St. Paul's Onalaska Sermons

June 14, 2026

Pastor Brett Ehlke Say It Out Loud—The Season after Pentecost features what Christ teaches, and Christians in every vocation are encouraged to say it out loud. The truths of God’s Word are good for the soul, useful for life, and more reliable than anything else in the world. Watch out for false teachers who come with wise sounding words and pious promises, but who do not base everything on the Word of God! Give thanks to the Lord for faithful servants in the ministry of the gospel and those who support them! Jesus Leads Us—The Law was given through Moses. He was a marvelous leader of his people, but he could not take them to the Promised Land. The Law can never get God’s people to the promised land. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Joshua, the successor of Moses, defeated the enemies of the people and led them into the Promised Land. Jesus defeats our enemies and shepherds us as his flock. The gracious Gospel of forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus is the only way to the promised land of heaven. Jesus leads us all the way there. Say It Out Loud: Jesus Leads Us

June 7, 2026

Pastor Dan Olson Say It Out Loud—The Season after Pentecost features what Christ teaches, and Christians in every vocation are encouraged to say it out loud. The truths of God’s Word are good for the soul, useful for life, and more reliable than anything else in the world. Watch out for false teachers who come with wise sounding words and pious promises, but who do not base everything on the Word of God! Give thanks to the Lord for faithful servants in the ministry of the gospel and those who support them! God Loves Sinners—They never forgot their past. Moses never forgot how he killed a man in a fit of anger. Paul never forgot how he had savaged the Church of God. Matthew never forgot how, as a tax collector for the Roman Empire, he was considered a traitor to his people. But God forgot their past. He forgave all their sins and called them to proclaim his mercy. Christians are sinners whom God has mercifully called. Only mercy can explain why Jesus brings people to faith and promises them salvation. Only grace can explain how he calls them to serve as they are able, even in the ministry of the gospel. God loves sinners.   Say It Out Loud: God Loves Sinners

May 31, 2026

Pastor Shane Krause Say It Out Loud—The Season after Pentecost features what Christ teaches, and Christians in every vocation are encouraged to say it out loud. The truths of God’s Word are good for the soul, useful for life, and more reliable than anything else in the world. Watch out for false teachers who come with wise sounding words and pious promises, but who do not base everything on the Word of God! Give thanks to the Lord for faithful servants in the ministry of the gospel and those who support them! God Is Triune—We believe in the triune God. He is the only true God. The festival of the Holy Trinity is a time to celebrate God revealing himself to us as one God in three persons. The triune God wants his people to teach this mystery in its biblical truth and purity. This festival of the Holy Trinity begins the second half of the Church Year with a proclamation of people being baptized and blessed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, the only true God. Say It Out Loud: God is Triune

May 24, 2026

Pastor Dan Olson What Difference Does It Make? Life is full of either/or moments. Some of them are of little long-term consequence. Some of them matter more. One either/or moment is life-changing for every human being: either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus claimed he would rise from the dead. “The Son of Man must suffer many things. . . be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). So if Jesus remains dead, he is both a failure and a fraud. If Christ has not been raised, we are still in our sin. But Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! It makes all the difference! He lives! He Lives to Pour Out His Spirit—When the disciples were distressed about Jesus ascending into heaven, he assured them, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). That Advocate is the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had stayed in the grave, the Holy Spirit would have had no reason to enter the lives of disciples. But Jesus lives, and it makes a difference. The Spirit provides faith and purpose for life. Pentecost, the celebration of the special arrival of the Holy Spirit, is the third great festival of the Church, along with the Nativity and the Resurrection. Pentecost closes the fifty-day period after Easter and ends the festival half of the church year. The Church dresses in red on this day to commemorate the tongues of fire that marked the Spirit’s gift as well as the blood of the martyrs. What Difference Does It Make? He Lives to Pour Out His Spirit

May 17, 2026

Pastor Shane Krause What Difference Does It Make? Life is full of either/or moments. Some of them are of little long-term consequence. Some of them matter more. One either/or moment is life-changing for every human being: either Jesus is still dead, or Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus claimed he would rise from the dead. “The Son of Man must suffer many things. . . be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). So if Jesus remains dead, he is both a failure and a fraud. If Christ has not been raised, we are still in our sin. But Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! It makes all the difference! He lives! He Lives to Rule All Things for the Church—Without the resurrection of Jesus, we would have to wonder who oversees the world. At times the world seems so chaotic. People claim to be in charge but they have limited power and strange ideas. Many of the ideas are harmful for Christians. Leaders seem to lead without acknowledging Jesus. But he lives, and it makes a difference. Jesus is head over everything for the Church. At the time of Ascension, he takes his proper place. The Festival of the Ascension is one of the oldest and most joyful celebrations in the Christian Church. It will be observed by Christians until Christ returns to take us to be with him. What Difference Does It Make? He Lives to Rule All Things for the Church