Sermon -- 9th Sunday after Pentecost (July 26, 2026)

THE GOOD SEED PRODUCES A GOOD HARVEST.

MATTHEW 13:24-30,36-43

In the name + of Jesus.

      The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed and desired a good harvest.  The good seed has produced a good harvest.  It has produced saving faith in you—a faith which trusts God’s word, a faith which receives the benefits of Jesus’ perfect life and innocent death, a faith which is taught to say “No” to wickedness and “Yes” to godliness.  You are the good harvest. 

     But the kingdom of heaven has an enemy.  Although the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the enemy has infiltrated this world.  He has sown seeds of sin and unbelief.  And although his work results only in pain, suffering, and death, his work is not always as obvious as we would think.  In some cases, it is obvious.  There are people who have embraced the enemy’s lies.  As St. Peter wrote, they live “in unbridled immorality, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and disgusting idolatry.  For this reason, they are surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you” (1 Peter 4:3-4).  Their sins are obvious.

     But that is not the case with most.  Jesus described it this way: “When the plants sprouted and produced heads of grain, the weeds also appeared.  The servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?  Where did the weeds come from?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy did this.’  The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather up the weeds?’  ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because when you gather up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat along with them’” (Matthew 13:26-29). 

     You might recall that the King James Version referred to the weeds as tares.  We will use that phrase in a hymn later.  Tares are poisonous.  If you consumed them, you would get sick.  But you can’t tell the difference between wheat and tares as they grow together.  This is true in the world as well.  You usually can’t tell who is in the kingdom of God and who is not.

     Most people know how to behave.  Most people recognize that society works best when people are polite, decent, and generous.  As a result, we might assume that most people are in the kingdom of God.  You can’t know it by someone’s appearance or personality.  What if a man is grumpy?  Is he not in the kingdom of God?  On the other hand, what if a man is the life of the party and always picks up the check?  Is he in the kingdom of God?  We don’t know.  Atheists can be polite and generous.  Christians can be self-absorbed and self-centered.  We cannot distinguish the wheat from the tares. 

     It might seem sensible to uproot and remove all the tares.  That should make the world a better place, right?  But it would be a disaster if we tried.  Jesus explained why.  “When you gather up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat along with them” (Matthew 13:29).  The wheat and the tares will continue to grow together.  Jesus said they would remain until the harvest, that is, until the final judgment.  Then each will be shown for what he or she is.  Then our Lord will judge each person accordingly.

     Throughout the history of the Church, there have been repeated efforts to make the Church more pure and, allegedly, better preserved from sin and error.  Most of those efforts involved separation from a group or seclusion from society.  The Puritans wanted a more devout church than the Church of England.  They separated from it, even crossing the ocean to establish a pure church.  Monks wanted to free themselves from the wickedness of the world.  So, they left it and entered monasteries.  None of these efforts ever produced a pure church.  Sinners still brought their sinfulness with them.  Besides that, it is not what our Lord has called us to do.  How can you love your neighbor if you keep him away from you? 

     If the wheat and the tares grow together in this world, you can expect the world to be messed up.  And so it is.  If the wheat and the tares grow together in the Christian Church, you can expect the Christian Church to be messed up.  And so it is—with countless and conflicting denominations.  But the good seed produces a good harvest.  There is a Holy Christian Church, just as we confess.  It is the invisible Church, because God alone knows who are the true sons and daughters of the kingdom.

     But that does not mean we are incapable of recognizing the Church.  Jesus told us where to find the Church.  He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world.  The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:37-38).  The Lord Jesus establishes his Church where the seed is sown.  The Church is wherever God’s word is rightly preached and the sacraments are rightly administered.  There, the Holy Spirit is at work to create and to sustain faith in the hearts of people.  To remain in the kingdom of God, God’s people need to be where the word of God is rightly preached and the sacraments are rightly administered.  There, the good seed continues to be sown, and it will produce a good harvest.

     Unfortunately, the kingdom of God has an enemy.  Jesus said, “The weeds are the sons of the Evil One.  The enemy who sowed them is the Devil” (Matthew 13:38-39).  Just as it is not always easy to distinguish the wheat from the tares, so also it is not always easy to distinguish between the seeds, whether they are good or bad.  When the devil tells his lies, he is good at making them sound right.  He twists God’s word just slightly so that it still sounds like it is God’s word.  The devil perverts a part of God’s word, hoping that this will lead people farther away from the rest of God’s word.  The goal of the devil is to lead you away from Jesus, and he will do this bit by bit.  A ship that is only one degree off course will end up miles away from its far destination.  This is how the devil steers people away from the truth.

     This is how you can have many churches today which profess to be Christian churches and yet proclaim teachings that defy God’s word.  They will accept any and every lifestyle and say, “God told us to love our neighbor.  We do that here.”  Of course, God wants us to love our neighbor, so it sounds very Christian.  But when you say, “Some choices are wicked.  People need to repent,” they will condemn you.  “God told us to love our neighbor.  Why don’t you?”  You are enticed to embrace the lie, as if you have failed God’s commands.  Who doesn’t want to be known as open-minded and big-hearted?  The Enemy has sown this seed, and it takes root very easily.  Beware.  Love for your neighbor is never at odds with a love for God’s word. 

