Podcasts about Trinity Lutheran Church

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 25, 2026Today's Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17; Genesis 9:18-11:26; Mark 4:1-20“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It could be argued that the best coaches in professional sports are the ones who've been athletes on the field. Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time (that Super Bowl trophy is named after him), understood that playing experience helped to make him a better coach. He once said, “Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate.”Can the same be said about Jesus Christ? Is He able to motivate us because He knows what it's like to be human? Is that what makes Him such a great savior... because He doesn't expect us to do anything that He hasn't done Himself?   It's certainly encouraging that Jesus knows what it's like to be human because He is an actual human being! He was conceived, grew, and developed in His mother's womb. He was born and continued to grow from childhood into adulthood, just like human beings do. Throughout His life on earth, He experienced hunger, weariness, sadness, and anger. In every respect, He knows what it's like to be human, and yet He lived His life without sin. He can sympathize with our weaknesses, but He hasn't excused them. It's not like after His 33-year stint on earth, He reported back to His Father, “You know what, that was really hard. I think the expectation You have from them is just too high. You need to lower Your standards and give them some credit for trying real hard. I barely made it. You can't expect them to do much better.” Jesus came in the flesh, not to motivate. He came in the flesh as our substitute- to take our place under God's wrath against sin. He came to cover your sin with His righteousness. If He had not done this, we could never approach His throne of grace with confidence. Instead, we would live our lives in constant fear and trepidation, wondering if we've lived our lives “good enough” to be accepted by Him. Because Christ is our Great High Priest, who has succeeded where we have fallen short and showered us with God's grace and mercy, we have great confidence and hold fast the confession of faith that's been revealed to us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Christ, You walked the road Our wand'ring feet must go. Stay with us through temptation's hour To fight our ancient foe. (LSB 424: 5) Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 24, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 11:25-30Daily Lectionary: Genesis 7:11-8:12; Mark 3:20-35“Jesus declared, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'” (Matthew 11:28)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Our bodies need rest. Your brain can only study for so long before you need a break. Your voice can only practice singing for so long before it starts to get strained. Your muscles can only work out for so long before they get sore (and not in the good way- you don't get swoll overnight, amiright?). A lot of times, we pride ourselves on working through the pain and struggle and boast about our achievements. But other times, we just get tired and we need to rest. Even then, is it always easy to shut your brain off and stop thinking about what else needs to be added to your list? Can you stop worrying about whether or not you've studied enough for the test, or wonder whether you've done enough reps to get ripped before Spring Break?    We struggle in this life, not only with bodily weariness, but also with spiritual weariness. Jesus invites us to rest in Him. He's the one who labors for us and assures us of everlasting rest in His kingdom.    Battles with sin will just keep coming in this life without reprieve. If we think we've conquered one sin, another is sure to arise and take its place. The Holy Spirit will continue to crush us with God's law, show us our sinfulness, and drive us to the despairing revelation that we are wretched in our sinfulness and tormented by this body of death (cf. Romans 7:24).Here's the promise that God has revealed: through His Word, His Holy Spirit, through Baptism, through Communion, you are yoked with Christ. There is no burden to keep the law. There is no mystery about what needs to be done in order to have salvation. Christ has done it all for you! There is only the promise of life everlasting. Even though we continue to struggle with sin and fail in the face of temptation, this is no indication of our status before God. Your status before Him is not determined by your ability to keep the law– rather, it is determined by your union with Christ.The Christian's struggle against the sinful flesh is truly wearying and burdensome, but Christ has promised you rest. He's promised you life and everlasting salvation in His kingdom despite your sinfulness.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I rest my soul on Jesus, This weary soul of mine; His right hand me embraces; I on His breast recline. I love the name of Jesus, Immanuel, Christ, the Lord; Like fragrance on the breezes His name abroad is poured (LSB 606: 3)Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 23, 2026Today's Reading: Genesis 3:1-21Daily Lectionary: Genesis 6:1-7:5; Mark 3:1-19“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Have you ever played hide and seek with a toddler? They're not very good at it. Either their incessant giggling or their inability to pull their entire body behind the sofa gives up their “hiding” spot in a matter of seconds. How do you respond? You pretend you don't hear the child or that you don't see their rump sticking out from underneath the coffee table because it's all part of the game.However, when Adam and Eve hid from God, it was no game at all. Their Fall into sin destroyed their peace and communion with God, and they hid from him because they were afraid, and rightly so. God couldn't pretend that He didn't see their sin or that it wasn't offensive to Him. Their Fall had consequences.    Adam and Eve's attempts to hide from God were ill-fated. God knew where they were hiding, and He knew exactly why they were trying to hide from Him. And yet, remarkably, God sought them. He called out for them and gave them an opportunity to confess their sin. Instead, it turned into the blame game. Adam blamed Eve (and God)! Eve blamed the serpent! God's creation was destroyed. Even still, this sin was not enough for God to stop loving His creation. Instead, He proclaimed the promise of redemption that would come through the seed of the woman, through Christ. He promised to care for mankind despite their Fall into sin.   We have all inherited the sinful nature from Adam. We know that we cannot hide our sin from God. He sees it all, and it is offensive to Him and deserving of His wrath and condemnation. But we also know that the Savior He promised to send has come. He has taken our sin upon Himself and cleanses us from it.  Although it can be painful for us to admit, we faithfully confess our sins, and God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.      