Advent Vespers
We prepare with repentance as we prayerfully, quietly, and eagerly await our Savior.
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Pinpoint
Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, November 23, 2025.
St. Andrew (together with St. John) was the first of the twelve who would become apostles to follow Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The first thing Andrew did was to bring his brother, Simon Peter, to the Messiah. Ironically, it was not Andrew, but Peter, who became a more prominent apostle. Little is told of Andrew in the gospels, and almost nothing in Acts. Tradition says that Andrew preached the gospel in Asia Minor and Greece, and that he was martyred in Achaia, being nailed to an “X” shaped cross for three days. May we, like Andrew, be eager to bring people to Jesus.
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Our churches teach that private Absolution should be retained in the churches, although listing all sins is not necessary for Confession. For, according to the Psalm, it is impossible. "Who can discern his errors?" (Psalm 19:12) -- Augsburg Confession, Article XI
What is Confession?
Answer: Confession has two parts: the one is that we confess our sins; the other is that we receive Absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, as from God Himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven by this.
What sins should we confess?
Answer: Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those that we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the confessor we should confess only those sins that we know and feel in our hearts. -- Luther's Small Catechism, Part V
These are basic confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. They are catholic, insofar as they are Christian. But they are not Roman, insofar as the penitent is not obligated to orally confess every sin in order to be forgiven of it and insofar as one's forgiveness is not dependent upon some action on the part of the penitent. The forgiveness is based on Jesus' sufferings and death for the penitent who has been baptized into his name.
Since the practice of Private Confession and Absolution is a Lutheran practice, it would be good for Lutherans to practice it. It is good for the penitent who is grieved by a particular sin to confess it so that he can hear Christ say through the mouth of his minister: "I forgive you." It would be good for the one who is burdened to be relieved of his burden by Holy Absolution. It would be good for this practice, though foreign to many in my corner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, to be restored.
Private Confession and Absolution has always been available to all members by appointment. In order for this practice to be restored and perhaps put to better use, there will be dates on the calendar set aside for anyone who would like to drop in and make use of this means of grace. These will be set up about 4 times per year. Private Confession and Absolution will still be available by appointment in addition to these scheduled times.
It is anticipated that Private Confession and Absolution will roughly follow this regular schedule.
A day around Epiphany (Epiphany is always January 6)
A day during Holy Week
A day around Labor Day weekend
A day after Thanksgiving weekend
The next scheduled date and time for Private Confession and Absolution will be Monday, December 1, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Appointments are not necessary. You need only drop in. All participation is voluntary, as Absolution cannot be forced upon anyone.
Of course, this will be new to pretty much any member who decides to make use of it. If you happen to come in, the pastor will walk through the rite with you and explain the various parts of it, especially including the "private" part, namely, that this confession is to Christ and, therefore, remains his business alone. The pastor will not report any confession or even the names of those who come for confession. Finally, the point of this is not for a pastor to learn everyone's dirty, little secrets. (His life is easier if he remains ignorant. But God's people do not call a pastor to be ignorant; they call him to absolve in the name of Jesus.) The point is for the guilty and the grieved to find relief and receive forgiveness, or absolution.
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In the name + of Jesus.
Every week we confess it: “He will come again to judge the living and
the dead” (Apostles’ Creed). Every
day, we pray for it: “Amen. Come,
Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20)! We should
always remember Jesus’ instructions: “No one knows when that day and hour
will be, not the angels of heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it
will be when the Son of Man returns. In
fact, in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, until the very day that Noah entered the ark. And they did not realize what was coming
until the flood came and took them all away.
That is how it will be when the Son of Man returns” (Matthew 24:36-39). For many, the Last Day will come as a shock. Life will be going on as it always has. Many believe it will never change. They will be stunned when the world comes to
an end and that they will be held accountable to God for their lives.
Jesus said, “You also be ready, because
the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you are not expecting him” (Luke
12:40). Jesus’ coming is unexpected
because the date is unknown. That’s not
to say predictions have not been made. Someone
had predicted Jesus’ return just this past year. What a shock!
It did not happen! Here is sound
teaching: Whenever someone predicts the date of Jesus’ return, brand that
person as a false prophet. For this is
what the Lord says: “No one knows when that day and hour will be, not the
angels of heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). These predictions only confirm people in
their unbelief. They conclude that
Christians are fools and that the final judgment is just a scare tactic concocted
by the Church. For many, Jesus’ return
will be a surprise. For you, the moment
will be a surprise, but not the event. For,
we confess it weekly and pray for it daily.
