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Pastor Ralph’s Audio Sermons ————————————————————— November 9, 2025 Proper 27 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “We’re Talking About God!” When we forgive, and when we’re forgiven, we taste eternity. When we’re kind, and when others are kind to us, we taste eternity. When we serve the poor, the needy, the hurting, the grieving, we taste eternity. TEXT: Luke 20:27-38
November 2, 2025 All Saints Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Craving God’s Blessings” When we all feed the world with morsels of kindness, generosity, blessings, and love, God will change the world through us. TEXT: Luke 6:17-31 ——————————————— October 26, 2025 Reformation Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Greenville, PA TITLE: “We Remember” There’s plenty of trouble in the world: tumult, frustrations, and anxiety. Be still... be still... receive divine and holy gifts and put them to good use in the world: generosity, kindness, forgiveness, mercy, etc. TEXT: Psalm 46 ( My original musical paraphrase is included.)
October 19, 2025 Proper 24 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Pray Always and Do Not Lose Heart” Don’t lose heart. Because, in the end, God wins. All that is good wins. Love wins. TEXT: Luke 18:1-8
October 12, 2025 Proper 23 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Giving Thanks to God” Count your blessings and give thanks! TEXT: Luke 17:11-19
October 5, 2025 Proper 22 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Bloom Where You Are Transplanted” Our job description is to plant simple seeds of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, peace (shalom), and love. TEXT: Luke 17:5-10 ——————————————— September 28, 2025 Proper 21 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Learning to Love” Love the way God wants us to love: with compassion, caring, empathy, support, prayer, lifting up those who are low. TEXT: Luke 16:19-31
September 21, 2025 Proper 20 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “You Can Be Forgiven” “Children of light” marinate in compassion, empathy, goodness, honesty, joy, peace, FORGIVENESS! TEXT: Luke 16:1-13
September 14, 2025 Holy Cross Day at Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “It Was for Love” SONG: “It Was for Love” (words and music © 1992 by Ralph J. Mineo) When we receive God's love, we’re equipped, motivated, and blessed to forgive others, to give living water to others, to help others with the difficult journey they’re traveling. TEXT: John 3:13-17
September 7, 2025 Proper 18 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “We Follow Jesus. We Worship God.” Here’s a plan: receive God’s love. And then, give God’s love to others. TEXT: Luke 14:25-33 ——————————————— August 31, 2025 Proper 17 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Watching Jesus Closely” People are watching how Christians behave. People are watching to see if God’s love shows through us. People are watching to see the love of God in our daily lives. People are watching to see if the peace of God is in us. TEXT: Luke 14:1, 7-14
August 24, 2025 Proper 16 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “This Is a Holy Day” Every time we show compassion and kindness, we can say: “THIS IS A HOLY DAY!” TEXT: Luke 13:10-17
August 17, 2025 Proper 15 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Prince of Peace” We need to RISE ABOVE the conflict, the division, the storms. In PEACE, we fly by the grace of God. TEXT: Luke 12:49-56
August 10, 2025 Proper 14 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Unfailing Treasures” Don’t let fear, anxiety, worry, or anything of this world steal the unfailing treasures within: like peace, well-being, hope, and love. TEXT: Luke 12:32-40
August 3, 2025 Proper 13 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Rich Toward God” Measure your wealth by the gifts, blessings, and love in your life. TEXT: Luke 12:13-21 ——————————————— July 27, 2025 Proper 12 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” God gives us the Holy Spirit in every single prayer we pray. TEXT: Luke 11:1-13
July 20, 2025 Proper 11 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?” Every disciple gets distracted, disconnected from God and God’s will. Disciples want to stay attached to God and to God’s will. TEXT: Luke 10:38-42
July 13, 2025 Proper 10 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Don’t Let Love Die” Our inheritance is divine mercy and compassion, and this is how we live our lives. TEXT: Luke 10:25-37
July 6, 2025 Proper 9 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Looking at ancient mythology, God disbanded the “Heavenly Council” which supported the wicked and didn’t protect and help those is need. Jesus formed a new “Earthly Council” (the church) to continue his mission. TEXT: Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 ——————————————— June 29, 2025 Proper 8 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” As a disciple, you’re out of place when it comes to the values of the world. Don’t rest your head on things like worldly power, wealth, greed, revenge, hatred. [Quoted: “There's no crying in baseball!”] TEXT: Luke 9:51-62
June 22, 2025 Proper 7 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Breaking the Cycle” A man on a cycle of torment is healed when divine healing breaks in. TEXT: Luke 8:26-39
June 15, 2025 The Holy Trinity at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “A Guided Tour Into Truth” As disciples, we need to commit ourselves to hearing, telling, and living TRUTH. TEXT: John 7:37-39
June 8, 2025 THE DAY OF PENTECOST at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Rivers of Living Water” After you drink the Living Water, rivers of living water will flow from your heart, rivers that are named love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, etc. TEXT: John 7:37-39
June 1, 2025 Seventh Sunday of Easter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “God Always Comes Down” We’re on a mission from God! TEXT: John 17:20-26 ——————————————— May 25, 2025 Sixth Sunday of Easter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Help for Troubled Hearts” You are the light of world, called to bring light to the darkness of the world, and peace, SHALOM, to the troubles in the world. TEXT: John 14:23-29
May 18, 2025 Fifth Sunday of Easter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Love One Another” Whatever lies ahead, be it gloom or glory, sickness or health, depression or joy... LOVE ONE ANOTHER! TEXT: John 13:31-35
May 11, 2025 Fourth Sunday of Easter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “To Listen and To Follow” A lot of voices compete for our attention. Some are good. Some are bad. Close your ears to the bad ones. Listen to the good ones, follow them, and put them into practice. TEXT: John 10:22-30
May 4, 2025 Third Sunday of Easter at Faith Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “To God Be the Glory” “God has promised good to us, and blessings all our days.” TEXT: Revelation 5:11-14 ——————————————— April 27, 2025 Second Sunday of Easter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Christ is Risen!” The Risen Lord offers SHALOM of freedom from fear and guilt, SHALOM of forgiveness, SHALOM of faith and life. This divine SHALOM overflows into our lives. TEXT: John 20:19-31
April 20, 2025 Easter Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “God Won the Day” Sometimes the darkness we experience feels like an eternity. The promise of Easter is: when there’s darkness, God gives light. TEXT: Psalm 118 |