Actually, it is Traveling with A Schroeder since I am here solo. I got up too early, so a walk along the river front seemed like a nice idea. I even got a job offer from a fishing charter!
Friday, April 29, 2022
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Update from Good Shepherd (April 28, 2022)
Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Services are at 10:00 AM on Sundays.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Our Adult Bible Class is studying “Great Chapters of the Bible.”
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. The schedule for our Spring session can be found here. NOTE: We are NOT meeting on May 4.
For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
ADULT BIBLE CLASS – GREAT CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE
While the various teachings of God are scattered throughout the Bible, the Bible sometimes documents a particular teaching in an extended portion of Scripture. They give us a great deal to ponder for our understanding, comfort, and guidance. A greater knowledge of these chapters provides a greater defense against false doctrine and a greater appreciation of God’s promises and instruction. Classes are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Our final lessons are:May 1 1 Corinthians 15 – The Resurrection Chapter
May 8 Revelation 21 – The New Heavens & New Earth
EVERY MEMBER VISITS – 2022
PASTORS' CONFERENCE HOSTED BY GOOD SHEPHERD
A BIG THANK YOU to our members who so generously and eagerly stepped up to provide food and beverages, to clean, to set up, to clean up, and to serve at our Pastors' Conference. It was appreciated by all our attendees.
On Sunday, May 1, Good Shepherd will host a Mission Festival. We will have a pastor who represents WELS mission efforts in an unspecified country in east Asia. Being a Christian in that area is difficult, and it has been made more difficult for gatherings and communication. Yet, the Gospel is bearing fruit there. You can learn more about these efforts at the web site, www.316NOW.org. After our service, a presentation will be made about the on-going mission work. At the very least, you will gain an appreciation for the way God has allowed us in this country the freedom to worship and confess so freely for so long. A continental breakfast will be served.
GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
Services are uploaded to YouTube each week, usually the Monday after the service. Feel free to share the videos. Sunday, April 17: (6) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 - YouTube
OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule). The pastor is also available by appointment. Call or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. (NOTE: We are NOT meeting May 4.)
OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule). The pastor is also available by appointment. Call or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.
DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.
SHARE THIS POST!
We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!
In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
==============================
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. (NOTE: We are NOT meeting May 4.)
GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Sermon -- Matins for Pastors' Conference (April 27, 2022)
THE LORD HAS TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY.
M: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Cong:
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the name + of Jesus.
One of the criticisms lodged against Christianity is that our God is bloodthirsty, violent, and murderous. He destroyed the world in the Flood. He ordered the slaughter of the Canaanite nations. He commanded that Israel stone its adulterers, psychics, and false prophets. The argument concludes, “If that is what your God is like, then I want no part of him!”
Our Old
Testament lesson seems to reinforce that image.
Not only did the Lord act violently in slaying the Egyptian army, the
Israelites took up instruments and sang rousing songs of praise about it. Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, “I will sing
to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has
thrown into the sea” (Exodus 15:1).
This was a violent battle and, in fact, a
massacre. The Egyptian army was utterly
wiped out. Israel sustained no
fatalities or even wounds. There is no
need to apologize for the Lord. Our Lord
is a bloodthirsty God, and he acts violently as he slays his enemies. But if you want to be saved, then it has to
be this way. The Lord has triumphed
gloriously; his victory is absolute and undisputed.
The
Lord's violence against Pharaoh and his army came about because God has a
fierce loyalty to his promises. God had
promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that salvation would come through them. God promised to give their descendants the
Promised Land and to preserve them until the Savior came. The Egyptians had other plans for Israel. They were cheap labor. Sure, they had to be coaxed with threats and
whips, but they would build the glory of Pharaoh and Egypt. After the Passover slaughter of their
firstborn, the Egyptians begged the Israelites to leave. But then they had a change of heart. So, Pharaoh ordered the greatest army on
earth to pursue the Israelites.