“He will come again to judge the living and the dead” (Apostles’
Creed). “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20)!
If you knew that Jesus would return
tomorrow, what would you do today? Many
people would probably become ultra-religious, hoping to show God in their final
24 hours how good and sincere they are. Some
would say, “I’m going to stay at church until Jesus comes back. I will pray continually. I will sing hymns. I will read the Bible cover-to-cover.” But God knows the difference between who is
trying to put on a good show and who truly trusts his promises. God will not be fooled by any pious behavior
that suggests people truly cared when they never did.
That’s why the angel told St. John those
shocking words in our second lesson: “Let the one who is unjust continue to
be unjust. Let the one who is filthy
continue to be filthy” (Revelation 22:11).
It's not that the Lord desires people to continue in their sins; it
is that he tells them to be what they are determined to be. Their judgment will be just.
But there is no reason for you to fear
that day. Our Lord Jesus Christ came
into the world once to rescue you from a damning judgment and to set you apart
for a glorious eternity. He went to the
cross to endure the damning judgment for you.
Jesus took your sin and your judgment.
These have been taken away from you.
He also rose from the grave to assure you of a resurrection to eternal
life and endless glory. “God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him” John 3:17). The Son has
completed that mission. And he has seen
to it that you have been rescued by that mission. Your eternity is secure. That is why we long for Jesus’ return.
Someone once asked Martin Luther, “If you
knew that Jesus was going to come tomorrow to judge the living and the dead,
what would you do today?” Luther’s reply
was, “I would plant a tree.” This sounds
ridiculous since that tree would only experience 24 hours of growth, and then
the world would end. Why plant a tree? I suspect that is what Luther was planning on
doing that day. If he was waiting and
watching for the Lord’s return, confident of his promises, why would he need to
change his plans? The reality is that
any day could be our last day on earth.
If we are waiting and watching for Jesus, if we are faithfully serving
him and holding to his word, we have no reason to fear. He knows those who are his. Keep waiting.
Keep watching.
Whether Jesus’ return is tomorrow or
centuries away, it should not change anything about what you are doing in your
life. You don’t need to act
ultra-religious to convince God of anything.
“Let the one who is just continue to do what is just. Let the one who is holy continue to be holy”
(Revelation 22:11). Let the Lord’s
faithful servants continue to serve faithfully.
You already belong to Christ. Keep
waiting. Keep watching. And know what that means.
Jesus said, “Be dressed, ready for
service, and keep your lamps burning. Be
like people waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that
when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him” (Luke
12:35-36). Now, maybe that sounds
like we are back to perpetually sitting in church, saying prayers, and reading
our Bibles cover-to-cover without eating, sleeping, or going to work or
school. But that is not how servants get
ready for their master to return.
The master who goes off to a wedding
banquet gives his servants instructions about duties to be carried out while he
is gone. The servants would not
continually stand by the door with their hands on the handle, just waiting to
swing the door open. They would have tasks
to do. Some would labor in the
fields. Some would tend the flocks and
herds. Others would prepare meals, clean
the home, or re-shingle the roof. This is
why the reason the master had servants.
They care for the master’s goods.
But what if the servants decide that the
master’s absence means that they can play hooky and abuse the master’s home and
goods? They figure that the master is
away, so they can gorge themselves on his food and get drunk on his wine. They can toss their garbage anywhere in the
house and kick up their dirty feet on his furniture. Then the master comes home at an hour they
did not expect, perhaps even in the second or third watch, that is, in the
middle of the night. What would the
master do to servants who were negligent, destructive, and disobedient? The master’s wrath would be justifiable. After all, they knew he would return! The servants would expect to be banished. In a harsher culture, they might even be
executed.
This is why Jesus encourages you to
continue to be faithful in your calling.
“Be dressed, ready for service, and keep your lamps burning” (Luke
12:35). Keep waiting. Keep watching. Do the work the Lord has placed in front of
you. Take care of your family. Show up for work on time and be diligent at
your work. Be honest with your fellow
man. Be generous to those in need. Be patient.
