Category: General

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

November 27, 2022

AS WE GATHER
There are many different questions in life. Some are rather inconsequential: “Paper or plastic?” “Do you want fries with that?” Other questions are of greater importance: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “Will you marry me?” Among all of life’s questions, however, there is one that is of the greatest importance. “Who is Jesus?” That’s the question that the crowds asked on Palm Sunday. As we read in today’s Gospel text, “when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:10). Consider who you say Jesus is. Perhaps the best answer is that Jesus is the Savior of the nations and, specifically, your Savior. As we enter this season of Advent, that’s why we sing along with saints over the centuries,
Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth. LSB 332:1

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Isaiah 2:1–5
(The Mountain of the Lord)

EPISTLE READING: Roman 13:11–14
(Fulfilling the Law through love)

HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 21:1–11
(The triumphal entry)

LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR (Proper 29)

November 20, 2022

AS WE GATHER
On this last Sunday of the Church Year, our attention is drawn to the Last Day of Christ’s return when, in the resurrection of the body, our deliverance and salvation will be fully completed. The Gospel for today’s celebration, however, points our eyes back to the cross, for there all sacrifice for sin was fulfilled and completed. It was a rather conclusive statement when Jesus said to the repentant thief, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Likewise, “Having been buried with [Christ] in baptism…you were also raised with him” (Colossians 2:12). Salvation is fulfilled; there is nothing essential that needs to be added in the interim between baptism and paradise. To say it another way, the fulfillment is both past and future for those who are in Christ.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT: Malachi 3:13-18
(Our names written in the Book of Life)

EPISTLE READING: Colossians 1:13-20
(We have redemption now.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 23:27-43
(“This is the King of the Jews”)

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (Proper 28)

November 13, 2022

AS WE GATHER
“Behold, the day is coming,” warns the prophet Malachi. He speaks of the Last Day of the judgment of all mankind. If that were the only “day of the Lord,” we would be hopeless. But there are many days of the Lord, days that proclaim our salvation and deliverance from judgment—Christmas Day, Transfiguration Day, Good Friday, Easter Day, and the day His deliverance became your own in your Holy Baptism! Because of the earthly days of Jesus Christ, now all our days, indeed, today “is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
“The day is surely drawing near When Jesus, God’s anointed, in all His power shall appear as judge whom God appointed” (LSB 508). But the day has already come when we can draw near to Jesus, that by the forgiveness of our sins and by faith in His blood, He holds us safely and already now places us on the right side of Judgment Day.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Malachi 4:1-6
(The Day of Judgment preceded by the Day of Grace.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
(The fellowship of love and steadfast hope)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 21:5-28
(Joyous assurance in the coming Kingdom)

ALL SAINTS’ SUNDAY

November 6, 2022

AS WE GATHER
All Saints’ Day celebrates our Lord’s victory over sin, death, and the devil, bringing His people of faith into His presence in eternity. They have been forgiven because of Christ and are therefore declared to be saints. We, too, have that gracious title bestowed on us, although we are sinners at the same time. Today is a day to ask God to strengthen our faith in His mercy and grace for Jesus’ sake and to keep us safe until we join those who have gone before us.

Bible Readings

FIRST READING: Revelation 7:9-17
(Saints and angels praise God before His throne.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 John 3:1-3
(In His love, God calls us His children.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-12
(Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes.)

REFORMATION SUNDAY

October 30, 2022

AS WE GATHER
We celebrate something that is 499 years in the making: the Reformation of the Christian Church. As we mark time, we trace our heritage back to Martin Luther’s posting of the Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517—an action that would ignite the Reformation movement and reorient the life of God’s people around the scriptural teaching of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. However, from God’s perspective, this teaching has neither a beginning nor an ending. It is the “eternal gospel”, (Revelation 14:6), proclaimed in an unending fashion by both the angels in heaven and God’s messengers on earth. By God’s grace, we receive this precious, life-saving, life-changing good news in our worship today. Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word!

Bible Readings

FIRST READING: Revelation 14:6-7
(The eternal gospel is for all people.)

