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Preparing for Worship - December 28, 2025

The psalm for this Sunday, the First Sunday after Christmas, is Psalm 89:1-8. The author, Ethan the Ezrahite, seems to be the Ethan who, together with Heman, worked with temple music, and is mentioned in 1 Kings 4:31 and 1 Chronicles 2:6. This psalmist sings of the steadfast love of the Lord, who will be faithful forever. The Lord made covenant promises to King David and to his offspring that would last for all generations. The Lord reigns from heaven, above all the holy ones, the angels. Yet He cares about us on earth, and He faithfully kept His promises in sending a particular Offspring of David, our Lord Jesus, as Savior, with good new for all people. In the Christmas story, an angel announced His birth to shepherds, and the angels , the heavenly host, give Him praise and glory. (In Psalm 89:24, this Offspring of David is called the Lord’s powerful “Horn,” “the Horn of our salvation,” as predicted also by Zechariah, in Luke 1:68-69 and 76-79. The closing verses of Psalm 89:50-51, again after our reading, also predict how this Anointed One, the Christ, would be “mocked and insulted” by many, along with the mockery against His servants, His followers. Yet in His suffering and death and resurrection, the Lord and we who trust in Christ Jesus, will be blessed forever. Amen and Amen! This is most certainly true (Psalm 89:52).)

In the Old Testament lesson, 2 Samuel 7:1-16, this same promise of an everlasting kingdom is given to David and to a particular Descendant of His, Jesus the Christ, and all who trust in Him. David will not be able to do all he wished, including building a temple for the Lord. His son, Solomon, and other descendants would be blessed with a kingdom in Israel that would last for several hundred year. When they committed iniquity and sin, though, there would be discipline and judgment, often brought at the hands of their enemies. Yet the Lord would still fulfill His steadfast love, with the coming of an everlasting kingdom in Christ Jesus.  The alternate Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 11:1-5, is also a prediction of the coming Savior, our Lord Jesus, coming from the line of Jesse and King David. The Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him, from His birth by the power of the Holy Spirit, through His growth in the Word of God by the same Spirit, and His baptism, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him in a very visible way. He was called to fulfill all righteousness by His perfect life, in place of our very imperfect lives, and His faithfulness in doing His Father’s will and suffering and dying in our place, paying the penalty for all our sins. He would battle sin and evil for us and eventually will do away with all the wicked and bring His believers to eternal joy. (See Scriptures like Luke 1:32-35, 2:40, Matthew 3:13-17, 4:1-11, Hebrews 2:9-10, Romans 6:3-5, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, etc.)

This Kingdom of God was predicted to the virgin Mary, of the house of David, by an angel also, in Luke 1:26-38. By the miracle of God’s Holy Spirit, she would give birth to the Son of God, true God and a true man. This One would receive and reign over the everlasting Kingdom “not of this world” (John 18:36). The Christmas story tells of the birth of Jesus Christ; and when He was brought to the temple in Jerusalem, soon after, we hear our Gospel lesson, Luke 2:(22-32) 33-40. Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, had been waiting in faith for the coming of this promised Savior, who would be the Consolation (the Comforter) and the Redeemer of His people, bringing the forgiveness of sins. God brings Simeon to recognize Jesus as “the Lord’s Christ” and the Savior of the world, for all peoples, both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). Simeon speaks the words of what is often used in worship, the Nunc Dimittis. God’s Word was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, and now Simeon could die in peace, but he predicted that Jesus would also be a person whom many would oppose. He came to be the Savior of all, but many would resist and reject Him, too. Those who were brought to believe in Him would be raised to eternal life, but many would stumble and fall and lose the eternal Kingdom of God, which would only come through Jesus. The thoughts of all hearts would thus be revealed as being with Christ Jesus or against Him. Mary’s own soul would be pierced with sorrow at the suffering and death of her Son. But through God’s grace, she would still believe in Him and receive the gift of eternal life, as well. Elderly Anna had been a widow for many years, but continued in worship and prayer, trusting her Lord, even in difficult times. It was revealed to her that the Savior had come. She, too, could depart in peace at her death, to eternal life in heaven. She knew, though, that even though she was very old, she still had work to do for her Lord. She began to thank God and to tell others who were waiting for their Redeemer that He had finally arrived, in the birth of Jesus, so that they might have the same joy and peace in their Redeemer as she had. Are there people with whom we could share this Good News of Jesus, too, no matter what our age is?

In our Epistle lesson, Galatians 4:1-7, Paul speaks of the fact that when we were children, we were all under the supervision of our parents and enslaved to the elementary principles of this world.  Paul, as a Jew, was caught up in all sorts of rules and regulations, many of them humanly-made, which he could not do and keep. (See Colossians 2:20-23, for example.) Others, following false gods and false religions, lived far from the true God and His will, and served other creatures, including themselves and their ideas, instead of the Creator. (See the dramatic description of this is Romans 1:18-32.) God knew our sinful human condition and yet had a plan of rescue for us. When the time was just right, He sent forth His own Son, Jesus, born of a woman by a miraculous virgin birth. He was a true man, as well as the Son of God. He was under the Law, yet followed it perfectly, in our place, and redeemed us by paying the price of His own sacrificial death for all our sins and failings. He rose in victory and through His Spirit has been bringing people to faith in Him and making them (and us also who trust in Him by that gift of faith) the children of God. That means that we are no longer slaves to our old lives, but are heirs of eternal life when we die. (See Romans 8:9, 14-17.) This was God’s rescue plan for us, finally fulfilled for us in the Saving work of Christ, beginning with His coming and being born in Bethlehem. (See Paul’s description of all this also in Ephesians 1:5-9.) What a great future we have, now and eternally, as the adopted children of God, through the Christmas miracle and all that followed, by God’s grace.