Be kind. Be chaste and decent in
thoughts and words. Flee from evil. You do not have to invent works to honor
God. He places them right in front of
you every day as you live with your family and deal with friends, neighbors,
and strangers. As the Lord’s servants,
this is the work he gives you to do. And
this will keep you plenty busy as you wait for the Lord’s return. Keep waiting.
Keep watching.
Jesus also issues a warning so that you do
not become lazy in waiting and watching.
He said, “Know this: If the master of the house had known at what
hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to
be broken into” (Luke 12:39). The
thief to be concerned about is the devil.
He cannot steal your faith or pull you out of the kingdom of God. But like a con artist, he seduces you into
giving up what the Lord has given to you.
The most common way this happens is when Christians are coaxed into being
negligent in hearing God’s word and in partaking of the sacrament. Christians who fall away from the faith
usually do not flip on a moment’s notice from faith to unbelief. The devil convinces you that you don’t need
to hear God’s word. He may lead you to
believe that just knowing facts about the Bible is sufficient. The devil knows the facts, too, but he
remains damned.
Keep waiting. Keep watching. Know that the devil is seeking to rob you of
your salvation. He who keeps you safe is
the one who saved you. It is through his
word and sacraments that Jesus strengthens and keeps you in true faith unto
life everlasting. It is through his word
and sacraments that Jesus gives his Spirit to work in you to will and to act
according to God’s will. In this way,
Jesus will find his servants ready for his return, even when it comes at an
hour that you do not expect.
And then!
What a promise Jesus makes! “Blessed
are those servants, whom the master will find watching when he comes. Amen I tell you: He will dress himself and
have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them. …They will be blessed if he finds them alert”
(Luke 12:37-38). When the Lord Jesus
comes again, he will come with great blessings for his servants. The master will come and serve you! He will bring you to an everlasting Sabbath
rest. The Son of Man will have you take
your place at the wedding supper of the Lamb.
You will dwell in endless peace.
You will enjoy the glory and the beauty of the heavenly kingdom.
The Lord already gives you a foretaste of
this now. You have come into God’s
presence here in this Divine Service.
You are taking a rest from your daily labors, and here the Lord serves
you. Here you get to recline at the
Lord’s altar, and the Lord serves you with the feast of heaven. Here, the Lord sustains you so that you are
not robbed of the salvation he has won for you.
Here, the servants are given the strength to continue serving, to
continue waiting, and to continue watching.
Every week we confess it: “He will come again to judge the living and the dead” (Apostles’ Creed). Every day, we pray for it: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20)! We long for our Lord to return. We keep on waiting patiently. We keep on watching carefully. We keep on serving faithfully. For we love our master, and he loves us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS
Our Open Forum on November 23 will present a recommended budget for the 2026 year, as well as present some plans we hope to implement in the next year or so.
On December 7, we will present a long-term plan for various improvements or maintenance projects which may need to be done in the next ten years or so. Some projects are necessary; others would be nice. We welcome feedback to see what the congregation would support or what alternatives we might consider.
NEW PASTOR AT PALABRA DE VIDA
175th Anniversary of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
The WELS was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1850 by five Lutheran pastors. Since then, it has grown to about 1,200 congregations throughout the USA and does mission work in about 50 countries. We thank God for preserving a synod in which the Bible is upheld as God’s inerrant, inspired word. We should not take this blessing for granted, as many denominations have chosen to ignore or reject parts of God’s word, leaving people to wonder what in the Bible is still true and what is not.
In order to express our gratitude to the Lord for preserving our synod, and in hopes to see our synod expand its ministry to the USA and to the world, we will be participating in a thank offering throughout the month of November. There will be a collection plate by the ushers’ station. You may also designate an offering (mark it as “WELS 175”, but payable to Good Shepherd) and put it in the collection plate with your usual offering.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (November)
> Our projector has not been consistent in projecting. Since it is better than ten years old, we are considering a replacement. We are looking into getting a smart TV with interactive capabilities which allows HDMI input as well as ability to draw with a special, electronic pen.
> We have added to our Servant Keeper office
management system which allows for texting to large groups. It will be similar to the email blasts, but
with texting. It will also be used more
sparingly than the weekly email blasts.
When it is ready to go, we will do a test run after church some
Sunday.
NOTE: If you end up receiving neither email blasts nor any texts by the end of the year, it means we either don’t have your information or we recorded it incorrectly. Please contact the church if you are not receiving any notices.
