Sermon -- 9th Sunday after Pentecost (July 30, 2023)

1 KINGS 3:5-12

OUR GREATEST TREASURE IS GOD-GIVEN WISDOM.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus told another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).  Occasionally, we hear stories about people who discover treasures.  Perhaps it is a work of art that was purchased at a garage sale.  When one family recently had to clean out their father’s house, they discovered one million pennies in the attic.  Perhaps the biggest treasure that has everyone’s attention right now is the MegaMillions jackpot, which has now exceeded one billion dollars ($1.05 billion as of July 29). 

     When we think about finding or winning treasure, we also fantasize about what we would do with it.  How fast would you quit your job?  Would you get a new house?  What beach front property would you be looking at?  What luxury items—sports car, in home theater, season tickets in a suite, months’ long vacations, and so forth?  Nothing in your fantasies would live up to reality.  Gobs of money do not satisfy greed or produce peace.

     Now consider Solomon, the son of David.  He grew up with royal privileges.  When he was perhaps twenty years old, he inherited his father’s throne.  Suddenly, Solomon had sovereign power over an entire nation with the state treasury and military at his disposal.  Then this happened: “The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you’” (1 Kings 3:5).  If you think the lottery is a big deal, imagine God offering you a blank check!  What would you do with it?

     Since you heard the lesson and since you are in church, you probably have gone straight to the answer that Solomon gave.  That is admirable, but I doubt it is honest.  What you fantasize about?  I’ll bet it is not about a greater faith or deeper knowledge of Scripture.  We lust after personal glory and gain.  We fantasize about pleasure.  But even if we got close to attaining our fantasies, they will never satisfy.  This is a world of thorns and thistles, pain and sorrow, death and decay.  The rich are not spared from these any more than the middle class or the poor.

     Solomon rightly understood his place in the world.  As king over a nation of a great number of people, he felt the pressure of his office.  Being sovereign does not make life easy; it is a burden.  The morning after his inauguration, the White House staff knocked on President Reagan’s door and said, “Mr. President, it is time to get up.”  He replied, “Do I have to?”  He felt the burden of the office.

      Solomon was not merely king, he was king over God’s people.  He confessed, “O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child.  I do not know how to go out or come in.  And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude” (1 Kings 3:7-8).  Solomon’s prayer was to serve in his vocation for the good of the people and for the honor of God.  Aware of his shortcomings, he sought the Lord’s help.  Greater than the treasures of his kingdom was the treasure only God could give. 

     Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.  Therefore, Solomon prayed, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9).  The phrase “understanding mind” is literally “a heart that hears.”  We limit our heart to emotions.  As the Hebrews understood it, the heart is the source of emotions, intellect, and will—our entire being.  Therefore, Solomon’s request was more than, “Make me smart.”  Solomon sought to serve according to God’s will with his entire being, namely, “that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). 

     Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.  If Solomon were to have “a heart that listens,” what he listened to was vital.  It is vital for us, too.  Many voices vie for our attention to instruct us on what is good or evil.  One problem is that the voices often contradict each other; some saying, “This is good,” while others respond, “No, it is evil.”  Both insist they are right.  People also pull at you to be “on the right side of history.”  Whoever says this assumes that he is in the right and that future generations will prove it.  It also assumes that the world always moves toward improvement and righteousness.  An honest look at history shows that the world has always been messed up.

     Another problem of the world’s assessment of good and evil is that it is a moving target.  What was called good in the past may now be called evil, and what was condemned in the past may now be celebrated and promoted.  At one time, many in our nation thought that slavery was good.  Not long ago, many in our nation called couples cohabiting before marriage “living in sin.”  The point I am making is not that all the changes are bad.  The point I am making is that what is considered bad can always be changed.  Morals change constantly in our world.  Pressure is applied so that you will get on board with the new morality.  The voices continue to instruct you in movies and music and societal attitudes.  And our hearts often have ears for such instruction so that we are no longer repulsed by worldly ways.  Nothing shocks us anymore.  Even if we don’t adopt worldly ways, we may be reluctant or even unwilling to call them evil.  Repent.

     What does your heart listen to?  King Solomon’s request was right.  He prayed for a heart that listens “that I may discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9).  To do this, we listen to the word of God.  God does not change.  Therefore, God’s word does not change—not because of the times, not because of the place, and not because the state passed new laws.  God’s word is firm in assessing good and evil.  His word is the treasure we need.  God gave us this treasure not so that we will be on the right side of history as some claim to be, but so that we will stand on the Lord’s right side at the final judgment.  The world may vilify you now, but God will vindicate you on the Last Day.  The world may tell you to you to go to hell for adhering to God’s word, but God will damn those who despise his word.  Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.  We pray that more people will treasure it, for only the Bible makes us wise for salvation.  Only the Bible has the words of eternal life, unbreakable peace, and everlasting hope.

     Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.  Solomon prayed, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind” (1 Kings 3:9), that is, “a heart that listens.”  Solomon was good at listening to the word of the Lord to begin with.  Unfortunately, Solomon began listening to other voices.  He played the political games of his day, which meant ratifying treaties by marrying the daughters of foreign kings.  You are not likely to attack your father-in-law.  To keep these wives happy, Solomon built temples so they could worship their foreign gods.  Solomon joined them in this worship, deciding that having multiple temples and gods was not really that bad.  In giving his ears and then his heart to these gods, Solomon abandoned the Lord.  I don’t know if Solomon died in the faith or not.  I would like to think that Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s letter of repentance penned late in life, but I don’t know.  In either case, Solomon is a cautionary tale.  This son of David was enticed by seductive voices.  He turned a deaf ear to God’s word and hardened his heart to the Lord.  He lost his great treasure.

     The first son of David proved to be unfaithful, but the greater Son of David proved to be faithful in all things.  Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of David, dedicated his heart and mind and ears and mouth to the word of the Lord.  He delighted in divine wisdom.  He devoted his attention to it.  He taught it to others.  He lived it in his interactions with all people.  Giving his heart and ears to the word of the Lord also meant that Jesus would suffer and die for sins he did not commit.  The Son of David was faithful to that word.  He willingly took up our sins—our negligence of God’s word and prayer, our laziness in doing the good God calls us to do, our reluctance to call evil what God calls evil, our willingness to listen to lying voices which endorse our forsaking God’s ways to pursue our own, our fantasies for personal glory and pleasure.  For all sins, Jesus poured out his holy, precious blood as the atoning sacrifice which appeases God’s anger and delivers God’s mercy.  This is what makes you wise for salvation.  This is the treasure that brings peace and secures eternal life.  This treasure never loses value, can never be stolen, never fails you, and is not lost even when you die.  Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.

     “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).  Jesus Christ is our greatest treasure.  He was buried in a garden, but sprang forth Easter Sunday victorious over sin, death, and the devil.  Jesus bestows this victory to you so that you will have a resurrection to eternal life with a glory that will surpass your fantasies.  Let us be willing to suffer everything, even death, rather than forfeit the treasure that Jesus brings.  Let us be willing to dedicate our hearts and ears to his word so that God gives greater wisdom and so that we increase in heavenly treasures.  Where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also.  Our greatest treasure is God-given wisdom.  

     And our Lord’s treasure is you.  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).  If we hope to give up everything to gain Jesus, we will be heart-broken.  Who could ever boast that he has forsaken all things for Jesus?  But Jesus has given up all things to gain you.  He gave up the glories of heaven to live in a world corrupted by sin.  He set aside the riches of heaven to be an impoverished peasant.  He sacrificed his innocence to bear our guilt.  He who is immortal gave himself into bitter death.  Why?  To gain you.  To win glory for you.  To rescue you from foolish and destructive ways and to lead you in paths of righteousness.  To deliver you from death to life everlasting.  You are the treasure which Jesus joyfully redeemed with his life.

     This good news is what makes you wise for salvation.  The words of Jesus make you wise for discerning good and evil, life and death.  With grateful hearts, we devote ourselves to hearing his words; for there is no greater treasure.

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

Summer Reading -- Redeeming Technology

Yet another book has jumped in to delay reading through St. Augustine's The City of God.  I suppose I will keep chipping away at The City of God as the weeks go by, but I just started a new book which was also a gift from IssuesEtc.  Redeeming Technology is an intriguing title, and a glance at the table of contents and just getting into the book has vaulted it to a higher priority.

It was written by a psychiatrist, Dr. Brian Smith, and a pastor, Rev. A. Trevor Sutton.  They do not go to the extreme in saying that technology is evil, but they do note that our use of technology has gone to extremes.  The consequences are not insignificant.  

Consider these paragraphs from the first chapter of the book.  

"We have witnessed the pain of technology addiction.  We know the struggles of unhealthy technology use.  For us, this is more than statistics.  For us, this is personal.

