After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their f

(Jesus said) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28,29 Friends, thank you for sharing this time over the course of the summer in our Lord's presence together. As many take time to rest in this season, many of us have continued to gather in God’s presence to share spirit

All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Jesus to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1,2 In a recent sermon I shared that Jesus receives sinners. What follows is a summary of my sermon for that day. Jesus receives sinners. This is clear from the text here which says, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” This was the accusation of the Pharisees and scribes who complained abou

Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1 For over 160 years members of our congregation of faith have worshipped together under God’s holy Name. We have done so both outwardly and inwardly. Yet, Christians at times tend to discount the outward expression of worship in favor of the spiritual. And yet we live in a created world. God cares

“And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while he blessed them, that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:50,51 In Psalm 110 the Father says to the Son, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool!” This verse is a reference to our Lord’s ascension. The Lord Jesus Christ, once dead is now alive, risen in victory. Forty days after his resurrection the Lord ascended also

“I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.” The Nicene Creed “This Is the Life” was a successful dramatic television series produced by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod which aired through the 1950s and on into the 80s. These brief presentations on the Christian life of faith continue to be available online for viewing enjoyment to this day. At St. John we have even made use of some episodes for Bible class gatherings! However, the e

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken."-- Psalm 62:5,6. In his article, The Why and How of Silence in Worship, Rev. Paul Borgman shares that we live in a loud and chaotic world. “Life in the world today proves that we need silence,” he says. He shares that there is a human need for this silence. This is something I feel I have been learning myself over the years. I remember

“We commit this body to its resting place, ashes to ashes, dust to dust in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to life for all God’s people.” At the time of a funeral, we reflect on our human weakness before God and our own eventual death. These historic well-known words have been spoken for centuries at Christian committals the world over. For many centuries, a part of the traditional liturgy for Ash Wednesday has been the Imposition of Ashes. In Biblical times ash

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day…Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Psalm 96: 1,2,8,9 I have shared in the past that historic Evangelical or Lutheran worship is Divine Service. The term “Divine Service” goes back to the German language at th

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, a time for every matter in life. Our good God orders all things in heaven and on earth. In our lives of faith, we can say the same. Our Lord works all things for the eternal good of those who love him! Each year he gives is another year of his grace and we can give him thanks as he makes everything beautiful in its time. In the church year we follow a

Pointing to the Rock of Ages Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill Thy Law’s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone. (LSB 761:2) While the classic hymn “Rock of Ages” shows up in the Lutheran Service Book in the “Hope and Comfort” section, it can also teach us a valuable lesson about Christian stewardship. If that surprises you, stay with me on this one. No Lutheran would ever dispute t

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 A number of years ago an article was published in Modern Reformation entitled Wanted: Thinking Christians. The writer argued that there is hardly a Christian mind at all today in the sense of a common way of thinking as Christian people. He says that we act and we react but do not consider nor contemplat