Sunday is Coming

As we gather for worship this coming Sunday, the Scriptures draw us into a single, profound truth: the Lord our God saves us in love and continues to care for us through the ministry of His Gospel.

St. Paul’s words in Romans confront us with both our deepest need and God’s greatest gift: “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before we sought Him, before we could fix ourselves, before we had anything to offer—God acted in love.

This is the heart of the Gospel: not that we climbed our way to God, but that Christ came down to us, justifying us by His blood and reconciling us to the Father. Where Adam brought sin and death, Jesus Christ brings grace, forgiveness, and life in abundance.

As you prepare for worship, take a moment to reflect:

• Where do you feel the weight of sin or failure?
• Hear again that Christ has already answered it at the cross.

In Exodus 19, we find Israel gathered at Mount Sinai, newly delivered from slavery. The Lord reminds them: “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”

This is not just Israel’s story—it is ours. Through Baptism and the Gospel, God has brought us to Himself and given us a new identity:

“a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Even more beautifully, what Israel pledged—“All that the Lord has spoken we will do”—Christ has fulfilled perfectly on our behalf. He has gone up to God through His cross and resurrection and now brings us with Him into the Father’s presence.

So come into worship not as strangers or outsiders, but as people claimed, cleansed, and called by God.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus sees the crowds: “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” It is a striking image—one that still describes our world and, at times, our own hearts.

But Jesus does not leave the sheep scattered. He:

• Has compassion
• Sends workers
• Gives authority to heal and forgive

Through His Church, Christ continues to care for His people. The pastors and ministers He sends proclaim the same message given to the apostles:

“The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

In that proclamation, Christ Himself is present—forgiving sins, healing brokenness, and gathering His flock.

As Sunday approaches, consider preparing in these simple ways:

• Confession: Bring your sins honestly before God, trusting His mercy.
• Expectation: Come ready to receive His gifts—Word, absolution, and sacrament.
• Intercession: Pray for those who are still “harassed and helpless,” that they may hear the Shepherd’s voice.
• Thanksgiving: Rejoice that you have been brought near, not by your works, but by Christ’s.

This Sunday, we do not come to climb toward God.
We come because He has come to us—
in love, in mercy, and in the living voice of His Gospel.

See you in worship, where the Shepherd still speaks and gathers His flock.

Jesus Calls Sinners: Mercy That Makes Us New

There is something both unsettling and deeply comforting in this Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus passes by a tax booth, sees a man most would avoid, and says simply, “Follow me.” And Matthew “rose and followed him” (Matthew 9:9).

Unsettling—because Jesus does not build His kingdom on human merit. Comforting—because it means no one is beyond His call, including you and me.

A Call That Meets Us Where We Are

Tax collectors were viewed as traitors and sinners, yet Jesus calls Matthew while he is still sitting at the booth. Grace does not wait for transformation; it creates it.

Jesus explains His mission clearly:
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick… I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12–13).

This is both diagnosis and promise. We are the sick—but Christ is the physician. He has come not to leave us in our condition, but to restore us.

God’s Healing Work: Through Death to Life

The prophet Hosea describes the pattern of God’s mercy:
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us… After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:1–2).

God’s Law exposes and wounds our sin—it tears down our illusions of righteousness. Yet this wounding is not cruelty; it is the work of a loving physician making healing possible.

Then comes the Gospel: God restores, raises, and gives life. As Hosea also declares,
“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

God desires hearts shaped by His mercy, not outward appearances of righteousness.

Justified by Faith in Christ

St. Paul echoes this same truth in Romans. The promise of life does not come through our works, but through faith—faith like Abraham’s:
“In hope he believed against hope… in full conviction that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:18, 21).

And what is that promise?
“[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

God is the One “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17). That includes you. Through Christ, what was dead in sin is made alive in righteousness.

Mercy That Flows Through Us

At Matthew’s house, Jesus reclines at the table with sinners. The Pharisees question Him, but He responds:
“I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).

This mercy we receive is not meant to stop with us. It reshapes how we live:

• We forgive because we have been forgiven.
• We show compassion because we have received compassion.
• We welcome others because Christ has welcomed us.

The Christian life is not about proving ourselves worthy—it is about living as those who have been shown undeserved mercy.

Come to the Table

This Sunday, we gather as Matthew did—not as the righteous, but as sinners called by grace. We come to hear Christ’s voice, to receive His forgiveness, and to be renewed by His gifts.

