Sermon -- Christian Funeral for Nancy (nee: Prigge) Jumbeck

For the Funeral of Nancy (nee: Prigge) Jumbeck

(September 8, 1955 — September 17, 2026)

JOB 19:23-27

AS MY REDEEMER LIVES, SO SHALL I.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Nancy Jumbeck was a child of God.  She was baptized at St. John’s and confirmed here.  Although she moved to a new location, her heart remained focused on the Savior who was always with her.  Nancy turned to the word of God every day, and through that word, God blessed her and sustained her in the one, true faith.

     The final goal of every Christian is to enter the heavenly kingdom and to dwell with Jesus in eternal peace and glory.  We do not know when our Lord will transfer us from the kingdom of this world to the kingdom of glory.  It happens at God’s timing.  Although you may consider Nancy’s life to have been cut short in this world, it is not cut short in the kingdom of God.  Nancy has been delivered to the goal of her faith.  She lives with her Redeemer.

     The Patriarch Job made his confession about that Redeemer, too.  He said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end of time he will stand over the dust.  Then, even after my skin has been destroyed, nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God.  I myself will see him.  My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger.  My emotions are in turmoil within me” (Job 19:25-27). 

     The Patriarch Job experienced more hardship than almost anyone in history.  In one day, he had lost all his flocks and herds, all his servants (except for the ones who had escaped to inform him), and all his ten children.  Shortly thereafter, Job suffered debilitating health, disease, and pain.  He went from a position of influence and respect to become an object of mockery and derision.  Yet, even though he was a mere shell of what he once was, he still confessed that he had a Redeemer.  He confessed that his Redeemer would deliver him to a resurrection of glory.  Though our bodies fail and die, the Redeemer will raise them up again to live forever.  Because my Redeemer lives, so shall I.

     No doubt, Nancy had better plans for herself.  She had served and fed many people, using her skills as a chef.  Ironically, this chef had an eating disorder.  As if that had not affected her body enough, she ended up with Parkinsons’ disease.  Although her sufferings were not as intense as Job’s, she knew hardship and pain.  But she also knew what Job knew: My Redeemer lives.  Because my Redeemer lives, so shall I.

     Nancy had a Redeemer; that means she needed to be redeemed.  I know you all loved her dearly, but our fondness for people is not what saves them.  Nancy was a sinner.  Maybe you remember times when that sinful nature revealed itself in sinful words or actions.  That is not how you choose to remember her, which is understandable.  Nevertheless, even if we overlook sins, the Lord does not.  He cannot.  “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23),  That is what brings us here.

     The Lord Jesus Christ did not overlook Nancy, either.  He is her Redeemer.  There was a cost to redeem her.  Jesus Christ came to take up all her sins, and he paid for them with his life.  The cost to win her a full pardon for all her sin—and yours, as well—was the life of the Son of God.  He gave himself in exchange for Nancy, for you, and for all.  When Nancy was baptized, she was washed clean of all sin.  The Lord wrapped her up in his own righteousness.  That is how God saw her all her life.  Jesus purchased and won her from sin, death, and the power of the devil. 

     As my Redeemer lives, so shall I!  The Redeemer declared Nancy Jumbeck to be a child of God.  Perhaps in these past years, she did not look like it.  Like Job, she was a shadow of her former self.  She suffered the effects of being a sinner in a sinful world.  Because of sin, bodies get frail, get diseased, and finally fail.  This is not how the Lord intended it to be.

     But the Lord Jesus has also addressed that.  The same Jesus who went into death to redeem Nancy Jumbeck has risen from his grave.  Jesus conquered death.  He lives and reigns forever.  And as Job confessed, so does every Christian: As my Redeemer lives, so shall I!  Listen again to Job's words: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end of time he will stand over the dust.  Then, even after my skin has been destroyed, nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God.  I myself will see him.  My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger.  My emotions are in turmoil within me” (Job 19:25-27)  

     As my Redeemer lives, so shall I!  Like Job, Nancy is a child of the resurrection.  Jesus will not abandon us to our graves.  Death will hold us for a while, but Jesus will raise us up to live as he had always intended us to be.  He will raise Nancy from the dead—not someone like Nancy.  She will not become someone different.  God created her to be her.  God redeemed her to be her.  She will be Nancy, with a glorious, incorruptible flesh, with her personality and abilities not only restored, but perfected.  Jesus will raise her up with a body that will never get weak, tired, sick, or broken, nor will she ever sin or die.  That is what we all pray for.  That is what Jesus delivers.  As my Redeemer lives, so shall I! 

