Category: Moments of Meditation

May 15, 2026

Broadcast

                        The Ascension - Part 2
                             Luke 24:48-49
                              05/15/2026


        48   You are witnesses of these things.
        49   And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father
             upon you. But stay in the city until you are
             clothed with power from on high.  (ESV)

        Yesterday, the fortieth day after Easter, the Church
   celebrated Christ Jesus' ascension into heaven where He sits at
   the right hand of the Father.  Because the Father is present
   everywhere, Jesus is also present with His Church.  Although we
   cannot see Him, we know He is with us in Word and Sacrament, even
   as He has promised to hear our prayers.

        Therefore the Church prays:
        Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus
        Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also
        ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there
        with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
        Spirit, one God, now and forever.


        Jesus gave His disciples a very simple commission and the
   promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit.  ``You are witnesses of
   these things.  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father
   upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power
   from on high.''

        Today, through the working of the Holy Spirit, the Church
   still is a witness of the truth of salvation by grace through
   faith for the sake of Christ.  Those who hear the message of the
   Gospel respond in word and deed to God's grace and mercy.

        Trinity Lutheran Church is humbled that her Savior, Jesus
   Christ, has entrusted us to bring you this message of hope and
   comfort.  Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. as we are
   gathered at God's invitation to receive His gifts of grace and
   mercy.

        May our Lord keep us steadfast in faith towards Him and in
   fervent love for one another for the sake of Christ Jesus.  Amen.

May 14, 2026

Broadcast

                        The Ascension - Part 1
                             Luke 24:44-47
                              05/14/2026


        44   Then he said to them, ``These are my words that I
             spoke to you while I was still with you, that
             everything written about me in the Law of Moses
             and the Prophets and the Psalms must be
             fulfilled.''
        45   Then he opened their minds to understand the
             Scriptures,
        46   and said to them, ``Thus it is written, that the
             Christ should suffer and on the third day rise
             from the dead,
        47   and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should
             be proclaimed in his name to all nations,
             beginning from Jerusalem.''  (ESV)

        Today the Church celebrates Jesus' ascension to the Father.
   Please join us this evening at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran
   Church as we gather with the members of Saint Paul, Fulda, to
   rejoice that our Lord Jesus the Christ is sitting at the right
   hand of the Father, and will return to judge the living and the
   dead.

        Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He led His disciples to
   the Mount of Olives outside of Jerusalem.
        Then he said to them, ``These are my words that I spoke
        to you while I was still with you, that everything
        written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets
        and the Psalms must be fulfilled.''  Then he opened
        their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to
        them, ``Thus it is written, that the Christ should
        suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and
        that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be
        proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from
        Jerusalem.''


        Therefore today the Church prays:
        Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus
        Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also
        ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there
        with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
        Spirit, one God, now and forever.


        The message of the Church, the reason the Church exists, is
   to bring you this good news of salvation by grace through faith
   for the sake of Christ.  From that fortieth day after He rose
   from the dead until now, the Church has proclaimed the truth of
   the Word of God concerning your redemption from sin and death.

        May our Lord grant us faith to hear His Word, and to trust
   in Christ Jesus alone.  Amen.

May 13, 2026

Broadcast

                             Pray - Part 3
                             John 16:28,33
                              05/13/2026


        28   I came from the Father and have come into the
             world, and now I am leaving the world and going to
             the Father. ...
        33   I have said these things to you, that in me you
             may have peace. In the world you will have
             tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the
             world.  (ESV)

        On the night Jesus was betrayed told His disciples:
        I came from the Father and have come into the world,
        and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.
        ...  I have said these things to you, that in me you
        may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
        But take heart; I have overcome the world.


        We believe, teach, and confess that God is present in all
   places.  As we pray, as we speak in faith to God, we know He is
   beside us, hearing our petitions, accepting our praise and
   thanksgiving.  Thus we pray at all times, both in word and
   action, for both words and actions are a response of faith.  This
   last Sunday's prayer of the Church is a reflection of this truth,
   even as we ask God to guide and direct us in all things.
        O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy
        inspiration grant that we may think those things that
        are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them.


        On the night He was betrayed, Jesus prepared His disciples
   both for His coming death, but also for His ascension.  Because
   Jesus was returning to His Father, the disciples came to know
   that He stands for us as our own High Priest, our advocate.

        Jesus prepared His disciples for the final days, the days
   when the Church proclaims the message of salvation by grace
   through faith for Christ's sake to a world which does not desire
   to listen to God's Word.  Yet the Church remains faithful,
   bringing hope to those who do not reject God's love.

        May our Lord grant us faith which holds to God's promises of
   forgiveness for the sake of Christ, of life everlasting in His
   mansions.  Amen.