In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.In Adam we have all been one, One huge rebellious man; We all have fled that evening voice That sought us as we ran . . . But Thy strong love, it sought us still And sent Thine only Son That we might hear His Shepherd's voice And, hearing Him, be one (LSB 569:1, 3)Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 22, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 4:1-11Daily Lectionary: Genesis 4:1-26; Mark 2:18-28“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Because of our sinful nature, it doesn't always take a whole lot of prodding from Satan for us to succumb to temptation.Are you ever tempted by selfishness? After all, look at how much you've sacrificed for others. Are you ever tempted to complain? Why not? There's certainly enough wrong with this world and my life to be upset. Are you ever tempted to pass the blame? It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. You've got to be a little unscrupulous if you want to succeed in life. Are you ever tempted to worship something or someone else before God? There's always a temptation to neglect being in worship! Are you ever tempted by lust or by gossip or by greed? Are you ever tempted by worry or by laziness or by pride? How often do these temptations result in sinful action?  We cannot escape the daily assault of temptations that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh visit upon us. And there is nothing that we can do to overcome them. For this reason, we need a Savior! Thanks be to God, this is the Savior we've been given in Christ Jesus. Though He is God (100% divine), Jesus is also a human being (100% man). Because of this union, Jesus is the perfect human being who has done everything right where we have done wrong. He was tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin. He fulfilled God's plan for the salvation of all the world and actively kept the Law of God perfectly for you. His perfect life wasn't just to show you how it's done, but it was actually a necessary part of God's plan to save you.   Not only is Jesus' dying part of God's plan, but also His living- His succeeding where we fail. And His success in withstanding Satan's temptations was perfect.  Now, through faith, the victory over Satan that Christ accomplished is your victory. He shares it fully and freely with you. What Jesus did right is credited to you; it is declared by God to be your own! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord God, You led Your ancient people through the wilderness and brought them to the Promised Land. Guide the people of Your Church that following our Savior we may walk through the wilderness of this world toward the glory of the world to come; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Rev. Chad Hoover serves as Campus Pastor and theology teacher at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, IN and pastoral assistant at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, IN.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 21, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Lent 1 - Psalm 91:1-2, 9-10, 13; antiphon: Psalm 91:15a, c, 16Daily Lectionary: Genesis 3:1-24; Mark 2:1-17“With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:16)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I'm not from Missouri, but I know that Missouri is known as the “Show Me” state. You might know the phrase “actions speak louder than words.” We can say lots of things, but if our actions don't support our words, you can certainly doubt whether or not the person speaking those words really means it. So too, with love. We can say that we love someone, but if our actions seem contrary to our words, one might question the love we have for them. In other words, if you love me, show me!On Good Friday, the people who were gathered at the cross asked Jesus to show them that He really was who He said He was, the Son of God, by coming down from the cross. One of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus even told Him to save Himself and the two of them on either side of Him. Except the ONLY way that Jesus could show everyone that He really was who He said He was was by NOT coming down from the cross. The only way for Jesus to bring forgiveness and salvation was to remain there until He breathed His last breath and gave up His spirit. Love kept Jesus on the cross. Love for you, love for me, love for the whole world. And it is in His death and His subsequent resurrection from the dead where He is able to show them the salvation that He won for them. As Jesus appears to the women, the disciples, and over 500 people at one time, showing the nail marks in His hands and feet, and His side where the sword pierced Him, they are able to see just how Jesus saved them. It is in His death and resurrection that He shows the world that He has defeated sin, death, and the power of the devil, once and for all. And if Christ is not risen from the dead, our faith is futile, we are still in our sins, and there is no salvation for us. Thanks be to God that Christ has indeed risen from the dead, and will one day come back and take us to be with Him! Thanks be to God that He has given us His Word, where we can hear of His salvation. And thanks be to God that the Holy Spirit creates faith in us through the hearing of that Word, so that by faith we know we also have salvation. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Christ the redeeming Son, who shares our human birth, and by His death salvation won for ev'ry child of earth; Inspire our hearts, we pray, to tell Your love abroad, that all may honor Christ today and follow Him as Lord. (LSB 829:3)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 20, 2026Today's Reading: Mark 1:29-45Daily Lectionary: Genesis 2:4-25; Mark 1:29-45“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Healings and more healings. This is what Jesus is doing. But amidst the healings is prayer. Jesus prays. We see this quite often with Jesus, that He goes off alone to pray. Sometimes it's to present specific requests to God and we get to hear them (like the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, or Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane), but sometimes we don't get to hear the conversation He has alone with the Father. We do see that once He finishes praying, He's ready for what comes next. It's almost as if spending time alone with His Father in prayer refreshes, renews, and energizes Him. In Mark 1, after Jesus prays, He sets off for what's next: more healings. Life can be exhausting sometimes. I don't know if you would describe yourself as an introvert or an extrovert. All of us can get tired, exhausted, and worn down from something, whether it's the stresses we face, the pressures of school, family, work, or something else, like just living life. Some introverts are refreshed by being alone, spending time with themselves. I am not one of those people. I get refreshed and energized by being with people. Spending time in prayer can refresh us because we get to be with the One who created us, we get to cast all of our cares, concerns, worries, issues, and burdens on the One who is able to not only handle all of our stuff, but the One who can actually do something about our stuff. This doesn't mean that all of our prayers will be answered. Jesus knew what God's will was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He prayed for His will to be done. He also asked that the cup would be removed from Him, even though He knew it wouldn't be. Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who brought peace between us and God through His death and resurrection, gives us peace no matter what God's answer to our prayers is. In Him we can have peace knowing that He is always with us when He says no, and when He says yes.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Amen, that is, so shall it be. Make strong our faith in You, that we May doubt not but with trust believe That what we ask we shall receive. Thus in Your name and at Your Word We say, “Amen, O hear us, Lord! (LSB 766:9)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

"Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp." Israel celebrates its first Passover since leaving Egypt, and those who are unclean are given a second chance. Then the cloud of the LORD's presence descends upon the tabernacle, guiding Israel by day and fire by night. In this chapter, we see that God's people follow His timing, not their own. He leads; we follow.  The Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby, KS, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 9.  To learn more about Trinity in Colby, visit trinitycolby.org. The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 19, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Sixth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Genesis 1:20-2:3; Mark 1:14-28“You shall not commit adultery. What does this mean?” (Sixth Commandment, Luther's Small Catechism)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I have been a Lutheran for almost my whole life. I was baptized when I was just a couple of months old. I like to think of myself as a first-generation Lutheran because my mom and her whole family were Catholic until my brother and I were baptized in the Lutheran Church. What I have found in these 40+ years of being a Lutheran is that while Luther is great, he doesn't compare to Christ. While Luther in his catechism uses the phrase “what does this mean?”, we've seen it before in God's Word (Exodus 13:14, Acts 2:12). God's Word gives us this Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.We then insert, “What does this mean?” to which we hear: “We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.”I'm going to be honest. Not my favorite commandment. I'd love to skip over this one. But I won't. I shouldn't. After all, it's one of God's Ten Commandments, right? I mean, two days ago we were talking about love and marriage, and now we get to talk about… lust. Well, lust is one part of this commandment, since God tells us, “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). I have done this too many times to count. Probably more often prior to being married, but even in marriage, the temptation is there. To desire something, someone, whom I have not made vows or promises to. Even though I cannot count the number of times I've broken the Sixth Commandment, every time God has brought me to repentance for these sins, He has forgiven me. More times than I can count. More times than I deserve. And then, by God's grace, I try to lead a life that is pleasing in His sight, not breaking the Sixth Commandment. I cannot do this on my own. I cannot love my wife sacrificially, unconditionally, honoring her with my own strength, without first knowing God's sacrificial, unconditional love for me. Thanks be to God that I can clearly see that in the death and resurrection of Jesus. I don't know what God has in store for you and your life, but my prayer is that He would help you lead a sexually pure and decent life in your singleness, and in your married life if the blessing of a spouse is given to you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Spirit of the Father, breathe on them from above, so searching in Your pureness, so tender in Your love that, guarded by Your presence, and kept from strife and sin, their hearts may heed Your guidance, and know You dwell within (LSB 858:3)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

