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March 13, 2026

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 5
                              Luke 11:28
                              03/13/2026


        28   But he said, ``Blessed rather are those who hear
             the word of God and keep it!''  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed the historic Collect for the Third
   Sunday in Lent.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word.


        We pray that God shower us with His grace, love, and mercy
   so that we may have the comfort of knowing our sins are forgiven
   for the sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We pray
   that our friends and families and neighbors who do not know the
   true peace of God which comes from His mercy, come to faith and
   receive the gift of everlasting life.

        Jesus said: ``Blessed rather are those who hear the word of
   God and keep it!''

        In this case, the word ``keep'' is not a command to obey,
   but a desire to treasure the Word of God, to hold it in a place
   of honor, to protect the truth of God's grace and love.  To keep
   God's Word is to make it our most prized possession, something we
   daily ponder and study and learn.

        Thus the Church invites you to come home to the Father's
   house, to receive for yourself the full measure of His peace.
   You have the opportunity to learn more of the truth of God's Word
   each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. when you are invited to join us
   at Trinity Lutheran Church.

        May our Lord grant that we know of His unchangeable Word,
   that His mercy never fails, and that He desires us to know the
   truth of His love.  Amen.

March 12, 2025

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 4
                              Luke 11:27
                              03/12/2026


        27   As he said these things, a woman in the crowd
             raised her voice and said to him, ``Blessed is the
             womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you
             nursed!''  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed the historic Collect for the Third
   Sunday in Lent.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word.


        In this prayer we ask God to grant to each of us faith which
   trusts in Him for all things.  We know that God works through
   external means, through the Word and Sacraments to create faith,
   through our jobs and vocations to provide for our daily bread.
   Each day we also stray from the truth of His Word, which is why
   we daily ask Him to forgive us our trespasses.  In turn, we serve
   God by serving our neighbor.

        There is a form of religion, however, which does not save.
        As [Jesus] said these things, a woman in the crowd
        raised her voice and said to him, ``Blessed is the womb
        that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!''


        What the woman said is indeed true, and we certainly hold
   Mary as an example of faith.  Yet, many times the trappings of
   religion, the traditions, the works of those who have gone before
   us, blinds us to the truth of God's Word.

        When the form of religion, when the history of religion,
   when the traditions of religion take our eyes off of Christ Jesus
   as our Redeemer, we do not hold fast to the unchangeable truth of
   God's Word.  When we rely on our own works, our own good
   behavior, we do not embrace the truth of God.

        May our Lord grant that we embrace and hold fast the
   unchangeable truth of His Word, that we may have a firm and
   steadfast faith in Him.  Amen.

March 11, 2026

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 3
                             Luke 11:23-26
                              03/11/2026


        23   Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever
             does not gather with me scatters.
        24   When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person,
             it passes through waterless places seeking rest,
             and finding none it says, I will return to my
             house from which I came.
        25   And when it comes, it finds the house swept and
             put in order.
        26   Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more
             evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there.
             And the last state of that person is worse than
             the first.  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed the historic Collect for the Third
   Sunday in Lent.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word.


        Although we don't like to admit that we live in a binary
   world, the truth is simple.  You cannot be neutral about the
   message of Christianity.  Jesus said: ``Whoever is not with me is
   against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.''
   Either we are filled with evil, or we are filled with the Holy
   Spirit.  Either we desire to sin, or we repent of our daily
   failures.

        Jesus also explained that our spirit cannot remain empty.
        When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it
        passes through waterless places seeking rest, and
        finding none it says, I will return to my house from
        which I came.  And when it comes, it finds the house
        swept and put in order.  Then it goes and brings seven
        other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and
        dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse
        than the first.


        Our prayer is for all who hear the Word of God to truly
   believe it and to trust in Christ Jesus as their Savior from sin
   and death.  Our prayer is that we daily repent, and daily study
   God's Word, and daily trust in God above all things.

        Grant this, Lord, for the sake of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

March 10, 2026

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 2
                             Luke 11:20-22
                              03/10/2026


        20   ``But if it is by the finger of God that I cast
             out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon
             you.
        21   When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own
             palace, his goods are safe;
        22   but when one stronger than he attacks him and
             overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he
             trusted and divides his spoil.''  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed the historic Collect for the Third
   Sunday in Lent.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word.


        In this prayer, we confess that our redemption from sin,
   death, and the power of the devil is because of God's great mercy
   and love alone.  We admit that all who have left the household of
   faith, who no longer trust in Jesus Christ for their hope of
   eternal life, have done so because their spirit is filled with
   the lies of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh.

        Jesus said:
        ``But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out
        demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
        When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace,
        his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he
        attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor
        in which he trusted and divides his spoil.''


