Pastor Michael Mathews has become a beacon of hope and guidance for many through his recent sermons. His messages resonate deeply, offering practical wisdom and spiritual encouragement that inspire meaningful changes in daily life. This blog post explores the key themes from his impactful sermons, highlights memorable quotes, and shows how these teachings can be applied to enrich everyday living. Pastor Michael Mathews delivering a sermon in a warmly lit church Embracing Fait

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost – July 12, 2026 Sermon: “God Sows the Seed of His Word” Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. I’m sure you’ve probably heard Jesus’ parable of the sower before. In biblical times, they didn’t have giant John Deere machines to use to plant their fields. A person

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost – July 5, 2026 Sermon: “Rest for Your Souls” Matthew 11:25–30 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. God created human beings to be able to do work. When He created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, He put them in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. So work has been a part of

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Third Sunday after Pentecost – June 14, 2026 Sermon: “Disciples and Apostles” Matthew 9:35–10:20 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Listen again to a short portion of today’s reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew: Matthew 10:1 And [Jesus] called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority ove

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Feast of the Holy Trinity– May 31, 2026 Sermon: “The Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:16–20 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. I invite all of you to turn in the hymnal to page 319 and mark the place. We will be reading the Athanasian Creed together as part of the sermon.

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost – June 28, 2026 Sermon: “Not Peace but a Sword” Matthew 10:34–42 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. The reading from Matthew’s Gospel for today is a continuation of what we’ve heard the previous two Sundays. It’s all part of what Jesus said to His twelve apostles as He sent them out

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost – June 21, 2026 Sermon: “Do Not Fear Them, Fear Him” Matthew 10:21–33 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Having a father who sets clear expectations for behavior is important for the well-being of children. It’s why we celebrate fathers in our nation today – and it’s why it’s such

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Second Sunday after Pentecost – June 7, 2026 Sermon: “Mercy, and Not Sacrifice” Matthew 9:9–13 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. One of the men that Jesus called to follow Him was a man named Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector. Now I don’t think that many people in our country have especially warm feelings t

Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Pinetop, Arizona Rev. Michael “Mick” Mathews The Day of Pentecost– May 24, 2026 Sermon: “Oh, That All the Lord’s People Were Prophets” Numbers 11:24–30 Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. The Feast of Pentecost did not begin as a celebration among the New Testament church. Its roots go back to the time when God used Moses as His prophet to lead the people of