Sermons
Listen, watch or read sermons from Manchester Lutheran Church, and explore them through the Christian year.
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How can I trust a God who loves “Islamic Terrorists”?
How can I trust a God who loves “Islamic Terrorists”? God says that in Christ He has forgiven all people, chosen to look on all with favour — even to love them, no matter how despicable or evil they are. I recently posted a video in response to the Manchester Synagogue attack. And in that…
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How do I get GENUINE approval?
How do I get GENUINE approval? All of us want approval. Everyone wants to be accepted. Solomon was God’s king and a man of great wisdom He understood this need we all have. The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise words that God’s Spirit put together to help God’s people. They’re not rules,…
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Should we just give up?
Should we just give up? You know what it’s like to face discouragement: Church is too small, too far away, too weak. Work is stalled, difficult, unsatisfying. Your marriage has struggles, arguments, hiccoughs. Last Sunday we heard that the feeling of “running out” is normal for the Christian life. But despite God’s grace, living on…
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Why is God’s Word not reasonable?
Why is God’s Word not reasonable? This week I was talking to a Presbyterian friend who said, “God’s Word has to make sense, and we have to discover how” My friends at the atheist society say something similar: “Unless what God says is ‘reasonable’ to me it can’t be true.” But the Bible never says…
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God does NOT reward good behaviour! — Why?
God does NOT reward good behaviour! — Why? One of the most common misunderstandings of Christianity is the idea that God blesses people for good behaviour. In the Gospel reading today, Jesus completely overturned that idea: He heals 10 lepers, but only one comes back to say thanks. Because the other 9 simply assumed they…
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Am I nice enough — within reason?
Am I nice enough — within reason? We all have moments when we try to convince ourselves we’re good. We add up our good deeds. We excuse our failures. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has just sent out 72 evangelists to tell people about His message. And they came back celebrating their power. They say: “Lord,…
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How could an atheist ever come to faith in Jesus?
How could an atheist ever come to faith in Jesus? Last Tuesday I took part in a debate at the Atheist Society. And this was one big question that came up several times. Mark’s Gospel actually asks that very question in an even more forceful way. In Marks’ Gospel, the religious leaders — the very…
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Why would Jesus not feel assured by Calvin?
Why would Jesus not feel assured by Calvin? God’s Gospel is the good news that God is in a good mood with you. And you see that when you look at Jesus. But something different is being preached in churches all around us: “Check you have real faith! Only then can you know: God’s in…
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If God’s in a good mood with everyone—then why do some people still go to Hell?
If God’s in a good mood with everyone—then why do some people still go to Hell? I say it all the time. It’s basically our tag line now. It’s what we’re known for: God is in a good mood with you. And you see that when you look at Jesus. Martin Luther in the Smalcald…
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How do Christians behave—and does it really matter?
How do Christians behave — and does it really matter? God is a good mood with you. And you see that when you look at Jesus. But, if that’s true, if God’s already forgiven you, if you’ve already been made perfect because of Jesus… …then why bother behaving well at all? Doesn’t that make everything…
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What churches does Jesus want me to avoid?
What Churches Does Jesus Want Me to Avoid? You’d think that Jesus is desperate for people to go to any church. And that any church is better than no church. This year, lots of Christians have been happily reporting the statistics that there’s been growth among young people in all kinds of churches in the…
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Does Jesus care about the things that matter to me?
Does Jesus care about the things that matter to me? Health… Money… Relationships. Purpose… Peace of mind… Provision. These are the kinds of things that matter to us. And when we think of them, the Gospel can seem so distant. Forgiveness. Peace with God. Adoption as God’s children. Freedom from shame. Growth in holiness. Hope…