        The strong man, Satan, jealously guards against the truth of
   God's Word.  Yet, Jesus is the One who is stronger, who overcomes
   him and takes away his power.  Jesus earned this victory over sin
   and death by His crucifixion and resurrection.  The empty tomb
   shows that death no longer has power over Him.  In turn, Christ
   Jesus promises that He will raise us up from the sleep of
   temporal death to take us with Him for eternity.

        May our Lord grant us faith to trust in the Word of God
   proclaimed by Jesus, that He is the One who defeated Satan for
   all time for our redemption.  Amen.

March 9, 2026

Broadcast

                          Come Home - Part 1
                              Luke 11:14
                              03/09/2026


        14   Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When
             the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and
             the people marveled.  (ESV)

        Yesterday the historic prayer of the Church was for those
   have strayed from the truth of God's Word, the truth that we are
   redeemed from sin and death because of God's great love.
        O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be
        gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and
        bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast
        faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth
        of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,
        who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one
        God, now and forever.


        Daily we are tempted by the devil, the world, and our own
   sinful flesh.  We desire to turn from that which is right and
   true, only to embrace that which becomes harmful.  Yes, that
   which tempts us may look and sound delightful, but it leads to
   spiritual destruction and eternal death.

        Saint Luke recorded a time when Jesus cast a demon from a
   mute man.  On this occasion our Lord spoke of our spiritual
   condition, that we are either filled with the Holy Spirit, or we
   are filled with the evil of sin.

        ``Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the
   demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people
   marveled.''

        This week, while we look at the Prayer of the Church, we
   will see how Jesus overcame sin and death for our redemption.

        May our Lord grant that we hear His Word and trust in Him
   alone.  Amen.

February 27, 2026

Broadcast

                          Temptation - Part 5
                             Matthew 4:11
                              02/27/2026


        11   Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came
             and were ministering to him.  (ESV)

        Last Sunday we prayed:
        O Lord God; You led Your ancient people through the
        wilderness and brought them to the promised land.
        Guide the people of Your Church that following our
        Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world
        toward the glory of the world to come.


        Is it proper to compare Jesus' life, death, and resurrection
   to the Exodus from Egypt?  Is it proper to compare our salvation
   to the journey of Israel as they wandered forty years in the
   wilderness?

        When Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses
   and Elijah, they discussed His departure, literally His exodus,
   which would be accomplished in Jerusalem.  Saint Luke, in his
   Gospel, uses the word ``exodus''[1] to describe Jesus' death and
   resurrection.

        Jesus leads is in our own exodus from sin, death, and the
   power of the devil.  Even as we stumble and fail, our Lord
   continues to uphold us.  He has defeated the temptations which
   overwhelm us, and has won for us our redemption.  The story of
   Jesus' temptation shows this first of many victories over sin
   which He accomplished on our behalf.  ``Then the devil left him,
   and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.''

        Please join us each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity
   Lutheran Church to learn more of our deliverance from the devil,
   the world, and our own sinful flesh.  If you have questions or
   comments, please visit our ``ask the pastor'' website at
   http://ask.trinityslayton.info.

        May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing Christ Jesus has
   delivered you from sin and death because of His great love.
   Amen.
   ____________________

   1. Luke 9:31

February 26, 2026

Broadcast

                          Temptation - Part 4
                            Matthew 4:8-10
                              02/26/2026


        8    Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain
             and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and
             their glory.
        9    And he said to him, ``All these I will give you,
             if you will fall down and worship me.''
        10   Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan! For it is
             written, ``You shall worship the Lord your God and
             him only shall you serve.''  (ESV)

        Jesus overcame the temptations of the flesh and the lure of
   false doctrine
    so to deliver His people from sin, death, and the power of the
   devil.  Last Sunday we prayed:
        O Lord God; You led Your ancient people through the
        wilderness and brought them to the promised land.
        Guide the people of Your Church that following our
        Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world
        toward the glory of the world to come.


        Hungry and weak from fasting forty days and forty nights,
   Jesus nevertheless did not give in to the devil's temptations
   concerning God's care for His creation.  Jesus did not give in to
   a false rendering of God's Word.

        Now the devil goes to the heart of the matter.  Jesus, as
   true man, knew the pain and suffering which He would endure to
   deliver mankind from sin and death.  The devil appealed to Jesus
   as man to avoid this pain even while obtaining power and glory in
   this world.

        Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and
        showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their
        glory.  And he said to him, ``All these I will give
        you, if you will fall down and worship me.''  Then
        Jesus said to him, 11Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
        `You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall
        you serve.'''