"Dr. Smith has treated children on the brink of suicide, influenced by social media that romanticize self-harm and websites detailing how to take one's life.  He has gotten truant children back into school after they had become vampires with reversed sleep-wake cycles, up all night playing electronic games and sleeping all day.  He has corrected the cognitive distortions of patients convinced that something is wrong with their bodies because of the distorted images of beauty prevalent on the internet.  As a psychiatrist, Dr. Smith has witnessed the pernicious power that technology can have over mental health.

"Pastor Sutton has provided pastoral care to individuals whose lives have been destroyed by technology.  He has visited young adults staying at inpatient psychiatric care facilities because of social media and cyberbullying.  He has counseled individuals rocked by the public shame of internet call-out culture.  He has worked with couples torn apart by pornography and extramarital text messaging.  He has helped people discern the differences between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Facebook.  As a pastor, Trevor has witnessed the pernicious power that technology can have over the soul" (pages 14-15).

Perhaps these words will be enough to encourage you to get the book and read it for yourself.  If I think about it, I can offer a review of the book when I am done.  At this very early stage, I can envision changing my use of social media and internet.  I already know that it has become addictive, but their research may be the catalyst to actually refrain and to reprioritize my time. 

And, yes, I get the irony of posting this on a blog.

Update from Good Shepherd (July 27, 2023)

Greetings!

SUMMER SCHEDULE
Divine Services -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.
For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

NEW HYMN for July 30
          On Sunday, July 30, we will be introducing a new hymn from the hymnal. The hymn “Your Kingdom, O God, Is My Glorious Treasure” (859) was written by David W. Rogner. This hymn reflects the Gospel lesson of the kingdom of God being compared to a man who finds a pearl of great price. The kingdom of God is our treasure, even as Jesus Christ has given up all things in order to purchase us for himself. A recording of this hymn can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iq3gb2VJXg .

SERVICE SETTING 2
          In September, we will begin using Service Setting 2 in our new hymnal. In order to prepare for its use, we will be introducing parts of the liturgy on a number of Sundays in August. Following the service, we will rehearse each part of the liturgy so that when we begin its usage in September we will be familiar with it.

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (July)

> Several sample images of LED signs were presented.  Sign-A-Rama has asked us what our plans for the sign is.  We are still seeking options so that we will have a sign that will serve us for at least a decade.  We plan on contacting other churches whose signs are appealing and asking them where they purchased theirs.  If you are willing to help with this research, speak with Dan Rauchholz.

> A virus is killing blue spruces in Novi.  We need to remove 26 blue spruce trees and had 28 stumps ground up.  The mulch which has resulted from this may be used on other bushes and trees so long as they are not blue spruces.  After we spread mulch around our own re-plantings (to be done late summer), we will offer the remaining mulch free for the hauling.  We hope to plant the new trees ourselves to save a good deal of money.  Look for a work bee date later this summer.

>  The promotional video for Good Shepherd is in production.  An audio file was sent to Kaitlyn Cole who will add the video content to the script.  This video will be on our website and can be used to give a less-than-four-minute introduction to the Lutheran Church and to Good Shepherd in particular.  We hope to have it done before Labor Day.  To see an example of Miss Cole’s work, look at the video she produced for Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor (https://www.rlca2.com).

SUMMER EVENTS
          These events serve both to unite our own members better and to connect with people from our community. Look for ways that you can help out to make each event a success. Let’s make the most of the opportunity for each event.
          AUGUST 4 – Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
          SEPT 10 – Church Picnic

DETROIT TIGERS GAME
          On Friday, August 4, we will head out to Comerica Park for a Tigers’ game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch is at 6:40 PM. There will be fireworks at the end of the game. Cost for tickets appears to be about $30. If you are interested in attending, please speak to David Kirvan.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

          Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from Sunday, July 23: (48) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, July 23, 2023 - YouTube

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

          The pastor will try to maintain regular office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM - Noon. However, the nice weather may lead him to read outside on his deck rather than sit in his office. To ensure the pastor’s availability, it is best to make an appointment. He is available by phone 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

==============================

SUMMER SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class will resume on Sunday, September 10.
Bible Matters will resume in September.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

YouTube -- 8th Sunday after Pentecost (July 23, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, July 23, 2023.

Summer Reading -- (Dis)ordered

This book managed to jump in line and interrupt my reading of St. Augustine's City of God.  This book was a gift from the IssuesEtc studios that we received when we popped in for a visit back in June.  They gave us a lot of gifts.  The gift of this book saved me a few bucks as I was planning on buying it anyway.

