Concordia Sermon Podcast Concordia Lutheran Church

Joshua is about to serve and be courageous for all of Israel. But Joshua’s service is a secondary matter. The primary focus is that God will serve and be near to Joshua giving Joshua everything he needs. And, through Joshua, God will serve all of Israel giving them His assuring Word. We, like Joshua, need to be reminded that we can only be truly courageous when we let go and let God weave His way in and out of our lives.

What we dream for our relationships is often not how they turn out. When a relationship falls apart, what gives us the best chance at making things better? Jesus answers, “A tender heart.” Hurt creates hard hearts. But Jesus invites us to choose tenderness rather than hardness.

Children are a joy, but they can also be a challenge. Through the prophet Hosea, God speaks of His struggles with the children of Israel. His struggles can give us guidance and hope in our struggles.

Depression can hit when we least expect it. We are not the first generation to struggle with depression. In Psalm 88, the Psalmist offers a candid window into his own struggle with depression and his desperate cries to God.

Loss brings grief. This is true for Christians and non-Christians alike. The difference is that Christians grieve with hope. Grief is real, but hope is greater than grief.

Sickness can quickly detour our lives. We can no longer do the things we want to do, and we no longer have the energy to help the people we want to help. And like Naaman, we can become bitter. How do we tend to our bodies and souls during sickness?