The Egyptians were not going to ask
politely for Israel's return or to negotiate a labor contract. They were not going to play nice. “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will
overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy
them’” (Exodus 15:9). This was a
bloodthirsty enemy, devoted to acts of violence, oppression, and murder. Whoever was not slaughtered by Egyptian
swords would be captives of the Egyptian empire and assumed into Egyptian
culture. It would not just be the loss
of a nation, but the end of God's promise.
But the Lord is fiercely loyal to his
promise of the Messiah. To attack the
promise is to attack the Lord. So, the
Lord acted decisively and destroyed those who threatened his promise. “Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast
into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into
the depths like a stone. Your right
hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy”
(Exodus 15:4-6). The Lord has triumphed
gloriously. He has defended his promise. He has preserved the salvation of
mankind. If you want to be saved, this
is the way it has to be.
Our songs today are even more robust than
what the Israelites sang. Easter is the
celebration after a bloody, violent battle.
In this battle, it was winner take all, leaving no survivors. Either life wins, or death wins. Our songs ring out because Jesus came out
alive. Indeed, it was a massacre. If you want to be saved, then it has to be this
way. The Lord has triumphed gloriously;
his victory is absolute and undisputed.
If there is joy in having a bloodthirsty,
violent, murderous God, you have to recognize your enemies for what they
are. Every one of us is tormented and
terrorized by sin, death, and the devil.
Sin is not polite. It wounds your
conscience, scars you with shame and regret, and finally condemns you. Death does not negotiate with you. It seizes everyone. The devil does not play nice, and he never
will. He entices you to seize what you
want no matter what God says about it. Then
he accuses you, buries you with guilt, and damns you for the very things he
convinced you were good. These are
bloodthirsty, violent, and murderous enemies who drag their captives down to
hell for everlasting torment. They
boast, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, … my hand
shall destroy them’” (Exodus 15:9), and no one can escape them.
If you want to be rescued from your
enemies and delivered from their deadly grip, then they must be killed
off. No treaties. Not even a cease fire. They must be slain, never to rise again. So, for us fights the Valiant One whom God
himself elected. God took on our flesh
in order to deliver our flesh from sin, death, and the devil. This man, Jesus, single-handedly faced the enemy
to deliver you out of your captivity to your enemies. The enemies drew blood and inflicted wounds
on Jesus. Your bloodthirsty God poured
out his blood for you. Jesus willingly
threw your sins upon himself and threw himself into death for you. He let Satan do his worst, and Satan
delivered the death blow to Jesus.
But now, Jesus is risen! By his resurrection, Jesus has left sin for
dead. Because of Jesus' resurrection,
death is now a corpse. By his
resurrection, Jesus crushed the Serpent’s head, and a dead serpent is no threat. It was a bloody, violent, and deadly battle,
but Jesus lives as the victor. All your
enemies lie slaughtered and massacred.
Today, the sounds on the battlefield are joyful songs of victory and
praise. If you want to be saved, then it
has to be this way. The Lord has
triumphed gloriously; his victory is absolute and undisputed.
The Lord has triumphed gloriously. And Jesus makes this victory yours through baptism. Just as the enemies of Israel were drowned in
the waters of the Red Sea, so your enemies were drowned in the waters of
baptism. For, this is what the Lord
says: “Do you not know that
all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death? We
were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just
as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too
might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3,4). In your baptism, you have been freed from your
enemies. For, baptism connects you to
Jesus who saves you. Your
enemies have been killed—violently and definitively slain by the Lord who lives
and reigns forever. He lives and reigns
for you, and you shall now live and reign forever with him. For, the Lord has triumphed gloriously.
Therefore, let your hymns of praise be sung out with gusto and gratitude. Do not apologize for our Lord's bloody battle or the violent slaughter of your enemies. If that is what your God is like, then he has saved you completely. The Lord has triumphed gloriously; his victory is absolute and undisputed. So, we paraphrase the song of Moses and rejoice in our Easter victory: “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; sin, death, and the devil he has drowned in the waters. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name” (Exodus 15:1-3, paraphrase).
