Jesus warns that the biggest reason people miss the narrow road to life is that false guides are pointing them the wrong way. In Matthew 7, He says you'll recognize false prophets by their fruits — but the fruit of a prophet isn't good behavior or impressive miracles. It's what they teach about God. This sermon digs into why polished conduct, packed buildings, and even supernatural signs can't be trusted as marks of a true teacher.

Drawing on Jeremiah 23 and several parables from Matthew's Gospel, Pastor Grant unpacks the uncomfortable truth that even people who prophesied, cast out demons, and performed wonders in Jesus' name will hear Him say, "I never knew you." So what does it actually mean to do the will of the Father? The answer has everything to do with repentance, faith, and knowing the real Jesus well enough to spot a counterfeit.

The sermon closes with a practical challenge: every Christian bears the responsibility to test what they hear against God's Word, which means every Christian needs to actually be in God's Word. Several accessible Bible reading strategies are offered to help make that a daily reality.

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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 Richard Bentz' funeral, Pastor Karl Grant returns to the verse Richard confessed at his confirmation — 1 John 5:4 — and unpacks what it really means that "this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith."

This sermon cuts through sentimental funeral comfort and lands on something sturdier. The victory over death doesn't depend on how strongly you believe — it depends on whose blood marks your door. Christ has already overcome the world, and that includes the grave.

If you've ever wondered whether your faith is "enough," or if you're grieving and struggling to feel the hope you know you're supposed to have, this message meets you right where you are.

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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

Mark's Gospel is known for breakneck action — "immediately" this, "immediately" that. So when Jesus pauses to explain why he's about to do something, we should pay attention. In Mark 8, before he feeds 4,000 people in the middle of nowhere, Jesus says plainly: "I have compassion on the crowd." This sermon unpacks what that compassion means for people then and now.

Pastor Karl Grant walks through three dimensions of Christ's compassion:

1. it moves toward people who have nothing to offer,
2. it provides where provision looks impossible,
3. and it overflows into a gift that changes how we live.

The feeding of the 4,000 is a picture of a God who gives eternal life the same way He gave bread: freely, generously, and to people who could do nothing but receive it.

Whether you're running the numbers on a tough farming year, facing a frightening diagnosis, or wondering how faith and warmth can return to a relationship that's grown cold, this sermon invites you to pray the Fourth Petition out loud and trust the God who always spreads a table in the wilderness — with seven baskets left over.

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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