Holy Trinity Ankeny
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
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RESURRECTION RESISTANCE: APRIL 14, 2024
04/15/2024
RESURRECTION RESISTANCE: APRIL 14, 2024
The resurrection of Jesus reveals that God’s way is the way of life, light, love, peace, hope, and wholeness. Whenever these things break through the darkness of the world it is a moment of resurrection. Sadly, we don’t see it, nor do we often want to accept this eruption of new life. We are resistant to the resurrection.
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RESURRECTING COMMUNITY
04/08/2024
RESURRECTING COMMUNITY
We live in the age of the individual. We are a lonely, fragmented people often at each other’s throats. The resurrection of Jesus binds people together in love to stand against the individualism that makes everything about “me.” “Doubting” Thomas struggled in despair and doubt because he was not with the others when Jesus first appeared. The church in Jerusalem in Acts “held” all things in common and lived in joy. Readings: Acts 4:32-35 John 20:19-31
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EASTER SUNDAY: UNSATISFACTORY ENDING
04/01/2024
EASTER SUNDAY: UNSATISFACTORY ENDING
The Gospel of Mark ends at chapter 16, verse 8 (other endings were added much later). It is an odd, perplexing end that leaves us with an empty tomb and three women who say nothing to anyone. Yet, maybe Mark was less concerned with what happened then and more concerned with what happens now. The resurrection means that God is loose in the world, unrestrained and persistently confronting us with life, love, and grace. What do you say about that?
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HOSANNA
03/25/2024
HOSANNA
I grew up thinking that the word hosanna meant something triumphant. Knowing that it means something else entirely changes how I see Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Mark 11:1-11
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MARCH 17, 2024: THE CROSS
03/18/2024
MARCH 17, 2024: THE CROSS
The cross is the chief symbol of our faith, a sign of the saving work of Christ. What does it mean “to be saved?” Some would say it is assent to beliefs. Others point to a religious experience. Those are not, however, works of Christ. They are things we do. In John’s gospel, Christ’s work on the cross is bigger than forgiving sins. It is to judge the world, drive out the evil, and draw all people to himself.
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GUEST PREACHER FROM MOSAIC
03/11/2024
GUEST PREACHER FROM MOSAIC
Pastor Twila Schock, Vice President for Church Relations and International Programming for Mosaic, one of our mission partners, is our guest preacher. Mosaic empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their unique pursuit of happiness.
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THE LION, THE TABLES, AND THE WARDROBE
03/04/2024
THE LION, THE TABLES, AND THE WARDROBE
We often have an image in our head of what Jesus looks like and how Jesus should act. The Jesus of John’s gospel is not the safe, tame, domesticated Jesus of my childhood. A domesticated Jesus doesn’t have anything to say about how we live our lives and would never flip any tables. This Jesus is the undomesticated Jesus who isn’t afraid to flip the tables in our lives that get in the way of following Jesus. Exodus 20:1-17 | 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 | John 2:13-22
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GO YOUR OWN WAY
02/26/2024
GO YOUR OWN WAY
It seems like from the moment we enter the world the effort to find and follow our own way is what we are about. Every toddler at some point says “I do it myself!” To take up one’s cross and follow Jesus however, means not going our own way but following in the way of Jesus. Peter finds that out today as Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan.”
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THE WORDS WE NEED TO HEAR
02/21/2024
THE WORDS WE NEED TO HEAR
In the swift narrative of Mark's Gospel, details may seem sparse, but depth and meaning abound. Baptized by John in the Jordan, Jesus hears the heavens tear open, affirming him as the beloved Son. Driven into the wilderness by the Spirit, Jesus faces real struggles. Mark, unlike Matthew and Luke, leaves the temptations ambiguous. Lent isn't about a triumphant superhero, but a vulnerable Jesus in our shared wilderness. In life's diverse wildernesses, Jesus guides us, proclaiming the Kingdom, and reconciling us to God. The torn veil assures: You are loved. Amen. Readings: Genesis 9:8-17 1 Peter 3:18-22 Gospel Reading • Mark 1:9-15
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GLIMPSES OF GRACE
02/21/2024
GLIMPSES OF GRACE
There is more to the world than meets the eye. By faith, we see things that others cannot. We see people and the world differently than others might. The Feast of the Transfiguration tells us how God pulled back the curtain of heaven to reveal radiance, glory, and grace in Jesus Christ. We get a glimpse of grace and see as God sees. It happens all the time. When we can see a person who suffers as a neighbor to love instead of a burden, we see through the eyes of faith. When we receive the bread and wine at the Table of the Lord and see Christ present to us, we see as Christ sees. It is these visions that sustain us. Readings: 2 Kings 2:1-12 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Gospel Reading • Mark 9:2-9
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Finding God
01/02/2024
Finding God
The magi come from afar to seek the Christ child. They come seeking and find King Herod more worried about maintaining his power than seeking the newborn king. Herod doesn’t seek, the scribes and chief priests don’t seek either. It seems that God is determined to be found and it takes those who shouldn’t even be looking for the Christ child to find him. Isaiah 60:1-6 | Ephesians 3:1-12 | Matthew 2:1-12
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LOVE HAS COME
12/27/2023
LOVE HAS COME
The vastness and immensity of the universe are held together and grounded in love. That love has come to us in Christ. Amidst the powers and rulers of this world, love has come in humility. Christ comes born in a manger, a baby crying as every other baby so we can know that love has come to us.
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How Can This Be?
12/18/2023
How Can This Be?