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Pastors' Conference, Spring 2022
The members of Good Shepherd did a fantastic job providing food, beverages, and snacks. Well done, dear friends!
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 24, 2022)
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PARDON AND PEACE COME IN JESUS’ NAME.
Cong: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the name + of Jesus.
Does God hold you accountable for your sins, or does God freely pardon you for your sins? It is not as simple a question as it would seem, and a bad answer will yield bad results. Really bad results. On the one hand, if you say that God freely pardons your sins, then you can use that as an excuse to pursue whatever immoral or wicked behaviors you want. You will insist that your sins are of no account because God forgives anyway. On the other hand, if God does not pardon freely and you are accountable for your sins, you will fall into despair. If God does not freely pardon, then you must do something to prove your worthiness for forgiveness.
I suppose for the most part, you are never
bothered by these questions. You can go
through most of your life without thinking about it. But if you are on your sick bed and your
thoughts turn to dying, this question will plague you. If you don’t have a good answer, it will rob
you of comfort and shake your faith to its core.
The question seems simple enough to answer:
Either God holds you accountable for your sins or God freely pardons them. But is actually a both/and answer. You are accountable for your sins. Your guilt is real. Sometimes you feel that guilt; other times
you don’t. But we are all guilty; for we
have all violated God’s Law—if not in deeds, then definitely in our thoughts. And God does freely pardon you for your
sins. That’s because Jesus Christ has
made himself accountable for your sins.
God does not just drop the charges for no reason. That would mean he doesn’t take violations
against his own Law seriously. But he does,
which is why Jesus was put to death according to divine justice and under God’s
curse. Jesus took responsibility for your
sins. Having made himself accountable
for you, he suffered and died for you. That
is how God dealt with your sins so that he can freely pardon you.
When Jesus appeared to the apostles on that
first Easter night, the disciples were coping with their own guilt for having
failed Jesus. They felt accountable,
because they were. When it actually
would have cost something to stand with Jesus, they fled. Jesus suddenly appeared in the room with
them. Their reaction was both surprise
and concern. What would Jesus say to
them? Would he pile on even greater
guilt? If he did, they couldn’t argue about
it. But Jesus relieved their fears. He said to them, “Peace be with you” (John
20:19). Pardon and peace came in Jesus’
name. He was not angry with them, and he
did not bear a grudge. He had willingly
suffered and died to take away their guilt, and he showed them the wounds which
purchased their salvation. They had no
need to fear Jesus or his judgment. He
proclaimed pardon and peace to the penitent and bolstered the faith of the fearful.
Sadly, Thomas was not with the other apostles
that evening. No matter how much the
disciples told Thomas about Jesus’ resurrection and appearance, Thomas would
not believe it. He had to see it for himself. Jesus condescended to Thomas’ demands. He did not owe it to him, but Jesus appeared
to him in mercy anyway. “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger
here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe’” (John
20:26-27). Again,
Jesus expressed no regret, not even for suffering on behalf of a skeptic. When Thomas saw Jesus, he finally did rejoice
in Jesus’ resurrection. Like the others,
Thomas received pardon and peace in Jesus’ name.
Now, Jesus does not appear to us to convince
us he is risen. We have no invitations
to inspect his wounds. It was never
Jesus’ intention to stay on earth where people could come to see him. If he had, you would probably never get
anywhere near him. At best, it would be
a once-in-a-lifetime moment to meet him, and it would last maybe a minute because
so many others who would want some of his time.
The pardon and peace which Jesus delivers would not be limited to one
place where Jesus was. It would be
delivered through others wherever people gather in Jesus’ name.
Therefore, Jesus commissioned these
apostles to go with the same authority he had.
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace
be with you. As the Father has sent
me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to
them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’” (John
20:21-23). The
apostles, of course, did not remain on the earth forever. Therefore, Jesus established the apostolic
ministry to assure that at all times and in all places people would hear pardon
and peace in his name.
This is the way the Lord always
works. When he wants to deal with
people, he hides himself in earthly things.
