Lutherans believe that God’s Word is alive and active in the world, and that one way it comes to us is through the preaching of sermons.
A sermon is more than a “message,” more than advice. In preaching, God speaks to us. The sermon is an integral part of the liturgy, and, within that context, conveys God’s grace. Included here are print, audio and video files of recent and past sermons preached at Mount Olive.
- I Call to Mind Sunday, June 30, 2024 - God’s healing is coming, and therefore we have hope. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 13 BTexts: Lamentations 3:(21)22-33; 2 Corinthians 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen Jeremiah found hope. […]
- Questions Matter Sunday, June 23, 2024 - Answers are important, but questions matter more — our questions for God, like “Do you not care that we are perishing?” and God’s questions for us, like “Why are you still afraid?” Vicar Lauren Mildahl The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 12 B Texts: Job 38:1-11; Mark 4:35-41 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in the […]
- Joyful Unknowing Sunday, June 16, 2024 - Growing as Christ, gaining God’s vision, is a gift of God, a mystery that grows in you even as you learn the skill and craft of being Christ in this world Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 11 B Texts: Mark 4:26-34; 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and […]
- The Real Blasphemy Sunday, June 9, 2024 - The scribes thought Jesus might be using the power of a demon, but spiritual evil can’t produce life and wholeness and community–that’s what the Holy Spirit does. Vicar Lauren Mildahl The Third Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 10 B Texts: Genesis 3:8-15; Mark 3:20-35; also Luke 6:27-28 and Romans 12:21 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in […]
- Shabbat Shalom Sunday, June 2, 2024 - Sabbath is God’s gift to you and your neighbor: seek it, find it, live it. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Second Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 9 BTexts: Mark 2:23 – 3:6; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy […]
- Sharing Life Sunday, May 26, 2024 - All of our words and images fall short of perfectly describing the ancient and difficult doctrine of the Trinity, which is at its heart a description of shared life, shared within the divine and shared with us. Vicar Lauren MildahlThe Holy Trinity, year BTexts: Isaiah 6:1-8; Romans 8:12-17; John 3:1-17 God’s beloved, grace to you […]
- What Can You Bear? Sunday, May 19, 2024 - Christ promises the Spirit will lead us into all truth when we can bear it: let us pray that we say we’re always ready to bear whatever is needed for the life of the world. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Day of Pentecost, year BTexts: John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15; Acts 2:1-21, referencing vv. 41-47 Beloved in Christ, […]
- Unrecognizable Sunday, May 12, 2024 - If you truly are made holy to love and live as Christ, you will be a threat to the world, like Jesus was; but you will also be a part of God’s healing of all things. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Seventh Sunday of Easter, year BText: John 17:6-19 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and […]
- Cloudy, With a Chance of Fullness Thursday, May 9, 2024 - Jesus left at the ascension, so that we could learn to look for Christ everywhere. Vicar Lauren MildahlThe Ascension of Our LordTexts: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you had […]
- Unexpected Friendship Sunday, May 5, 2024 - Jesus’s command to love one another invites us into unexpected friendships, including the friendship between God and creation. Vicar Lauren Mildahl The Sixth Sunday of Easter, year B Texts: Acts 10:44-48, John 15:9-17 Dear friends, grace to you and peace in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy […]
- Never Apart Sunday, April 28, 2024 - You cannot be separated from God’s love in Christ by anything, so trust your connection to the Vine and God’s ability to grow fruit in you. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Fifth Sunday of Easter, year BTexts: John 15:1-8; 1 John 4:7-21 (with a call out to Romans 8) Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and […]
- Hired No More Sunday, April 21, 2024 - Your Shepherd will never lose you and calls you to shepherd all Christ’s sheep with the same insistent passion and care. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Fourth Sunday of Easter, year BText: John 10:11-18 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the […]
- Believable Sunday, April 14, 2024 - Faith in the risen Christ will transform you for life in this world, filled with God’s love and bringing healing. Life after death is the frosting on all, but not the important thing. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Third Sunday of Easter, year BTexts: Luke 24:(33-36a) 36b-48; Acts 3:12-19 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and […]
- Unbelievable Sunday, April 7, 2024 - The story of Thomas invites us to believe, not in death, but in life through Jesus and to hold space for the unbelievable bigness of God’s love . Vicar Lauren Mildahl The Second Sunday of Easter, year B Text: John 20:19-31 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in the name of the Father, and […]
- What’s Next? Sunday, March 31, 2024 - Your life in Christ is lived in what Mark left open, where you, like believers for centuries, let go of your fear and witness to God’s life in the world. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Resurrection of Our Lord, year BTexts: Mark 16:1-8 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the […]
- Pass It On Thursday, March 28, 2024 - Jesus kneels at our feet, inviting us to be part of the fierce and incredible love of God. All we have to do is receive it and pass it on. Vicar Lauren Mildahl Maundy Thursday, year B Texts: Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in the name of […]
- This Is My Body Sunday, March 24, 2024 - In the care given to Jesus’ body after death, we glimpse how God comes close to us in the every death. Vicar Lauren Mildahl Sunday of the Passion, year B Texts: Mark 11:1-11; Mark 14:1-15:47 God’s beloved, grace to you and peace in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy […]
- As One Who Serves Wednesday, March 20, 2024 - Midweek Lent, 2024 + Love One Another + Week 5: Serve One Another Pr. Joseph G. CrippenTexts: Luke 22:14-27; 1 Peter 4:7-11 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen “I am among you as one who serves,” […]
- Unless a seed dies . . . Sunday, March 17, 2024 - There is abundant life in you, God’s dream for you, that only needs to have its shell, its husk die and break apart for you to bloom and grow as God’s gift to this world. Pr. Joseph G. CrippenThe Fifth Sunday in Lent, year BTexts: John 12:20-33; Jeremiah 31:31-34 Beloved in Christ, grace to you, […]
- God’s Got This Wednesday, March 13, 2024 - Midweek Lent, 2024 ☩ Love One Another ☩ Week 4: Encourage One Another Vicar Lauren MildahlTexts: I Thessalonians 5:4-14, John 16:12-15, 32-33 Beloved children of God, grace to you and peace in the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. For the last three weeks, we’ve been […]