EPISTLE READING: Romans 3:19-28
(We are justified by faith apart from works.)

HOLY GOSPEL: John 8:31–36
(God’s Son sets us free, free indeed.)

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST—Proper 25

October 23, 2022

AS WE GATHER
After church, after school, or after work, each day concludes with the comfort, relief, and peace of going home. Our daily experience is a picture of our spiritual journey. After the toil and trouble, the challenges and the joys, and perhaps the sufferings and disappointments of our lives, the Christian looks forward to the comfort, relief, and peace of going home to our heavenly, eternal home. This hope and goal, however, is only for those who humbly confess their sin and receive eternal life as it is, namely, a gift of God provided by the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Genesis 4:1-15
(Cain and Abel)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
(The crown of righteousness)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 18:9-17
(The Pharisee and the Tax Collector)

NINETEETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
(Proper 24)

October 16, 2022

AS WE GATHER
We have journeyed almost to the end of the long green season of Sundays after Pentecost. As with every long journey, it is easy to grow weary. The Scripture readings for today call upon us to be persistent in faith and persistent in prayer. In order to reinforce the value of persistent prayer, Jesus told a story about an unfair judge and a woman who refused to give up. God is not an enemy whom we must win over, but the God whose grace and mercy have given us life and salvation in Jesus Christ. Because we know the power of His grace we are moved not to give up but to be persistent in faith and prayer.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Genesis 32:22-30
(Jacob wrestles one who turns out to be God.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Timothy 3:14—4:5
(St. Paul encourages a young pastor to persist in sound teaching and faithful preaching.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 18:1-8
(Jesus tells a parable of an unjust judge and a woman who persists until she receives justice.)

THANKSGIVING DAY

October 9, 2022

AS WE GATHER
The observance of A Day of Thanksgiving is the celebration of a national holiday that is closely linked with some form of religious experience. Thankfulness needs to go somewhere . . . to someone beyond an individual person. The reality of God’s grateful people expressing thanks to Him goes all the way back to the very beginnings of time itself. The biblical record has many accounts of people speaking words of thanksgiving to God. Many psalms are expressions of thanksgiving to the Lord. The letters of St. Paul are filled with expressions of thanks to God as well. Although individual thanksgiving is important, thankfulness finds fullest expression when God’s people are gathered together for the purpose of giving Him their thanks and praise. A day of Thanksgiving helps to bring about that most-appropriate gathering for worship.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Ruth 1:1-19a
(Ruth comes from Moab to Bethlehem.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
(As a soldier of Jesus Christ.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 17:11-19
(One leper shows gratitude to Jesus.)

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
(PROPER 22)

October 2, 2022

AS WE GATHER
“Our Lord is the Lord who serves. Jesus Christ came into the flesh not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many—The Lord’s service calls forth our service—in sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to Him and in loving service to one another” (Lutheran Service Book, p. viii). It is very tempting for us to look for recognition or reward for our serving the Lord or serving one another. Jesus teaches us in today’s Gospel reading that a true servant heart will say “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” It is indeed our duty (and our delight) to “thank and praise, serve and obey” our gracious God.

Bible Readings

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
(The prophet prays for God’s deliverance.)

EPISTLE READING: 2 Timothy 1:1-14
(Paul urges Timothy to be faithful to the Gospel entrusted to him.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 17:1-10 (Jesus offers guidelines for Christian living.)

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ~ (PROPER 21)

September 25, 2022

AS WE GATHER
In Ephesians 4, St. Paul says that God gave the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians. 4:12-13). In today’s Epistle reading, Paul reminds those who have leadership positions in the Church that there are high expectations and serious responsibilities for those who would be leaders in the Church. Today we thank God for faithful leaders.

Bible Readings:

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Amos 6:1-7
(The prophet warns of the punishment coming for those who live a life of luxury while ignoring God’s will.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (Paul reminds those who would be pastors that this is a noble task with special and specific requirements.)

HOLY GOSPEL: Luke 16:19-31 (Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus.)