Preparing for Worship - December 21, 2025

The Psalm for this 4th Sunday in Advent is Psalm 111. It is a psalm for God’s people to sing in praise and thanksgiving to God, especially as they gather as a congregation. This psalm focuses on the works and deeds of the Lord, while other psalms focus more on the Words of the Lord. We know that the Lord is great and righteous and gracious and merciful and faithful and just and trustworthy because of what He has done for us, in keeping His covenant promises for us, and in sending redemption to us. There was the redemption from slavery in Egypt and so many other times when God rescued His Old Testament people, even when they had been sinful and rebellious against Him, too often, as we have been. We especially grow in wisdom and gain a deeper understanding of His love as we see the saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ, in the New Testament. We then try to honor His Name and seek to fear and trust in Him in our own lives. We pray that His praise endures forever, in our own hearts, by His grace and the gift of faith worked in us.

In the Old Testament lesson, Deuteronomy 18:15-20, God promises through the prophet Moses that there would one day be a prophet like Moses, but even greater than he. The Lord would put His words in this prophet’s mouth, and He would speak God’s Word faithfully, and everyone should be listening to Him. This is a reference to Christ Jesus and His preaching and teaching and work. Peter says that this prophet is Jesus in Acts 3:20-26. Stephen also quotes this passage and refers to Jesus in Acts 7:39ff. See how John the Baptist, in John 1:21-34, explains that he is not the Christ, the great prophet, but rather prepares the way for Jesus and is not worthy even to untie the sandals of Jesus. He identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,” and was “before him,” though John was born before Him. Jesus, He says, was “the Son of God.” In Deuteronomy 18:20, God warns through Moses that there will be false prophets, to whom people must not listen, and that what these prophets say will not always come true. Furthermore, people must not, above all, listen to those who speak in the name of other gods. People must listen to the Words of this one true Prophet predicted by Moses, though, and He is clearly identified as Jesus in the New Testament. See Hebrews 1:1-2: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He also created the world.” (See also Matthew 17:5 and many other such Scriptures.)

The Gospel lesson is John 1:19-28, already referred to in the previous passage. The testimony of John the Baptist was that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah come back to life, nor the great Prophet predicted by Moses, but rather John was the one to make straight the way for the greatest Prophet, Jesus. Right after this Scripture, John also speaks of the baptism of Jesus and how the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus like a dove and remained on Him, identifying Him as the Promised One and the Savior, who could bring the gift of faith through water and the Spirit in the New Testament Sacrament of Baptism. See also John 3:1-7 and Acts 2:38-39 and Matthew 28:18-20, and Paul combining the Word with the Gift of baptism in Acts 16:29-34 and in Mark 16:14-16.

The Epistle lesson is Philippians 4:4-7. Paul had already written in Philippians 3:1, in his Epistle of Joy: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.” And so again, two more times, Paul says, in Chapter 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Why should God’s people be rejoicing? Because, Paul says, the Lord is at hand, and He is living in every believer in Christ with all the gifts He has provided for us in Christ as our Savior. We are not perfect and cannot rid ourselves of all our anxieties. Paul could not, as he admits in 2 Corinthians 11:28-29: “And apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the church. Who is weak, and I am not weak?” Yet in everything, even our worries, we can bring our requests to the Lord by prayer and supplication, asking the Lord to supply what we really need, and we can be thankful for what the Lord has already provided for us, so richly. So, Paul says, we can seek to let our gentleness and graciousness be known to others, in building our relationships with others. Paul put it this way in Titus 3:1-2: “to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” It is the peace, forgiveness, and hope that God has given us that guard and protect our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and encourage us to be confident in Him and His Word and to seek to be Christlike in our dealings with others. See the words of Jesus Himself in John 14:25-27. These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But when the Helper (the Comforter), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” That teaching still goes on for us, as we listen, even today, to what the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit says and does for us in and through the Scriptures.

Preparing for Worship - December 14, 2025

The Psalm for this Third Sunday in Advent (One Year Series) is Psalm 85. The psalm begins with the recognition that the Lord has forgiven and covered over the sins of His people and restored their fortunes, probably referring to the return to their homeland of a remnant of the people, after the Babylonian captivity. Things were not going well for them, though. The people now living in the land did not want them around and did not want them rebuilding a temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Read Ezra 4:1-4 and 23-24 and Nehemiah 1:3. The Jewish people themselves were more eager to build houses for themselves than to rebuild the temple and parts of Jerusalem that were destroyed. Read Haggai 1:3-11. In v. 4ff in Psalm 85, the psalmist calls upon the Lord to turn the people again to Him and revive them, make them alive again to Him, and His steadfast love and saving work for them. The psalmist is confident that the Lord would again “speak peace“ to His people and prays that they would not again turn to folly, away from the Lord and His will. Then the psalmist speaks of steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace, and these gifts of God are combined together in the Person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. (See John 1:14, Matthew 3:15, and 1 Corinthians 1:18-21, for example.) We do not produce these gifts, but the Lord will give what is good and bring His salvation near in Christ the Savior, the psalmist says. Righteousness will go before Him, and His footsteps become the way of life and eternal life for us. (See James 1:17-18 and
1 Peter 2:21-25 and 5:12.)

The Old Testament lesson is Isaiah 40:1-8 (9-11). Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will not give up on His people, but will speak tenderly to them and bring them comfort and pardon. In fact, the glory of the Lord would be revealed. He has spoken, and His Word will stand forever. (See also Mark 13:31 and 1 Peter 1:23-25.) The Lord God will come, in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who will tend His flock, His people, as a Good Shepherd, and who will bring Good News, the Gospel, to all, including His little lambs and those who are with young. We will see that so clearly in just a few weeks, with the birth of Christ and the Good News to lowly shepherds and influential wise men, and the Lord’s care for His own Son, in danger from Herod and Satan and so many others. John the Baptist would also prepare the way for Him. (See Matthew 2:1-17 and Luke 3:4-6 and Luke 4:1-13, etc.)