     The goal in calling people to repent is not to prove who is better or worse.  It is about a godly love for people so that they will not die in their sins and receive the judgment Jesus warned about: “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will pull out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and those who continue to break the law.  The angels will throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42). 

     The reality is that we all entered the world as bad seed.  We confess with King David, “Certainly, I was guilty when I was born.  I was sinful when my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).  We acknowledge the words of St. Paul, “All have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 2:23—“fall short” is a present tense; it is an on-going reality).  While the sins of others may be obvious, we do not have to answer for them.  We have our own sins to answer for—sins of habit, sins of weakness, sins of looking down on others for their sins, sins of encouraging people in their sins because we would rather be in their good graces than in God’s.  We have much to answer for, and we don’t have any better answers than anyone else.  Repent.

     The good news is that we have a Savior who has stepped in to answer for us.  The Lord Jesus Christ has come to be our advocate before the heavenly Father.  Jesus does not excuse our sins.  Rather, he paid for them. 

     When Jesus stood on trial before the Sanhedrin, they accused him of many things.  Jesus did not give any answer to defend himself.  He was not trying to escape the cross or evade condemnation.  He accepted the charges for all of mankind.  He took all sins into himself.  And just as our Lord does not excuse any sins, so Jesus did not fail to take up any sins when he went to the cross.  No sins were too costly.  No sinner was omitted.  Jesus paid the price for every sin and every sinner.  As a result, Jesus answers for us before the Lord’s court.  All sins have been taken away.  All the charges have been dropped.  All have been issued a divine pardon.  

     God has planted the seed of his word in you to produce a good harvest.  As a result, you have received the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  This is what makes you sons and daughters of the kingdom.  It is not because you are good; it is because Jesus is good and merciful.  It is not because you are righteous; it is because you have been covered in Jesus’ righteousness.  Jesus has cleansed you with his holy, innocent blood.  And if you need greater assurance of this salvation, here the blood of Christ is poured into you to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.  Here is the body that bore your sins and has overcome death for you.  Here the sacrament is rightly administered for the good of God’s people.  Here, the Lord works in you to increase your faith, love, and good works.

     The Lord has not removed you from this sinful world.  You remain here as God’s people to be a godly influence on the world.  You get to spread the good seed in the world so that more people can be gathered into God’s kingdom and delivered from the fiery judgment to come.  If you are grieved by the wickedness you see and experience, you will find peace only in Jesus.  Pray for patience and perseverance, knowing that the final harvest is coming.  Then you will be forever free from wickedness, and the Enemy of the kingdom will not be able to harm or harass you anymore.

     In the meantime, the wheat and the tares will grow together.  In the end each will be shown for what he or she is.  “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will pull out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and those who continue to break the law.  The angels will throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 13:41-43).

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

A Pastoral Concern about going to church

Go To Church Every Week? Why?

The only valid reason for missing church is because of poor health. If you think saying so is provocative and unrealistic, perhaps you fail to see the benefits of the Divine Service.

Go to church every week? Why?
          It is NOT to make God happy. God is happy with you because you belong to Christ and are redeemed by his sacrificial life and death. Your works cannot improve that status at all.
          It is NOT to just obey the Third Commandment. It is true: We should not despise preaching and his word. But if going to church is only about keeping the Third Commandment, your reason for going is to jump through a hoop to appease God. Your motive, then, is corrupt. Your worship will not please God.
          It is NOT so that others will see you and, thus, think well of you. This would make you a hypocrite—looking pious on the outside but being far from God in your heart. While others might be impressed with your attendance, God would know better. He despises hypocrites.

Go to church every week? Why?
          We come as beggars—poor, needy, and destitute. We come with our sins. We come bearing guilt. We come cloaked in shame. We come with struggles, frustrations, angst, unrest, and fears. We come because God offers relief from all of these things. We come as beggars, and God fills us with heavenly riches.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because every week, we suffer trials and temptations.
          Because every week, Satan seeks to deceive and destroy us.
          Because every week, false teachers and false teachings try to seduce us.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because others sin against us.
          Because we sin against others.
          Because we live in a world that is evil.
          Because we face disease and sickness; disappointment and disaster; sorrow and stress; decay and death.
          Because we are weak and frail.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because we are sinners, and we can’t fix it.
          Because we face judgment, and we can’t avoid it.
          Because we are dying, and we can’t stop it.
          Because our only hope to be delivered from our wretched condition comes while we are still alive.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because Jesus forgives sinners.
          Because the Lord’s forgiveness comes through the gospel rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered.
          Because we desire to be saved, to partake in the resurrection of the dead, and to be judged worthy of eternal life through faith in Jesus. 

