Sermons from Our Savior Lutheran Church, Birmingham, AL

Find out how Jesus reveals himself as your Savior and King! This Epiphany season, we are reminded that Jesus is everything we need.We are bombarded with messages each day - what we should buy, where we should eat, why our side is good and the other side is bad,... and so many more. All claim to be right and all clamor to be the most important in your life. In today's worship, however, our Savior helps us to realize that he has the only message that the world, and you and I, need to hear. He is the world's Savior, and there is nothing more important than being called to follow him and to share that message with others. Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Find out how Jesus reveals himself as your Savior and King! This Epiphany season, we are reminded that Jesus is everything we need.You have probably already discovered how difficult it is to convince someone of something, especially if they already have their own ideas about it. Today, we see how God’s Word has the power to convince people that Jesus is who he says he is—the Savior God had promised. Jesus comes to save us from our sins and convince us through his Word that he is our Savior! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Find out how Jesus reveals himself as your Savior and King! Is Jesus really who he claimed to be? When someone makes a claim, our first response might be to say, “Prove it!” Can Jesus prove it? Our readings over the next several weeks will let Jesus words and actions speak for themselves and answer our questions. This week, we rejoice in the sign that God gave to the wise men, not only leading them to their Savior, but showing that this Savior was for all people, just like God promised and Jesus proclaimed.

A year like this proves that just about everything in life is fragile. Like a delicate Christmas ornament, our lives can shatter at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, God provides us with Christmas gifts that are unbreakable. In his Son, he gives us peace, joy, and hope that nothing can destroy. Today we see how the Christ child gives us an unbreakable comfort through life’s pain and disappointments. It is found only in a baby born to a peasant couple. Most missed it then, and most miss it today. But a few saw it—and they sang and rejoiced that God had sent salvation to his people and had made it known to them. By God’s grace, you and I see it too!God has sent us salvation and revealed himself to us in the Christmas gospel; in revealing himself he gives himself and all that he is and has for us and for our salvation—not only a reason to rejoice, but an unbreakable comfort for life’s pain and disappointments. Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

For so many people all that Christmas is about is the trite and trivial—snowmen and Santa Claus, Rudolph and reindeer, Christmas movies and holiday specials. These things are fun, but ultimately, completely empty. But take a closer look at what happened today—and you will see that there is nothing trite or trivial about it: The deepest lowliness is but the mask for the greatest glory, the glory of him who came to be our Savior! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

A year like this proves that just about everything in life is fragile. Like a delicate Christmas ornament, our lives can shatter at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, God gives us the perfect wish list for a year like this. He shows us what to ask for in order to have a Christmas that is truly unbreakable.This week we are reminded that God always keeps his promises. Though it often takes a long time (from our perspective) and even when his promises don’t make sense to us, God always delivers. Therefore, while we are often tempted to ask God for what we want him to do, we can always confidently ask him to do what he has promised to do: Keep your Word! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

A year like this proves that just about everything in life is fragile. Like a delicate Christmas ornament, our lives can shatter at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, God gives us the perfect wish list for a year like this. He shows us what to ask for in order to have a Christmas that is truly unbreakable. This week we see how God’s Word teaches us to realize the true condition of our world and our hearts. Just as our eyes adjust when it is dark, it is easy to get so used to the spiritual darkness of our world and of our own hearts that we forget about it. Thankfully, God’s Word doesn’t just show us we are in darkness. It points us to Jesus, our true and only light. As a result, we pray this Christmas: Shine on us! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

A year like this proves that just about everything in life is fragile. Like a delicate Christmas ornament, our lives can shatter at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, God gives us the perfect wish list for a year like this. He shows us what to ask for in order to have a Christmas that is truly unbreakable. This week we start a new church year with a prayer that is appropriate for every season and every year of life: Save us! Jesus’ presence in our lives can bring all kinds of benefits and blessings. Ultimately, however, we need him to be our one solution to our greatest need. We need to him to rescue us from sin and death. And so we join our voices with the crowds on Palm Sunday: Hosanna! Save us! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