The Gospel lesson is from Matthew 11:2-10. The coming of Jesus does not mean, of course, that everything will be easy for everyone. John the Baptist has done the right things on behalf of Christ, and yet he has been thrown into prison. John sends some of his disciples for assurances that Jesus truly was the Promised One. Jesus tells them to report to John what they were hearing and seeing. (Luke tells us that John’s disciples were able to be eyewitnesses to the ministry of Jesus, in Luke 7:18-23.) Both Luke and Matthew record the Words of Jesus, showing that He, as the Savior, was doing exactly what Old Testament prophecy predicted. Blind people can see, and the lame walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf people can hear. Even some dead people are raised to life, and the poor have the Good News preached to them. (See Isaiah 35:4-7, 26:19, 29:18-19, and 61:1, for example.) Jesus adds these Words: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” (John was in prison and soon would die, and his disciples would hear of all this. It would be easy for them to wonder why Jesus would allow all this to happen to a faithful follower like John if He, Jesus, really was the Messiah. We struggle with the same questions at times, don’t we, especially when we see things happen that we don’t understand and don’t seem to be fair or right to us in this life?)

Jesus assures John’s disciples that John the Baptist had done faithfully what he was called to do, preparing the way for Jesus Himself, the Savior, even though John would not have an easy life and would not wear fancy, soft clothing or live in a king’s palace. He would, in fact, suffer and die, and his soul would then be taken to everlasting life. Jesus was also, in a sense, predicting His own much greater suffering and death, in payment for the sins of the world, though He was King of the universe, and then be raised to life and ascend and return to eternal life in heaven. And Jesus knew that many would take offense at Him and what He said and did, not trusting in Him and endangering their own salvation, unless they were brought to forgiveness and faith in Him. Simeon had predicted this in Luke 2:34, and Jesus warned about this in Luke 11:23 and John 6:60-63 and 16:1-4. There are many other examples of this offense being taken about Jesus. See Matthew 13:53-58 and 26:31-35 and 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, for example. That is why the Scriptures say, again and again, as in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe in Him is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.” That is also why, in Matthew 11:9-10, Jesus affirms again that John the Baptist was a genuine prophet of God and was the messenger sent from God to prepare the way for Jesus as Savior, as predicted in Malachi 3:1 and in our Old Testament lesson in Isaiah 40:1-3 and 9-11, and in the New Testament in Luke 1:15-17 and 1:76-79.

Paul also affirms, in our Epistle lesson, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, that he and the other early Christian apostles were also servants of Christ and stewards, managers sharing the Good News of Christ, centered in the mysteries of God’s plan of salvation through Christ alone as Savior, for the sake of the whole world. See how Paul describes this mystery of God’s grace granted to him and for him to share, in Ephesians 3:1-12, “This mystery is that the Gentiles (non-Jews) are fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel… This was according to the eternal purpose that He, the Lord, has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him.” Paul then needed to be a faithful steward and sharer of this Good News of Christ for all. It did not matter what others thought of Paul. See how Peter described the same for himself and all who were “stewards of God’s varied grace,” in 1 Peter 4:10-11. It is finally God’s Work of grace in and through believers, for His glory, as described also in Ephesians 3:17-21 and in 1 Thessalonians 2:4,13. And Jesus Himself called all of His disciples, including us, to be ready by continuing faith and trust in Him as Savior and His Work through them, until He called them to eternal life or until He returned on the last day. See Luke 12:35-43. Our future is then secure in Christ Jesus, the Son of Man and our Savior, now and eternally.

Preparing for Worship - December 7, 2025

This is the 2nd Sunday in Advent, as we continue to hear of the “comings” of Christ for us in His saving work, first in Old Testament prophecy and then in His redeeming sacrifice for us and bringing us to faith through His Holy Spirit, and continually guiding us through His Word and Sacraments, and then finally His promise to return on the last day. We had the Old Testament lesson, Malachi 4:1-6, just a few weeks ago, on November 16, and so I will just repeat much of what I wrote about that lesson at that time. A fire of judgment is coming, when all arrogant and evildoers, who have rejected the Lord, will be stubble, with neither root nor branch. For those who fear and trust the Name of the Lord, though, and his Word through Moses (and others), the Sun of Righteousness will come with healing, and the wicked, apart from the Lord, will be like ashes under the feet of God’s people. (See Romans 16:20.) Someone like Elijah will come and turn the hearts of many back to the Lord and to fellow believers, before a day of utter destruction comes. (See Luke 1:13-17, where John the Baptist is clearly identified as the prophet who would come in the Spirit and power of Elijah to do this preparatory work for the coming Savior, our Lord Jesus. See also Luke 1:67-79, and consider Matthew 3, where John preaches of the judgment to come while also proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior. See how Jesus also identifies John the Baptist as “the Elijah who is to come,” in Matthew 11:2-15.)

The psalm is Psalm 50:1-15. God the Lord comes, and He does not keep silence. He speaks and summons the whole earth to listen. He speaks to His own people of Israel and says that he will testify against them. They have been making sacrifices to Him, but acting as if they were earning God’s favor, and, as Martin Luther wrote, thought that “God must surely be thankful and indebted to them.” Instead, God reminds them that He is their God and the Creator of all things and owns everything. They could only offer what was already His, and with which he had blessed them. He did not get hungry and did not eat and drink of what they offered Him. Instead, they were living by His grace and mercy for them and should realize how indebted they were to Him. They should offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to Him for His goodness and mercy to them and serve Him with gratitude, and they needed to realize how much they needed His help in days of trouble and glorify Him for His deliverance, again and again. As the psalm ends in v. 23, God says, “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me.”