             Because faith will only remain alive if it is fed by word and sacrament.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because our Father desires to bless us since we are his dearly loved children.
          Because Jesus Christ delivers pardon for our sins, relief from our guilt, and hope despite our shame.
          Because the Holy Spirit pours upon us encouragement, strength, and peace.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because the sheep listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd.
          Because the Bride of Christ loves to hear her Groom proclaim his constant love and devotion to her.
          Because the children are eager to be heard by their good and merciful Father in heaven.
          Because by their actions, God's people confess what they regard as their comfort, their hope, the foundation and the goal of their life.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because God’s promises are declared in the lessons.
          Because God’s grace is given in the Absolution.
          Because God’s mercy is applied in the preaching of the sermon.
          Because the body and blood of Christ are administered to us in Holy Communion for our salvation.
          Because God puts his name on us and blesses us in the Benediction.

Go to church every week? Why?
          Because God gives his greatest blessings there. What week don’t we want these? What week don’t we need these? Our joy and comfort are this: Every week, without fail, God gives these. Every week, God serves us— for our benefit, for our comfort, and for our salvation.

NOTE: If you work on Sunday mornings and cannot change your schedule, speak to your pastor about alternative dates, times, or ways to be served. If you need a ride, let your pastor know so that he can arrange one for you. If you are not aware of a WELS/ELS church where you are living, contact your previous pastor or go to www.wels.net to use the church locator to find one.

Sermon -- 8th Sunday after Pentecost (July 19, 2026)

GOD’S WORD IS ALWAYS EFFECTIVE.

ISAIAH 55:10-11

In the name + of Jesus.

     God’s word is always effective.  We recognize this especially in connection with God’s creation.  When God created the heavens and the earth, everything appeared at God’s command.  On Day One, “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).  On Day Four, “God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night, and let them serve as markers to indicate seasons, days, and years.’  … and it was so” (Genesis 1:14-15).  It was so because God said so.  God’s word is always effective.

     God’s word continues to sustain the universe.  Upon creating the birds and the water creatures, “God blessed them when he said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.  Fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth’” (Genesis 1:22).  That word did not apply only to the initial birds and fish God created.  God’s blessing continues so that birds continue to hatch eggs and so that fish continue to spawn.  The same blessing was given to the man and the woman.  It is why people have a natural drive to produce the next generation of people.  Of course, God’s design is for that to take place within the bonds of marriage.  We are not animals.  God has a higher purpose for us than that.

     God’s word also enforces the universe to continue as God commands.  After Noah left the ark, God gave this promise: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).  God’s word affects every aspect of his creation.  Jesus taught us, “Not one [sparrow] will fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father” (Matthew 10:29).  God’s word is always effective.  He determines the rise and fall of nations.  He commands the wind and the waves.  He determined your birthday, your parents, and your hometown.  God’s word is always effective.

     Our Lord, however, desires to have a more intimate relationship with people.  You are not impersonal seasons or stars which move at God’s command.  You are more than sparrows which God feeds and sustains as long as he wills.  God created mankind to have a special relationship with him.  Birds, badgers, and beavers do not build cathedrals.  The wind and the waves do not offer up prayers, and the planets do not confess the Creed.  God created people to know him and to be in communion with him. 

     You are God’s special creation.  You were put on this earth to receive God’s blessings and to respond to God’s love with willing obedience.  In order for you to know the blessings God gives, God has to make them known.  In order for you to know how God wants you to honor and obey him, God has to make that known too.  God does this by speaking to you in the Scriptures.  God deals with mankind with words.  And God’s word is always effective.

     Through Isaiah, God explained how he works through his word: “Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they first water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, so that it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, in the same way my word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty.  Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). 

     God commands the rains to come down and the snow to cover the mountains.  The snow melts and fills the rivers.  The rain saturates fields, orchards, and gardens so that they produce fruits, grains, and vegetables.  At God’s command, the earth produces food to nourish us and sustain us.  In the same way, God’s word goes out to create and sustain faith in people.  As long as you are hearing his word, the Holy Spirit is working to sustain and strengthen your place in the kingdom of God.  By contrast, when God withholds the rain, the land becomes dry and barren.  So also, faith withers and may even perish when we are not hearing it.  This is our own fault.  The fault is not with God or his word.  God’s word is always effective, but it must be heard if it will have its effect.

     God’s word is always effective, but understand that this does not mean God’s word is always well-received.  The Bible reminds us, “The mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot” (Romans 8:7).  The sinful heart resists God’s word.  Our sinful hearts despise God’s word when he commands us to do what is hard, costly, or inconvenient.  When someone sins against you, which is your desire—to forgive freely or to plot revenge?  To speak well of him or to slander him by telling others what he did to you?  It does not matter to you that you know what God wants.  The sinful heart does not want to do it.  In Jesus’ parable, the problem was never with the seed.  It was with the hardened path.  It was faith choked out by worldly cares or scorched by hardship.  Take care that your sinful heart does not rule over you. 

     If the sinful heart continues to resist God’s word, it will eventually harden itself into unbelief.  Consider Pharaoh.  Moses was sent by God to speak to Pharaoh.  No doubt, Moses told Pharaoh about the Lord, about the promise the Lord had made to the people of Israel, and about the Savior who would eventually come through them.  Based on God’s promises and the special status of the nation of Israel, Moses implored Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go.  “Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD that I should listen to his voice and let Israel go?  I do not know the LORD, and I certainly will not let Israel go’” (Exodus 5:2).    

     Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart against God’s word.  The more Pharaoh heard God’s word, the more hardened his heart became.  God’s word is always effective.  Sometimes the effect God’s word has is that it makes sinners become more resistant, hostile, or even violent.  Eventually, God let Pharaoh have his way.  His condemnation was deserved.

     This is a warning for you.  Psalm 95 urges you to not repeat the errors of God’s people from the past.  “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did at Meribah, as they did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your fathers challenged me and tested me though they had seen what I had done.  For forty years I was disgusted with that generation, and I said, ‘They are a people who have hearts that stray.  They do not acknowledge my ways.’  So I swore in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my resting place’” (Psalm 95:7-11).  They had God’s word, but they would not listen.  As a result, they forfeited God’s grace.  Once again, God’s word was effective in sentencing and condemning those who would not repent. 

     Of course, that is not the effect God wants to have on sinners.  What does God tell us his desire is?  “God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).  The truth is the word which God speaks to us in the Scriptures.  The truth is that he is our good and merciful Father in heaven who does not take delight in the death and damnation of anyone.  The truth is that God’s promises are gracious and his commands are good.  The Lord is a Savior God, and everything he says and does is to serve our good both now and into eternity. 

     God knows our nature and that we are sinners.  But rather than despise us and dispose of us, he has acted to set us free from the bondage of our sin and from the curse of death.  As soon as a Savior was needed back in the Garden of Eden, God promised one.  Despite man’s continual rebellion, the Lord never withdrew the promise of a Savior.  Even if people are not faithful to him, the Lord remains faithful to his promises.  And God’s word is always effective.  Even though many harden their hearts against God’s word, that word still produces people who delight in God’s promises and are eager to follow God’s commands.

     True to his word, God the Father sent his Son to rescue you from your sin.  Jesus Christ fulfilled all that God said he would.  Jesus was fully obedient to God’s word, gladly doing all that his Father commanded him to do.  That included exchanging his holy life for your sin.  It did not matter to Jesus that his sufferings and death would be hard and costly and inconvenient; Jesus went to the cross to lay down his life to ransom sinners.  Jesus poured out his lifeblood to atone for those who are grieved by their sins, for those who still struggle to do what is good and right and want to do better, for those who are ambivalent to God’s word, and even for those who despise God’s word.  Jesus took up the sins of everyone. Those who harden their hearts to God’s words of salvation forfeit the blessings Jesus won for them.  God desires their salvation, but he will not force himself upon anyone.  Just as God let stubborn Pharaoh go his own way, so he will let those who love their sins keep them.  But God’s word will be effective upon them.  It will justly condemn them for their stubborn unbelief.

     But for you, God’s word has a different effect.  Through his word, God absolves you of all guilt.  The Lord covers your shame with Christ’s righteousness.  The Lord enables you to take up your cross and endure whatever hardships are laid upon you.  The Lord sustains you through this life and will bring you into everlasting glory. 

     God’s word is always effective.  Through it, the Holy Spirit works in you both to desire and to do what God commands.  The Lord corrects you when you are misguided, deceived, or defiant.  He convinces you that his commands are not burdensome.  The Holy Spirit guides you by his word so that you are spared from suffering many griefs.  Instead, he produces in you a blessed life which honors God and benefits your fellowman. 

     On the Last Day, God’s word will again prove itself to be effective.  The Lord Jesus will give the command, and every grave will give up its dead.  And no matter what anyone ever thought of you or said about you, the only word that will matter is what Jesus says.  To all who believed in him, he will give this word: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).  He whose word released you from sin will, by his word, restore you to life and raise you up to eternal glory.  This is God’s promise, and his word is always effective.

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

Worship Notes: Repetition is the Mother of Learning

Repetitio est mater studiorum (because Latin is fun!).  Repetition is the mother of learning.

The pattern of worship at St. John's has been a succession of rotating liturgies.  Sundays usually did not have liturgies repeat from week to week.  While some may appreciate the variety, it does have its drawbacks.

One change you will notice is that we will be locked in on The Common Service for many weeks to come.  The main reason is so that people learn the parts of the liturgy and memorize them.  This is especially important for people who are younger or new to the Lutheran confession.

If someone is learning to dance, he spends his time focused on his feet.  "Where does my left foot go next?  How does my right foot move?"  He does not even enjoy dancing because he is just trying to learn how to do it.  Eventually, after repetition, he no longer stumbles his way through his footing.  He actually gets to enjoy the movement of the dance.

With the liturgy repeating itself week after week, we become exceptionally familiar with the confession of sins, with the canticles, with the Apostles' or Nicene Creeds, etc...   Eventually, most will not even need to refer to a hymnal or a screen.  We can just dance through the liturgy.

For some, repetition is boring.  It is argued, "Doing the same thing over and over again will cause me to speak the liturgy mindlessly."  Perhaps.  I contend that the fault will not be with the liturgy, but with our sinful nature which always needs to be entertained.  After a while, we get bored with everything.

But consider the benefit of repetition.  Repetition leads to memorization.  As people get older, they may lose their eyesight.  But they can still participate because they remember the liturgy.  Young children can learn the canticles even before they learn to read.  This can only happen if the same liturgy is done week after week.  