He appeared to Moses in a burning bush.
He was with Israel in the wilderness hidden in a pillar of cloud and a pillar
of fire. When the Lord came in person,
he hid his glory under frail human flesh.
And today, when the Lord applies his salvation to you, he does it through
the waters of baptism. He gives his body
and blood under bread and wine. And he speaks
through the mouths of ministers. We don’t
embrace his salvation because these earthly things are impressive. We embrace them because Jesus attaches his
name and his promises to them. When your
sins absolved by some poor minister, that absolution is backed by this promise:
“If you forgive the
sins of any, they are forgiven them” (John 20:23). Pardon
and peace come in Jesus’ name.
The Lord also works this way so that you
do not have to place your confidence in your own thoughts. You do not have to assume or guess that God forgives
you. The Lord has given you physical
means by which his forgiveness is delivered to you. Holy Baptism is a washing with the word that
is applied to you for the forgiveness of sins.
Holy Communion is the body and blood fed to you for the forgiveness of
sins. And Holy Absolution is the vocal
declaration of forgiveness proclaimed to you in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. It is the
word of God and the authority of Jesus which make baptism a water of life,
which make the Lord’s Supper the medicine of immortality, and which make the absolution
divine acquittal. Pardon and peace are not
merely pondered; they are delivered in Jesus’ name.
Jesus gave authority to his Church to
preach in his name. The Church entrusts
ministers to do this on their behalf. But
the authority is not only to forgive sins.
There is an ominous authority given too.
“Jesus said
to them…, ‘If you withhold forgiveness from any, it
is withheld’” (John 20:23). Jesus gives the Church the authority to hold
people accountable for their sins. We do
not do this to make people squirm; we do this so that they will not perish.
Why would we withhold forgiveness from
sinners? We do this when people don’t want
forgiveness for their sins. Many embrace
their sins and will not repent of them.
To withhold forgiveness is to issue a solemn warning, such as St. Paul
wrote to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians
6:9-10). Those who embrace such sins do not want
forgiveness for them. They want approval
of them. Such people we warn that they
are accountable for their sins, and that God does not pardon them. If they desire no forgiveness, they are
granted no forgiveness. How can we
declare a blessing on things that God condemns?
And how could we remain silent as people remain under God’s curse and
condemnation?
“Jesus said…, ‘If
you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’” (John 20:23). This withholding of forgiveness is not done out
of hatred or bigotry. It is done out of
love for people whom we do not want to perish.
It is done to warn them so that they would repent and so that God would
freely pardon. Those who are comfortable
with their sins need to hear that they are accountable for their sins. If they refuse to be held accountable, forgiveness
is withheld. God’s wrath remains upon
them.
But those who are terrified
over their sins need to be comforted. We
urge such sinners to flee to Jesus; for, God freely pardons sinners for Jesus’
sake. The apostles in the upper room were sinners and proved it, but they were still
believers. They believed that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God. So, when
Jesus came to these troubled disciples, he declared, “Peace be with you”
(John 20:19). And to those Corinthians,
St. Paul reminded them that some of them had embraced the wicked works which
condemn. But he went on to assure them, “But you were washed, you
were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Pardon and peace come in Jesus’ name.
St. John concluded
this chapter with these words: “Jesus did many other signs in the
presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30). I am sure the signs that Jesus performed in
the presence of his disciples were amazing.
But the Holy Spirit did not guide John to write down any of them. The Scriptures are not written down for the
sake of fascinating us, although they are fascinating. John tells us what the purpose of his writing
and every writing of Scripture is: “These are written so that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).
Pardon and peace come in Jesus’ name. Everything God tells us finds its fulfillment in that—whether God holds us accountable for our sins so that we will repent, or God declares that he freely pardons us for Jesus’ sake. The goal of Scripture and the desire of the Lord is that we hear the word of the Lord so that we would flee from our sins and flee to Jesus. For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved by him. Thanks to Jesus, you are. You are Christ’s. Therefore, pardon and peace are yours.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Update from Good Shepherd (April 21, 2022)
Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Services are at 10:00 AM on Sundays.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Our Adult Bible Class is studying “Great Chapters of the Bible.”