When the two angels arrive in Sodom, Lot receives them with Christian welcome. Lot's hospitality stands in stark contrast to the evil intentions of the men of Sodom. Whatever Lot's intentions were in offering his daughters to the men, he was only adding evil to evil. The angels quickly intervene before the situation devolves further, striking the men of Sodom blind. When the angels urge Lot and his family to leave the city quickly, Lot warns his sons-in-law, but they only scoff. This account warns us against falling into the same wickedness found in Sodom and urges us to heed the warning of God's Law before the Day of Judgment comes.  Rev. James Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ottumwa, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 19:1-14.  To learn more about Trinity in Ottumwa, visit trinitylutheranottumwa.com. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

February 18, 2026Today's Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21Daily Lectionary: Genesis 1:1-19; Mark 1:1-13“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.When you think about treasure, maybe you think about buried treasure, chests full of gold, pirates searching for that which is lost, maps where X marks the spot. Martin Luther said in theses #62 (of 95), “the true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.”The treasure of the Gospel is not about buried chests of gold; rather, it's about the death and burial of Jesus, who saves us “not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). It's not about pirates searching for lost treasure; it's about the Good Shepherd who seeks to save His lost sheep and bring all people to Himself. It's not about maps where X marks the spot. And if you rotate the X just a little bit, it becomes the shape of a cross. The cross marks the spot where true treasure is found, that cannot perish, spoil, or fade. Today is Ash Wednesday. There's a Lutheran joke that talks about a pastor who, on Ash Wednesday, says, “We are but dust.” To which the little kid in the pew says to their parent, “What's butt dust?” Ash Wednesday reminds us that we are but dust in the sense that “for you are dust and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). The ashes remind us that death is the punishment for our sin. And one day, when death comes for us, we might have a pastor speak over our body, “ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” as we are laid in the ground. But the ashes in the shape of a cross remind us that even though death may await us, physical death that is, Christ has given His life that we would not face eternal death, Hell. The cross reminds us of the Good News that Jesus took on the fullness of our humanity. He who was without sin became sin for us. And on the cross, He generously gave up His life out of love for us. But Jesus does not return to the dust of the ground because He rises from the dead on the third day. And so, the cross on our foreheads reminds us that though we may return to the dust, we will also rise to new life in Christ on the day of resurrection. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, resurrection to resurrection, and life to life.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Death, you cannot end my gladness: I am baptized into Christ! When I die, I leave all sadness to inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes faith's assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine to make life immortal mine. (LSB 594:4)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

"Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine." Aaron lights the seven lamps of the golden lampstand, illuminating the holy place where priests serve. Then the Levites undergo an elaborate consecration, being waved as a living offering before the LORD. In this chapter, we see that those who serve God must themselves be made holy. The light of the lampstand points forward to Christ, the Light of the World, and to His Church called to shine in the darkness.  The Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 8.  To learn more about Trinity in Edwardsville, visit trinitylutheranministries.org. The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

February 17, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13Daily Lectionary: Job 13:1-12; John 6:1-21“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.1 Corinthians 13 is a Scripture you might hear quite often at weddings. As a man and woman stand in the presence of God and His people, they declare their love for one another. They make vows to one another, they exchange rings, and are pronounced husband and wife. The vows they make are until death parts them, which means the commitment that they are making to each other to be husband and wife is to love each other in sickness and health, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in the good days and the bad, no matter what life brings them. They are committing to love that never ends. Until it does end.Because not every man and woman who makes those promises to one another keeps them. Not every man and woman who promises to love their spouse until death parts them does exactly that. If you're a child of divorce, like me, or if you have seen marriages of people that are close to you end, like me, you might know this quite well. So, why does this happen? Why do marriages end? Why can't people keep their promises? Why can't people love no matter the circumstances? In short, sin. Sin has caused all of us to be imperfect people. And imperfect people have imperfect marriages. Imperfect people don't keep promises. Imperfect people love conditionally, rather than unconditionally. This means their love for their spouse is conditional on certain things (their spouse loves them in return, does certain things for them making them worthy/deserving to be loved, etc.). If those conditions are not met, the spouse thinks he/she does not have to love them. Thank goodness this is not how God loves us! He loves us unconditionally. This means that His love for us is not conditional on anything we do. If it were, I know that God would not have very much love for me at all. I am unworthy of God's love, and He still loves me. In fact, He loves me so much that He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, for ME. To die on the cross for me, rise from the dead for me, for my sins, to bring me forgiveness, life, and salvation. And He has done the same for YOU. The unconditional, sacrificial love that God has for us is seen most clearly in Jesus Christ, who is the bridegroom of His bride, the Church. And His love for us never ends.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Father, You created Adam, crafted Eve, and made them one; Jesus, from their sin You saved us, as God's true incarnate Son; Holy Spirit, You forgive us; from our sins we are released. Bring us, Lord, at last to heaven, to the endless wedding feast. (LSB 860:5)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

The longest chapter in the Torah reads like a divine receipt, recording the identical offerings of twelve tribal leaders over twelve days. To our modern ears, this repetition can sound like a broken record, a tedious list of ancient gifts. But in God's economy, this repetition is a profound declaration of the Gospel. It proclaims that each tribe, each leader, each individual gift is seen, known, and precious in His sight. This chapter demonstrates that a people purified by God's blessing respond with their best, and in turn, they receive the greatest gift of all: God's voice speaking peace from the mercy seat.  The Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 7.  To learn more about Trinity and Shepherd of Peace, visit trinitynlr.com and shepherdofpeace.net The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected. 