Does this mean we forfeit variety?  No.  Each week, we have different hymns, different prayers, different Psalms, different readings, and a different sermon.  The Psalm can also be sung in different ways.  The choir can add anthems.  Other instruments can enhance our worship.  There is much variety that can be incorporated while still repeating the structure of the liturgy.

Repetition is the mother of learning.  What we are repeating in our liturgy reinforces what we confess and believe to be true.  That thought will be explored at a later date.

Worship Notes: Why do we do what we do?

When I was a youth, I was curious why we followed the liturgical order we did.  Why not explore other ways to worship?  I never did ask my pastor that question, fearful that even asking was disrespectful.  It was not disrespectful.  It was a good question which deserved a thoughtful answer.  I wish I had asked it.  It was a lost opportunity to gain appreciation about why we worship the way we do.

While that topic could inspire many, long paragraphs (and will likely be a Bible Class topic down the road), this blog post will simply encourage people to ask why we do what we do.

The Church does not have secrets.  Everything should have a clear explanation, an answer to the question: "Why?"  Everything we do in worship--from rites (things spoken) to ceremonies (things practiced)--is done to reinforce the faith and to teach God's people. 

Are there ways to teach the faith that are better than others?  Absolutely.  Sometimes it is a matter of right vs. wrong (such as the Roman Catholic sacrifice of the Mass or an altar call); other times it is a matter of good vs. better.  For example, we would rather have our hymns let by a pipe organ than a kazoo.

If there are better ways to conduct a Divine Service which emphasize the reverence, glory, and mercies of God, we should pursue them--not because we are disposing of what is wicked, but because we can opt for what teaches the faith better.

Not everyone will think every idea is great.  Some may resist any changes at all.  We can become slaves to the "We've always done it that way" mentality.  While it may be true that we've always done something a certain way, there should be a good reason we've always done it that way.  If that reason proves to be a good reason, we can retain what we've done.  If there are better reasons to do something different, we can introduce something different as long as it teaches and reinforces the true, Christian faith.  That is always the goal.

Being skeptical of change is natural.  We like what we know.  We prefer what we are comfortable with.  That is not necessarily bad.  Thrusting something new and revolutionary into the Divine Service should be met with skepticism.  Nothing should be foisted upon a congregation.  People need to be instructed about why we are doing what we are doing so that they can be confident that they are not being led astray and so they can appreciate a more vivid exposition of God's glory.

So, why do we do what we do?  You deserve a better answer than, "We've always done it that way."  And you certainly should not be afraid to ask for an answer.  If you don't know what the point is, ask!  If you want to know why the pastor does what he does, ask!  If you are curious about the reasoning behind some practice, ask!  

The way a pastor presides over a Divine Service is first to the glory of God and then for the edification of God's people.  The pastor should have a solid reason for whatever he does, and God's people should know it, too.

Local Tourist -- US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

Once again, the Local Tourist is taking some liberties with the word "local."  Earlier today, the Local Tourist and his Mrs. crashed a group outing with the Roots to Wings Summer Camp to tour US Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.  Although our Roots to Wings overlord is a Packers fan, she told our tour guide, 'Today, we are all Vikings fans."  I disagreed.  Go, Pack, Go!

Nevertheless, US Bank Stadium is a magnificent structure.  We got to see several luxury boxes and club areas, the Gjallarhorn, the Vikings' locker room, the press room, the nose-bleed seats, and even were invited to run around on the field.  The children took full advantage of that.  I tried to kick a field goal, but without a holder, it was a pretty ugly attempt.  The Vikings are welcome to have me kick whenever they play Green Bay.

Here are some photos from today.

Installation Service at St. John's Lutheran Church, Lake City, MN

Here is the installation service at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church from Sunday, July 12, 2026.

Pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lake City, Minnesota

This is the biography which was included in the bulletin for my installation on Sunday, July 12.  The preacher for the day was my classmate and brother-in-law, Rev. Daniel Schmidt.

Pastor Schroeder’s Biography

            Thomas E. Schroeder (Come on!  His parents didn’t name him “Pastor”!) was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on November 28, 1967 to Earl and Mary Ellen Schroeder.  Shortly thereafter, he was reborn of water and the word at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sheboygan.  He was raised in Sheboygan and attended grade school at Calvary.  He attended Manitowoc Lutheran High School.  His pre-ministerial training was at Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin.  (Northwestern has since been amalgamated with Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota under the name of Martin Luther College.)  Upon graduation from Northwestern in 1990, he attended Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, serving a vicar year at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jenera, Ohio.

            In 1992, he married Laura Schmidt of Noblesville, Indiana.  Laura spent a number of years as a stay-at-home-Mom, and also spent many years teaching in Lutheran schools, specifically St. Peter’s in Plymouth, MI and St. Paul’s in Livonia, MI.  Laura and Pastor Schroeder have been blessed with six children—Faith (Milwaukee, WI), Nathanael (Bluffton, IN and to be married to Sarah Gigli in April 2027), Andrew (Shelby Twp., MI), Caleb (Saginaw, MI; married to Caitlin, who is expecting Pastor and Laura’s first grandchild in August), Philip (Lake City, MI—yeah, that’s right, there’s one in Michigan), and Peter (who will be attending Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw for his senior year).  Pastor and Laura were anticipating a seventh child, but he was stillborn.  Isaac Christopher awaits the resurrection at Glen Eden Cemetery in Livonia, MI.

