Exodus 5 - 6:8 :: Deliverance

Joshua Skogerboe

2/18/18

Description:Moses and Aaron have accepted God's command to confront Pharaoh. "Let my people go that they may worship me."Pharaoh's response? "I don't know this God. Why should I listen to him?" And he doubled down. More oppression. Back-breaking labor. No mercy. No deliverance. And Moses' resolve begins to flag. "Why did you send me God?"But God the Deliverer reminds us Who He is. He is the never-changing ALMIGHTY ONE, and He always keeps His promises. If you respond to His call and turn to Him, He will deliver you, too.

Father Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do

Joshua Skogerboe

2/14/18

Description:Ash Wednesday 2018Tonight we beging a series of messages looking at the last words of Jesus on the cross. On a day set aside for Christ-followers everywhere to contemplate our own mortality and repent of our sin, how beautiful to hear Jesus' first words from the cross..."Father, forgive them..."

Exodus 4:1-17 :: Called, Sent, Equipped

Joshua Skogerboe

2/11/18

Description:Moses stands befor the burning bush, covering his face, in the holy presence of God Almighty... and God speaks to him by name. What happened to Moses happens to us. We may not see or hear a voice from a flaming bush, but God draws us. He gets our attention. He interrupts our normal. And then, he calls our name. Have you heard him calling you? Because in every relationship between God and man, GOD is the initiator.The reality of relationship with God is that we will never seek him unless He CALLS us, and He never calls us without SENDING us, and He never sends us out without EQUIPPING us.NEVER.

Exodus 3:13-15 :: The God Who Has A Name

Joshua Skogerboe

2/4/18

Description:Moses stands barefoot before a burning bush, face in his hands, listening to the voice of God. "Who should I say sent me?"Tell them, "I AM WHO I AM" has sent you...Our God is not a distant deity. He is near to us. And He wants us to know him by name.

BE :: A Light

Joshua Skogerboe

1/28/18

Description:"You are the light of the world..."Jesus spoke these words to his followers. They are GOSPEL words to us. Not commanding us to DO, but speaking life to us about who we ARE. Who we are to BE. And as we embrace who we are in relationship with our Savior - the TRUE LIGHT... we SHINE.

BE :: The Church

Joshua Skogerboe

1/21/18

Description:Ephesians 4God hasn't created us and saved us primarily so we would DO something for Him, but that we might BE somebody. That is powerfully true for the local church.A study of Ephesians 4 as it relates to the calling of a local church to BE for each other a fountain of love, encouragement, brotherhood, and grace.

BE :: Holy

Joshua Skogerboe

1/14/18

Description:God has set an impossible standard. "Be HOLY," He says, "as I am holy."Most of us reject that standard from the outset, preferring instead to choose our own level of Godliness... something less than HOLINESS... something more flexible, and comfortable than holiness.And yet, the standard is radiant, white hot, purity of moral character, of intent, of thought and action. What are we going to do? Or more to the point... WHO are we going to BE?

BE :: Alive!

Joshua Skogerboe

1/7/18

Description:"I rescued you NOT PRIMARILY that you would DO something, but that you might BE somebody."Yes! To be His child, and to be at peace, and to be joyful and free, and to BE WITH HIM. If we don't remember that God FIRST created and saved us for HIS GLORY, we might start to think (as an individual or as a church family) that He primarily made us to DO STUFF in His name. But that's not so. He created and saved us to BE HIS. What we DO flows naturally out of who we ARE. So... WHO are we going to BE, St. Olaf?Well we begin this first series in the new year with the first answer... we are going to BE ALIVE!

And His Name Shall Be Called :: Mighty God

Joshua Skogerboe

12/17/17

Description:Jesus claimed and His disciples claimed that Jesus was God himself. Now, it's easy to make claims. It's far more difficult to PROVE those claims with action. But the Biblical evidence shows that's exactly what He did.And that MATTERS to you and me.Because if Jesus is who He says he is… who the Biblical evidence PROVES He is… it means He is able to do what he promised.

And His Name Shall Be Called :: Wonderful Counselor

Joshua Skogerboe

12/10/17

Description:A WONDER of a COUNSELOR.Who are the voices speaking into your life? This week we hear about the ONLY counselor in your life who is 100% trustworthy. The One who will always speak the truth compassionately, full of wisdom and authority.