     The patriarch Job made this confession in his condition of disease, poverty, and misery.  He would not let the pain and sorrow of his life change his confession.  He wanted it permanently etched in stone.  There is no need for you to be any different.  Jesus, our Redeemer, lives, and he has the final word.  It is written in Jesus' blood, firmer than stone—because Jesus lives and reigns forever.  And as our Redeemer lives, so shall all who believe in him.  So Nancy's soul does now.  So her body will at the end.  And so shall it be forevermore.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

YouTube -- Christian Education Sunday (September 20, 2026)

Here is the service from Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Sermon -- Christian Education Sunday (September 20, 2026)

CONTINUE IN THE WORD YOU HAVE LEARNED.

2 TIMOTHY 3:14-17

In the name + of Jesus.

      In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon wrote, “Dedicate a child to the way he should go, and even when he becomes old, he will not turn away from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  I am sure that you can provide examples of people who were raised going to church and attending school here only to turn from it later.  But don’t let exceptions refute the rule.  As a general rule, it is true.

     Children will be as faithful to the Lord as you let them be.  If you attend church only occasionally, you will teach your children that it really doesn’t matter that much.  When those children get older they will find other things to do.  They will find entertainment, sports, or opportunities to increase their income to be preferable.  So, if your example teaches your children that coming to God’s house is merely one of many Sunday morning options, don’t be surprised when they search for other options when they are older.

     I recall a conversation with my neighbor when I was maybe 9-years-old.  He asked me, “Why do you have to go to church every Sunday?”  As you may have guessed, I did and he didn’t.  His question confused me because he used the phrase, “have to.”  I had never considered going to church every Sunday something I had to do, as if it were some kind of punishment.  There was never a doubt where my parents would take us on Sunday morning.  It’s just what we did.  We eat our vegetables.  We brush our teeth.  We go to church on Sunday and on other church festival days.  For that matter, there was not a doubt about where we would go to school.  My parents had us enrolled in our Lutheran school because they wanted us to hear God’s word every day. 

     If you want eternal life, continue in the word you have learned.  If you want to see your children in heaven, have them continue in the word you have learned.  If you want to see your grandchildren in heaven, encourage them to continue in the word you have learned.  When you make it clear that coming to God’s house is of utmost importance, your children will learn that it matters even more than eating their vegetables and brushing their teeth.  I think any parent would agree that having their children eat their vegetables and brush their teeth is good.  Care for the body has value for a long life.  But training your children in God’s word has eternal value.  That is why we dedicate ourselves, our money, our time, and our energy to maintaining a school that is founded on God’s word.  We certainly could find other ways to spend our money, time, and efforts, but not better ways.

     The last letter that St. Paul wrote was to his protegee, Timothy.  Paul and Timothy had served together for almost twenty years.  But Timothy’s place in God’s family began long before that.  St. Paul wrote, “I remember your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it also lives in you” (2 Timothy 1:5).  These godly women made sure that Timothy heard God’s word.  The faith was preached, practiced, and reinforced at home.  These women held God’s word in high regard, and they impressed that upon Timothy as well. 

     St. Paul urged Timothy to continue in that word.  Even though Timothy at this point was a pastor, Paul did not suggest he had mastered or outgrown what he had learned.  St. Paul implored him, “As for you, continue in the things you have learned and about which you have become convinced.  You know from whom you learned them and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).  From a tender age, Timothy had been trained in the way he should go.  Paul urged him to continue in it—not because Paul stood anything to gain by Timothy’s faithfulness, but because Timothy did.  The Scriptures were given to make us wise for salvation.  They reveal God’s love for us in this life and especially for the life to come. 

     One reason we might be tempted to think little of faithfully continuing in God’s word is because we think we’ve heard it all.  After all, if you come to church on Christmas, you know you will hear about the birth of Jesus.  When you come to church on Easter Sunday, you know you will hear about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  We hear the same readings throughout the years.  If you’ve memorized the Catechism and observed the Rite of Confirmation, you might even think you’ve mastered all of this.  If you know it, why continue in it?  What more is there to know? 