> We approved two policies, one new and one updated. They are policies regarding pastoral counseling and anti-harassment / misconduct. These policies have been posted on a bulletin board and church. They are also available upon request.
> We discussed ideas about improving security
at church. These ideas will be
presented for further discussion at our Open Forum.
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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
==================
REGULAR SCHEDULE
GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, November 16, 2025.
God has so freely and supplied all our needs—both physical and spiritual. We recognize his goodness to us in this annual Thanksgiving service.
Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; his mercy endures forever. (Psalm 118:1)
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A FINAL WORD ABOUT THE FINAL DAY.
In
the name + of Jesus.
Throughout the Old Testament,
the Lord raised up prophets for his people.
They proclaimed messages of repentance, messages of encouragement, and
even revelation of future events. The
final prophet of the Old Testament was Malachi.
After Malachi, God was silent until John the Baptist came to
preach.
Malachi gives a final word; he
looks forward to the final day, and it sounds terrifying. Malachi proclaimed, “Look! The day is
coming, burning like a blast furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer
will be stubble. The day that is coming
will set them on fire, says the Lord of Armies, a day that will not leave
behind a root or branch for them” (Malachi 4:1-2). The judgment will
be harsh, and it will be thorough. Maybe
that doesn’t seem so bad to you based on who will be cast into the fire. Malachi said it will be “all the arrogant
and every evildoer” (Malachi 4:1).
Perhaps a few people come to mind for you—people who are unbearably
smug, unapologetically self-important, or unceasingly cruel. You might even delight in the idea that some
people will be damned because they deserve it.
We all have an idea about the way God
should judge the world because we all make judgments. Now, not all judgments are bad. They can’t be. You are right to call sins wicked. You cannot call anything wicked just because
you disagree with it; wickedness is determined by what God says about it. When our Lord Jesus Christ returns to judge
the living and the dead, he will not come to negotiate about what is right and
wrong. Jesus will simply issue a
sentence upon every person—whether they are good or evil. All the wicked will be condemned; and it will
be a righteous judgment.
A lot of people don’t fear God’s
judgment. They are quite comfortable
with the way they live and see no problem with their behavior. That’s why they behave the way they do. The man who spews out profanities has no
problem with his vulgar speech. The
woman who slanders other people to make herself look better is quite
comfortable doing so. People who sleep
around have no shame and boast about their body count (which is the number of
partners they have had). Even criminals
are comfortable with their behavior.
They will defend it as necessary to provide for themselves or their
family. The sinful mind is very
comfortable with sins. That’s why a call
to repentance often produces rage rather than remorse.
Malachi has a final word about the final
day. He tells us how the Lord will judge
the living and the dead. Malachi declares,
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, which I commanded to him at Horeb to
serve as statutes and judgments over all Israel” (Malachi 4:4). God’s Law is the standard by which he
will judge all people. Now, there are a
lot of specifics in God’s Law about what is good and evil, but the overarching
principle is this: “You shall be holy, because I, the Lord your
God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). Some
might hope that Jesus would have softened God’s demands. He did not.
He reinforced them. Jesus
declared, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). That is why God’s Law must be proclaimed. God warns that all who are comfortable with their
sins will not stand at the final judgment—and are, in fact, under God’s wrath
now.
Malachi gives a final word about the final
judgment. He foretold, “Look! I am going to send Elijah the prophet to you
before the great and fearful day of the LORD comes” (Malachi 4:5)! Just as Elijah had called
comfortable sinners to repent, so God’s Law arouses our consciences so that we
do not trust in any goodness we think we have.
God’s Law uncovers and exposes us for what we are. All our excuses, defenses, and reasons will
not make us holy as the Lord, our God, is holy.
But
for you, Malachi says, “for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness
will rise, and there will be healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). To fear the Lord, at the very least, is to take
his word seriously. It is to recognize
the Lord’s holy standard and his righteous judgment. We all have a proper fear of many things in
this world. If you are someone who
handles firearms, you work with the motto, “Every gun is a loaded gun,” because
you know the disaster that can come from being careless. If you are doing electrical work, you handle circuits
and wires with a proper respect, knowing that being careless can mean
electrocution. These may send you to an
early grave, but the Lord can send people to a fiery eternity.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom. If you take God’s word seriously
and recognize that you do not possess the holiness you need to stand in the Lord’s
judgment, you will seek that holiness from outside of you. That is the beginning of wisdom. To be wise for salvation is to trust in Jesus
and put all your hope in him. This is
what the Lord says: “God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for
us…” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is the
one who knew no sin. He is the perfectly
obedient Son of his Father. He did
achieve the holy life God demands. But
he did not get the credit for it.
Rather, he who knew no sin became sin for us. He took our guilt away from us and suffered
the consequences—a death in which he endured the torments of hell, burning like
a blast furnace.
The verse goes on. “God made him, who did not know sin, to
become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2
Corinthians 5:21). Jesus got the
credit for our sin, but he gave us the credit for his righteousness. Through baptism, he washed you clean of all iniquity. Through baptism, you were clothed with Christ. Therefore, God sees you as one who is pure
and innocent. This holiness comes from
outside of you. Jesus Christ has supplied
the very holiness you need before God. “How
blessed is the person whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is covered. How blessed is the person whose guilt
the Lord does not charge against him” (Psalm 32:1-2). Jesus Christ has covered you in his innocence. Jesus has taken away all the charges against
you. Your verdict of righteousness has
been earned by Jesus. It is delivered to
you now. And it will be declared to all
on the Last Day.
Malachi gives a final word about the final
day: “For you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise, and
there will be healing in its wings. You
will go out and jump around like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2). In Malachi’s day, the average home in Israel
was a one room house. The roof could
serve as a guest room or a work place. Off
the main room, there was a lower level where the family’s animals would be
brought in for the night. Each family typically
had a few sheep and a cow or a bull. They
came into the house for two reasons.
One, so that they would not be stolen.
The other reason is that the additional bodies in the house produced
more heat for the family. In the morning,
the first thing you would do is open the gate to lead the animals out to get
water. The animals, after being cooped
up all night, would burst forth from the stall.
They were finally free! They would
run and leap in excitement. Malachi says
that you will react similarly on the Last Day.
Why?
Because you will finally be free from all the problems and struggles
that sin produces in your life. The Lord
assures you that you are children of God.
St. John wrote in his first epistle, “Dear friends, we are children
of God now, but what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed we will be
like him, and we will see him as he really is.
Everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure”
(1 John 3:2-3). So, you are children
of God right now. This is something that
you take on faith because you don’t see it yet.
We still see and feel and know our sins.
This is why we continue to flee to our Lord for mercy and forgiveness.
But the day is coming when you will be
completely free from this sinful condition.
It is not just that you will be raised with a body that is free from disease,
disability, distress, and death. You
will also be free from the continuous battle of putting off your sins. You will not struggle to do the right thing
or to say the right words. You will think,
act, and behave like the children of God, and you will find great joy in
it. Your personality will be cleansed of
everything that offends God and others.
Your mind will be freed from thinking evil of others. You will have no need to think evil of others
because all who will be gathered into God’s eternal kingdom will be pure in
body, mind, and spirit. Mankind always
hopes to create this kind of utopia.
With sinners, it is an impossible dream.
With our Lord, it is a definite future.
Malachi delivers a final word about the
final day. Those who remain comfortable in
their sins and prefer their own way over God’s way will earn the judgment they
get. If they want no part of Jesus now, Jesus
will grant them what they want. But they
will learn, sadly too late, what this means.
Malachi says, “You will trample the wicked. They will surely be ashes
under the soles of your feet on the day when I take action, says
the Lord of Armies” (Malachi 4:3). Does this means we will participate in the Lord’s
judgment upon the wicked? I don’t
know. If it does, it will not be in a
spirit of revenge; for the spirit of revenge comes from a sinful heart. Perhaps it is best understood as part of
calves leaping from the stall: We will be overjoyed that the Lord has vindicated
his people and that he has upheld his glory.
If it bothers you that you might trample on those who will perish—and I
can’t blame you—then turn your focus to imploring your family and friends to
seek refuge in Jesus Christ. Urge them
to come to church with you so they will not be consumed in God’s fiery
judgment. Once the Last Day comes, those
opportunities are lost. The day of salvation
is now.
Malachi gives a final word about the final day. But THE final word comes from Jesus Christ. He will say to you, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). This is the kingdom Jesus prepares for you. He will come again in glory to deliver you to it. Having heard the final word of the Old Testament, we also cling to the final word of the New Testament: “The one who testifies about these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints” (Revelation 22:20-21).
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
PICTORIAL DIRECTORY -- FINAL NOTICENEW PASTOR AT PALABRA DE VIDA
175th Anniversary of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
The WELS was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1850 by five Lutheran pastors. Since then, it has grown to about 1,200 congregations throughout the USA and does mission work in about 50 countries. We thank God for preserving a synod in which the Bible is upheld as God’s inerrant, inspired word. We should not take this blessing for granted, as many denominations have chosen to ignore or reject parts of God’s word, leaving people to wonder what in the Bible is still true and what is not.
In order to express our gratitude to the Lord for preserving our synod, and in hopes to see our synod expand its ministry to the USA and to the world, we will be participating in a thank offering throughout the month of November. There will be a collection plate by the ushers’ station. You may also designate an offering (mark it as “WELS 175”, but payable to Good Shepherd) and put it in the collection plate with your usual offering.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (October)
> Our projector has not been consistent in projecting. Since it is better than ten years old, we are considering a replacement. We are looking into getting a smart TV with interactive capabilities which allows HDMI input as well as ability to draw with a special, electronic pen.
> We have added to our Servant Keeper office management system, allowing for texting to large groups. It will be similar to the email blasts, but with texting. It will also be used more sparingly than the weekly email blasts. When it is ready to go, we will do a test run after church some Sunday.
> A gift was graciously given toward the purchase of a moveable coffee bar. That coffee bar will be purchased soon. We thank the donor for their generosity.
> We are planning on two congregational meetings in late November and early December. Our Open Forum on November 23 will present a recommended budget for the 2026 year, as well as present some plans we hope to implement in the next year or so. On December 7, we will present a long-term plan for various improvements or maintenance projects which may need to be done in the next ten years or so. Some projects are necessary; others would be nice. We welcome feedback to see what the congregation would support or what alternatives we might consider.
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
==================
REGULAR SCHEDULE
GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
50 years ago today, the Edmund Fitzgerald--the largest man-made item to be launched into the Great Lakes up to that time--was lost in Lake Superior, claiming the lives of all 29 men on board. They remain entombed in the Edmund Fitzgerald to this day.
In any case, it was mere minutes after the claim, "We are holding our own," that the Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared from sight and from radar. It rests in two large pieces, over 500 feet deep on the bed of Lake Superior.
Here is a post from my 40th anniversary recollection, with a few additional photos which were not Googled.
In honor of those who were lost, give a listen to Gordon Lightfoot's song. Interesting note about this recording: Gordon Lightfoot did not even have this song completed when it was recorded. He worked with his fellow musicians and they discussed briefly what they would like it to sound like. It was recorded, unrehearsed. Several additional takes were recorded, but none were deemed as good as the first take. That is amazing! Here it is. Enjoy.
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LUKE 20:27-38
I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.
In the name + of Jesus.
“Some of the Sadducees (who say there is
no resurrection) came to him” (Luke 20:27).
I suppose we should start with an important question: Who were the
Sadducees? They were the priests. They presided over the sacrifices at the
temple. They were rich and powerful. When we hear the Bible mention the Sanhedrin
which was the judicial body before whom Jesus stood trial, a good number of
them were Sadducees. Caiaphas, the high
priest, was one of them.
The Sadducees were more politicians than
priests. Although they served at the
temple and did what the books of Moses prescribed, their main interest was in
retaining their prestige and their power.
When they perceived that Jesus was a threat, the Sadducees expressed
their true concerns. “The chief
priests (that is, the Sadducees) and the Pharisees called a meeting of
the Sanhedrin. They asked, ‘What are we
going to do, because this man is doing many miraculous signs? If we let him go on like this, everyone will
believe in him. Then the Romans will
come and take away both our place and our nation.’ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high
priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all. You do not even consider that it is better
for us that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish’”
(John 11:47-50). The Sadducees wanted
to protect and preserve their worldly glory.
Since they were so worldly, it should not surprise us that they did not
believe in the resurrection of the body.
They came to Jesus to challenge him and to
mock the idea of the resurrection of the body.
They presented their case of the man who died before fathering a
child. The Law of Moses decreed that a
brother should take the wife. He would
father a child who would be reckoned as his brother’s. This would keep the family line intact. They presented a case in which this was
attempted by seven brothers, each taking the woman as his wife and failing to
produce an heir. Then came their
“gotcha” question: “So in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as a wife” (Luke
20:33). Their question was not asked
in good faith. They were not interested
in a real answer. They were only
interested in humiliating Jesus and propping up their own egos.
