Pastor Otterstatter • January 28, 2024

A Time to Prioritize

In his "City of God", St. Augustine talks about rightly ordered love. Augustine calls God the "highest good." He makes the point that if we love anything or anyone more than God, even good gifts, those things become evil because we can not properly show love for others if we do not properly love God first. That is such a challenge! Especially when you consider the list of relationships, responsibilities, & blessings that God places into our lives, like spouse, children, friends, people in need, work, hobbies, recreation, etc.


We have another name for rightly ordering love. We call it prioritizing. Prioritizing is an important skill to have personally & as a congregation. Today we'll see that it's God's love for us in Christ-the love that led him to leave his heavenly home to come and save us sinners-that helps us rightly order our love. Remembering that we pray with St. Augustine. "Set love in order in me, Lord."

Imminent Arrival of the Judge

By Pastor Quinn • December 7, 2025
The judge is an important person. You stand when he enters the courtroom. What he says must be obeyed. If you are the one on trial, his determinations make a big difference in how your life will continue.  You might be quite nervous if the judge is about to arrive. John invited people to turn their nervousness to repentance. He says that the arrival of the Judge is imminent, and the kingdom of heaven is near! You are invited to hear John, repent, and believe the good news of the coming Savior.

Resurrection/Hope

By Pastor Quinn • November 16, 2025
People think of “hope” as being an optimistic desire. “I hope it doesn’t rain this weekend” simply means that is what you want to happen. Your hope doesn’t mean that will happen. It might pour all weekend. Yet, that is the best the world can offer—an uncertain enthusiasm, a cautious anticipation. Optimism is the cause of that shaky type of hope. In a world as hard as this one, we need more than shaky hope. Jesus gives us better. He has given us the unbreakable promise of resurrection, a promise rooted in his own resurrection. More, he has given us the promise of eternal life in a breathtakingly beautiful heavenly home. What is the effect of Jesus giving us such promises? We are given a better type of hope . . . a certain hope. We watch and wait for the life that is to come, with the certainty that it will come. For Jesus has made a promise. And one thing Jesus never does is lie!

Judgment/Peace

By Pastor Quinn • November 9, 2025
If you were making a list of things that might make society more peaceful, would you include “more judgment”? Likely not. Many people assume that judgment leads to conflict, not peace. However, a lack of judgment is a luxury many cannot afford. Our world is full of victims of abuse, violence, and oppression. In many cases this evil goes unnoticed and unpunished. A future without the hope of judgment means no peace. If there is no hope of judgment, victims would be driven either into total despair or to be consumed by the desire for revenge. A future that includes judgment, however, gives those who are wronged the peace of knowing that one day there will be perfect justice.  When we are horribly wronged, what are our options? Taking matters into our own hands? Despair? Jesus provides a better option. Trust that he will keep his promise to return, bringing judgment. The effect of that promise? We have peace, knowing that every wrong will eventually be righted by the one righteous Judge.
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