     It is important to understand this: Being wise for salvation is not just knowing facts.  Unbelievers know what happened on Christmas and Easter.  Some atheists claim that they know the Bible better than you do.  And St. James wrote, “You believe that God is one.  Good for you!  Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19)!  Unbelievers, atheists, and demons know many facts from the Bible.  That knowledge does not save them.  We are saved by faith in God’s word.

     St. Paul wrote, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).  Did you catch that?  “Faith comes…”  It is not that faith came to you once a long time ago when you first heard God’s word.  Faith comes.  Faith continues to come through the message about Jesus Christ.  Faith continues to be nourished, sustained, and strengthened as we continue to hear the word of God.  That is why we continue in what we have learned.  You may come to know the Bible better by continuing in God’s word.  If so, great!  But hearing, reading, and studying the Bible is not just about learning facts.  We continue in God’s word so that faith will grow.  We continue in what we have learned so that we will not be enticed away from the only hope of salvation there is. 

     St. Paul wrote that the Scriptures are “useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  By continuing in what we have learned, we are rebuked for attitudes that glorify ourselves at the expense of others.  We are corrected when we begin to drift into ideas that sound good or feel right but stand opposed to God’s will.  We are trained for righteousness, because our sinful nature does not want to do good works when they are difficult or costly.  We continue in what we have learned so that our faith remains focused on Jesus, his words of salvation, and his words of direction.  This faith comes from hearing the message of Christ.  If it is not fed, faith will starve, just as your children’s health would suffer if they were fed only occasionally.  Continue in the word you have learned.

     St. John’s Lutheran School exists for the purpose of teaching the word of God to your children, grandchildren, and future generations.  Yes, we teach all the core subjects so that they will grow in knowledge and attain skills important for life.  We teach children to use their knowledge and skills for the glory of God and for the good of their neighbor.  God will bless them as they dedicate themselves to the way of godliness.

     At the same time, we recognize that our knowledge and skills are just for this life.  The day comes when we must all stand before the Lord to answer for our lives.  That day could come at any age.  So, we want our children—and in fact, all people—to know that you do not need to fear that day because you have a Savior.  Jesus Christ has secured your place in God’s family.  God’s word reveals what he has done for you.

     God wants you to know his love and compassion.  It is not merely that he pities you because you are a sinner who is marked for death.  Mere pity will not save you.  It is God’s action that saves you.  In the Bible, you learn that you have a Savior-God.  He is the God who became a man to take up your cause.  The Savior did not merely pity you because your sin has produced guilt, regret, and God’s righteous judgment.  Jesus took up your sins and made himself accountable for them.  He suffered divine judgment for you when he was nailed to a cross.  He consumed God’s wrath on your behalf.  Jesus was not content to let death be the eternal fate of all people.  Jesus went into death for you so that he could conquer the grave in his resurrection.  And Jesus wants you to be wise for salvation.  That is not just knowing facts about his death and resurrection; it is receiving the benefits of them.  He wants you to receive forgiveness for your sins.  He wants to remove your fear of death and judgment.  He wants you to know that God the Father is pleased to call you his dearly loved children.  And he never tires of telling you so. 

     St. Paul assures you, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Holy Spirit breathed into the prophets and apostles so that every word they wrote is the very word of God.  And when you read, hear, and study that word, the Holy Spirit breathes into you to sustain you in the saving faith.  Even if you are hearing the same lessons throughout the years, God is communicating his love to you through them.  It is like a husband and wife who have been married for decades.  They continue to profess their love for each other.  It’s not that they forget that they love each other.  It’s that their relationship remains strong as they continue to communicate it.  If you’ve been married long enough, you also realize that you end up telling each other the same stories over and over again.  Our Lord does the same.

     Continue in the word you have learned.  God breathes his love and his life into you through that word.  And you need him to do this.  Life is hard.  Bad things happen.  When people mock you or friends turn on you, you might think that no one cares about you.  When you suffer from an innocent mistake or from a lapse of judgment, you might feel that you are worthless or useless.  When death makes you feel its icy grip, you may become overwhelmed by fear.  This is why you continue in what you have learned.  You need to hear your Lord profess his love and faithfulness to you.  The Lord is pleased to remind you that he abounds in mercy, and that your salvation is sure.  The Lord Jesus Christ gives you a peace that surpasses all understanding.  That means even in the bitterest moments of life, your hope remains constant.  The joy of salvation sustains you because nothing changes the fact that you are a redeemed child of God.  Your world might unravel, but your faith will not because it rests on God’s promises.