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 16, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 or Isaiah 35:3-7Daily Lectionary: Job 12:1-6, 12-25; John 5:30-47“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'” (1 Samuel 16:7)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I'm the youngest in my family, like David. And while I can't tell you that I'm like David in that I'm a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22), what I can tell you is that maybe I did have a similar stature to David. For most of my life, I was the smallest kid in the class. At the end of 8th grade, heading into high school, I was 4'11”. When I graduated high school, I was 5'5”. In all those years of school, I was never picked first for any sports teams, even though I felt like I could be just as good as everyone else. I was usually one of the last ones picked (I was also much shyer than I am today, so I wasn't one to speak up for myself). In college, I grew another five inches. I was a bit of a late bloomer, but that still just makes me kind of average. And what if God were to look at my heart? What if He looks at the desires within it, what will He find? Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander (Matthew 15:19), and an abundance of other things not mentioned (greed, pride, selfishness, etc.). I can't become a man after God's own heart—not on my own, at least.I need someone to make my heart clean. Peter talks about God, who knows the heart, bore witness to the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just like He did to the Jews, and cleansed their hearts by faith (Acts 15:8-9). The Good News is that my heart is clean. Not by my own doing, but through the waters of Baptism, where I have been washed through the water and the Word, where the Holy Spirit has been given to me, Jesus has marked me as one redeemed by Him, called me by name, brought me into His family, rescued me from death and the devil, and gives to me eternal life, because of faith, which was present in my Baptism. I still have moments where I will stumble and fall, just like David. And I am forgiven and restored when I am brought to repentance, just like David. And through God's work alone, in me, I can be a man after His own heart. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:10-11)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 15, 2026Today's Reading: Luke 18:31-43Daily Lectionary: Job 11:1-20; John 5:19-29“And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!'” (Luke 18:39)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Have you ever had someone ask you to do something, and you didn't listen to them? A parent? A friend? A sibling? A teacher? A coach? A boss? Or have you ever asked someone to do something for you, and they didn't listen to you?Depending on the situation, sometimes when people don't listen to what we're saying, in order to get them to hear us, we might shout it. I have three kids, ages nine, seven, and four. There have been plenty of times where we've had to shout at our kids because we want to keep them safe (crossing the street without looking, running in a parking lot, running on a dock without a life jacket on, play fighting with pointy sticks, the list goes on and on).The blind beggar cried out to Jesus because he wanted Him. When the people tried to silence him, he cried out even louder. Even though this blind beggar had not seen Jesus, he had heard about Him and believed in Him. Sometimes you hear faith described as “believing without seeing.” Certainly, in this instance, it's fitting. And what did he want from Jesus? Mercy. I've sometimes heard mercy described as “not getting what we deserve.” We, who have not seen Jesus, ask Him to be merciful to us, too. In our confession of sins, sometimes we say the words of the tax collector, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). We do not deserve God's forgiveness because we are sinners. We deserve death, we deserve Hell. God would be just and right in giving us that. Instead, God in His mercy gives us Jesus to be the atonement for our sins, sacrificing His life voluntarily on the cross for us, not giving us what we deserve. He gives what we deserve to Jesus. Jesus suffered death and Hell for us. And in faith, gifted to us by the Holy Spirit, we receive Christ's mercy. In faith, we don't get Hell; we get heaven and eternal life. Thanks be to God!And in our daily living, we can cry out to God for healing, for help in struggles, for whatever we need. And no matter how loud we are, we know He hears us, and answers according to His good and gracious will.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God of mercy, God of might, in love and pity infinite, teach us, as ever in Thy sight, to live our lives in Thee. And Thou, who cam'st on earth to die that our lost world might live thereby, O hear us; for to Thee we cry, in hope O Lord, to Thee. (LSB 852:1, 2)Rev. Glenn Worcester, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, ManitobaAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

The power, work, profit, fruit, and purpose of Baptism is this—to save (Colossians 1:13-14; John 3:5; 1 Peter 3:21). The water is not mere water, but a life-giving fount for those who believe. Our identity is not as one who was baptized, but as one who is baptized into Christ and saved in body and soul. Although “new spirits” will desire to question the validity and efficacy of our Baptism, we cling to the simple Word of God and trust that His Word is beyond any human reason! Rev. Stewart Crown, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Palo Alto, CA, joins Rev. Brady Finnern to continue our study of Baptism. To learn more about Trinity in Palo Alto, visit trinitylutheranpaloalto.com. Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org. Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org. 

----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 14, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Quinquagesima - Psalm 31:1, 5, 9, 16; antiphon: Psalm 31:2b-3Daily Lectionary: Job 10:1-22; John 5:1-18“In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame;” (Psalm 31:1)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.One thing that we will all search for throughout our lifetime and never really seem to find is security. It could be financial security, security in our social status, job security, you name it, we long for it. But why strive for something, waste time and energy on something we will never attain? Ecclesiastes 2 says, “I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” Why strive and toil for nothing?  What comfort is given to us in the Introit for tomorrow, Quinquagesima? Do you want security in life? You want comfort that everything is going to be okay? Then look to the words of David in Psalm 31!   Know and believe that our status on earth, our favor in the sight of man, and what we accumulate for ourselves in this life is worthless. It is the vanity that Solomon writes of in Ecclesiastes. What matters is our standing in the sight of God.      David writes: “In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness… Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.”Psalm 31 perfectly sums up what we have been talking about all week. Our lives are not perfect, nor was David's. We have no right to be brought into His presence nor to go before His throne asking for anything. And yet He urges us to treat Him as our Father. To call upon Him in all circumstances. To trust in Him at all times. To take refuge in Him in all circumstances.  And so it is we speak and confess along with David, saying, “In you, LORD, I have taken refuge.”  What a true blessing it is to be able to commit ourselves to the Lord Most High, knowing that He has already acted on our behalf! Knowing that He has defeated the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. Knowing that we rest in his unfailing love. Knowing He has already spoken the words which deliver us and give us eternal life.  Friends, the love and faithfulness of God is our safety and comfort in this life filled with vanity and striving after the wind, filled with sin and sadness. The Lord God has overcome them all for us.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, “Let your face shine on your servant;  save me in your unfailing love.”  Amen. (Psalm 31:16) Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 13, 2026Today's Reading: John 4:46-54Daily Lectionary: Job 9:1-35 “Jesus said to him, 'Go; your son will live.” (John 4:50)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Isn't it amazing how Jesus can make the most ridiculously absurd statements and no one from among His followers ever questions Him? Pharisees and Sadducees seemingly get paid by the inquiry, but that's for another time. But really, if we made some of the claims Jesus did, people would stare at us and no doubt argue.  Not so, though, with Jesus. Because Jesus does something we cannot do. He backs up every statement He makes with proof, with action. In fact, without fail, everything He says comes to pass!  What a reading we have before us today. In John 4, Jesus heals the official's son. The man desperately searches out the One he has heard could do something for his son—heal him before he dies.  If only we had the faith of this official. While we give lip service to knowing the One who heals the sick, casts out demons, raises the dead, and saves the sinner, all too often our actions don't support that. Deep down, we cling to bits of doubt. Yes, Jesus has healed, but what if He doesn't this time? Sure, He has risen from the dead, but what if I am not worthy enough? I know He has forgiven some sins, but what if He doesn't forgive mine? Surely I have to assist in salvation in some way.  Such thinking is dangerous and does not seem to enter the mind of the official in our text. “The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.'  Jesus said to him, 'Go; your son will live.' The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.  As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.” (John 4:49-51) Now, here is what we need to remember from this account. First, what faith this man has to believe Jesus would do exactly what He says. Second, Jesus NEVER enters the official's house. He NEVER physically looks upon his dying child. He doesn't need to. His power does not lie solely in seeing or touching… No! What we sing in the hymn “Thy Strong Word” is absolutely true. What breaks the darkness? What bespeaks us righteous?  The strong, powerful Word of God! In Baptism, in the Lord's Supper, Creation, the Word of God holds ALL the power! It does. In His Word, He declares you to be His precious child. In His Word, He declares you forgiven of all your sins! In the Word which became flesh and dwelt among us, who took you who were dead in your trespasses and sins and raised you to new life. Nothing our Lord says is ridiculous, absurd, or untrue. He speaks peace, truth, and life for you. Which is why He urges us to “abide in My word.” (John 8:31) Remain in that which holds all the power. That which creates, gives light, and makes us righteous. The Word of God.    In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Thy strong word did cleave the darkness At Thy speaking it was done For created light we thank Thee While Thy ordered seasons run. (LSB 578:1)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 12, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Fifth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 8:1-22; John 4:27-45You shall not murder. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This might sound absurd to say, but the Fifth Commandment is a hard life lesson to learn. Face value, it could be our favorite, though. You shall not kill? I will go out on a limb and say that everyone reading this devotion today can say, “Yes! I have kept this commandment! I haven't killed anyone, mark it down as the only commandment I have kept!”  Enter Martin Luther, who is the killjoy of the party. The Lord God says, “You shall not kill.” Luther says in his explanation of this Commandment, “We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body…” (Explanation of the 5th Commandment)  How many can check that box? A few less to be sure.  And then we realize Jesus has something to say about this. He says, “Everyone who is angry with his brother is liable to judgment… [and] the fires of hell.” (Matthew 5:22)St. John even gets in on the action and says, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)All of a sudden, we are all standing here condemned by the Law in the sight of God, realizing we deserve to be cast into the outer darkness, where Jesus says there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.    Thanks be to God for the Gospel! Praise God, He has taught us through parents, pastors, and teachers that even this sin lies forgiven in His sight for the sake of Jesus. To the one who hates His brother, who has hurt or harmed his brother, even the one who has taken a life, Jesus took that to the cross and died for it.  Understand, it is for this reason that God continues to send His messengers to call us to repentance. Jesus' death is the payment for ALL sin. What the prophet Ezekiel was inspired to write is true! “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Chief of Sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me. Died that I might live on high, Lives that I might never die. As the branch is to the vine, I am His and He is mine. (LSB 611:1)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