The Gospel lesson is Luke 21:25-36. Jesus speaks of the end times, and “distress of nations in perplexity” and “people fainting with fear and with foreboding on what is coming on the world,” when they do not have hope in “the Son of Man,” Jesus Himself. If people trust solely in themselves and their purely human answers and efforts, they will have no genuine hope. Doesn’t that sound like the situation of so many in our troubled world today? However, Jesus says that He came into the world to bring the Kingdom of God near and to accomplish the work of redemption for us through His death and resurrection, as other Scriptures clearly indicate. We are called to faith in Him as our Savior and to trust His Word of promise and salvation, which will not pass away. We are called by His grace and power, not to be weighed down by evil or by the cares of this troubled life, but to “straighten up and raise our heads high,” standing confident before “the Son of Man,” our Lord and Savior, and His Word. We will receive the fullness of our redemption either when we die and are taken in faith to eternal life in heaven, or when we and all living believers are caught up to be with Christ, body and soul, on the last day.

The Epistle lesson, Romans 15:4-13, also calls us to have confidence in “the living and abiding Word of God, which will not pass away.” (See the Words of 1 Peter 1:23-25, also.) Paul reminds us that “through the encouragement of the Scriptures we have hope and can endure in faith in Christ,” as we glorify God with our fellow believers. Paul also reminds us that Jesus “became a servant to the circumcised,” to His fellow Jews, in His Words and deeds and saving work for them on the cross, to confirm His Old Testament promises. Then Paul quotes from numerous other Old Testament promises, showing that the Gospel was also for non-Jews, the Gentiles, for whom Jesus also died. Gentiles can glorify God for His mercy, which is also extended to them, as they are brought to trust in Christ Jesus. Note passage after passage from the Old Testament that Paul quotes to show that Gentiles also can rejoice in Christ and find eternal hope by faith in Him and His saving work for them, too. (See Psalm 18:49 and 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 117:1, Isaiah 11:1-10, Isaiah 42:6-10, and in the New Testament, Revelation 5:9 and 7:9-10, etc.) Paul concludes this passage, then, with Words of great hope in Christ for Jews in Rome and many more Gentiles there, as well,  as Christ “gave Himself as a ransom for all” and “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” through faith in Him. (See 1 Timothy 2:3-8.) Here is Paul’s wish and promises for each of you reading or hearing this, too. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” - in this life and in eternal life to come.

Preparing for Worship - November 30, 2025

This marks the beginning of a new church year, with the Advent season, as we prepare for the prophecies of and then the coming and birth of Christ, our Savior. This year, we will use the One Year Historic Series of readings, with long-standing Epistle and Gospel readings, and Old Testament and Psalm readings added more recently.

The Psalm is Psalm 24, a psalm of David. David knows that the earth and everything in it are the Lord’s, and He founded and established it all. The Lord wishes David and us to seek to approach Him with pure hearts and not in false and deceitful ways. We cannot do this on our own, but we receive blessings from Him and His righteousness and His saving forgiveness and mercy. David ends the psalm with a song of praise to the Lord, the King of Glory, who comes to us with His glory and might and blessings, as we gather to worship Him.

The Old Testament lesson is from Jeremiah 23:5-8. The Lord has condemned false shepherds who have led God’s people astray and scattered them and left them in captivity to others (Jeremiah 23:1-2). The Lord now promises that He will gather the remnant of His flock and provide better shepherds for them (23:3,7-8), as they return to their homeland, after the Babylonian captivity. And the days are coming when God will provide “a righteous Branch” from the line of King David, who will be a just and righteous King. In fact, He will be the Lord Himself coming to be our righteousness and provide salvation and security for us always. See similar prophecies about this “Branch,” our Lord Jesus, in Isaiah 4:2 and 11:1-5,10 and Revelation 22:16-17.

The Gospel lesson is from Matthew 21:1-9. This is the familiar story of Palm Sunday and Jesus riding into Jerusalem. He comes as a King, in fulfillment of another direct prophecy from Zechariah 9:9ff, and yet in a humble way, riding on a donkey’s colt, and coming to suffer and die, in payment for the sins of the world, including our own. At this point, though, the people are making a carpet of cloaks and branches and honoring Jesus as the Son of David, coming in the name of the Lord. Some even call Jesus the prophet from Nazareth. This is also fulfillment of our Psalm, Psalm 24, as Jesus truly is “the King of glory.” See how Psalm 118:14-27 is fulfilled that day as well.

The Epistle lesson is from Romans 13: (8-10) 11-14. Paul reminds us to seek to love one another and how loving our neighbor fulfills many of the other commandments of God. We owe the greatest debt to Christ our Savior, though, and the salvation He has come and brought near to us, in His saving work for us. We are called to remain spiritually awake and to continue to trust in Christ, just as when we first believed and were baptized and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and His robe of righteousness. See Galatians 3:27-29 and Isaiah 61:10-11 also.

The Advent/Christmas season brings all this and so much more to us, in Christ. Advent means “to come to.” Jesus came to and was born in Bethlehem to be our Savior. He continues to come to our hearts and strengthen us in faith, as we remember our own baptism and His promises to us. He comes to us through His Word and in the miracle of the Lord’s Supper. And as we heard last week, Jesus also promises to us at the moment of our death, “Today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And he even promises our own resurrection of the body on the last day. How confident we can be as we begin another year of God’s grace for us, this Sunday, too!

Preparing for Worship - November 23, 2025

On this Last Sunday of the Church Year, we are reminded again of the Victory that is ours in Christ, even in what looks like His Defeat, in His suffering and death for us. The psalm is a familiar one for us, Psalm 46, Luther’s Reformation psalm. Even in the midst of great trouble, God is our Refuge and Strength, and is a very present Help for us, even when chaos and disturbance surround us. The psalmist refers to the River in verse 4, which is associated with the Garden of Eden in its perfect beginning, as described in Genesis 2:10. The fall into sin destroyed that perfection and created numerous problems for God’s people, as described in Jeremiah 2:11-13. Yet God still cared for His people and called them back to faithfulness, seeking to restore them in His love with His river of delights and His Fountain of Life and Light. See Psalm 36:7-9 and Isaiah 41:17-18, as well as later prophecies like Ezekiel 47:1-12 and Zechariah 14:5-9, which point to Jesus and His saving work, as well as eternal life with Christ in heaven. See how these prophecies tie in with the vision John sees in Revelation 22:1-5ff. The psalmist is willing, then, to “be still,” and trust in the Lord and His exalted ways, however He chooses to work them out in a troubled world, by His mercy and love in the Savior to come.