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. The schedule for our Spring session can be found here.
For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
ADULT BIBLE CLASS – GREAT CHAPTERS OF THE BIBLE
While the various teachings of God are scattered throughout the Bible, the Bible sometimes documents a particular teaching in an extended portion of Scripture. They give us a great deal to ponder for our understanding, comfort, and guidance. A greater knowledge of these chapters provides a greater defense against false doctrine and a greater appreciation of God’s promises and instruction. Classes are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Our final lessons are:April 24 1 Thess. 4:13 – 5:11 – Judgment Day
May 1 1 Corinthians 15 – The Resurrection Chapter
May 8 Revelation 21 – The New Heavens & New Earth
EVERY MEMBER VISITS – 2022
April's schedule: Good Shepherd: Every Member Visits - April 2022 (signupgenius.com)
Sign Up Genius Link for May: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a4fa8aa2ea64-every4
PASTORS' CONFERENCE HOSTED BY GOOD SHEPHERD
On Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27, Good Shepherd will be hosting the pastors' conference for the WELS pastors in southeast Michigan. There will be a Divine Service on Tuesday at 9:00 AM and Matins on Wednesday at 9:00 AM. All are invited to these services.
Good Shepherd will also be prepping and serving two breakfasts, two luncheons, and one supper for the conference. While the main courses are being taken care of by members who have already volunteered, there will be more items needed to round out the food and beverages we will need. You can sign up to bring food and beverages at this Sign Up Genius form: Good Shepherd: Pastor's Conference (April 26-27, 2022) (signupgenius.com). If you purchase food or beverages for the conference, you can be reimbursed your expenses. Please submit all pertinent receipts to Carol Casmer or Pastor Schroeder.
MISSION FESTIVAL AT GOOD SHEPHERD
On Sunday, May 1, Good Shepherd will host a Mission Festival. We will have a pastor who represents WELS mission efforts in an unspecified country in east Asia. Being a Christian in that area is difficult, and it has been made more difficult for gatherings and communication. Yet, the Gospel is bearing fruit there. You can learn more about these efforts at the web site, www.316NOW.org. After our service, a presentation will be made about the on-going mission work. At the very least, you will gain an appreciation for the way God has allowed us in this country the freedom to worship and confess so freely for so long. A continental breakfast will be served.
Life Challenges Podcast
Suicide. Suffering. Science and Ethics. Keeping your children in the faith. Parenthood’s burdens and blessings.
Chances are one or more of these topics may have touched your life, yet how often are they approached from a distinctly Lutheran perspective? These are also all modern-day issues discussed recently on the Life Challenges Podcast from Christian Life Resources. Check it out, give a listen, and perhaps you’ll find yourself better prepared the next time you face tough issues like these. Find it at lifechallenges.us or on your favorite podcast platform.
Suicide. Suffering. Science and Ethics. Keeping your children in the faith. Parenthood’s burdens and blessings.
Chances are one or more of these topics may have touched your life, yet how often are they approached from a distinctly Lutheran perspective? These are also all modern-day issues discussed recently on the Life Challenges Podcast from Christian Life Resources. Check it out, give a listen, and perhaps you’ll find yourself better prepared the next time you face tough issues like these. Find it at lifechallenges.us or on your favorite podcast platform.
GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
Services are uploaded to YouTube each week, usually the Monday after the service. Feel free to share the videos. Sunday, April 17: (6) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 - YouTube
OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule). The pastor is also available by appointment. Call or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.
Services are uploaded to YouTube each week, usually the Monday after the service. Feel free to share the videos. Sunday, April 17: (6) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 - YouTube
OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon. The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule). The pastor is also available by appointment. Call or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.
DO YOU LIKE US?
Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.
SHARE THIS POST!
We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!
In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
==============================
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM.
Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.
GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
YouTube -- Easter Festival Service (April 17, 2022)
Here is the service from Sunday, April 17, 2022.
