Dynamic, contextual sermons from Pastor Josh Ehrler, who serves a small town ELCA Lutheran congregation in Northern Illinois. Sermons are rooted in scripture and reflect the local community, as well as the movements of the wider world. He and his congregation are affirming of LGBTQ+ personhood and live out their baptismal promise to seek (racial, economic, identity, environmental) justice and peace.
Today's reading from Matthew 11 is straight out of a police procedural. Do you wanna be the good cop or the bad cop? Jesus compares his way of proclaiming God's Word to John's, and gives us a disappointing conclusion. But also, a promise that he is with us and caring for us no matter our approach. Whoever we are, we are loved and called on to speak God's mercy into the world. Matthew 11.15-19,25-30
22 Jun 2026
With the Sparrows
"With the Sparrows" In the midst of training his followers, Jesus makes a reference to sparrows. His people knew they were economically worthless, easily overlooked and easy to catch. They become a model of who we are to be as disciples, and who we are called to stand and walk with in this world. Who are the overlooked? Who is countless as worthless in our community?
24 Feb 2026
More Than Enough
"More Than Enough," our sermon reflecting on Holy Communion, is the final in our series on the Lutheran Small Catechism. The Table is where we are called by Christ to experience forgiveness and being whole. Jesus commands the disciples to come because on our own, we won't do it. The Table is also where we gather with people across time and geography, binding all God's faithful into one body. A perpetual reminder for God who loves us that you are never alone. #Communion #Lutheran #sermon #smal...
24 Feb 2026
Living the Apostles' Creed
"Living the Apostles Creed" is a reflection on who we are, whose we are, and why we gather for worship. There are worldly powers all around that steal life, convince us we are weak, try to demonstrate that God has no place or presence. Christ reminds us that even the shadow of death, which hangs low over our cities and homes, is in the shadow of the cross. Christ brings light to shadows, God brings life in the midst of suffering and death. Our neighbors, especially our Black, brown, and immig...
24 Feb 2026
Baptism Sets us Free
"Baptism Sets us Free" The first in our sermon series on the Small Catechism introduces us to the depth of baptism, that is far more than a sprinkle of water and few nice words. Baptism gives life, and it liberates us from every barrier and limit of this world, even death. From the water, there is nothing stopping us from bringing mercy, peace, and life to every person we encounter. Our identity is found and affirmed in Christ, who claims us and sets us free.
24 Feb 2026
Having a Chat with God
"Having a Chat with God" seems both an obvious thing to do, and something most of us don't do very much. For all the reasons. Jesus is inviting us to speak to God, and if we can't find the words, breathing is enough. Images, ideas, vague colors and feelings are enough. Our infinite Creator is also always as close as our flesh and blood. God is listening, and gives us space to be ourselves with God. #sermon #Lutheran #LordsPrayer
28 May 2025
Looking for Love - John 14.23-29
Jesus is with the disciples, preparing them for life after his death and resurrection. Though Easter feels like an event in the past (a person can only die once?), we are post-resurrection people still confronts by signs and words of death. Beyond the confines of our safe spaces, God is not terribly visible. Jesus tells his disciples to look for love, framed by the cross, and to see where love is being denied. There is where we find God, and are called to be present for our neighbors.
6 May 2025
If You Know You Know - John 21.1-19
If you're listening to this sermon, you probably already have some sense of God, maybe even a strong one. You might know that you are forgiven and loved unconditionally. Its called grace. Our call from God is to tell others about God's profound love because it makes no sense. We want all people to know that this gift of life is for all.
19 Feb 2025
Rejected and Redeemed - Luke 6.17-26
Being rejected is not what anyone seeks. Humans are built for community, acceptance, welcome, and being acknowledged and loved. Yet, Jesus tells his disciples that rejection is a sign of God's kingdom, opposite of what we'd expect (or prefer). Following Christ leads to the cross along every path, and it leads us to our neighbors who have been cast out and denied life. Where Jesus already dwells.