"But let them not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die." The three Levitical clans receive their assignments for transporting the tabernacle. The Kohathites carry the most sacred objects but may not touch or even look upon them uncovered. The Gershonites handle the curtains and coverings, while the Merarites transport the frames and bases. In this chapter, we see that drawing near to holy things requires holy procedures. The God who invites us into His presence is still the consuming fire.  The Rev. Levi Willms, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Numbers 4.  To learn more about Trinity in Sauk Rapids, visit trinitysr.org. The Book of Numbers is far more than an ancient census report. It is the story of a people learning to trust God in the wilderness, and failing, and finding grace anyway.  In this series, host Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors walk through the Old Testament book of Numbers chapter by chapter. We follow Israel from Sinai toward the Promised Land, through grumbling and rebellion, fiery serpents and a talking donkey, faithless spies and faithful priests. The journey is hard, the failures are many, and God remains faithful to a faithless people.  These ancient accounts point us to Christ. The bronze serpent lifted on a pole points to the cross. The rock struck for water points to the one struck for us. The high priest whose death frees the manslayer points to the Great High Priest whose death sets us free forever. Join us as we discover that the wilderness has more to teach us than we ever expected.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

February 11, 2026Today's Reading: Job 7:1-21Daily Lectionary: John 4:7-26“What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Not the most uplifting text from Job 7, is it? So much so that I almost didn't pick it.  Job wasn't very happy…and why should he be? His life was in shambles, a complete disaster. He lost children, servants, animals, everything! And in His sorrow and depression, he has the wherewithal to write it all down? Not to be mean, but who would want to read an entire chapter of complaining? Did you happen to catch the title of Job 7? “My life has no hope.” It is a Biblical temper tantrum!  And yet, in the midst of his frustrations, there is a clear Gospel message. Look at verses 1-21 again. Did you see it? Probably not. But, I promise it is there!  Think about this. Job is complaining to no end, having a bit of a hissy fit. Who, I ask you, heard that hissy fit? Who heard Job as he complained about his miserable life?  God! Job felt unrighteous and unworthy in every way. Even though he felt that he had been abandoned to Sheol, even though he felt lonely, sad, and even a bit depressed, guess what? It was only a feeling. And that feeling was far from the truth. God was there. The truth is, though Job had lost so much, though He felt like all was lost and that he was alone, God never left Job's side!  You might not feel all that different from Job. Abandoned, lonely, depressed, unholy, unworthy of the love of the Father.   And yet, God is as near to you as He was to Job! You are in His presence daily because He is always with you. Through Confession and Absolution, He purifies you and brings you into His presence as you come into His holy house to be served by Him each Lord's Day.  This was the same truth for the woman in our other reading today from John 4, whom Jesus encountered at the well. She didn't belong in the presence of Jesus any more than Jesus belonged at the well at high noon. And yet, the love of Jesus knows no barriers. He doesn't come only to those who are worthy and pure. For Jesus Himself says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) He Himself is the purifier and perfector of all things through His death upon the cross.    And what joy, He comes, calls, and purifies you for His name's sake. Thanks be to God.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Just as I am, without one plea But that Thy blood was shed for me And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee O Lamb of God I come, I come. (LSB 570:1)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 10, 2026Today's Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9Daily Lectionary: Job 6:14-30; John 3:22-4:6“He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:9)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.What an excellent reminder of what we discussed on Monday, how our Lord plants the seeds of faith everywhere, even in places that seem unlikely. We all know Paul's past, soiled with persecution of Christians, dragging men, women, and children bound in chains to Jerusalem to be put to death for following “the Way” Acts 9:2. And yet, the seed which was planted in his heart bore fruit that day on the road to Damascus.  You would think that going from persecutor to champion of the faith would be a great lifestyle change—from turmoil to tranquil, almost. However, Paul's life, post-conversion, post-planting of the faith (though his heart was indeed a pleasant planting), was anything but a peaceful valley of blooming flowers.  The words that we read today, especially from 2 Corinthians 12, are very familiar to us. “Thorns in the flesh.” “Messengers of Satan.” He never says exactly what this struggle that plagues him is, and for good reason. The truth is, these messengers and thorns show up in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Satan surrounds us day and night to harass us and steal our focus from where it should be.  Dark secrets, addictions, hatred, jealousy, whatever it is, they all seek to distract us from the truth, turn our eyes away from God, and in turn destroy our faith. As we daily struggle with these thorns, Paul's prayer, while not specifically written down, becomes our prayer. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)God's grace is sufficient. God's grace strengthens and sustains you. In His Grace, He sent His only begotten Son to be born of the Virgin Mary. So that He would, by what is seen as weakness by worldly standards (being betrayed, beaten, and crucified, and in a humiliating way), He would reveal His power and glory. And, what is more, by the death of the only begotten Son, He would destroy the messengers and thorns of Satan!  It is by our Baptism into the death and resurrection of His Son that the victory has been passed on to us. He has cast out the messengers of Satan that harass us. They have been rendered powerless against us by the work of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God for such sufficient grace!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.By Grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice; For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice. My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone. (LSB 566:6)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God's commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever. And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality. This is who you are in Christ. On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God's Law. Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours. His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him. This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own. And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God's commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever. And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality. This is who you are in Christ. On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God's Law. Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours. His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him. This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own. And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 9, 2026Today's Reading: Isaiah 55:10-13Daily Lectionary: Job 6:1-13; John 3:1-21“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth… so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Wouldn't it be great to have a purpose in life? This is the question we spend the majority of our lives contemplating and attempting to figure out. We want nothing more than to have a purpose and to then fulfill that purpose. What is crazy is that you are forced to decide in high school what you think your purpose is. You are constantly asked what you want to be when you grow up. Adults ask it as if they expect you to know your future perfectly.  But how difficult that question is to answer!   Even when we are well into the career path we have chosen, the question continues to arise: Is this it? Am I doing what I am meant to do? Am I making the difference I set out to make? I can't lie; I ask myself this question all the time.  We have a beautiful verse about purpose today. It's not your purpose; it is about the purpose of the Word of God. St. John says it best. Concerning the words of his Gospel, he says, “These things are written that you may believe and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)The purpose of the Word is to bring us to forgiveness, life, and salvation. It does this through the doctrines of Law and Gospel. The Law, which is spread throughout the Scriptures, is most often thought of as that which was given through the words of the Lord God, which He spoke to Moses. When confronted with the Law, every part of it, we realize that we have miserably failed at every chance of keeping it. We realize that we deserve nothing but death and punishment because of our actions and inaction.  Then, when we are beaten down, the Gospel enters in! The great news is that our Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, who bore the weight of our sins upon the cross of Calvary, died and rose again, FOR YOU! The great news is that, though we sin daily and deserve punishment, Jesus has taken that punishment for you and gives you his perfection. What a relief knowing that we are saved solely by the work of Jesus!   While we may change our minds about our purpose and plans, the Word of God will always remain to bring liberty to the captives and freedom to those oppressed. It is to deliver to you Christ and Him crucified. Thanks be to God! In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Prayer for grace to receive the Word (148))Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

Today's Reading: Luke 8:4-15Daily Lectionary: Job 5:1-27; John 2:13-25“And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, ‘A sower went out to sow his seed.'” (Luke 8:4-5)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It's a strange time of year for a gardening lesson, isn't it? As I write this, I am sitting poolside in the sunshine, watching my kids during swimming lessons. That is the time for a planting lesson. But as you read this in the dead of winter, snow on the ground, if you're in the north, frozen tundra, and Jesus speaks to us about planting. PLANTING! I don't even have any seeds ready!   Why would this be the appointed reading for a Sunday in February? We are closer to Christmas than planting season. It's strange. Strange until you realize what Jesus is explaining. Not prepping for the coming growing season, but giving us a lesson on the Trinity.  In the explanation of the parable, Jesus says the agent who works faith through the Word of God is the heavenly gardener, the great cultivator of faith, the Holy Spirit, and we know He works in mysterious ways. Where He works, how He works, is not revealed to us until we see the fruits of faith displayed in others. Just like Jesus said in the parable. The seed is planted, but the gardener knows not how until he first sees the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear.  Oh, how that seed, faith, is sustained! The Holy Spirit uses Holy fertilizer! First, there is the Word of God! This will be the focus of tomorrow's Reflection. But know that it is through our hearing that our faith is nourished and strengthened.    There is also His most holy meal, the Lord's Supper! For, as the Pastor says, as he places into your hands the bread and wine, “The Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.” He also says after your reception of this holy food, “The Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen and preserve you to life everlasting.” The Giver of the feast offers nothing other than Himself to for your benefit, for your eternal good. Nothing is greater than that!  This is the blueprint for the planting, growth, and sustaining of faith. God be praised that He does it all for our sake.     In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O God, the strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully grant that by Your power we may be defended against adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect of the Day for Sexagesima)Rev. Timothy Chase, pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Truman, MNAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 7, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Sexagesima - Psalm 44:1-2, 7-8; antiphon: Psalm 44:23, 25a, 26aDaily Lectionary: Job 4:1-21; John 2:1-12“But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever.” (Psalm 44:7-8)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Almighty God has enemies. And by extension, so do those who are baptized into Christ and bear His holy Name. That may sound strange at first. Who would be foolish enough to stand against the Almighty? And yet the Devil did exactly that. He rebelled, and ever since, he has waged war against God and His people. Death entered the world as a result of sin, a grim reminder that the world is not the way it was meant to be. Sin itself constantly seeks to overthrow the Lord and set up idols in His place, false gods of wealth, comfort, power, and self.These enemies of Satan, death, and sin are no match for God, but they are formidable foes for us. Death breaks into our lives, stealing loved ones and filling us with dread. The Devil entices with lies that seem reasonable, and he preys on our weaknesses. Sin deceives us into thinking we know better than God. And we must admit that we are not just victims. Our sinful nature eagerly follows along. The old Adam within us is not reluctant; he is a willing participant in rebellion.But God is not absent or passive. His strength is not found in raw displays of power, but in the humility and sacrifice of Christ Jesus. The cross, which looks like weakness and foolishness to the world, is in truth the power of God unto salvation. There, Christ disarmed the Devil, broke the power of death, and bore the weight of all sin. What looked like defeat was the decisive victory.Through Jesus' death and resurrection, the enemies of God and of us, His people, have been put to shame. The Devil has lost his accusing voice. Death has lost its sting. Sin has been atoned for. And so, like the psalmist, we boast in the Lord. We boast not in ourselves, not in our strength, but in Christ alone. He has saved us from these terrible foes.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O little flock, fear not the foe who madly seeks your overthrow; dread not his rage and pow'r. And though your courage sometimes faints, his seeming triumph o'er God's saints lasts but a little hour. Amen. (LSB 666:1)Rev. Christopher Brademeyer, St. John's Lutheran Church in Oakes, NDAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God's commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever. And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality. This is who you are in Christ. On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God's Law. Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours. His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him. This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own. And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