May 12, 2026

Broadcast

                             Pray - Part 2
                             John 16:26-27
                              05/12/2026


        26   In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not
             say to you that I will ask the Father on your
             behalf;
        27   for the Father himself loves you, because you have
             loved me and have believed that I came from God.
             (ESV)

        Jesus told His disciples:
        In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say
        to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for
        the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
        and have believed that I came from God.


        We pray in sure and certain confidence that God has promised
   to hear our prayer.  Even when we do not know how or what to
   pray, the Holy Spirit takes our prayers and brings them to the
   Father because we have faith in Christ Jesus.  The Father hears
   us and loves us because we have Christ Jesus as our redeemer from
   sin, death, and the power of the devil.

        Therefore the Church is bold to pray:
        O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy
        inspiration grant that we may think those things that
        are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them.


        The faith which boldly brings us before our Creator is not
   our work, but a gift of God given to us by the Holy Spirit.  It
   is formed as we hear the Word of God, as Saint Paul reminds us,
   ``So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of
   Christ.''[1] It is the holy inspiration, the breathing of the
   Holy Spirit,  which gives us the Word of truth by which we live,
   as Saint Peter wrote: ``For no prophecy was ever produced by the
   will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by
   the Holy Spirit.''[2]

        May our Lord continue to grant us faith, increasing in us
   trust and knowledge of His love and mercy.  Amen.
   ____________________

   1. Romans 10:17 (ESV)

   2. 2 Peter 1:21 (ESV)

May 11, 2026

Broadcast

                             Pray - Part 1
                             John 16:23-24
                              05/11/2026


        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)

        On the night Jesus was betrayed, He told His disciples:
        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 believe, teach, and confess that prayer, just like our
   good works, are a response to the good news that Christ Jesus
   paid the price for our sins upon the cross.  His death is our
   death, His resurrection is our resurrection.  The assurance of
   eternal life comes not because of our efforts, but because of
   God's rich love, grace, and mercy as found in Christ Jesus.

        This week's prayer of the Church, the Collect, reflects our
   response to God's grace.
        O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy
        inspiration grant that we may think those things that
        are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them;
        through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and
        reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
        forever.


        It is the Holy Spirit who calls us to faith in Christ Jesus
   by giving us God's holy Word.  Faith which trusts in the message
   of the Bible, in the message of salvation by grace through faith
   for the sake of Christ, leads to actions which reflect God's love
   to others.  We are bold to pray to the Father through Jesus
   Christ because of the work of the Holy Spirit.  This week we will
   look at this response of faith.

        May our Lord grant us the desire to know and do His will.
   Amen.

May 8, 2026

Broadcast

                  Where True Joys are Found - Part 5
                             John 16:12-15
                              05/08/2026


        12   I still have many things to say to you, but you
             cannot bear them now.
        13   When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you
             into all the truth, for he will not speak on his
             own authority, but whatever he hears he will
             speak, and he will declare to you the things that
             are to come.
        14   He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine
             and declare it to you.
        15   All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said
             that he will take what is mine and declare it to
             you.  (ESV)

        We believe, teach, and confess that the Bible teaches two
   major doctrines, the law and the Gospel.  Jesus explained the
   work of the Holy Spirit as proclaiming God's love, of teaching
   the Church, through God's Word, of the truth of the Father's
   mercy.

        I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot
        bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will
        guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on
        his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak,
        and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
        He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and
        declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine;
        therefore I said that he will take what is mine and
        declare it to you.


        Where do we hear the Gospel, the good news of salvation by
   grace through faith for the sake of Christ?  Christ Jesus gave
   the world the Church to proclaim God's Word and to administer the
   sacraments which create and sustain our faith in Him.  For your
   eternal blessing and benefit, please join us each Sunday at 9:00
   a.m.  at Trinity Lutheran Church to learn more of God's grace,
   love, and favor.

        Meanwhile, the Church continues to pray:
        O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one
        will.  Grant that we may love what You have commanded
        and desire what You promise, that among the many
        changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where
        true joys are found.


        May our Lord enlighten us with His gift of faith for our
   eternal blessing.  Amen.

May 7, 2026

Broadcast

                  Where True Joys are Found - Part 4
                             John 16:8-11
                              05/07/2026


        8    And when he comes, he will convict the world
             concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
        9    concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
        10   concerning righteousness, because I go to the
             Father, and you will see me no longer;
        11   concerning judgment, because the ruler of this
             world is judged.  (ESV)

        We believe, teach, and confess that the Bible teaches two
   major doctrines, the law and the Gospel.  Jesus explained the
   work of the Holy Spirit as convicting the world of sin, the
   proclamation of the law, so that we may repent and be saved.

        And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning
        sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin,
        because they do not believe in me; concerning
        righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will
        see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the
        ruler of this world is judged.


