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John 12:23-26
09/17/2025

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23. And Jesus answered them, ‘‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
24. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
25. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’’ (ESV)

On the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey, several Greeks asked Philip, the disciple, if they could see Jesus. Philip asked Andrew, and both gave the request to Jesus.

And Jesus answered them, ‘‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’’

Where do we find Jesus? It is not in historical relics, even if those artifacts were touched by Him. It is not in walking the same roads He traveled, just like following the route of the Oregon Trail as we drive along Interstate 80 does not give us the experience of seeking a new home in a distant frontier.

We find Jesus as the One who died to pay the price of our sin. His death brings us life. Because of His death, we are declared holy and righteous in the Father’s sight.

Did the Greeks who desired to see Jesus truly understand the meaning of His sacrifice on Good Friday? Yet, there, on the hill outside the gates, we see Jesus.

May our Lord grant us faith to recognize our salvation is by grace alone for the sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Amen.

John 12:20-21
09/16/2025

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20. Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’’ 22
    Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. (ESV)

‘‘Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.’’

In the two thousand years since Jesus walked upon the earth, many people have made this request. Why do people ask to see Him? Are they looking for signs and wonders, as did the 5,000 men, plus women and children, that He fed in the wilderness? Are they looking for divine intervention in a crisis when there is no other hope? Are they looking for peace in their troubled souls, the assurance of God’s grace, love, and mercy? We don’t know the motivation of these Greeks who asked Philip to arrange an audience with Jesus, we know what they asked Philip, the disciple.

Where do you look for Jesus? Do you look for His favor by doing good works, by trying to be kind, by refraining from actions which might be harmful? You won’t find Him there. Do you look for Him in your heart, in feeling good about the personal relationship you have with Him, that you seem to walk and talk with Him in a garden? You won’t find Him there, either.

We find Jesus in the Word of God and in the sacraments which He gave the Church. We find Jesus, not in the glory of His majesty, but upon the cross where He bore the sins of all.

May our Lord help us to find Him where He promises to be found. Amen.

John 12:20-21
09/15/2025

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20. Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.
21. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’’ (ESV)

Saint John, in his Gospel, recorded the events of Palm Sunday, the first day of the week that Jesus was crucified. Many people from all over the world were in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. ‘‘Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’’’

In many churches, this reading is used for the Gospel for the Feast of the Holy Cross, which was celebrated yesterday, September 14. On this date in the year 335, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was dedicated in Jerusalem. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, located Mount Calvary and the tomb in which Jesus was buried during her travels in 326. She had been sent by her son, the Emperor, to collect relics of Jesus, and to determine the historical places where events in His life happened.

In an age where people worshiped pagan myths, the historical relics and places proved that Jesus truly walked upon this earth. Unlike the gods of Olympus, unlike the animist worship of nature, Christians claimed that Jesus lived, died, and rose again in a certain place and at a certain time.

‘‘We wish to see Jesus’’ has led many people to look for the artifacts, the relics and places, which declare the truth, Christ Jesus did what was written of Him as reported by eyewitnesses. This week we will seek Jesus where He promises to be found.

May our Lord grant us faith
to recognize Jesus, to see Him as our Savior.
Amen.

Mark 7:37
09/12/2025

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37. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’’ (ESV)

Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah wrote:

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.[1]

Although Jesus healed a man who lived in the Gentile region of the Decapolis, the witnesses of the miracle proclaimed words which show the prophecy was fulfilled. ‘‘And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’’’

Time and again we see how the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Everything we need to know about Him, from His incarnation and birth to His crucifixion and resurrection, can be found in the pages of the Bible which were written long before the events.

In proclaiming this miracle, in telling that Jesus fulfilled the words of Isaiah, the witnesses of the miracle were telling everyone that Jesus is the Savior promised first to Adam and Eve.

Today we proclaim the same message, Jesus is our Redeemer from sin, death, and the power of the devil. The forgiveness He earned for you is offered as a gift, without our works or merit. That is the message of the Bible, that is the message you will hear each Sunday morning at Trinity Lutheran Church. Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. to learn more of Jesus, who has done everything well.

May our Lord grant us faith to trust in our Lord for our eternal healing from sin and death. Amen.

Mark 7:36
09/11/2025

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36. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. (ESV)

This week we have been looking at a miracle, Jesus healing a deaf and mute man. After curing the man, Jesus gave the witnesses of the miracle a seemingly strange request. ‘‘And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.’’

Why would Jesus make such a request? We remember that Jesus healed the deaf and mute man early in His ministry. What is the purpose of Jesus, true God, being incarnate, becoming true man? Was it to walk around Jerusalem, Judea, and Galilee to heal the sick? These healings proved who Jesus is, namely the Son of God who has power over creation. The miracles, however, are not the reason He was born, died, and rose from the grave.

Jesus came to redeem the lost, to save sinners from eternal condemnation. He was born to keep the Law perfectly on our behalf, yet to pay the price of our sin, the death and separation from God which we rightly deserve. By asking the witnesses to remain silent, Jesus was trying to shift the focus from miracles to our salvation, the message of God’s grace and favor.

When we are blessed by God, it is very hard to remain silent. Certainly, the man who was cured desired to speak of the miracle, to explain to all who were concerned what Jesus had done. The eyewitnesses could not keep the news to themselves, but were compelled to speak of the power that Jesus had over all infirmities.