Here, the Great Physician is present:

• Speaking His Word that calls us to repentance and faith
• Declaring the forgiveness of our sins
• Feeding us with His body and blood

Here, He makes us new.

A Shepherd’s Invitation

Come and follow Him.

Come not because you have it all together—but because Christ calls you.
Come not because you are whole—but because He heals.
Come and receive the mercy that raises the dead and gives life everlasting.

Join us this Sunday for worship as we hear Christ’s call, receive His forgiveness, and gather at His table of grace. There is a place for you here—just as there was for Matthew.

“Follow me,” Jesus says (Matthew 9:9). And by His mercy, we rise and follow.

In Christ’s mercy,
Your Under Shepherd

Preparing for Holy Trinity Sunday Worship
May 31, 2026

The Holy Triune God Recreates Us in Christ

Holy Trinity Sunday is one of those moments in the church year where we’re invited to slow down and simply wonder.

Not figure everything out. Not solve a theological riddle. Just take in who God is—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and what that means for us.

Because the truth is, the Trinity isn’t meant to feel distant or abstract. It’s deeply personal. It’s about how God shows up in your life—creating you, saving you, and staying with you.

Where it all begins… and begins again

We start at the very beginning:

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1)

God delights in what He made—including you.

But we also know the story didn’t stay “very good.” Sin entered in, and everything—our lives, our relationships, even creation itself—felt the fracture. Brokenness, fear, and death became part of the human experience.

Still, God didn’t walk away.

In Acts, Peter reminds us that Jesus’ death was not random or accidental. It was part of God’s loving plan all along. The Father sends the Son. The Son gives Himself for us. And the Spirit is poured out so that new life can begin.

This is the Trinity at work—not in theory, but in rescue.

You’ve been brought into this life

Then we hear Jesus’ words in Matthew:

“Go… make disciples… baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

That’s where this becomes personal.

In Baptism, you are brought into the very life of the Triune God:

• The Father claims you as His own
• The Son forgives and restores you
• The Holy Spirit lives in you and keeps shaping you

This isn’t partial care—it’s complete. God doesn’t hold anything back from you.

And even now, through the Word, through worship, through the promises you hear again and again—He is still at work, recreating you in the image of Jesus.

So what does this mean for everyday life?

It means you’re not alone—even when it feels like it.

It means your life is held by a God who is always:

• Above you (as Creator)
• With you (in Christ)
• Within you (by the Spirit)

If you’re carrying grief, fear, or shame right now, Trinity Sunday speaks gently but clearly:
God is closer than you think—and more committed to you than you imagine.

Something to reflect on this week

Here’s a verse to carry with you:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Notice how each Person of the Trinity is for you:
Grace. Love. Fellowship.

That’s not abstract theology—that’s your daily reality in Christ.

As you prepare for worship…

You might take a few quiet moments to reflect:

• Where have I seen God’s care creating and sustaining my life?
• Where have I needed Jesus’ forgiveness and mercy this week?
• Where might the Spirit be gently leading or changing me?

Come to worship not feeling like you need to have it all together—but ready to receive.

Closing Prayer

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thank You for creating me, redeeming me, and staying with me.
Help me to trust Your presence in every part of my life.
Shape me more and more into the image of Jesus,
And fill me with joy in being Yours.
Amen.

Grace and peace to you this Holy Trinity Sunday—you are held in the life and love of the Triune God.

The readings appointed for this day—Numbers 11:24–30, Acts 2:1–21, and John 7:37–39—draw us into the heart of this divine gift. They reveal that Pentecost is not merely about dramatic signs like wind and fire, but about Christ giving His Spirit so that His saving work might be proclaimed, believed, and received.

The Spirit Given: From Moses to the Apostles

Our Old Testament reading from Numbers 11 gives us a glimpse of how God equips His people for their life together. The Lord takes “some of the Spirit” that rested on Moses and places it upon the seventy elders. Immediately, they begin to prophesy.

Even two men—Eldad and Medad—who remained in the camp receive the Spirit and prophesy there. When Joshua objects, Moses responds with a remarkable longing:

“Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!”

That longing finds its fulfillment in Pentecost.

In Acts 2, the Spirit is not limited to a few leaders. Instead, the risen Christ pours out His Spirit upon the apostles, accompanied by “a sound like a mighty rushing wind” and “tongues as of fire.” They speak in various languages, declaring the mighty works of God so that people from many nations can hear and understand.

