The Word on Baker Street Mon, 18 May 2026 21:43:57 -0400 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/emmanuel-lutheran en-us © 2026 The Word on Baker Street yes b5410a1d-5033-5281-a266-7a02e96fef4b emmanuelbakerst@gmail.com Emmanuel Lutheran episodic false On Baker Street, God’s love meets us where we are. Each week, sermons from Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bakersfield, California proclaim welcome without exception, hope without limit, and a faith that moves us toward mercy, justice, and love in action.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Emmanuel Lutheran emmanuelbakerst@gmail.com https://storage.buzzsprout.com/uc0mf4ocdoqo2h4ewqbyywn1upia?.jpg The Word on Baker Street https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/emmanuel-lutheran Rev. Dawn Wilder Go Anyway Go Anyway Easter morning does not begin with calm… it begins with fear, chaos, and an empty tomb. Pastor Dawn preaches from Matthew 28 — from the in-between place where fear and great joy live at the same time, and from what resurrection looks like when the world still feels unfinished.

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]]> Easter morning does not begin with calm… it begins with fear, chaos, and an empty tomb. Pastor Dawn preaches from Matthew 28 — from the in-between place where fear and great joy live at the same time, and from what resurrection looks like when the world still feels unfinished.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran Buzzsprout-18966572 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:00:00 -0400 951 Easter, Resurrection, Matthew 28, Sermon, Lutheran, ELCA, Progressive Christianity, Grief, Hope, Fear, Joy 2026 3 full false God is With When Things Go Wrong God is With When Things Go Wrong Jesus begins his ministry after a prophet is arrested—without retreat, without violence, without certainty. In this sermon on Matthew 4:12–23, we meet a Christ who shows up anyway, forming a community of faithful presence in the shadow of repression, grief, and fear. This is part two of the four part series, Faithful Presence in a Fragile World.

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]]> Jesus begins his ministry after a prophet is arrested—without retreat, without violence, without certainty. In this sermon on Matthew 4:12–23, we meet a Christ who shows up anyway, forming a community of faithful presence in the shadow of repression, grief, and fear. This is part two of the four part series, Faithful Presence in a Fragile World.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 25aa98ab-5460-4c85-9d6f-eb851dbc9afe Sun, 25 Jan 2026 21:57:04 -0500 903 2026 3 false God is With Us Before We Are Ready God is With Us Before We Are Ready Before belief, before clarity, before action—there is staying. In this sermon on John 1:29–42, we meet a Christ who does not demand answers from the weary, but offers presence instead. Jesus’ first invitation is not a demand, but an open call: “Come and see.” Faith begins not with certainty or action, but with staying close—even when we don’t yet know what we’re looking for.

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]]> Before belief, before clarity, before action—there is staying. In this sermon on John 1:29–42, we meet a Christ who does not demand answers from the weary, but offers presence instead. Jesus’ first invitation is not a demand, but an open call: “Come and see.” Faith begins not with certainty or action, but with staying close—even when we don’t yet know what we’re looking for.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 70551665-a11e-4432-810d-a2acdc2cf6fd Sat, 24 Jan 2026 16:17:10 -0500 967 2026 2 false Hope That Gets Its Feet Wet Hope That Gets Its Feet Wet Hope is not waiting for God to fix things—it’sstepping in. In Jesus’ baptism, we see a Savior who refuses distance, wading into dangerous waters with the condemned. This sermon on Matthew 3:13-17, calls the Church to a hope rooted in solidarity, action, and love that refuses to stay dry.

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]]> Hope is not waiting for God to fix things—it’sstepping in. In Jesus’ baptism, we see a Savior who refuses distance, wading into dangerous waters with the condemned. This sermon on Matthew 3:13-17, calls the Church to a hope rooted in solidarity, action, and love that refuses to stay dry.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 577cc83c-dcc3-424a-8ec4-deb4e7817a2f Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:04:35 -0500 876 2026 1 false Unshakable Unshakable Luke 21:5–19 isn’t about the end of the world; it’s about the end of illusion. The temple glows with power and permanence — until Jesus names its truth: all of this will fall. But beneath the rubble, something unshakable remains. This sermon calls us to faith that outlives our temples — a defiant hope in the God who still stands amid the ruins.

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]]> Luke 21:5–19 isn’t about the end of the world; it’s about the end of illusion. The temple glows with power and permanence — until Jesus names its truth: all of this will fall. But beneath the rubble, something unshakable remains. This sermon calls us to faith that outlives our temples — a defiant hope in the God who still stands amid the ruins.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 6b5ecef1-b843-4848-8fd3-cce9114a75ba Sun, 16 Nov 2025 17:45:20 -0500 1047 false Healing on the Other Side Healing on the Other Side Luke 17:11–19 is more than a healing story; it’s a border story. Ten outcasts cry for mercy, and Jesus crosses every line — between clean and unclean, insider and outsider — until grace stands where exclusion used to be. One turns back, a foreigner who should never have belonged. In this sermon, we find the Christ who keeps breaking barriers and healing what exclusion has wounded.