May our Lord grant us the desire to follow His commands, and to properly speak of His grace and mercy. Amen.

Mark 7:33-35
09/10/2025

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33. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.
34. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘‘Ephphatha,’’ that is, ‘‘Be opened.’’ 35
    And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. (ESV)

And taking him aside from the crowd privately, [Jesus] put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘‘Ephphatha,’’ that is, ‘‘Be opened.’’ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

In faith, several people brought a deaf and mute man to Jesus to be healed. Hearing their prayer, and having compassion on the man, Jesus did as He was requested. He communicated to the man through gestures that He would do something to both the man’s tongue and ears.

Jesus’ gestures, including looking to heaven to give glory to the Father, showed that the healing comes from God, not some sort of magical trick. At the sound of the word of healing, the man’s ears were opened.

Were the gestures necessary? In other miracles, Jesus simply spoke the word and the deed was done. However, in this case the man would not know, without some sort of communication, that this healing came from God.

Our Lord uses gestures and signs to convey His Word of grace and love to each person. The water of baptism is not merely a symbol, but conveys the forgiveness of our sins and life everlasting. The bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper are not symbolic but truly give us Christ’s body and blood in and under the visible elements.

May our Lord use both Word and Sacraments to open our hearts and minds to His proclamation of love, grace, and mercy. Amen.

Mark 7:31-32
09/09/2025

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31. Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. <\li>
32. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. (ESV)

Then [Jesus] returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.

This miracle shows the results of faith in Christ Jesus. The friends of this deaf and mute man had heard of Jesus and believed that He could help the man. We don’t know when or how the friends came to know of Jesus and to trust in Him, but their actions are the actions of faith.

The fruits of faith include love for those in need. Although the deaf man was able to have some sort of success in life, if you measure success by surviving, the friends knew he could live much better if he could hear and speak. They brought the man to Jesus and prayed for him.

You and I were born deaf to God’s holy Word. You and I were unable to know and speak of God’s grace and mercy. Only as others saw our distress, only as they acted in love towards us to bring us to Christ Jesus, did we come to know of the Father’s love.

This miracle reflects the truth that our help is only in the name of the Lord, that only God can open our hearts to His Word and our lips to sing His praise.

May our Lord grant us opportunities to witness the truth of His grace to those who are as yet spiritually deaf and mute. Amen.

Mark 7:31-32
09/08/2025

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31. Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.
32. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. (ESV)

This week’s Gospel lesson is about Jesus healing a deaf and mute man in the Gentile region of the Decapolis, which is east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. When teaching about the healing miracles of Jesus, there is always the danger of asking, ‘‘Why did Jesus heal that person and not others?’’ This can lead to questioning our own faith and God’s rich love and mercy. However, we remember that Saint Paul had his ‘‘thorn in the flesh’’[1] which God refused to remove.

When asking for temporal blessings, we pray, ‘‘Your will be done,’’ because we, as children in comparison to God, do not always understand the consequences of our earthly desires. Yet, we know that God would have all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. It is God’s desire that all people know of His grace and undeserved love as found in Jesus Christ alone.

Therefore, the story of this miracle is important to our faith, not only so we see that Jesus is, indeed, truly God, but also to strengthen our own faith in Him.

‘‘Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.’’

May our Lord open our hearts and minds to hear and understand His holy Word. Amen.

Luke 18:14
09/04/2025

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14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’’ (ESV)

‘‘I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’’

We have all worked for people who were prideful and arrogant, full of themselves and intolerant of others. Working for or with such a person is dreadful. Even if they are indeed excellent in what they do, even if they keep the externals things of the laws and rules perfectly, we would rather not be in their presence.

On the other hand, we also know the servant leader, the one who is willing to get his hands dirty teaching and encouraging others. He may not get the recognition for his work, but he is a constant help to everyone.

As we confess our sins, God grants us forgiveness for the sake of Christ Jesus, who lived, died, and rose again to earn our salvation from sin and death. We don’t deserve this forgiveness, for we are the sinner who stands in the back of the Temple.

The religion of grace says that God is merciful to the sinner. That is the message you hear each Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Please join us at 9:00 a.m. to receive the gift of God, the forgiveness of your sins and the assurance of life everlasting.

May our Lord grant you faith to receive His love and mercy. Amen.

Luke 18:10,14
09/04/2025

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10. ‘‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.’’

14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’’ (ESV)

‘‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.’’… I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’’

In honor of the Labor Day weekend just passed, we have been looking at the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in light of working with each man. Working with the perfectionist Pharisee, in his pride of keeping the law perfectly, would be difficult. Make one mistake, he would be intolerant and scornful. After all, didn’t the Pharisee tell God that he was thankful he was not like the tax collector, someone who was considered a traitor to the Jewish people?

On the other hand, the tax collector realized that he was not perfect, that he needs God’s grace and mercy. In his humility, he dares not to compare himself to others, even to claim that he is just one of many sinners. No, the tax collector confessed, ‘‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’’

In our liturgy each Sunday we quote the first epistle of Saint John.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[1]

The tax collector when home forgiven. The Pharisee, who claimed no sin, still was living with the sin of pride and arrogance.

May our Lord grant us the faith to confess our sin and thus receive His mercy. Amen.