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Sermon -- Easter Festival (April 17, 2022)
.tif)
HE IS RISEN,
JUST AS HE SAID.
M: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Cong: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the name + of Jesus.
In Lent, we followed the Man of Sorrows. Today, we honor the Lord of Victory. In Lent, our emphasis was on our sins and need for repentance. Today, our emphasis is forgiveness, life, and joy. Throughout Lent, our worship was muted. Today, we restore the Alleluia’s with extravagance. By my count, we sing Alleluia 50 times in our hymns this service. Today, we celebrate that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and that he is victorious over death and the grave.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Jesus gave his life as a ransom payment for all
sinners by his death on the cross. He accepted
God’s judgment on your behalf. He bore your
guilt, was crushed by God’s wrath, and absorbed all the agonies of death and
hell. But now Jesus lives. This means that Jesus’ payment for your sins has
been accepted. His death is full compensation
for all sins. Therefore, Jesus has
authority to forgive all your sins. Your
Savior lives to declare that your sins are taken away and that God’s wrath has
been withdrawn from you.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection means that heaven is open
to you. Since he lives forever and
reigns over all things, his word is supreme.
His promises are irreversible.
That means your hope is indestructible.
We look for the resurrection of the dead because we know that we will be
raised to everlasting life. We look for
the life of the world to come because we know it is endless peace and indescribable
glory. We will dwell in the house of the
Lord forever. There is no reason to fear
this because the Lord’s love for you is demonstrated by Jesus’ willing death and
resurrection victory. Rejoice in your Savior’s victory. You are the prize he has won, and he is
pleased to call you his very own.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. We rejoice today and always. But that is not how the first Easter day
began. You and I came to church with joy
today because we know the end of the story.
It was not so obvious back then, though it should have been.
The disciples were hiding in Jerusalem. They were afraid, heart-broken, and confused. They were coping with the death of Jesus, and
they were consumed by their guilt because they had failed to stand beside him. They had followed Jesus until it actually
cost them something. They wondered, “Were
the years that we invested learning from Jesus wasted time?” If Jesus was dead, their hopes and plans were
dead, too.
I
suppose the women who followed Jesus were coping a little bit better. They went to the tomb to tend to Jesus’
body. His burial was done in such a hurry
that they had been unable to show their respects for his body. After the Sabbath rest, at the crack of dawn,
they went to perform one last act of devotion for their beloved teacher. But they all received a gut punch when they discovered
the stone removed from the front of the tomb and the body of Jesus
missing. What sick person would rob a
grave and steal a corpse? Was it the
Pharisees and the priests? They hated
Jesus. They had arranged his
arrest. They had orchestrated the trial which
condemned him. They badgered Pontius
Pilate until he sentenced Jesus to the most shameful kind of death available. Was that not enough?
And then, everything changed. “While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in
dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened
and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the
living among the dead? He is not here,
but has risen. Remember how he told you, while
he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the
hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.’ And they remembered his words” (Luke
24:4-8). He is risen, just as he said!
Jesus’ disciples—whether the women or the apostles—had no reason to be despair
over Jesus’ death. He had told them this
was going to happen. They had no reason
to be surprised at Jesus’ resurrection.
He had told them that this was going to happen. They had no reason to doubt Jesus’
words. Through the prophets, God had
foretold that this was going to happen. Already
in the Garden of Eden, God had revealed his plan of salvation. He continued to offer more details as the
centuries went by. God the Father had
testified at Jesus’ baptism that he is the very one who would carry out all that
was foretold. God never lies. So, it should not have surprised anyone that
everything happened just as God had said.
And it has. The angels declared, “He
is not here, but has risen. Remember how
he told you” (Luke 24:6).