In today's Gospel, we delve into the Annunciation, a moment often overlooked in Protestant circles. Mary, a humble teenager from Nazareth, questions the angel Gabriel's surprising message. Yet, Gabriel points to God's unwavering faithfulness, echoing a history of divine promises fulfilled. 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16 | Romans 16:25-27 | Luke 1:26-38
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Lessons & Carols
12/11/2023
Lessons & Carols
Worship features readings of the season and music by the Adult Choir and a small chamber ensemble.
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WOKE
12/04/2023
WOKE
The term “woke” has, for some reason, become polarizing. In this season of Advent, it is essential. To prepare for God’s salvation born in Christ, we must be “woke” to the brokenness of the word. We must be “woke” to the ways we participate in breaking the world. We must be “woke” to the fact that our attempts to fix the world are like lipstick on a pig – pointless. We cry out “Lord, tear open the heavens and come,” to call God to do new things in the broken places. We cry out, “Come, Emmanuel (God with us),” because it is our only hope.
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THE RULE OF CHRIST
11/27/2023
THE RULE OF CHRIST
The vision of the “Sheep and Goats” in Matthew’s gospel is a perplexing bit of scripture. On the surface, it reduces inclusion in the reign of God to those who do good works—no room for grace. On the surface, it condemns the unrighteous to eternal damnation and the fires of hell. Neither notion jibes with the story of Jesus very well. So, what is Jesus trying to teach in this last teaching of Matthew’s gospel? It is about grace and mercy, of course.
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Choosing Our God: Grace or Fear?
11/20/2023
Choosing Our God: Grace or Fear?
We tend to create God in our own image. In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about what happens when we do not know who God is. Jesus tells the parable of the talents to show the transformative impact of shaping our lives by embracing a God of boundless grace, joy, and abundance, rather than succumbing to fear and self-imposed limitations.
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WAITING FOR JESUS
11/13/2023
WAITING FOR JESUS
The Church’s basic posture is one of anticipation, of waiting. Waiting for the Day of the Lord, the return of Christ. The consummation of the reign of God is a tricky thing. It is easy to become distracted by many things, to lose sight of the end and goal of life in Christ. Stay alert, stay awake, and center yourself on Christ.
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WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
11/06/2023
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
In the Book of Revelation, we see a vision of the heavenly throne room with a myriad of worshippers dressed in white. A messenger asks, “Who are these people?” They are the saints. They are largely unknown because they worship one who is largely unknown. Who are the saints of God? It is a good and relevant question…
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FREE INDEED
10/30/2023
FREE INDEED
In a world where we constantly look back to the good ol’ days, we can become trapped by that nostalgia. It is easy to look back to our past, especially on Reformation Sunday, when we celebrate Martin Luther and the reformation he ignited, and get trapped with looking back. Christ calls us to be free and then sets us free to live and love and grieve in this world. Jeremiah 31:31-34 | Romans 3:19-28 | John 8:31-36
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THE POLITICS OF FAITH
10/23/2023
THE POLITICS OF FAITH
Faith and politics, it has been said by some, should never go together. The truth is that being faithful will lead us into political waters. Jesus says: “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21) - a very political statement. Paul calls on the name of the “Lord Jesus Christ” in direct opposition to the claim that “Caesar is Lord” in I Thessalonians 1:1 - Another political statement. How do we allow Jesus Christ to be Lord of even our politics?
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THE KING'S INVITATION
10/16/2023
THE KING'S INVITATION
'Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.' In a world marked by turmoil and trials, the call to find joy may seem daunting. It might even seem as an empty platitude, but the Apostle Paul knows there is reason to rejoice – as Jesus explains it in our Gospel reading for today. Isaiah 25:1-9 | Philippians 4:1-9 | Matthew 22:1-14
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WILD GRAPES
10/09/2023
WILD GRAPES
Wild grapes are good for nothing. They are sour and inedible. You can’t make wine or jelly with them. Birds won’t even eat them. The prophet Isaiah declares that God planted God’s people to yield the grapes of justice, mercy, peace, and grace. Instead, they became wild grapes, producing nothing but violence, injustice, and cries for God’s help. We too receive God’s richest blessings but end up being wild grapes. What are we to do?
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WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
10/02/2023
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
Jesus comes to Jerusalem acting in ways that disrupt. The officials want to know who he thinks he is. He turns the question around on them. If they say they are faithful people of God, why do they not do the work he does? Knowing who we are determines how we live our lives.
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Mercy within Mercy within Mercy
09/25/2023
Mercy within Mercy within Mercy
We all have a keen sense of fairness. It is ingrained in us. We don’t like when people get more than us, especially if we do the same amount of work. Jonah and Jesus show us today the generosity of God, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t always like the generosity of God. Jonah 3:10--4:11, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16
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FORGIVENESS AND RESURRECTION
09/18/2023
FORGIVENESS AND RESURRECTION
Peter asks if forgiving someone seven times is sufficient. Since many of us find forgiving someone once a stretch, Peter was generous. Jesus, however, called for more. He says, “Seventy-seven times” or “Seven times seventy.” Given the symbolic nature of the number seven, the point is to forgive endlessly. Perhaps forgiveness is more than a duty or obligation. Just maybe forgiveness is the power of the resurrection raising dead relationships to new life.
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I'M OFFENDED
09/10/2023
I'M OFFENDED
There I am minding my own business, just trying to get through this thing called life, and I didn’t realize I was supposed to be offended – at least until someone told me that I should be offended. Amidst all the offense, we realize that words matter and words have power. Today, Jesus tells us “for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Those spoken words are powerful.
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TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
09/05/2023
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
These are instructions from Jesus for all who wish to follow him. What does that look like? Putting to death all that keeps us from living as Christ in this world is also trusting in the new life Christ offers. Every day is full of countless crosses we must take up to become what God calls us to be.
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