December 29, 2013: Nathan Scott and Love, Inc.

Today, our guest speaker, Nathan Scott, the local director of Love, INC. talked about the ministry in DeKalb, and how it organized churches to serve the poor more effectively, with 35 area churches on the list and growing, providing things like food, to diapers, to furniture...even an air conditioner.
Also, he gave a sermon the character of Mary. See how her obedience and faithfulness led her to deliver our Savior. You can listen to it here:

https://archive.org/details/NathanScottobedienceofMary

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

December 22, 2013: The gift of joy

Hello everyone! We're sorry we couldn't be with us today.

In our service today, Pastor Hodge talked about the gift of joy. First, it all comes from God, and his promise of joy in the Messiah. The practical application to this is every Christian's focus be on Christ, that we may experience abounding joy. Listen to Pastor Hodge's sermon to find out how this joy is to be found in every believer.

Also, we had Molly Blobaum give us our children's sermon, special music from Roger and Karen, and of course, the lightning of the advent candle, which no coincidence today is joy. We hope you are blessed by these.

You can listen to all of these here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodgeThegiftofjoy

You can find our weekly church bulletin, attached. And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

December 15, 2013: Nativity lessons on obedience

Today, Pastor Hodge continues our Nativity lessons, this time on obedience. Ever hear your mom say "You get into your room and clean it up right now!"...as you continue to hammer away at your Xbox? One of the keys to Christian life is obedience to our Lord. Find out why in this sermon today. Click on the first one, and then just let the player automatically play the other three parts in sequence. Our audio recorder was being a bit fussy today.

We also had the lighting of the advent candle, which was on Obedience, and how Jesus obediently denied himself and did everything the Father tasked him to do.

Finally, we had special Christmas music from Kaelynn Clark. We hope you enjoy it! And you can hear all of these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/NativityLessonsonObedience

And may you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

December 8, 2013: The humility of it all

 Today, Pastor Michael Hodge's sermon was on "The humility of it all". All of us have been humbled
in one way or another. But are we becoming more humble like Christ? Find out how we do this in the sermon today.

We also had Josiah Fagerstrom and Karen Hannan do a Christmas medley for our special music today, and Pastor Hodge also did the children's sermon on the greatest gift of all. You can hear all of them here:

https://archive.org/details/thehumilityofitall

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

December 1, 2013: Nehemiah, part 11: Caring and giving in the house of the Lord

Today, Pastor Michael Hodge continued in the book of Nehemiah and part 11 of his series. Today, we learn about how people took care of each other, and gave generously and of their own will. This is lacking, even in the church today...and Pastor Hodge reminds us that it is one of the main impacts unbelievers see when Christ is in us...when we care deeply for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

You can listen to his sermon, and special music by Marilyn Mathison today, by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/Nehemiahpart11caringandgivinginthehouseoftheLord

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

November 24, 2013: Nehemiah, part 10: Living by the commands of God

As we continue in our series in the book of Nehemiah, Pastor Michael Hodge expounds on Nehemiah chapter 10, verses 1-31. Here, the people sign a document, confessing their sins in it, and then vowing to turn from it. They further declare that they would turn back to the Lord, observing and doing all the commandments, not giving their daughters or sons to unbelievers in marriage,and to not buy goods on Sunday. Listen to Pastor Hodge's sermon as to how this all applies to us today.
You can listen here:

https://archive.org/details/livingbythecommandsofGod

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

November 17, 2013: Nehemiah, part 9

In Pastor Hodge's continuing series in Nehemiah, we invite you to listen to it. I was stuck on severe weather duty, so I am going to listen to it and find out what it is all about as well! And speaking
of the storms, there are a few glitches due to power surges caused by the storms. We apologize for the inconvenience. You can listen to the sermon here:

https://archive.org/details/Nehemiahpart9

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

November 10, 2013: Nehemiah, part 8: The people of God together, and when revival comes