Well, I just completed it and highly recommend it.  Perhaps it will be used as the basis for an upcoming Adult Bible Class.  But don't wait for that.  Purchase it now.  It will equip you for answering people who promote the LGBQ+ philosophy, reinforce your understanding of God's plans for human design, and help you to honor God in your vocation as a man or woman, husband, wife, or single person, and especially as a blood-bought, body-and-soul saint in the kingdom of God.

2023 Summer Vacation -- Colorado

Back in June, Laura, Peter, and I took a trip out to Colorado for our family vacation.  The highlight was Rocky Mountain National Park.  We got to see much wildlife and enjoyed several hikes through the park.  It was probably about the only time we were excited to see snow in June.  In addition, we went to Colorado Springs.  There, we saw Garden of the Gods, attended a chuck wagon dinner and show, and made a day trip to Cripple Creek, an old gold-mining town.  

We traveled I-80 to go west and traveled I-70 for the return trip home.  We were blessed with safe travels and great weather.  While Detroit was getting hit with smoke from Canadian wildfires, we enjoyed crisp mountain air.  

Here are a few highlight photos from the trip.

Panoramic photo from the Alpine Visitors Center.

Bear Lake Trail

Foreground -- Mountain goat.  Background: Female Moose.

Alberta Falls

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

For the sake of scale, notice the rock climber (white shirt) on the wall face.

Yes, that is a rattlesnake.  Yes, that is as close as I dared to get.

Photos below from Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs.  We enjoyed a chuck wagon dinner and show.  The band was excellent.

We ventured off the beaten path to Cripple Creek, and old gold mining town.  In days past, they could claim that their streets were paved with gold.  They used low-grade ore, in which were traces of gold, for paving the streets.

Sermon -- 8th Sunday after Pentecost (July 23, 2023)

MATTHEW 13:24-30,36-43

THE LORD KNOWS THE RIGHTEOUS.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord repeated the promise that the Savior.  He foretold what he would be like and what he would do.  One description is from the prophet Isaiah: “He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear” (Isaiah 11:3).  This baffles us, because we know of no other way to judge.  When a witness is called to the stand in court, he is not asked to tell us what he thinks about the accused or to offer conjecture about his motives.  Such questioning instantly finds objection and is dismissed.  Witnesses are asked only to testify to what they have seen and heard.

      Likewise, we make judgments about people based on what we see and hear.  Is the person we are talking about a good person or a jerk?  Is he honorable or despicable?  But we often don’t know enough for our judgment to be fair.  If you see a man hunched over and yelling at a woman, you may conclude that he is abusive and that she is a victim.  Later, you may learn that she is hard of hearing.  What we see and hear often deceives us.

     This is also true in the kingdom of God.  “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also” (Matthew 13:24-26).  As the plants began to sprout, they all looked the same.  No one could tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds.  Since weeds are undesirable, the workers suggested pulling them all out.  But if you can’t tell wheat from weeds, your judgment will lead to disaster.  So, the master said, “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:30).

     The particular weeds in the parable are called “tares” in the King James Version.  Some translations might call them darnel.  They are known as “false wheat” because they look exactly like wheat when they are growing.  You can’t tell the difference.  The problem is that darnel is poisonous.  If you eat it, it will make you sick.  It could kill you.   The only way you can tell the difference is when the heads of grain are produced.  The heads of darnel are purple.  Only when the crops are mature and ready for harvest can the poisonous darnel be separated and destroyed while the good wheat is kept.

     The harvest is Judgment Day.  That is when the Lord will separate the wicked and the righteous.  He will not be fooled at the final judgment, and he is not fooled by it now.  The Lord knows the righteous.  We, however, cannot tell who is righteous in God’s eyes and who is not.  We can find examples of atheists who are kind, generous, honest, hard-working, and honorable.  We can also find examples of people who profess the Christian faith who are rude, crude, lying, thieving, and manipulative.  Perhaps you have had people question your character, saying, “I can’t believe that came out of your mouth.  I thought you were a Christian.”  Our actions can give people reason to challenge our confession.  No one who knows you will call you perfect.

     Consider this example.  Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had settled in a territory where the king was named Abimelech.  Abraham, knowing that his wife, Sarah, was a beautiful woman, feared that he would be killed so that his wife would be claimed by another man.  So, Abraham told Sarah, “Say that you are my sister.”  King Abimelech took notice of Sarah and added her to his harem.  Then the Lord appeared to Abimelech in a dream, saying, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife” (Genesis 20:3).  Understandably, Abimelech was confused and pleaded his innocence.  How could he know that Sarah was Abraham’s wife when they said she was his sister?  The Lord showed mercy on Abimelech because he had acted in innocence.  But here is the surprising twist.  The Lord said to Abimelech, “Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours” (Genesis 20:7).  So, the Lord was pleased with Abraham who had lied, but his wrath was against Abimelech who had acted in ignorance.  What gives?