What Moses desired is now reality: the Spirit is given generously, not sparingly. The proclamation of God’s saving work is no longer confined—but goes forth to all nations.

The Spirit Proclaims Christ Crucified and Risen

Pentecost is often remembered for its dramatic signs, but the heart of the day lies in the message proclaimed. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles speak of “the mighty works of God.”

And what are those mighty works?

They are the saving deeds of Jesus Christ:

• His suffering and death for sinners
• His victorious resurrection from the grave
• His exaltation as Lord and Messiah

The Holy Spirit does not draw attention to Himself apart from Christ. Rather, He glorifies Jesus. He leads people to repentance and faith, just as Peter declares:

“Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

This is the Spirit’s work still today. Wherever the Gospel is preached—clearly and faithfully—the Spirit is at work bringing people to faith, sustaining them in hope, and comforting them with the promises of Christ.

Rivers of Living Water

In our Gospel from John 7, Jesus stands and makes a bold invitation:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”

He speaks of a deep, spiritual thirst—the longing for forgiveness, life, and peace with God. And He promises that those who believe in Him will receive something extraordinary:

“Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John tells us plainly that Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit.

Here is the beautiful connection to Pentecost: the Spirit is not an abstract force or distant power. He is the living water flowing from the crucified and risen Christ. Just as water gives life to what is dry and dying, so the Spirit gives life to sinners through the forgiveness of sins.

And note this: the flow does not stop with us. Those who receive the Spirit become, in a sense, channels of that life—confessing Christ, serving their neighbors, and bearing witness to the hope within them.

The Spirit at Work Among Us

It can be tempting to think of Pentecost as something distant—an event long ago, filled with extraordinary signs that we do not see today. But the truth is far more comforting.

The same Spirit is at work right here and now.

• When the Scriptures are read and preached, the Spirit is speaking.
• When sins are forgiven in Christ’s name, the Spirit is giving life.
• When Baptism joins someone to Christ, the Spirit is at work.
• When we hear the Gospel in words we understand—“in our own tongue”—the Spirit is doing exactly what He did on Pentecost.

The miracle continues in quiet, powerful ways as Christ is proclaimed and His gifts are received.

Come and Drink

As we gather for worship this Pentecost, we come not to recreate an ancient event, but to receive a present gift.

The risen Lord Jesus still pours out His Spirit.
He still invites the thirsty.
He still sends forth His Word.

And His promise stands:

“Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Come, then—hear, receive, rejoice. The Spirit has been given, and Christ is for you.

In Christ,

Your Under Shepherd

(Observed in Our Sunday Worship – 17 May 2026)

The Church’s calendar reminds us that the Festival of the Ascension of Our Lord is traditionally celebrated forty days after Easter—on a Thursday. On that day, we recall how our risen Lord Jesus was lifted up before the eyes of His disciples and exalted to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:9–11).

Yet the joy and comfort of the Ascension are far too rich to be confined to a single weekday. For that reason, we will celebrate the Ascension together in our Sunday worship, rejoicing as one congregation in the gift Christ gives to His Church. The appointed readings—Acts 1:1–11, Ephesians 1:15–23, and Luke 24:44–53—help us confess this great truth:
The Ascended Lord Jesus is with us always in His Church on earth.

Not Absent, but Exalted for Us

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days, teaching them about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). When He ascended, He did not withdraw from His people. Rather, He was enthroned for their sake. From the right hand of the Father, Christ now governs all things—especially for the benefit of His Church.

This is why the disciples could return to Jerusalem with great joy (Luke 24:52). They had not lost their Lord. They had gained a clearer promise: their Savior now reigns over heaven and earth for them.

“He Continues to Do and Teach”

St. Luke opens the Book of Acts by saying that his Gospel described what Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1). With that single word, Scripture makes something wonderfully clear: Jesus’ work did not end with His Ascension. It continues.

Through His Church, the ascended Christ still speaks. He still teaches. He still forgives sins through the preaching of repentance and forgiveness in His name (Luke 24:47). By the power of the Holy Spirit, He sends His witnesses “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The Head Who Is Present with His Body

In Ephesians, St. Paul lifts our eyes heavenward and then brings them immediately back to the Church. Christ is seated “in the heavenly places,” far above every power and authority—but He is given as Head to the Church, which is His body (Eph. 1:20–23).

This means that when the Church gathers around Word and Sacrament, heaven is not distant. Christ is present. He fills all things. He blesses His people with forgiveness and life. Even now, He lifts us up and seats us with Himself in the heavenly places.