The Old Testament lesson is from Malachi 3:13-18. People in Malachi’s day were saying that it was vain, worthless, to try to serve God, because the arrogant and evildoers prosper and escape God’s judgment and seem to be better off. Then we hear that faithful believers gathered and spoke with one another and encouraged one another. The Lord heard them and renewed His promises to them. He knows those who are truly His by faith, and they are His treasured possession, and one day the distinction between the righteous by faith and the wicked will be clear, in everlasting life, for those saved by His grace. (We need to remember to get together and talk with one another in faith, too, as much as we can.)

In the Gospel lesson, Luke 23:27-43, Jesus and two criminals have been condemned to die by crucifixion. Some were lamenting the death of Jesus as unjust, but Jesus tells them to weep not for Him, but for the many who will suffer judgment in days to come for rejecting Him, their Savior. Jesus is taken to Golgotha, the place of the Skull, to be crucified with the two others. Many make fun of him and ridicule Him. If He really were the Chosen One of God, the Christ, the King, then He could and should save Himself. But Jesus prays that the Father would forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing, and that at least some would eventually be brought to faith and be forgiven. One of the criminals knows and confesses his sins and asks Jesus to remember him when He comes into His Kingdom. Both died that day, but Jesus promised the forgiven sinner that “Today you will be with Me in paradise. “ It looked to so many that Jesus had lost, but He was the actual Victor, earning eternal life for all who trusted in Him by faith, and showing that in His mighty resurrection. At our death, too, Jesus says, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”

The Epistle lesson is Colossians 1:13-20. It is a beautiful description of just what Christ has done for us, too, through His suffering and death and bringing us to faith in Him. God “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God… and in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell… and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, making peace by the blood of the cross. In Him all things hold together, and He is the head of the church and Preeminent.” Our confidence is in Him always, as our Lord and Savior, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Preparing for Worship - November 16, 2025

As the end of the church year is coming soon, our readings tell us more of God’s plan for us and for our world. The Psalm is Psalm 98 and speaks of singing a new song of the Lord Himself working out salvation for the house of Israel and revealing His righteousness and steadfast love and faithfulness and salvation also in the sight of the nations all over the earth. A time of judgment is coming, but there can be a joyful noise and songs, all over the earth, instead, as people trust the Lord and His plan of salvation in Christ.

The Old Testament lesson, Malachi 4:1-6, is also a prophecy of what is to come. A fire of judgment is coming, when all arrogant and evildoers will be stubble, with neither root nor branch. For those who fear and trust the Name of the Lord, though, and His Word through Moses (and others), the Sun of Righteousness will come with healing, and the wicked will be like ashes under the feet of God’s people. (See Romans 16:20.) Someone like Elijah will come and turn the hearts of many back to the Lord and to fellow believers, before a decree of utter destruction comes. (See Luke 1:13-17, where John the Baptist is clearly identified as the prophet who would come in the Spirit and power of Elijah to do this preparatory work for the coming Savior, our Lord Jesus. See also Luke 1:67-79, and look at Matthew 3, where John preaches of the judgment to come and yet also tells of Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior. See how Jesus also identifies John the Baptist as “the Elijah who is to come,” in Matthew 11:2-15.)

The Gospel lesson is Luke 21:5-28 (29-35), where Jesus predicts a time of judgment, during which the temple in Jerusalem and Jerusalem itself will be destroyed. He gives His people who trust in Him and His saving Name a way to recognize and flee from Jerusalem when that terrible time comes (as it did in 70AD). None of this is the actual end, though. Faithful believers in Jesus will keep on sharing the Good News of salvation through Him, even though there will be great opposition at times. There will be the rise and fall of nations and kingdoms, and numerous natural disasters, but the Good News will continue to be spread wherever possible, as it still is today. This is “the times of the Gentiles,” when many more non-Jews will come to faith, though God still wants all people to come to faith in Christ, and the witness to Jewish people of God’s love in Christ Jesus needs to continue, too. Near the end, if we are still alive at that time, there will be “signs” in the skies and “the powers of the heavens will be shaken” and “distress” on earth. We don’t know what all that means or will be, but we are called to be ready, by faith in Christ and His Word. This is not to be a time of great fear, but we are called to trust the Lord, day by day, and straighten up and hold our heads high, because the time of the final redemption from this troubled world is near. “The Son of Man, our Lord Jesus, is coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Then, “Heaven and earth, the physical universe as we know it, will pass away, but the Words of Jesus will not pass away," and there will be new heavens and a new earth, whatever that fully means (2 Peter 3:13 and 1 John 3:2-3), in which righteousness dwells and all is in perfection and all believers will continue to be with the Triune God and the angels forever in perfect peace and joy.

In the Epistle lesson, 2 Thessalonians 3:(1-5) 6-13, Paul reminds us again of what we are to be doing, until the return of Christ on the last day. We are to pray “that the Word of the Lord would speed ahead and be honored” among many more people, and that the Lord would “direct our hearts to His love and to the steadfastness of Christ,” to keep us going in good and difficult times. Paul also warns about people in the church living in idleness and has that famous saying, “If anyone is not willing to work (who could work), let him not eat.” Paul even advises trying to keep away from such people for a time, in the hope that they will wake up and repent. All who can should “work quietly and earn their own living” and not become weary in doing good. Paul uses himself as an example to the church. He had the right to expect to be paid for his work for the believers in Thessalonica. (See 1 Corinthians 9:9-12,18 and 1 Timothy 5:18, for example.) Instead Paul worked night and day as a tentmaker, to show that the Gospel is a free gift of God (1 Corinthians 9:16-18)  and that he was not preaching and teaching for his own profit (1 Thessalonians 2:9) and so that he could be an example for others to follow (2 Thessalonians 3:7,9). Above all, Paul prays that the Lord of peace would give the believers peace at all times in every way, for He promises to be with us always, to the end of the age. (See the words of Jesus also in Matthew 28:20 and His Word of promise that the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, would be with us, in John 14:25-27.) There is our hope, in Christ, always.     