     The Lord knows the righteous, and he counted Abraham righteous despite his sins.  Why?  The Bible tells us: “(Abraham) believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).  Abraham had no righteousness of his own.  His sin against Abimelech and other events prove that.  Yet, by faith Abraham believed that the righteousness of the Messiah to come covered him.  However, since Abimelech did not believe in the Lord, he remained in his sin no matter how much integrity he had.  Granted, Abimelech’s integrity was admirable, but integrity does not save us, any more than we are saved by being nice, sincere, or decent.

     In order to dwell in the presence of the holy God, one must be holy.  God cannot permit even a blemish of sin to dwell with him; for then it would no longer be a holy place.  The Bible has us ponder this: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully” (Psalm 24:3,4).  So, if you want to dwell in the home of righteousness, you yourself must be righteous.  You must be without even a smudge of guilt.  This is proper justice.  The guilty are punished, but the righteous are blessed.  And the Lord knows the righteous.

     So, how can we get the righteous we need to stand before the Lord?  I know my hands are dirty.  I know my mouth is filthy.  I know that my heart is not pure.  This is why the Lord sent a Savior.  Once again, an Old Testament promise described him: “This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).  It is not merely that he is the righteous Lord.  He is, but it is more.  It is for our benefit.  The Lord is OUR righteousness.

     Jesus did all things in perfect agreement with the Commandments of God.  He lived with clean hands—doing only good to other people and giving generously of his time, his effort, and his healing touch.  He had a pure heart—demonstrating compassion for those whose lives were a mess, showing patience to disciples who just did not get his lessons on humble service, and even praying for those who were putting him to death.  That perfect, obedient, innocent life is not just an example of righteousness, Jesus has made it our righteousness.  This is what the Lord says: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).  The very righteousness you need to stand in the presence of God has been bestowed upon you.  It is not your own righteousness, but it has been given to you by Jesus so that you will not perish.  The Lord knows the righteous.  And the reason the Lord knows is this: He has given that righteousness to you.  He is the source and giver of your righteousness.  So, you shall not be judged based on your own merits.  You are judged according to the merits of Jesus Christ.  And if you are judged based on Jesus’ merits, you are pure.  The Lord knows the righteous, and he is our righteousness.

     When the servants saw that the wheat and the darnel were growing together, they recognized the problem, but the master said, “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:30).  We might become frustrated that the Lord lets the righteous and the evil intermingle.  Like the angels, we might also plead with the Lord to banish the evil so that the righteous may thrive.  Yet, the Lord does not do this. 

     One of the reasons that we are frustrated by the righteous being mixed in with the wicked is because we do not want the influence of the wicked foisted upon us.  We want to be preserved from wickedness rather than be swept away by it.  That has always been a concern.  Lot moved into the city of Sodom for safety reasons, and it left a profound, negative effect on his family.  Solomon was influenced by his wives to adopt foreign gods.  For the sake of their happiness, he abandoned the faith.  Such examples and more ought to stir us up to prayer and devotion to God’s word and sacraments so that he will preserve us.  So, even though the Lord’s wrath remains on the wicked, he uses it for our good—keeping us devoted to the word so that we will not be enticed away to sin and death.

     The Lord knows the righteous, and by word and sacrament he preserves us in his righteousness.  But he still has us mingle among the unrighteous.  This serves God’s purpose, too.  For, how will you have any influence on other people if you don’t speak with them or live among them?  If we do not confess God’s truth, how can it be heard?  How will the wicked be snatched out of death and judgment if they do not learn about Jesus who saves sinners?  Where will anyone find hope and comfort if they do not hear about the righteousness which guarantees the peace of Paradise? 

     The Lord knows the righteous.  He is the one who plants the good seed in the world so that he will gather the wheat into his barn.  He is the one who labors to make us fruitful and productive.  And while we give evidence that we are sinners, we certainly also give evidence that we are God’s people.  For the Lord works in us and forms us to be more like him—compassionate, kind, patient, forgiving, truthful, helpful, noble, and moral.  These traits do not save us, but they are evidence that we are saved.  It is still the merits of Jesus which save us.  The Lord is pleased with us because Jesus has made us pleasing to him.  He is our righteousness.  He is our comfort.  He is our peace.

