The Shepherd’s Voice – Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tomah, WI

The First Sunday after Trinity | Luke 16:19-31 | Preparing for the Chasms of Life

The First Sunday after Trinity June 7, 2026 Luke 16:19-31   The Trinity season begins in earnest today with the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.   This is a familiar Gospel, today, that draws the lines between falling in love with earthly glory and heavenly glory. The Rich Man depicts many people of the world who see glory in what you wear, what you consume, who you keep company with, while Lazarus depicts those who, on the surface, appear poor and lowly, who bear the weight of many crosses of this life.   As the parable illustrates, both men die, and we learn that earthly glory has an end, while heavenly glory begins for those who have faith in Christ Jesus.   At life’s end, the Rich Man is taken to Hades, meaning hell, when he dies.   Lazarus, the poor man who bore many crosses in life, being poor in health and wealth, was brought into God’s eternal presence.   Which one do you wish to be?   It’s also interesting to note that while Lazarus could be seen and heard asking for mercy throughout his earthly life, the Rich Man didn’t raise his voice for mercy until the reality of eternal damnation began.   Now, none of us imagine being the Rich Man, nor do any of us picture sitting at the city limits of Tomah begging for help. However, as my family just returned from vacation, we traveled many miles across this country and saw quite the divide and chasm in life, between those who see themselves as rich and those who see themselves as poor.    Sure, in some cases, these scenes occur on a street corner where one person begs for help, while another drives by in a Tesla or Mercedes. It might also be seen as homes in different neighborhoods with shingles falling off the roof and graffiti on the front, whereas other neighborhoods feature well-maintained lawns and inviting walkways.    It’s fascinating to see how significant the divide can be within a single community or even an entire country. In a way, these divides often keep the wealthy unaware of the struggles that surround and threaten them, while those in need continually strive for the perceived riches of their neighbors across the railroad tracks, maybe even the ones behind the wheel of a Tesla or a Mercedes.     To be clear, there is nothing wrong with having earthly wealth, just as there is nothing wrong with lacking wealth.    A key question to ask today is this: where do you place your faith and trust in this life, no matter your status, wealth, or place in this life?   Do you place your trust in status and the world around you? Or do you place your trust in Jesus Christ?   If you place your trust in the things of this world, you might gain temporary glory today, but it is fleeting.   If you trust in Jesus, it’s eternal.    However, the gift of God’s love, forgiveness, and eternal life does come with a cost; it involves crosses, disappointments, and misfortune. It’s through these ways that God uses a refiner’s fire to test man’s faith. (1 Peter 1:7)   Not fun, huh?   But it can be necessary to cultivate a life of prayer and reliance on your Father in heaven and the only Son He sent to redeem you.   Now, in the life of Good Shepherd, today, we have some children receiving Bibles to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God, and to receive faith through the words of Jesus.    But we are also celebrating the graduation of one of the congregation’s sons as he prepares to go off to college.   These children receiving Bibles today will still need a parent to guide them in reading the Scriptures and support them through challenges, and for this, God has given these young children parents to point them to Jesus.    In another sense, if any of you were like me when I graduated from high school, I left for college believing that I not only knew everything but also no longer needed help in life. Looking back, I realize I was very impressionable, and college became one of the most challenging times of my life. Why? Because I thought I had it all—that I had achieved something simply by earning a diploma, through the completion of Confirmation, by leaving my home and my church.   However, these are just some of the most dangerous days in a person’s life. Because while the pursuit of knowledge is worthwhile, the new freedoms that come in adulthood bring many dangers and risk achieving worldly glory at the expense of heavenly and eternal glory.   And this is where the opening hymn for today, “Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus,” can teach and guide not only the young Christian heading to college but also those receiving their Bibles today, along with all of us, on how we should live this life.    The first stanza highlights how you are to walk with Jesus by following His perfect example. Now, you won’t be able to do this; the devil, the world, the flesh, and the people around you, in and out of classes, will attempt to lure you away from Jesus and His peace through their teachings, the extracurriculars, or just the culture you find yourself dwelling within.   