        The ultimate sin is rejecting Jesus.  Every other sin flows
   from our selfish desire to replace God and His love as shown to
   us in the death and resurrection of Christ.  We know that by our
   own works we cannot attain to heaven, but that Jesus even now
   sits at the right hand of the Father.  The devil, the ruler of
   this world, is judged and condemned because Christ's tomb is
   empty.

        As Christians, we have the daily struggle of being both
   saint and sinner.  We ask that God grants us faith to conform our
   lives and hearts to Him so that we may be assured of eternal
   life.

        O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one
        will.  Grant that we may love what You have commanded
        and desire what You promise, that among the many
        changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where
        true joys are found.


        May our Lord give us faith which hopes in Him, even in the
   midst of trials and turmoil.  Amen.

May 6, 2026

Broadcast

                  Where True Joys are Found - Part 3
                             John 16:8-11
                              05/06/2026


        8    And when he comes, he will convict the world
             concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
        9    concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
        10   concerning righteousness, because I go to the
             Father, and you will see me no longer;
        11   concerning judgment, because the ruler of this
             world is judged.  (ESV)

        On Sunday we prayed:
        O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one
        will.  Grant that we may love what You have commanded
        and desire what You promise, that among the many
        changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where
        true joys are found.


        The Holy Spirit calls all Christians to trust in Christ
   Jesus, that our salvation from sin, death, and the power of the
   devil is given to us, not because of our works, but because of
   God's rich love.  As we trust in Christ Jesus, we desire to do
   God's holy will, for His Law is given out of love for our
   benefit.  We long for our heavenly home, which is promised to
   those who do not reject the good news of God's grace.

        Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit.  He explained:
        And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning
        sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin,
        because they do not believe in me; concerning
        righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will
        see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the
        ruler of this world is judged.


        Faithful Christians are not surprised that the devil, the
   world, and even our own sinful flesh conspire to hide the good
   news of salvation for the sake of Christ.  The Holy Spirit
   convicts us of sin, not to condemn us, but to convince us that
   our only hope is found in Christ Jesus.  If we confess our sins,
   God forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all
   unrighteousness.

        May our Lord grant us faith to hear the message of the Holy
   Spirit, to learn of God's rich love and favor.  Amen.

May 5, 2026

Broadcast

                  Where True Joys are Found - Part 2
                               John 16:7
                              05/05/2026


        7    Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your
             advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away,
             the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I
             will send him to you.  (ESV)

        Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, tried to prepare His
   disciples both for His coming death and His Ascension.  The
   disciples were sorrowful when Jesus said He was going away.
   Jesus told them: ``Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to
   your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the
   Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to
   you.''

        Here is the promise of the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy
   Spirit who calls us to faith in Christ Jesus by giving us the
   God's Word, both audibly and visibly in the Sacraments.  It is
   the Holy Spirit who keeps us in the one true faith, that guards
   us from false doctrine, who causes one Holy, Christian, and
   apostolic church to last forever.

        In our prayer of the Church we acknowledge the work of the
   Holy Spirit who sustains our faith in Christ Jesus.  This faith
   leads to hope, for through Christ Jesus our sins are forgiven.

        O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one
        will.  Grant that we may love what You have commanded
        and desire what You promise, that among the many
        changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where
        true joys are found.


        May our Lord grant us faith to hold to the promise of life
   everlasting because Jesus died and rose again for our salvation.
   Amen.

May 4, 2026

Broadcast

                  Where True Joys are Found - Part 1
                              John 16:5-6
                              05/04/2026


        5    But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of
             you asks me, `Where are you going?'
        6    But because I have said these things to you,
             sorrow has filled your heart.  (ESV)

        On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He took special care
   to prepare His disciples for both His coming death and His
   Ascension.  During these closing weeks of the Easter season, the
   Church prepares itself to answer the question, ``What does it
   mean to be people of God when we cannot physically see Him?''

        Jesus said to His disciples: ``But now I am going to him who
   sent me, and none of you asks me, `Where are you going?'  But
   because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your
   heart.''

        Certainly we understand the sorrow of the disciples.
   Anytime we can no longer be with loved ones, be it because of
   death or distance, we grieve.  There is the uncertainty that we
   will ever see one another, so we are sorrowful.

        Yet, the prayer for this week is a prayer of hope.
        O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one
        will.  Grant that we may love what You have commanded
        and desire what You promise, that among the many
        changes of this world our hearts may be fixed where
        true joys are found; through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
        our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
        Spirit, one God, now and forever.


        This week we will look at the prayer of the Church in light
   of Jesus' words to His disciples as they walked from the upper
   room to the Garden of Gethsemane.

        May our Lord grant us comfort in the changes and chances of
   this world.  Amen.