        The pain will end.  The glory of this world will pass away.
   The Word of the Lord endures forever.  Nothing created can
   replace the love, grace, and mercy of the almighty God.

        May our Lord grant that we fear, love, and trust in Him
   above all things.  Amen.

February 25, 2026

Broadcast

                          Temptation - Part 3
                             Matthew 4:5-7
                              02/25/2026


        5    Then the devil took him to the holy city and set
             him on the pinnacle of the temple
        6    and said to him, ``If you are the Son of God,
             throw yourself down, for it is written, `He will
             command his angels concerning you,' and `On their
             hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your
             foot against a stone.'
        7    Jesus said to him, ``Again it is written, `You
             shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'''
             (ESV)

        Jesus overcame temptation so to deliver His people from sin,
   death, and the power of the devil.  Last Sunday we prayed:
        O Lord God; You led Your ancient people through the
        wilderness and brought them to the promised land.
        Guide the people of Your Church that following our
        Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world
        toward the glory of the world to come.


        Having failed to tempt Jesus to doubt God's Word about
   providing for our daily needs, the devil sought to deceive Jesus
   by twisting the very Word in which Jesus trusted.  The devil is a
   master of Biblical knowledge, one who knows how to misread
   Scripture to deceive those who do know God's promises.

        Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on
        the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ``If you
        are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is
        written, `He will command his angels concerning you,'
        and `On their hands they will bear you up, lest you
        strike your foot against a stone.'''  Jesus said to
        him, ``Again it is written, `You shall not put the Lord
        your God to the test.'''


        False teachers will quote the Bible out of context or will
   omit certain verses.  A partial truth is, in fact, a lie.  The
   Psalm quoted by the devil is not an invitation to perform some
   sort of daring act, but to know that God keeps us through the
   knowledge of His grace and love.

        May our Lord grant us wisdom and knowlege to trust in His
   entire Word, that we may know and flee from false teaching.
   Amen.

February 24, 2026

Broadcast

                          Temptation - Part 2
                             Matthew 4:3-4
                              02/24/2026


        3    And the tempter came and said to him, ``If you are
             the Son of God, command these stones to become
             loaves of bread.''
        4    But he answered, ``It is written, `Man shall not
             live by bread alone, but by every word that comes
             from the mouth of God.'''  (ESV)

        During Lent we reflect on God's grace, love, and mercy as He
   delivered us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.  Last
   Sunday we prayed:
        O Lord God; You led Your ancient people through the
        wilderness and brought them to the promised land.
        Guide the people of Your Church that following our
        Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world
        toward the glory of the world to come.


        Immediately after He was baptized, Jesus went by Himself
   into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the devil.  Jesus
   had to overcome the temptations which we fail to overcome.  His
   victory over sin had to include victory over the sins which
   continue to defeat each of us.  The first temptation concerned
   our bodily needs.

        Jesus had been fasting for forty days.  He was hungry.  As
   true man, He was at the end of His energy, weak with hunger.
        And the tempter came and said to him, ``If you are the
        Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of
        bread.''  But he answered, ``It is written, `Man shall
        not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes
        from the mouth of God.'''


        Jesus trusted in His Father, even when weak with hunger.  He
   proved He is the Son of God by rebuking the devil and by holding
   to God's Word alone.

        May our Lord grant us faith that He will provide for us in
   time of need so we trust in Him for all things.  Amen.

February 23, 2026

Broadcast

                          Temptation - Part 1
                             Matthew 4:1-2
                              02/23/2026


        1    Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the
             wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
        2    And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he
             was hungry.  (ESV)

        We are now in the first full week of the season of Lent.
   This last Sunday we prayed:
        O Lord God; You led Your ancient people through the
        wilderness and brought them to the promised land.
        Guide the people of Your Church that following our
        Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world
        toward the glory of the world to come; through Jesus
        Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with
        You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.


        The story of the Passover and Exodus from Egypt provides the
   foundation for the Old Testament, and finds its fulfillment in
   the New Testament.  God delivers His people.  In spite of
   temptation, in spite of hardships, God leads His people forward
   for their ultimate blessing.

        Jesus, called the Lamb of God by John the Baptizer, is the
   one who delivers us from sin and death.  He did this by
   overcoming temptation, by rebuking the devil, and then dying so
   that eternal death passes over those who trust in His blood.  His
   resurrection is the final proof that God has delivered His
   people, that our journey through this life ends as we live in our
   heavenly Father's mansions.

        Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness
        to be tempted by the devil.  And after fasting forty
        days and forty nights, he was hungry.


        This week we will explore the temptation of Jesus in the
   wilderness with our delivery from sin, death, and the power of
   the devil.

        May our Lord grant you the blessing of peace as we ponder
   His grace and love.  Amen.