Author: admin

March 27, 2026

Broadcast

                       Judge Me, O God - Part 5
                             John 8:56-59
                              03/27/2026


        56   ``Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see
             my day. He saw it and was glad.''
        57   So the Jews said to him, ``You are not yet fifty
             years old, and have you seen Abraham?
        58   Jesus said to them, ``Truly, truly, I say to you,
             before Abraham was, I am.''
        59   So they picked up stones to throw at him, but
             Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
             (ESV)

        We believe, teach, and confess that we are redeemed from sin
   and death because of God's great love alone.  Our good works do
   not save.  Therefore, on Sunday we prayed:
        Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look
        upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved
        evermore in body and soul.


        This prayer asks God to give us the faith to hear and
   believe His Word, to recognize that Jesus is truly the Son of God
   and yet also true man.  Although this is the promise of the Old
   Testament and the message of the New Testament, the teaching is
   difficult.  Many people refuse to accept this truth.

        Jesus continued His debate with the Jews:
        ``Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my
        day. He saw it and was glad.''  So the Jews said to
        him, ``You are not yet fifty years old, and have you
        seen Abraham?  Jesus said to them, ``Truly, truly, I
        say to you, before Abraham was, I am.''  So they picked
        up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and
        went out of the temple.


        Jesus boldly confesses that He is the Son of God, that He is
   the long-promised Messiah.  The Jews sought to silence Jesus by
   stoning Him to death.

        Today you are confronted with the same message.  You have
   the right to judge Jesus as a heretic, as one who deserves death;
   or you can join us at Trinity Lutheran Church at 9:00 a.m. Sunday
   morning to hear more about Him.  We pray that you choose to
   accept our invitation.

        May our Lord open our hearts and minds to the truth of His
   Word so that we have the comfort of knowing our sins are
   forgiven.  Amen.

March 26, 2026

Broadcast

                       Judge Me, O God - Part 4
                             John 8:51-55
                              03/26/2026


        51   ``Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my
             word, he will never see death.''
        52   The Jews said to him, ``Now we know that you have
             a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet
             you say, `If anyone keeps my word, he will never
             taste death.'
        53   Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
             And the prophets died!  Who do you make yourself
             out to be?''
        54   Jesus answered, ``If I glorify myself, my glory is
             nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom
             you say, `He is our God.'
        55   But you have not known him. I know him. If I were
             to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar
             like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.''
             (ESV)

        Last Sunday, which is called ``Judica Sunday'' because we
   desire that God judge us and declare us righteous, we prayed:
        Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look
        upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved
        evermore in body and soul.


        As Christians, we agree that the truth of God's Word seems
   incredible.  Our parents, our friends, our neighbors pass away.
   We can drive outside of town to visit their graves, even as we
   remember their lives.  Yet, we confess that we have life
   everlasting in Christ Jesus.  We will sleep the rest of temporal
   death, but are alive in Christ.

        If you are uncomfortable with this truth, you are not alone.
   The Jews with whom Jesus was debating had the same reaction.
        ``Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word,
        he will never see death.''  The Jews said to him, ``Now
        we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the
        prophets, yet you say, `If anyone keeps my word, he
        will never taste death.'  Are you greater than our
        father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died!  Who
        do you make yourself out to be?''  Jesus answered, ``If
        I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father
        who glorifies me, of whom you say, `He is our God.'
        But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to
        say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you,
        but I do know him and I keep his word.''


        May our Lord grant us faith to hear His Word.  Amen.

March 25, 2026

Broadcast

                       Judge Me, O God - Part 3
                             John 8:48-50
                              03/25/2026


        48   The Jews answered him, ``Are we not right in
             saying that you are a Samaritan and have a
             demon?''
        49   Jesus answered, ``I do not have a demon, but I
             honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
        50   Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who
             seeks it, and he is the judge.''  (ESV)

        Last Sunday we prayed:
        Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look
        upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved
        evermore in body and soul.


