Christ’s All-Sufficient Sacrifice. Worship: November 10, 2024

As the liturgical year is coming to its end, God our Father gives us great encouragement that our salvation and deliverance from sin and sorrow is complete because of the forgiveness won for us by the blood of Jesus, the one and only sacrifice for your sin and the source of daily cleansing, faith, hope, confidence, and love. This faith is certain and full of hope even if your current circumstances would have you think otherwise. As God provided for the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17), so was the widow’s offering (Mark 12) an expression of confident faith in God’s promised salvation. No clearer picture can be given of the certainty of hope in Christ our Savior than in the letter to the Hebrews as it tells of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice that not only forgives but takes away all sin and supplies us with newness of life by His life-giving body and blood all our days! 

The Greatest Commandments and the Greatest Love. Worship: November 3, 2024

When you were growing up, there was most likely a time where your parents said, “Do this.” You heard them say it. You knew they said it. Yet for whatever reason, you did not do the “this” they asked you to do. Were there consequences? If there were, you can probably recall those consequences even today. Even though there were consequences, did you still know they loved you? That’s what today is all about. God tells His children in the Old Testament Reading, “Do this”—the greatest commandment. Jesus also points out the second great commandment in our Gospel. None of us has kept those commandments perfectly. That is where the Epistle comes into the picture, reminding us of God’s greater love when He sent Jesus to the cross. Have we disobeyed Him? Yes. Has He ever stopped loving us? The cross answers that question. He never has stopped loving us; His love for us is so great. 

A Great Future Foreseen. Worship: October 27, 2024

The prophet Jeremiah was alive and witnessed the deportation of God’s people into exile. That is not the end of the story, however. Today’s Old Testament Reading previews a day when God’s mercy and grace would be outpoured upon the remnant of God’s people who returned. The Gospel builds on this, as we see Jesus’ healing those whom Jeremiah foresaw God’s grace and mercy would one day be poured out upon in abundant measure. In the cross, we have the greatest healing of all—the forgiveness (not covering) of sins in the cross of Jesus Christ. 

And I Will Give You Rest. Worship: October 20, 2024

Imagine someone offering you a gift—a gift that you cannot get on your own. How do you think the giver of that gift would react if you rejected it? That is what today’s Readings are about. The children of Israel refused to go into the Promised Land. God’s response was, “They shall not enter My rest.” They had been slaves and gotten a good taste of the harshness of the wilderness. Yet they refused to go into a land where they would have rest. Today, God offers you rest through the gift of the forgiveness of sins. Do not miss out on the rest God offers you right now through Jesus. 

What Must I Do? Worship: October 13, 2024

 Jesus’ conversation with the rich man seems to point out how childish the man is. The reality is that we all are tempted like him to believe that the things of this life are our real treasures and the works we do in this life determine if we are saved. The man could not let go of either—not of his own prospect of earning the kingdom of God nor of his many possessions and wealth that secured his life. The man was disheartened by the choice between Christ and these things when in reality there is no choice at all. Our wealth is temporary and relative and our works small and insufficient. Christ is the assurance of our salvation. 

No Longer Two but One. Worship: October 6, 2024

The wisdom of the world suggests that God has given us the idea, and we are to design this thing called marriage and family. Yet for all our best intentions, sin has left us struggling not only to fulfill but to even accept the wisdom of God’s design. Jesus is not apologetic of the shape of marriage and family, and He calls us to join Him in rejoicing over God’s gift and to work to fulfill His holy purpose in our own homes and families. Even the child does not get overlooked by our Lord’s hand of mercy and blessing. 

Patience In Suffering

Everlasting Father, source of every blessing, mercifully direct and govern us by Your Holy Spirit that we may complete the works You have prepared for us to do; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Merciful Justice. Worship: September 22, 2024

In today’s Old Testament Reading, Jeremiah has just learned of a plot against him, and he asks God to provide him justice, ridding him of his enemies. David’s psalm likewise asks God to intervene and provide justice. Indeed, when we are weak in the face of opposition, that is when we need to rely on our great God. But if He measured out the same justice on us all, we would be doomed! Even one of the Twelve betrayed our Lord! But God “gives grace to the humble,” James teaches in the Epistle. Only when we acknowledge God’s grace in Christ can we pray for His justice. The Twelve were ignorant of Jesus’ coming sacrifice, but we are well aware that by it we have received every grace and blessing. Today we thank God for His grace to us as He deals with the sin-filled world around us. 

Never “If” Worship: September 15, 2024

Photo Credit: Aimee Munson, Signal Hill, NL Canada 2024

In today’s Gospel, the father of a possessed boy says, “If you can do anything . . .” As God in the flesh, Jesus can do anything—and He wants to! His concern is never an “if,” but an “always.” When our troubles increase, their resolution awaits not God’s intention but our waffling faith in His concern. Few of us have the resolve and bravado of Isaiah in the Old Testament Reading. Seldom do we recognize how we use our tongues for both good and evil. Today the Scriptures encourage us to turn from relying on ourselves to putting our faith-borne trust in Him alone. 

God’s Instruments. Worship: September 8, 2024

Illustration: Mosaic in Basilica of San Vitale. Ravenna RA, Italy

The Readings for today tell us that God will change people’s circumstances. The Old Testament Reading lists those who are blind, deaf, lame, and mute. Instead of advising them simply to pray, Isaiah promises that God will take action, like water in the desert. Among the ways God will help is through His people; according to the advice to James, we, who have been given the gift of faith, are called to be fair in court, to try to keep the entire Law of God, and to see that the people around us are clothed and fed. Jesus casts out demons and heals a deaf man in the Gospel. He is doing no less when we become His caring instruments. Today we let the Word come into us so that we might be part of God’s healing answer to prayer.

Guest Pastor this week: Pastor Michael Heggen