The Trinity Season directs us to the RESULTS of Christ's work for us in our lives. This weekend we will be looking at God's Call. The Savior calls us to salvation and calls us into His service. His call comes with great and rich blessings.

Our hymn for this weekend was written by a 17th century European hymnwriter named Johann Scheffler. Scheffler was raised in a Lutheran home but was influenced by mysticism and in his later years left Lutheranism to become Roman Catholic. He was a prolific writer and many of his hymns became very popular in European churches of all branches. His hymns are simple and contain beautiful poetry. As we study this hymn we will notice that it does not specifically point to Jesus as Savior, but as an example. It is found in the New Obedience section of our hymnal, which highlights its sanctification theme. While it is grounded in Scripture, we have to be careful not to think of Jesus only as our example, but to know and confess that He is (more importantly) our Redeemer.  

The hymn is written in a unique way, as Jesus Himself speaks to us in the words of this hymn. It is primarily based on Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” We see Jesus as our "example" in verse 1. In verse 2 Jesus shows "how you must sojourn here below." And in verse 4 He teaches us "how to shun and flee what harms your soul's salvation." The only subtle emphasis on Jesus as Savior comes at the end of verse 4 where Scheffler writes: "I am the Refuge of the soul and lead you to your heavenly goal." But even there he does not explain how Jesus has done that. The apostle Peter wrote: "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:21-24). Notice how Peter connects Jesus as our example to Jesus as our Savior in those verses. Jesus is both. But His work our our Savior is more important. 

While this hymn can be an encouragement for the believer who knows that Jesus is his Savior, but need encouragement in his life of Christian sanctification, this hymn is not intended for the unbeliever. The unbeliever first needs to know Jesus as Savior, before he can follow Jesus as an example. 

May the LORD who has called us into His family by the blood of Jesus, bless each of us in living out our lives to His glory!

Pastoral Conference Paper Review 

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on July 13, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

Isaiah 43:8-137:40-53 (NKJV)

"Bring out the blind people who have eyes, And the deaf who have ears. 9 Let all the nations be gathered together, And let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, And show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; Or let them hear and say, "It is truth." 10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses," Says the LORD, "that I am God. 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?""

Theme: "You Are My Witnesses"

Pastoral Conference Paper Review 

This weekend we will be considering the importance of exercise in our worship service. Not physical exercise, but spiritual exercise. As we consider HOW we exercise spiritually, we will reflect on the "gym equipment" that the LORD has given us to remain spiritually fit and healthy.

This weekend we will be singing Hymn 292 in our worship. It was written by a reformer who struggled with confessional purity during a very dark and trying time in Church history. Yet the Lord preserved His church and promises to do the same today. He defends, protects, sustains and builds up His Church and people through His Word and Sacrament. This hymn highlights both the power of God's Word, which is our "shield and sword" as well as the dangers that surround us in this evil world, from both the world and the devil. For "falsehood's spirit wide has spread, and error boldly rears its head." May the Lord enable us to stand firm against error and false teaching and strengthen us through His Word of truth, preparing us for eternity. 

Join us this weekend as we are reminded of God's spiritual blessings in His Word and Sacrament, and as we reflect on how we can exercise our faith in both heart and body!

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on June 22, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

John 7:40-53 (NKJV)

Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” 46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” 47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” 53 And everyone went to his own house.

Theme: Wrestling with Who Jesus Is

This weekend we will be dealing with the questions: "Who is Jesus?" and "What does that mean for me?" During the ministry of Jesus there were many people who had questions about who He was, and what that meant for them. The same is true today. Jesus declared that He was the Messiah, the Savior promised by God to the world, and He showed that to be true by His words and actions. If that is true, then His words have implications for us today. He invites us to come to Him for forgiveness, life and salvation. 

This hymn, written by Anne Steele, repeats that invitation. It reminds us that Jesus has invited us to come and never thirst, and it reminds us that we are also to invite others to come to Jesus as well. The hymn is based on several passages from the Old and New Testament that contain God's gracious invitation to sinners, but foremost it is based on Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28 and John 7. Jesus says: "Come to Me, all you 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). And “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38).

What rich blessings our Savior offers to undeserving sinners such as us through this invitation! Thank God for His Mercy in Jesus!

Join us this weekend as we are reminded of God's gracious call, and as we reflect on the rich blessings that He offers through heeding that invitation!

Common Christian Q&A 

This recording is a condensed version of the sermon preached at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church on June 22, 2025. You can watch the full recording on our YouTube Channel.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NKJV)

Theme: A Family Is Incomplete without Christ