800 N. Sumner Ave.
Creston, IA 50801
(map)
phone: (641)782-5095
eMail: tlc@TrinityCreston.org
Pastor: Rev. Jonathan C. Watt
Phone: (641)782-0027
eMail: Pastor@TrinityCreston.org
Sunday Morning Worship: 9:00AM / Sunday School and Adult Bible Class: 10:15AM
Trinity NEWS
Preparation
Processional Hymn - Glory Be to God Alone LSB 948
Service of the Word
Old Testament Numbers 6:22-27
Epistle Galatians 3:23-29
Gospel Luke 2:21
Hymn of the Day - Across the Sky the Shades of Night LSB 899
Service of the Sacrament
Distribution HymnsOh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing LSB 528
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates LSB 341
Recessional Hymn - Savior, Again to Your Dear Name We Raise LSB 917
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11:2-6, ESV)
Are you kidding? Offended by Jesus! Everybody likes Jesus don’t they? Jesus makes deaf people hear, blind people see, lame people walk, cleanses lepers, and raises the dead. What’s not to like? Well, John the Baptizer was having some second thoughts. He was in prison. He was facing death. He wasn’t living his best life now. Something was different from what he expected. Things should look a bit different if God was really walking around in Jesus’ sandals. Shouldn’t they? Jesus gently tells him differently. God is going to work in God’s way, not ours. That’s important for us to remember, especially when life is difficult. Like John, we face death, we are prisoners to our sin, and very often life isn’t always at its best. We wonder if Jesus is doing what he promises. Don’t be offended by Jesus. God sent Jesus to forgive your sin. He was willing to die a criminal’s death just for you. When things look bad, do just what John did, turn to Jesus and remember what he did for you.
Let us pray: Precious Savior, help me to see my struggles through your eyes. Amen.
Jesus said. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31, ESV)
Jesus is talking about a snack. Two sparrows were sold for a penny in the market for a quick bite to eat. Two sparrows are nothing more than a mouthful. Yet God, the Father’s care for his creation even extends to sparrows. He knows when they live and when they die, when they sleep and when they fly. He knows what they need to eat and gives it to them. God knows you too. He says the hairs on your head are all numbered. He knows everything about you. He knows what you did yesterday and what you’ll do today. Jesus says we don’t need to fear people, instead we should fear God. God sees us when we are alone. He sees into our hearts. He sees the secret sins there. He sees our selfishness. We should indeed fear God’s anger. Sin, even secret sin, deserves punishment. But Jesus says “Fear not.” Not because God overlooks sin, but because He loves you more than many sparrow snacks. He knows about your sin and just as he provides for sparrows, he provides what you need. Jesus life on earth was a life lived perfectly. He had no secret sin. He wasn’t ever selfish. He always did right. God gives you the perfect life you need. Jesus gives his perfect life to you and he takes your sin to death on the cross. You don’t have to be afraid of God’s punishment. God himself has taken care of it in Jesus. God gives you exactly what you need.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, watch over me today and every day. Amen.
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, ESV)
The people of Israel were God’s chosen people. After spending 500 years in slavery, God rescued them. He did it with “a mighty hand.” God sent plagues to convince the king of Egypt to free the slaves; water to blood, frogs, lice, flies, locust, sick cattle, boils, fiery hail and darkness and finally the first born sons of Egypt died. Pharaoh had enough, the slaves were free. God still rescues his people. Just like the people of Israel you and I aren’t anything special. We don’t deserve anything from God but punishment for our sin. Sin isn’t just making mistakes; it is living our lives apart from God’s will. We can’t help it we are slaves it. We cannot change. But God rescues us from slavery with a mighty hand. He sends Jesus, his first born son to die. His death on the cross releases us from sin’s slavery by taking our punishment. Now you are free from punishment. God doesn’t save us because we are something special; we are something special because God saves us.
Let us pray: Dearest Jesus, thank you for giving your life for me and setting me free from sin and its punishment. Amen.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36, ESV)
… like sheep without a shepherd. That’s a good description of what’s going on these days in some parts of the church. You can find any kind of teaching you want to find. Whatever life style you want to live, someone in some church will tell you it’s ok. People who listen to this kind of false teaching are being lead astray. Jesus has compassion on people who are lost and alone, without guidance wondering where to turn, “harassed and helpless.” God doesn’t leave us without a shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He comes proclaiming the good news about himself. The good news isn’t “live anyway you want to live.” Jesus doesn’t excuse sin, he dies for it. The Good News is that Jesus’ death on the cross clears the way for you to have a relationship to God. In that relationship we put sin aside. St. Paul makes it clear, “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.[1]” Follow the Good Shepherd live in the new life he promises to you.
Let us Pray: Thine forever! Shepherd, keep These Thy frail and trembling sheep; Safe alone beneath Thy care, Let us all Thy goodness share.[2] Amen.
Join us at Trinity Lutheran Church to hear more about Jesus’ forgiveness. Call us at (641) 782-5095 or on the web at www.TrinityCreston.org
[1]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ro 6:11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[2] Text and Music: Public domain Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.
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And behold, some people brought to [Jesus] a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. (Matthew 9:2-7, ESV)
I’m not sure about you but I think I might have been a bit disappointed. The friends of this paralytic made the effort to get him to Jesus. After all their trouble Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven.” Don’t you think they had something else in mind? Jesus enemies didn’t like Jesus’ Words either. “He’s blaspheming, playing God.” Jesus responds with a question. “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Rise and walk’?” The answer seems easy. Say “your sins are forgiven” and it doesn’t mean anything because you can’t see forgiveness. “Be healed” requires action. Jesus shows that he is God. He can heal and he does forgive. Now back to the question “Which is easier?” Think about it. Jesus heals with a word but what did he do to say, “Your sins are forgiven.” For that he endured the wrath of God on the cross, paying the punishment for all your sin. What Jesus says happens. He says to you, “son, daughter, your sins are forgiven.”
Let us pray: Dearest Jesus thank you for the forgiveness you won for me on the cross. Amen.
Word for Today is a radio ministry broadcast on KSIV 1520AM for over fifty years.
Word for Today is a production of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa
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