In this sermon from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, Rev. Karl Grant warns us about the reality of false teachers who appear as harmless sheep but seek to lead us away from Christ.

As we navigate a world filled with deceptive influences, from social media to TV preachers, this message calls us to test teachings against Scripture, know the catechism deeply, and gather regularly in the church where Christ comes to us in Word and Sacrament. Discover how the Holy Spirit empowers us to discern truth, fostering lives of forgiveness, love, and service rooted in the cross.

Key Takeaways:
- False teachers blend in like wolves in sheep's clothing, but Jesus teaches us to identify them by their actions.
- True faith in Christ produces good fruit, such as loving others, forgiving as we've been forgiven, and giving sacrificially.
- We must avoid blindly trusting every "Christian" influence.
- Knowing God's Word and Luther's Small Catechism equips us to spot falsehoods and live under the cross in joyful assurance.
- As a flock gathered by grace, we're safer together in the church, where Christ guards us through His mighty power.
- Membership in the body of Christ involves faithful worship, partaking in the Lord's Supper, and supporting God's kingdom by His gifts.

Scripture References:
- Matthew 7:15-21 - Jesus warns of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but are known by their fruit, emphasizing doing the Father's will.
- Acts 20:28-31 - Paul urges pastors to watch over the flock, as wolves will arise even from within to draw away disciples.
- 1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert, for the devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking to devour, countered by Christ's protection.
- 1 John 3:16-20 - True love is shown in actions, as Christ laid down His life for us, producing compassion and confidence before God.
- James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the Word but do what it says, living out faith through deeds by grace.
- James 2:14-20 - Faith without works is dead; living faith, clinging to Christ, naturally bears good fruit.

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Links and Calls to Action:

Visit our website at https://splcgibbon.org for more sermons, service times, and ways to connect with our faith community in Gibbon, MN.

Subscribe to the podcast on BuzzSprout, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to receive weekly Gospel-centered messages. Share this episode with someone grieving and invite them to find hope in Christ.

Support our ministry through donations at https://splcgibbon.org/give

Join us this Sunday at 9 AM for worship, where the Word and Sacraments offer a foretaste of heaven.

#GibbonChurch #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSinGibbon

In this funeral sermon for Fern Mae Hillman, Pastor Karl Grant explores how God's love in Christ triumphs over dementia, loss, and death.
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Takeaways

• God's love in Christ Jesus is unbreakable, overwhelming every trial through His victory on the cross.
• Even when dementia erases memories, the Lord never forgets His redeemed children.
• Faith clings to Jesus' gospel promises alone, not our intellect or works, much like an infant trusts its parents or the thief on the cross pleaded for paradise.
• Christ's death destroys death, leading us to paradise where all pain is forever banished.
• We grieve with hope, comforted by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament, knowing saints like Fern now dwell in perfect joy, awaiting the bodily resurrection.
• Jesus' scars eternally testify to His love, forgetting our sins but remembering us forever, calling us to live in gospel freedom and share this comfort with others.

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Scripture Index

• Romans 8:37-39 – Proclaims overwhelming victory in Christ, assuring nothing—neither death, life, fears, nor disease—can separate believers from God's love poured out through Jesus' sacrifice.
• Isaiah 49:15-16 – Illustrates God's unbreakable remembrance, contrasting a mother's possible forgetfulness with the Lord's eternal engraving of our names on His hands, pointing to the cross's scars.
• Luke 23:42-43 – Highlights the thief's plea for Jesus to remember him, receiving the promise of paradise today, emphasizing salvation by faith alone in Christ's kingdom despite apparent defeat.
• Psalm 23:4, 6 – Echoed in the assurance of walking through death's valley without fear, dwelling in the Lord's house forever with goodness and mercy following, fulfilled in Jesus.

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Links and Calls to Action:

Visit our website at https://splcgibbon.org for more sermons, service times, and ways to connect with our faith community in Gibbon, MN.

Subscribe to the podcast on BuzzSprout, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to receive weekly Gospel-centered messages. Share this episode with someone grieving and invite them to find hope in Christ.

Support our ministry through donations at https://splcgibbon.org/give

Join us this Sunday at 9 AM for worship, where the Word and Sacraments offer a foretaste of heaven.

#GibbonChurch #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSinGibbon

Amid a hungry crowd in the wilderness, Jesus invites His disciples to offer what little they have (seven loaves and a few fish) and miraculously multiplies it to satisfy everyone, with leftovers to spare. This story reminds us that when we recognize overwhelming needs, like a church building project or even daily stewardship, Jesus doesn't leave us to solve them on our own. Instead, He calls us to give faithfully from what we have, and He stretches it abundantly for His kingdom's work.

Key Takeaways:

• Jesus invites us to offer what we have without explaining how He'll use it.
• Our small gifts, given in faith, are multiplied by Christ to meet needs far beyond our ability.
• Giving to Jesus results in no true loss; He promises full life now and eternally in heaven.
• Stewardship is about cheerful response to God's grace, not obligation.

Scripture References:

1. Mark 8:1-10 - Jesus feeds the 4,000 with seven loaves and fish, showing His compassion and miraculous provision through faithful giving.
2. Mark 7:24-30 - The Syrophoenician woman's faith highlights Jesus' mission extending to Gentiles, fulfilled in the crowd's feeding by grace alone.
3. John 10:10 - Christ came for abundant life, beginning now in faith and fully realized in eternity, free from sin and want.
4. Revelation 21:4 - Promises a new heaven and earth without mourning or pain, where God's riches are ours through Jesus' redemption.
5. Mark 10:29-30 - Those who give up for the Gospel receive much more in this life and the next, all by God's gracious promise.

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Links and Calls to Action:

Visit our website at https://splcgibbon.org for more sermons, service times, and ways to connect with our faith community in Gibbon, MN.

Subscribe to the podcast on BuzzSprout, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify to receive weekly Gospel-centered messages. Share this episode with someone grieving and invite them to find hope in Christ.

Support our ministry through donations at https://splcgibbon.org/give

Join us this Sunday at 9 AM for worship, where the Word and Sacraments offer a foretaste of heaven.

#GibbonChurch #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSinGibbon