Every Christian needs a reminder from time to time. Every moment of every day draws us one moment closer to the scene in this week's Gospel lesson. The nations are gathered before Jesus and the end has come. Of course, if you're reading this, that scene has not yet happened. The end has not yet come. Until it does, what do we do? How do we live? How do we love? This week, as we review Jesus' prophecy of the end of all things, we will learn what life looks like for a Christian. We'll review the mission we're to carry out to the end.

Thanks to Vicar Jordan from Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church for bringing God's Word to us today!

All Saints' Day (Nov. 1)  is a universal festival of the Church. We remember our loved ones who have died in the Lord, as well as remember why they are saints. Christians are members of the same family with them, as Christians have historically confessed in the Apostles Creed: “The holy Christian church the communion of saints.” Special thanks to Pastor Ruddat for sharing God’s Word with us. The theme is: Blessed are the Children of God.

Beginning in 2017 we began what, for many of us, will be a lifetime of "500th" anniversaries. 2017 was the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation in the sense that 500 years had passed since the event that is widely viewed as the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation (Martin Luther's 95 Theses). Of course, the Lutheran Reformation did not occur on one specific day. Nor were it's events contained in the year 1517. There will be opportunity to commemorate event after event for the rest of our lives. 2021 presents us another opportunity as this is the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's famous "stand" at the Diet of Worms. As Luther took his stand on the Word of God, and on the Word of God alone in 1521, 500 years later we do the same. Here, on the Word of God, we stand.

Sins committed in our relationships always cause pain. Sometimes the pain is emotional. Sometimes it's physical. Sadly, it's often both. And yet, while it's true that all sins committed in any relationship cause pain, adultery committed within the bond of Christian marriage causes the most pain. Today, as we focus our attention on the words of the prophet Hosea, we get a glimpse into one of the most challenging marriages of all time. The pain caused by adultery was immense, but God used that pain for good. He used Hosea's broken marriage as an illustration to teach his people the most important spiritual lesson. The lesson taught by Hosea's marriage is no less important today.

Faith always has an object, and the object of faith is always what is believed in. I believe "in humanity." Humanity is the object of that kind of faith. I believe "in Jesus." Jesus is the object of that kind of faith. But who is this Jesus? What is he capable of? Does this person who has faith "in Jesus" simply believe Jesus exists? Does this person believe Jesus is a great teacher? The object of faith matters. This week, in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus shows us the object of faith that saves; his authority.

What's more formidable; the teacher leading 12 students on a field trip, or the elite Navy officer leading 12 Navy Seals on an operation? It's a silly comparison, but a helpful one to better understand how many in Israel perceived Jesus. He was a teacher of 12, not the mighty military man they expected in the promised Christ. This week, we focus on Jesus the Teacher King.

Why are you here today, listening to this podcast? What leads you to take time out of your week to attend public worship? What keeps you from attending on any given week? The answers to questions like these will do one of two things, they will either increase humility or increase pride. Today, Jesus helps us understand why.

"Don't Worry!" How many times have you heard someone say that? It's one thing for a human to encourage other humans to leave worry behind. It's another when God tells us not to worry. Today, as we hear Jesus tell us not to worry about anything, we'll discover the impact the glory of God has on our worries.

For over 125 years, Americans have celebrated Labor Day on the first Monday of September. As with all national holidays, this holiday is intended to provide more than a long weekend. According to the U.S. Department of Labor website, Labor Day is supposed to give Americans an opportunity to celebrate “the social and economic achievements of American workers.” Interestingly enough, as we gather for worship on this particular Labor Day weekend, this week’s Old Testament lesson just so happens to provide us with the perfect reminder for a holiday that celebrates labor.