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June 6, 2025

Broadcast

                     Cost of Discipleship - Part 5
                              John 16:4a
                              06/06/2025


        4a   But I have said these things to you, that when
             their hour comes you may remember that I told them
             to you.  (ESV)

        There is a cost of discipleship, a cost in this world as you
   hold in faith to Jesus Christ as your Redeemer from sin, death,
   and the power of the devil.  The Church is at odds with the
   world, for the Church declares the sickness of sin so that the
   cure of the Gospel may be heard.

        Although in the United States we don't see Christians jailed
   or executed for their beliefs, we are very aware of the daily
   ridicule and scorn heaped upon people of faith.  The
   constitutional freedom of religion has turned into the freedom
   from religion, to the extent that many Christian pastors are
   afraid to publicly pray in the name of Jesus.

        Yet, people of faith, people who hold to salvation by grace
   through faith for the sake of Christ, have hope in this sinful
   world.  They remember Jesus' words: ``But I have said these
   things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I
   told them to you.''  They know that the Christian daily picks up
   his cross and follows Jesus, for Jesus is our only hope in this
   fallen and sinful life.

        You have the opportunity to hear that message of hope, of
   the love of the Father who sent His Son to redeem you from sin
   and death.  Each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. the redeemed
   children of God gather at Trinity Lutheran Church to receive
   God's gift of forgiveness.  Please join us to hear of God's love.

        May our Lord grant you faith to trust in Christ Jesus who
   bore the guilt of your sin, and gives to you the gift of eternal
   life.  Amen.

June 5, 2025

Broadcast

                     Cost of Discipleship - Part 4
                               John 16:3
                              06/05/2025


        3    And they will do these things because they have
             not known the Father, nor me.  (ESV)

        The truth of salvation by grace through faith for the sake
   of Christ changes how you look at the world.  Because you have
   received the gift of the forgiveness of your sins from God, even
   though you did not deserve or earn that gift, you change how you
   think and act.  Where you once looked out for yourself before
   considering others, now you ask, ``Does this bring glory to God
   and serve my neighbor?''

        Good works flow from faith.  Certainly you can give to
   charity or help others even if you do not have faith in Jesus
   Christ, but what is your motivation?  How many people donate to a
   worthy cause, not because they are concerned about helping those
   in need, but desire the publicity which comes from giving
   donations?

        On the other hand, the world simply doesn't know how to
   handle people who truly seek the good of others before their own
   comfort and reputation.  Unfortunately, people who act with
   unselfish motivation make society nervous.  Jesus was crucified,
   not for crimes, but for healing the sick and raising the dead and
   bringing comfort to those in distress.

        Why are Christians persecuted for their good works, for
   their rejection of the selfish ambitions of society?  Jesus said,
   ``And they will do these things because they have not known the
   Father, nor me.''  The world knows how to handle the power
   hungry, the selfish, and those who look down on the less
   fortunate.  The world cannot handle the caring, the loving, the
   person who seeks the good of his neighbor without thought of
   reward or pay-back.

        May our Lord grant you peace, even as you live in this
   world, but do not live according to the standards of this world.
   Amen.

June 4, 2025

Broadcast

                     Cost of Discipleship - Part 3
                              John 16:1-2
                              06/04/2025


        1    I have said all these things to you to keep you
             from falling away.
        2    They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed,
             the hour is coming when whoever kills you will
             think he is offering service to God.  (ESV)

        Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the twentieth century Lutheran
   theologian who was executed for his opposition to the German
   government during World War II, once wrote, ``When Christ calls a
   man, he bids him come and die.''[1] Because the Christian witness
   concerning salvation by God's grace and love alone for the sake
   of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone does not
   conform to the world's teaching, Christians can expect to be
   prosecuted for their faith.

        Jesus told His disciples:
        I have said all these things to you to keep you from
        falling away.  They will put you out of the synagogues.
        Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will
        think he is offering service to God.


        If you are looking for acceptance in this world, if you are
   looking for popularity, being a confessing Christian is not the
   way to win worldly friends.  If you are looking for the comfort
   of knowing your sins are forgiven, that you can face the
   realities of pain, suffering, and death knowing that you have the
   hope of eternal life for the sake of Christ, the rejection of
   this world is easier to take.

        You have the comfort of the Gospel, that you have died to
   sin through the work of the Holy Spirit, and have risen to new
   life in Christ Jesus.  You see beyond the immediate suffering in
   this world to glimpse the glory of the mansions of God, of being
   with the Father for all of eternity.  The Holy Spirit gives you
   the comfort of salvation by grace through faith for the sake of
   Christ.

        May our Lord strengthen your faith, that when you suffer in
   this world you have the assurance of life everlasting.  Amen.

June 3, 2025

Broadcast

                     Cost of Discipleship - Part 2
                             John 15:26-27
                              06/03/2025


        26   But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you
             from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds
             from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
        27   And you also will bear witness, because you have
             been with me from the beginning.  (ESV)

        [Jesus said:] But when the Helper comes, whom I will
        send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who
        proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about
        me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have
        been with me from the beginning.


        Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, a Greek word
   which may be translated as ``comforter'' or ``advocate'' or
   ``counselor.''  He is also a helper, one who brings the comfort
   which comes from knowing the truth of God's love, grace, and
   mercy.

        The Holy Spirit first bears witness of Jesus, of His death
   and resurrection for our salvation from sin and eternal death.
   This witness declares that the Bible is the Word of God, inspired
   by the Holy Spirit for our learning and to bring us to faith in
   Jesus.

        When the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh cause us
   to ask, ``Did God really say?'' the Holy Spirit shows us how the
   Bible is true.  Unlike a book of myths or fairly tales, you can
   find good, external evidence of the people, places, and events of
   both the Old and New Testaments.  Many scholars who are not
   friendly to Christianity continue to find objects and artifacts
   that verify the accounts rendered in the Bible.

        You and I can take comfort in knowing the Word of God is
   true and accurate, for the Word of God gives us the declaration
   that our sins are forgiven, and that we have eternal life for the
   sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

        May our Lord continue to bring you the comfort and hope of
   knowing you have the gift of everlasting life.  Amen.

June 2, 2025

Broadcast

                     Cost of Discipleship - Part 1
                             John 15:26-27
                              06/02/2025


        26   But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you
             from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds
             from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
        27   And you also will bear witness, because you have
             been with me from the beginning.  (ESV)

        Forty days after Easter, Christ Jesus ascended into heaven
   as witnessed by His disciples.  Does the truth that Jesus no
   longer physically walks upon the earth mean that He is not
   present?  We believe, teach, and confess that our Lord Jesus
   Christ remains with His Church through Word and sacrament. We
   also believe, teach, and confess that as Jesus sits at the right
   hand of the Father, this is not someplace far removed from each
   Christian. If the Father is present everywhere, which is one of
   God's attributes, then the Son is equally present.

        But Jesus also promised the disciples that they would also
   receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father
   and the Son. Jesus said:
        But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from
        the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the
        Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also
        will bear witness, because you have been with me from
        the beginning.


        As we will see in the coming weeks, it is the work of the
   Holy Spirit to call, gather, and enlighten the Church, and each
   individual Christian, with the truth of God's rich grace, love,
   and mercy. Through the witness of the proclaimed Word, through
   the visible Word of the sacraments, the Holy Spirit brings us to
   faith in Christ Jesus. We are declared holy in God's sight as we
   trust that our salvation from sin and death is because of God's
   love alone, for the sake of Jesus Christ alone.

        This week we will look at the promise Jesus gave to His
   disciples to send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and the cost of
   Christian faith in this sinful world.

        May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing His grace and
   mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

May 30, 2025

Broadcast

                        Ask in My Name - Part 5
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/30/2025


        23   In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly,
             truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
             Father in my name, he will give it to you.
        24   Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask,
             and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
             (ESV)

        [Jesus said:] In that day you will ask nothing of me.
        Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
        Father in my name, he will give it to you.  Until now
        you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will
        receive, that your joy may be full.


        We are looking at the five aspects of true prayer.  First,
   we must trust in God's promise to hear our prayer.  Second, we
   pray is faith knowing that God keeps His promises.  Third, we
   pray for specific things, something we definitely name.  Fourth,
   we must truly desire that the petition be granted.  Finally, we
   ask for all things in the name of Jesus Christ.

        We are reconciled to the Father by the suffering, death, and
   resurrection of Jesus.  Only by the blood of Jesus can we come
   into our heavenly Father's presence with our petitions, with our
   praise, and with our thanksgiving.  Without Jesus, we flee from
   God, ashamed and afraid.  Joined with Jesus through the Word and
   Sacraments, we are bold to pray, to come into God's presence at
   His invitation.

        Our Lord Jesus Christ has ascended into heaven where He sits
   at the right hand of the Father.  While we await His return, and
   gather to listen to His Word, and to receive the blessings given
   through the Sacraments He has given the Church.  Please join us
   each Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church to
   learn more of salvation by God's rich grace and love alone, which
   we receive through faith in Jesus Christ alone, given to us
   through God's holy Word.

        May our Lord grant us faith to believe His promises, that we
   come to Him in prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Broadcast

                        Ask in My Name - Part 4
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/29/2025


        23   In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly,
             truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
             Father in my name, he will give it to you.
        24   Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask,
             and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
             (ESV)

        This evening Trinity Lutheran Church and Saint Paul Lutheran
   Church in Fulda will be celebrating our Lord Jesus Christ's
   ascension into heaven.  Please join us at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Paul
   in Fulda as we hear of Jesus' last actions before He joined His
   Father at His right hand.

        [Jesus said:] In that day you will ask nothing of me.
        Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
        Father in my name, he will give it to you.  Until now
        you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will
        receive, that your joy may be full.


        In this week's Gospel, Jesus gives us instructions on how to
   pray, how to be certain our prayer is heard.  First, we must
   trust in God's promise to hear our prayer.  Second, we pray is
   faith knowing that God keeps His promises.