When the women who went to the tomb heard the message from the angels,
they remembered Jesus’ words. Indeed, everything
Jesus had told them would happen happened exactly as he said. The words stirred up the faith of these women
who went and told the apostles all these things. “They told all these things to the
eleven and to all the rest … but these words seemed to them an idle tale,
and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:9,11). Oh, what peace we often forfeit! Oh, what needless pain we bear! All because we do not believe the Lord when
he speaks to us. The disciples remained
in their fear and confusion because they did not believe the women’s message. They did not take Jesus’ words to heart. He had risen, just as he said, but they did
not believe and remained pierced with grief and guilt.
Perhaps that is why Peter ran out to the tomb. One of the last exchanges Peter had had with
Jesus was when Jesus told Peter he would deny him three times. Peter insisted that this would be
impossible. Peter would never deny the Lord. But within hours of Peter’s boasting, everything
Jesus had told him would happen happened exactly as he said. If Jesus got that right, then perhaps
the ladies were not talking nonsense. He
went to see for himself. “Peter rose
and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by
themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Luke 24:12). John’s Gospel adds that the linen cloths were
folded up neatly. This was no grave robbery. This was a Savior who calmly and intentionally
rose from the dead and departed from the tomb.
Although Peter still needed to connect the dots and see that this had
all been foretold in Scripture, the words of Jesus had taken root. He marveled at the message and its
fulfillment. Jesus is risen, just as he
said!
You need not be surprised by anything God tells you, either. God never lies. Everything God tells you is good. But we don’t always trust that God’s word is
good when it is costly or seems cruel and unfair. We have a hard time believing that the sins
which make us happy could be wicked. We
don’t want to turn away from our sins when we are gaining something through them. We don’t want to put forth the effort of
doing good to thankless people. Our forgiveness
and love come with conditions. We insist
that our ways are pleasing but God’s ways are painful.
To believe in the Lord is also to trust his word and to do it. The Lord defines what is good and what is evil. When God’s word confronts us about our sins,
rather than debate about our circumstances and reasons for doing what we do, a
better question to ask is this: Is God’s word true? If God tells me that my behavior is wicked,
is he right? If God tells me to correct
my attitude, is he correct? When we hear
what the Lord says, there is one of two responses that we can give. One is, “God, you are wrong. You are a liar.” The other is, “Amen. Every word of the Lord is true. Every word from God is good—even if it shows
me that I am not.”
This is not to say that you won’t struggle
against temptations or that overcoming your sinful habits and choices is easy. We all have a sinful nature which delights in
going our own way. The sinful nature does
not even want to listen to God because it concludes that, in the end, God cannot
be good. But if you call God a liar
about our sins, then he is also a liar about your forgiveness. If the life God calls you to is distasteful
to you, then he will not bother granting you the delicacies of his eternal
kingdom. Death and hell will take you,
and the goodness of God will be lost to you.
But, dear friends, God is not a liar.
His word is good. He does not want
anyone to perish in their sins. Yes, he
urges you to flee from wickedness, but he also knows that you cannot overcome all
sins, and you surely will not escape death.
But that is why Jesus came. He has
come to take away your sins. He has come
to conquer death. And he has! He is risen, just as he said.
“Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that
the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be
crucified and on the third day rise” (Luke 24:6-7). Jesus had said that everything which happened had
to happen. It all had to happen this
way for Jesus to deliver you out of the curse of your sin and to relieve you of
the terror of death. It had to happen
this way because this is what God promised.
God does not lie; his word is true and good.
Jesus lives to declare that your guilt is pardoned. Jesus lives to have authority over death and
the grave. He also holds the authority
to judge—either condemning people for their sins or awarding eternal life to
the pure. But now, through the blood of
Jesus, your sins are washed away.
Through holy baptism, you have been purified. All God’s promises are secured by the death
of Jesus and confirmed by his resurrection.
He is risen, just as he said. You are forgiven, just as he said. He will preserve you in this saving faith through the words he continues to preach to you. So, if you believe that God is true, if you desire to be delivered from your sins, if you long for a resurrection to everlasting peace and glory, then listen to what Jesus says. Keep listening to what Jesus says, Sunday after Sunday, year after year. For only Jesus has the authority to forgive, to raise the dead, and to bring you into heavenly peace and joy. He is risen, just as he said. And he says it for your good.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Sermon -- Easter Dawn (April 17, 2022)
MEDITATION ON
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD.