From left to right: Pastor, Laura, Nathanael, Sarah, Faith, Philip, Peter, Andrew, Caitlin, Caleb

            After graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1994, Pastor Schroeder was assigned to be an instructor at West Lutheran High School (currently located in Plymouth, Minnesota).  He taught religion and Latin and served as Recruitment Preacher / Director.

            After two years there, he opted to be reassigned through the Seminary to be a parish pastor.  In 1996, he, Laura and, at the time, two children moved to Novi, Michigan where he was installed as the pastor at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Pastor Schroeder served at Good Shepherd for thirty years. 

            Pastor Schroeder has a blog—www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com—mainly for posting sermons.  He also occasionally posts other items such as family events, “Local Tourist” postings, things that he finds amusing, or pastoral concerns.  Please note: If you search for Pastor Schroeder’s Facebook page, you will find it.  However, that particular Facebook page belongs to the pastor of Good Shepherd, Novi.  An attempt was made to change the name to something generic, but Facebook was not having it.  If you request Pastor Schroeder as a friend on that Facebook page, it will not be acted upon.  The account will fade and later be adopted by the next pastor at Good Shepherd.

            Pastor and Laura Schroeder like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and … oh, wait, wrong reference.  Pastor and Laura Schroeder enjoy camping, reading, taking walks, playing cards and board games, and exploring the area they live in.  Both have sung in choirs.  They are loyal Green Bay Packer fans (your groan here), but they are not obnoxious about it. 

            Pastor and Laura are eager to get to know the members of St. John’s and the community of Lake City.  Pastor Schroeder desires to be a faithful pastor to you.  He seeks your prayers and support so that he can fulfill his vow to be faithful to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.  By exalting and proclaiming Christ, he hopes to show you the Savior to whom you can flee for comfort, hope, and peace.

Today's Earworm -- Billy Joel: Sleeping with the Television on

This earworm is a little obscure.  I think I can blame Peter for this one.  Peter's Spotify playlist includes a lot of Billy Joel, and he will play it in the car when we are out and about.  Suffice it to say, Peter does not have this song on his playlist. 

One of the drawbacks (if you want to call it that) of the modern method of collecting the work of music artists is that you select individual songs.  I bought the full album and ended up listening to all of it.  Of course, the majority of songs on these albums did not get any airplay on the radio.  You had to discover them for yourself.  Such is the case with "Sleeping with the Television on" from Glass Houses.

Thanks to Peter's Billy Joel kick, this song has been running around in my mind for a few days.  But I'm not upset about it.

A side note: The song begins with the conclusion of the Star Spangled Banner followed by the static of a station that has ended its signal for the night.  I am old enough to remember when television stations signed off for the night, follow by about six hours of static and a test pattern.  Younger people will be thoroughly confused by this, as well as Billy Joel's reference to the white noise coming from a television left on all night.

Ah!  Nostalgia!

As a bonus, here is a bootlegged live version of the song.  Some poor soul had one of the most unfortunate obstructed view seats in the arena.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- Troubles with moving

The moving van departed with many of our earthly belongings on Tuesday, June 16.  I had to stick around until Thursday, June 18 because of an immunotherapy treatment.  This was just as well, as we still had some clean up to do on Wednesday.

After some last minute packing, sweeping, and double-checking, we left on Thursday afternoon to begin our trek to Lake City.  We had planned on getting past Chicago, which seemed like a very achievable goal.  (Did you hear God snickering when we made that goal?)

About 90 minutes down the road, the dashboard of our Honda Pilot noted that the transmission was overheating.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  We stopped at a rest area to check under the hood.  We saw some steam coming from the engine and fluid spattered across the engine.  We had just had the oil changed that morning, and we were hoping that the oil filter had not been put on correctly.  That would have been an easy-enough repair, but it would not account for the transmission alert. 

We found a Honda dealer on the west side of Kalamazoo, Zeigler Honda.  We got it there shortly before they closed, meaning the inspection would not take place until Friday.  We camped that night at Fort Custer StatePark, between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.  If you consult a map, you will note that this is well short of Chicago.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

The next morning, we were informed that repairs and a new transmission would amount to $16,000.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  I don’t know if God laughed or not, but we kind of did—a laugh of absurdity and despair.  Sometimes an ARRRRGGGGHHHH! just isn’t enough.  We had too much packed to simply shove it all in our Flagstaff Microlite and abandon the Honda Pilot.  We ended up getting a new (to us) car.  Apparently, it was driven by a little old couple who put precious few miles on it.  A win for us!

Then came the financing.  We were asked, “What’s your address?”  That is normally a simple question.  Our response: “The one we just left, or the one we are moving to?”  Follow up: Where will the car be located?  Answer: In Minnesota.  Follow up: Do you have proof of residency there?  Answer: We haven’t even moved in yet!  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  We got to enjoy a similar routine at the DMV in Red Wing.