Preparing for Worship - November 9, 2025

There are only three Sundays left in this church year, and the new church year begins on November 30, with the Advent season. Our thoughts are turned, therefore, to end times in some of our lessons and the return of Christ and/or the end of our own lives on this earth and eternal life in heaven.

The psalm is Psalm 148, as all of creation is called upon to praise the Lord, beginning with the angels and all the “hosts” already in heaven, having lived and died trusting in the Lord. The sun, moon, and stars and all above the earth are also called to praise, as they witness to the glory and majesty of God as Creator, with the natural knowledge of God. (See Psalm 19:1-4, Romans 1:19-23, and Romans 2:14-15.) All creatures and activities of the natural world on earth are called to praise the Lord, as well, even though now in a “fallen state,” affected by sin in the world. (See Romans 8:21-22.) All people of any age or status on earth are also called to praise the Lord, for He cares about them and has a plan of salvation, here called “a horn raised up for people.” (See also Psalm 18:2, 89:19-29, and 92:10, and the fulfillment of all that in a Son of David, predicted by Zechariah (Luke 1:67-79), qho would be the “horn of salvation for us” (v.68-69), our Lord Jesus, whose powerful yet humble way was prepared by John the Baptist. See John 1:26-30. (If you have a Lutheran Study Bible, see p. 842, where a “horn” is called “an image of power. Animals with horns are bold; in Israelite thought, a horned animal with its head held high symbolized strength and triumph.”)

The Old Testament lesson is Exodus 3:1-15, where Moses is called by “an angel of the Lord,” who is also called God Himself, speaking from the fire of a bush, “burning yet not consumed.” (This may likely be God the Son, the preincarnate Christ, speaking.) Moses is called to “bring God’s people, the children of Israel, out of (slavery) in Egypt.“ Moses is very reluctant about this, but the LORD, I AM WHO I AM,  reassures him and enables him. (When Jesus came, He used this name for Himself in His “I AM” sayings, including John 8:12, and most clearly in John 8:54-58. Jesus also quotes from this passage in our Gospel lesson for today, we will see.) Jesus was ultimately that powerful Savior.

The Gospel lesson is Luke 20:27-40. Sadducees, “who deny that there is a resurrection of the dead,” came to Jesus with a theoretical question which, in their view, would show the absurdity of life after death. (Sadducees were more liberal Jews, who also did not believe in angels or spirits. See Acts 4:1-2 and  23:6-11. Some of the most powerful priests were also Sadducees, who hated the Romans yet did not want to upset them, so that they could keep their own positions of power and influence in their nation of the Jews. See also Acts 5:17 and John 11:46-52, where these leaders plan to get rid of Jesus, for their own benefit, yet were also prophetic of His own saving work.) The Sadducees also primarily believed in the validity of only the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Pentateuch. In this passage, they therefore quote from Deuteronomy 25:5-6, a rule about Levirate marriage, a brother marrying a brother’s wife, if the brother died, to keep a family inheritance. If a woman married a man who had six brothers, and he and all the brothers died, who would this woman be married to in heaven, the Sadducees asked? (In reality, Levirate marriage was not considered a binding rule, and few ever followed it.) Jesus clearly affirms that there is a resurrection of the dead. People who are worthy of eternal life (through trust in Jesus and His gift of faith and His saving work for the world) will live in eternal life when they die, though they don’t marry and aren’t given in marriage in heaven. Such questions as the Sadducees raise are no longer a problem in heaven. Jesus then quotes from Exodus 3:15 and the story of the burning bush (a Scripture that the Sadducees should respect) to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive with God in heaven, even though they are dead. God is the God of the living, who live and die in Him. (Jesus could have quoted from other very clear passages about life after death,  like Daniel 12:1-3, Isaiah 26:19, and Job 19:25-27, etc., but the Sadducees would reject those passages, as not coming from the Pentateuch. The last verse of this Gospel text indicates that they still did not believe Jesus, but realized that they could not trap Him with foolish questions. There is life after death and resurrection from the dead, and Jesus would prove it by His own resurrection from the dead, as well as by events like His transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah appear alive with Him (Matthew 17:1ff).

The Epistle lesson is from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, 13-17. Paul writes to assure the believers at Thessalonica that Christ had not come back secretly on the Day of the Lord, and they had not missed Him. Other events must occur, including the rise of many false prophets and “a man of lawlessness who will lead many astray,” before the Last Day and the return of Christ. We do not know what all this means, but we must be on alert about false teachings and teachers who could even invade churches. Ultimately, Christ will defeat these and all enemies by “the breath of His mouth and bring them to nothing.” In the meantime, God’s people can thank the Lord that they have come to the true faith through the Holy Spirit and trust in Jesus alone as their Savior. We are to stand firm in the Word of God, spoken by and written down by Paul and others in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. (Paul uses the word “traditions,” but he clearly means what we find in these Scriptures, things “handed down” by these Biblical writers.) We are to check every teaching we hear against what the Scriptures say. God’s Word alone is our foundation, and we are to reject any later “traditions” we hear about that we cannot find in Scripture. The Scriptures keep our focus on the “eternal comfort and good hope” we have through the “grace” of God, which comes to us through our Lord Jesus Christ, God our Father, and the Holy Spirit. In the Scriptures, we find “every good work and the Word we need.” As Jesus said, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-36). In Christ is our hope in this life and for eternal life to come.

