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Stephanie and I delivered a donation from Peace Lutheran and its Altar Society to Ashlea Heimsoth of HCC Network in Concordia to be used in HCC's rural clinics. Included were145 toothbrushes in holders, an additional 83 empty holders, and four forehead thermometers. Thanks to the ladies of Peace for their contributions and to HCC for the work it does among the underserved in our area.

Pray for our nation, its leaders and its citizens. Pray for thoughtfulness and civility in the public arena. Pray for repentance among those who throw gasoline on fires rather than oil on troubled waters. And pray that our Lord who holds the plumb line in His hand would neither rise against us nor turn away (cf. Amos 7:7–9).

St. Paul's Bible Study tonight at 6:30 celebrates Pentecost through the hymn Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling (LSB 650) and its related Scriptures.

LSB #650 - "Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling" (Lutheran Service Book) Resurrection Lutheran ChurchRev. Steven Williamson-Link"Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling" (LSB #650)

No St. Paul's Bible study this week. God willing, we'll resume next Wednesday.

Thursday is the fortieth day of Easter, when Christianity celebrates the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. St. Paul's Bible study this Wednesday at 6:30 pm will examine what Christ's Ascension means for us through the Scriptures and the Ascension hymn Up Through Endless Ranks of Angels (LSB 491).

Up through Endless Ranks of Angels WELCOME! Welcome in the Name of our Lord Jesus to Redeemer EvangelicalLutheran Church, a parish of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod where “God’sPeople Pray...

Bible Study 6:30p this Wednesday at St. Paul's on the Scriptures and theology of the hymn At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing (LSB 633).

Hymn 633: At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing

St. Paul's Wednesday Bible study (6:30p) looks at the Easter hymn "Awake, My Heart, with Gladness" (LSB 467) with its theology and supporting Scriptures.

Awake, My Heart, with Gladness Provided to YouTube by Concordia Publishing HouseAwake, My Heart, with Gladness · Concordia Publishing HouseHymns for All Saints: Lent, Easter, Pentecost℗ 20...

Good old Søren Kierkegaard

St. Paul's Bible study for Wednesday night is canceled due to several unrelated circumstances.

St. Paul's Bible study this Wednesday at 6:30 pm prepares for Good Shepherd Sunday with The King of Love My Shepherd Is (LSB 709).

The King of Love My Shepherd Is Provided to YouTube by Concordia Publishing HouseThe King of Love My Shepherd Is · Concordia Publishing HouseHymns for All Saints℗ Concordia Publishing House...

St. Paul's Wednesday Bible Study at 6:30 p.m. looks at the Easter hymn hymn, “Jesus Lives, the Victory's Won” (LSB 490) and the Scriptures it is based on.

Jesus Lives! The Victory's Won Provided to YouTube by Concordia Publishing HouseJesus Lives! The Victory's Won · Concordia Publishing HouseHymns for All Saints: Lent, Easter, Pentecost℗ 20...

Join St. Paul's celebration of Christ’s resurrection Sunday at 10:30. The sermon “Because of My Integrity” is on Psalm 41:12–13.

Celebrate Christ’s resurrection at Peace this Sunday morning at 9:00. The sermon “Contradiction” will be on Psalm 41:11.

Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. (Psalm 41:10)” The Father’s answer at first appears to be a resounding, “No!” After voicing His laments throughout the Psalm, the Son is indeed raised up—to be crucified. How is God being gracious to His Son? In death, how will he ever repay the malicious gossips, false friends, and betrayers?

Yet repay he does, just not in the way anyone but God would plan things. For Jesus does take care of the sinful debts that each of us owes to others and all of us owe to God. Because He owns all of humanity’s sins, His “wicked nature”—the sum total of mankind’s twisted thoughts, words, and deeds that He owned by claiming it in His baptism—is repaid with torture and death. His righteousness is applied to us and we find ourselves repaid for our own kindness, innocence, and holiness that we own not by nature but by gift through our own baptisms.