     On the Last Day, when the angels go forth to separate the righteous from the wicked, the Lord will know that you are his.  Jesus says, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43).  Then, we will finally be what we have always wanted to be—God’s people who look, act, think, and live like God’s people.  Then, we will not merely be covered in righteousness; we will be confirmed in righteousness.  The Lord knows the righteous, and he will make us known as his righteous ones.

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

Update from Good Shepherd (July 20, 2023)

Greetings!

SUMMER SCHEDULE
Divine Services -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.
For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

FAMILY FUN NIGHT
           Mark the day and time: On WEDENSDAY, JULY 26 (6:00-8:00 PM), Good Shepherd will host a Family Fun Night at the church. This is a church and community event with a food truck, yard games, bouncy house, and a raffle.  We welcome as many as our parking lot can handle.  Join us and invite your friends for a great night of fun and fellowship.

          Share this link with friends and invite them!

FAMILY FUN NIGHT PREP
          In order to be prepared for the (hopefully) many guests from our community for our Family Fun Night, we are asking our members to be here a little early. Especially if you are bringing yard games, we need them set up by 5:55 PM. We will also need tables and chairs moved to allow seating for our guests, as well as welcome signs and direction markers. While work schedules may make a 5:30 PM arrival time difficult for some, please strive to be here as soon as you can. If nothing else, you will get to know our own members better.

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (July)

> Several sample images of LED signs were presented.  Sign-A-Rama has asked us what our plans for the sign is.  We are still seeking options so that we will have a sign that will serve us for at least a decade.  We plan on contacting other churches whose signs are appealing and asking them where they purchased theirs.  If you are willing to help with this research, speak with Dan Rauchholz.

> A virus is killing blue spruces in Novi.  We need to remove 26 blue spruce trees and had 28 stumps ground up.  The mulch which has resulted from this may be used on other bushes and trees so long as they are not blue spruces.  After we spread mulch around our own re-plantings (to be done late summer), we will offer the remaining mulch free for the hauling.  We hope to plant the new trees ourselves to save a good deal of money.  Look for a work bee date later this summer.

>  The promotional video for Good Shepherd is in production.  An audio file was sent to Kaitlyn Cole who will add the video content to the script.  This video will be on our website and can be used to give a less-than-four-minute introduction to the Lutheran Church and to Good Shepherd in particular.  We hope to have it done before Labor Day.  To see an example of Miss Cole’s work, look at the video she produced for Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor (https://www.rlca2.com).

EVANGELISM & STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE MEETINGS
          The Evangelism & Stewardship Committees will meet briefly after church this Sunday (July 23) to solidify plans for the remainder of the summer, and to discuss plans for the rest of 2023. have met to chart out a tentative schedule for events through the summer.
          These events serve both to unite our own members better and to connect with people from our community. Look for ways that you can help out to make each event a success. Let’s make the most of the opportunity for each event.
          JULY 26 – Yard games at Good Shepherd with a food truck. NEW DATE!!
          AUGUST 4 – Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
          SEPT 10 – Church Picnic

DETROIT TIGERS GAME
          On Friday, August 4, we will head out to Comerica Park for a Tigers’ game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. First pitch is at 6:40 PM. There will be fireworks at the end of the game.
          Cost for tickets appears to be about $30. (This will be confirmed once we know how many tickets we are purchasing.) NOTE: The earlier we know who will be attending, the more likely we can find cheaper tickets and better seats. Sign up at the church bulletin board, or send an email to welsnovi@aol.com to reserve a ticket(s).  Please indicate who you are and how many tickets you will need.  Attendees must have their plans confirmed by Sunday, July 23.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

          Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from Sunday, July 16: (39) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, July 16, 2023 - YouTube

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

          The pastor will try to maintain regular office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM - Noon. However, the nice weather may lead him to read outside on his deck rather than sit in his office. To ensure the pastor’s availability, it is best to make an appointment. He is available by phone 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

==============================

SUMMER SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School, Adult Bible Class, and Bible Matters will resume in September.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

YouTube -- 7th Sunday after Pentecost (July 23, 2023)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 16, 2023.

Something from ... Augustine on what is good

Sinful minds craft a warped view of good and evil.  Good is often reduced to "what is good for me" or "what gives me pleasure."  Evil is reduced to "what I don't like."  As a result, people may embrace being evil because their vices bring them pleasure, but will despise being honest, hard-working people if they do not receive some kind of reward for it--whether fame or fortune.  