What is your reaction to all that has happened so far in 2020? Perhaps it is a simple shake of the head. Maybe the sentiment is more “this year can’t end soon enough.” Perhaps it goes even further—”Worst year ever.” Today, as 2020 slowly draws to a close, God’s Word encourages us even in the midst of a bad year, a frustrating year, a year where so many things seems to have gone wrong…. To give thanks! It doesn’t take long for us to see how God has shown his faithful love in all the blessings he has showered in our life. And not just what we need for our daily life—he has given us forgiveness, a purpose in life, and eternal life in heaven. Even in the midst of hardship, trial, and a bad year, we can Give Thanks for He is Good! Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Lord, keep us watchful for our triumph! Today the Church hears strains of the distant triumph song and affirms, “Blessed are they who are called to the marriage feast of the Lamb.” Jesus wants us to be the waiting Church—the Church that watches for her Savior and cries, “Come, Lord Jesus!” As we journey through these latter days, however, our vigilance slips, and our hearts grow drowsy because the bridegroom seems to be taking so long. So while we wait, the Church prays, “Keep us ever watchful for the coming of your Son that we may sit with him and all your holy ones at the marriage feast in heaven.” Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Today, the Christian church celebrates All Saints' Day, when we remember all those who have finished their race and kept the faith. As God’s children, we rejoice that we too are saints, holy ones who have been made perfect through the cross of Christ and kept in God’s hands. As saints waiting for our crown of life, we strive to follow the example of the saints who have gone before us, persevering through life with all its difficulties, and clinging to the faith our God has given us. So, we pray, “Lord, Keep Us as Your Children!” Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Today in our worship, we celebrate the Festival of the Lutheran Reformation of the Church. Our worship emphasizes our unfailing reliance on the Word of God and unflinching testimony to it in the face of persecution. We pray that the Lord give us the strength to be faithful and the peace of knowing our lives are safe in his hands. Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Our current worship series is looking at the book of Job. Most people know that Job was a man who suffered, who went through a lot of heartbreaking things that nobody would want to go through. But that is only the first 2 chapters of the book. In the remaining 40 chapters are all about the journey through life that Job went on - where he learned a lot about himself, about his God, and about life along the way.This week shows us Job confronting God directly and lamenting, “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.” Can those words be spoken by a child of God? Is it possible that Job lost his faith during his struggle? Can you sincerely question God and still have sincere faith? At the very least, this week shows the very real impact suffering and pain can have on even the most godly disciples. Job obviously didn’t understand everything that was happening to him. But he didn’t need to in order to find comfort. He simply needed to be reminded who his God is. In our moments of hardships and suffering, because we don’t have God’s understanding, we’re going to have questions for him. However, we don’t need answers or understanding of what is going on to find comfort. Instead, we are reminded of the goodness of our God and his unending love for us, even when things don’t look very good. Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

The feeling of not being in control is unsettling. Sometimes that happens when we are in a bad or seeminglyhopeless situation. Other times, things may happen that are outside of our control and serve as an uncomfortablereminder that we don't have as much control over life as we may like. . In our worship today, we look at verses inwhich Job’s loss of control had become too much for him to bear. Perhaps like Job, you've been there too. Beforewe panic over our loss of control, God can use it for our good. God uses this feeling to help us answer the questionof who/what our God really is. Do we make that feeling of being in control a false god? Is our god our ability tocontrol our lives? Do we worship God only to get good things from him? Or is our God the true God; the one whouses his control over all things to love us and save us from our brokenness? Today, we are comforted and encouraged by the truth that God is in control!

Our current worship series is looking at the book of Job. Most people know that Job was a man who suffered, who went through a lot of heartbreaking things that nobody would want to go through. But that is only the first 2 chapters of the book. In the remaining 40 chapters are all about the journey through life that Job went on - where he learned a lot about himself, about his God, and about life along the way.Friends are a wonderful blessing from God in our lives. Today, we will see what God's Word has to say about what a true friend is by focusing on the words and actions of Job's friends. Instead of being supportive, they instead try to convince Job that he was being punished by God which discouraged him and only made his suffering worse. As followers of Christ, we will discover how best to be a friend in a world that is filled with pain. Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Job didn’t suffer alone. His wife experienced all the same losses. But their reaction could not be more different. How does a follower of Christ respond to the pain we feel in our relationships? Our God leads us to see how he dealt with the pain that sin brought into our relationship with him by bringing peace and reconciling us to him. That same love and forgiveness shown to us now moves us to respond in love and mercy, in a way that brings peace to our relationships.

Today, we begin a new 6-week worship series on the book of Job. Most people know that Job was a man who suffered, who went through a lot of heartbreaking things that nobody would want to go through. But that is only the first 2 chapters of the book. The remaining 40 chapters are all about the journey through life that Job went on - where he learned a lot about himself, about his God, and about life along the way. Life often breaks out hearts too and throws us on to journeys - some we expected, many we didn't. On those journeys through life, God wants to teach us a lot of things about himself, his Word, and his promises. He wants to teach us how to get through life filled with peace wherever the journey of life may take us. Service Program Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Sermon preached at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Birmingham, AL on Sunday, August 30, 2020.

The Jesus we need isn’t one who swoops in to help us in our earthly needs, but the Savior who meets our spiritual needs of forgiveness and eternal life. Service Program News & Announcements Recording of today’s livestreamed service (online only due to COVID-19 guidelines)A children’s message to go with today’s service themeSermon audio and video follow below: Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive

Is what we want always what we need? We know that's often not the case. How about when it comes to what kind of a hero we want at the center of our faith? Sometimes we find ourselves wanting a conquering hero with armies of angels. But the Bible's Jesus looks very different than that. Over the next weeks, we will find out just how this unlikely Jesus is exactly the kind of hero we need. Today, we see that we have a Savior who seeks us when we are lost. Jesus teaches us that the gift of God comes by faith to all nations. Not a holy life, not acts of obedience, but simple trust in the promise of God brings the gift of living water for thirsty souls. Abraham had faith in God who justifies the wicked, and so God credited it to him as righteousness. By this same faith, Christ gives righteousness to all who believe and enfolds sinful Samaritans and modern Gentiles like us into the family of God. Service Program News & Announcements Want to hear more? Check out our sermon archive. Sermon Archive