In Sermons: showing 16-30 of 113

Red Sticks - Blue Sticks

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Aug 7, 2009

Ordinary Proper 14 - St. Paul draws a contrast between the follower of God and the person who doesn’t know of his love in Christ. He encourages us to guard our identity in Christ by illustrating what life in Christ "looks like".

Recently I was remembering the very first sermon that I preached. It was in the mid 70s at a Baptist Church. I was a young sailor recently married. My new bride had been raised in a Baptist church and I was a freshly catechized Lutheran. We tried the local Lutheran Church – but it was not an ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

City Of Man - City Of God

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Aug 1, 2009

Ordinary Proper 13 - Just as Augustine writes about the perils of the journey on the way to the City of God - the Israelites also took their eyes off the prize. But God accompanied them and fed them - just as He does for us.

Augustine of Hippo – or simply, St. Augustine – is one of the great thinkers with which the Church has been blessed. His influence on Christian thought has been profound. Since Martin Luther was first an Augustinian monk – St. Augustine’s influence even touches us today as 21st century ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 16:2-15

Denomination: Lutheran

On Being Leaders Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jul 3, 2009

Part IV of the Four-Part Vision: We look at how God led his people and how He used leaders to lift up a vision among his people. We examine the important questions: Who should lead? and What is important for leaders?

Text: Jesus called them together. He said, “You know about the rulers of the nations. They hold power over their people. Their high officials order them around. Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant. And anyone who wants to be first must be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:25-28

Denomination: Lutheran

On Being Peacemakers Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jun 23, 2009

Part III of the Four Part Vision: As the redeemed children of God, we are called to live lives that reflect the peace that Christ won for us on the Cross. This message is a practical introduction to Biblical Peacemakers.

Texts: “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ’every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17

Denomination: Lutheran

On Being Hospitable Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jun 19, 2009

Part II of the Four-Part Vision: God instructs his people to practice hospitality. What does this mean as we receive guests in our congregations? Are we ill-prepared to welcome our guests? Or do we receive them as the blessing and gift that God intended?

Congregations are families. The longer that they are together, usually the harder it is to let other people become part of the inner circle of the church. And yet, we know that – just as we are to be hospitable as families – we are also called to be hospitable as groups of believers. The writer ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Denomination: Lutheran

On Making Disciples Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jun 13, 2009

Part I of the Four-Part Vision: We focus on what God has asked his people to do: Pass my word on to your children and to your children’s children. Let your lives be permeated with the task of "making disciples"!

Text: [1] Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. [8a] Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today…[18] Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. [19] ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 11:1-28

Denomination: Lutheran

On Being The Church Of The Living God Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Jun 6, 2009

An introduction to a new ministry vision. In this message, the context for the Church is set and the four pillars of the new ministry vision are introduced: Discipleship; Assimilation; Biblical Peacemaking; Leadership Development.

Yesterday, the events of the Normandy invasion – D-Day – were remembered. On that day, the largest amphibious invasion of all time was launched by the allied forces in order to retake Europe. On D-Day, about 160,000 troops landed on the beaches of Normandy. The planning and logistics were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Denomination: Lutheran

The Son-Maker Spirit

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on May 30, 2009

Pentecost: A sermon focusing on the double edged sword: Being led by the Spirit puts us at odds with the world. Not being led by the Spirit puts us at odds with God.

Text: [14] …Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:14-16

Denomination: Lutheran

Jesus' Last Will And Testament

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on May 23, 2009

Easter 7: Here we find Jesus praying for his followers. He doesn’t ask for wealth or prestige or power for his followers. In this prayer, Jesus shows the extent of his love for his followers before He dies.

This is Memorial Day weekend – a time to remember and honor military men and women who have given their lives in service to this country. It is an opportunity to give thanks for those who paid the ultimate price – their lives – in order for us to enjoy the benefits provided by this country and ...read more

Scripture: John 17:11-19

Denomination: Lutheran

Easter - For Whom?

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on May 16, 2009

Easter 6: We are so good at picking sides - at finding reasons to finding reasons to choose reasons for thinking that we are better than others. The lessons of the early church drive us to question this and to ask: For whom is Easter?

A few years ago some friends from this part of the state visited us when we lived in San Antonio. We took them to lunch at a popular restaurant in San Antonio and there saw a bunch of people wearing “Go, Spurs, Go” t-shirts. Being from the Dallas area – my friend was, of course, rooting for the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:34-48

Denomination: Lutheran

Mothers - On The Frontlines

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on May 6, 2009

Mothers Day (Easter 5): Moms have the great privilege of raising the next generation of Christians. Moms are God’s soldiers on the front lines. As the exemplar, we look at Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite Woman.

In 1994 our oldest son enlisted in the US Navy. When he graduated from boot camp, Sofi, our youngest son, a cousin and I took a road trip to Chicago to watch the graduation ceremonies. Our son was given liberty for a couple of days and so we decided to enjoy the sights of the city. So we took ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Lutheran

The Shepherd And His Sheep

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on May 2, 2009

Easter 4: Good Shepherd Sunday - Jesus fulfills his role as the great shepherd of the sheep. He knows them, cares for them, gathers them from all over the earth, dies for them and raises them to new life.

Hey, I want you to do something for me. I want you to pretend to be a sheep. No, not a sheep in a metaphorical sort of way – but I want you to put yourself in the position of a real, four-legged, wooly sheep. Your task over the next few minutes will be to look at life and look at the world from ...read more

Scripture: John 10:11-18

Denomination: Lutheran

Easter Makes A Difference

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Apr 18, 2009

Easter 2: Easter makes a difference. It changes cold, hard, self-centered people into a community that cares for one another. It gives boldness to weak hearts. It gives hope to suffering spirits. It provides a perspective.

Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed – Alleluia! Life in the time of Jesus was hard – maybe even mean. There are plenty of examples of this. Justice was often quick and oftentimes harsh. Look at what happened to Jesus! He was celebrating Passover with his disciples on Thursday night, and by ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:32-35

Denomination: Lutheran

Did They Ever Mess Up!

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Apr 8, 2009

Easter Sunday: Those who plotted to kill Jesus really messed up. God turned their evil intentions into the salvation of the entire world.

Little Mark was three years old when his pet lizard died. His grandma decided to make a teaching experience out of it. She suggested that little Mark and an older boy in the family hold a “funeral” for the lizard. So granny – with all good intentions - explained what a funeral was: A ceremony ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Lutheran

Father, Into Your Hands / Padre En Tus Manos

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Apr 8, 2009

Good Friday: Jesus gave up his Spirit to his heavenly Father. He endured suffering and death as payment for our sin. Viernes Santo: Jesús entrego su Espíritu a su Padre Celestial. Paso por sufrimiento y muerte para pagar por nuestros pecados.

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” - The last words of Jesus on the Cross. Were they simply an expression of relief? - A cry of deliverance? Was Jesus simply saying that the horrendous ordeal He had endured is now, at last, over and that he was ready to let go of this earthly life? After ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:46

Denomination: Lutheran