A Festival of Joyful Confidence

Although Jesus is hidden from our sight, He is not hidden from His Church. He comes to us by the Word of His apostles. He comes by the promise of the Father. He comes by the Spirit He pours out upon His body on earth.

So whether we mark the Ascension on Thursday or celebrate it together on Sunday, the confession is the same:
Christ reigns. Christ is present. Christ is with His Church always.

As we gather this Sunday to celebrate the Ascension, let us do so with joy and confidence—blessing God, worshiping Christ, and trusting that our ascended Lord continues to do and teach among us until the day He comes again in glory.

In Christ,
Your Under Shepherd

Preparing for the Sixth Sunday of Easter (John 14:15–21)

Acts 17:16–31, Psalm 66:8-20, 1 Peter 3:13–22, John 14:15–21

As Easter continues, Jesus speaks directly to hearts that are anxious and unsure about the future. In this Sunday’s Gospel, He prepares His disciples—and us—for what life will look like after His visible departure. And He does so with a promise, not a warning:

“I will not leave you as orphans.”

Jesus knows His disciples are troubled. They sense that change is coming, and they fear being left alone. So Jesus anchors their hope—not in their faithfulness, not in their understanding—but in His life:

“Because I live, you also will live.”

That resurrection promise changes everything. The risen Christ is not absent from His Church. He remains present in a new and deeper way. He asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls “another Helper,” to dwell with His people forever. We are not left to navigate life on our own. God Himself comes to live with us and in us.

Jesus also speaks about love and obedience—but not as a burden. Keeping His commandments is not the way we earn His presence. It is the fruit of knowing Him, trusting Him, and living in the life He gives. Love flows from faith, and obedience flows from love.

This Sunday’s readings echo this same comfort throughout the service:

• In Acts, Paul proclaims the living God who gives life and breath to all and proves His mercy by raising Jesus from the dead.
• In 1 Peter, we are reminded that our hope is rooted in Christ’s resurrection and sealed to us in Baptism.
• In worship, we confess, pray, and sing as people who are not abandoned—but claimed, forgiven, and sustained by a living Lord.

When we gather this Sixth Sunday of Easter, listen for that promise woven through everything:
The risen Jesus has not left His Church.
He lives. He reigns. And through His Spirit and His Word, He is still very near.

The Easter season has a gentle way of meeting us where we actually live. While the Church continues to rejoice in the resurrection, life itself does not suddenly become easier or clearer. Questions remain. Worries linger. Hearts are sometimes troubled. It is into that very real place that the Fifth Sunday of Easter speaks.

Jesus’ words in John 14 are among the most tender in all of Scripture. He knows His disciples are anxious, confused, and afraid of what lies ahead. So He does not give them a plan or a timeline. He gives them Himself:
“Let not your hearts be troubled… I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

Those words are for you, too.

When the path ahead feels uncertain, when grief, illness, conflict, or change leave you wondering what comes next, Jesus does not ask you to figure it all out. He invites you to trust Him—to walk by faith, not sight—knowing that He has already gone ahead of you to the Father. Because He lives, because He reigns, your future is secure even when your present feels unsettled.

The story of Stephen in Acts reminds us that Easter faith does not shield us from hardship. Stephen was faithful, Spirit-filled, and doing the work God gave him to do—yet he suffered rejection and violence. And still, even in his final moments, Stephen’s eyes were lifted. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He entrusted his life to the risen Lord and even prayed for those who hurt him.

That kind of faith does not come from human strength. It flows from knowing where your hope is anchored.

Peter’s letter gently reminds us who we are because of Christ. Jesus may be rejected by the world, but He is precious in God’s sight—and so are you. Built on Christ, the cornerstone, you are not isolated or forgotten. You are living stones, joined together by grace, held firmly in God’s spiritual house. You belong. You are known. You are sustained by mercy.

The hymns we sing this Sunday are confessions of trust. When we sing that Christ is our cornerstone, we are saying aloud what our hearts need to hear again and again: We are not standing on shifting ground. When we sing “You Are the Way,” we are praying the truth—that Jesus is enough when we do not have all the answers.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter is not about having everything figured out. It is about knowing Whom you belong to. It is about lifting your eyes, again and again, to the risen Christ who says, “Do not be afraid. I am with you. Follow Me.”

