Show Notes
Job had lost almost everything. His friends made his suffering worse when they insisted that he must have done something to deserve it. Yet Job could still say, "I know that my Redeemer lives." This funeral sermon follows three promises in Job 19:21-27: the Redeemer lives, He will stand upon the earth at the last, and Job will see God in his own flesh.

For farm families, the Old Testament picture of a relative buying back family land is easy to understand. Pastor Karl Grant explains how Jesus became our next of kin by becoming human. He entered death for us and rose again. Baptism joins us to Him, so His victory is ours and we can call Him "my Redeemer." His promise includes the body that will be laid in the grave: Christ will raise it and make it like His own glorious body.

Preached on October 15, 2026, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, the sermon also addresses how to be a friend to someone who is grieving. We can be present, pray, and speak Christ's promises without claiming to know why a particular loss happened. Suffering does not earn the glory Christ has won for us. God nevertheless uses even our affliction to prepare us for that glory. Jesus' question to Martha becomes a question for each listener: "Do you believe this?"

Key Takeaways

1. A grieving friend needs your presence and Christ's promises. Trying to explain why a particular tragedy happened can add to the hurt.
2. Jesus became our brother, shared our flesh and blood, and defeated death by dying and rising again.
3. Baptism joins you to Christ's death and resurrection. You can confess that Jesus is your Redeemer.
4. Christ will raise His people's bodies and make them like His glorious body. The body laid in the grave matters to Him.
5. Christ won eternal glory for us. Our suffering does not earn it, but God does not waste our affliction.

Selected Scripture References

• Job 19:21-27: In his suffering, Job confesses that his Redeemer lives and that he will see God with his own eyes.
• Hebrews 2:14: The Son shares our flesh and blood and defeats the devil through His death.
• Romans 6:3-9: Baptism unites us with Christ's death, and the risen Christ will never die again.
• John 11:24-27: Jesus promises resurrection and life, then asks Martha, "Do you believe this?"
• Philippians 3:21: Christ will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17: Present affliction prepares an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison.

Question for Reflection

When you cannot explain the grief in front of you, what can you still say with certainty about Jesus?

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Listen to sermons from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, a country church six miles north of Gibbon, Minnesota. We belong to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Children worship beside their parents and grandparents here. We sing hymns, hear readings from the Bible, and pray together. Our preaching centers on Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. Through His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, He gives forgiveness and eternal life. Whether you’ve grown up in church or are just beginning to learn about the Christian faith, you’re welcome to visit.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May: Sunday School at 8:30 a.m. | Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. | Worship at 10:00 a.m.
• June–August: Worship at 9:00 a.m.

Plan your visit for directions and what to expect.

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

When Jesus told a paralyzed man "your sins are forgiven," the religious leaders were scandalized. Only God can do that — so what does it mean that a man is speaking those words? And what does it mean when your pastor says them to you on a Sunday morning?

In this sermon on Matthew 9:1-8, Pastor Grant unpacks three reasons Christians can trust the absolution they hear in worship: the divine identity of the one who first spoke it, the visible proof he gave to back it up, and the authority he deliberately left behind in his church. Along the way, he makes a compelling case for the often-overlooked gift of private confession and absolution — and explains why the devil would rather you never try it.

Whether you've heard "your sins are forgiven" a thousand times or you've never been sure what to make of it, this sermon will give you fresh confidence in a word that does exactly what it says.

Key Takeaways

1. When Jesus forgave the paralytic, he wasn't just being compassionate — he was revealing that he is God in the flesh, the only one with authority to forgive sins against God.
2. Jesus healed the man's paralysis as visible, checkable proof that his invisible forgiveness was real — and his own resurrection from the dead is the ultimate proof that still stands today.
3. Thinking bigger thoughts about your sin than about God's grace isn't humility — Jesus actually called that kind of doubt "thinking evil in your hearts."
4. Private confession and absolution is a gift available in the Lutheran church where you can confess a specific sin by name and hear Christ forgive it by name — and pastors are bound never to reveal what they hear.
5. The authority to speak God's forgiveness isn't limited to pastors. Every Christian can tell a repentant brother or sister that God in Christ forgives them.