Hello everyone,

Today, Pastor Michael Hodge, in part 8 of his series on the book of Nehemiah, continues with the title "The People of God together---listening, responding, and rejoicing, or, some of the things that happen when revival comes". I can't improve on that, so listen to his sermon and see what happens when revival comes, and how it came in Nehemiah's day. And, how it has the possibility of happening even today. Listen to it here:

https://archive.org/details/Nehemiahpart8PastorMichaelHodge

We hope you are blessed by the sermon, and hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

November 3, 2013: Nehemiah, part 7: Dealing with an enemy's plot

On this chilly but mostly sunny Sunday morning, Pastor Michael Hodge continued his series in the book of Nehemiah in God's Word. As we look at Nehemiah chapter 6, we see his enemies plotting against him, to stop the work God had assigned him to do. Even worse, they try to deceive him into sinning and putting God's people in jeopardy. How Nehemiah responded should be our way that we respond when people do the same to us. Moreover, if we do these things, we are to repent and apologize for causing harm and division within the body of Christ. This sermon should be listened to with an ear to whether or not this applies to us.

We also had Roger Seldal do our special music for today, and we hope you find that a blessing as well.

You can hear these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/Nehemiahpart7DealingWithAnEnemysPlotPastorMichaelHodge

Finally, we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

October 27, 2013: Nehemiah, part 6: How God's plans are carried out

Today, Pastor Michael Hodge continued his series in Nehemiah today, with a sermon "With God's help, great plans are carried out". Of course, we know that without God, nothing is possible. But when he plans something, and wants it to be carried out, we are to look to him to know that plan, and then work together to carry it out. Today's sermon is about how we are to work together to make that happen. Learn how we can do this today.

Also, Molly Blobaum had our children's sermon, and we hope you are blessed by it as well.

You can listen to both of these recordings here:


https://archive.org/details/Nehemiahpart6Godplanscarriedout

And may you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

October 20, 2013: Nehemiah, part 5: criticism

As Pastor Hodge continues his series in the book of Nehemiah,  we come to chapter 4. And in this section, Nehemiah is faced with very heavy criticism from one of his countrymen. In fact, he blames the Jewish people and tells them that they will abandon him and those who aren't Jewish. Furthermore, he stirs up strife against external enemies.

Today, we aren't alone. Christians face criticism constantly. How are we to handle it? Nehemiah has been told by God that he is to rebuild the walls, and God will not thwart those plans. See how it unfolds in Pastor Hodge's sermon today.

You can listen to his sermon here; due to some technical difficulties, please skip to the 5 minute, 40 second mark in the recording to hear it.

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgeNehemiahpart5respondingtocriticismpart1

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

October 13, 2013: Roger Scott, the Apostle's Creed, and more

Today, we had a special guest speaker, Roger Scott. As you'll hear in the message, he touched today on two things. One was the Apostle's Creed, and the other was based on one of the Scripture readings we had this morning. Find out what Roger had to tell us today by listening to his message.

We also had special music, "The Old Story", and we had Molly Blobaum doing our children's sermon. Listen to all of these recordings here:




https://archive.org/details/SermonRogerScott

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

October 6, 2013: Nehemiah part 4: Working as one in the Lord

This week, Pastor Hodge takes a look at Nehemiah chapter 3;  we look at the part where the walls of Jerusalem are being rebuilt. Without the effort of all of God's people, this couldn't have been done. In our day, we cannot be effective in the Lord unless we work together, in Christ Jesus, to advance His kingdom by serving him with our gifts. Listen to how and why this needs to be done today.

Also, we had special music as well; we hope you enjoy it! You can listen to both here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodgeNehemiahpart4

...and we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

September 29, 2013: Nehemiah, part 3

Today, Pastor Michael Hodge talks about Nehemiah chapter 2, and we start in verse 11. As Nehemiah inspects the destroyed wall and gates which used to protect Jerusalem, it saddened him to see them in this conditions. He goes back to the leaders, and asks them to rebuild the walls. After 130 years, he challenged the people to rebuild the city and walls, as it was a bad testimony of their faith. Listen how he is willing to rebuild them with the help of the Israelites, and not blame this mess on others. Instead, he was willing to be part of the solution...repenting of his sin in the process. Listen to Pastor Hodge why this is important to us.