And His Name Shall Be Called :: Hope for a Despairing World

Alan Reynolds

12/3/17

Description:Isaiah 9:6 -- Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given. And the governement shall be upon His shoulders...Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a gift to humanity, coming in the form of a baby. That baby would grow up, and take on the mantle of authority, and rule. Glory to the newborn King.

Exodus 3:1-12 :: The Mountain of God

Joshua Skogerboe

11/26/17

Description:The mountain of God is a symbol of the place we meet God face to face. Like Moses encounter at the burning bush. God spoke to Moses one on one, like He speaks to us. Because our faith - if it is saving faith - is a personal faith. God is not content to be believed in in some general way. He must be KNOWN.

Exodus 2 :: The Unimaginable Preparation

Joshua Skogerboe

11/12/17

Description:God is the author of history, and in His perfect wisdom, and with specific intention, He with us, preparing us to be part of His kingdom work.Sometimes we overestimate the significance of our circumstances or the consequences of our choices, for good or for bad. Sometimes we long for the story of our lives to move faster... or slower... or in a different direction. Moses thought that, too. All of that.And yet, when our story seems darkest, God is still there... writing His perfect story.

Exodus 1 :: Whom Shall I Fear?

Joshua Skogerboe

11/5/17

Description:Who you fear is who you will serve.The first chapter of Exodus is an interesting case study on FEAR. There are vastly different results when our lives are driven by fear of MEN rather than fear of God.

Introduction to Exodus :: Overview

Joshua Skogerboe

10/29/17

Description:The book of Exodus is a book about RESCUE and SALVATION. Other than Genesis, you could make a strong case that there may be no more important book in the whole Old Testament. Today we begin a study of EXODUS with the big-picture view, establishing the key ideas and central themes that will be developed throughout.

STEWARDSHIP

Joshua Skogerboe

10/22/17

Description:The word "stewardship" to many people is code for "giving to your church." But in reality, this idea of STEWARDSHIP is far broader than financial management. It runs deep into our reason for being, and how we ought to live as God-followers. We haven't been given all things to self-entertain, self-medicate, and self-exalt. Everything we have - from our money to our stuff to our time to our heartbeats - all belongs to God. HE is the OWNER, and WE are the STEWARDS.

Soli Deo Gloria :: To God Alone Be the Glory

Joshua Skogerboe

10/15/17

Description:Glory to God in the highest! Everything that has ever been created, and everything God has ever done on our behalf has been for the purpose of maximizing the renown of His great name. To God be the glory, and to Him alone. That's Soli Deo Gloria.In this last message in our SOLAS series, we ask and answer three tremendously important questions... (1) What IS God's glory? (2) What is God's HIGHEST VALUE? And (3) Where do we find our GREATEST JOY?

Solius Christus :: Christ Alone

Joshua Skogerboe

10/8/17

Description:Christianity is unique among all of the religions of the world. No other god condecends to its creatures. No other god sacrifices himself for flesh and blood. No other religion offers the true peace of assurance that your relationship with God has been won and secured outside of your own striving.Only Jesus offers that. There is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved. CHRIST ALONE.Christ alone as PROPHET. Christ alone as PRIEST. Christ alone as KING.

Sola Gratia :: Grace Alone

Joshua Skogerboe

10/1/17

Description:We are not capable of understanding just how dependant we are upon God's unearned good will toward us. We can't comprehend it. Because to ponder the state of our souls apart from God is to realize we're not only in the hole, we're buried. Dead.To be in the presence of God, we MUST believe in Him, receive the Gospel, repent of our sin, and be born again.But... we're dead. We CANNOT.And yet, by GRACE ALONE... WE DO.

Sola Fide :: Faith Alone

Joshua Skogerboe

9/24/17

Description:The second great pillar of doctrine that defines the theology of the Reformation is the central and essential understanding that we are justified before God by FAITH ALONE. Not by any merit or effort of our own. We come to God and are made right with God because we BELIEVE in the finished work of the Son of God on our behalf. We are saved by faith alone. Sola Fide.

