Sermons Out of Rural Ministry
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.
Sermons Out of Rural Ministry
Climb Above
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Pastor Josh Ehrler
In our reading from the gospel of Luke, we hear about the power of forgiveness and we are filled with a vision of reconciliation. Our holy troublemaker, Zacchaeus, is not a good person. Villainous may be a more accurate description, which makes his despicable and despised by his own community. And yet, he wants to see Jesus. Which is nice, but the gospel gets better. The crowds become key in reminding Zak (and us) that even when we're forgiven by Christ, we may still have a mess of broken relationships scattered in our wake. Maybe, it seems, forgiveness is not just about a saving relationship with Christ. Might our salvation be intricately linked to the salvation of our neighbors? Our sermon from Aug 4 on Luke 19.1-10.