Scripture References

• Matthew 9:1-8 — The primary text: Jesus forgives and heals the paralytic at Capernaum, proving the Son of Man's authority to forgive sins on earth.
• 1 Kings 8:39 — Solomon's prayer at the temple dedication, affirming that God alone knows every human heart — applied to show Jesus' divine identity when he reads the scribes' thoughts.
• Psalm 103:3 — "He forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases" — used to connect forgiveness to bodily restoration, fully realized at the resurrection.
• Romans 4:25 — Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification — the resurrection as proof of forgiveness.
• John 20:22-23 — Jesus breathes on the apostles and gives them authority to forgive and retain sins, establishing the office of absolution in the church.
• 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 — Paul urges the church to forgive a repentant sinner so that Satan cannot outwit them through excessive guilt and sorrow.
• Ephesians 4:32 — "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" — cited as the epistle lesson connecting divine and mutual forgiveness.
• Luther's Small Catechism, Confession — Referenced for the two parts of confession (confessing sins and receiving absolution "as from God himself, not doubting").

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Listen to sermons from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, a country church six miles north of Gibbon, Minnesota. We belong to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Children worship beside their parents and grandparents here. We sing hymns, hear readings from the Bible, and pray together. Our preaching centers on Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. Through His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, He gives forgiveness and eternal life. Whether you’ve grown up in church or are just beginning to learn about the Christian faith, you’re welcome to visit.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May: Sunday School at 8:30 a.m. | Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. | Worship at 10:00 a.m.
• June–August: Worship at 9:00 a.m.

Plan your visit for directions and what to expect.

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

A lawyer tests Jesus with a question about the greatest commandment. Jesus answers, then asks a question of His own: How can the Christ be both David's Son and David's Lord? In Matthew 22:34-46, these two interactions interpret each other. God requires wholehearted love, and only the Christ—David's Son and David's Lord—has kept that commandment perfectly for us.

What about the Christian who leaves church with the same grudge as before? Pastor Karl Grant speaks to the guilty conscience with Christ's obedience, death, and resurrection. He then follows the promise of a new heart through Baptism and the Lord's Supper, where Christ gives and strengthens the life His commandments require.

Preached on October 4, 2026, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, this LWML Sunday sermon brings that new life into ordinary congregational life: supporting mission work, defending a neighbor's reputation, forgiving from the heart, and speaking charitably when a church meeting brings disagreement. Christ remains the One who sustains His people to the end.

Key Takeaways

1. God commands wholehearted love for Him and for our neighbors. Knowing the commandment or appearing polite does not fulfill it.
2. Jesus is David's Son and David's Lord. His perfect obedience counts for us, and His death deals with our sin.
3. God gives the new heart He requires. Through Baptism and the Lord's Supper, Christ gives and strengthens our life in Him.
4. Love acts for a neighbor's good: defend their reputation, consider what you may not understand, and explain their words and actions kindly.
5. Forgiven children of God are free to practice love in mission support and everyday disagreements. Our confidence rests in Christ, who sustains us when we fail.

Selected Scripture References

• Matthew 22:34-46: Jesus teaches wholehearted love for God and neighbor, then asks how the Christ can be both David's Son and David's Lord.
• Leviticus 19:17-18: Love for a neighbor reaches the heart, where hatred and grudges begin.
• Romans 5:19: Through Christ's obedience, the many are made righteous.
• Deuteronomy 30:6: God promises to give His people hearts that love Him.
• Colossians 2:11-12: In Baptism, believers are joined to Christ's burial and resurrection.
• 1 Corinthians 1:8-9: God is faithful and sustains His people to the day of Jesus Christ.

Question for Reflection

Whose words or actions could you explain more kindly this week, remembering how Christ has forgiven you?