This is often how we have to deal with
people in regard to the Christian faith.
Some ask questions about the Bible out of concern. They genuinely wonder why God does what he
does or doesn’t do. Others ask, having already
drawn the conclusion that God is indifferent, ignorant, or impotent. Some wonder about things in the Bible that
are confusing or seem like contradictions.
Others ask, already certain that the Bible is wrong. Their goal is to mock the Bible and humiliate
the Christians who believe it. Sadly,
some Christians choose to abandon the faith than to endure the mockery of unbelievers. Beware! There
are always opportunities to confess the faith.
If someone is willing to have further conversations, invite them to
church or to meet your pastor. If they are
only interested in confrontation, then don’t bother tossing more pearls to
swine.
You and I confess, “I believe in the
resurrection of the body.” The Sadducees
did not, but they should have known better.
Jesus, ever patient with those who came to him—or in this case, came at
him, responded. “The people of this
age marry and are given in marriage. But
those who are considered worthy to experience that age and the resurrection
from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage” (Luke 20:34-35). Our Lord has established marriage in this
world for the benefit and stability of society.
Where families are strong, society is strong. Therefore, our Lord has, in his wisdom, established
a godly order of events: Marriage, then sexual relations which leads to
children. Any deviation from God’s
design is sinful, and it produces problems, such as men who are good at
impregnating women but not at taking the responsibility for their actions. Young ladies, if he is not willing to give
you his name, you should not be willing to give him your body. You will spare yourself much grief.
Marriage is a blessing designed for this
world. Through marriage, a father and
mother produce the generation which will follow them. The world needs this as each generation needs
to be replaced. This is not needed in
the heavenly kingdom, however. Jesus
explains why: “They cannot die any more, for they are like the angels” (Luke
20:36). The number of angels is
fixed. They don’t need to foster future
generations because they don’t die. So
it will be with all the saints in heaven.
There are no wedding chapels in heaven.
There are no maternity wards in heaven.
There are just the saints and angels of God who dwell with him and will
never die.
We should also pay attention to Jesus’
statement that the saints who enter the heavenly kingdom “are like
the angels” (Luke 20:36). We do not
become angels when we die. God created
the angels to be angels, and God created people to be people. God created you to be you on purpose. You don’t change into something else. You believe in the resurrection of the body,
which means that you will be you for all eternity—although you will be
glorified. Your body will be raised incorruptible
and immortal. You will be like the
angels, confirmed in holiness, which means that you won’t screw anything up in
the heavenly kingdom.
Now we consider the next statement that
Jesus made about the resurrection of the body.
“Even Moses showed in the account about the burning bush that the
dead are raised, when he called the Lord: ‘The God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not
the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him” (Luke
20:37-38). Even the Pharisees were
impressed by Jesus’ reply, saying “Teacher, you have spoken well” (Luke
20:39).
It is surprising that the Sadducees did
not respond, “Wait a minute! How can you
say this proves the resurrection of the body?
The skeletal remains of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still here.” Nevertheless, they did not argue. Jesus’ argument was accepted by the
Pharisees. The Sadducees accepted it as
a solid refutation. Perhaps it is not as
clear to you. You might think, “Jesus
proved that they have eternal life, but how did he prove the resurrection of
the body?”
When Adam and Eve brought sin into the
world, it affected everything. We are
born in a sinful condition. Our default
position is to reject God’s word for our own.
Sin has also corrupted our bodies.
We suffer mentally and emotionally.
We experience high blood pressure, congenital heart failure,
osteoporosis, and arthritis. Our eyesight
and our hearing fade. We lose our
balance and our memory. Finally, our
bodies give out. Death leaves behind a
body, but the spirit returns to the God who gave it. The body without the spirit is dead. The spirit without the body is
incomplete. For, God did not create us
to be disembodied souls.
Right now, we live in time. Our life began at conception. Psalm 139 teaches us to confess, “You wove
me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). The Psalmist teaches us that, even in the
womb, it is a “me,” that is, a living person.
However, it is much easier to mark the day we are born than the day we
are conceived. So, we mark and celebrate
the day of birth. Then, God grants us
years on earth for as long as he is pleased.
Psalm 139 also reminds us, “In your book all of them were
written. Days were determined, before
any of them existed” (Psalm 139:16).