Preparing for Worship - November 2, 2025

All Saints’ Day is technically observed on November 1st, but it can also be celebrated on the Sunday following the 1st, which this year falls on November 2nd. In our Lutheran understanding, it is a day to remember all believers in the Triune God who have lived and died in faith in Jesus as their Savior and the blessings of heaven they enjoy with the Lord by His love and mercy. In contrast, for example, the Roman Catholic Church says that only those who are canonized, declared to be saints by a vigorous process developed by the church and are completely holy and sinless by their merits, only those saints and maybe some others who have been fully purified by their time in purgatory will be in heaven. In the 1300s, the Roman Catholic church declared that November 2 is “All Souls Day,” a day for remembering those who were believers but had not yet merited eternal life and were in purgatory in order to be fully cleansed of sin and all its consequences.

To see why this Roman Catholic view is wrong, listen to the Scriptures themselves for knowing who a saint is and for hearing the promises of eternal life in heaven for all believers when they die. The Psalm is Psalm 149. Those in “the assembly of the godly” are called to sing praises to the Lord, their Maker and King, for He saves. “He adorns the humble with salvation.” They are to sing high praise to Him, with “two-edged swords in their hands.” Other Scriptures tell us that their “sword” is the Word of God, which they believe in and use. See Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…” Jesus has that sword of the Word in His own mouth (Revelation 1:16-18). And we are called to use that Word as “the weapon of our warfare,” for our own encouragement, and for calling people to follow Christ and His Word (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). God’s Word is “honor for His godly ones” and “judgment” for His enemies. (See Revelation 18:10,20, even against mighty Babylon.)

The Gospel lesson is Matthew 5:1-12. Notice those who are “blessed.” They are those who know that they are “spiritually poor” and “mourn” about their sins and are “meek” before God and “hunger and thirst for His righteousness” and try to be “merciful” because they have received “mercy” from Him, (especially in the sacrificial love and forgiveness Jesus would eventually give them, through His death for them on the cross). Only through Christ Jesus could they be forgiven, be counted “pure in heart,” and be “peacemakers,” sharing the peace of God through the Good News of Christ as Savior (Philippians 4:7). In this life, believers in Christ will face “persecution” and “evil” for seeking to be Christians, but the blessings will come in the Kingdom of heaven.

And how wonderful eternal life in heaven will be! We get a glimpse of that in the vision that God gives John in Revelation 7:9-17. Note that those in heaven will not be just certain special “canonized saints” or just people who have finally been released from purgatory. In fact, the word “purgatory” is never used in Scripture. Instead, John sees in heaven an innumerable multitude of people from all over the world praising God. They know that they did not merit being in heaven, but say, “Salvation belongs to our God… and to the Lamb,” the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:29). They are pure and holy because they have been “washed and cleansed by the blood of Christ, that Lamb,” shed for them on the cross. They give no glory to themselves, but give all glory and honor and thanksgiving to God, forever. They serve the Lord day and night, with all they need provided by God. They have no more tears, but Jesus, the Lamb, will be their Guide and Shepherd forever.

John marvels in the Epistle lesson, 1 John 3:1-3, at the great love of God has given us, so that we can be called children of God; and he says, that is exactly what we are. The sinful world does not know who we are, he says, because it does not know the one true Triune God and His saving work for us in Christ. We are already counted as God’s children now, even with all our struggles and imperfections. And we can’t even imagine what the perfection of heaven will be like, when we will never sin again and see our Lord as He is. We know that time is coming to live in a perfect way, though, by God’s grace, in heaven, and we try, even now, to live more purely according to His Word and to confess our sins and receive His forgiveness when we fail.

Finally, it is beneficial to examine scriptures that already refer to us as saints, counted righteous in God’s eyes by the gift of faith, as believers in Christ. See Romans 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 26-31; Colossians 1:2, 12-14, and 3:12; John 15:3-5, 15-16; and 1 John 5:11-13, as examples. Seek to rejoice in the Lord always, as you await that perfect eternal life to come in heaven, along with all believers in the Lord, through Christ and His Holy Spirit.

Sermon from October 26, 2025

Sermon: Reformation and 80th Anniversary of University Lutheran Church

Revelation 14: 6-7

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. (Psalm 19:14)

The text for our meditation is the First Lesson for Reformation, Revelation 14:6-7. Many people at the time of the Reformation chose this passage as a good description of the work of Martin Luther. He was not literally an angel, but the word “angel” also means a “messenger.” Angels often carried messages from the Lord to people, including the great Christmas message, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

It was that eternal Gospel, that eternal Good News, centered in Christ Jesus as Savior, that Martin Luther finally learned for himself and to share with everyone he could. He was asked to teach the Bible at his university. He had often felt guilty and unworthy before God, and as he read and studied Scripture and the Law of God, including the 10 Commandments, he knew clearly why he felt that way. He actually was a sinner who fell far short of God’s will and desire for him, and he could not be good enough and make himself acceptable to God, no matter how hard he tried.

That’s why, in our text, we also hear the angel, the messenger of God, also saying with a loud voice, “Fear God… because the hour of His judgment has come.” Martin Luther felt that fear, because he had tried becoming a priest and doing what his church said and going on a pilgrimage to Rome and doing other good things and even beating his own body to try to suffer for his sins - but none of that worked, and he felt no peace or forgiveness. And he knew that a popular idea of his church at the time was wrong - that you could buy your way to God and heaven by paying enough money by indulgences - that could not work, either.

But finally, as Luther read and studied the Word of God more and more, he found his answer in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself said, in our Gospel lesson for today, in John 8:31-36, “If you abide, if you continue in My Word,… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Yes, as Jesus says in this Scripture, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin,” and you can’t set yourself free from sin. Luther had tried. But then comes the truly Good News - “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus is pointing to Himself, the Son of Man and the Son of God, as the only Savior from sin.