Preached 29 March AD 2024 by Walter Snyder on Psalm 41:10.

Good Friday Sermon: Be Gracious to Me Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, tha...

"Behold! My Servant will prosper; He will be high and lifted up.... (Isaiah 52:13a)"

St. Paul's Good Friday service begins tonight at 7:00. The sermon “Be Gracious to Me!” is from Psalm 41:10.

Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9)” And on the night when He was betrayed, Christ quoted this verse (John 13:18) just before Judas left to complete his betrayal of the Lord.

By nature, we are the betrayers—of God, of others, even of ourselves—but Jesus allowed Judas’s treachery that we might be welcomed into eternal life rather than being crushed under God’s heel on the Last Day. As prophesied in Eden, sin and Satan struck Him down. Yet in His innocent death, He lifted His heel to crush the serpent’s head.

Preached 28 March AD 2024 by Walter Snyder on Psalm 41:9 and John 13:18b, 21b, 26–27.

Holy Thursday Sermon: My Close Friend Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread...

The palm branches cut or broken off to celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem soon withered and faded, unable to be nourished any longer by the trees from which they’d come. Similarly, we who are born sinners in this world are, by nature, cut off from God, our ultimate Tree of Life. However, the Lord had mercy on us and sent Jesus to graft us into Himself, enlivening and sustaining us through His Word and sacraments.

Preached 24 March AD 2024 by Walter Phillip Snyder on Mark 11:1–10.

Palm Sunday Sermon: Tree and Branches The palm branches cut or broken off to celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem soon withered and faded, unable to be nourished any longer by the tree from whic...

This portion of the Psalm celebrates entering first Jerusalem and then God’s eternal presence through the “gates of righteousness.” But how do we sinners pass through the “gate of the Lord” if only “the righteous shall enter through it”? We do so by faith in Christ, who not only opened the doors to paradise but who is, Himself, the very Door through which we enter.

For this reason, portions of Psalm 118 are proclaimed in our funeral rite as the mourners approach the grave. Because while an open grave is a sign of the death that comes for sinners, it is also the gate through which we Christians pass, following Jesus through death into resurrection and eternal life.

Preached 24 March AD 2024 by Walter Phillip Snyder on Psalm 118:19–20.

Palm Sunday Sermon: The Gate of the Lord This portion of the Psalm celebrates entering first Jerusalem and then God’s eternal presence through the “gates of righteousness.” But how do we sinners pas...

Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me. They say, ‘A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.’ (Psalm 41:7–8)” To be vindicated is to be proven right, blameless, and true.

David prayed this verse because his enemies from other nations and among his own household and advisors were waiting—and sometimes actively plotted against him—that his failure and would prove him incompetent or worse. Jesus prayed that He would be vindicated and His message of salvation proved true. And we ask for vindication because the devil and the world, as well as our own sinful selves, try to prove that we are wrong for believing in Christ and trusting His promises.

David was vindicated by God and his own posterity shows that he was Israel’s greatest king. Jesus was vindicated because He proved his foes wrong and did “rise again from where He [was lain].” We are vindicated now and eternally because Christ’s resurrection proved His message true and we are blessed as we believe.

Preached 20 March AD 2024 on Psalm 41:7–8.

Lent 5 Midweek Sermon: Vindication Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine ...

Misunderstanding how Jesus would enter into His glory, James and John campaigned to have themselves named to the ultimate positions of prestige. Of course, this touched off the angry response of the other ten disciples, who likewise didn’t understand Christ’s mission.

Jesus attempted to teach them that greatness in God’s kingdom comes from sacrifice of self and love of others but they wouldn’t truly grasp what He said until after the Resurrection. Finally, after seeing firsthand how the Son of Man had become slave of all in order to save all, they would realize what the Lord had taught.

Preached on Mark 10:35–45

Lent 5B Sermon: The Son Came to Serve Misunderstanding how Jesus would enter into His glory, James and John campaigned to have themselves named to the ultimate positions of prestige. Of course, t...

In His great love, our all-knowing God willingly erases all memory of our sins for the sake of His sinless Son’s suffering and death. In response, we strive to forget all offenses committed by others against us.

Preached at Peace Lutheran Church, Slater, Missouri on Jeremiah 31:31–34.

Lent 5B Sermon: Blessed Amnesia In His great love, our all-knowing God willingly erases all memory of our sins for the sake of His sinless Son’s suffering and death. In response, we strive ...

Lent 4 Midweek Sermon: Empty Words

Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.?’ (Psalm 41:6)” He knew firsthand how false friends and two-faced people could inflict as much damage as any outright, violent enemy. After all, it wasn’t the mighty Roman Empire that conspired to bring Him down but rather the respected religious leaders from among His own people.

And while we all have memories about how others’ words have led to our harm, we must never forget how our own words have brought hurt to others. Nor should we forget when we feign interest in others’ problems, perhaps even promise to pray for them, and then walk off without setting our hearts on true and lasting loving service. Yet even as Jesus suffered from the words of others, His own Word brings us forgiveness, comfort, and peace. Thus we as that as we receive these gifts from Him, we might also make them our gifts to those in need.

Preached 13 March AD 2024 by Walter Snyder on Psalm 41:6.

Lent 4 Midweek Sermon: Empty Words Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, whi...

Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.?’ (Psalm 41:6)” He knew firsthand how false friends and two-faced people could inflict as much damage as any outright, violent enemy. After all, it wasn’t the mighty Roman Empire that conspired to bring Him down but rather the respected religious leaders from among His own people.

And while we all have memories about how others’ words have led to our harm, we must never forget how our own words have brought hurt to others. Nor should we forget when we feign interest in others’ problems, perhaps even promise to pray for them, and then walk off without setting our hearts on true and lasting loving service. Yet even as Jesus suffered from the words of others, His own Word brings us forgiveness, comfort, and peace. Thus we as that as we receive these gifts from Him, we might also make them our gifts to those in need.

Preached 13 March AD 2024 on Psalm 41:6.

Lent 4 Midweek Sermon: Empty Words Jesus prayed the Psalms with His Church throughout His time on earth. This includes tonight’s text: “And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, whi...

An uplifting story is one that raises our spirits, making us feel better about ourselves and our lives. But the most uplifting story we will ever hear isn’t filled with cheerful festivities but with tears, blood, pain, and death. It is the story of Jesus being lifted up on the cross to suffer and die for sinners. Yet because of His being uplifted, He can lift us from the pit of sin-wrought despair and death, cheering us not only for this life but for a joyful life ever after.

Preached 10 March AD 2024 by Walter Snyder on John 3:14–21.

Lent 4B Sermon: Ultimate Uplift An uplifting story is one that raises our spirits, making us feel better about ourselves and our lives. But the most uplifting story we will ever hear isn’t ...

Israel took its eyes off of its gracious God and focused on its own desires within. Wanting to restore His people’s focus, the Lord sent serpents to bite and kill the Israelites. When they confessed their sins, the Lord had Moses erect a brazen serpent, that everyone who fixed eyes on it would live. Similarly, God calls us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus to receive forgiveness for all our sins.

Preached 10 March AD 2024 by Walter Snyder on Numbers 21:4–9.

Lent 4B Sermon: Eyes on the Prize Israel took its eyes off of its gracious God and focused on its own desires within. Wanting to restore His people’s focus, the Lord sent serpents to bite and...

Here's some background on this Sunday's observance of the Presentation of Our Lord.

Ever Heard of Candlemas? Ever Heard of Candlemas?

The weather distracted me from posting this on Monday (MLK Day) but there's no bad time to emphasize the distinction between skin color and character.