In other words, just as God has determined the day of your birth, so he has
also set the day of your death. On that
day, you depart from this world and from time.
You enter eternity and stand before the Lord for judgment.
We can think of it this way: At your
death, you enter a timeless existence.
You close your eyes to this life and open them to see Jesus. It is as if you fast forward to the
resurrection of the dead on the Last Day.
Since we are still living in time, that day is still a future
event. We continue to purchase calendars
and turn the pages as time goes by. But
those who enter eternity are with the Lord.
People such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live and worship the Lord in
glorious bodies. The saints in heaven
are not disembodied spirits. Just as
Moses and Elijah stood before Jesus at his transfiguration as living people, so
those who enter eternity are living people.
But since we have not seen it, we can only confess it: “I believe in the
resurrection of the body.”
The first holy man brought sin into the
world. With sin came death. Since all are sinners, all are marked for
death. But the second holy man, the
second Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, came to remove sin, and to reverse its curse
and its consequences. He removed sin by
taking all sin into himself. He
exchanged his holiness for our guilt.
Through your baptism in Jesus’ name, he has washed away your guilt and
covered you in his innocence. In order
to restore you to eternal life, Jesus had to endure a cursed death. In order to open heaven to you, Jesus had to
suffer your hell. He did that at the
cross. Jesus’ lifeless body was then
laid in a tomb because that is what the consequences of sin demand.
But on the third day, Jesus rose from the
dead. It was no mere spirit that rose
from the grave. Jesus’ body has overcome
death. He showed the wounds he had
received to his disciples to prove his identity and confirm the reality of the
resurrection of the body. A man has
proven himself victorious over the grave, and he is the one who will deliver
all mankind from the grave. If you believe
in Jesus, then you must also believe in the resurrection of the body.
Just as the Lord created you to be a
body-and-soul individual, so he will raise you up on the Last Day to be a
body-and-soul individual. Your body will
be you, but you will be raised with a body that is free from the curse and
consequences of sin. It will never be
corrupt. It will never grow frail. It will be free from ailments, anxiety,
sorrows, struggles, regrets, and any remnant of evil. All the curses from Eden will be removed, and
Eden itself will be restored.
We live here in time, and so we await the resurrection of the body. But Jesus said that “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob … is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:37-38). This suggests that our last day on earth will be THE Last Day when Jesus raises the dead and judges all. Good news: He has already rendered your verdict. “(You) are sons of God, because (you) are sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36). Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Since you are his, he makes you partakers of both.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Greetings!
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Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.
PICTORIAL DIRECTORY -- FINAL NOTICENEW PASTOR AT PALABRA DE VIDA
175th Anniversary of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
The WELS was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1850 by five Lutheran pastors. Since then, it has grown to about 1,200 congregations throughout the USA and does mission work in about 50 countries. We thank God for preserving a synod in which the Bible is upheld as God’s inerrant, inspired word. We should not take this blessing for granted, as many denominations have chosen to ignore or reject parts of God’s word, leaving people to wonder what in the Bible is still true and what is not.
In order to express our gratitude to the Lord for preserving our synod, and in hopes to see our synod expand its ministry to the USA and to the world, we will be participating in a thank offering throughout the month of November. There will be a collection plate by the ushers’ station. You may also designate an offering (mark it as “WELS 175”, but payable to Good Shepherd) and put it in the collection plate with your usual offering.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (October)
> Our projector has not been consistent in projecting. Since it is better than ten years old, we are considering a replacement. We are looking into getting a smart TV with interactive capabilities which allows HDMI input as well as ability to draw with a special, electronic pen.
> Our handicapped accessible entry via push-button has been installed!
> We plan on adding to our Servant Keeper office management system to allow for texting to large groups, similar to the email blasts, but with texting. When it is ready to go, we will do a test run after church some Sunday.
> We have hired a professional janitorial service.
> A gift was graciously given toward the purchase of a moveable coffee bar. That coffee bar will be purchased soon. We thank the donor for their generosity.
> We are planning on two congregational meetings in late November and early December. Our Open Forum on November 23 will present a recommended budget for the 2026 year, as well as present some plans we hope to implement in the next year or so. On December 7, we will present a long-term plan for various improvements or maintenance projects which may need to be done in the next ten years or so. Some projects are necessary; others would be nice. We welcome feedback to see what the congregation would support or what alternatives we might consider.
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In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder
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