Then Luther began to see this Good News again and again in Scripture. Our Epistle lesson for today, Romans 3:19-28, is a prime example. Yes, this Scripture says again, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and “by works of the Law, no one will be justified in God’s sight.” But then Paul tells us that what saves us is not our righteousness, but “the righteousness from God” coming to us through the gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life for us, in our place, and “redeemed” us, paid the price that freed us from the condemning power of our sins - and did it by the “propitiation,” the big word that means the sacrifice of His blood and life on the cross to forgive us and allowed us to be counted acceptable to God through faith in Him, faith worked in us by Him and His Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul could end this Epistle lesson with these words: “Then what becomes of our boasting (in ourselves for our salvation)? It is excluded… For we hold that one is justified by faith in Christ, apart from works of the Law” or any of our efforts.

This was the truly Good News that Martin Luther discovered in Scripture and boldly proclaimed in his preaching and teaching - and put in the common language of his own German people, so that they could understand and believe in Christ, too. Here are the three great “Solas,” the “Alones” of the Lutheran Reformation - that we are saved by the grace of God alone, His undeserved love and favor for us, coming to us as a gift, through faith in Christ alone and His saving work for us, as proclaimed by Scripture, God’s Word alone, as the foundation for what we believe.

But this was not just Good News for Martin Luther’s time. It was Good News to be proclaimed, as our text says, “to every nation and tribe and language and people.” Jesus had said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching” (Matthew 28:19-20). And He had prophesied, “This Gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

And so, in 1945, some leaders of our Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod District and from the only close Lutheran church in Lafayette, worked together to start a Lutheran campus ministry at Purdue. Purdue was growing, and people were coming back from World War II and wanted to get a good education, but also needed the same Good News of Christ and encouragement in Him through the Word of God and the Sacraments. And that ministry has continued to this very day, for 80 years.

In one sermon, I can’t begin to talk about everyone and everything, but remember that in all these years, the most important figure has been our triune God Himself, the creative and loving and saving Word and work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In those 80 years, the Lord has worked through six full-time pastors (and I am one of those - that’s why I am speaking today), and a seventh pastor beginning his work and being installed here next weekend; eleven vicars, seminary students who served here for a year, as part of their training to be a pastor; two international pastors, who helped part-time for some years, when our District encouraged us to reach out also to the many international students at Purdue - a Chinese pastor originally from Singapore; a Korean pastor who lived in Chicago; and then a DCE who worked in Chinese ministry through our church and Redeemer Lutheran, and later went on to become a pastor, himself.

Serving students has always been our priority, and all these people helped our students to be the church here and develop as leaders here and to try to think in a Biblical, Christ-centered way about their vocations and their future. So many have done well in their jobs and work and have become leaders in their congregations and communities, too. Quite a number have found their spouses here, as well - a life-long blessing, and some students were “church mice,” living free in the church in exchange for doing some work. Numbers of our students have also become Lutheran pastors and some Lutheran school teachers and deaconesses and university profs, helping others, as they have been helped. Some of our best supporters and encouragers through the years have been these Purdue alums, too.

And we can’t forget about parents and families, who were so concerned about their young people’s physical and spiritual welfare, and prayed for them and us, and helped where they could. And there have been faculty and staff at Purdue who have become members and helped us and our students in amazing ways, and others who supported us from their positions on campus. And we are so grateful to our own town members who like to be among students and are willing to take more of a back seat and let students do as much as possible. They provide stability and financial and other help and support during Summers and breaks, when there aren’t a lot of students around, too.

University Lutheran has also been a mission congregation of our District all these years, supported also by gifts from our about 230 congregations. The District owns our building and property (4 locations through the years) and has the final say about major decisions, but for the most part, that has worked well, as we work together. And being a mission church has reminded us that we need to be a church and people in mission to others, ourselves, with God’s love in Christ.

You may not know, but in the early years of University Lutheran, the pastor and vicars and other area leaders helped start three missions - a church in Crawfordsville, where Wabash College is located, a church in Greencastle, where DePauw University is located, and a town congregation right here in West Lafayette. There was a sense that if Purdue students needed ministry, so did the students and people of other college communities. We’ve helped with other missions and sponsored several mission trips to Ysleta Lutheran in Texas and Mexico, and summer camps, and other places. We’ve helped provide food for the needy, meals for the homeless, and did all sorts of social ministry projects through the years and still do them today.

As a result, we have also had Purdue grads who served our Synod in mission in Ghana and Thailand and Liberia, and we sent out their mission newsletters for them. Another grad has served in Japan and other countries in mission, and a Purdue-related person is now helping with some translation work in Taiwan for the Lutheran churches there. And for many years, our congregation sent back 20% of our regular offerings to District and Synod and seminary and other mission work.

I had the privilege through the years of baptizing and/or confirming quite a number of US and international students, including some who had grown up within an hour of University Lutheran but had hardly ever or never set foot in a church. And it was almost always not me who tracked them down, but a fellow student who invited them to come and see and learn and encouraged them until we could get them into an adult instruction class, and the Lord brought them to faith through His Word and baptism. A Korean student walked into my office one day and said that he had Korean friends who were “falling through the cracks” of a large Korean church near campus. Could we do something to help them? That’s how our Korean ministry at that time started - not by my initiative, but by a student. You don’t think of a fraternity as a mission center, but almost every year, there were students interested in our Lutheran fraternity and invited to worship and became Lutheran believers in Christ, over time.

In short, what Martin Luther was called to, in our text for today, is still our calling as a church today - to proclaim the eternal Gospel of Christ and His love with as many people as we can, of every background, so that we do not glory in ourselves, but give God the glory and worship Him and receive His Word and Sacraments, and then share His gifts of love and forgiveness and eternal life, with others.

Let us pray: Now may the peace of God, which passes all human understanding, keep our hearts and minds safe only where they are safe, in Christ Jesus our Lord (Philippians 4:7), and may the Lord continue to guide and bless our mission and ministry in the days and years ahead. Amen.