February 6, 2026Today's Reading: Job 3:11-26Daily Lectionary: John 1:35-51“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.” (Job 3:26)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Everyone has a bad day. Some days are worse than others. In fact, some are downright terrible. Job had one of these terrible times. He was robbed of his children, his possessions, even his health. The book of Job is often hard to read. He is utterly miserable, even longing for death. This is not easy stuff for us to hear or think about. And while preachers and teachers often hold up Job as a model of steadfast faith amid hardship, we should not overlook the depth of his despair.Statistically speaking, many today feel just like Job. Anxiety and depression, even to the point of wishing for death, are increasingly common. Chances are, everyone reading this either knows someone who suffers from these afflictions or has struggled with them personally. What makes this kind of suffering so difficult is that it is not visible like a physical wound. There is no easy bandage or quick remedy for the grief of the heart and the anguish of the soul.But the book of Job does not leave him wallowing in the dust. His friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar came to sit with him. They did not get everything right; they even made some things worse with their advice. But they came. They showed up. They sat in silence for seven days. And even in their imperfection, they remind us what Christian compassion can look like. We may not be able to fix a given situation or explain it, but we can show up.Most importantly, God did not abandon Job. Though Job struggled, he never cursed God, because he knew, somehow, that God was still his Redeemer. And Job was right. In chapter 19, Job makes a bold confession: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth.” He believed in the resurrection. He trusted in a Deliverer.God does not promise us a life without suffering. In fact, He prepares us to expect it. But He does give us something even greater: Jesus Christ, who suffered in our place, endured the cross, and rose again. He meets us in our darkest days and leads us through death and despair to resurrection and life everlasting.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.When in the hour of deepest need we know not where to look for aid; when days and nights of anxious thought no help or counsel yet have brought, then is our comfort this alone that we may meet before Your throne; to You, O faithful God, we cry for rescue in our misery. For You have promised, Lord, to heed Your children's cries in time of need through Him whose name alone is great, our Savior and our advocate. Amen. (LSB 615:1-3)Rev. Christopher Brademeyer, St. John's Lutheran Church in Oakes, NDAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 5, 2026Today's Reading: Catechism: Fourth CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Job 2:1-3:10; John 1:19-34“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Honor your father and your mother.What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.The Fourth Commandment is simple to understand. Even small children know they should listen to their parents. The issue is not understanding, but rather obeying.This should not be difficult. After all, this command includes a promise: a long and peaceful life in the land the Lord gives. And this truth is not hidden from our everyday experience. Where there is order, peace, and respect for authority, communities thrive. Where there is disobedience, rebellion, and lawlessness, there is often pain, instability, and ruin.God has structured His creation with relationships of authority and submission, such as parents and children, teachers and students, employers and workers, and governments and citizens. We may try to flatten these differences in the name of equality, but the reality remains that we live in a world of hierarchy. This is by God's design, and that design is good.This is not to say every authority is perfect. No parent, pastor, teacher, or governor rules without flaw. Yet Scripture teaches that all legitimate authority is given by God to preserve order and serve the good of others. So, the Fourth Commandment does not only speak to children and citizens. It also calls those in authority to act with fairness, humility, and care for those under their authority. Leadership is not a license to dominate; it is a God-given duty to serve.When authority works as God intends, it is a Gift. It brings stability, direction, and peace. Obedience to this commandment honors God because it reflects trust in the order He has established for our good.Still, we must admit that we have not kept this commandment. We have rebelled against parents, scoffed at teachers, and disrespected officials. But where we fail, Christ does not. He submitted perfectly to His earthly parents and to His heavenly Father, even to death on a cross.Because of Jesus, our disobedience is forgiven. In Baptism, we are raised to new life. God's grace not only forgives our failures, but it also gives us the eyes to see that structure and authority are good Gifts given for our benefit and the benefit of those around us.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Lord Jesus Christ, as you honored your mother, Mary, and earthly father Joseph, help me to likewise honor, obey, love, and respect my father and mother. Teach me to love them as You have loved me and grant each of us to grow in faith and the knowledge of Your wholesome Word. Amen.Rev. Christopher Brademeyer, St. John's Lutheran Church in Oakes, NDAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 4, 2026Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5Daily Lectionary: Job 1:1-22; John 1:1-18“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The Christian life is a life of discipline. We do not let the passions of the flesh, our bodily desires and appetites, rule over us. We do not indulge every fancy or feeling we have. We certainly do not assume that whatever our inner selves want is automatically good and right. As Jesus says, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:11).St. Paul warns us here of the real spiritual danger in allowing our sinful desires to go unchecked. We must discipline ourselves. We must struggle daily against sin. We must drown the Old Adam, our sinful nature, in the waters of our Baptism every single day. And this is no mere lifestyle management. As Paul goes on to note, if we allow ourselves to grow complacent and let down our guard, we may find ourselves drifting away from the faith and forfeiting the promises given in Christ, just as not everyone who crossed the Red Sea entered the Promised Land.This is a hard but necessary Word from God, spoken through the Apostle Paul. We are encouraged to fight the good fight, run the race faithfully, and remain diligent and watchful against sin and every form of evil in our own persons. We must resist the popular idea that doctrine is unimportant, that all religions are equally true, or that all our inborn desires are good and wholesome.In a world that tells us to follow our hearts and trust our feelings, St. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is not about comfort, but cross-bearing. Discipline is not about self-perfection; it is about staying close to Jesus. And what is the reward of this disciplined life? The very salvation won for us by Christ. Not because our efforts earn this great gift, but because such discipline keeps our eyes fixed on the prize. It keeps us oriented away from this world and its countless distractions and our attention fixed on our Savior. We do not run aimlessly. We do not live without purpose. Our goal is Christ, the One who gave Himself for us and our forgiveness.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Let no false doctrine me beguile; Let Satan not my soul defile. Give strength and patience unto me to bear my cross and follow Thee. Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord, in death Thy comfort still afford. Amen. (LSB 708:2)Rev. Christopher Brademeyer, St. John's Lutheran Church in Oakes, NDAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