        As we pray, we are confessing certain beliefs.  First, we
   confess that the goal of the Christian Church is not morality and
   good works, but the forgiveness of our sins which leads to life
   everlasting.  Good works are an outgrowth of our faith in Christ
   Jesus as our Redeemer.  Because we are judged and declared
   righteous in His sight, we forgive those who sin against us.

        Second, we confess that we, of our own reason or strength,
   cannot life a God pleasing life.  Only as we are forgiven, only
   as the Holy Spirit draws our focus from our own selfish desires
   to put our eyes on God's mercy, do we begin to desire to love our
   neighbors as ourselves.

        Those people who do not want to hear the truth often begin
   by attacking the messenger.  They attack the credibility of the
   person, not the credibility of the message.  It was true in
   Jesus' day, it is true today.

        The Jews answered him, ``Are we not right in saying
        that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?''  Jesus
        answered, ``I do not have a demon, but I honor my
        Father, and you dishonor me.  Yet I do not seek my own
        glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the
        judge.''


        May our Lord grant us faith to see Jesus as the One sent by
   God to bring us life everlasting by paying the price of our sin.
   Amen.

March 24, 2026

Broadcast

                       Judge Me, O God - Part 2
                             John 8:46-47
                              03/24/2026


        46   ``Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell
             the truth, why do you not believe me?
        47   Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The
             reason why you do not hear them is that you are
             not of God.''  (ESV)

        In the prayer of the Church on Sunday, we said:
        Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look
        upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved
        evermore in body and soul.


        With this prayer, we ask God to graciously give us the faith
   which hears the truth of His love, grace, and mercy.  Because we
   are born with sin, our natural desire is to hide from God, to run
   from Him.  Only as the Holy Spirit gives us faith to receive the
   truth of God's Word can we come to know of our heavenly Father's
   love.

        Jesus, while debating the religious leaders, said: ``Which
   one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you
   not believe me?  Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The
   reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.''

        This is the harsh truth, we flee from God's Word because we
   do not have faith in Him.  We find all sorts of excuses to stop
   our ears, for we are afraid that hearing of God's love will force
   us to change, to confess our sins, and to throw ourselves on His
   mercy.

        We want to be in charge, but our prayer this week admits
   that our help is only in the name of the Lord, that we, of
   ourselves, have no hope.  We are not comfortable admitting that
   we have no strength to redeem ourselves.  For many people, this
   fact drives them away from the One who brings hope.

        May our Lord open our ears to hear His Word for our eternal
   blessing.  Amen.

March 23, 2026

Broadcast

                       Judge Me, O God - Part 1
                             John 8:42-45
                              03/23/2026


        42   Jesus said to them, ``If God were your Father, you
             would love me, for I came from God and I am here.
             I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
        43   Why do you not understand what I say? It is
             because you cannot bear to hear my word.
        44   You are of your father the devil, and your will is
             to do your father's desires.  He was a murderer
             from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the
             truth, because there is no truth in him. When he
             lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he
             is a liar and the father of lies.
        45   But because I tell the truth, you do not believe
             me.''  (ESV)

        Yesterday, the Fifth Sunday in Lent, is called ``Judica
   Sunday'' from the first word of the Introit.  ``Judge me, O God,
   and plead my cause against an unholy nation,'' comes from Psalm
   43.  The historic Gospel lesson was an account of a discussion
   between the religious leaders and Jesus which occurred about six
   months before Jesus was crucified.  In this Gospel lesson Jesus
   speaks of their world view, of their inability to hear His words.

        Jesus said to them, ``If God were your Father, you
        would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I
        came not of my own accord, but he sent me.  Why do you
        not understand what I say? It is because you cannot
        bear to hear my word.  You are of your father the
        devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.
        He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing
        to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him.
        When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for
        he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I
        tell the truth, you do not believe me.''


        In the Collect, the prayer of the Church, we said:
        Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look
        upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved
        evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your
        Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the
        Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.


