Weekly Word

It was great a gift and joy to hold my nieces and nephew to welcome them into the world and our family. If you have little children in your family or get to be around young people elsewhere, you may be blessed to see, hear, and feel their innocent joy. We are reminded of the gifts that all people bring to the family of God in the church and throughout society. Word We don’t know much about Jesus’ own childhood. It seems that he learned about Bible and knew to apply faith in his life. And especially how to care for others with compassion, to the point of dedicating his work and giving his life. According to Mark, Jesus taught his followers about putting others first. When they did not understand what his teaching and actions were about, “He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.'” (Mark 9:35) To illustrate his instruction, Jesus hugged a child to show that welcoming others with open arms is like wel

A ripe corn field in Montgomery County, IL. Fall is upon us. The fields are ripe. Combines are out. That means, it’s that time of year for -- corn mazes. Life can seem like living in a maze. It can be very confusing and frustrating. You feel stuck and like a prisoner. We all get into situations where we feel like we can’t get out. A commitment we made to a friend, an obligation we have to our family members, or the consequences to a mistake or what we said. Word Jesus makes it clear that he is a Messiah Savior, who takes on human sin in order to make us righteous and set us free. And that freedom comes through suffering, rejection and death. Mark tells us in his gospel (Mk 8:31): “... he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Connection Christians wonder whether they will get to heaven. And it’s understandable. None of us is p

A pork patty sandwich with fresh corn on the cob. You can have all the good things in life and still be left unsatisfied. Deep within we long for love even though we may try to fill our life with stuff. Jesus offers to fill us with food for soul and body, and sends us to share our love and to help the needy. Word In this week’s gospel, people followed Jesus looking for spiritual satisfaction. And yet, he also recognized their need for physical nourishment. We read in John 6: When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. (Verses 5-6) Jesus blesses and shares the lunch of a little boy to feed thousands. Connection What we think we can do seems not nearly enough with all the needs in the world. But all of us together have more than enough because God provides abundantly. After we feed our spirits with God’s W

The Weekly Word will be brief, so it can be read or viewed easily, yet without compromising on faithful and meaningful content. It will consist of four parts which will draw your interest, help connect with the topic, learn about biblical stories or ideas, and share a transformative and encouraging message for your life. There will usually be a topic introduction, some real-life connection, biblical reflections, and the good news God’s message from Jesus. Get God’s message for your life. Sunday worship offers a unique way to celebrate God’s love and experience the love of faith community. Throughout your week, read my Weekly Word blog or watch the Weekly Word video online. May the Spirit deepen your understanding of God’s message of love, keep you encouraged to follow and serve Jesus, and invite you to practice trust in God’s promises and join a local faith community. Your Weekly Word author Pastor Stefan Munker

Thank you for checking out Weekly Word, a weekly online summary of my sermons for review during the week, catch-up after being away, or sharing with others. I am Stefan Munker. I have been serving as a pastor in congregations since 2004. In that time, I have preached quite a few sermons to convey God’s message for member’s lives. I’m excited about reaching more people online. The Weekly Word blog is based on requests for spiritual support in daily life, a desire to share biblical insights from Sunday worship, and the question how to connect more people with the church and God. It is an evolving experiment, so give it a try, keep an open mind, and share your feedback. Welcome to Weekly Word.