The second stanza is completely countercultural as it calls you to suffer with Jesus, to suffer like Lazarus. No, you don’t want this, none of us do, but suffering will occur for all of us, whether it’s brought upon us by our own hands through the decisions we make, the people we begin to follow, or through the rejection of those surrounding us. Just as Jesus told His disciples suffering would come, St. Peter relays His message to you, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)   The third stanza begins, “Let us gladly die with Jesus.” It is a call for Christians to return to their Baptisms; one can never truly leave their Baptism if they want to be a Christian. Each of you must stay in your Baptism every day, returning to it and drowning the Old Adam, the sin and death of the flesh to receive forgiveness. This forgiveness is highlighted in the fourth and final stanza as we sang, “Let us also live with Jesus.”   When one is connected to the word of Jesus, the Sacrament of the Altar, and the forgiveness of sins, they are united with His resurrection and become members of His body, the Church. As St. Paul emphasizes in his letter to the Colossians, “Where Christ is, so you will also be.” (Colossians 1:18)   But honestly, sometimes we have to leave our homes to realize all of this: that the gap and chasm between friend and foe, safety and danger, life and death is wide.   As the children receive their Bibles today, let us pray that they would continue to grown in their faith, no matter the struggles and challenges that present themselves in the years to come.   As sons of the congregation go off to college, let us pray that they might go to church and hold fast to the Word of God that has been spoken into their ears and given to them in their Baptisms.   And as we leave this sanctuary today, let us pray for the faith essential on our journey, that we may never stray far from the eternal home Christ Jesus has secured for us on the cross, for eternal glory depends on Him. +INJ+       Rev. Noah J. Rogness Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Tomah, WI   Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org [http://www.goodsheptomah.org] The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/ [https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/]

The Seventh Sunday of Easter | John 15:26-16:4 | I Do, By the Grace of God

The Seventh Sunday of Easter May 17, 2026 John 15:26-16:4     It seems to me that we hear these words of the Gospel each year, in addition to this Sunday, but in a different way. Let’s ponder them for a moment, and forgive me, but I’m going to paraphrase the Gospel here.   Jesus says He’s sending the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to the disciples to show them what He has done for them by dying on the cross and rising again on the third day. But they, likewise, will then need to bear witness to the world for what Jesus has done, or as we commonly say today in the church, “Confess” Jesus, His cross and resurrection to the world.   Then Jesus goes on to say that He’s telling the disciples these things because He doesn’t want them to fall away from Him – to fall away from faith in Him.   Jesus is telling the disciples these things because after His death and resurrection, they will be rejected by their people, thrown out of their synagogues, and killed in the name of religion.   In fact, Jesus says these people will think they are offering a sacrifice to God by killing them.   Jesus says they will do these things to His disciples because they don’t actually know His Father. They don’t understand the Scriptures, nor why Jesus came in the first place, to save His people from their sins.   But Jesus tells His disciples these things because when—not if—the time comes to suffer for His name, they will remember His words and know that He is with them, that they carry His divine truth, and even if believing in Jesus costs them their earthly lives, eternal life remains for those who have faith in Him.    And this is exactly what happened to many of Jesus’ disciples.   St. Peter, Andrew, and Philip were crucified for their witness and faith in Jesus.     St. James, son of Zebedee, beheaded.   St. Bartholomew, flayed alive.   St. Simon the Zealot, sawn in half.   St. Matthew, killed with a sword.   St. Jude, also known as Thaddeus, killed with arrows or an axe.   St. James the Lessor, stoned to death, as was St. Matthias.   Alright, so where else do you hear this little sermon about suffering for the witness and faith in Jesus Christ?   In the Rite of Confirmation, where the often young disciple of Christ is asked twice if they are willing to die rather than fall away from their witness and faith in Jesus.   Just listen to the questions from the rite now.    The Confirmand is asked, P    Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death? R    I do, by the grace of God.   P    Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? R    I do, by the grace of God.   If you happened to grow up in the time of The Lutheran Hymnal, otherwise known as TLH, these same questions were there, just with slightly older language.   Twice, the Confirmation student confesses their desire to die rather than fall away from the Christian faith. Twice, they confess to remaining steadfast, even if the world or, worse, those who are supposed to be in the church with them, try to cause them to stumble in their faith.    Isn’t that interesting, the danger of being led away from Christ within the Church?   