THE FLOOD: Water
That Both Drowns And Saves.
In the name + of Jesus.
When we hear about the Flood, we usually focus on the destruction it brought upon the world. One reason for that is because of the Lord’s own words: “God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said…, ‘Behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die’” (Genesis 6:12,17).
God cannot abide by sin. He had
created a perfect world, and his standard for all people is for holiness. But sin produces in us all kinds of
wickedness—selfishness, pride, anger, violence, and so forth. We show utter disrespect to God, suggesting
that he has no business in his own creation.
We show utter contempt for our fellow man, seeing other people only
according to how we can use them. The
judgment of God is deserved.
The Lord sent the Flood to wipe out everything on earth because of its
wickedness. The waters drowned every
living thing. The exception, of course,
was Noah, his family, and every animal that was taken into the ark.
Noah was not excused from the Flood.
He had to endure it, too. But God
provided deliverance to Noah so that he was not destroyed. The Lord God had revealed his word to Noah, a
word which provided salvation. God had commanded
Noah to build an ark in which he, his family, and many animals found refuge from
God’s judgment. The Flood waters drowned
all that was wicked, but it also lifted the ark above the destruction. God sent waters which both drowned and saved. All who were in the ark were saved by the
very waters which drowned the earth.
“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a
removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good
conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). The waters of baptism correspond to the Flood. God cannot abide sin, but neither does God want
to destroy you. You will not be excused
from God’s judgment, but God provides deliverance so you will not be
destroyed. Through holy baptism, the
Lord delivers you. God drowns all that
is corrupt in you. And the waters of
baptism save you. They deliver you above
the judgment which will come upon all that remains corrupt. Through baptism, God brings you into the ark of
the Christian Church. Here, God’s people
are kept safe. We gather each week in
the nave, which means ship, to rejoice in the Lord. Rather than have us die in our sins, the Lord
died to deliver us from sin. His resurrection
proves that his redeeming work is both sufficient and complete. We are saved by Jesus, and Jesus applies that
salvation to us in baptism.
The waters of baptism both drown and save. Daily, we revisit our baptism—putting to death the sin that still desires to have us. And daily, God raises us up anew. He saves us and keeps us safe as we gather in his name—the name which marks us and saves us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friday, April 15, 2022
Sermon -- Good Friday: The Third Word (April 15, 2022)
THE THIRD WORD — John 19:25-27
When God created the
world, he also created vocations for us to fill. These vocations are the practical ways we keep
the second table of the Law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The first commandment
in the second table is: “Honor your father and mother.” The family relationship is the most basic vocation
in the world. No one comes into the
world without a father or a mother. We
may lose them early in life, but we have all had them. Young children are taught to honor, serve,
and obey their parents. While the age of
children may alter how they honor, serve, and obey their parents, the 4th
Commandment is never abolished.
Even while he hung from
the cross—weakened from the scourging, in agony from the nails, tormented by
divine wrath—Jesus fulfilled his vocation as the firstborn son of Mary. He kept the Commandment when we could have
excused him from it because of everything he was enduring. Nevertheless, he loved his mother. He assured her that she would be cared for.
Jesus had brothers,
probably step-brothers, who could have taken up the obligation to care for Mary. Instead, Jesus gave this responsibility to
the apostle John. John would care for
her physical well-being.
But Jesus’ ultimate
desire was for her eternal well-being.
He was dying for her sins. He entrusted
her to the apostle who would preach forgiveness, administer the Lord’s Supper,
and absolve her in the stead and by the command of Jesus. In this way, Jesus fulfilled his vocation as her
faithful son and her faithful Savior.
The Commandment is fulfilled by Jesus’ obedience. The sins of disobedient sons and daughters are paid for by Jesus’ death. Everything is covered by Jesus. We are reconciled to the Father. We are gathered into the family of saints.
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