We had a slight audio glitch in the sound system that broke the ending prayer into two separate files. Odd, but it does not affect the recordings if you listen to them in sequence.

You can listen to the recording here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodgeNehemiahpart3

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

September 22, 2013: Nehemiah, parts 1 and 2: The opposition of moving forward

This week, we present parts 1 and 2 of Pastor Hodge's series on Nehemiah, starting with chapter 1. In 445 BC, the third wave of returning Jewish exiles occurred, Nehemiah among them. There, using Godly wisdom, he was able to rebuild the walls of Jersualem despite enemies within, and outside the walls of Jerusalem which threaten to keep this critical project from moving forward. Listen as Pastor Hodge expands on these chapters.

Also, he did our children's sermon today as well. Please bear with us in part 2...I accidentally clipped off the first minute of the sermon by pressing the wrong button (sorry), but you'll pick up quickly on it. Also, I apologize for part 2 for some audio issues that were fixed during the sermon. An audio engineer's life is never easy, but God was still given the glory, and that's what counts!

You can listen to all of these here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgeNehemiahparts1and2

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

September 8, 2013: The sovereignty of God, part 4

This week, Pastor Hodge looks at the sovereignty of God in several short sermons this morning. Listen to each one and be encouraged that God is in control!

Also, Mark Fagerstrom continues his series on "sticky notes" for his children's sermon.

You can listen to them here:

https://archive.org/details/thesovereigntyofGodpart3

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

September 1, 2013: The sovereignty of God, part 2

This week, Pastor Hodge continues his series on the sovereignty of God. Last week, we were reminded that the Lord is in control of everything; there are some things we cannot understand from His perspective, but He always does what is right...even when we cannot see it.

We also had Pastor Hodge do special music this morning, in preparation for his sermon this morning. Both of these recordings are available by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgeTheSovereigntyofGodpart2

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

August 25, 2013: The sovereignty of God, part 1

God is holy. And today, Pastor Michael Hodge breaks down God's various qualities of Himself as part of his sovereignty. What that means for us, and how we are to respond...namely, in repentance and faith. Listen to his sermon that we recorded on this Sunday morning.

Also, we had Mark Fagerstrom talk more about sticky notes. He wants more of God's Word to "stick" with us. You can listen to his children's sermon from this morning as well.

You can hear both of these recordings from this morning here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgeGodsqualities

And we hope you have a blessed week in Christ Jesus!

August 18, 2013: Hebrews 13:1-3

This Sunday, while Pastor Hodge was officiating a wedding out of town, we had Gilbert Sebenste deliver his sermon today on Hebrews 13, verses 1 to 3. A few heard this sermon at our AFLC District Bible Camp, and we hope it is a blessing to you.

We also had Shawn and Mark perform special music today, and that is included as well.

You can listen to both of these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/gracefreelutherandekalb_20130819

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

August 11, 2013: Sermon on the Mount, part 2

This week, Pastor Michael Hodge continued his sermon series on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we need to not only be hearers of God's Word, but be doers of it. Listen as Pastor Hodge expounds on that theme today.

We also had special music, and our Children's sermon was on "sticky notes" and grass.
You'll just have to listen to that sermon to find out how it connects with God!

To listen to these, click here:

https://archive.org/details/gracefreelutherandekalb_gmail_201308

And, we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

August 4, 2013: The Srmon On The Mount: be doers of the word, and the baptism of Lorelei

This week, Pastor Michael Hodge goes to the end of the Sermon On The Mount and reminds us that we cannot just be hearers of the Word...but be doers of it as well. Otherwise, we have no faith. Of course, this does not mean our faith is works-based; we do these works because of the result of our love for Jesus, not to try to earn His favor, nor of anyone else.