        The prayer asks God to grant us faith to hear His Word, that
   we may be redeemed from sin and eternal death.  We flee to His
   mercy, knowing that we, like the religious leaders, cannot bear
   to hear the word of truth unless our hearts are opened by the
   working of the Holy Spirit.

        This week we will have the pleasure of learning the truth of
   Jesus as He confesses that He is the Son of God who takes away
   the sins of the world.  May our Lord grant you His grace and
   mercy so that you hear His Word.  Amen.

March 20, 2026

Broadcast

                       Food for Thought - Part 5
                             John 6:12-13
                              03/20/2026


        12   And when they had eaten their fill, he told his
             disciples, ``Gather up the leftover fragments,
             that nothing may be lost.''
        13   So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets
             with fragments from the five barley loaves, left
             by those who had eaten.  (ESV)

        Sunday's Gospel lesson was Saint John's account of the
   feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children.
        And when they had eaten their fill, he told his
        disciples, ``Gather up the leftover fragments, that
        nothing may be lost.''  So they gathered them up and
        filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five
        barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.


        God blesses us well beyond our needs.  What seemed to be so
   little, fives loaves of bread and two fish, was enough to feed
   5,000 men, plus women and children.  They were filled, yet the
   disciples gathered twelve large baskets of leftovers.

        Jesus gives us of His body and blood in and under the bread
   and wine of the Lord's Supper.  For two thousand years this
   heavenly food has nourished the Church, and there is enough to
   last through all eternity.

        Last Sunday the Church prayed:
        Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new
        every morning; and though we deserve only punishment,
        You receive us as Your children and provide for all our
        needs of body and soul.  Grant that we may heartily
        acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all
        Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience.


        This miracle gives us food for thought.  Please join us at
   Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. as we
   ponder more about God's abundant goodness, love, and mercy as
   given to us through Christ Jesus.

        May our Lord grant that we find our life in Him, both
   physically and for all eternity.  Amen.

March 19, 2026

Broadcast

                       Food for Thought - Part 4
                             John 6:10-11
                              03/19/2026


        10   Jesus said, ``Have the people sit down.'' Now
             there was much grass in the place.  So the men sat
             down, about five thousand in number.
        11   Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given
             thanks, he distributed them to those who were
             seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
             (ESV)

        Sunday's Gospel lesson was Saint John's account of the
   feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children.
        Jesus said, ``Have the people sit down.'' Now there was
        much grass in the place.  So the men sat down, about
        five thousand in number.  Jesus then took the loaves,
        and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to
        those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as
        they wanted.


        The words are familiar.  Jesus always gave thanks to God for
   the food and drink which He received.  This is good, for it
   acknowledges that all we need to sustain this body and life is a
   gift from our heavenly Father.

        Yet the words of Saint John also echo the words we hear each
   Sunday as we gather to receive the Lord's Supper.  ``Our Lord
   Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread.  And
   when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His
   disciples, saying, `Take and eat, this is My body which is given
   for you.'''

        Both our physical nourishment and our spiritual nourishment
   are a gift from God.  Last Sunday the Church prayed:
        Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new
        every morning; and though we deserve only punishment,
        You receive us as Your children and provide for all our
        needs of body and soul.  Grant that we may heartily
        acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all
        Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience.


        This prayer is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

        May our Lord grant us faith to see and acknowledge His
   gracious goodness which sustains us now and for the life to come.
   Amen.

March 18, 2026

Broadcast

                       Food for Thought - Part 3
                             John 6:5,8-9
                              03/18/2026


        5    Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large
             crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip,
             ``Where are we to buy bread, so that these people
             may eat?'' ...
        8    One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's
             brother, said to him,
        9    ``There is a boy here who has five barley loaves
             and two fish, but what are they for so many?''
             (ESV)

        Sunday's Gospel lesson was Saint John's account of the
   feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children.
        Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large
        crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip,
        ``Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may
        eat?'' ...  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's
        brother, said to him, ``There is a boy here who has
        five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for
        so many?''


