We struggle to follow Christ's command to keep awake in life, and not just last at night! In Advent, he calls us to look ahead in excited expectation for the day when he returns -- the great day of the coming of the Son of Man.

What is being thankful about?

As God's people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we anticipate Jesus' coming again not with fear, but with expectant joy. On that great and final day, Christ the King will be revealed in all his power and glory - very different from his first coming, and he will judge the world in righteousness. The good works of his redeemed people will stand as evidence of their faith in Him who gave his life for them. Until Jesus comes again, our response of faith is to manage wisely and faithfully all of God's gifts, holding fast in faith to Jesus, our Shepherd King.

Guest preacher Rev. Paul Sutterer from Food for the Poor

The Word of God made flesh, Jesus Christ, sets us free from slavery to sin. We are saved and set free not by our works, but through God's grace alone.

God has elected us to be His people, thanks to His Son's endorsement, and we share our faith by living our faith out in the world.

How do I grow my faith? From a Biblical perspective, we don't do the growing at all. That is the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives as God's grace comes to us in Word and Sacrament. We can, however, put ourselves in a position to grow in our faith, and this begins by accepting the King's gracious invitation to come to the wedding banquet of his Son. We are to come dressed appropriately for this great occasion, clothed in the garment which the King himself provides: the righteousness of his own Son.

The Holy Spirit calls the Church together and sustains it. Everywhere the good news in Jesus is purely taught and the sacraments administered according to God’s instruction in His Word, there is Church.

Why is justification so important? This is the central truth of the Christian faith; that we are justified by God's grace in Jesus Christ and this gift is received by faith. The cleansing blood of Jesus is our forgiveness and our freedom. Through God's gift of justification through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are acceptable and pleasing to God.

God gives us pastors, men who have been entrusted with the Office of the Ministry, to publicly administer His gifts of the Word and the Sacraments, to care for His people in the Church. Though them, God works to give us a solid foundation on the Rock, Jesus.