even if that seems senseless. Christ has set us free to bear any cost and go any distance to serve a neighbor as Christ himself would serve them.

Ruth 1:1-19

June 8, 2025

Series: Because He Lives, Pentecost

What God Says Will Happen, Will Happen (June 8, 2025)

Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat

Topic: baptism, Christ, End, Fifty, God, God's Word, Happen, Harvest, Holy Spirit, I told you so!, Jesus, Lord's Supper, Pentecost, Sacraments, Sins, Souls, Thanks, Truth

Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to spread around the world. For Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in these Last Days. We conclude this worship series with this glorious thought: because he lives, Christ sends us his Spirit.

That raises some questions. Where? How? If God now reveals himself by his Spirit, where is the Holy Spirit found? How does he come to us? God has not left the answer to those questions in doubt. When Jesus promised to send the Spirit, he indicated that the Spirit’s work would be connected to words, specifically to God’s Word. As a result, we need never wonder where we can find the Spirit or how he comes to us. Where the Word is proclaimed, there you will find the Holy Spirit’s presence and blessing.

Acts 2:1-21 (EHV)

March 2, 2025

Series: Epiphany Moments, Transfiguration

The Right Tool Makes all the Difference (Mar. 2, 2025)

Speaker: Pastor James Enderle

Topic: Christ, Christians, Condemnation, Curb, Death, Difference, Fading, Forgiven, Given, Glory, Gospel, Guide, Guilt, Harm, Jesus, Lasting, Law, Limited, Loved, Ministry, Mirror, Perfect, Punish, Purpose, Restriction, Righteousness, Savior, Sins, Temporary, Thanks, Tool, Transforms

Would you look directly at the sun? Only if you wanted to burn your retinas and have permanent blind spots. Would you like to look directly at God? It sounds wonderful in theory. Yet Scripture describes God’s glory as being brighter than the sun. Moreover, one component of God’s glory is his holiness. Being holy doesn’t just mean God loves good; he also hates evil with burning intensity. And we sin every day. No wonder the Lord once told Moses, “No one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). Sinners would die of fear if they saw God in all his holy glory.

So, how then can we possibly know God? How can we draw near to him without dying of terror? In our final epiphany moment of this season, God explains. God hides his glory in order to reveal himself. To carry out his good and glorious work of salvation, Jesus hid his glory and went to the cross. To allow sinners to stare at his glory without fear or harm, God hides it in the gospel. In the gospel, we see the glory of Christ’s love, power, and salvation. The reality is that when God’s glory is hidden, it is most on display.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

November 28, 2024

Series: Live Like You Will Live Forever, Thanksgiving