October 31, 2025
                 The Truth Shall Set You Free - Part 5
                             John 8:31-36
                              10/31/2025
        31   So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him,
             ``If you abide in my word, you are truly my
             disciples,
        32   and you will know the truth, and the truth will
             set you free.''
        33   They answered him, ``We are offspring of Abraham
             and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it
             that you say, `You will become free?'''
        34   Jesus answered them, ``Truly, truly, I say to you,
             everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
        35   The slave does not remain in the house forever;
             the son remains forever.
        36   So if the Son sets you free, you will be free
             indeed.''  (ESV)
        So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ``If
        you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and
        you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
        free.''  They answered him, ``We are offspring of
        Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is
        it that you say, `You will become free?'''  Jesus
        answered them, ``Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone
        who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not
        remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
        So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.''
        Today is the Feast of the Reformation.  On this date in
   1517, Martin Luther posted ninety-five statements for debate on
   the church door in Wittenberg.  He questioned the teaching of the
   established church and desired that all doctrine and teaching of
   the church come from the Bible alone.  He had no desire to leave
   the church to start a new church body.  He wanted to reform the
   church, take it back to the teaching of Jesus Christ, to the
   truth written by the prophets and apostles.
        Confessional Lutherans still have the desire to proclaim our
   salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil is because
   of God's love alone, received by faith alone, as revealed in
   Scripture alone, for the sake of Christ Jesus alone.  That is the
   truth which sets us free from eternal death, which gives us the
   peace of God which passes all understanding.
        Please join us this coming Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity
   Lutheran Church as we proclaim the truth of God's Word.
        May our Lord grant us ears to hear and hearts to trust in
   Him alone.  Amen.