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]]> Luke 17:11–19 is more than a healing story; it’s a border story. Ten outcasts cry for mercy, and Jesus crosses every line — between clean and unclean, insider and outsider — until grace stands where exclusion used to be. One turns back, a foreigner who should never have belonged. In this sermon, we find the Christ who keeps breaking barriers and healing what exclusion has wounded.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran caeb69f7-0831-4dc7-80e8-d172d0cccb70 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 12:34:23 -0400 1188 2025 13 false Faith that Follows Us Faith that Follows Us Luke 17:5–10 begins with a desperate plea: “Increase ourfaith!” But Jesus reminds us that faith isn’t something to grow—it’s something to live. Faith is trusting that Jesus keeps following us, even when we stumble. It’s taking the next small step, and the next, believing that what God has already planted in us is enough.

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]]> Luke 17:5–10 begins with a desperate plea: “Increase ourfaith!” But Jesus reminds us that faith isn’t something to grow—it’s something to live. Faith is trusting that Jesus keeps following us, even when we stumble. It’s taking the next small step, and the next, believing that what God has already planted in us is enough.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 68e7e3ba-b473-4573-9d62-c497e97c5c14 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 22:28:12 -0400 1027 2025 12 false The Gospel at the Gate The Gospel at the Gate Luke 16:19–31 tells of a rich man feasting behind his gate while Lazarus starves outside. In death, the gate becomes a chasm too wide to cross. In this sermon, we face the danger of indifference and the gospel that calls us to crumble gates, widen tables, and discover that the kingdom of God is already breaking through in love.

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]]> Luke 16:19–31 tells of a rich man feasting behind his gate while Lazarus starves outside. In death, the gate becomes a chasm too wide to cross. In this sermon, we face the danger of indifference and the gospel that calls us to crumble gates, widen tables, and discover that the kingdom of God is already breaking through in love.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran e4a06887-7dcb-42ec-af26-ff5b58d5e487 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:22:58 -0400 957 2025 12 false It's About to Get Real It's About to Get Real Luke 14:25–33 is one of Jesus’ hardest teachings: discipleship has a cost. But what if the cost isn’t about giving up everything we love — but about letting go of ego, advantage, and comfort so that real love can take root? This sermon explores what costly love looks in practice — from Paul’s letter to Philemon, to our own choices today. Following Jesus isn’t cheap or easy, but it isn’t joyless either. It is grace that redefines us, frees us, and calls us to choose life again and again — for ourselves and for the world.

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]]> Luke 14:25–33 is one of Jesus’ hardest teachings: discipleship has a cost. But what if the cost isn’t about giving up everything we love — but about letting go of ego, advantage, and comfort so that real love can take root? This sermon explores what costly love looks in practice — from Paul’s letter to Philemon, to our own choices today. Following Jesus isn’t cheap or easy, but it isn’t joyless either. It is grace that redefines us, frees us, and calls us to choose life again and again — for ourselves and for the world.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 46b315ca-c7a2-41a2-ab51-bb0e8583a875 Thu, 18 Sep 2025 21:40:05 -0400 993 2025 8 false A Place at the Table A Place at the Table Luke 14:1, 7–14 finds Jesus at a dinner party, watching guests scramble for the best seats. Instead of competing for honor, he calls us to humility, generosity, and hospitality that can’t be repaid. In this sermon, we hear the good news of God’s abundance: a table so wide that every seat is first-class, every place is holy, and no one is left out.

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]]> Luke 14:1, 7–14 finds Jesus at a dinner party, watching guests scramble for the best seats. Instead of competing for honor, he calls us to humility, generosity, and hospitality that can’t be repaid. In this sermon, we hear the good news of God’s abundance: a table so wide that every seat is first-class, every place is holy, and no one is left out.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 141c9c32-8fe2-49a9-bd4d-3e084c916e21 Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:59:10 -0400 917 2025 10 false Lifted Lifted Luke 13:10–17 tells of a woman bent over for eighteen years, weighed down by pain and invisibility. She doesn’t even ask to be healed—but Jesus sees her, calls her forward, and sets her free. In this sermon, we hear the good news that Christ meets us in our weariness, lifts us when we cannot lift ourselves, and restores us to dignity and praise.

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]]> Luke 13:10–17 tells of a woman bent over for eighteen years, weighed down by pain and invisibility. She doesn’t even ask to be healed—but Jesus sees her, calls her forward, and sets her free. In this sermon, we hear the good news that Christ meets us in our weariness, lifts us when we cannot lift ourselves, and restores us to dignity and praise.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 367a4357-e2e2-4948-87fe-a3ff005c4420 Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:31:22 -0400 944 2025 9 false Disturbing the Peace Disturbing the Peace Luke 12:49–56 is not the gentle Jesus we want on a pillow. Instead of comfort, he brings fire and truth that disrupt false peace. In this sermon, we face the signs of our times and hear Christ’s call to disturb the peace of complacency so that God’s refining love can take hold.