Sola Scriptura :: The Word Alone

Joshua Skogerboe

9/17/17

Description:500 years ago a revolution was unleashed that changed the world for eternity. The Reformation.It was a theological return to the Word of God as the one true standard and authority in all matters of life and faith. The Word alone... Sola Scriptura. This principal is the first in a series of five doctrines that frame the theology of the Reformation and the modern day Protestant church.As a Lutheran church, we stand on these five pillars today and need them more than ever. But it starts here. Sola Scriptura. And it has us asking the core question of all who hear it... "Who is in charge of you?""Sola Scriptura" is message number one in a five-part series called "SOLAS."

What's It Worth? :: Matthew 13:44

Joshua Skogerboe

9/10/17

Description:RALLY SUNDAY 2017In one verse, Jesus gives us a picture of the Kingdom of Heaven. It's like a treasure burried in a field... A man finds the treasure and, because he values the treasure so highly, he is willing to give up everything else to make it his own.But what exactly is the treasure? And how do we know what it is worth?Look at the price that was paid to obtain it.

The Heart of the Matter

Alan Reynolds

9/3/17

Description:At the center of history and at the center of our faith stands the cross of Jesus. There is a reason this symbol has become the most widely recognized symbol of Christianity. Not the cradle of the the incarnation. Not the carpenter's bench of vocation. Not the servant's towel or the loaves and fish. It is the cross. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. For you.

The Trajectory of Mercy :: Romans 11:28-36

Joshua Skogerboe

8/27/17

Description:God Almighty is the sovereign Lord of history. He does as He pleases. And so, as we look back on the flow of human history and mankind's relationship with Him, we see in both the Jews (God's original chosen people) and the Gentiles (that's everybody else) periods of rebellious hard-hearted rejection of God, and periods of receptivity and obedience... But why? If God is crafting the story and guiding the nations and turning the flow of mankind like water in His hand, why allow for these alternating periods of willfull disobedience and seeking God? Why write the story like this?Because His ways are higher than our ways, and his knowledge and wisdom run deep as the sea. And he has aligned all of history to follow the trajectory of MERCY.

Defining Moments :: The Gospel and Racial Reconciliation

Joshua Skogerboe

8/20/17

Description:St. Olaf seeks to be a diverse church, but not for diversity's sake. We believe that when true healing and Christian love prevail in a local church within a racially diverse neighborhood, the natural result will be a growing multiethnicity that reflects the Kingdom of God.We want that here. As a disciple-making church, we are actively seeking to be racial reconcilers. Because racism and the Gospel are incompatible.

Blood and Promises :: Romans 9:1-8

Joshua Skogerboe

8/13/17

Description:Here is the crisis: God's chosen people are the Jews. He has made covenant promises with Israel - to dwell with them and to be their God, to be in relationship with them in the Promised Land forever. And yet, very very few of the children of Israel are walking in a saving relationship with Him. That was true 2000 years ago, and it is true today.So... has God kept His promise to Israel? And if He has not, how can we trust Him with our very salvation? We are saved by grace through FAITH that God's promise to us of forgiveness was sealed with Jesus' blood and resurrection. But we look at the Jews, and we say... How can we trust that God is a PROMISE-KEEPING God?

Omnia Vincit Amor :: Romans 8:28-39

Joshua Skogerboe

7/30/17

Description:LOVE CONQUERS ALL.The love of God fills us with power, freedom, and joy that can't be quenched by our painful circumstances, broken relationships, or even our personal failings. In Jesus our bad things will turn out for good, our most truly good things can never be taken away, and our best things are yet to come.

Jekyll and Hyde at War :: Romans 7:14-25

Joshua Skogerboe

7/23/17

Description:"There is a monster living inside of you..."Paul knew it, and Robert Louis Stevenson captured it in his famous and terrifying story about the good Dr. Jekyll and the hideous Mr. Edward Hyde. We are all two people. At war.There is a key distinction in this war between the battle you cannot win and the battle you cannot lose.

Illuminate

Alan Reynolds

7/16/17

Description:Jesus spoke with authority. The crowds noticed. He spoke truth into the confusion and religious entanglements of his day... I know you are lost. I know you are scared. I know you are in the dark.But I AM the LIGHT. I know the way out of the darkness. If you want to live... follow me.NOTE: This message was delivered on our "Youth Sunday," following the 2017 FLY Convention in Estes Park, CO. Sevceral of our students took part in the service as musicians, scripture readers, and sharing their stories of what God did at FLY. Alan spoke on the theme verse from FLY 2017... John 8:12. We are grateful to Alan for his excellent service.

