Theme: The Word That Saves! – Rev. Terry Nelson
Text: Romans 10: 5-17
Facebook live:
31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Monday, August 3, 2026
Sermon Aug. 1-2, 2026
Title: The Lord gives all that we need!
Matt. 14:13-21
Facebook live: The Lord gives all that we need!
19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And they all ate and were satisfied.
He was in the hospital, so I needed to make a visit.
A routine doctor visit caused the doctor call an ambulance to take him to the hospital.
It was more serious than they first expected.
It was going to require surgery.
It was Friday afternoon.
When I arrived, he seemed to be doing alright. Nothing, looked out of the ordinary. I gave him communion and we talked. I had a prayer for successful surgery and told him that I’ll see him again after surgery and to rest easy.
I got a call on Monday.
Mark had passed.
He didn’t get to the surgery that was planned because he had a heart attack as he was being prepped for surgery.
I was shocked to say the least.
I needed time to be alone.
This was unexpected.
So too Jesus.
Death has a way of getting your attention.
What had been, is no more.
John the Baptist had been beheaded in prison …
And Jesus withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.
Human emotion calls us to withdraw, separate, and to renew.
Jesus needed time to process John’s death.
Sometimes you don’t get that time.
But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
Do you ever feel like that?
The crowd just won’t let you rest.
You just want a few minutes to process things,
to be by yourself.
Loss has taken its toll.
Friends, I’m no Jesus, and neither are you.
We feel loss and the suffering and grief can need time to process.
At times, time is not what we have.
“Pastor, can I see you for a moment?”
The sinful self wants to scream.
Thankfully Jesus shows us another way.
14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Compassion is defined: as a deep feeling of care for others that leads to an active desire to help.
Sin tears compassion apart.
We look inward.
“Can’t you see? I’m hurting!”
We don’t often see, and often can’t see the pain others are suffering.
But Jesus can!
15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
The disciples see the need, but the answer is to send them away.
Pain and suffering can cause us to send those in need in our lives away too.
Can you help me? No!
Do you have a few minutes? No!
16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
But, we don’t … and We can’t … and like the disciples …
17 … “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
When you can’t, when you don’t, and when you won’t, you have to come to Jesus.
Jesus can, Jesus does, and Jesus will.
Jesus can.
Because he hears your prayers and cries for help. It is his desire to always hear the pleas of his children.
John 9:31
31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Jesus does.
Matt. 14:13-21
Facebook live: The Lord gives all that we need!
19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And they all ate and were satisfied.
He was in the hospital, so I needed to make a visit.
A routine doctor visit caused the doctor call an ambulance to take him to the hospital.
It was more serious than they first expected.
It was going to require surgery.
It was Friday afternoon.
When I arrived, he seemed to be doing alright. Nothing, looked out of the ordinary. I gave him communion and we talked. I had a prayer for successful surgery and told him that I’ll see him again after surgery and to rest easy.
I got a call on Monday.
Mark had passed.
He didn’t get to the surgery that was planned because he had a heart attack as he was being prepped for surgery.
I was shocked to say the least.
I needed time to be alone.
This was unexpected.
So too Jesus.
Death has a way of getting your attention.
What had been, is no more.
John the Baptist had been beheaded in prison …
And Jesus withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.
Human emotion calls us to withdraw, separate, and to renew.
Jesus needed time to process John’s death.
Sometimes you don’t get that time.
But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
Do you ever feel like that?
The crowd just won’t let you rest.
You just want a few minutes to process things,
to be by yourself.
Loss has taken its toll.
Friends, I’m no Jesus, and neither are you.
We feel loss and the suffering and grief can need time to process.
At times, time is not what we have.
“Pastor, can I see you for a moment?”
The sinful self wants to scream.
Thankfully Jesus shows us another way.
14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Compassion is defined: as a deep feeling of care for others that leads to an active desire to help.
Sin tears compassion apart.
We look inward.
“Can’t you see? I’m hurting!”
We don’t often see, and often can’t see the pain others are suffering.
But Jesus can!
15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
The disciples see the need, but the answer is to send them away.
Pain and suffering can cause us to send those in need in our lives away too.
Can you help me? No!
Do you have a few minutes? No!
16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
But, we don’t … and We can’t … and like the disciples …
17 … “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
When you can’t, when you don’t, and when you won’t, you have to come to Jesus.
Jesus can, Jesus does, and Jesus will.
Jesus can.
Because he hears your prayers and cries for help. It is his desire to always hear the pleas of his children.
John 9:31
31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
Deuteronomy 31:8
8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Jesus does.
Because he has promised to hear and to answer.
Psalm 116:2
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 118:5
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
Psalm 138:3
On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.
Jesus will.
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.
The disciples know …
17 … “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
18 And [Jesus] says, “Bring them here to me.”
The trouble, the fear, the wants and the needs have to go to Jesus.
Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
There is no other help that makes sense.
There is no other help that brings peace.
There is no other help that brings forgiveness.
19 Then Jesus ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
Jesus broke the loves and gave them to the disciples and they fed the crowd. Five thousand men besides women and children. A sizeable number of people and all were satisfied.
There were twelve baskets full of broken pieces that remained as a reminder for the disciples of what the Lord had done and could do. The gospel remains for me and you as a sign of what Christ has done and can do in our lives.
That what seems impossible for man is possible with God. He is able to fill the impossible in our lives and to use us to fill the impossible in others’ lives.
We bring our needs to Jesus and we come to him with thanksgiving for all that he has done for us.
The Lord gives all that we need!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Psalm 116:2
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 118:5
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
Psalm 138:3
On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.
Jesus will.
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.
The disciples know …
17 … “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
18 And [Jesus] says, “Bring them here to me.”
The trouble, the fear, the wants and the needs have to go to Jesus.
Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
There is no other help that makes sense.
There is no other help that brings peace.
There is no other help that brings forgiveness.
19 Then Jesus ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
Jesus broke the loves and gave them to the disciples and they fed the crowd. Five thousand men besides women and children. A sizeable number of people and all were satisfied.
There were twelve baskets full of broken pieces that remained as a reminder for the disciples of what the Lord had done and could do. The gospel remains for me and you as a sign of what Christ has done and can do in our lives.
That what seems impossible for man is possible with God. He is able to fill the impossible in our lives and to use us to fill the impossible in others’ lives.
We bring our needs to Jesus and we come to him with thanksgiving for all that he has done for us.
The Lord gives all that we need!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, July 27, 2026
Sermon July 25-26, 2026
Title: Christ is our pearl of great value!
Text: Matt 13:44-52
Text: Matt 13:44-52
Facebook live: Christ is our pearl of great value!
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
As we begin today, we again look at the parables of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Matthew. If we remember the last two weekends we recall that the Sower, who sowed seed everywhere, found that the seed that fell on the good soil took root and produced a crop that yielded 30, 60 and even 100 fold.
Last week we learned that the wheat that grew from the good seed, was planted by the Son of man, in the field of the world, and that the devil also planted weeds among the wheat where both would grow until the harvest, separating both wheat and weeds or believers and unbelievers by God’s angles at the end of the age.
Today we have three short parables and they all bring to mind the topic of the kingdom of heaven. We’ll look at these and see the truth that, through the Gospel:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In last week’s parable Jesus explained that the field was the world and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. In today’s parable the children of the kingdom are the treasure hidden in the world brought to faith by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel’s proclamation.
Christ then is the man who found you, His treasure, but this treasure of being his child is hidden apart from faith, in the field of this world.
So to purchase the world back, Christ empties himself, sells all He has, as it were and gives Himself as a ransom to buy and redeem this world lost in sin, death and the power of the devil.
Jesus then says:
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Knowing that a perfect pearl, of large size, of spherical shape, would far surpass in value hundreds of small, imperfect pearls, this merchant, an expert in his line, set out to seek, and, if possible, to find, such a rare valuable pearl. Having found one which seemed to him exceedingly precious, he risked his all, stripping himself of all his possessions in the one great venture of his life. The glory and beauty of God's mercy in the Gospel - so great and precious a gift that all else sinks into insignificance beside it.
Popular Commentary of the Bible, P.E. Kretzmann NT Vol.1 Pg.76-77
The pearl of the Christians is the greatest treasure in the kingdom of God … salvation in Christ!
He who has learned to know this priceless gift will gladly renounce all goods, joys, and delights of this world, and consider all human wisdom and righteousness as loss, in order to gain Christ.
But that is not always the case.
As I was driving some time ago, I caught a story on the Moth Radio Hour. This show has people speaking in front of a live studio audience and relating a story that was of some significance to them.
The speaker was Christof Koch an American neuroscientist who had been raised Roman Catholic and struggled with his own belief in God alongside his work as a scientist. The topic was: God, Death and Francis Crick. Francis Crick was also a scientist, who made his mark in DNA research and was an atheist. The two, though from different generations, spent many years in collaboration and study even authoring a book together called The Quest for Consciousness.
One day as they worked together, Francis Cricks received a call and confirmation that his terminal cancer had returned. Christof said he was immensely impressed with the Stoic faith of his atheist elder friend. “No doom and gloom, no gnashing of teeth and no tears just, “Accept what you can’t change.” And then he went on with what Francis Crick had to say, “Everything that has a beginning must have an end … those are the facts, I don’t like them, but I’ve accepted them.”
This also caused Christof to reflect on his own mortality. Ultimately, he saw Francis Crick as his hero, with how he dealt with his own demise.
The show concluded with Christof speaking of being saddened by the loss of his belief and religion like, fond childhood memories, concluding that we all have to grow up, which is difficult for many and unbearable for the few, concluding that we have to see the world as it really is and stop thinking in terms of magic.
Or, he says, as Francis would have put it, “This is a story for grown men not a consoling tale for children.”
https://themoth.org/stories/god-death-and-francis-crick
To that Jesus answers:
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The net of the Word of God and its Gospel proclamation is cast into the sea of the world and at the end of the age it will be gathered to the shore.
Here the angles will separate those, the righteous, who by the power of the Holy Spirit, are brought to faith in Christ and believe - while others - called evil, will be thrown into the fiery furnace of Hell and there, no matter how stoic they may be in this life, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The first Hymn Martin Luther ever wrote is called Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice.
I’d like to share with you stanzas 4-5, as it speaks beautifully to our message today.
Broken and condemned by the Law we are rescued by Christ and made his child and forgiven. Please turn to Hymn #556 in your hymnal and let us joyfully sing these important words into our hearts receiving the forgiveness they convey in the work of Jesus to give us forgiveness, comfort and peace!
4.
But God had seen my wretched state
Before the world's foundation,
And mindful of His mercies great,
He planned for my salvation.
He turned to me, A father's heart;
He did not choose the easy part
But gave His dearest Treasure.
5.
God said to His beloved Son:
“It’s time to have compassion.
Then go, bright Jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation;
From sin and sorrow set him free,
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with you forever.
We can’t know who will be gathered … but we can trust that God knows.
He will gather his children unto himself and all that believe in Christ will be saved.
Those who have once shared this faith but have fallen away, God, by his Holy Spirit will continue to call and we pray once again give them life by the Spirit found only in Christ.
Because, Christ is our pearl of great value!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
As we begin today, we again look at the parables of Jesus in the Gospel of St. Matthew. If we remember the last two weekends we recall that the Sower, who sowed seed everywhere, found that the seed that fell on the good soil took root and produced a crop that yielded 30, 60 and even 100 fold.
Last week we learned that the wheat that grew from the good seed, was planted by the Son of man, in the field of the world, and that the devil also planted weeds among the wheat where both would grow until the harvest, separating both wheat and weeds or believers and unbelievers by God’s angles at the end of the age.
Today we have three short parables and they all bring to mind the topic of the kingdom of heaven. We’ll look at these and see the truth that, through the Gospel:
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In last week’s parable Jesus explained that the field was the world and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. In today’s parable the children of the kingdom are the treasure hidden in the world brought to faith by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel’s proclamation.
Christ then is the man who found you, His treasure, but this treasure of being his child is hidden apart from faith, in the field of this world.
So to purchase the world back, Christ empties himself, sells all He has, as it were and gives Himself as a ransom to buy and redeem this world lost in sin, death and the power of the devil.
Jesus then says:
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Knowing that a perfect pearl, of large size, of spherical shape, would far surpass in value hundreds of small, imperfect pearls, this merchant, an expert in his line, set out to seek, and, if possible, to find, such a rare valuable pearl. Having found one which seemed to him exceedingly precious, he risked his all, stripping himself of all his possessions in the one great venture of his life. The glory and beauty of God's mercy in the Gospel - so great and precious a gift that all else sinks into insignificance beside it.
Popular Commentary of the Bible, P.E. Kretzmann NT Vol.1 Pg.76-77
The pearl of the Christians is the greatest treasure in the kingdom of God … salvation in Christ!
He who has learned to know this priceless gift will gladly renounce all goods, joys, and delights of this world, and consider all human wisdom and righteousness as loss, in order to gain Christ.
But that is not always the case.
As I was driving some time ago, I caught a story on the Moth Radio Hour. This show has people speaking in front of a live studio audience and relating a story that was of some significance to them.
The speaker was Christof Koch an American neuroscientist who had been raised Roman Catholic and struggled with his own belief in God alongside his work as a scientist. The topic was: God, Death and Francis Crick. Francis Crick was also a scientist, who made his mark in DNA research and was an atheist. The two, though from different generations, spent many years in collaboration and study even authoring a book together called The Quest for Consciousness.
One day as they worked together, Francis Cricks received a call and confirmation that his terminal cancer had returned. Christof said he was immensely impressed with the Stoic faith of his atheist elder friend. “No doom and gloom, no gnashing of teeth and no tears just, “Accept what you can’t change.” And then he went on with what Francis Crick had to say, “Everything that has a beginning must have an end … those are the facts, I don’t like them, but I’ve accepted them.”
This also caused Christof to reflect on his own mortality. Ultimately, he saw Francis Crick as his hero, with how he dealt with his own demise.
The show concluded with Christof speaking of being saddened by the loss of his belief and religion like, fond childhood memories, concluding that we all have to grow up, which is difficult for many and unbearable for the few, concluding that we have to see the world as it really is and stop thinking in terms of magic.
Or, he says, as Francis would have put it, “This is a story for grown men not a consoling tale for children.”
https://themoth.org/stories/god-death-and-francis-crick
To that Jesus answers:
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The net of the Word of God and its Gospel proclamation is cast into the sea of the world and at the end of the age it will be gathered to the shore.
Here the angles will separate those, the righteous, who by the power of the Holy Spirit, are brought to faith in Christ and believe - while others - called evil, will be thrown into the fiery furnace of Hell and there, no matter how stoic they may be in this life, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The first Hymn Martin Luther ever wrote is called Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice.
I’d like to share with you stanzas 4-5, as it speaks beautifully to our message today.
Broken and condemned by the Law we are rescued by Christ and made his child and forgiven. Please turn to Hymn #556 in your hymnal and let us joyfully sing these important words into our hearts receiving the forgiveness they convey in the work of Jesus to give us forgiveness, comfort and peace!
4.
But God had seen my wretched state
Before the world's foundation,
And mindful of His mercies great,
He planned for my salvation.
He turned to me, A father's heart;
He did not choose the easy part
But gave His dearest Treasure.
5.
God said to His beloved Son:
“It’s time to have compassion.
Then go, bright Jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation;
From sin and sorrow set him free,
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with you forever.
We can’t know who will be gathered … but we can trust that God knows.
He will gather his children unto himself and all that believe in Christ will be saved.
Those who have once shared this faith but have fallen away, God, by his Holy Spirit will continue to call and we pray once again give them life by the Spirit found only in Christ.
Because, Christ is our pearl of great value!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, July 20, 2026
Sermon July 18-19, 2026
Title: We are gathered into the barn of the Lord!
Text: Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43
Text: Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43
Facebook live: We are gathered into the barn of the Lord!
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Sin can often have a gradual and cumulative effect on our lives.
Sitting in my basement a few years ago I saw a bee buzzing around. I picked up a fly swatter and got him. Over the summer it was one or two here and there and I took care of it as I could. I saw a few outside by my porch and sprayed some but that was about it. I didn’t know where they were getting in and over the winter forgot about it.
I saw a few dead bees on my floor and cleaned it up but when I went to turn on the water valve in the drop ceiling of my basement for the outside faucet, I found the basketball size nest that lay hidden in the ceiling. Thankfully, the bees were dead and I just had to remove the nest, but left unattended the hive could have over run my house.
That is how sin can be if left unattended, it grows.
Last week we discussed the parable of the Sower who sowed seed, throwing it everywhere, on the path, the rocky ground and even on good soil.
The parable was explained by Jesus that the seed was the word of God and the Gospel proclamation that went forth, transforming hearts of stone to good soil where the word takes root and brings forth faith in those called by God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today’s parable builds on that by saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
So in explanation to this parable, Jesus says that He is the one who sows the good seed, and that the world is the field, and the wheat that grows - which sprouts from the good seed - are those who are the children of the Kingdom by faith.
The weeds, we are told, are those who are sons of the evil one which is the devil himself - who sows the lies that Jesus is not who he claims to be, which is - the way the truth and the life.
So as is made clear in our text, the world will consist of both those who believe and those who don’t believe, and being that the church is also in the world, we will have our own share of weeds among believers.
So as the church, shouldn’t we look to pull out those weeds among us?
Where do we start?
What should we use to judge each other?
How about little Amelia VanDewater?
As a newly Baptized member of God’s church Amelia has been marked as one redeemed by Christ the crucified, and we like her, have been made good soil by God’s Holy Spirit!
But even those who haven’t been baptized? Paul says in Roman 10:
9 …, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
And then he continues:
11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
So belief in the heart is what justifies or makes righteous and those who believe will not be put to shame but will be saved.
So, as Jesus says to the question of,
28”do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 He says, ‘No, because in gathering the weeds you may pull up the wheat as well. 30 Let both grow together … until the harvest, and then I will tell the reapers to Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
In other words, the wheat is left behind after the weeds are gathered to be burned and then gathered into the Lord’s barn.
Growing up in and around the Midwest, I’m sure we’ve all had plenty of experience pulling weeds. As a young boy I was sent out to do weeding around the house and also went with my dad to a farm where he leased five acres to have a vegetable garden, we went to … you guessed it … to pull weeds!
Now, sometimes when I pulled the weed, I also pulled out the plant I was weeding around. My Dad was none too pleased with that. That can be very frustrating and at times you might think that you are doing more harm than good.
It also seems that these weeds seemingly grow up overnight. I would go out and pull weeds with him one day, but the next day, out of nowhere, new weeds had appeared.
Maybe you can appreciate like me the truly demonic nature of weeds and why Jesus used them in the parable?
When sin becomes visible in the church, we are told to call those who are sinning to repentance - with gentleness and respect, and we are to first remove the beam from our own eye before seeking to remove the speck from the eye of our brother.
I’ve been to a number of pastoral installations and ordinations over the years and many verses of scripture are read during the installation service. One of the many verses is 2 Timothy 4:2 which says:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
The pastor is as well to call to repentance through the preaching of the Law those who are going the wrong way and are in disobedience to God’s word, but also to do this with individuals as well.
This, only deals with the visible sin and it can never show the intention of the heart or the motive and even more importantly, who are wheat and who are weeds.
That will be determined by God himself at the final judgment.
So what do we know?
Well it is Christ’s desire that all would be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim 2:4, even for those whom we believe to be far from the Lord and his reach.
This is accomplished by the proclamation of the Gospel in word and sacrament which will bring to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit those who believe, and by God’s grace, into His family through that same promised forgiveness by faith in Christ’s finished work.
We also know from the parable today, that some - those who are called the weeds in the parable are those who are the sons of the evil one - the devil, and that they will reject the saviors blessed call through the gospel message and through this unbelief be destined for destruction – thrown into the fiery furnace and in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This will be of their own choosing as they reject the work of the Holy Spirit choosing to remain dead in trespass and sin.
But you all have this assurance:
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
Sin can often have a gradual and cumulative effect on our lives.
Sitting in my basement a few years ago I saw a bee buzzing around. I picked up a fly swatter and got him. Over the summer it was one or two here and there and I took care of it as I could. I saw a few outside by my porch and sprayed some but that was about it. I didn’t know where they were getting in and over the winter forgot about it.
I saw a few dead bees on my floor and cleaned it up but when I went to turn on the water valve in the drop ceiling of my basement for the outside faucet, I found the basketball size nest that lay hidden in the ceiling. Thankfully, the bees were dead and I just had to remove the nest, but left unattended the hive could have over run my house.
That is how sin can be if left unattended, it grows.
Last week we discussed the parable of the Sower who sowed seed, throwing it everywhere, on the path, the rocky ground and even on good soil.
The parable was explained by Jesus that the seed was the word of God and the Gospel proclamation that went forth, transforming hearts of stone to good soil where the word takes root and brings forth faith in those called by God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today’s parable builds on that by saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
So in explanation to this parable, Jesus says that He is the one who sows the good seed, and that the world is the field, and the wheat that grows - which sprouts from the good seed - are those who are the children of the Kingdom by faith.
The weeds, we are told, are those who are sons of the evil one which is the devil himself - who sows the lies that Jesus is not who he claims to be, which is - the way the truth and the life.
So as is made clear in our text, the world will consist of both those who believe and those who don’t believe, and being that the church is also in the world, we will have our own share of weeds among believers.
So as the church, shouldn’t we look to pull out those weeds among us?
Where do we start?
What should we use to judge each other?
How about little Amelia VanDewater?
As a newly Baptized member of God’s church Amelia has been marked as one redeemed by Christ the crucified, and we like her, have been made good soil by God’s Holy Spirit!
But even those who haven’t been baptized? Paul says in Roman 10:
9 …, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
And then he continues:
11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
So belief in the heart is what justifies or makes righteous and those who believe will not be put to shame but will be saved.
So, as Jesus says to the question of,
28”do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 He says, ‘No, because in gathering the weeds you may pull up the wheat as well. 30 Let both grow together … until the harvest, and then I will tell the reapers to Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
In other words, the wheat is left behind after the weeds are gathered to be burned and then gathered into the Lord’s barn.
Growing up in and around the Midwest, I’m sure we’ve all had plenty of experience pulling weeds. As a young boy I was sent out to do weeding around the house and also went with my dad to a farm where he leased five acres to have a vegetable garden, we went to … you guessed it … to pull weeds!
Now, sometimes when I pulled the weed, I also pulled out the plant I was weeding around. My Dad was none too pleased with that. That can be very frustrating and at times you might think that you are doing more harm than good.
It also seems that these weeds seemingly grow up overnight. I would go out and pull weeds with him one day, but the next day, out of nowhere, new weeds had appeared.
Maybe you can appreciate like me the truly demonic nature of weeds and why Jesus used them in the parable?
When sin becomes visible in the church, we are told to call those who are sinning to repentance - with gentleness and respect, and we are to first remove the beam from our own eye before seeking to remove the speck from the eye of our brother.
I’ve been to a number of pastoral installations and ordinations over the years and many verses of scripture are read during the installation service. One of the many verses is 2 Timothy 4:2 which says:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
The pastor is as well to call to repentance through the preaching of the Law those who are going the wrong way and are in disobedience to God’s word, but also to do this with individuals as well.
This, only deals with the visible sin and it can never show the intention of the heart or the motive and even more importantly, who are wheat and who are weeds.
That will be determined by God himself at the final judgment.
So what do we know?
Well it is Christ’s desire that all would be saved and come to knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim 2:4, even for those whom we believe to be far from the Lord and his reach.
This is accomplished by the proclamation of the Gospel in word and sacrament which will bring to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit those who believe, and by God’s grace, into His family through that same promised forgiveness by faith in Christ’s finished work.
We also know from the parable today, that some - those who are called the weeds in the parable are those who are the sons of the evil one - the devil, and that they will reject the saviors blessed call through the gospel message and through this unbelief be destined for destruction – thrown into the fiery furnace and in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This will be of their own choosing as they reject the work of the Holy Spirit choosing to remain dead in trespass and sin.
But you all have this assurance:
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, July 13, 2026
Sermon July 11-12, 2026
Title: The word gives growth unto a great harvest!
Text: Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23
Text: Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23
Facebook live: The word gives growth unto a great harvest!
23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
When I worked in sales in the piano business and began waiting on customers there’s a principal we all learned: It is called the “KISS Principle,” as in, K-I-S-S: And it means, Keep It Simple, Stupid! In other words, if you want people to understand what you’re saying, and in my case showing them the benefits of owning a piano, I was reminded by the KISS Principal … to keep it simple. Don’t talk to technical or in ways that people can’t understand what you are really trying to say.
It seems a bit strange then that Jesus would use parables or stories that were something like a riddle at times to teach the crowd.
How will they learn from these parables?
Wouldn’t this complicate understanding?
The disciples even asked about this:
“Why do you speak to them in parables?” (v 10).
Actually, hearing God’s Word with understanding isn’t just a matter of “getting” the parables. Understanding God’s Word is hard anytime, and there are good reasons for this, but particularly when Jesus speaks in parables.
Jesus knows his audience well.
There are things He knows that are keeping them from hearing and understanding what He is saying. Jesus teaches his disciples that even though 12 the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, Heb 4:12, the hearer – which is you and me - in our sinful state has the ability to resist and misunderstand God’s word.
As Luther says in the explanation of the Third Article of The apostles Creed:
I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
We understand that faith is a gift of our loving God.
So, what is it that keeps us from hearing … understanding and bearing fruit?
First, Jesus says, it’s the devil.
He is like the birds that come and snatch the seed off the path. Certainly, we all can attest that the devil exists … because we notice the sinfulness of our thoughts even, at times as we wonder off while listening to a sermon.
No that would never happen.
What are you thinking about right now?
Are you thinking about what you did last night, or what you might do after church?
Whatever it is … you can be sure that the devil will shorten your attention span and even introduce thoughts into your mind … that have no business being there at this time!
Years ago I attended a funeral for a classmate and, though the funeral had many good points and opened the ears of those who needed to hear, there was one speaker who closed the ears of all by talking too long, being unfocused, and turning the funeral into a Bible Study, so that the loved ones having ears closed - had to lead him back to his seat.
“You mean I’m done?” “Yes. You’re done.”
We need to know when to speak and when to hold back and just love those who are hurting before they close their ears to the message.
The second thing Jesus says is that it’s your flesh.
The sinful flesh, yours and mine, looks for the next spiritual high. As long as everything is going well, we’re all for the Word. But when problems arise, or when tribulation and persecution come, we’re quick to abandon the word and leave it far behind.
This is like the seed that falls on the rocky soil. We avoid suffering and substitute something more palatable and to our liking.
I officiated at a funeral many years ago that had that had many ears opened through the evangelizing work of Robert Fisher who was a member of Peace and had passed away. I heard from many friends at the funeral how he brought Jesus to so many of them through his mentoring in AA.
One man who I talked to told me that Bob was his sponsor and mentor for 17 years ... "He literally saved my life!"
What a blessing he was to many that heard the word from him.
23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
When I worked in sales in the piano business and began waiting on customers there’s a principal we all learned: It is called the “KISS Principle,” as in, K-I-S-S: And it means, Keep It Simple, Stupid! In other words, if you want people to understand what you’re saying, and in my case showing them the benefits of owning a piano, I was reminded by the KISS Principal … to keep it simple. Don’t talk to technical or in ways that people can’t understand what you are really trying to say.
It seems a bit strange then that Jesus would use parables or stories that were something like a riddle at times to teach the crowd.
How will they learn from these parables?
Wouldn’t this complicate understanding?
The disciples even asked about this:
“Why do you speak to them in parables?” (v 10).
Actually, hearing God’s Word with understanding isn’t just a matter of “getting” the parables. Understanding God’s Word is hard anytime, and there are good reasons for this, but particularly when Jesus speaks in parables.
Jesus knows his audience well.
There are things He knows that are keeping them from hearing and understanding what He is saying. Jesus teaches his disciples that even though 12 the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, Heb 4:12, the hearer – which is you and me - in our sinful state has the ability to resist and misunderstand God’s word.
As Luther says in the explanation of the Third Article of The apostles Creed:
I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
We understand that faith is a gift of our loving God.
So, what is it that keeps us from hearing … understanding and bearing fruit?
First, Jesus says, it’s the devil.
He is like the birds that come and snatch the seed off the path. Certainly, we all can attest that the devil exists … because we notice the sinfulness of our thoughts even, at times as we wonder off while listening to a sermon.
No that would never happen.
What are you thinking about right now?
Are you thinking about what you did last night, or what you might do after church?
Whatever it is … you can be sure that the devil will shorten your attention span and even introduce thoughts into your mind … that have no business being there at this time!
Years ago I attended a funeral for a classmate and, though the funeral had many good points and opened the ears of those who needed to hear, there was one speaker who closed the ears of all by talking too long, being unfocused, and turning the funeral into a Bible Study, so that the loved ones having ears closed - had to lead him back to his seat.
“You mean I’m done?” “Yes. You’re done.”
We need to know when to speak and when to hold back and just love those who are hurting before they close their ears to the message.
The second thing Jesus says is that it’s your flesh.
The sinful flesh, yours and mine, looks for the next spiritual high. As long as everything is going well, we’re all for the Word. But when problems arise, or when tribulation and persecution come, we’re quick to abandon the word and leave it far behind.
This is like the seed that falls on the rocky soil. We avoid suffering and substitute something more palatable and to our liking.
I officiated at a funeral many years ago that had that had many ears opened through the evangelizing work of Robert Fisher who was a member of Peace and had passed away. I heard from many friends at the funeral how he brought Jesus to so many of them through his mentoring in AA.
One man who I talked to told me that Bob was his sponsor and mentor for 17 years ... "He literally saved my life!"
What a blessing he was to many that heard the word from him.
Third, Jesus says it’s the world.
We have many cares, some that even steal away the joy of listening to the Word. Yes, at times the word of God is joyful, but we have work to do, whether from our employer or a teacher at school or even well intention friends.
We may be concerned about our income, our children, the rising expenses of health care, and other essentials to our life – as our costs go up … sometime our income goes down.
What to do?
When you deprive yourself of preaching and the word you steal the Good News God wants you to hear.
The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh make up the unholy trinity that keeps us from hearing and bearing fruit – they block the word if you will.
The meaning of the Third Commandment, you shall keep Holy the Sabbath day, calls on hearers not to despise preaching and God’s Word. It needs to be “set apart” which is what holy means, yet when you are listening, problems and a lack of understanding happen and then this is precisely what occurs. The Preaching … and God’s Word are both despised.
But God’s Word is heard, and when it is - understood - what a blessing!
Jesus said to the Twelve,
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (vs 16–17).
How does that happen?
Jesus answered the disciples’ question this way:
“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (vs 11–13).
Did you hear that?
Hearing and understanding God’s Word is given; it’s a gift.
You have just been gifted … Just now.
Again … you have been given the Spirit of God in Christ. For many of you, that first happened at your Baptism.
Your eyes have been opened to see that Jesus truly is the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world by dying for you on the cross.
And you continue to hear God’s Word that kills the sinner inside and raises the new man to life … just like the seed that dies in the ground and then sprouts and grows and eventually bears fruit.
It is the listening to God’s Word and his preaching that does this.
With his death on the cross, Jesus has conquered the devil, the world, and our flesh. This gives you and me the authority and the comfort to pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
We have many cares, some that even steal away the joy of listening to the Word. Yes, at times the word of God is joyful, but we have work to do, whether from our employer or a teacher at school or even well intention friends.
We may be concerned about our income, our children, the rising expenses of health care, and other essentials to our life – as our costs go up … sometime our income goes down.
What to do?
When you deprive yourself of preaching and the word you steal the Good News God wants you to hear.
The devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh make up the unholy trinity that keeps us from hearing and bearing fruit – they block the word if you will.
The meaning of the Third Commandment, you shall keep Holy the Sabbath day, calls on hearers not to despise preaching and God’s Word. It needs to be “set apart” which is what holy means, yet when you are listening, problems and a lack of understanding happen and then this is precisely what occurs. The Preaching … and God’s Word are both despised.
But God’s Word is heard, and when it is - understood - what a blessing!
Jesus said to the Twelve,
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (vs 16–17).
How does that happen?
Jesus answered the disciples’ question this way:
“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (vs 11–13).
Did you hear that?
Hearing and understanding God’s Word is given; it’s a gift.
You have just been gifted … Just now.
Again … you have been given the Spirit of God in Christ. For many of you, that first happened at your Baptism.
Your eyes have been opened to see that Jesus truly is the Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world by dying for you on the cross.
And you continue to hear God’s Word that kills the sinner inside and raises the new man to life … just like the seed that dies in the ground and then sprouts and grows and eventually bears fruit.
It is the listening to God’s Word and his preaching that does this.
With his death on the cross, Jesus has conquered the devil, the world, and our flesh. This gives you and me the authority and the comfort to pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
This evil is not just some impotent, inanimate, impersonal substance. It is the evil one, who steals the Word from our hearts, who tempts us with suffering, and coaxes the world to follow him.
But our Lord has overcome the evil one, and in faith in his victory we may pray confidently and resist the snares and traps he sets.
Our Lord has chosen you – dear friend - to receive this gift of faith so that you may hear and understand. This is grace and grace alone. No merit on your part has caused this, but our Lord and his love for you give it freely.
Jesus teaches the disciples to sow the Word of God liberally.
There are no places, regardless of their potential to grow, where the Word of God may not or should not be preached.
The Sower, in the parable is spreading seed everywhere … over the path, the rocks, and the weedy areas. That’s because God’s grace is for everyone.
Everybody who hears the words you have heard today may be certain that Jesus really has died and has risen for them, has forgiven them, has given them eternal salvation.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
But our Lord has overcome the evil one, and in faith in his victory we may pray confidently and resist the snares and traps he sets.
Our Lord has chosen you – dear friend - to receive this gift of faith so that you may hear and understand. This is grace and grace alone. No merit on your part has caused this, but our Lord and his love for you give it freely.
Jesus teaches the disciples to sow the Word of God liberally.
There are no places, regardless of their potential to grow, where the Word of God may not or should not be preached.
The Sower, in the parable is spreading seed everywhere … over the path, the rocks, and the weedy areas. That’s because God’s grace is for everyone.
Everybody who hears the words you have heard today may be certain that Jesus really has died and has risen for them, has forgiven them, has given them eternal salvation.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Sermon July 5, 2026 - Pastor Terry Nelson
Title: Rejoice and Hear God's Promises!
Text: Zechariah 9: 9-12
Text: Zechariah 9: 9-12
Facebook live: Rejoice and Hear God's Promises!
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Monday, June 29, 2026
Sermon June 28, 2026
Title: Peace is found in Jesus!
Text: Matthew 10:34-42
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Being received into Christ is your great reward!
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Peace came to the Earth at the promised birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He came to restore the peace that was lost through the fall into sin between God and man.
Peace was earned at the cross by Jesus Christ where the price of sin was paid in full and satisfaction made.
God and man are now at peace.
But, there also is another effect as a result of the Gospel being proclaimed. Maybe you’ve experienced it? Jesus tells his disciples:
36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
Man against father and daughter against mother, daughter-n-law and mother-n-law will be at odds. This sounds very similar to last week’s reading and Jesus gives us a warning as well.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life in this life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Where Jesus says that he came not to bring peace but a sword we need to understand this a bit more. What is the sword that He brings that his disciples should be aware of?
Paul gives us a glimpse in Ephesians chapter six when he uses the metaphor of putting on the whole armor of God and he here also gives us a better picture of who the fight is truly against
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood … but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The fight may appear to be against father and son or mother and daughter and this fight will have the battle scars of a true fight, but the truth is first that those who are opposed to the word of truth proclaimed and received by the work of the Holy Spirit are led by a different spirit … the spirit of darkness who fight against the sword that Christ has.
Paul gives us the armor:
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
The armor that is put on has different functions:
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
All of the armor that is given for the use of the disciples and us is defensive.
All that we put on gives protection from the darts of the evil one though one … is given for our use as a weapon.
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!
True Peace is found in Jesus!
I had a conversation a number of years ago with a friend who I had been witnessing to. I had invited him to church and he said, “Sunday mornings are the time that my wife and I do things and go places.”
His wife was not a believer or interested in hearing about Christ at all. I asked, “Do you get up early Sunday and do things?” He said, “No, we don’t really get up until about 10:00 am.” So, I said, “Why don’t you go to an 8:00 am service and you can be back home before your wife gets up and 10:00, then you have the whole day to spend together?
“No, that won’t work … because she’ll be mad that I went to church … she thinks it’s stupid.”
Ultimately, they got a divorce.
Both were at fault.
Unfortunately, their marriage was not built on the hope that Christ gives.
38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life in this life will lose it, even if it appears that the love of wife, brother, sister, father, son-n-law, daughter-n-law or whomever, is a reason to forsake Christ and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The cross of Christ can take us many ways. At times it feels like a hard place to be but Jesus promises never to leave you or forsake you.
Jesus comforts us all:
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.
Your reward is in Christ. He has given you the most blessed reward of eternal life which is the prophet’s reward and the reward of a righteous person … Jesus Christ!
It is yours because you are His! This gift is not only for you, but for all who have been brought to faith by the work of the Holy Spirit.
42 … even the little ones given a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Your reward is held fast in Christ by God Himself and you are His now and for eternity!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Text: Matthew 10:34-42
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Being received into Christ is your great reward!
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Peace came to the Earth at the promised birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He came to restore the peace that was lost through the fall into sin between God and man.
Peace was earned at the cross by Jesus Christ where the price of sin was paid in full and satisfaction made.
God and man are now at peace.
But, there also is another effect as a result of the Gospel being proclaimed. Maybe you’ve experienced it? Jesus tells his disciples:
36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
Man against father and daughter against mother, daughter-n-law and mother-n-law will be at odds. This sounds very similar to last week’s reading and Jesus gives us a warning as well.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life in this life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Where Jesus says that he came not to bring peace but a sword we need to understand this a bit more. What is the sword that He brings that his disciples should be aware of?
Paul gives us a glimpse in Ephesians chapter six when he uses the metaphor of putting on the whole armor of God and he here also gives us a better picture of who the fight is truly against
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood … but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The fight may appear to be against father and son or mother and daughter and this fight will have the battle scars of a true fight, but the truth is first that those who are opposed to the word of truth proclaimed and received by the work of the Holy Spirit are led by a different spirit … the spirit of darkness who fight against the sword that Christ has.
Paul gives us the armor:
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
The armor that is put on has different functions:
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
All of the armor that is given for the use of the disciples and us is defensive.
All that we put on gives protection from the darts of the evil one though one … is given for our use as a weapon.
The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!
True Peace is found in Jesus!
I had a conversation a number of years ago with a friend who I had been witnessing to. I had invited him to church and he said, “Sunday mornings are the time that my wife and I do things and go places.”
His wife was not a believer or interested in hearing about Christ at all. I asked, “Do you get up early Sunday and do things?” He said, “No, we don’t really get up until about 10:00 am.” So, I said, “Why don’t you go to an 8:00 am service and you can be back home before your wife gets up and 10:00, then you have the whole day to spend together?
“No, that won’t work … because she’ll be mad that I went to church … she thinks it’s stupid.”
Ultimately, they got a divorce.
Both were at fault.
Unfortunately, their marriage was not built on the hope that Christ gives.
38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life in this life will lose it, even if it appears that the love of wife, brother, sister, father, son-n-law, daughter-n-law or whomever, is a reason to forsake Christ and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The cross of Christ can take us many ways. At times it feels like a hard place to be but Jesus promises never to leave you or forsake you.
Jesus comforts us all:
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.
Your reward is in Christ. He has given you the most blessed reward of eternal life which is the prophet’s reward and the reward of a righteous person … Jesus Christ!
It is yours because you are His! This gift is not only for you, but for all who have been brought to faith by the work of the Holy Spirit.
42 … even the little ones given a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Your reward is held fast in Christ by God Himself and you are His now and for eternity!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, June 22, 2026
Sermon June 20-21, 2026
Title: Fear not for God loves you and is with you!
Text: Matthew 10:5, 21-33
Text: Matthew 10:5, 21-33
Facebook live: Fear not for God loves you and is with you!
31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
The Bohemian reformer John Hus, who lived about 100 years before Martin Luther, was a man who believed the Scriptures to be the infallible and supreme authority in all matters of faith. He died, burned at the stake, for that belief in Constance, Germany, on his forty-second birthday. As he refused a final plea to renounce his faith, Hus's last words were, "What I taught with my lips, I seal with my blood."
Source Unknown.
The prospect of standing for what one believes is getting more and more difficult. Simple truths that have been understood for years are being challenged. My truth … is the phrase of the day.
1 John 2:16-17 summarizes a bit of the dilemma:
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
In his goodness and mercy God has called us to be his people.
He has forgiven us our sins.
Daily and richly, he supplies all our needs.
He has set before us eternal life.
All of this is by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
During the days of his public ministry, our Lord sent his disciples out to preach the gospel. First, it was the twelve, then the seventy-two and finally it became the general commission for all of his followers.
Today it is our commission.
This brings us to our Gospel reading today:
5These are the twelve that Jesus sent out, instructing them, …
But the bulk of our text today points to what await those who profess faith in Christ.
21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The work of those who were sent would not be fun or easy.
Persecution would be part of the lot of those sent.
Not only would the world hate them but so too their family, brother, father children and so on. Christ says,
Have no fear of them … proclaim the truth!
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Our Lord put it in various ways:
Preach the gospel to every creature.
Make disciples of all nations.
Be my witnesses in all the world.
Preaching, making disciples, and witnessing – this is our task!
It is our call; it is our work. This is what the Lord has given us to do. The importance of this work is plain:
Apart from the gospel there is no salvation. Apart from Jesus Christ there is no hope.
Jesus has said:
6 … “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
In the words of St. Peter:
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
The urgency of the commission is also plain. Generations are born; they live and die. While they live, each member of the generation has an opportunity to know Christ and find salvation in him. For we who know Jesus we are given the opportunity and task to make him known to others. Once life ends, eternity and judgement come.
The love of God overcomes fear!
Today, the brokenness is laid bare for all to see and at times embraced, at least by the world and the worldview of many.
No more is Christ the way the truth and the life for those whose peace is found only in:
My way! My truth! And my life!
The persecution of those who proclaim the name of Christ is growing.
It is and has been dangerous to those around the world.
Proclaiming Christ in our country too is being met with anger and only time will tell the extent of the persecution we all might feel.
So, what do we who are Christians do in light of this evil in the world?
Well certainly we pray, but we also need to be in the world though not of the world or conformed to its ways.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said in a very poignant way as he was confronted with all that Hitler and the Third Reich were doing leading up to and including World War II.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
He continues on in his book, The Cost of Discipleship:
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.
It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.
Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.
Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Fear not for God loves you, and is with you!
It is the mission of the church as we learned to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Matt 28
It is a mission of the Church at large, our own LC-MS, and of we here at Peace:
To make disciples, to proclaim Christ, to baptize and teach;
It is a rough road, and a dangerous road. Many die along the way, in doing the work of proclaiming the gospel. But Christ says, Fear not!
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
We have many sparrows next week coming for VBS. We show them Jesus in our service to them as neighbors and point them to the truth of who Jesus is as our savior and redeemer.
Christ has promised that where he is you too will be also. He has a room prepared and where He is you too will be also. And He gives you and me the work to do with this promise:
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, John 14:12a
I’d like to close with these words of comfort from Luther:
Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but is penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues.
Be my witnesses in all the world.
Preaching, making disciples, and witnessing – this is our task!
It is our call; it is our work. This is what the Lord has given us to do. The importance of this work is plain:
Apart from the gospel there is no salvation. Apart from Jesus Christ there is no hope.
Jesus has said:
6 … “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
In the words of St. Peter:
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
The urgency of the commission is also plain. Generations are born; they live and die. While they live, each member of the generation has an opportunity to know Christ and find salvation in him. For we who know Jesus we are given the opportunity and task to make him known to others. Once life ends, eternity and judgement come.
The love of God overcomes fear!
Today, the brokenness is laid bare for all to see and at times embraced, at least by the world and the worldview of many.
No more is Christ the way the truth and the life for those whose peace is found only in:
My way! My truth! And my life!
The persecution of those who proclaim the name of Christ is growing.
It is and has been dangerous to those around the world.
Proclaiming Christ in our country too is being met with anger and only time will tell the extent of the persecution we all might feel.
So, what do we who are Christians do in light of this evil in the world?
Well certainly we pray, but we also need to be in the world though not of the world or conformed to its ways.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said in a very poignant way as he was confronted with all that Hitler and the Third Reich were doing leading up to and including World War II.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
He continues on in his book, The Cost of Discipleship:
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.
It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.
Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'Ye were bought at a price’ and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.
Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Fear not for God loves you, and is with you!
It is the mission of the church as we learned to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Matt 28
It is a mission of the Church at large, our own LC-MS, and of we here at Peace:
To make disciples, to proclaim Christ, to baptize and teach;
It is a rough road, and a dangerous road. Many die along the way, in doing the work of proclaiming the gospel. But Christ says, Fear not!
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
We have many sparrows next week coming for VBS. We show them Jesus in our service to them as neighbors and point them to the truth of who Jesus is as our savior and redeemer.
Christ has promised that where he is you too will be also. He has a room prepared and where He is you too will be also. And He gives you and me the work to do with this promise:
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, John 14:12a
I’d like to close with these words of comfort from Luther:
Now, since these promises of God are words of holiness, truth, righteousness, liberty, and peace, and are full of universal goodness, the soul, which cleaves to them with a firm faith, is so united to them, nay, thoroughly absorbed by them, that it not only partakes in, but is penetrated and saturated by, all their virtues.
For if the touch of Christ was healing, how much more, does that most tender spiritual touch, nay, absorption of the word, communicate to the soul all that belongs to the word!
In this way therefore the soul, through faith alone, without works, is from the word of God justified, sanctified, endued with truth, peace, and liberty, and filled full with every good thing, and is truly made the child of God, as it is said,
“To them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” John 1: 12
And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in and through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior now and forever.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, June 15, 2026
Sermon June 13-14, 2026
Title: Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
Text: Matthew 9:35-10:8
Facebook live: Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
In our gospel today:
35 … Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
In the proceeding part of chapter 9 Jesus:
Healed a paralytic brought to him lying on a mat.
He called the apostle Matthew, the tax collector, to follow him.
He raised a daughter from death to life.
He healed a woman from bleeding who touched the hem of his garment.
He restored the sight of two blind men who asked him for mercy.
And cast out a demon from a man unable to speak who then spoke.
Our compassionate Lord went to those in need or they came to him.
He brought life where only death reigned.
He healed those who had been unable to be healed.
He restored sight and cast the demons away.
[Jesus] had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
We’ve talked a bit over the last months about the need for pastors and the churches that are without one and going through the process to self-evaluate. They are trying to be honest with themselves as their needs and church has changed.
Our Pastor’s conference in Frankenmuth last month had a number on conversations about that and our Synod convention next month will deal with this as well.
We have symbols from two sister congregations in our Narthex that for many of their members now call Peace their home, and there are other churches in our circuit that are in need of pastors. It is a hard reality for many more churches in the future.
I mentioned last weekend that we had a husband and wife visit us on Trinity Sunday from a Prescott Valley Arizona and they asked for prayers for their congregation, Trinity Lutheran as they struggle without a pastor.
After all, the church is the gathering of the faithful no matter where it may be, and all churches need an under shepherd of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ to proclaim God’s word and distribute his gifts!
The Twelve Apostles
10 And [Jesus] called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Each church in our circuit grows and falls as the Lord dictates.
I think pastors are given calls to move the process along. After all we are creatures of habit. We would all stay put and do things just as they are unless moved along by the Lord.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out,
The 12 disciples were probably not looking for a change.
They liked Jesus and were content to follow him and stay where they were.
But he sends them out, taking them out of their comfort zone and giving them marching orders.
“Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Life and needs have changed for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Some are without a shepherd and waiting on the Lord.
Some are watching services online.
Some can’t come or drive.
Some are in care facilities.
Some are dealing with cancer and other illnesses.
Some can’t do stairs.
Some are mourning the loss of a spouse and struggle with grief.
In some cases other Circuit Pastors are visiting church members to help out.
We all, in compassion for the Lord’s sheep, are trying as best we can to serve God’s people as his under shepherds, where we are.
I am thankful for all my brother pastors and their efforts.
No one size fits all here. “The times they are a changing,” as Bob Dylan once sang and we all have to have our eyes open to this reality.
Every year things change.
2026 is no different.
The hope is not to avoid change but to hold dear to the unchangeable Jesus.
Jesus is after all: The way the truth and the life!
Sickness, war, protests, midterm elections, our Synod convention, birth and death. Everything the world deals with, the church deals with, and the root cause, result, and solution, are the same.
Sin, death and Jesus
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
Whether like Peace member Erna Gidcumb, who rests in Jesus having finished the race in this life last month. Or, the myriads of other members and loved ones from this church and others who have once blessed us with their presence in this life and now joy in Christ’s presence, the sting of death is real.
It hurts, It’s personal, it’s troubling, and it’s no respecter of age, race, gender, status or political affiliation. So, the mandate from Jesus to his disciples should ring in our ears as well.
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Our prayers are for both the Lord to send laborers; knowing that we might be called upon to be one of those to bring Christ to those in need as pastor’s, helpers and friends.
While death is the result of sin, Jesus is the solution for sin.
Christ needs to be proclaimed in this life with or without pastors - not to diminish the concerns in this life but to illuminate the greater reality.
All roads lead to death in this life, but only one way leads to peace and life eternal and that’s Jesus.
Our sermon hymn 826 Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying brings all of our concerns and in a wonderful way points to the Blessed Hope that Jesus is.
Your hope, trust, and security in this life is only for a while.
Let us rest in Jesus’ call as the lyrics of our hymn make clear.
1. Hark! the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work today?
Fields are white, the harvest waiting, “Who will bear the sheaves away?"
Loud and long the Master calls out, Rich reward he offers free:
Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I, send me, send me."
2. If you cannot speak like angels, f you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, you can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked, With the judgment's dread alarms,
You may lead the little children, To the Savior's waiting arms.
4. Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do,"
While the multitudes are dying, and the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he's calling, "Here am I, send, send me."
Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Text: Matthew 9:35-10:8
Facebook live: Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
In our gospel today:
35 … Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
In the proceeding part of chapter 9 Jesus:
Healed a paralytic brought to him lying on a mat.
He called the apostle Matthew, the tax collector, to follow him.
He raised a daughter from death to life.
He healed a woman from bleeding who touched the hem of his garment.
He restored the sight of two blind men who asked him for mercy.
And cast out a demon from a man unable to speak who then spoke.
Our compassionate Lord went to those in need or they came to him.
He brought life where only death reigned.
He healed those who had been unable to be healed.
He restored sight and cast the demons away.
[Jesus] had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
We’ve talked a bit over the last months about the need for pastors and the churches that are without one and going through the process to self-evaluate. They are trying to be honest with themselves as their needs and church has changed.
Our Pastor’s conference in Frankenmuth last month had a number on conversations about that and our Synod convention next month will deal with this as well.
We have symbols from two sister congregations in our Narthex that for many of their members now call Peace their home, and there are other churches in our circuit that are in need of pastors. It is a hard reality for many more churches in the future.
I mentioned last weekend that we had a husband and wife visit us on Trinity Sunday from a Prescott Valley Arizona and they asked for prayers for their congregation, Trinity Lutheran as they struggle without a pastor.
After all, the church is the gathering of the faithful no matter where it may be, and all churches need an under shepherd of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ to proclaim God’s word and distribute his gifts!
The Twelve Apostles
10 And [Jesus] called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Each church in our circuit grows and falls as the Lord dictates.
I think pastors are given calls to move the process along. After all we are creatures of habit. We would all stay put and do things just as they are unless moved along by the Lord.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out,
The 12 disciples were probably not looking for a change.
They liked Jesus and were content to follow him and stay where they were.
But he sends them out, taking them out of their comfort zone and giving them marching orders.
“Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Life and needs have changed for some of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Some are without a shepherd and waiting on the Lord.
Some are watching services online.
Some can’t come or drive.
Some are in care facilities.
Some are dealing with cancer and other illnesses.
Some can’t do stairs.
Some are mourning the loss of a spouse and struggle with grief.
In some cases other Circuit Pastors are visiting church members to help out.
We all, in compassion for the Lord’s sheep, are trying as best we can to serve God’s people as his under shepherds, where we are.
I am thankful for all my brother pastors and their efforts.
No one size fits all here. “The times they are a changing,” as Bob Dylan once sang and we all have to have our eyes open to this reality.
Every year things change.
2026 is no different.
The hope is not to avoid change but to hold dear to the unchangeable Jesus.
Jesus is after all: The way the truth and the life!
Sickness, war, protests, midterm elections, our Synod convention, birth and death. Everything the world deals with, the church deals with, and the root cause, result, and solution, are the same.
Sin, death and Jesus
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
Whether like Peace member Erna Gidcumb, who rests in Jesus having finished the race in this life last month. Or, the myriads of other members and loved ones from this church and others who have once blessed us with their presence in this life and now joy in Christ’s presence, the sting of death is real.
It hurts, It’s personal, it’s troubling, and it’s no respecter of age, race, gender, status or political affiliation. So, the mandate from Jesus to his disciples should ring in our ears as well.
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Our prayers are for both the Lord to send laborers; knowing that we might be called upon to be one of those to bring Christ to those in need as pastor’s, helpers and friends.
While death is the result of sin, Jesus is the solution for sin.
Christ needs to be proclaimed in this life with or without pastors - not to diminish the concerns in this life but to illuminate the greater reality.
All roads lead to death in this life, but only one way leads to peace and life eternal and that’s Jesus.
Our sermon hymn 826 Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying brings all of our concerns and in a wonderful way points to the Blessed Hope that Jesus is.
Your hope, trust, and security in this life is only for a while.
Let us rest in Jesus’ call as the lyrics of our hymn make clear.
1. Hark! the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work today?
Fields are white, the harvest waiting, “Who will bear the sheaves away?"
Loud and long the Master calls out, Rich reward he offers free:
Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I, send me, send me."
2. If you cannot speak like angels, f you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, you can say he died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked, With the judgment's dread alarms,
You may lead the little children, To the Savior's waiting arms.
4. Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do,"
While the multitudes are dying, and the Master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he's calling, "Here am I, send, send me."
Pray, send, go, and tell the Good News!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, June 8, 2026
Sermon June 6-7, 2026
Title: Let us all, like Matthew, follow Jesus!
Text: Matthew 9:9-13
Text: Matthew 9:9-13
Facebook live: Let us all, like Matthew, follow Jesus!
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
As we begin today with our gospel reading, Jesus sees Matthew as he is sitting in his Tax office and he says to him, “Follow Me.”
The response is immediate. Matthew got up and followed him.
This begins a life of service to his Lord. It was not always easy, but we can be sure that it was always special as he walked in the presence of the living Christ.
This man had been called Levi, the son of Alphaeus as St. Mark tells us in his gospel, but from now on Matthew continues with a new name and a new calling.
It is possible that Matthew may have known Jesus before this time.
He may have heard of him or even heard him, but there is no mistaking he is now the Lord’s and God’s call is always effective. Jesus was directly enrolling Matthew in the Lord’s work and he would be standing in Christ’s closest circle of followers.
The words of Jesus were simple and direct.
I don’t know if there were other conversations that preceded this call but the simple two words were
enough for him: “Follow Me.”
Jesus called others too: fisherman, brothers, Nathaniel who he saw while he sat under a fig tree, and even one who would betray him. But today it is Matthew.
The invitation and calling still comes to us today.
Some of you heard the call as infants in the waters of Holy Baptism, while others hear God’s inspired word that calls you to believe as you talk to friends or grieve the loss of a dear loved one at a funeral or visitation. God works through the ordinary times and circumstances of life to bring himself and this reality to you.
God’s word and his call are sure.
We shouldn’t think that it was easy for Matthew to walk away from his life and the work he did. He probably had a lucrative income and a family, we’re not sure but it is never easy to give up things that are important in our lives and in our past to serve Jesus. But God makes it happen and rewarding.
The gospel continues in a most interesting way.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
If you had friends over to your house, who would they be?
Well, maybe people like you.
People that work with you, socialize with you, live with you, live near you, and those whom you desire to know or get to know better.
You also might want them to know your friends and those friends that are new to you, like Jesus.
It is not surprising that Matthew had tax collectors and sinners in his home and at this feast. He may have even invited the Pharasees to expand his circle of friends or to bring them the Good News to follow Christ as well.
They were not happy with the whole affair or Jesus who reclined at table.
Saying, to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Which is another way of saying,
“Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Which is another way of saying,
“Why does your teacher eat with you?”
To this Jesus answers with his words of great perspective:
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Also quoting the familiar words of the Prophet Hosea from our Old Testament reading today:
‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus takes his critics to task.
Jesus points out the inherent problem with their reasoning.
They think they are well!
They don’t realize the sickness that dwells with in all born in sin who are all born to die. They think those connected to Jesus have the problem, but Jesus is not the problem, he is the cure.
Christ alone is the great physician!
He alone can save!
He alone can heal!
The person who thinks he is spiritually well, who thinks he is righteous and perfect and without sin, may not feel the need for a savior - having a lifelong rebellion against God and the things of God.
You know them and I know them. If fact we were them, especially when we think:
“I’m doing pretty good and I can make it one my own. At least, I’m not as bad as, you know who!” Tax collectors and sinners!
Many live that way and are without hope.
No Jesus.
No future hope.
No eternity in his presence.
But a real eternity, separated from God in Christ forever.
Don’t fight and throw away the gift!
Jesus doesn’t want your work. He wants you.
Jesus doesn’t want your stuff. He wants you.
Jesus doesn’t need your money. It’s all his anyways.
But his does want you to be his child, and he wants you to trust all that he came to do, for you!
The Pharisees never really felt the need for the mercy of God, or the comfort he gives because they trusted themselves. Maybe that is why they were so unloving towards others?
Many today live the life of a pharisee as they trust themselves, trust their schools, trust their jobs, and trust their families and friends, to be their guide and aid in the good and bad times of life.
Don’t place your hope in things that pass away.
It was not easy for Matthew to walk the way of following Jesus. It cost him much but also gave him much more that he gave up.
Our call is to follow Jesus and to invite others to know him because he desires that they would be his children as well.
Look to the empty tomb and know that because Jesus Christ, conquered sin, death, and the devil we too by faith in his work shall rise to an eternity with him also.
Hear the call of the Lord. Follow me!
Let us all, like Matthew, follow Jesus!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Jesus called others too: fisherman, brothers, Nathaniel who he saw while he sat under a fig tree, and even one who would betray him. But today it is Matthew.
The invitation and calling still comes to us today.
Some of you heard the call as infants in the waters of Holy Baptism, while others hear God’s inspired word that calls you to believe as you talk to friends or grieve the loss of a dear loved one at a funeral or visitation. God works through the ordinary times and circumstances of life to bring himself and this reality to you.
God’s word and his call are sure.
We shouldn’t think that it was easy for Matthew to walk away from his life and the work he did. He probably had a lucrative income and a family, we’re not sure but it is never easy to give up things that are important in our lives and in our past to serve Jesus. But God makes it happen and rewarding.
The gospel continues in a most interesting way.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
If you had friends over to your house, who would they be?
Well, maybe people like you.
People that work with you, socialize with you, live with you, live near you, and those whom you desire to know or get to know better.
You also might want them to know your friends and those friends that are new to you, like Jesus.
It is not surprising that Matthew had tax collectors and sinners in his home and at this feast. He may have even invited the Pharasees to expand his circle of friends or to bring them the Good News to follow Christ as well.
They were not happy with the whole affair or Jesus who reclined at table.
Saying, to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Which is another way of saying,
“Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Which is another way of saying,
“Why does your teacher eat with you?”
To this Jesus answers with his words of great perspective:
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Also quoting the familiar words of the Prophet Hosea from our Old Testament reading today:
‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus takes his critics to task.
Jesus points out the inherent problem with their reasoning.
They think they are well!
They don’t realize the sickness that dwells with in all born in sin who are all born to die. They think those connected to Jesus have the problem, but Jesus is not the problem, he is the cure.
Christ alone is the great physician!
He alone can save!
He alone can heal!
The person who thinks he is spiritually well, who thinks he is righteous and perfect and without sin, may not feel the need for a savior - having a lifelong rebellion against God and the things of God.
You know them and I know them. If fact we were them, especially when we think:
“I’m doing pretty good and I can make it one my own. At least, I’m not as bad as, you know who!” Tax collectors and sinners!
Many live that way and are without hope.
No Jesus.
No future hope.
No eternity in his presence.
But a real eternity, separated from God in Christ forever.
Don’t fight and throw away the gift!
Jesus doesn’t want your work. He wants you.
Jesus doesn’t want your stuff. He wants you.
Jesus doesn’t need your money. It’s all his anyways.
But his does want you to be his child, and he wants you to trust all that he came to do, for you!
The Pharisees never really felt the need for the mercy of God, or the comfort he gives because they trusted themselves. Maybe that is why they were so unloving towards others?
Many today live the life of a pharisee as they trust themselves, trust their schools, trust their jobs, and trust their families and friends, to be their guide and aid in the good and bad times of life.
Don’t place your hope in things that pass away.
It was not easy for Matthew to walk the way of following Jesus. It cost him much but also gave him much more that he gave up.
Our call is to follow Jesus and to invite others to know him because he desires that they would be his children as well.
Look to the empty tomb and know that because Jesus Christ, conquered sin, death, and the devil we too by faith in his work shall rise to an eternity with him also.
Hear the call of the Lord. Follow me!
Let us all, like Matthew, follow Jesus!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, June 1, 2026
May 30 -31, 2026 Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity!
Title: Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity!
Text: Matthew 28:16-20
Text: Matthew 28:16-20
Facebook live: Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity!
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
A Psalm for giving thanks.
1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
On this Trinity Sunday (Weekend) we look to the hope that is our one true God who has revealed himself as one divine essence, but also as three unique and coequal persons … Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness!
We all love a joyful noise and a joyful noise is proclaimed to our God through singing, as was just proclaimed in the singing of the sermon hymn, Praise to the Lord, the almighty!
We sing of God’s goodness that never fails and our lacking nothing that we need, because he provides for all of body and soul in this life and in the life to come. The Father’s love is made known to us in his Son who holds us in the palm of his hands promising never to lose a single one – I am his and he is mine – forever!
This joy is yours and mine by the work of God’s Spirit. He points, directs and comforts so that we serve those in need joyfully and with glad hearts.
A friend’s dad, Bill Wilstermann, once told me after church many years ago:
“When I’m feeling down and things seem to be going wrong, I go and do something nice for someone and I feel a whole lot better!”
Come into his presence with singing!
We begin our service at 10:30. At times some come late and miss the opening hymn – or you may miss a beautiful prelude Rob plays before service and it’s not uncommon to have a greater number of people in the pews for the Closing hymn than the service begins with.
Come early, sing joyfully … you’ll be glad you did!
3 Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
To know the Lord is to know our Triune God as he has revealed himself to us through his word. God speaks to us through his word. His word read, sung and meditated upon reveals who he is and his love for us.
The Spirit shines the light on Christ, the word made flesh, for you and me. We know him by his word and through the word he continues to be made known.
Matthew 11:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 King James Version (KJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
At times I need to read the old King James for the majesty to conveys. Judy Harroun has said of the late seminary Professor John Saleska who, having memorized much of the KJV bible, it is what will be spoken in heaven! The beginning and end of Reverend Saleska’s obituary speaks of his hope.
Rev. John Saleska, 87, whom God adopted as his own beloved child at his Baptism, now rests with Jesus, where he is waiting with all of us for the Resurrection that God promised him in Christ.
Revelation 21:4 King James Version (KJV)
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Dear friends, this is our Triune Gods hope for you and me as well!
No tears, no death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain … all gone.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. The Psalmist reminds us.
The Lord’s sheep know the shepherd and by the Holy Spirit we are his and know him. But like sheep we wonder from the truth.
Dr. Andrew Bonar told how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn't get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can't jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death.
"Why don't they go down there when the sheep first gets there?" The question was asked.
"Ah!" He said, "they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did!"
And that is the way with men; they won't [come] back to God till they have lost everything.
If you are a wanderer or know one, I tell you that the Good Shepherd will pursue you and bring you back when you have given up trying to go it your own way and let the Spirit turn you back to Christ.
Moody's Anecdotes, pp. 70-71.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
John 1:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 [Jesus] came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood [not who we are] nor of the will of the flesh [not the things we do] nor of the will of man, [or what others tell us we can do of ourselves] - but of God.
Born from above, born again, born of God!
You and I enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise by God’s work revealed in his son and the promise never fails.
Hold on to it for dear life and proclaim it to your children and your grandchildren!
Give them an example to model. Show your friends your faith and invite them to church.
My friend Rob showed me the truth of God’s love in word and example.
I in turn shared it with my friend Mark at work. Mark told me he went to the gas station for a coffee and the lady behind the counter had a cross around her neck. Mark said to her with his big Mark smile, “Are you my sister in the Lord?” She gave him a big smile and a hug.
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the LORD is good;
We who are broken in sin and are made new in Christ.
From verse 5 of Praise to the Lord, the almighty:
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him.
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the Amen
Sound from his people again;
Gladly forever adore him!
Christ’s cross and work for you and me - guide and lead - in times of sorrow and joy.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit united in our life now and for eternity.
In Christ our God knows you and he knows me and he has numbered our days and appointed us here for this time and for this work. We proclaim Christ because it is his desire for us to do so. His love for us will never fade and we are his forever.
his steadfast love endures forever, - his love is never ending!
and his faithfulness to all generations. – it is his promise for all!
God is faithful. He will continue dear friends to pursue you all the days of your life!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, May 18, 2026
Sermon May 16-17, 2026 - 7th Sunday of Easter
Title: Christ’s prayer for you!
Text: John 17:1-11
Facebook live: Christ’s prayer for you!
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
This past Friday I remembered my father on what would have been his 100th birthday.
It seems like yesterday that I officiated at his funeral which was now some 13 years ago!
Sometimes, I think of conversations we had, and the wisdom he gave me. Sometimes, I think of funny things my dad did, or things I’d wish he hadn’t done.
We are sinners in a broken world but the gift of my father has blessed me for the entirety of my 68 years.
In his High Priestly Prayer Jesus prays to his father:
17… “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
The gift of eternal life is given, not earned, and while heroes in this life deserve to be remembered … you don’t have to be a hero to receive the gift.
We receive all sorts of things in this life that we don’t deserve.
My parents and many of your parents sacrificed much to make sure that we had the very best they could give. We were fed and clothed, taught what was right and wrong and how to treat others.
My parents made sure that I received an education, even though I might have wanted to skip school and play, they knew this was important for me and would help me in the future.
At 48 when I went back to school to prepare for seminary I said to my dad when he asked me how my schooling was going,
“It’s going well but all the other kids tell me their parents are paying for their schooling.”
My dad said,
“Well, that’s nice Russ … if you were still a kid I’d be paying too.”
As Christians my parents knew something else that was good for me too and Jesus makes it clear in his prayer.
3 that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
It was important for my parents that I knew Christ and that he knew me.
Why?
Well Jesus says … this is eternal life … that we know the Father and Jesus who the Father has sent.
So, they brought me to the means that God gave and I was baptized and given new birth in baptism one month after being born.
My parents knew this was good for me and knew that just as I needed their physical care around the clock, I also need the spiritual care that God could give me in his word and by his Spirit.
Most of us as children don’t know what we need. I didn’t know what I needed. But seeing little babies, I know that when,
they’re hungry - they cry,
and when they needs changed – they cry,
and when they need anything – they cry.
Maybe it is a sign of the death we are born into?
If children were born and left to make their own way … without their parent’s care … they would die.
So, God in his mercy has given parents and grandparents to care for the physical needs of those too young to care for themselves, and by his means of grace to his church, we as loving parents, bring God’s mercy and forgiveness to those in need … from the youngest to the oldest.
3 And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
As Jesus said last week in our Gospel, he would not leave us as orphans to care for ourselves but that the Holy Spirit, the comforter who he was sending from the Father would bring true comfort.
This gift is given to you and me and all through the gifts of word and sacrament and it brings us all real peace.
Peace though, in our world is fleeting.
The war in Iran, Ukraine and unrest at and in our cities - shows that our world is not at peace!
Death too comes to those young and old in this life and we know not the day or hour.
Having many dear Peace members on my mind that our resting in Jesus, the reality of death in our lives is real. It invades our comfort and security and is why it’s so important for us all to know him,
… who is the way the truth and the life – Jesus Christ – our Lord - the only way to the Father.
It’s comforting to know that in our text today, Jesus is praying for you and for me and for all far away, born in and struggling with sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus says:
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
This past Thursday was the day of the Ascension.
6 So when [the disciples] had come together, they asked [Jesus], “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
So, we are here today as appointed witnesses of all that Jesus came to do and has done. We tell others by the working of his Spirit in us and Christ prays and interceded to the father on our behalf.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Text: John 17:1-11
Facebook live: Christ’s prayer for you!
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
This past Friday I remembered my father on what would have been his 100th birthday.
It seems like yesterday that I officiated at his funeral which was now some 13 years ago!
Sometimes, I think of conversations we had, and the wisdom he gave me. Sometimes, I think of funny things my dad did, or things I’d wish he hadn’t done.
We are sinners in a broken world but the gift of my father has blessed me for the entirety of my 68 years.
In his High Priestly Prayer Jesus prays to his father:
17… “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
The gift of eternal life is given, not earned, and while heroes in this life deserve to be remembered … you don’t have to be a hero to receive the gift.
We receive all sorts of things in this life that we don’t deserve.
My parents and many of your parents sacrificed much to make sure that we had the very best they could give. We were fed and clothed, taught what was right and wrong and how to treat others.
My parents made sure that I received an education, even though I might have wanted to skip school and play, they knew this was important for me and would help me in the future.
At 48 when I went back to school to prepare for seminary I said to my dad when he asked me how my schooling was going,
“It’s going well but all the other kids tell me their parents are paying for their schooling.”
My dad said,
“Well, that’s nice Russ … if you were still a kid I’d be paying too.”
As Christians my parents knew something else that was good for me too and Jesus makes it clear in his prayer.
3 that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
It was important for my parents that I knew Christ and that he knew me.
Why?
Well Jesus says … this is eternal life … that we know the Father and Jesus who the Father has sent.
So, they brought me to the means that God gave and I was baptized and given new birth in baptism one month after being born.
My parents knew this was good for me and knew that just as I needed their physical care around the clock, I also need the spiritual care that God could give me in his word and by his Spirit.
Most of us as children don’t know what we need. I didn’t know what I needed. But seeing little babies, I know that when,
they’re hungry - they cry,
and when they needs changed – they cry,
and when they need anything – they cry.
Maybe it is a sign of the death we are born into?
If children were born and left to make their own way … without their parent’s care … they would die.
So, God in his mercy has given parents and grandparents to care for the physical needs of those too young to care for themselves, and by his means of grace to his church, we as loving parents, bring God’s mercy and forgiveness to those in need … from the youngest to the oldest.
3 And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
As Jesus said last week in our Gospel, he would not leave us as orphans to care for ourselves but that the Holy Spirit, the comforter who he was sending from the Father would bring true comfort.
This gift is given to you and me and all through the gifts of word and sacrament and it brings us all real peace.
Peace though, in our world is fleeting.
The war in Iran, Ukraine and unrest at and in our cities - shows that our world is not at peace!
Death too comes to those young and old in this life and we know not the day or hour.
Having many dear Peace members on my mind that our resting in Jesus, the reality of death in our lives is real. It invades our comfort and security and is why it’s so important for us all to know him,
… who is the way the truth and the life – Jesus Christ – our Lord - the only way to the Father.
It’s comforting to know that in our text today, Jesus is praying for you and for me and for all far away, born in and struggling with sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus says:
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
This past Thursday was the day of the Ascension.
6 So when [the disciples] had come together, they asked [Jesus], “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
So, we are here today as appointed witnesses of all that Jesus came to do and has done. We tell others by the working of his Spirit in us and Christ prays and interceded to the father on our behalf.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, May 11, 2026
Sermon May 9-10, 2026 - 6th Sunday of Easter
Title: The comforter points to Jesus!
Text: John 14:15-21
Facebook live: The comforter points to Jesus!
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
When I was a little boy growing up, I attended kindergarten in Glassport Pennsylvania.
We, had fire drills to prepare ourselves in case of an emergency. When the fire bell rang, we were directed to exit the room orderly and row by row and as we entered the hall walking towards the door one of the older children from the upper grades would hold the hand of a kindergartener and walk with them out the door to the designated place of safety.
They became our guide and helper and would not leave us until the drill was over.
In the life of the Christian, the good news is that you will not be left alone either.
The Holy Spirit is your helper and guide and will remain with you and will comfort you no matter the circumstance. You do not have to hope that He will come and lead you to safety … for He dwells with you and is in you!
Jesus, in John 14 speaks of sending the comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be our comfort and our hope.
He had told the disciples about that hope and not to be troubled, to believe in God and also to believe in Him and that He would be going to prepare a place for them, that where He is they too may be also.
To Thomas’ question of how they could know the way Jesus replied that He is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him … and to Philip’s question to show us the Father, Jesus said, whoever has seen me, has seen the Father!
There is a very close connection between Jesus and the Father.
To see Christ is to see God and to know Christ is to know the Father; one God in essence, uniqueness of persons.
The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father but the mystery of the Godhead in there for the first disciples and for us as well.
Today’s reading begins:
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Well that’s comforting.
Text: John 14:15-21
Facebook live: The comforter points to Jesus!
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
When I was a little boy growing up, I attended kindergarten in Glassport Pennsylvania.
We, had fire drills to prepare ourselves in case of an emergency. When the fire bell rang, we were directed to exit the room orderly and row by row and as we entered the hall walking towards the door one of the older children from the upper grades would hold the hand of a kindergartener and walk with them out the door to the designated place of safety.
They became our guide and helper and would not leave us until the drill was over.
In the life of the Christian, the good news is that you will not be left alone either.
The Holy Spirit is your helper and guide and will remain with you and will comfort you no matter the circumstance. You do not have to hope that He will come and lead you to safety … for He dwells with you and is in you!
Jesus, in John 14 speaks of sending the comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be our comfort and our hope.
He had told the disciples about that hope and not to be troubled, to believe in God and also to believe in Him and that He would be going to prepare a place for them, that where He is they too may be also.
To Thomas’ question of how they could know the way Jesus replied that He is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him … and to Philip’s question to show us the Father, Jesus said, whoever has seen me, has seen the Father!
There is a very close connection between Jesus and the Father.
To see Christ is to see God and to know Christ is to know the Father; one God in essence, uniqueness of persons.
The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father but the mystery of the Godhead in there for the first disciples and for us as well.
Today’s reading begins:
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Well that’s comforting.
We poor sinners confess unto you that we are by nature sinful and unclean!
God’s Law we can’t keep and his law shows us our sin and that we fall short daily needing the comfort and forgiveness only given us by God himself through His comforting absolution pronounced by His called and ordained servants, in the stead and by the command of Christ.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth.
The Disciples are being comforted that when Jesus leaves them and ascends back to the Father, the helper, the Spirit of truth, will be with them [and us] forever.
The Holy Spirit's role is to shine the light on our Lord Jesus Christ.
Some years ago we upgraded the building of our church here at Peace with new lights on the building. When lighting is done well, the lights make visible the building when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness. This illustrates also the Spirit's role and work.
He is, the hidden light shining on the Savior.
God’s Law we can’t keep and his law shows us our sin and that we fall short daily needing the comfort and forgiveness only given us by God himself through His comforting absolution pronounced by His called and ordained servants, in the stead and by the command of Christ.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth.
The Disciples are being comforted that when Jesus leaves them and ascends back to the Father, the helper, the Spirit of truth, will be with them [and us] forever.
The Holy Spirit's role is to shine the light on our Lord Jesus Christ.
Some years ago we upgraded the building of our church here at Peace with new lights on the building. When lighting is done well, the lights make visible the building when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness. This illustrates also the Spirit's role and work.
He is, the hidden light shining on the Savior.
It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus who stands facing us.
The Spirit's message to us is not,
"Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me",
but always,
Look at him,
see his glory;
listen to him and hear his word;
go to him and have life in him;
get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace."
The Spirit’s, role is to bring you and Christ together and ensure that you and Christ Jesus stay together.
James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.
But you don’t … and I don’t. We fall short, we miss the mark. It’s like having directions to our destination and always getting lost … always making the wrong turn!
Some years ago I had a good example of this as Bob Poe and I drove to the Doxology conference in DeWitt, MI. I’m driving, knowing that I need exit 87. Bob says, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh yes, it is Bob, thanks for letting me know as I quickly move right to exit the freeway!
On the way home I’m heading north on I-69 towards I-75 when I hear, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh, thanks again Bob for pointing that out to me, as I once again move right quickly so as not to miss the, I-75 exit and our way home.
In a similar way:
The Spirit shows you when you miss the mark,
When you are going the wrong way
He, points you back to Jesus
So that you once again see the error of your sin and where you fall short, but also see the way the truth and the Life … Jesus, who kept the commandments – the Law - perfectly for you and who the Spirit will continue to point you to, Christ Jesus our Lord!
He is the light of the world and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and His gracious forgiveness and love is for you and for all who love God and are called according to His purpose!
Jesus said:
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
It is Jesus who gives us every good and perfect gift from above.
It is Jesus who will not leave you as orphans.
It is Jesus who took your sin upon himself at the cross burying it in the tomb and
It is Jesus, who asks the Father to send the Helper, the Spirit of truth, to you, so that you can continue to see Christ, the author and finisher of your faith Jesus.
Christ says:
Because I live, you also will live.
20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
By the Spirit, Christ will make Himself known to you!
Because death could not end Christ it will not be your end!
Because of the work of the Spirit in the life of God’s children … you will know Him and His ways, and you will be found acceptable because you will be clothed in the robes of the God/man Himself Jesus Christ the Righteous one.
Remember:
In the life of the Christian, the good news is that we will not be left alone.
The Holy Spirit is in you and with you and will comfort you in all trials … because you do not have to wonder if He will come to you … for He dwells with you and will be in you!
By God’s Spirit we look to Christ
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
The Spirit's message to us is not,
"Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me",
but always,
Look at him,
see his glory;
listen to him and hear his word;
go to him and have life in him;
get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace."
The Spirit’s, role is to bring you and Christ together and ensure that you and Christ Jesus stay together.
James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.
But you don’t … and I don’t. We fall short, we miss the mark. It’s like having directions to our destination and always getting lost … always making the wrong turn!
Some years ago I had a good example of this as Bob Poe and I drove to the Doxology conference in DeWitt, MI. I’m driving, knowing that I need exit 87. Bob says, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh yes, it is Bob, thanks for letting me know as I quickly move right to exit the freeway!
On the way home I’m heading north on I-69 towards I-75 when I hear, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh, thanks again Bob for pointing that out to me, as I once again move right quickly so as not to miss the, I-75 exit and our way home.
In a similar way:
The Spirit shows you when you miss the mark,
When you are going the wrong way
He, points you back to Jesus
So that you once again see the error of your sin and where you fall short, but also see the way the truth and the Life … Jesus, who kept the commandments – the Law - perfectly for you and who the Spirit will continue to point you to, Christ Jesus our Lord!
He is the light of the world and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and His gracious forgiveness and love is for you and for all who love God and are called according to His purpose!
Jesus said:
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
It is Jesus who gives us every good and perfect gift from above.
It is Jesus who will not leave you as orphans.
It is Jesus who took your sin upon himself at the cross burying it in the tomb and
It is Jesus, who asks the Father to send the Helper, the Spirit of truth, to you, so that you can continue to see Christ, the author and finisher of your faith Jesus.
Christ says:
Because I live, you also will live.
20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
By the Spirit, Christ will make Himself known to you!
Because death could not end Christ it will not be your end!
Because of the work of the Spirit in the life of God’s children … you will know Him and His ways, and you will be found acceptable because you will be clothed in the robes of the God/man Himself Jesus Christ the Righteous one.
Remember:
In the life of the Christian, the good news is that we will not be left alone.
The Holy Spirit is in you and with you and will comfort you in all trials … because you do not have to wonder if He will come to you … for He dwells with you and will be in you!
By God’s Spirit we look to Christ
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, May 4, 2026
Sermon May 2-3, 2026 - 5th Sunday of Easter
Title: Your place is prepared in Christ!
Text: John 14:1-14
Text: John 14:1-14
Facebook live: Your place is prepared in Christ!
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
In our gospel today Jesus said to his disciples:
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
This text is often used at funerals. It is for comfort and hope. Death is real but so is Christ’s rescue.
What also is interesting is the context of the hope that Jesus gives here in the beginning of chapter 14, with the last line of verse that he says in Chapter 13, where he turns to St. Peter and says,
“I tell you the truth, [truly, truly] before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”
Not only then but now as well. We too disown the savior daily and not just three times.
It is daily. It is willful, and it is often, day in and day out until we die.
It is in that context that Christ’s - Let not your hearts be troubled - is truly good news and why it is so important that it be shared at times of great grief and suffering.
Peter was standing tall … thinking he knew all:
When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet Peter asked:
“Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
Then Peter said:
“You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have [no part of] me.”
Jesus tells them:
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
He tells them to love one another, to serve one another, to care for one another … because where he is going, they cannot come.
Not in their own strength at least.
And Peter in his own strength says:
“Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
But in reality, that’s you and that’s me.
We think we can stand.
In the midst of trial, in the midst of temptation, in the midst of sin - we fall, denying the Lord and the rooster crows that reality in our own lives.
If we think about our own confirmation, confirming what God did in our Baptism and living our lives connected to Christ and this truth - right in the middle of the Rite of confirmation - the question is asked:
“Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?
Do you intend to live according to the word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?
And finally, it asks:
Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?
To all of this we answer, “I do.”
In a sense saying like St. Peter:
I’ll lay down my life for you!
But, the confirmation rite adds one more “I do.” To these words we confess:
“By the grace of God.”
That is what Peter missed. His strength and our strength, as it is connected to faith, life, and eternal life … is in God’s hands and by his grace.
It is why we can let not our hearts be troubled!
I wrestle with so many who are confirmed members here and no longer come to church regularly.
I pray for all who have left the fold that the Lord would draw them back to regular attendance and fellowship as we talked about last week with the Apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer as we gather together here.
It is God who brings to faith!
As pastor’s we all need to be reminded this truth that:
Jesus is God and I am not!
As we prepare for the Ascension of Christ in a little more than a week we are left with this reality. God has given the church under shepherds and by the Holy Spirit, the work of God continues.
In chapter 13 Peter is confused and asks Jesus,
“Lord where are you going?”
Thomas in chapter 14 asks:
5 … “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
To this Jesus answers:
6 … “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
It is really good news to hear that God has washed you and me and marked us as his.
He gives us pastors, as under shepherds to lead, teach, and point us to Jesus so we too can confess who Jesus is and follow him.
We all have been made partakers of eternal life.
We will see this again on the Day of Pentecost as we welcome new members and confirm two of our youth who have completed their work.
It is God though, who through the means he has provided of Word and Sacrament, will keep us all in the one true faith.
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
That is Good News for pastors;
Good News for you dear members;
And that is Good News for all the Lord will continue to call to himself through his word and gifts!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, April 27, 2026
Sermon April 25-26, 2023 – 4th Sunday of Easter
Title: God gives life through his means!
Text: Acts 2:42-47
Facebook live: God gives life through his means!
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Teaching, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
It sounds a bit like our Easter weekend and breakfast!
It sounds like a formula for success.
Easter breakfast gave us time to fellowship and gather as the body of Christ.
We heard the word of God and the proclamation of his resurrection and the work of Jesus by the Spirit in the life of the church.
It was also a Unity Sunday and it was a joy to have a 150 gathered in worship on this day, something we haven’t had in many years.
We gathered also together at the table of the Lord, receiving his true body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith.
And, we prayed for our needs and for the need of those we know and care for.
That is the joy and that is the goal with which we are brought to faith by our loving God, that through His gifts and by communion and fellowship with Him we have a life, in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ.
God gives life through his means!
St. Luke in his book of the Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the early church.
Last week we heard of Peter’s sermon in Acts chapter 2 that cut to the heart of those who heard the Law of God’s condemnation bringing them to the point of asking, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37b
To which Peter replies:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Now coming to faith through the Gospel brought some 3000 souls into the church through Peter’s sermon, but now we hear what the church did with and for those who repented and were baptized.
They heard the word of God proclaimed which is the Apostles teaching.
They had fellowship one with another both in community and in communion with that same doctrine of the word.
The breaking of bread in fellowship meals as well as with the Lord’s Supper that, as we heard last week, opened the eyes of their understanding so that they could see who Christ Jesus truly is and what he had done.
And finally, prayer, which is conversation and communion with that one and same word of God – Jesus Christ.
Our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod for many years had a mission focus called Witness, Mercy and Life together that fits this focus of the early church and our life together here at Peace as well.
The Apostle’s teaching, which is the word of God and what that word means, is the witness of who God is and what we have become in Christ.
As His children, we are called by Christ to be in worship, to hear His word, to know that as sinners, we all fall short of God’s requirements, but we also know that God has made a way in the person and work of Jesus Christ to bring us back into fellowship with him.
This fellowship we now have with each other as His children, celebrating our life together in communion around the table of the Lord, as we together confess that the body and blood of Christ that was given and shed for you and me, is now truly received with the bread and wine, bringing forgiveness of sins to those who receive this merciful gift by faith.
Apart from faith it is impossible to please God or to come to him because we all are judged as sinful and unclean and separated from the love of God found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God gives life through communion and the Apostle’s teaching and that is our Witness, Mercy and Life Together!
I’ve mentioned my friend’s daughter Michelle before:
Michelle Ruehl has served in the U.S. Air Force since 2003. She earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003, a graduate degree from the University of Colorado in 2012, and a Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2024. Ruehl's career experience includes working as a military officer, pilot, life coach, executive coach, English teacher, equine riding instructor, theater director, and professional speaker. As of 2025, she was affiliated with the United States Air Force, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF).[1]
Michelle Ruehl is an at-large member of the Colorado Springs School District 11 school board. She assumed office on December 10, 2025. Her current term ends in 2029.
https://ballotpedia.org/Michelle_Ruehl
It caused me to reflect on her life and an Easter not far removed from this past one.
At times we find ourselves in tough situations and I remember an Easter past when Michelle was serving in Afghanistan as a pilot in the Air Force.
Her Easter was a bit different than yours and mine. For her - worship started on the roof of the hospital at her base … at sunrise … overlooking the mountains and the dawning of the Easter morn as the F-16s began taking off on their missions in the distance.
The second service was at 8:00 am and for this service she played guitar and sang hymns of praise.
Just before the Lord’s Supper in the service, the sirens went off as mortar and rocket fire came upon the base. Everyone hit the floor. One soldier chuckled in the midst of the attack as he saw Michelle put her guitar over her head. “What kind of rocket you plan of stopping with that.” He asked?
Michelle kind of chuckled too knowing that it wouldn’t do much good but was a natural reaction.
Soon the all clear was given and the service continued, the words of institution were said, the Lord’s body and blood was given and received, and appropriately they sang, “How Great Thou Art!”
That’s a bit different from our Easter service here and our regular Sunday services! But the elements of Word, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer continue here and wherever the Lord’s people are gathered.
Prayers, we pray them every week in our services and daily for many of us in the church - is conversation with God. We bring our prayers and petitions to the one who holds our life in His hands through the mediation of his son and this is truly a blessed communion for us all.
Prayer can be a powerful blessing and we all need to avail ourselves of it daily. As we celebrate today all the Lord’s blessings, we can’t forget prayer, especially the faithful prayers of those, who keep and have kept us united in him.
Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen difficulties.
What are we to do?
Daniel Webster offered excellent advice, saying, “If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we impress on them high principles, the just fear of God, and love for their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which no time can efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”
DANIEL WEBSTER, secretary of state, speech to the City Council, Boston, Massachusetts, May 22, 1852.—The Writings and Speeches of Daniel Webster, vol. 13, pp. 518–19 (1903). Morning Glory, July 3, 1993.
God gives us life together through communion and the Apostle’s teaching!
Jesus said:
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
We know the Good Shepherd’s voice through his word, and by that word, communion, fellowship and prayer, which is communication with God continues.
By that, you know him who is the way the truth and the life!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Text: Acts 2:42-47
Facebook live: God gives life through his means!
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Teaching, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
It sounds a bit like our Easter weekend and breakfast!
It sounds like a formula for success.
Easter breakfast gave us time to fellowship and gather as the body of Christ.
We heard the word of God and the proclamation of his resurrection and the work of Jesus by the Spirit in the life of the church.
It was also a Unity Sunday and it was a joy to have a 150 gathered in worship on this day, something we haven’t had in many years.
We gathered also together at the table of the Lord, receiving his true body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith.
And, we prayed for our needs and for the need of those we know and care for.
That is the joy and that is the goal with which we are brought to faith by our loving God, that through His gifts and by communion and fellowship with Him we have a life, in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ.
God gives life through his means!
St. Luke in his book of the Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the early church.
Last week we heard of Peter’s sermon in Acts chapter 2 that cut to the heart of those who heard the Law of God’s condemnation bringing them to the point of asking, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37b
To which Peter replies:
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Now coming to faith through the Gospel brought some 3000 souls into the church through Peter’s sermon, but now we hear what the church did with and for those who repented and were baptized.
They heard the word of God proclaimed which is the Apostles teaching.
They had fellowship one with another both in community and in communion with that same doctrine of the word.
The breaking of bread in fellowship meals as well as with the Lord’s Supper that, as we heard last week, opened the eyes of their understanding so that they could see who Christ Jesus truly is and what he had done.
And finally, prayer, which is conversation and communion with that one and same word of God – Jesus Christ.
Our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod for many years had a mission focus called Witness, Mercy and Life together that fits this focus of the early church and our life together here at Peace as well.
The Apostle’s teaching, which is the word of God and what that word means, is the witness of who God is and what we have become in Christ.
As His children, we are called by Christ to be in worship, to hear His word, to know that as sinners, we all fall short of God’s requirements, but we also know that God has made a way in the person and work of Jesus Christ to bring us back into fellowship with him.
This fellowship we now have with each other as His children, celebrating our life together in communion around the table of the Lord, as we together confess that the body and blood of Christ that was given and shed for you and me, is now truly received with the bread and wine, bringing forgiveness of sins to those who receive this merciful gift by faith.
Apart from faith it is impossible to please God or to come to him because we all are judged as sinful and unclean and separated from the love of God found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God gives life through communion and the Apostle’s teaching and that is our Witness, Mercy and Life Together!
I’ve mentioned my friend’s daughter Michelle before:
Michelle Ruehl has served in the U.S. Air Force since 2003. She earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003, a graduate degree from the University of Colorado in 2012, and a Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2024. Ruehl's career experience includes working as a military officer, pilot, life coach, executive coach, English teacher, equine riding instructor, theater director, and professional speaker. As of 2025, she was affiliated with the United States Air Force, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF).[1]
Michelle Ruehl is an at-large member of the Colorado Springs School District 11 school board. She assumed office on December 10, 2025. Her current term ends in 2029.
https://ballotpedia.org/Michelle_Ruehl
It caused me to reflect on her life and an Easter not far removed from this past one.
At times we find ourselves in tough situations and I remember an Easter past when Michelle was serving in Afghanistan as a pilot in the Air Force.
Her Easter was a bit different than yours and mine. For her - worship started on the roof of the hospital at her base … at sunrise … overlooking the mountains and the dawning of the Easter morn as the F-16s began taking off on their missions in the distance.
The second service was at 8:00 am and for this service she played guitar and sang hymns of praise.
Just before the Lord’s Supper in the service, the sirens went off as mortar and rocket fire came upon the base. Everyone hit the floor. One soldier chuckled in the midst of the attack as he saw Michelle put her guitar over her head. “What kind of rocket you plan of stopping with that.” He asked?
Michelle kind of chuckled too knowing that it wouldn’t do much good but was a natural reaction.
Soon the all clear was given and the service continued, the words of institution were said, the Lord’s body and blood was given and received, and appropriately they sang, “How Great Thou Art!”
That’s a bit different from our Easter service here and our regular Sunday services! But the elements of Word, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer continue here and wherever the Lord’s people are gathered.
Prayers, we pray them every week in our services and daily for many of us in the church - is conversation with God. We bring our prayers and petitions to the one who holds our life in His hands through the mediation of his son and this is truly a blessed communion for us all.
Prayer can be a powerful blessing and we all need to avail ourselves of it daily. As we celebrate today all the Lord’s blessings, we can’t forget prayer, especially the faithful prayers of those, who keep and have kept us united in him.
Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen difficulties.
What are we to do?
Daniel Webster offered excellent advice, saying, “If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we impress on them high principles, the just fear of God, and love for their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which no time can efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”
DANIEL WEBSTER, secretary of state, speech to the City Council, Boston, Massachusetts, May 22, 1852.—The Writings and Speeches of Daniel Webster, vol. 13, pp. 518–19 (1903). Morning Glory, July 3, 1993.
God gives us life together through communion and the Apostle’s teaching!
Jesus said:
10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
We know the Good Shepherd’s voice through his word, and by that word, communion, fellowship and prayer, which is communication with God continues.
By that, you know him who is the way the truth and the life!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Monday, April 20, 2026
Sermon April 18-19, 2026 – 3rd Sunday of Easter
Title: He is Lord and Christ of our lives!
Text: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Text: Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Facebook live: He is Lord and Christ of our lives!
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
The work of God continues to be evident as we celebrate the living Christ in the Easter season.
The Lord’s death and resurrection is now in the making of disciples through word and gift. The word proclaimed and the sacraments administered.
Peter now proclaims God’s miraculous working in the waters of baptism to those gathered in Jerusalem on Pentecost!
We too, are all partakers of this gift; and for you and me at times, we forget the blessing or the importance of what God has done for us.
As has been said before we cannot know Jesus or this gifts apart from God working to bring us to faith. This is especially true with Baptism!
It seems foolish to the natural man and apart from the Spirit, we cannot understand it.
How can water do such great things?
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
This is the beginning of Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, which for us is still a few weeks away in this church year. But an important sermon none the less. The word of God at all times has a place in the ears of believers and non-believers alike.
It brings to faith.
Turns us in repentance.
And comforts us with the word of forgiveness.
Peter, establishes first the truth of who Jesus is:
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
Peter says:
You know who he is.
You’ve seen his mighty works.
It was God’s plan.
Lawless men gave him up and crucified him.
God raised him from the dead.
But Death and the grave could not hold him.
The response is clear:
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
The knowledge of sin should bring this response by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Cut to the quick they are sorry for their sin and look for hope. Peter brings that in his response to their ears.
38 … “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The response to repentance is forgiveness.
The being sorry for sin
The turning away from sin and a desire to stay away from sin
The comfort of forgiveness proclaimed and received
To be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is in fact to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
As Jesus said in Matthew 28:
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
As Paul writes in Colossians that 9 … in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
But the next part has as it is the teaching about Jesus which Peter refers to in his sermon
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
The faith needs to be passed down and that is our responsibility.
Not just mine, but yours as well.
I’ve had the conversation with people about a family member who isn’t baptized or connected to the faith and they say, “That’s your job, Pastor”
Oh really?
Certainly, I have a call to function as an under shepherd of Christ here and that can also entail the baptizing of baby’s and adults alike. But, the call to parents, spouses, siblings and friends to share Christ with those who need to hear and get them to the fount is equally compelling FOR ALL.
For the promise here is for YOU!
And for YOUR children!
And for ALL who a far off!
For EVERYONE whom the Lord our God call to himself!
Take for example our Gospel reading for today with Jesus on the Emmaus Road with his two companions.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. [Jesus] acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So, he went in to stay with them.
They were unaware of who Jesus was but they were compelled by his teaching:
“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
And Jesus,
30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
In the breaking of bread Jesus too make himself known to us and all that he came to do.
To take on flesh, yet without sin
To suffer and die for the sins of the world.
To rise from the dead for our justification.
33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
And then we too rise and receive the same gifts of Christ’s body and blood receiving the joy of forgiveness in our mouths and having our faith strengthened we go forth telling all that the Lord has done for us!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
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