St. Augustine saw this same perverse attitude in the Roman Empire--people who want good things but have no desire to be good themselves.  That we still see this comes as no surprise; as King Solomon wrote, "There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

From Augustine: "For evil men account those things alone evil which do not make men evil; neither do they blush to praise good things, and yet to remain evil among the good things they praise.  It grieves them more to own a bad house than a bad life, as if it were man's greatest good to have everything good but himself." 

The City of God, Book 2, Chapter 1.

Page 43, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, edited by Philip Schaaf.  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, MI. (c) 1956.

Summer Fun -- June and July 2023

For various reasons, I have not posted too many personal activities.  So, here are a sampling of photos from the activities this summer.  Our vacation will be documented later.

Here is some summer fun from the first half of the summer.

Putt-putt golf in Milford at the very end of May.

Family wedding in Indianapolis.  Getting us all together in one place is becoming quite rare.

I think this photo sums up Faith's relationship with five brothers over the course of her life.

This was from another family wedding in Wisconsin.  The night kicks in when the tie gets reset.

Cornhole has become quite a popular summer activity.  This is from July 4.

Sermon -- 7th Sunday after Pentecost (July 16, 2023)

MATTHEW 13:1-9,18-23

TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The parables of Jesus are not like Aesop’s Fables.  Aesop told stories with animals speaking to each other.  Sometimes they were lessons in virtue, other times warnings about vices.  Aesop’s Fables are useful for promoting integrity and curbing destructive behavior.  The parables of Jesus, on the other hand, do not have talking animals.  Jesus used the activities of every day life, witnessed and lived by his listeners.  So, when Jesus spoke of a sower going out to sow his seed, it was something the people witnessed every fall.  When it was time to sow wheat or barley or some other grain, the sower would take his sack and scatter the seed in the field.  The sower in Jesus’ parable scattered his seed recklessly.  A careful farmer would be sure to get his seed on decent ground and not on ground that was all but guaranteed to be unproductive.  It is not, however, a lesson in farming.  Like all parables, this is about the kingdom of God. 

     The seed is the word of God.  Jesus gave this command to his apostles and, subsequently, to the Church: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).  There is nothing in Jesus’ command about being stingy or strategic in our preaching.  While a farmer’s seed may be limited, God’s word is not.  Just as the seed was scattered carelessly, so the word of God is to be proclaimed generously and recklessly.  We don’t know when or where it will please the Holy Spirit to produce faith by our preaching.  And even if it does produce faith, Jesus warns that a budding faith may not become mature and flourish.  But none of that mattered to the sower who went out to sow the seed.  He scattered the seed recklessly, confident that some would bear fruit.  By God’s grace, it does; and it has in you.

     This parable is not just about how the word of God takes root and grows.  To be sure, it does that.  But Jesus concluded this parable with these words: “He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9).  Jesus urged people to take these words to heart because the parable serves as a warning as much as it does instruction.  Jesus wants us to take heed how we hear so that the word will not be lost to us and so that faith will not perish.  

     Take heed, then, how you hear.  Whenever the word of God is preached, the Lord as at work.  Preaching is always effective.  This is what the Lord says: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).  This is not saying that God’s word will always produce faith.  God’s grace can be resisted by stubborn and impenitent hearts.  Many atheists do not reject God’s word because they are ignorant of it.  Many vocal atheists used to be Christians.  They can tell you what God’s word says, but they have rejected it.  They accuse God’s word of being oppressive, hateful nonsense. 

     So, what purpose does the word of God serve for such people?  How is it effective on people who bitterly reject it?  In their case, God hardens them in their unbelief.  If they are determined to reject God and live without him, God lets them have what they want.  They will perish.  Their eternity will be in hell where they will never have God’s blessings, God’s mercy, or God’s love.  They will be free from light and life and dwell in darkness and eternal death.  But it will not be God’s fault that they have gone there.  God, spare us from such a wretched fate!  Take heed how you hear; and be sure that you continue to hear so that the devil will not snatch the word away from you so that faith dies.

     The other three examples of the sower’s seed being scattered saw God’s word taking root, even if it was just for a little while.  Jesus said, “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21).  Take heed how you hear.  Based on recent legislation and popular sentiment, it appears that days of persecution may be close for those who hold to all of God’s word.  Right now, you have the freedom to prepare for darker days.  It is good, right, and salutary to prepare for them.  That means giving more attention to the word of God.  It means praying, probing, and pondering God’s word so that you become more deeply rooted in the faith, and so that you can give a testimony to any who would accuse you or misrepresent you.