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]]> Luke 12:49–56 is not the gentle Jesus we want on a pillow. Instead of comfort, he brings fire and truth that disrupt false peace. In this sermon, we face the signs of our times and hear Christ’s call to disturb the peace of complacency so that God’s refining love can take hold.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 20eb8858-a203-4468-8a35-d79e318e03cd Sat, 23 Aug 2025 22:03:56 -0400 942 2025 8 false Ready for Love Ready for Love Luke 12:32–40 begins with, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ In this sermon, readiness is not about bracing for judgment but leaning toward joy—keeping our lamps lit, our hearts open, and our welcome ready for the love that will surely come.

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]]> Luke 12:32–40 begins with, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ In this sermon, readiness is not about bracing for judgment but leaning toward joy—keeping our lamps lit, our hearts open, and our welcome ready for the love that will surely come.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 56c485fe-85a0-4574-beb3-148e9aec5f4e Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:28:32 -0400 1064 2025 7 false Rich Toward God Rich Toward God Luke 12:13–21 tells of a man who tears down his barns to build bigger ones—only to discover that life is more than what we store. In this sermon, we trade isolation for community, fear for connection, and hear Jesus’ call to be ‘rich toward God’ by sharing what we have and building longer tables.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Luke 12:13–21 tells of a man who tears down his barns to build bigger ones—only to discover that life is more than what we store. In this sermon, we trade isolation for community, fear for connection, and hear Jesus’ call to be ‘rich toward God’ by sharing what we have and building longer tables.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 7a548850-c126-4d55-a714-ba8d5a86f23e Thu, 21 Aug 2025 16:14:21 -0400 990 2025 6 false The Gift We Didn't Ask For The Gift We Didn't Ask For Luke 11:1–13 begins with the disciples asking, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Jesus promises that those who ask will receive, those who knock will find the door open—but the gift is not always what we asked for. In this sermon, we wrestle with unanswered prayers and discover the Spirit’s presence as the good gift God never withholds.

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]]> Luke 11:1–13 begins with the disciples asking, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Jesus promises that those who ask will receive, those who knock will find the door open—but the gift is not always what we asked for. In this sermon, we wrestle with unanswered prayers and discover the Spirit’s presence as the good gift God never withholds.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran b5791a19-7859-4a8f-a58f-e00ea3c5a283 Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:35:16 -0400 908 2025 5 false Never Theirs to Take Never Theirs to Take Luke 10:1–11 sends seventy disciples into the world with nothing but each other and a blessing of peace. Some will welcome them. Others will reject them. In this sermon, we face the sting of rejection and hear Jesus’ promise: your peace will return to you—because it was never theirs to take.

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]]> Luke 10:1–11 sends seventy disciples into the world with nothing but each other and a blessing of peace. Some will welcome them. Others will reject them. In this sermon, we face the sting of rejection and hear Jesus’ promise: your peace will return to you—because it was never theirs to take.

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]]> Emmanuel Lutheran a2e0922c-4e88-4c0a-afd8-1ecbba467bef Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:35:58 -0400 880 2025 4 false But First... But First... Luke 9:51–62 finds Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem—straight into rejection, suffering, and love that won’t back down. Along the road, would-be followers say, ‘I will… but first…’ In this sermon, we face our own ‘but firsts’ and discover the freedom of following a Savior who walks into the fire with us—and will not turn back.

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]]> Luke 9:51–62 finds Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem—straight into rejection, suffering, and love that won’t back down. Along the road, would-be followers say, ‘I will… but first…’ In this sermon, we face our own ‘but firsts’ and discover the freedom of following a Savior who walks into the fire with us—and will not turn back.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 838d6605-2079-4037-b835-5564a91d5880 Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:04:48 -0400 807 2025 3 false Legion No More Legion No More Luke 8:26–39 tells of a man known only by his demons until Jesus crosses into the haunted places to find him. In this sermon, we witness the Savior who steps into our tombs, restores our name, and sends us back into the world as living proof that no chain, no label, no fear can keep us from the love of God.


We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Luke 8:26–39 tells of a man known only by his demons until Jesus crosses into the haunted places to find him. In this sermon, we witness the Savior who steps into our tombs, restores our name, and sends us back into the world as living proof that no chain, no label, no fear can keep us from the love of God.


We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran 04f2eb6a-d8b3-421d-a928-936d86f3df92 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 15:08:56 -0400 985 2025 2 false Do You See This Woman? Do You See This Woman? Luke 7:36–8:3 tells of a woman who shatters her alabaster jar at Jesus’ feet, pouring out her tears, truth, and love. In this sermon, we see how Jesus looks beyond labels and reputations, inviting us to break open our own truth and discover the grace that refuses to look away.

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]]> Luke 7:36–8:3 tells of a woman who shatters her alabaster jar at Jesus’ feet, pouring out her tears, truth, and love. In this sermon, we see how Jesus looks beyond labels and reputations, inviting us to break open our own truth and discover the grace that refuses to look away.

We’re listening for anything you want to share.

]]> Emmanuel Lutheran f8fbee42-a089-4f13-b793-6a2432ac6270 Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:08:39 -0400 901 2025 1 false