Who Are We? :: Hebrews 10:23-25

Joshua Skogerboe

7/9/17

Description:Our culture is in a constant state of identity crisis. And because most people don't know who they are, society crumbles. Who you are plays a huge role in determining how you live. So if you don't know WHO you are, how do you know how you ought to live?At the core of our identity is one bedrock truth...

The Message, The Messenger, and The Method :: Romans 10:5-17

Joshua Skogerboe

6/25/17

Description:The nation of Israel has failed. They were established by God as His chosen people, and all of their laws and history served a purpose... to point them and the rest of the world to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But Israel missed the point. Instead, they chose to trust in their own path to righteous reconnection with God. But the path of rule-following only works if you never - not one time - deviate from the holy path.Are you capable of perfect sinlessness? Perfect holy God-honoring righteous living?Neither am I. That's why I am grateful for the MESSAGE that there is another way. I'm grateful God sent a MESSENGER to bring the Good News. And I'm grateful for the METHOD God has clarified for reconnecting struggling souls to peace with God.

The God of Love And Justice :: Romans 3:21-26

Joshua Skogerboe

6/18/17

Description:We tackle a meaty text today - one of the most important texts in the whole Bible. It confronts and addresses what may be the PRIMARY PROBLEM of the Bible, which is, "How can a holy, righteous, just God ALSO be merciful, kind, and loving to rebellious sinners like us?"How can God be both a God of love AND justice?

The Promise is For You :: Acts 2:22-41

Joshua Skogerboe

6/11/17

Description:This text follows last week's Pentecost Sunday telling of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today, we look into the event that immediately followed - Peter's great sermon to the crowd on the temple steps, where 3000 souls were saved. This stands as an archetype for us of what it means to become a Christian.

The Fire of God :: Acts 2:1-12

Joshua Skogerboe

6/4/17

Description:Penetecost Sunday. In a moment the Church of God became connected to God by the indwelling Holy Spirit, something never before experienced. As we read about the way God sent His Spirit to the believers in Jerusalem that day, we see some of what it means to live in the fullness of the Spirit now.

Resist the Devil :: 1 Peter 5:6-11

Joshua Skogerboe

5/28/17

Description:The devil is real.Not a cartoon in a red suit and horns. Not a fairy tale. He is an active enemy of the Church. Like a lion... hunting us. So be courageous, and be ready. Stand firm in the faith.Peter tells us, know your enemy. Know your strategy. And know your God.

Dangerous Prayers :: Send Me

Joshua Skogerboe

5/21/17

Description:Whenever. Wherever. However. I am AVAILABLE God. The answer is YES... now what are you calling me to do?SEND ME. This is a very dangerous prayer. To surrender yourself to God before you know what He will ask of you... that's the sign of a surrendered heart. But how do we get there? To this place of devotion and trust?When we genuinely encounter the presence of God, we recognize our sinfulness, and we understand the depth of God's life-changing grace, the devil better get ready... we're coming.

Dangerous Prayers :: Change Me

Joshua Skogerboe

5/14/17

Description:Ephesians 4:17-24When we talk about CHANGE in church there seems to be an even split between those who say, "NO - leave me alone" and those who say "YES - but I don't know HOW." Paul gives us some insight here. There is a holy balance between the HARD WORK we must do, and the transformative reshaping of our heart and mind that only God can do for us. Both are necessary. But it starts today with a dangerous prayer... Lord, CHANGE ME.

Dangerous Prayers :: Break Me

Joshua Skogerboe

5/7/17

Description:Mark 14:3-9, 22-25Why would we EVER pray that? The most dangerous of prayers... Break me, Lord.Because God's highest priority ISN'T our COMFORT. God has made us to grow - into greater and greater maturity and deeper and deeper Christlikeness. And sometimes those deep, life-transforming blessings only come on the other side of BROKENNESS. Trust the One who loves you the most.

Dangerous Prayers :: Search Me

Joshua Skogerboe

4/23/17

Description:Psalm 139:23-24Today we embark on the dangerous path. Most of our prayers are way too SAFE. But these prayers are anything but. These prayers are DANGEROUS, because they come at a cost. They will cause discomfort, self-examination, humility, dependence, submission.Today we pray with King David, "Search me..."

I AM :: The Resurrection + The LIFE!