     Continue in what you have learned.  It shall comfort your troubled heart.  It shall equip you for every good work.  It shall make you wise for salvation.  There is nothing better for us to teach you, and there is nothing more important for you to learn.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Local Tourist -- National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota

On Friday, September 11, the Local Tourist and his Mrs. drove down to Wabasha to visit the National Eagle Center.  There were three birds tethered to a perch which were just a few feet away.  We were told they were tethered for their own safety.  Two were blind in one eye which meant that they would be unable to judge distances and smack into walls if they were to be let go.  The blow might be fatal.  I was assured that the one in front of me was not flying at me, but it happened several times, so I don't know if that was true.  He looked like he knew where he wanted to go.  The tether kept him from getting over the railing.  The third eagle had lost a wing.

The eagle center takes eagles which have been found injured and then rescued.  When they are unable to be rehabilitated to return to the wild, the center cares for them and shows them to the guests.  

One fascinating display showed how many varieties of eagles there are and where in the world they reside.  It looks like there are 40-50 varieties of eagles, most not in North America.

Anyway, here are some photos from Wabasha and the National Eagle Center.

YouTube -- 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 13, 2026)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Sermon -- 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 13, 2026)

LOVE COMPELS US TO CALL OUT TO SINNERS.

MATTHEW 18:15-20 

In the name + of Jesus.

      The first phrase of our Gospel reading is important.  Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you” (Matthew 18:15).  That refers to a fellow Christian, not to someone who is outside the Church.  This is a huge distinction.  We certainly want those who are outside the Church to repent and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  We want that because that is what God wants.  Love compels us to call out to the sinner.  If an unbeliever refuses to repent and to come to the knowledge of the truth, we will be disappointed, but we need not be surprised.  Those who live in darkness turn away from the light of God’s word.  Jesus told us why: “Everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, or else his deeds would be exposed” (John 3:20).  

     If someone is a brother or sister in Christ, however, he or she has been enlightened to know God’s truth.  Christians have the words that save.  They know that they have been called to a life of godliness.  If they turn away from godliness, it is not a matter of ignorance.  Perhaps it is weakness.  Perhaps they have been deceived.  Perhaps it is full-blown defiance.  In any of those cases, they are in the wrong.  They are forsaking the light for the deeds of darkness.  If your brother sins against you, address him presuming that he knows better and ought to do better.

     “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his sin just between the two of you” (Matthew 18:15).  This refers to a fellow Christian who has violated God’s word in a particularly grievous way.  Either he is persisting in a sin, or he has done something that has caused you harm—perhaps slander or theft or betrayal.  We are usually tempted to broadcast the sins of others to a wider audience.  If your fellow Christian sins against you, demonstrate love to him first of all by not making his reputation worse.  If no one else needs to know what was done, then no one else should know what was done.  Love compels us to call out to sinners, not to call others’ sins out to the world.

     Love will also move you to confirm what has been done.  We often misinterpret what someone said or did.  We assume the worst and get angry over what we thought happened without knowing what actually happened.  Get the story straight, lest you create a problem that did not exist.  You can say, “Let me see if I understand this correctly.  Did you really do such-and-such?  Did you really mean to say so-and-so?”  If you did understand it correctly, perhaps just showing him his sin might be enough to lead him to repent.  That is the goal.  Love compels us to call out to sinners.  We love the person enough to show him his fault so that he will repent and make amends.  It grieves us to see anyone lost to God’s kingdom.  “If he listens to you, you have regained your brother” (Matthew 18:15).  There is great joy in brothers being reconciled.  “How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1)!

     But not every conversation has a happy ending, and Jesus knows that.  Jesus continued, “If he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.  And, if he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as an unbeliever or a tax collector” (Matthew 18:16-17).  First, one’s sin needs to be exposed.  Then, if he does not repent, others can go along to bear witness to what God says in his word.  It needs to be known that you are not engaged in some petty squabble.  Nor is it you judging.  It is a judgment based on God’s word.  Proclaim God’s Law, and let God judge what is right and wrong.

