On this most solemn day of the Christian year, we pause to gather around the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a simple service of listening to God’s Word, quiet reflection, and prayer.

A sorrowful heart may have many causes. Death, divorce, illness, along with many other things, can cause us pain and bring us to tears. The psalmist reminds us that “those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” As we near the end of Lent we...

Today, we see the discouragement of Martha and Mary at the loss of their brother, Lazarus. Jesus demonstrates His resurrection power to raise their brother from the dead and lift up their discouraged hearts. May the same resurrection power of our...

We are midway through the season of Lent. God’s Word has drawn our attention to our sin and our need for His forgiving grace in Jesus Christ. The call for repentance and the command to bear fruit in our spiritual lives are never easy messages for...

Christ Jesus, being both God and man, experienced the full range of human emotions. In today’s Gospel lesson, we see His deep sorrow over the city of Jerusalem and its unbelief. Yet even in the depths of His despair, he vows to “keep going today and...

“And lead us not into temptation”, Jesus taught us to pray. Martin Luther reminds us that in the Lord’s Prayer “we ask that God would guard us against the devil, the world, and our sinful nature.” So confident is Satan in his own power that he...

The prospect of standing in the presence of God can be a fearful thing. But the disciples, immersed in the awesome experience of Christ’s transfiguration, want to stay there. Jesus leads them back down to the valley and the realities of the Christian...

Today we experience the Great Compassion of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who see our needs, forgives our sins, and blesses us to be a blessing to others. As the “Lord of the Harvest” Christ reminds us that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are...

Natural disasters, like Hurricane Sandy, remind us that a solid foundation can make a big difference. That’s also true with our spiritual lives. Just as Jesus proclaimed Peter’s bold confession “You are the Christ!” to be the foundation of His Church...