Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church

06/10/2026

Highlights from last Sunday {Isaiah 6:1-8} King Uzziah, one of Israel’s good leaders, has died so Isaiah goes to the temple (think: church) to seek guidance from God. He knows that’s where he can access the Lord and God doesn’t disappoint; the Lord comes high and lifted up in all His glory. Isaiah also sees angels and they proclaim his holiness. God comes to him with His forgiveness. Isaiah’s unclean lips are cleansed. Jesus is also high and lifted up on a cross, and He atones for all our sins there. Our guilt, like Isaiah’s, is taken away. In response to such love, we say “yes!”to the call to go out and tell others about the hope and mercy of Jesus.

06/03/2026

Highlights of last Sunday {Acts 2:14, 22-36} Peter, who had only denied Jesus 52 days earlier, lifted his voice to proclaim salvation in Christ alone to the crowds on the Day of Pentecost. This is a sign that God is radically gracious.

We, like Peter, have redemption - the real forgiveness in Jesus. We aren’t defined by our sin. Jesus defines us.

In Peter’s sermon he told the crowd that they had crucified Jesus. They were guilty. But Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection has taken that guilt away. In the same way Jesus has taken away all our sins too.

Peter lastly mentioned the prophecy of David that was fulfilled in Jesus, who has defeated death by rising from the dead for us all. This gracious gift of life is ours in the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) now and forever.

05/27/2026

Highlights of Pentecost Sunday

The Holy Spirit does many things.

He cracks open our cold hearts and pours life in it. The third Person of the Trinity creates and sustains the Church. He makes us holy through the forgiveness of sins and gives us eternal life.

Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection would be no benefit for us without the Holy Spirit. He gives us faith to believe.

The Holy Spirit shows us that we are sinners, but take heart, He also shows us the forgiveness we already have in and through Jesus.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t have to do anything spontaneous or wild to be active. His main jobs are to reveal the truth of Jesus to us and to use His fruit to bless others through our various vocations.

We would despise the Word of God without the Holy Spirit. He gives us faith and wisdom to understand and believe it.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak the words of God for the salvation of others. He frees us from the fear of death, the world and devil.

The Holy Spirit daily confirms and sustains our baptism in Christ. We should pray for Him to renew us in who we are.

It’s all about the love, mercy and comfort of Jesus. All that we have from God comes through the Holy Spirit. This is behind all our thanks and worship.

05/22/2026

Highlights from last Sunday {Acts 1:12-26; 1 Peter 5:8-9; John 17:1-11} 3 mentions of Holy Spirit. The apostles are gathered in Acts to pray for the Holy Spirit to bring them a successor to Judas. The lot is cast on Matthias - a devoted follower and witness of the Resurrection. In Peter’s letter to Asia Minor, he warns them to be watchful of the tactics of the devil, so they can resist him by the power of the Holy Spirit. In John 17, Jesus prays that the Father will now glorify Him since He has been given authority to give eternal life to all by the Holy Spirit through the knowledge of the true God.

This was, still is and will be accomplished through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for us all.

05/13/2026

Highlights from last Sunday {John 14: 15-21} In the reading, Jesus tells His disciples He is leaving them. Jesus promises to send them the Holy Spirit to comfort them and enable them to change the direction of their lives. We, like the disciples, need the comfort and strength of the Holy Spirit. He gives us all that we need. If we put our trust in Him, we are not left alone and, by His Grace, His Spirit is always with us and we are assured that we will raise with Jesus for all eternity.

05/07/2026

Highlights of last Sunday {John 14: 1-14} On Maundy Thursday Jesus is with His disciples. He tells them He’ll be betrayed, deserted and executed, but they shouldn’t be troubled because He will rise from the dead. He then says that their help will come from outside of themselves; that they should all go directly to Him. On top of that, He tells them that He is going to experience the cross and death for them in order to prepare a place for them where there will be total tranquility. Following this, Thomas asks how can they know the way and Jesus tells him that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. All of this points to the fact that He, Himself, is all they will ever need and nothing else. These promises are also for us. Alleluia!

04/29/2026

Highlights from last Sunday {John 10: 1-10} Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep. He is the one who calls us to Him and He enables us to hear His voice. He also says He is the Door of the sheep. We can only enter through Him. In Him, we have nothing to fear. In Him, we are saved. In Him, we have life now and forever.

04/16/2026

Highlights from last Sunday {John 20: 19-31} The apostles were hiding behind closed doors. They were afraid and didn’t expect good news. Thomas wasn’t there. He’s seen his hopes dashed. He will only believe if God meets his conditions. He, like us, judges God and refuses to take Him at His word. The first thing Jesus says to them is “Peace”. He speaks absolution. His wounds signify His victory. The risen Christ breaks through their fear and doubt in all of us. Jesus returns again to the apostles and speaks peace to the apostles, but this time the group includes Thomas. The Gospel is still there for this skeptic. He meets him at his need. It is then that Thomas confesses: “My Lord and my God!” This is God’s desire for us that we may know the Christ. He has brought His peace to us. He shows us the debt He has paid for us in those same cross-caused scars. He leads us to declare and rejoice in the same words of Thomas.

04/10/2026

Highlights from Easter Sunday (thanks Bonnie!)

04/05/2026

Here’s today’s Easter Sunday service to revisit or check out for the first time. Christ is risen!

Easter Sunday Service April 5, 2026 with Pastor Marvin St. Pierre