11 Feb 2025
Weary But Not Worn - Luke 5.1-11
Jesus just wants to go fishing, and Peter is too tired to get excited. Truth be told, Peter doesn't have anything left in the tank. He's been doing the work all night with no evidence or results. What he doesn't recognize is that Jesus is in the boat with him. The coming revelation may be for the world, but it matters most to Peter's faith in that moment.
5 Feb 2025
A Less Likeable Jesus - Luke 4.22-30
This week we find Jesus at the wrong end of his community's rage. They simply do not like the gospel he is speaking and they respond by attempting to throw him off a cliff. One could say, and Luke kind of implies, that they see him as the devil. That's quite the shift in perspective for a guy these same people were raving about and cheering on earlier in the day. How quickly does our opinion of Jesus change when we discover that some of his words don't align with our way of walking the world?...
26 Jun 2024
Already but Not Yet
Christ has destroyed the power of death! Yet, we encounter death every day. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice! (Martin Luther King, Jr) Yet, racism and hate speech has found new voices and new ways to destroy Black and brown lives in the public square. How do we deal with promises made that don't line up with lives lived? The apostle Paul wrestles hard with these questions, as we do, and offers a word that might give us the courage to keep striving through Christ. Philippians 3.8-16
23 Apr 2024
God of the Earth
On this Earth Day, we give thanks for God's creative energy bringing life with a word. In our reading from Isaiah, God is responding to the Israelites, who are struggling to believe. As we are encountered by God today through scripture, God may find us struggling to believe what God can do. Or, if God is even around. Seeing the difficulty and doubt of God's people, responds by calling them (us) to look to the natural world. God even notes how God's breath never leaves and returns without creating life. You are part of God's creative energy. #earthday #easter #Isaiah #happytrees
4 Oct 2023
Theology of the Cross - This is the Lutheran Way sermon 1
What might you be able to do to gain the grace of God? This is not an unusual question since we're told pretty much everywhere in our lives that we must earn to achieve, and achieve to earn. God says something different, speaking grace into the world through Christ.
Throughout October, we at Trinity are reflecting on ways that being "Lutheran" makes us unique in the diverse world of Christian faith. Each topic or idea is vital to our identity, even if we don't describe like that to others. Though, maybe it would be good to consider how we can speak of grace not in worldly, work related terms, but closer to gift given. You are loved, friend. You are enough.
5 Apr 2023
Inside Outside - Palm Sunday
Who is outside? Probably easier to define who is inside, with us. In our gospel its a group of outsiders who define the kingdom of God and adjust the trajectory of the story. As we are called to follow, we are also being called to walk beyond ourselves. #sermon (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/sermon) #PalmSunday (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/palmsunday)
20 Mar 2023
Who Sinned
This is where our gospel begins, with an innocent question pointing to the deep divisions we create between ourselves and our neighbors. There is nothing inherently wrong with the man born blind, as Jesus proclaims, yet the entire community-and all of the disciples-can only define him by the sin they perceive. Even after Jesus demonstrates that there is no separation between the man and God, still, the people cannot see him. They see only their reaction to him. The man born blind can be a reflection of the countless we are willing to banish from our communities because we see them as "other" or separate from God. Though, Jesus reminds that he will continually leave the community to be with God's people. Whether racism, ageism, economic policies or LGBTQ+ youth and adults, we as God's people have a history of casting God's own off. Yet Jesus leads us out of ourselves and leads us to where mercy and grace are needed, on the margins outside of town.
13 Mar 2023
Right to be Skeptical
Our gospel this week takes us to the troubled lands of Samaria, where Jesus crosses a few lines to hang out with a woman at a well. She does not receive him well, and her reasoning is sound. It is right for her to be skeptical. As she and Jesus dig into a conversation, our opinion of her begins to change and suddenly we realize we're the ones creating the skepticism, not her. She is moved in faith as soon as she is seen by Christ. We are called by Christ to see our neighbors before we see what we expect of them. #lent #WordofGod #exvangelical #speakgrace #ReadtheBible
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