May the peace of the risen Lord guard your heart this Easter season, and may you walk each day knowing that the way before you is held in Christ’s loving hands.

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

In the care of Christ,
Your Under Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 26, 2026

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday,” and for good reason. On this day the Church lifts up one of Scripture’s most comforting and hope‑filled images: Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd. The readings appointed for this Sunday gently and powerfully remind us who we are, whose we are, and where our life is found.

At the heart of this Sunday is the simple but profound truth that the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ shepherds His people. Scripture does not deny our wandering. St. Peter tells us plainly that we were once “straying like sheep,” lost and unable to rescue ourselves. Yet the wonder of Easter is that the Shepherd did not abandon His flock. Instead, He went all the way to the cross, bearing our sins in His own body, suffering willingly for our sake. By His wounds we are healed, restored, and brought back into the fold.

In the Gospel reading from John 10, Jesus speaks words that are both tender and bold: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved… I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Here the risen Christ reveals that Easter life is not merely about survival or getting by—it is about abundant life, the life that flows from forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and the sure hope of resurrection. Our Good Shepherd does not simply protect us from danger; He gives us life that overflows with grace.

This shepherding of Christ is not abstract or distant. The Book of Acts shows us how the risen Shepherd continues to care for His flock here and now. The early Christians are described as devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers. These are not random activities; they are the very “green pastures” and “quiet waters” where Christ still feeds and sustains His sheep today. Through His Word preached, His Sacraments given, and the shared life of the Church, Jesus continues to gather, guard, and nourish His people.

It is also on this Sunday that we are reminded that the Good Shepherd still calls His sheep by name. “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” Amid the many voices that clamor for our attention, Christ’s voice remains clear and trustworthy. We hear it in the Gospel of forgiveness, in the promise spoken over us in Baptism, and in the mercy placed into our very hands and mouths at His table. Hearing His voice, we follow—not by compulsion or fear, but by faith and trust.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is, therefore, a celebration of belonging. We belong to Christ. We are part of one flock under one Shepherd. Our unity does not come from shared opinions or personalities but from the Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep and took it up again in victory. In Him, we are never alone, never forgotten, and never without care.

As we continue our Easter journey, may this Good Shepherd Sunday deepen our confidence and our joy. The risen Lord is not far off. He walks with us, leads us, and carries us through every valley. And because He lives, His flock lives also—secure, forgiven, and abundantly loved.

In the care of the Good Shepherd,
Your servant in Christ

Easter is not only a day we remember—it is a living reality we continue to receive. On this Third Sunday of Easter, the Church rejoices that the risen Lord Jesus is not distant or hidden. He is present with His people, drawing near through His living Word and making Himself known in His holy gifts.

St. Peter reminds us that “the word of the Lord remains forever.” From before the foundation of the world until heaven and earth pass away, this living and abiding Word proclaims one great truth: God has raised Jesus from the dead and given Him glory. By this Word, we have been born again—not by our own efforts, but through the precious blood of Christ, who has ransomed us from sin and death and given us eternal life.

This Word does more than inform us; it creates and sustains faith. In the reading from Acts, Peter’s sermon cuts his hearers to the heart and calls them to repentance. The promise that follows is rich and sure: “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This promise is not confined to one moment in history. It is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off. In Holy Baptism, the risen Christ joins us to His death and resurrection and pours out His Spirit upon us.

The Gospel reading from Luke takes us onto the road to Emmaus, where two disciples walk in sorrow and confusion. Though their eyes are kept from recognizing Him, Jesus Himself walks with them. He opens the Scriptures, showing how everything points to the Christ who must suffer and then enter His glory. Their hearts burn within them as He speaks, even before they fully understand who is in their midst.

It is only later, when Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them, that their eyes are opened. They know Him in the breaking of the bread. Though He vanishes from their sight, they are not abandoned. The risen Lord continues to be present with His Church in exactly these ways—through His Word and through His Supper.

That is why gathering for worship matters so deeply. The same risen Christ who walked with the disciples still comes to walk with us. This Sunday at 10:00 a.m., we gather in worship to hear the Scriptures opened, to receive the forgiveness He freely gives, and to know Him again in the breaking of the bread. Here, Christ meets us—not as a memory of the past, but as the living Lord who brings us into His glory.

As we continue our Easter journey, may the Lord open our minds to understand the Scriptures, warm our hearts with His Gospel, and strengthen us with His life‑giving gifts until the day we see Him face to face.

Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!