        Third, we pray for specific things, something we definitely
   name.  This may be a prayer for peace, for faith, for stronger
   love, or for the comfort of our neighbor.  When Jesus says,
   ``whatever you ask,'' He directs us to make our petitions known.

        Fourth, we must truly desire that the petition be granted.
   Our prayers are offered in faith, that God will do that which is
   most appropriate, that He will grant us the wisdom to see His
   loving hand in everything.  Especially in times of tragedy and
   trouble, we pray that God shows us how He uses those things which
   are unpleasant for the good of those who trust in Him.
   Frequently we look back and see the tragedies of our life are
   when we received the greatest blessings.

        May our Lord grant us faith to believe His promises, that we
   pray for those things He would have us ask, for His glory and for
   the good of our neighbors.  Amen.

May 28, 2025

Broadcast

                        Ask in My Name - Part 3
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/28/2025


        23   In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly,
             truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
             Father in my name, he will give it to you.
        24   Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask,
             and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
             (ESV)

        [Jesus said:] In that day you will ask nothing of me.
        Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
        Father in my name, he will give it to you.  Until now
        you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will
        receive, that your joy may be full.


        In this week's Gospel, Jesus gives us instructions on how to
   pray, how to be certain our prayer is heard.  First, we must
   trust in God's promise to hear our prayer.  Faith is knowledge,
   agreement, and trust.  Therefore, the second part of true prayer
   is faith, that we do not doubt that God will give us what He
   promises.

        When we pray for temporal blessings, we do so by saying,
   ``Your will be done.''  As children of the heavenly Father, we
   know that our desires are not always in our best interests.
   Because we admit that we do not know all the implications and
   unintended consequences of our prayer, we defer to God's wisdom.
   We are willing to accept an answer of ``no'' or ``wait.''

        When praying for spiritual blessings such as the forgiveness
   of our sins, for wisdom, for a stronger faith, we already know
   those are according to God's holy will.  For God has said in His
   Word that He does not delight in the death of the wicked, but
   that the wicked turn from his sin and live.  God desires that all
   people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
   Therefore we are bold to pray, ``forgive me, Lord, for I have
   sinned,'' knowing that for the sake of the death and resurrection
   of Jesus we have the gift of everlasting life.

        May our Lord grant us faith to believe His promises, to come
   to Him with both our temporal and spiritual prayers.  Amen.

May 27, 2025

Broadcast

                        Ask in My Name - Part 2
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/27/2025


        23   In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly,
             truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
             Father in my name, he will give it to you.
        24   Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask,
             and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
             (ESV)

        There seems to be a confusion among Christians about prayer.
   When asked to pray in public, many pastors and chaplains hesitate
   to use the name of Jesus because they are afraid to offend the
   non-Christians in the audience.  The prayer takes on a generic
   form, addressed to the unnamed Almighty, in the Almighty's
   precious name.  Yet that name is never given, so those who hear
   the prayer have no idea to whom the petitions were made.
   Unaddressed mail is never delivered.  The same is true of
   unaddressed prayer.

        Prayer is talking to God, not to the audience.  They listen,
   they can say ``Amen'' if they agree with the prayer, to whom it
   is addressed and for what the petitions ask.  Unless you are
   willing to call the offered prayer your own, remain silent at the
   end.  Your ``Amen'' says ``This most certainly true, and I agree
   with everything the pastor or chaplain asked God to do.''

        In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I
        say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name,
        he will give it to you.  Until now you have asked
        nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that
        your joy may be full.


        In this week's Gospel, Jesus gives us instructions on how to
   pray, how to be certain our prayer is heard.  First, we must
   trust in God's promise to hear our prayer.  Jesus says ``ask,''
   let your concerns be known, let God hear of your needs.  Without
   trusting in God's promise to hear our prayer, we will not be
   willing to pray.  Over the next several days we will look at the
   other instructins Jesus gave us concerning prayer.

        May our Lord grant us faith to believe His promises and to
   come to Him with our needs and our thanksgiving.  Amen.

May 26, 2025

Broadcast

                        Ask in My Name - Part 1
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/26/2025


        23   In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly,
             truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the
             Father in my name, he will give it to you.
        24   Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask,
             and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
             (ESV)

        This week, the Sixth Week of Easter, the Church looks at the
   prayers of the faithful.  In addition, on Thursday we celebrate
   Jesus' Ascension into heaven where He sits at the right hand of
   the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the
   dead.

        Our Gospel lesson records Jesus' final words directly spoken
   to His disciples on the night He was betrayed.  The following
   chapter of Saint John's Gospel is Jesus' prayer to the Father for
   the ongoing good of the Church and all who trust in Jesus.
   Therefore, the words Jesus spoke are especially important.

        In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I
        say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name,
        he will give it to you.  Until now you have asked
        nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that
        your joy may be full.


        What is most important?  Jesus did not exhort His followers
   to do great works of charity or daring deeds to show their faith.
   Rather, He told them to pray, to ask, to give their requests to
   the Father.  He taught them of the proper way to pray, something
   we need to learn again and again.

        May our Lord also teach us to pray, that we may know of our
   Father's love and the joy of knowing our sins are forgiven.
   Amen.