Joshua Skogerboe

4/16/17

Description:EASTER MORNINGThe resurrection isn't an event. It's a PERSON. And when Jesus Christ walks into the room, dead things don't stay dead.

Good Friday :: I AM

Joshua Skogerboe

4/14/17

Description:ego emi -- Jesus said these two little Greek words many many times in the book of John. He applied them to Himself, declaring his divinity with the words "I AM." On this Good Friday night, we see how they lead us from our fears and failures to the cross.

What Kind of KING is This? :: Luke 19:29-40

Joshua Skogerboe

4/9/17

Description:Palm Sunday.This was a game changer. As Jesus entered Jerusalem with a shouting, worshipping throng, He left no doubt that He was coming as a King. But not just any King...

I AM :: The True Vine

Joshua Skogerboe

4/5/17

Description:John 15:1-11 -- Jesus invites his disciples to stay connected to Him through His love and through His Word, in order that He might be our life-source forever. If we do, His promise to us is that our lives will be FULL of God-honoring evidence of His influence. And like any good Father, He loves us too much to allow us to remain immature and self-centered. His discipline is for our good.NOTE: Audio from a video by The Skit Guys called "God's Chisel." To order your own copy visit >> https://skitguys.com/videos/item/gods-chisel

Genesis 49 :: The Blessing of Jacob and the Lion of Judah

Joshua Skogerboe

4/2/17

Description:Genesis 49:1-2, 8-12 :: Jacob is on his deathbed. He gathers his sons around him, the patriarchs of the future twelve tribes of the nation of Israel, and he prophesies over each of them. Some blessings. Some curses. But the truth."And Judah," he says, "From your bloodline shall come the Kings of Israel, and eventually One whose reign will span the whole of the earth for all of time." A Lion is coming...

I AM :: The Way + Truth + Life

Joshua Skogerboe

3/29/17

Description:John 14:6 -- "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."This may be the most controversial statement in the whole Bible.Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the only available rescue from hell? Because at the end of the day what really matters isn't whether or not His Gospel is FAIR, but whether or not it might possibly be TRUE.

Genesis 42-45 :: The Redemption of Judah

Joshua Skogerboe

3/26/17

Description:Joseph is overseeing a massive food relief effort during a time of unprecedented crop failure in the known world. Even the nations surrounding Egypt are coming to him to keep from starving. This is what leads to an intense reunion with his brothers, who don't recognize him... the brother they beat and stripped and sold into slavery many years ago.We focus today on these brothers and the trial they are put through by Joseph, and ultimately, by God. And we especially note the transformation of one brother... Judah.How does God change a man? What process does He use to get to a man's core and break it open? We learn something about His love for us in the redemption of Judah.

I AM :: The Good Shepherd

Joshua Skogerboe

3/22/17

Description:John 10 and Psalm 23In this latest I AM proclamation, Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. Those who live around sheep can tell you that they get lost easily, they're vulnerable, stubborn, and filthy. SHEEP NEED a SHEPHERD... just like WE need a SAVIOR.

Genesis 40 and 41 :: Implications

Joshua Skogerboe

3/19/17

Description:Something we don't usually think about: choices we make today sometimes have ENORMOUS implications down the road that are IMPOSSIBLE to see in the present moment.We learn from the life of Joseph... Speak truth. Honor God. Walk humbly. Reflect grace.

I AM :: The Door of the Sheep

Joshua Skogerboe

3/15/17

Description:Lent 2017 :: John 10:1-10Jesus is teaching his disciples in the presence of a pack of wolves... Pharisees and self-appointed religious leaders who trample on the people under their care to secure their own power and position. "Thieves and robbers," Jesus calls them.There is an enemy at work today, too. There are wolves outside the walls. But we thank God for the safety of His protection. As long as you enter by the one and only DOOR, you'll find refuge in here, too...

Genesis 39 :: Our Weakness and Our Strength

Joshua Skogerboe

3/12/17

Description:The next chapter in the story of Joseph is a lesson for us in dealing with TEMPTATION. Whatever you struggle hardest with... whatever you consider your own personal Kryptonite... Genesis 39 has some insight for you. So you can RESIST that temptation and ultimately OVERCOME it, in the strength of Jesus' blood leveraged on your behalf.The temptation of POWER defeated. The temptation of SEX defeated. The temptation to DESPAIR defeated. Jesus offers something BETTER.