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At St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, God has gathered a congregation where all ages are present, from newborns to grandparents. We are united in Christ through the historic liturgy. Children are a visible and joyful part of our life together, with active Sunday School and youth ministries woven into the fabric of our community. Here, every generation receives the saving benefits of Christ through His Word and Sacraments. Whether you’re listening nearby or far away, you’re welcome to join us in person or online.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May
  • 8:30am Sunday School | 9am Bible Study | 10am Worship
• June–August
  • 9am Worship

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

At a Sabbath dinner, Jesus takes hold of a sick man and heals him while everyone watches. Then He notices guests choosing the best seats. What do these two moments have to do with each other? In Luke 14:1-11, they answer the same question: What is the Sabbath for?

Pastor Karl Grant considers the difference between leisure and the rest Christ gives through His Word. He speaks to the choices that fill a Sunday, including necessary work on a farm, travel, and the ordinary pressure to keep doing one more task. Jesus frees His people from the old Sabbath regulations without taking away their need to hear Him.

At the dinner table, the question becomes where we belong. Family history and faithful attendance can each become reasons to look down on someone else. Christ, who took the lowest place to serve us, gives His people a place at His table. That promise also belongs to the parent wrestling a toddler through worship and the person who comes tired, grieving, or distracted.

Scripture References

• Luke 14:1-11: The sermon text. Jesus heals the man with dropsy, asks about rescuing a son or ox from a well, and tells guests to take the lower place.
• Exodus 20:8-11: The Sabbath commandment and God's rest after creation.
• Colossians 2:16-17: The Sabbath as a shadow whose substance belongs to Christ.
• Romans 10:2: Paul's words about zeal for God without knowledge.
• Luke 22:27: Jesus says He is among His disciples as One who serves.
• Philippians 2:5-11: Christ's humiliation, death on a cross, and exaltation.
• Luke 1:52-53: Mary's song about God exalting the humble and filling the hungry.

Question for Reflection
When you plan a Sunday, where do you seek rest, and where has Christ promised to give it?

------------------------

Listen to sermons from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, a country church six miles north of Gibbon, Minnesota. We belong to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Children worship beside their parents and grandparents here. We sing hymns, hear readings from the Bible, and pray together. Our preaching centers on Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again. Through His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, He gives forgiveness and eternal life. Whether you’ve grown up in church or are just beginning to learn about the Christian faith, you’re welcome to visit.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May: Sunday School at 8:30 a.m. | Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. | Worship at 10:00 a.m.
• June–August: Worship at 9:00 a.m.

Plan your visit for directions and what to expect.

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

Nobody asks Jesus to raise the widow's son. At the gate of Nain, He sees her grief, stops the funeral, and speaks to the dead young man. The man sits up. Jesus gives him back to his mother. In Luke 7:11-17, we see what it means for God to visit His people: He has come to save us, body and soul.

That promise has a lot to do with how we live this week. It matters when we show up for someone who is suffering, put down a screen to give our children our attention, or keep the vows we made to a spouse. It also matters when we lay a loved one's body in the ground. This sermon considers why Christian burial confesses the resurrection, while making clear that cremation does not endanger anyone's salvation. The Christ who gives us His gifts through physical means today will raise our bodies to everlasting life when He returns.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Jesus speaks to the dead with God's own authority. At Nain, He gives the widow her son back and shows that His salvation includes our bodies.
2. Christ's love moves us to be present and help one another. Keeping up with someone through a screen cannot replace sharing life with them.
3. Christ gives forgiveness through His Word and sacraments. His gifts do not depend on whether we feel something happening inside us.
4. The body Christ redeemed deserves care in life and reverence in death. Christian burial confesses our hope in its resurrection; cremation does not put salvation at risk.
5. Christ will raise His people to everlasting life in a creation freed from sin and death. We can face our own frailty and serve our neighbors with that future secure.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

• Luke 7:11-17: The sermon text. Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain and gives him back to his mother.
• 1 Kings 17:17-24: Elijah prays for the widow of Zarephath's son to live. The sermon compares his prayer with Christ's direct command and connects the wording about returning the son to his mother.
• 2 Kings 4:32-37: Elisha raises the Shunammite woman's son, another example of a prophet depending on God's power.
• Genesis 1:3: God's command brings light into being. Christ speaks with the same divine authority at Nain.
• John 11:38-44: Lazarus is raised but later dies again, as distinct from the final resurrection to everlasting life.
• Revelation 21:1-5: The new creation, where death, mourning, crying, and pain are gone.
• John 8:51-52: Jesus' promise that whoever keeps His Word will never see death; the sermon cites verse 51 using the phrase “taste death,” which occurs in verse 52.
• Revelation 22:20: The closing promise of Christ's return and the prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: The closing benediction asks God to keep His people blameless in spirit, soul, and body until Christ comes.