We also had Randy Halverson and Marilyn Mathison sing "Because He Lives" as our special music today. We hope you enjoy it!

And of course, last but certainly not least, Dave and Connie Storey had their baby baptized today during our service. We have the complete audio recording for you to listen to.

You can hear all of these things by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/SermononthemountbedoersoftheWord

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

July 30, 2013: AFLC District Bible Camp from Cedar Lake, IN now online!

Hello everyone,

The sessions for this year's District Bible Camp in Cedar Lake are online! Go here to listen to the great sermons on this year's theme: fix your eyes on Jesus.

https://archive.org/details/gracefreelutherandekalb_gmail

We hope you are blessed by these sermons!

July 28, 2013: the narrow road to God

This week, Pastor Michael Hodge talks about the narrow road to heaven through Christ Jesus. Jesus made bold claims: the only way to the Father, our Lord, is through Him. Some would dispute that, but what evidence is there in the Bible to back this up? Listen to his sermon today and find out.

Also, we had Mark Fagerstrom deliver his sermon on "sticky notes" and flowers. How are they like God? Listen to his children's sermon and find out!

You can listen to both by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/pastormichaelhodgethenarrowroad

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

July 21, 2013: Jeremiah 29: God has a plan for us

During our service today, Pastor Michael Hodge focused his sermon on Jeremiah 29. Including the famous verse that the Lord has a plan for us. What is that plan, and how do we become beneficiaries of it? Listen to his sermon today and find out!

Also, Mark Fagerstrom showed how little notes of sticky paper that you find on refrigerators, the sides of computer monitors, etc, are like how the Word of God should "stick" to us! Listen to his children's sermon to find out how.

You can listen to both by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/Jeremiah29verse11

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

July 14, 2013: So knowing that we are sinners....

Over the last two weeks, Pastor Hodge has cleared taught from God's word about sexual sins, specifically homosexuality, but it includes all other sexual sins as well. Now what? The bad news is that sins are a deep and grave offense against God, to which hell and condemnation are deserved. The good news? That we can be completely forgiven of those sins through repentance (turning away from those sins), and a lifelong, nay, eternal walk with Jesus in his ways, striving with the energy He gives us, and guides us by the Holy Spirit. To hear this very important sermon, click here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodgepart3

We also had Josiah Fagerstrom's testimony from the Fly conference, Cliff Seldal's comments on the Church Around the World article on North Korea, and Mark Fagerstrom did his sermon on...chargers. Not the football team! Listen to it to find out how God's Word is like a charger.

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

July 7, 2013: The issue of homosexuality, part 2

In his second part of our series on homosexuality and the church today, Pastor Hodge talks about the Biblical truth of the sinfulness of the issue. And yet, while we must preach that this, like any sin, is indeed sin...we must tell people that there is forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Find out how by listening to his sermon today.

You can hear his sermon by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodgehomosexualitypart2

and we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

June 30, 2013: The issue of homosexuality

One of the biggest issues that the church is facing today is homosexuality. What does God truly say about it? Should Christians today call it a sin, a perversion against what God ordained or should we be inclusive and wink at God and let it slide? These and many more questions demand answers, and Pastor Hodge answers these in part one of his sermon today.

We also received more letters for our 50th Anniversary from past pastors. These were read and included in our recordings today.

Then, we had Mark Fagerstrom give his children's sermon on a "for sale" sign...please listen to it! It's intriguing. Finally, our special music was recorded and we hope you enjoy it.

You can hear all these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/homosexuality_201307

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

June 23, 2013: Happy 50th anniversary, Grace Free Lutheran Church!