     If others also go and cite God’s word, they can also bear witness if the sinner refuses to heed God’s word and is persisting in his sin.  Then, if it is proved to be manifest impenitence, the Church acknowledges that he can no longer can he be called a brother in Christ.  He has confessed that God’s word is unimportant or false.  He has proved his impenitence in multiple visits and to multiple witnesses.  He must be told that his sin clings to him, as well as the damning judgment to come.  Jesus assures us that, if such a declaration has to be made, it is acknowledged in heaven as much as it is declared on earth.  But make sure that every word is motivated by love—love first for God whose word we confess, and then love for the sinner.  Love for the sinner means we will show him how serious this is in hopes that he will heed the word of the Lord and repent. 

     These are heavy, difficult matters.  They should be.  We are dealing with eternal stakes here.  You may be tempted to ignore all of it.  You may pretend that there are no problems.  You may be tempted to argue that the sins are no big deal and find excuses for them.  This is especially true when we are dealing with family members.  Grandparents and parents just want to enjoy pleasant Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.  Ignoring the glaring sins will secure temporary peace, but it will be at the cost of eternal peace.  But love compels us to call out to the sinner. 

     If you are afraid to speak to a family member about a sin that they may be ensnared in, it is probably because you fear losing them.  You fear someone saying, “Well, then maybe you don’t want to see your grandchildren anymore.”  No doubt, this would be painful to endure.  No one wants to lose a loving family connection.  But wouldn’t it be much more painful to lose them for eternity?  You may think, “If I say something to a church member, we might lose them.”  First of all, salvation does not come by a name on a church roster.  More importantly, if he is persisting in sin, he is already lost.  Love compels us to call out to the sinner.  Again, these are heavy, difficult matters.  They should be.  We are dealing with eternal stakes here.  We pray for a happy ending, understanding that we don’t always get it. 

     When the Lord spoke through the prophet Ezekiel, the message was for some who were already in exile and for others who were still in Jerusalem.  The people of Israel had turned away from God’s word.  They did not listen.  They did not care.  They mocked the prophets, rejected them, and in some cases killed them.  You’d think the Lord would just have written them off.  Nevertheless, the Lord kept imploring them to repent.  Why would the Lord do so much for people who did not care about him or his word?

     Through Ezekiel, God gave the answer: “As I live, declares the LORD God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their way and live.  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why should you die, O house of Israel” (Ezekiel 33:11).  The Lord takes no pleasure in sending people to hell, but that doesn’t mean he won’t do it.  To ensure that no one should have to be banished to endless torment, the Lord took action.

     How much does our Lord desire that all people live and not be sentenced to hell for their sins?  He sent his only begotten Son into the world so that he would suffer and die for sinners.  To deliver you from the punishment sins deserve, Jesus bore that punishment for you.  Jesus willingly was condemned for sins he did not commit so that no sinner should have to be condemned for anything he has done. 

     Love compels us to call out to sinners so that they find their hope in Jesus Christ.  All who trust in Jesus will find relief from all shame and regret.  You don’t have to create excuses for your sins to justify yourself.  You can acknowledge that you were wrong—even for your silence because you feared losing the favor of your family and friends more than losing God’s favor.  You can confess that your actions and your motives were impure and indecent.  And why confess that?  Because our Lord has made a promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  The Lord is faithful in forgiving you because it was his will to make Jesus a sin offering for you.  He stands by that.  Jesus willingly forfeited his Father’s favor so that the Father’s favor would be poured out upon you.  He is faithful to that.  And the Lord is just in pardoning you.  It would be unjust for the Lord to punish you if Jesus has taken away your sins.  So, no one should ever have to be condemned for his sins.  Jesus has taken all sins away.  They can only condemn you if you take them back.  Jesus’ love compelled him to save us.  And this love compels us to call out to sinners.

     Jesus has taught us how this forgiveness is applied to us.  He told his disciples, “Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).  Jesus has given his Church the keys to the kingdom of heaven.  And what a tremendous blessing this is!  Every one of us has guilt on our record.  All have sinned.  So, how can you be sure that your sins are truly forgiven? 

