Sermons on Jonathan:

Living Like An Alien

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Nov 1, 2011

Using Judah in the Old Testament as an example, this message explains how God's people are to live as "aliens" in this world while we await the return of Christ and eternity in our true, eternal kingdom.

INTRODUCTION * A hot topic in politics: illegal immigration = “aliens” - a resident born in or belonging to another country - a foreigner; unlike one’s own / strange or difference * We, as God’s people, are aliens in a spiritual sense (not new: the people of God in the OT ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Blessed Because You Believe

Contributed by Jonathan Landis on Dec 17, 2014

An inspirational look at Mary's faith and how OUR belief in the Lord will enable us also to be blessed. A study also on Elizabeth and how people USED to call her barren, but that some of God's miracles change our identity! What is impossible to God?

Blessed BECAUSE You Believe!!! Jonathan Landis 12/14/14 Luke 1:26-45 Read Luke 1:26-34 NLT 34. – How? 1. How in the world?!? A fair question given the circumstances! There is a time when it is appropriate to ask God HOW IN THE WORLD?!? The answer? Read on in Verse 35 Vs. 35 – The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-45

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Jesus' First Miracle Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Feb 20, 2019

“This just doesn’t seem to make much sense.” How many times do you think the people there for Jesus' first miracle asked that question? This event in the life of Jesus confirms exactly who Jesus was and how God works – amazing solutions that we would have never expected.

Just this past week, one of my daughters was looking through the scrapbooks that my wife has assembled throughout the years of various events in their lives. One of the things you’ll find for each of them is the famous “First day of school” picture. Those pictures are kind of fun to look at and ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Lutheran

Is Jesus What You Expected?

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Feb 20, 2019

Jesus' sermon in his hometown synagogue might not have gone as you would expect. But Jesus shows us that his Word is sometimes welcomed, other times rejected, but ALWAYS powerful.

Expectations. “Do you really think that we’re going to get all that snow that they say we’re supposed to get?” “Have you heard about the frigid temperatures that are predicted?” “Do you think that they’ll cancel school?” The expectations, the anticipation and the excitement was hard to escape. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:20-32

Denomination: Lutheran

Ready For Discipleship?

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Feb 20, 2019

Are you ready to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus? Two examples: one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament shows us what it takes to be disciple of the Lord Jesus. See how the Lord calls and equips his disciples.

I have this reoccurring nightmare that goes something like this. It’s Sunday morning. I’m at church. The service is just about ready to start. I realize that I forgot to write a sermon. Why? I’m not sure. The church service is starting and I’m frantically trying to figure out what I’m going ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Denomination: Lutheran

Blessed?

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Feb 20, 2019

Where do you look to for evidence of God's blessing? Are you looking to the right places? Jesus tells us to look to some rather unusual places to find his blessing while also providing us with a list of warnings.

How are you doing this morning? There used to be a man who when he walked into church on Sunday mornings and I asked him how he was doing, he would respond with a single word. He would say, “Blessed!” Every week he said the same thing. How many of us would give that response today? Maybe all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:17-26

Denomination: Lutheran

A Living Christian Faith

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 17, 2019

"I am... (fill in the blank)." What does it mean to be a Christian? More than church membership or checking a box. Christian faith is living, active and demonstrating.

Fill in the blank: I am . How would you complete that statement? I am…tired. I am…awesome. I am…excited. I am…a husband. I am…a parent. I am…a friend. You could probably complete that sentence in about a million different ways. But if you are going to make one of those claims, you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:43-49

Denomination: Lutheran

Facing Temptation Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 28, 2019

Struggling temptation is not uncommon to us nor was it uncommon to Jesus. See how Jesus' struggle against temptation helps us as we daily face temptation.

Do you ever feel like you’re wearing one of these (a target)? Maybe it’s that you feel like you’re being blamed for everything that is going wrong in other people’s lives, even when it’s not your fault. Maybe it’s more of the personal attacks that are being fired in your direction because of what ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Denomination: Lutheran

Standing Firm In The Lord Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 28, 2019

Do you have good spiritual balance? Where we look can certainly affect our spiritual balance. Paul reminds us of where TO look and where NOT TO look to help us keep good spiritual balance.

Do you have good balance? I suppose that we could find out by testing your balance this morning. I could have all of you stand up. Then ask you to hold out your hands as I push against them one by one. Then ask you to stand on one foot and then to stand on the other foot without falling over. ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Our God Is "i Am" Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 28, 2019

Do you ever struggle to make sense of the things going in life? Why would God allow certain things to happen. The name "I AM" is one that helps us in the way we look at the things that we and others are going through in this life that might not make sense to us.

Do you ever struggle to understand why God would allow certain things to happen? You turn on the TV, read the latest headlines, look at the world around you, or what is personally going on in your own life, and we struggle to make sense of things. A natural disaster claims the lives of hundreds ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 13:1-8, Exodus 13:10-15

Denomination: Lutheran

Get A Glimpse Of Jesus' Glory

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 28, 2019

On Transfiguration Jesus gave his disciples a glorious experience that would help them get through some pretty hard things until finally arriving at Easter Sunday morning. Jesus continues to show his glory to us today, a glory that helps us through the hard times of our lives.

Supper is still about an hour and a half away. Lunch seems like an eternity ago. Your stomach is calling, “Feed me!” What do you do? If you’re like me, you grab a snack. Something that will help hold you over until the next of the three major meals of the day. Maybe it’s a cookie or some ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:28-36

Denomination: Lutheran

Welcome Home!

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Apr 25, 2019

This first person sermon hears the account of the prodigal son from the prodigal son himself. His story is our story - a story of God's amazing grace!

This morning I would like to speak to you as if I was that prodigal, wasteful and reckless son that we heard about in our gospel lesson. I come to you this morning to share my story, the same story that Jesus shared with a rather diverse group of people who had gathered around him from every walk ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Lutheran

Running The Race Of Faith

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Apr 25, 2019

How is your race of Christian faith going? Tired? Seemingly endless hurdles? Great? Easy? Jesus takes us off the spiritual treadmill and hands us the prize of heaven! Run as one who has already won!

Are you familiar with these decals or stickers? (26.2 or 13.1) You might see them on the back of a car or truck. They are the distances for a marathon (26.2 miles) and half marathon (13.1 miles). People might put them on their vehicle as an indication that they have run a marathon or half ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:8-14

Denomination: Lutheran

"save Us Now!"

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Apr 25, 2019

What kind of Jesus are you looking for? The Palm Sunday crowd seemed to be looking for a Jesus to save them from the now, but Jesus is so much more! Jesus is a Savior for eternity! See Jesus for who he truly is!

If you had been standing there in that first Palm Sunday crowd as Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, what would you have heard? I would ask you to close your eyes to imagine it, but that’s kind of the kiss of death for a sermon, so keep your eyes open and imagine it. What would you have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Lutheran

He Has Risen!

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Apr 25, 2019

Words are powerful. Words can change a person's life. Words can change history. Consider how three words on Easter morning, "He has risen!" have changed human history - have changed your history!

“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy – January 20, 1961 “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed…” – Dr. Martin Luther King – August 28, 1963 “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” – ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:17, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:6, Luke 20:6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran