Following in Humility. Worship: August 31, 2025

Entering the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional site of the birth of Jesus, is one of the most memorable experiences for any Christian pilgrim visiting the Holy Land. First constructed at the commission of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in AD 326, the church is on the oldest site continually used for worship by Christians anywhere in the world. Although the basilica initially had a grand arched entrance in its first thousand years, it came into a period of disuse and neglect after the conquest of the Holy Land by the Islamic rulers of the Ottoman Empire in AD 1516. In an effort to prevent people from entering the church with horses and cattle, the Christians caring for the building at that time walled up the main entrance, leaving only a very small door. This opening has ever since been known as the “Door of Humility.” It makes a most fitting way for those who come to worship at the site of the manger of the Christ Child to enter that sacred space. Where we worship here and now is also a sacred space. Although we may not have needed to bow down to enter the front door today, bringing an attitude of humility to our worship of our gracious Lord is truly fitting for us. 

Clinging to Christ. Worship: August 17, 2025

The verbal command “Hold on!” is one that gets our immediate attention. We know instinctively that holding on will keep us safe or secure in some way as we journey through life. The pages of Scripture call us to “hold on” to some very special things. In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer enjoins us: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23). Paul directs his coworker, Timothy, (and all of us) to “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (1 Timothy 6:12) and encourages him to be “holding faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:19). Our worship together gives us the opportunity to hold on not only to our Lord Jesus Christ but also to one another as we journey on together toward our heavenly home.

Walking by Faith. Worship: August 10, 2025

In His earthly life, Jesus chose to be a “peripatetic” teacher. Rather than staying in one place and having His learners come to Him, He went from place to place with disciples or followers who listened to the truths He taught as they went along. Walking with Jesus was the greatest of blessings! Whether we hear the Gospel teachings of our Lord in the same setting week by week and year by year or find ourselves in a variety of worship locations and settings, we, too, find blessing in hearing Him as did His first followers. The hymn writer Sigismund von Birken invites us simply: “Let us ever walk with Jesus” (LSB 685:1). May we be blessed in our walking and in our listening today!

Living a New Life. Worship: August 3, 2025

Golfers enjoy getting a mulligan—a free shot or do-over. As we look back on our lives, we sometimes see times that we wish we could go back to and have a mulligan. We would like to be able to go back and make a different decision or fix a mistake we made. We cannot turn back time. God gives us something better. He gives us a new life—a fresh start that we get to celebrate every day as we remember our Baptism and the riches God gives us.

Pray Early and Often. Worship: July 27, 2025

God’s Word instructs us to stay connected to Christ. We experience that connection as we gather to hear God’s Word, dine at our Lord’s Table, and pray persistent, bold prayers for ourselves, our neighbors, communities, and world. Today we hear Abraham pleading with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. We hear Jesus teaching His disciples to pray. Jesus then illustrates the power of bold, persistent prayer and affirms the goodness of the One who hears our prayers. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5–6).

Always Better. Worship: July 20, 2025

We try to exercise our freedom and planning, but God’s way is always better. It was better for Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament Reading and gets Mary’s attention in the Gospel. It was still taking some time for the new believers of Colossae to fathom that God had done so much for them in Christ. And when their friends found the treasure of the Gospel, they, too, must have laughed that God had such gracious plans for them, plans that are always better than they imagined.

Put in Our Place. Worship: July 13, 2025

Today’s Old Testament Reading is full of what God demands that someone should or should not do; it sounds almost scary. But it is only His putting us in our place and telling us how He wants to work through us and share His love, already poured out on us: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). But we try to limit the definition of “neighbor.” We don’t have to! Today we thank God for giving us, for Jesus’ sake, “the inheritance of the saints in light,” as Paul writes in the Epistle (Colossians 1:12). It is time to set aside our daily activities to let God put us in our place as His friends, followers, and family.

We Rejoice That Our Lord Has Won. Worship: July 6, 2025

Today’s Old Testament Reading should be read last, for it is a call to rejoicing, at least for people of faith in Christ. The guaranteed future includes “peace . . . like a river” (Isaiah 66:12), a powerful and restful image. The Epistle, however, is full of marching orders for daily living and the warning, “let us not grow weary of doing good” (Galatians 6:9). When the Seventy-Two (not just the Twelve) went out in the Gospel, we do not know how fearful they may have been, but they returned triumphant and were congratulated by our Lord. Because He has won the final battle for us, our worship today may certainly focus on the peace that awaits us. It is an opportunity to “shout for joy to God, all the earth” (Psalm 66:1).

New Tree, New Fruit. Worship: June 29, 2025

If you have ever enjoyed a homegrown tomato or plucked a ripe peach straight from the tree, you know there is no substitute for good fruit. Today, the Holy Spirit is continuing the work begun in your Baptism, bringing forth good fruit. Too often, we imagine bearing good fruit is a result of our own careful cultivation, paying special attention to getting things right. The Spirit takes another approach. Just as the flavor of fresh fruit is a delight to our senses, the Spirit delights our soul with the tantalizing tastes of joy, kindness, gentleness, and love! The Spirit teaches us to crave what is good and, in so doing, leads believers to produce the fruit the Lord always intended.

True Wisdom, on the Way. Worship:June 22, 2025

The season of Pentecost has arrived! With the arrival of the Holy Spirit, this season of the Church Year is marked by growth. We see evidence of the growth the Spirit is seeking in this week’s Readings. The Lord and giver of life seeks to see His people grow faithful hearts through faithful worship, resulting in faithful service. When the way ahead isn’t as clear or as comfortable as we would like, we rely on the Lord’s wisdom, leading us back to His faithful servant, Jesus Christ, who clears the obstacles of our sinfulness and comforts us with His Word and sacramental gifts.