This week we are celebrating Grace Free Lutheran Church' 50th anniversary here in DeKalb, Illinois. From humble beginnings leaving our original church to forming a new one, and then moving into our current location, it's been quite an adventure, with God leading it all the way. Today, we've uploaded the entire service, from end to end, so that you can hear it. From the prelude, to the final notes of "God be with you", it's all here. Enjoy our anniversary celebration, and our 50 years serving the Lord Jesus Christ, with, we pray, many more years to come!

You can listen to it here:

https://archive.org/details/GraceFreeLutheran50thanniversary

And have a great week in Christ Jesus!

June 16, 2013: Technical difficulties resolved (updated)

Hello everyone,

We found the issue with the CD: it wasn't bad after all...I forgot to finalize it. Whoops! I did so tonight, and all the recordings are there. However, as noted earlier, we had some interference issue that made the audio a little scratchy for Pastor Hodge's sermon. To listen to our Special Music, children's sermon and Pastor Hodge's main sermon on Father's day, click here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgesermonFathersday




We pray you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

June 9, 2013: Christian brotherly love

As we continue through 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Michael Hodge
continues his series on how Christians should treat each other.
And as we looked at God's word this morning, we saw that Christians supported each other daily, in prayer, having affection for one another, and to support each other in any way that we can. Listen to his sermon as we learn how this can and should be done today, by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodge1Thhessalonians

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus! Also, check out our new "Opportunities" page, to see what we're doing here at Grace in the Lord Jesus, and how you can become involved! Click on the "Opportunity" tab on our page to see what's happening.

June 2, 2013: Peace in prayer

In Pastor Hodge's sermon this week, we look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 23 and 24. We learn about prayer, and how we know his peace and joy through prayer. Even though we struggle with sin and many pains as believers, we can have God's peace no matter how badly or how well things are going. What kinds of peace can we experience? Learn as you listen to his sermon.

And we also had Marilyn and Carmen do our special music, with Karen Hannan accompanying on piano.


You can listen to both to these service elements here:



https://archive.org/details/PastorMichaelHodge1Thessalonians52324delightinprayer

We hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

May 26, 2013: Confirmation of Josiah and Nolan

This week, Nolan Govig and Josiah Fagerstrom were confirmed. That was the entire theme of our service this morning. We have all the elements of the service here besides the hymns we sang online so that you may share it with others. For those of you outside our Grace family, listen to Pastor Hodge's sermon to listen what today was all about!

You can find these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/JosiahandNolanconfirmation

And may you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

May 19, 2013: Do not quench the Spirit (and our website is back up!)

As Christians, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God. But, when we disobey God, we can effectively quench the Spirit. We will lose the ability to be guided by God's grace and power. How does this happen, and when it does, how can we stop? Listen and find out, by clicking here:


https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgequenchSpiritpart1

Also, our web site is back up. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

5/16/13: Website down

Oops! A clerical error on our part got our website taken down. It should be back in a few days.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

May 15, 2013: Nolan and Josiah's Catcheism night

The link to the audio and files are here:

https://archive.org/details/03Catechismnight

Gilbert

May 12, 2013: Joy

Almost everyone wants joy! But, there's only one way to truly have it, and that's in Christ Jesus. But, when trouble comes, and life throws you some hard times, should your joy still be there? Listen to his sermon and find out!

Also, it's Mother's Day. Congratulations to all mothers, and those who have given their lives as an example for us in the Lord. Roger Seldal sings a dedication to them; you can hear it and Pastor Hodge's sermon by clicking here:

https://archive.org/details/PastorHodgeJoy

And, we hope you have a wonderful week in Christ Jesus!

May 5, 2013: Gideon presentation and...what is love?

Michael Lowery, president of the DeKalb area chapter of the Gideons, did a presentation on what they do this morning, and how we can be supportive of their ministry to place Bibles in Hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, etc. Afterwards, he gave our sermon on what is love in Christ Jesus, and a reminder to all of us to do what the Word says.

