Reformation Lessons and Hymns (Slides) - Click on slides to open a new tab. Stream the service and follow along with the slides.
Reformation Sunday - October 26, 2025 (Slides): Click on slides to open a new tab. Stream the service and follow along with the slides.
The M3 - Monday Morning Mail for Reformation Sunday
You Got Troubles?
You Got Jesus
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1)
In this sermon I focused on the troubles of this life. To introduce the sermon, I recounted how troubles have been with people from the beginning–since the first man and woman sinned. I tried to describe the serenity in the Garden of Eden before they acted on their doubt of what God said. In an instant, that serenity was gone and trouble followed them out of the Garden.
I then showed a slide, depicting Cain killing able. Both sons of Adam and Eve are painted as silhouettes, capturing the loss of leaving the Garden. I noted that this is only chapter four and so much trouble has occurred. I went on to say that God responds by promising back in Genesis 3:15 that one would come from Eve that would eventually cross Satan's head. Yet, page after page of the Bible depicts peoples' troubles.
In the third slide I portray "Your Life" with those words encircled by a black line, and then appearing within that circle different types of troubles we have. Notably, Jesus finally appeared in the upper right of the screen in red letters, indicating that we often leave him out of our life while the troubles we face consume us.
The final image showed Jesus moving into the circle with all the troubles gone. I made the point that this does not mean we won't have troubles in life. We will. But, with Jesus in your life, troubles take on new meaning. We have a different perspective. That Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from his grave solved the ultimate trouble, we know that other troubles God, too, will sort out, bringing us closer to him along the way!
Prayer - Lord, you endured all troubles for all time on the cross. Be our refuge–our perfect peace–amidist all troubles of this life. Amen.