     God does not give blanket forgiveness for no reason.  There are consequences to sin.  Since Jesus suffered those consequences in his death at the cross, forgiveness is tied to Jesus.  Now, how does Jesus apply his forgiveness to you?  Through his words spoken by the Church, based on the Holy Bible.  The impenitent reject Jesus, and therefore forfeit his forgiveness.  But the penitent find in Jesus a merciful Savior.  He sets you free.  He also sends people who tell you so.  A man on death row may long to be pardoned, but he can’t be unless it comes from the proper authority.  So also, forgiveness does not come from you thinking about it.  Forgiveness comes from outside of you—dispensed by our Lord and received by you in faith.  This is how you can be confident of your forgiveness.  If it comes from within, you will never know if your feelings match God’s judgment.  But if it comes from outside of you, from God through his ministers, then you hear and know God’s judgment.  And, of course, you also are entrusted with the word of God so that you may bestow forgiveness to the penitent and withhold forgiveness to the impenitent.

     Jesus Christ backs it up: “Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).  Jesus unties the knot of any and all sins which cling to you.  Love compels us to call out to sinners so that they will be set free from their sins, too.  Love compels us to summon people to come and hear Jesus’ words, to come and partake in his sacraments so that Jesus’ forgiveness comforts and preserves them in God’s good grace.  Love compelled Jesus to save sinners.  Love compels us to tell them.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Worship Note: The Sign of the Cross

When I was young, attending church at Calvary Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, I recall seeing people occasionally making the sign of the cross on themselves at various parts of the service.  I remember recoiling, as if I were Count Dracula facing a crucifix.  The reason?  I was taught that people who make the sign of the cross on themselves are Roman Catholic, and we are definitely NOT THAT!

I don't recall if my pastor ever taught me that, but it was certainly passed down from other sources.  Over the years, I have discovered that many Lutherans have been taught that, too.

We were taught badly.

Consider these words.

In the morning, when you rise, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say:  In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

And again: In the evening, when you go to bed, you shall bless yourself with the holy cross and say: In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Even more startling is this: For this end it is also of service that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants, and all that we have, against every need that may occur; whence also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals, and other prayers, morning and evening, have originated and remain in use.  Likewise the practice of children to cross themselves when anything monstrous or terrible is seen or heard, and to exclaim: “Lord God, protect us!” “Help, dear Lord Jesus!” etc. 

Any guesses as to the source of these instructions?  

The first two are in Luther's Small Catechism.  (They have been inexplicably omitted from the catechism published by our synod.)  They are found in every version of the Book of Concord I own.  The third quotation is from Luther's Large Catechism: Part I, paragraphs 73-74 (The 2nd Commandment).

To avoid making the sign of the cross because "it is Roman Catholic" is ridiculous.  It is a ceremony that every Christian has the right to do.  In that sense, it is catholic (note the small "c"), meaning that it belongs to the whole Christian Church on earth.  We do not abandon laudable practices just because they are done in the Roman Catholic Church.  We would not refuse to say the Lord's Prayer or the Nicene Creed because they are spoken in the Roman Mass, would we?  Neither should we despise making the sign of the cross.

Why make the sign of the cross?  (This "Why?" is the essential question for any practice we observe.)  The answer comes from the Rite of Holy Baptism.  In that rite, the pastor makes the sign of the cross on the one being baptized and says, "Receive the sign of the cross on the head and the heart to mark you as a redeemed child of Christ."  The sign of the cross is simply a reminder that we are baptized children of Triune God.  He is our Savior, our refuge, and our help in every time of trouble.  

Our hymnal gives us several places where making the sign of the cross is appropriate.  Most obvious is at the Invocation (In the name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit--the name into which we are baptized) and at the Benediction.  At the beginning and at the end of the service, we make the sign of the cross to confess that the Lord has put his name on us.  The are other places where it would be appropriate, but these are the most obvious.  And they are already in the hymnal to mark where a person may do it.

Do you have to make the sign of the cross?  Of course not.  Nowhere in God's word does he command or forbid it.  We are free to act as we please.  You do not get a better place in heaven one way or another.  But we should know why anyone who chooses to make the sign of the cross does it.  (For what it is worth, even many Roman Catholics don't know why they do it.)

Making the sign of the cross is a laudable practice, and it makes a laudable confession about the Triune God, about our baptism, and about our identity.