You can hear both of these service elements here:



https://archive.org/details/01MichaelLoweryGideonPresentation

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

April 28, 2013: 1 Thessalonians: encouragement

Pastor Michael Hodge continues his study of 1 Thessalonians. How, as Christians, should we be today? The Apostle Paul tells us this week that we need to encourage one other, especially to those who are suffering, and are weak or fainthearted, or struggling. Or, are physically disabled and need help. Listen to his sermon here.

We also had Kaelynn sing "Amazing Grace" for us, and Pastor Hodge did his children's sermon on running, even though the kids were a little grumpy today. :-)

You can listen to all of this here:

https://archive.org/details/03PastorMichaelHodge1Thessalonians

Our prayer is that this will encourage your walk in Christ this week, and may you have a blessed one to come.

April 21, 2013: 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 13...teamwork!

The concept of teamwork is prevalent at work...we must all do a task together, or nothing gets done...or at least not well. But in the church, it is absolutely critical to the functioning of any healthy church where Christ is proclaimed that all of us work together. To ensure that Christ is proclaimed, to live in harmony with each other...despite differences in styles of worship, etc. Many churches don't do this today, and those that don't, are doomed. Learn why working in harmony with each other with Christ in the center of our lives is of the utmost importance...by listening to Pastor Hodge's sermon today. It's based out 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 13, so get out your Bibles and learn as we go through it today.

We also had Mark Fagerstrom give our children's sermon on "letters". Did you know God wrote YOU a letter? Find out what it is by listening to his sermon.

We also had special music with Randy, Marilyn and Marsha today. We hope you are blessed by it!

And finally, the sermon is broken into two parts, due to an equipment glitch. The entire sermon is here, however, for you to listen.

You may listen to all of these things here:

https://archive.org/details/04PastorHodge1Thessalonians513part2

And may you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

April 14, 2013: When is Jesus coming back?

Christians and non-Christians since Jesus' death and resurrection have wondered: when is Jesus coming back? There is no doubt that He will, but when? In today's sermon, Pastor Michael Hodge clearly tells us that we will not know exactly when, but we CAN know when we;re getting close. Listen to his sermon by clicking on the link below.

We also had Mark Fagerstrom give some important announcements today for our church; if you are a member, be sure to listen.

You can listen to both these items here:

https://archive.org/details/whenisjesuscomingback

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

April 7, 2013: Encouragement

Biblically, we know that as believers of Jesus Christ, we will be mocked, oppressed, persecuted for our faith. In the United States, it is not terrible right now, but it is getting worse. When we see the decline of our society, people rejecting and mocking Jesus...we must remember that it will be all worth it. To that end, this week, Pastor Michael Hodge tells us we must encourage one another, as the apostle Paul tells us to. How we can do that, and some pitfalls we need to watch out for, are all part of today's sermon from Pastor Michael Hodge. You can listen to it on our page here.

Also, we had Marilyn Mathison sing our special music today; we hope it is a blessing to you.

You can listen to all of these things here:

https://archive.org/details/Encourageoneanother_201304

And we pray you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

March 24, 2013: Palm Sunday

As we begin Holy Week here at Grace, Pastor Michael Hodge takes a look at the events that led it off: the triumphant entry of Jesus, and how the crowd inititally loved him...except, of course, for the priests and leaders of the day...precisely the ones who should have loved him. Learn about this as we hear his sermon today.

Also, we had Mark Fagerstrom give his children's sermon on Palm Sunday, and how are palms can remind us of what happened in this Holy Week. Finally, we had special music, with Roger and Karen and a special guest doing some great music for us today.

You can hear it here:

https://archive.org/details/palmsunday_201303

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus, and remember our Savior as we go through Holy Week.

March 17, 2013: 1 Thessalonians parts 8 and 9: Extremes and

Due to various issues, I wasn't able to get up part 8 last Sunday. Here it is! Pastor Hodge talks about the return of Jesus Christ. How do we, as Christians, wait for your second coming? This be can taken to extremes: it can be ignored, or dwelt upon so much that we ignore discipleship. We are to follow the absolute truth and apply it properly. Listen to how we are to properly await Christ's coming in part 8 of his series.