After some comical back and forth (and by this time, how could it not be comical?), Ali Kabil from Zeigler Honda managed to get the work done.  Then he had the car, which had just arrived on the lot the previous day, detailed.  Then he had it done again so that he found it satisfactory.  Then he had the oil changed.  We finally left Kalamazoo about 5:00 PM EST. 

We drove around Chicago (mercifully easy) and crawled through Milwaukee due to construction—ARRRRGGGGHHHH!—and pushed on through Wisconsin as the night fell upon us.  We grabbed a short 4-hour sleep at a parking lot near Tomah, Wisconsin which was referred to us by Laura’s brother, David.  The parking lot was for a business which belonged to a shirt-tail relative of his.  We never met his relative since we were up and out of the parking lot by 5:30 AM CST. 

We rolled into Lake City about 20 minutes before our moving van.  We prayed fervently for a swift completion of their duties.  Once they moved on, we settled in for a long, glorious nap.

And that’s how we got to Lake City, Minnesota—one ARRRRGGGGHHHH after another.

Moving out of Michigan -- What I Will Miss

What I will miss about Novi 

A number of years ago, I attended the farewell dinner for a pastor who was leaving the area.  I had asked him, “What will you miss about your city?  And you can’t say ‘the people.’’  That’s too easy and too obvious.  It is for me, too.

So, what will I miss about living in Novi and in Michigan in general?

I will miss Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford.  We had a membership there for years, including the all-you-can-ride package.  So, in addition, I will miss the Model-T rides we took as often as we could.

I will miss going to Frankenmuth, walking through Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, and having a large German meal at the Bavarian Inn.  Sauerbraten was my meal of choice, along with a mandatory side order of Bavarian red cabbage.  Those meals did not happen often, but they were always glorious!

Honorable mention on the German meal was Metzger’s in Ann Arbor.  Also very good.

I will miss going into downtown Detroit to enjoy some world-class architecture.  The Guardian Building and the Fisher Building are amazing.  I will miss the Detroit Institute of Arts.  I wish I could have gotten downtown more often to enjoy more of it.  We never did get to the restored train station or to the Book Tower.  We got to the Riverwalk a few times.  There were also many restaurants and pubs that would have been nice to get to, but time and money stood in the way.

I will miss attending concerts by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and productions at the Fisher and Fox Theaters. 

I will miss Mexican meals at Border Cantina (although, they closed a few months before we left).  I will miss Saturday morning breakfast at the Early Bird restaurant in Northville, only recently discovered by us.  I will miss Tim Hortons and Guernsey’s ice cream.

I will miss Meijer being only two miles down the road.  I will miss the dedication of the people at Firestone on Haggerty Road in Northville.  (When they know you by name when you walk in, is that bad or good?  At least they did not have my phone number memorized.)

I will miss the Michigan state parks.  I will miss Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and the Mackinac Bridge.  I will miss Laura’s and my recent end-of-summer trips to Port Huron where we watched Great Lakes freighters float under the Blue Water Bridge.

Although I will miss many things about Michigan, I am looking forward to discovering many things to love about Lake City and Minnesota.  Of course, it will be the people that I will learn to love the most.  And that is easy and obvious to say.

Update from Good Shepherd (June 18, 2026)

Greetings!

NOTE: This will be the final "Update from Good Shepherd" that will appear on this blog.

SUMMER SCHEDULE (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend)
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class will resume on Sunday, September 13.  

CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

PASTORAL CARE
In case of emergencies such as a hospital stay, you may contact Rev. Paul Schaefer from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Plymouth at (734) 658-5735.
Rev. em. Gregory Gibbons can be reached at (734) 968-3523.

OPEN FORUM / VOTERS’ MEETING
          We will have our summer Open Forum after church on Sunday, June 21. The Voters’ meeting will follow to ratify any actions that need to be made.
Points of discussion:
          · Review and vote on vacancy pastoral call
          · Review of potential property opportunities and related considerations.
          · Updates on the pastoral call process and our status.
          · Discussion on protentional stewardship events and opportunities for congregational involvement.

PRE-CALL MEETING WITH THE MICHIGAN DISTRICT PRESIDENT
          The pre-call meeting with Rev. Snowden Sims took place on Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM.  Rev. em. Gregory Gibbons was called to fill in the preaching vacancy through the summer months.  Pastor Schaefer was called to be the vacancy pastor.  He will be on call for hospital visits.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

           Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the Divine Service from June 7, 2026: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, June 7, 2026

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (June)

>          The Smart TV has been delivered and will be installed to replace the projector and screen in the fellowship hall in the fairly near future.

>          We are hoping to have the chairs in the sanctuary reupholstered.  One estimate has been received at a cost of $450 per chair.  We are attaining a few other estimates before we begin this project.

>          We are receiving estimates to replace the flooring in the pastor’s office and in the bathrooms.

>          There have been a number of ideas proposed about the parsonage and needed repairs and maintenance.  A parsonage committee has been developed to spearhead these updates.  If you are interested in helping out or learning what plans are being made, speak to Ken Reisig and he will direct you to the members of the parsonage committee.

INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.

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

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SUMMER SCHEDULE (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend)

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG

www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com  

A Pastor Looks At 30

A Pastor Looks at 30 (with a nod to Jimmy Buffet)

On July 14, 1996, I was installed as the pastor at GoodShepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Novi, Michigan.  Who knew that I would serve here as a pastor for thirty years?  There are unlimited memories from the past three decades.  Trying to detail them will be impossible.

July 14, 1996

As you can see from the photo on the right, we arrived with two children.  While here, God blessed us with five more, although the youngest of the five was stillborn.  Isaac is interred at Glen Eden Memorial Park in Livonia, awaiting the resurrection.

Our children were all blessed to receive a solid Christian education at St. Peter's Lutheran School in Plymouth and at St. Paul's Lutheran School in Livonia.  Good Shepherd members generously provided amazing assistance with tuition which made this education possible.  I had wondered if they would grow tired of this generous gift after a year or two, but they came through every year.  Our gratitude goes beyond words.

Easter 2026

We are also grateful that our children attended MichiganLutheran Seminary to further their Christian education there.  (Peter has one year to go.)  They have proven to remain faithful beyond their years at MLS and have settled in to Lutheran congregations in their new homes.  I am reminded of the words of the blessed apostle John who wrote, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 4).  I don't feel like I have praised my children enough.  They are a true source of pride.

I would be remiss if I did not single out my dear wife, Laura, who has been a wonderful blessing as a wife, and particularly as a pastor's wife.  She has been an encourager, a sounding-board, an unofficial secretary, and stress-reliever for me.  I wish I could have been helpful to her at church as she had to manage, at one point, five children ages 7 and under.  A few times one of our children was able to escape her grasp and ran up to me during the service.  Unfortunately, I had to return the child to his or her mother and let the juggling continue.  As you can see in the photo above, she managed them well.  Their manners and integrity are to be credited to her.

While I could name so many people who have crossed our paths over these past thirty years, I am sure that I would regret failing to mention someone later.  Some have been here for my entire ministry.  Some for many years.  Some for only a short stay.  All were dear to me.  You entrusted me with your burdens, concerns, and fears.  You might have feared that I would think less of you by confiding in me with your struggles.  On the contrary, I prayed more for you out of a deep compassion for you.  You welcomed me into your homes.  You invited me to share in some of the most joyful and sorrowful moments of your life.  You willingly gave of your time, your money, your skills, and your devotion to God's kingdom, and you were glad to work with me in doing so.  What a blessing!  I prayed for each of you by name every week.

I was grateful that Good Shepherd was so receptive to efforts which enhanced the reverence of our Divine Services.  We now have holy communion every Sunday.  We have a processional crucifix (a gift from John & Amy Warner), used in the festival portion of the Church year.  We employed the Gospel procession for the high festivals (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost).  We welcomed chanting the liturgy.  We gained an appreciation for the Triduum in Holy Week.  We recently added a very ornate Gospel book (a gift from Mark & Carol Casmer) and chasubles (a gift from Pastor & Susan Gibbons) which help to hide the person of the pastor and to accentuate the office.  After all, the pastors may change, but the vestments will not.

I could not tell you how many baptisms, marriages, funerals, or confirmations I performed.  And I would not feel bad if people did not remember that I had performed any of these rites for them.  I want them to remember the divine promises that are everlasting.  That is what matters.

Something few people would know is that I taped a Bible verse to the pulpit.  It is intended only for the preacher to see.  It states, "Sir, we want to see Jesus" (John 12:21).  It reminds me of the duty of a pastor, and I pray that I have been faithful to that calling.  Before every sermon, I pray, "Send your Holy Spirit with this sermon so that it might be worth something to those who hear it."  I trust God has heard my prayer and blessed the sermons accordingly.

Thirty years have not been perfect.  While Good Shepherd's members may not know or remember my mistakes, there are many conversations or actions I wish that I could have back.  The pastor's daily prayer includes this petition: "Fill my heart with a passion for souls and with skillfulness to give unto each and every sheep or lamb entrusted to my care what is due unto it at the proper time. Give me at all times sound advice and just works; and wherever I overlook something or in the weakness of my flesh speak or act wrongly, do Thou set it aright, and help that no one may through me suffer harm to his soul."  I rely on the Lord's mercy and forgiveness for the wrongs I have done in making bad assumptions or in speaking or acting rashly.  I pray that God would still work out his purposes despite my flaws and failings.  And I am equally grateful that the people of Good Shepherd have patiently borne with my weaknesses.  I continue to pray to do better.

I have been overwhelmed by the attention, the gratitude, and the generosity (although not surprised by the generosity) of the people here as I am making my way to St. John's Lutheran Church in Lake City, MN.  It has been such a joy to serve at Good Shepherd.  The people here have been wonderful, and the people in the congregations in the area around us have been wonderfully supportive as well.

I had told a few people, "Only a stupid person would leave as the pastor of Good Shepherd in Novi."  Well, guilty, I guess.

God bless Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church of Novi, Michigan.   And God bless St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lake City, Minnesota.  I look forward to more joys and blessings there.