QUESTION FOR REFLECTION

How does Christ's promise to raise your body change the way you care for it and use it for your neighbor now?

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At St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, God has gathered a congregation where all ages are present, from newborns to grandparents. We are united in Christ through the historic liturgy. Children are a visible and joyful part of our life together, with active Sunday School and youth ministries woven into the fabric of our community. Here, every generation receives the saving benefits of Christ through His Word and Sacraments. Whether you’re listening nearby or far away, you’re welcome to join us in person or online.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May
  • 8:30am Sunday School | 9am Bible Study | 10am Worship
• June–August
  • 9am Worship

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

When money gets tight, where does your peace go? Jesus warns that no one can serve both God and mammon. In Matthew 6:24-34, He connects our anxiety about material needs with the First Commandment. The story of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17 shows how God provides through means no one would expect.

Jesus points to the birds and lilies as witnesses to His Father's care. The God who created us and redeemed us through Christ will not abandon us. The sermon concludes with Luther's morning and evening prayers as a simple way to begin and end each day in that trust.

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At St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, God has gathered a congregation where all ages are present, from newborns to grandparents. We are united in Christ through the historic liturgy. Children are a visible and joyful part of our life together, with active Sunday School and youth ministries woven into the fabric of our community. Here, every generation receives the saving benefits of Christ through His Word and Sacraments. Whether you’re listening nearby or far away, you’re welcome to join us in person or online.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May
  • 8:30am Sunday School | 9am Bible Study | 10am Worship
• June–August
  • 9am Worship

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

This sermon dives into Galatians 5 and the dangerous territory between receiving God's gifts and walking away from the Giver. Pastor Grant unpacks what Paul means when he warns that those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God — and why that warning matters for people already sitting in church pews.

The sermon challenges comfortable assumptions about grace and confronts the "once saved, always saved" teaching head-on.

If you've ever wondered what "walking by the Spirit" actually looks like in daily life, or if the tension between grace and obedience has confused you, this sermon brings clarity.

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At St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, God has gathered a congregation where all ages are present, from newborns to grandparents. We are united in Christ through the historic liturgy. Children are a visible and joyful part of our life together, with active Sunday School and youth ministries woven into the fabric of our community. Here, every generation receives the saving benefits of Christ through His Word and Sacraments. Whether you’re listening nearby or far away, you’re welcome to join us in person or online.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May
  • 8:30am Sunday School | 9am Bible Study | 10am Worship
• June–August
  • 9am Worship

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship

Everyone knows the Good Samaritan parable, but most people think the takeaway is simply "be a good person." It's not.

In this sermon, Pastor Karl Grant examines the conversation that actually triggers the parable: a religious expert testing Jesus, convinced he can earn eternal life through law-keeping. What follows — the Good Samaritan parable — is a reorientation of how we understand mercy and charity as they relate to God's Law.

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At St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Gibbon, Minnesota, God has gathered a congregation where all ages are present, from newborns to grandparents. We are united in Christ through the historic liturgy. Children are a visible and joyful part of our life together, with active Sunday School and youth ministries woven into the fabric of our community. Here, every generation receives the saving benefits of Christ through His Word and Sacraments. Whether you’re listening nearby or far away, you’re welcome to join us in person or online.

Visit us: 63924 240th St, Gibbon, MN 55335 | (507) 834-6676 | splcgibbon.org

Join us Sundays:

• September–May
  • 8:30am Sunday School | 9am Bible Study | 10am Worship
• June–August
  • 9am Worship

#GibbonMN #LutheranChurchMN #LCMSWorship