Then, in part 9, pastor Michael Hodge discusses the Trinity...the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Listen how the three in one works in our lives today.

We also had Mark Fagerstrom give his sermon on "blocks". Listen to his sermon on Who is the most important block, all right here:

https://archive.org/details/011Thessalonianspart8extremes  (includes part 9)

And we pray you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

March 3, 2013: 1 Thessalonians part 7: Sexual purity

No, this isn't an X-rated sermon, but for kids below the age where you can have that "talk", we recommend you listen to this first. As Pastor Hodge continues his series in 1 Thessalonians, we get to that sticky, and sometimes very controversial topic about sexual purity. Christians today are tempted to sin in many ways. But one of the ways that the evil one uses to tempt those who are in Christ is sexually. Need we say about the many scandals that have rocked the Catholic church, and many others? This is a sermon that gets to the heart of the matter, and Pastor Hodge tells those who have fallen into sin that they can be forgiven in Christ by repenting, and seeking help from their pastor or a trusted Christian. We cannot afford to let sexual impurity destroy our love of Jesus, destroy others, and ourselves. Find out what the Bible truly says about marriage, homosexuality, living before marriage, and Scripture to back it all up.

Finally, Pastor Hodge and Amy sang "Come to Jesus", the song made famous by Chris Rice.

You can find these recordings here:

https://archive.org/details/1ThessaloniansPart7SexualPurity

We hope you are blessed and encouraged, even if convicted of sin by Pastor Hodge's sermon today. And we hope you have a blessed week in Christ!

February 24, 2013: 1 Thessalonians part 6: what to do with a great desire?

All of us have desires. Some want a new car. Some want a new car. Maybe a better house. But some...just want food. Or water. But what should we really desire? In Pastor Michael Hodge's sermon today, we see that the number one thing should be love. Love of Christ, first...and love for others.
Now, lest you think this is a sappy, feel-good sermon, think again. This will challenge you, as Pastor Hodge also reveals that holiness and purity and hatred of sin go hand-in-hand. Listen to his sermon today, and be challenged, and blessed.

Also, we had Mark Fagerstrom give our children's sermon today on candles. What do candles give that we should also? Listen to his sermon to find out.

You can listen to both of these sermons here:

http://archive.org/details/1ThessaloniansPart6WhatToDoWithAGreatDesire

And we hope you have a blessed week in Christ Jesus!

February 17th, 2013: 1 Thessalonians, part 5: Traumas of life

On this sunny but cold morning, Pastor Michael Hodge continues his series on 1 Thessalonians with the trauma of life. Today, a lot of people expect things to go well, all the time. And when they don't, they have a meltdown. They cannot handle the stresses of life. In our series this week, Jesus taught that bad things do happen, and very bad things...because this world is fallen in sin and evil. But for those who believe and trust and hope in Christ Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we have a hope that no matter how bad things get, God loves us, cares for us, and eternally will give us absolutely no reason to worry. With that, and our hope of Christ in this world...we may be tried and tested hard, but God will never leave us, forsake us, not give us more than we can handle. Find out how in this sermon today.

Also, we had Mark Fagerstrom give his children's sermon on: television remote controls. Huh? Well, just listen to the sermon and find out what that has to do with Jesus. :-)

And finally, Pastor Hodge and several men in the church did our special music today. We hope you enjoy it!


You can listen to all of it here:

https://archive.org/details/traumaoflife




And may you have a blessed week in Christ Jesus!