February 3, 2026Today's Reading: Exodus 17:1-7Daily Lectionary: Zechariah 14:1-21; Titus 2:7-3:15“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.' And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:6)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.It often seems that the more we have, the more we complain. Think of a child who gets everything he or she wants and still throws a fit in the toy store. We chuckle or roll our eyes at such a child, but if we are honest, we have all acted like that. Perhaps it was not in the toy aisle, but in our hearts, our homes, and even our prayers.In modern life, especially in the United States, we are constantly surrounded by abundance. The average American household ranks among the top 1% of global income earners. We have homes, cars, phones, entertainment, food, and medicine in abundance. These gifts are things that previous generations could not even have seen in their sweetest of dreams. And yet we still find things to be dissatisfied about. Whether coveting a better job, a newer phone, more vacation time, or different people in our lives, we grumble, even when our lives are overflowing with gifts.Spiritually speaking, this grumbling is not a small thing. It reveals that we are often ungrateful toward God. The Lord teaches us to pray for daily bread, and He provides it, but instead of giving thanks, we often complain that it is not the kind of bread we wanted. This is the sin of Israel in the wilderness. God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He parted the Red Sea, fed them with manna from heaven, and led them by a pillar of cloud and fire. Yet they grumbled: “Why did you bring us out here to die? We miss Egypt!”But God did something remarkable. He did not destroy His people. He did not send them back to Egypt. Instead, He gave them water from a rock, a miraculous sign of His grace and provision. And that rock, says St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:4, was Christ. He is the Rock from whom living water flows. He is the One who hears our complaints, bears our sins, and still gives us grace. Even for ungrateful people like us, He offers forgiveness and life. So repent of your grumbling. Return thanks to God. And drink deeply of the mercy that flows from Christ your Rock.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O my God, my rock and tower, grant that in Your death I trust, knowing death has lost its power since You crushed it in the dust. Amen. (LSB 421:6)Rev. Christopher Brademeyer, St. John's Lutheran Church in Oakes, NDAudio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” Nowhere is this claim more vividly demonstrated than at the tomb of Lazarus. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we stand with the weeping sisters of Bethany and the weeping Savior to witness the seventh and greatest sign in John's Gospel. While death seems final and the stench of the grave is real, Jesus proves that He is the Master over death itself. With a loud command, He calls the dead to life, foreshadowing His own victory over the grave and the future resurrection of all believers.   The Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study John 11:1–44.   To learn more about Trinity in New Haven, visit trinitynewhaven.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them. The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not. In this way, the Beatitudes function as God's Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness' sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection. And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God's favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ's righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross. This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord's Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift. Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them. The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not. In this way, the Beatitudes function as God's Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness' sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection. And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God's favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ's righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross. This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord's Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift. Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them. The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not. In this way, the Beatitudes function as God's Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness' sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection. And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God's favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ's righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross. This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord's Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift. Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

When God remembered Noah, it was more than a mental recollection that Noah was there. God's remembrance of Noah lead to His action of sending a wind to begin to dry the waters of the flood from off the earth. As the waters subsided and the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, Noah used birds to discern what land was habitable. When the dove did not return after the second time, Noah uncovered the ark and saw dry ground. At God's command, Noah and all that were with him left the ark, entering forth into the LORD's renewed creation.  Rev. Jacob Dandy, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Atchison, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 8:1-19.  To learn more about Trinity in Atchison, visit trinityatchison.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

The early church father Augustine offered a simple but profound insight. Evil exists only where good should be. Cold has no life of its own. It is the absence of heat. Darkness is not a thing in itself. It is the absence of light. Heat and light exist independently. Cold and darkness do not. They depend on what is missing in order to appear. Evil works the same way. It is not a created substance with its own power. It emerges where goodness is absent. Scripture tells us that only God is good. And Jesus is God in the flesh. When He steps into Galilee and begins His ministry, something decisive happens. The people dwelling in darkness see a great light. Those living in the region and shadow of death find that a light has dawned. This is not a poetic exaggeration. It is a declaration of reality. Where Jesus is present, darkness cannot remain. The light that dawns is the Gospel itself. Jesus does not merely speak about goodness. He is goodness. He does not simply point toward the light. He is the Light of the world. His preaching, His healing, His calling of fishermen and sinners, all announce the same truth. God has come near. The darkness that once ruled has been confronted by the One who alone is good. This light does not shine only for a moment in history. It continues to shine wherever Christ is preached. Wherever sins are forgiven. Wherever the sick are healed and the broken are restored. The shadow of death is real, but it is no longer final. The light has dawned, and the darkness cannot overcome it. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

The early church father Augustine offered a simple but profound insight. Evil exists only where good should be. Cold has no life of its own. It is the absence of heat. Darkness is not a thing in itself. It is the absence of light. Heat and light exist independently. Cold and darkness do not. They depend on what is missing in order to appear. Evil works the same way. It is not a created substance with its own power. It emerges where goodness is absent. Scripture tells us that only God is good. And Jesus is God in the flesh. When He steps into Galilee and begins His ministry, something decisive happens. The people dwelling in darkness see a great light. Those living in the region and shadow of death find that a light has dawned. This is not a poetic exaggeration. It is a declaration of reality. Where Jesus is present, darkness cannot remain. The light that dawns is the Gospel itself. Jesus does not merely speak about goodness. He is goodness. He does not simply point toward the light. He is the Light of the world. His preaching, His healing, His calling of fishermen and sinners, all announce the same truth. God has come near. The darkness that once ruled has been confronted by the One who alone is good. This light does not shine only for a moment in history. It continues to shine wherever Christ is preached. Wherever sins are forgiven. Wherever the sick are healed and the broken are restored. The shadow of death is real, but it is no longer final. The light has dawned, and the darkness cannot overcome it. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m. https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person! Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​ Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A #LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

Noah was righteous before the LORD through faith in the LORD's promise. In judgment, the LORD determined to send a flood to make an end of all flesh due to the corruption and violence of sin. In mercy, the LORD promised to save Noah and his family through that same flood. The LORD gave Noah precise dimensions for the ark in which he would be saved, and the LORD gave Noah instruction about the inclusion of animals on that ark for the preservation of all flesh and for the continuation of godly worship. Noah's faith was seen as he did what the LORD commanded.  Rev. Philip Hoppe, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 6:9-7:5.  To learn more about Trinity in Colby, visit trinitycolby.org. “In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God's entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy's head.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

The sea was a symbol of chaos and death for the ancient world, but for Jesus, it is merely a footpath. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we navigate the storms of life with the disciples in two harrowing accounts: Jesus calming the wind and waves with a word, and Jesus walking on the water. Whether sleeping in the boat or pulling sinking Peter from the depths, Jesus reveals Himself as the Lord of Creation who commands the elements and comforts His fearful people with the words, “It is I; do not be afraid.”   The Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Mark 4:35–41 and Matthew 14:22–33.   To learn more about Trinity in Edwardsville, visit trinitylutheranministries.org. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.