First Lutheran Church • 19 Pentecost • Sunday, October 19, 2025

Devotional

Sermon Summary

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

What is your algorithm like? Have you ever thought about your algorithm? The things that roll onto your social media feeds, the Facebook ads, the things that pop up again and again. If you see dog videos over and over again, it probably means that at some point in your history of scrolling, you decided to watch that dog video and find it adorable, and so the algorithm gave you more. If you ever searched for a new Bible, you probably found that for the next six months you got ads for Bibles, despite having bought one right after your Google search. If you watch recipes, or fitness plans, or whatever it might be, a political speaker, those things are going to pop up more for you. That's the algorithm. They give you what they think you want to see. But how do we maintain a balanced view of things? How do we figure out what the true truth is when our algorithm is set to just give us what we want, and what we know, and what we love? [00:14:08] (64 seconds)  #algorithmAwareness

All scripture is inspired by God. And is useful for teaching. For reproof. For correction. And for training in righteousness. A few of you might even have that just bored in here. Because this particular passage tells us about what our scriptures are. They are not just words on a page. They are not just someone's interpretation of God. They are inspired. And that is beautiful. [00:20:07] (25 seconds)  #godBreathedWord

To correct yourself is to straighten up and look to God and look at your neighbor in the eye. So when our scriptures are inspired and God breathed, they are there to tell us to straighten up again. We've gotten curved into ourselves. We've gotten into sinful paths and sinful patterns and we need to straighten up again. And the scriptures will call us out on that. Not just other people. Call us out on that. [00:24:48] (31 seconds)  #righteousnessEducation

We have to intentionally keep our eyes on our scriptures and keep our heart and mind and soul on our God to keep us on the right path, to discern truth. That is our standard, our plumb line, our way to measure. Is this truth or are you just telling me what you want me to hear? [00:28:34] (21 seconds)  #standInScripture

It's really hard to walk into this world. There are messages of salvation and messages of hope and healing, but they're all false. If you just do this fitness plan, if you just do this nutritional plan, if you just raise your kids to go to great colleges, if you just make that last career move and you rise in the ranks and you become that highest thing you want to do, if you reach your success, then you're saved. Then you've made it. Then your life has meaning. False prophets. False teachings. [00:29:06] (38 seconds)  #findYourBibleTranslation

Our scriptures, our God-breathed scriptures, are going to challenge us. They're going to teach us. They're going to call us to straighten up. They're going to convict us to hold true to them. And they're going to teach us about what will make God's approval. Because we're not seeking the approval of this world, we're seeking the approval of God. [00:29:44] (23 seconds)  #embraceScriptureDaily

So I encourage you to go onto Google and be bombarded with six months of ads to get yourself a new Bible or to pull out an old Bible, and to be strengthened and lifted up for the hard work of ministry, because each and every one of you is doing ministry out in this world. So use the scriptures to encourage you, inspire you, and support you in this path. [00:31:05] (24 seconds)

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