     We probably do not take warnings of persecution very seriously because we never have had to face it, at least, not with any intensity.  We are like the apostles who boasted to Jesus, “I will never fall away.  …Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you” (Matthew 26:33,35).  Such boasts are easy to make when there is no threat.  But in the Garden of Gethsemane, when they saw that there was a cost for following Jesus, they failed and fled.  We should rather be like the apostles earlier that same night when Jesus warned them, “‘Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’  And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, ‘Is it I, Lord’” (Matthew 26:21-22)?  There, each demonstrated sorrow, humility, and fear that he might do it.  This is an appropriate fear—that I could prove myself unfaithful when the day of tribulation or persecution comes.  Take heed, then, how you hear.  The Lord is your strength.  He strengthens you through his word.  That word alone will preserve you.

     “As for what was sown among thorns,” Jesus said, “this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).  This warning seems most applicable.  We are all absorbed and distracted by world events.  We are swept up by politics or finances or entertainment or sports.  They are not inherently evil, but they are all temporal.  We put a lot of effort into these things and give them a great deal of attention.  We may become so absorbed in these worldly pursuits that we put God’s word off.  What ends up happening is the more you miss opportunities to hear God’s word, the less you will miss God’s word.  But Jesus calls it all deceitful.  No matter what worldly pursuits you take up, even if they are successful, they will never produce the peace that you think they will.  Take heed how you hear.

     Anyone who has ever done gardening is familiar with the weeds.  They always grow, no matter how well you have tended to the soil.  But you know what happens if you leave the weeds go.  They will take over the garden.  They will choke out the good plants.  Jesus compares all these worldly interests not merely to weeds, but to thorns.  Thorns not only choke out the good seed, they cut and they cause pain.  If we neglect the hearing of the word and do not intentionally remove our reasons for this neglect, faith will be choked out, and we will suffer harm.  Take heed how you hear.

     Jesus commented on the fourth seed.  “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.  He indeed bears fruit” (Matthew 13:23).  The point, of course, is not that Jesus is telling you to be good soil.  Soil doesn’t do anything.  It just lays there.  The sower has to put something on it for it to produce anything.  Likewise, we cannot produce anything by ourselves.  God must work in us to create faith and to produce the fruits of faith.  He implants the seed.  He makes it grow and flourish.  The Bible reminds us, “Faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17).  That is a present tense verb.  Faith continues to come by hearing the message.  Faith is sustained and strengthened by God’s word.  If we stop hearing, faith is not fed.  At some point, it dies. 

     Take heed how you hear.  To put it another way: Keep on hearing God’s word.  Pray over it.  Ponder it.  Talk about it with your family.   Continue to faithfully listen to Jesus and all the Scriptures.  For there is no other word which saves.  This word reveals to you not only that God loves you, but it shows you how God has proved that love.  He sent his only begotten Son into the world to suffer and die for sinners.  For sins of neglecting God’s word and being lazy in prayer, for sins of shrinking away from God’s word when the world pressured us to do so, for sins of devoting more interest to worldly thrills than to heavenly joys—for these sins and for all sins, Jesus laid down his life.  He is the sin offering which atones for our guilt.  Jesus was cursed and condemned for our sins so that we receive a full pardon and have endless peace.  This word reveals that Jesus rose from the dead to open heaven to us and to assure us of a resurrection from the dead.  These corrupted minds, hearts, and bodies will be raised in perfect and incorruptible glory. 

     Take heed how you hear.  For, Jesus’ sufferings, death, and resurrection are historical facts.  They happened in Palestine about 2,000 years ago.  Whether people have ever heard of it or not, whether people believe in Jesus or not, these still stand as historical facts.  These truths are preached not just so you know them, but so that you know they are for you and your benefit.  And since you and I continue to prove ourselves sinners, we need the word which continues to prove that God’s love and mercy rest upon us. 

     Take heed how you hear.  Faith comes from hearing the message.  This is how the Holy Spirit is at work to make you flourish in the faith.  This is how the Holy Spirit roots out the weeds that would choke faith.  This is how the Holy Spirit deepens the roots so that you will not wither in difficult days.  This is how the Holy Spirit prevents the devil from snatching God’s truth from you.  And if there are parts of God’s word that continue to befuddle you, fear not.  Just keep on hearing.  As time goes by, the Holy Spirit may enlighten you to the more difficult passages of the Bible.  And even if you don’t understand all of the Bible (and no one on earth ever does), the Lord still makes you confident of his love, his mercy, and his salvation for you.  More than anything, that is what you need to hear.  And the Lord is pleased to proclaim it recklessly.

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