        The disciples knew there was a problem, the people who
   followed Jesus would need to eat.  Although the disciples could
   find a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish, they knew their
   own efforts would fail.  Jesus, however, had the matter well at
   hand.  In the same way the disciples' efforts at feeding the
   5,000 was doomed, so are our efforts to pay the price of our own
   sins against God and neighbor.  Jesus also has that matter well
   at hand.

        Last Sunday the Church prayed:
        Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new
        every morning; and though we deserve only punishment,
        You receive us as Your children and provide for all our
        needs of body and soul.  Grant that we may heartily
        acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all
        Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience.


        God gives us our daily bread through the work of farmers,
   through the work of processing plants and transportation
   companies and all the people who produce and distribute the food
   we eat.  God gives us the forgiveness of sins through His Word of
   truth, both as we hear it and as it is joined with the bread and
   wine in the Lord's Supper.

        May our Lord grant us faith to see and acknowledge His daily
   gifts, both of bread and redemption.  Amen.

March 17, 2026

Broadcast

                       Food for Thought - Part 2
                               John 6:4
                              03/17/2026


        4    Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at
             hand.  (ESV)

        Sunday's Gospel lesson was Saint John's account of the
   feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children.  Saint John
   noted not only the place, the wilderness, but the time of year:
   ``Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.''

        What is the significance of this?  The Gospel of John does
   not directly speak of the Lord's Supper, which Jesus gave to the
   Church the night He was betrayed.  From the other Gospel accounts
   we know that Jesus was celebrating the Passover when He took the
   bread and wine, saying, ``This is My body, this is My blood.''
   The rest of this chapter in John's Gospel speaks of Jesus being
   the ``Bread of Life.''  Over the centuries since John wrote, many
   theologians have suggested that this chapter is truly about the
   sacrament of Communion, that the feeding of the 5,000 opens the
   discussion of this gift of life and salvation which Jesus gives
   the Church.

        Last Sunday the Church prayed:
        Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new
        every morning; and though we deserve only punishment,
        You receive us as Your children and provide for all our
        needs of body and soul.  Grant that we may heartily
        acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all
        Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience.


        In this prayer we confess that we deserve God's wrath, but
   He gives us His mercy.  We have sinned against Him, we have
   sinned against our neighbor, yet He provides for both our
   physical and spiritual needs.  It is because of God's love that
   we receive our daily bread.  It is because of God's love that we
   receive the forgiveness of our sins which leads to life
   everlasting.

        May our Lord grant us faith to see and acknowledge His daily
   mercies.  Amen.

March 16, 2026

Broadcast

                       Food for Thought - Part 1
                              John 6:1-3
                              03/16/2026


        1    After this Jesus went away to the other side of
             the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
        2    And a large crowd was following him, because they
             saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
        3    Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat
             down with his disciples.  (ESV)

        The Collect is a brief prayer which the Church appoints for
   each Sunday.  It is usually related to the Gospel or Epistle for
   the Sunday.  In the historic series of readings, some of the
   collects have been in use for almost fifteen centuries.  Because
   the love of God is never ending, and He does not change, our
   liturgical prayers do not need to change.

        Sunday's Gospel lesson was Saint John's account of the
   feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children.  There in the
   wilderness, Jesus used five loaves of bread and two fish to
   satisfy the physical needs of the crowds.  He answered the
   prayer, ``give us this day our daily bread,'' even before the
   crowds were aware they had no provisions.

        After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea
        of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.  And a large
        crowd was following him, because they saw the signs
        that he was doing on the sick.  Jesus went up on the
        mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.


        Last Sunday the Church prayed:
        Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new
        every morning; and though we deserve only punishment,
        You receive us as Your children and provide for all our
        needs of body and soul.  Grant that we may heartily
        acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all
        Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience;
        through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and
        reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
        forever.


        This prayer, which we will discuss this week, is both for
   physical and spiritual blessings.

        May our Lord grant that we acknowledge His love and mercy,
   that He knows and cares for us, body and soul.  Amen.