February 10th, 2013: 1 Thessalonians, part 4: Truth

On this rainy and cold Sunday morning, Pastor Michael Hodge continued in his series that we'll be going through until Easter in the book of 1st Thessalonians. Today, his sermon was on the Truth.
Interestingly, our Sunday School study paralleled his sermon in many ways. Much more often than not, people describe science as truth. Or something else as truth...depending on the feelings of the person. But the only way we can have the real truth is by God's Holy Spirit living in us, and interpreting and revealing the truth to us. If you do not believe in Jesus, you may know facts, but you do not know the real source of Truth. Yes, that's true! To find out why and how, listen to this sermon from Pastor Hodge, and think about what the Bible says about it.

But first, Mark Fagerstrom talked about glue, and how God is a "glue" that bonds all
things together.

Also, we had the Sunday School students come up and do our special music today; we hope you enjoy their singing as well.

You can hear all of it by clicking here:

http://archive.org/details/1ThessaloniansPart4TheTruth

And we pray you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

February 3, 2013: 1 Thessalonians part 3: Suffering

On this cold but partly cloudy Sunday, Pastor Michael Hodge continued his series in 1 Thessalonians. Over the past few weeks, we've gone through the verses and talked about the various aspects of being a Christian. Today, we go into a topic that definitely isn't popular, but absolutely a part of a true Christian's life: suffering. For Pastors, this can and does mean dealing with difficult situations and people. Of course, for other believers, this is true as well. But we must also be tested in our faith, and for some, that means to the point of death. We must be found to be in Christ Jesus, and suffering refines our character and brings us to the Lord on our knees, exactly where we need to be. Listen to the Pastor's challenging sermon this morning.

Finally, for special music, Amy Taylor played "Amazing Grace" on her flute.

Both of these recordings can be found here:

http://archive.org/details/1ThessaloniansPart3Suffering

And we hope you have a great week in Christ Jesus!

January 27, 2013: 1 Thessalonians, part 2: Serving

As Pastor Michael Hodge continues his series on 1 Thessalonians, we start our second in the series on the topic of serving. If you hear the word serving, and all you can think of "tennis", you don't have the mind of Christ. But thankfully and happily, God can change you when you repent of your sins and turn to him. then, you love him, and out of that love, you serve God and others. Find out how by listening to the sermon from this morning.

We also had Roger Seldal and Karen Hannan do our special music this morning, Children of the Living God. And finally, Mark Fagerstrom did his children's sermon on spoons. The first part might leave you hungry for mashed potatoes. ;-)

You can listen to all of these here:

http://archive.org/details/1ThessaloniansPart2Serving

And we hope you have a blessed week in Christ Jesus!

January 20, 2013: 1 Thessalonians, part 1: fellowship

As we begin a new series here at Grace that will take us through the next 3 months, Pastor Michael Hodge begins our study of 1 Thessalonians on fellowship. Christians that intentionally isolate themselves can cause serious trouble for themselves. The apostle Paul tells us why: God made believers, in part, to fellowship with each other. Why do we need to do this? Listen to this challenging sermon to find out!

We also heard from the Grace Notes Trio...well, minus one today. :-) They did our special music for us, and we hope you are blessed by that.

You can listen to all of it here:

http://archive.org/details/StudyOf1ThessaloniansPart1Fellowship

And may you have a blessed week in Christ Jesus!

January 13, 2013: New beginnings

As we head into the new year, we start with new beginnings. For some, it means beginning the resolutions they made on New Year's Day. God, however, is the same in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. Today, Pastor Michael Hodge expounds on Genesis 1 and 2...and what the Bible says about what God in the beginning...and how that affects us in every way today.

You can listen to his sermon here:

http://archive.org/details/NewBeginnings_50

We hope this sermon is a blessing to you, and may you have a blessed week in Christ this week!

January 6, 2012: Christmas program

Yes, it may be January 6th. But today we had our Christmas program, and a potluck meal following our service. Pastor Hodge gave a short sermon, in 3 parts, on the core meaning of Christmas. It isn't gifts, money, or anything else, but...Christ! Listen to our program today by clicking here:

http://archive.org/details/ChristmasProgramAtGrace

and be blessed, and may you have a great week in Christ Jesus!