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Pastor Ralph’s Audio Sermons From January 5, 2025 to December 28, 2025 —————————————————————
December 28, 2025 First Sunday of Christmas at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “The Hopes and Fears of All the Years” In the midst of fears, suffering, grief, still we love one another, we show compassion, we’re generous to those in need, etc. etc. etc. TEXT: Matthew 2:13-23
December 24, 2025 Christmas Eve at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Great Glad Tidings” God’s love is with us. Let’s resolve to bring this love into our daily lives, one kind word at a time, one act of service at a time, one caring action at a time. TEXT: Luke 2:8-14
December 21, 2025 Fourth Sunday of Advent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Be Born In Us Today” When you’re able to “hush the noise,” when you get your soul to a place of holy peace, remember Emmanuel, remember God is with you. TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25
December 14, 2025 Third Sunday of Advent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Hush the Noise” There comes a time when the best we can do is “Hush the Noise.” TEXT: Matthew 11:2-11
December 7, 2025 Second Sunday of Advent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Prepare the Way of the Lord” God never gives up on us. No matter what our “viper-ness” is, we can ALWAYS be assured of God’s forgiveness and love. So, let's adopt John the Baptist’s message of invitation and hope, announcing that God is coming into our world, that we bear God’s fruit in the world, doing good in the world in small and large ways. TEXT: Matthew 3:1-12 ——————————————— November 30, 2025 First Sunday of Advent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “What Time Is It?” What time is it? It’s time to take care of each other. TEXT: Matthew 24:36-44
November 23, 2025 Christ the King Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “The Reign of Mercy and Love” We’re invited to be people of mercy, love, kindness, and forgiveness, resisting and fighting against evil in the world. TEXT: Luke 21:5-19
November 16, 2025 Proper 28 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Christ, Be Our Light” We sometimes wish our lives would be all sunshine and flowers, but we’re people who have disasters, trials, and suffering. So we cry out: “Christ, be our light.” And he is. Christ IS our light. TEXT: Luke 21:5-19
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
April 18, 2025 Good Friday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “It is Finished” In the cross, there is victory. TEXT: John 19:30
April 17, 2025 Maundy Thursday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Remember Me” In the midst of troubles, remember what God has done and is doing now. TEXT: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “To Have the Mind of Christ” To have the mind of Christ changes the world for the better. TEXT: Philippians 2:5-11
April 9, 2025 Sixth Wednesday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again: GIVE THANKS” Maybe we didn’t think about God for hours and hours today. But, the truth is, GOD THOUGHT ABOUT US! God is with us, all the day long. “Thanks Be To God” (based on Psalm 26) is included © 1996 Pastor Ralph J. Mineo. TEXT: Psalm 26
April 6, 2025 Fifth Sunday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Extravagant Love” SERMON QUOTE: “The sad truth is: the reason there will always be extreme poverty in the world is that there will always be extreme greed.” ANOTHER QUOTE: “He stinketh!” TEXT: John 12:1-8
April 2, 2025 Fifth Wednesday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again: PROCLAIM” We PROCLAIM the good. We’re invited to COMPLAIN. We end with PRAISE. My song “I Will Sing of Your Love” (paraphrase of Psalm 89:1–4, 15–18) is included. © 1996 Pastor Ralph J. Mineo. TEXT: Psalm 89 ——————————————— March 30, 2025 Fourth Sunday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “God Cries With Joy” Think of all the GOOD in the world, in yourself, and rejoice. TEXT: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
March 26, 2025 Fourth Wednesday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again: GROW” The wicked THINK they’re the best thing since sliced bread. But, in the end, they’re chaff, blown away, not even a PART of the bread! As Shakespeare put it, they’re “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” TEXT: Psalm 1
March 23, 2025 Third Sunday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Signs of the Times” “Signs of the times” are when you see and show kindness and compassion, when you take care of others. TEXT: Luke 13:1-9
March 19, 2025 Third Wednesday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again: PRAY” When you list your needs and troubles from A-Z, you find know that God’s love comes to you with blessings A-Z. In the sermon, I introduced an alphabetical spiritual exercise to make two such lists, to visually see your blessings in the midst of troubles. Here are links to the files: TEXT: Psalm 25
March 16, 2025 Second Sunday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Traveling Safely on the Road of Life” Sometimes we need a spiritual “time out.” Our lives will be illumined by the presence of our Lord. TEXT: Luke 13:31-35
March 12, 2025 Second Wednesday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again: LISTEN” “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” TEXT: Psalm 95
March 9, 2025 First Sunday in Lent at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Lead Us Out of Temptation” Since you are a child of God, what kind of child of God will you be? TEXT: Luke 4:1-13
March 5, 2025 Ash Wednesday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Walking With the Lord Again” All Christians are hypocrites. TEXT: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 ——————————————— Youth Sunday Weekend March 2, 2025 Transfiguration at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Jesus Is My Superhero” Jesus, our supernatural hero, loves us. The Kingdom of God is within us. TEXT: Luke 9:28-35 Pastor Ralph’s Saturday Sermon (AUDIO) Youth Sunday Worship - FULL WORSHIP SERVICE VIDEO Youth Sunday Sermon - SERMON BEGINS HERE ——————————————— February 23, 2025 7th Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “What the World Needs Now” What the world needs now is for disciples of Jesus to PROTEST the evil in the world, reject what’s wrong, and give to the world what we’ve been given: overflowing kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and love. TEXT: Luke 6:27-38
February 16, 2025 6th Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “The Climate We Live In” God’s presence is like a gentle, comfortable rain of grace, peace, comfort, hope, healing, and love. TEXT: Luke 6:17-26
February 9, 2025 5th Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “I Call You Anyway” God always gives us opportunities for kindness, caring, compassion, healing, forgiveness, and love. TEXT: Luke 5:1-11
February 2, 2025 4th Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “God’s Ways Are Best” God’s ways heal and love ALL people in ALL the world, wherever it hurts. God’s ways unite people by caring for each other. God’s ways don’t lead to division. God’s ways are all about LOVING ONE ANOTHER. TEXT: Luke 4:21-30 ——————————————— January 26, 2025 3rd Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Today is the Day” Today is the day to love others, to forgive, to protect those who are bullied, to feed the hungry, to give shelter to the homeless, to minister to the lonely, the grieving, those who hurt in any way. Today is the day. TEXT: Luke 4:14-21
January 19, 2025 2nd Sunday after Epiphany at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “How To Tell Time 101” Spiritual time is our awareness that, in this moment, in this place, in this heart, in this soul, God is here with new life for you! TEXT: John 2:1-11
January 12, 2025 Baptism of Our Lord at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “Beloved Children of God” We’re called to nourish the world with kindness, forgiveness, healing, compassion, and love. TEXT: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
January 5, 2025 Epiphany (observed) at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Erie, PA TITLE: “The Work of Christmas Begins” Let’s decorate the world, with gifts of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12 ——————————————— |
