Do you ever wonder where your life and faith or spirituality connect? Pastor Travis Wilson seeks to answer that question and provide real-life examples each week from the Bible. If you want to explore God and being a Jesus person in the world, join us for our weekly adventure.
October 4, 2026 - Pentecost 19 - The Vineyard Was Never Ours
Scripture: Isaiah 5:1–7; Philippians 3:4b–14; Matthew 21:33–46
Speaker: Pastor Travis Wilson
Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church | South Haven, Michigan
What happens when caring for something slowly turns into believing we own it? In Jesus’ parable of the vineyard and its tenants, Pastor Travis Wilson explores the thin line between stewardship and control—and the freedom that comes when we remember that our lives, our churches, and even God’s future were never ours to possess.
The gospel offers another way: loosening our grip, opening our hands, and trusting the God who keeps bringing new beginnings out of the places we thought were finished.
Notice where care has become control. Pay attention to the places where “this matters to me” has quietly become “this has to belong to me.”
Practice open-handed stewardship. Receive your life, relationships, church, resources, and opportunities as gifts entrusted to your care rather than possessions to protect.
Trust God with what comes next. We are not responsible for owning or controlling God’s future; we are called to be faithful with the part of it we have been given to tend.
Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church is a welcoming ELCA congregation in South Haven, Michigan. To learn more about worship, connect with the congregation, or find more sermons and resources, visit peaceinsouthhaven.org.
Episode SummaryKey TakeawaysConnect with Peace
27 Sept 2026
September 27, 2026 - Pentecost 18 - Your First Answer Is Not Your Last Answer
Your First Answer Is Not Your Last Answer
Jesus tells a story about two sons: one who says yes but never shows up, and another who says no but eventually changes his mind and goes. Against the unexpected backdrop of a South Haven Homecoming disrupted by fire and cancellation, Pastor Travis reflects on the space between our words and our actions—and the grace of a God who keeps inviting us back.
Maybe one of the most hopeful things about faith is this: our first answer to God does not have to be our final answer.
Key Takeaways
Notice the gap between words and actions. Faith is more than saying the right thing; it takes shape in what we actually do.
Give yourself and others room to change. Grace means a past “no,” a broken promise, or a wrong turn does not have to become the end of the story.
Take one small step toward an unfinished yes. Name something you meant to do, someone you meant to contact, or a commitment you meant to keep—and take one concrete step toward it this week.
20 Sept 2026
September 20, 2026 - Pentecost 17 - When Grace Doesn’t Feel Fair
What happens when God’s generosity disrupts our carefully kept scorecards? In Matthew 20:1–16, Jesus tells a story about workers, wages, resentment, and a vineyard owner whose generosity refuses to follow the rules we expect. Pastor Travis Wilson explores the uncomfortable possibility that grace is not a more generous version of the system we already know—it is a different system altogether.
Key Takeaways:
Notice the stories we tell about other people. Before assuming why someone has fallen behind, arrived late, or been left waiting, remember the worker whose explanation was simply, “No one hired us.”
Stop trying to turn grace into a merit system. God’s love is freely given—not earned, ranked, or adjusted according to hours worked, accomplishments, or religious seniority.
Make room at the wider table. Communion gives us a picture of God’s generosity: longtime members, newcomers, and those who thought nobody would choose them receive the same bread, the same promise, and the same grace.
Thanks for listening to the Peace Lutheran Church podcast. To learn more about Peace, connect with our congregation, or join us for worship in person or online, visit peaceinsouthhaven.org. (http://peaceinsouthhaven.org)
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