You see, the Greek word for “Falling away” or “Being led away” is σκανδαλίζω, meaning to scandalize.   Consider this: in some cases, a person’s death may actually stem from turning away from faith out of fear of death itself, while others, even within the church, work to silence your faith.    But an amazing thing, as you reflect on the deaths of the Apostles we listed earlier, is that they never fell away. After the resurrection, they didn’t turn away from Jesus, they did not turn; they stood their ground and confessed their faith, even to the point of death.   How could they stand so firm in the face of death?   Because the Holy Spirit remained with them, Jesus and His Father kept their promise and sent the Holy Spirit to give them faith and courage, forgive their sins, and assure them of eternal life.    This is, after all, what the Confirmand confesses after they’re asked if they’ll suffer death rather than fall away from the faith, “I do, by the grace of God.”   What is grace?   Grace is God’s undeserved, free gift of mercy and forgiveness to sinners, by which He declares them righteous solely on account of the works and merit of Christ.   Grace is the gift of God’s favor and His working within you.   But how do you receive this grace and favor of God?   This is the work of the Holy Spirit.   Remember what you learned in Confirmation: what is the Third Article of the Creed?   I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.   What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.   This is most certainly true.   And because this is true, the disciples of Jesus never doubted Him, but rejoiced that He sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, upon them to grant them the gift of forgiveness and faith, won for them upon the cross of Calvary, so that even if they had to suffer for the Christian faith and bear their own crosses, they would never fall away from the faith because eternal life and glory awaited them.   The disciples’ confidence and faith were the gift and grace of God, worked within their hearts by the Holy Spirit.   This remains true for you; the Christian faith is only yours through the Helper, the work of the Holy Spirit within you. None of you may remain in the Christian Church without the gift of grace, the forgiveness of God, unless the Holy Spirit dwells within you.   So, how do you ensure the Holy Spirit has access to your heart? By being present where Jesus has told you He is located for you, by being in Church, gathered around the grace of His Word, the sacrament of this altar, for the forgiveness of your sin. It’s in this way, the means of grace located in Word and Sacrament - the Holy Spirit delivers forgiveness, calls you by the Gospel, and enlightens you with His gifts.    Only with these gifts are you kept in the true Christian faith and given faith to face any type of death as a Christian.   Now, while none of us expect to die a martyr’s death, one must still be ready if that day might arrive.   But the greater threat you face is from within — the worst scandal of the faith. It’s knowing today that the Holy Spirit comes, offers forgiveness of sins, works faith in you, and gives you strength for life’s struggles, yet you don’t come to receive it.    You confessed with your lips the same words as St. Peter on the day of your confirmation, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” (Matthew 26:35)   However, that’s exactly what one does when they don’t gather around Jesus, when they don’t bring the little children unto Him, they deny Christ and fall away from Him.   My friends, the days are getting shorter for all of us, which means the urgency must be great among us and for our children and grandchildren to be strengthened in the faith, to be ready for the attacks of the devil and the world, to guard against becoming slothful and lazy in the Christian faith, because eternal life depends upon it.   And if you think about it, reflect on what kind of deaths the apostles were willing to suffer for this faith.   When you said you were willing to suffer even death rather than fall away from it, did you mean it?   Because this faith isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s filled with trials and tribulations, accidents, illnesses, diagnoses, disagreements, breakups, and deaths. The possibility of persecution, whether it’s mockery or job loss, losing a prized role in a play, or being cut from the team for missing Sunday games is a reality for being here each Sunday morning. I mean, sadly, you might even face hardship within your own family, who judge you for being absent from family gatherings, or getting tasks done around the home for being in the sanctuary of the Lord.    But remember these words of Jesus, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)   The cost of this faith is high; just look at Jesus’ cross and see. He loved you so much that He was willing to die in this way for you, beaten, naked, and left alone.    That’s a great love He has for you.   As the Easter season nears its end, don’t ever forget the cost Christ paid for your salvation, and if you find yourself struggling, remember these words from the Gospel, “I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” (John 16:4)   The Holy Spirit is sent upon you to place before your eyes the love of Jesus Christ, to grant you enduring faith to carry the crosses of your life, and be made ready to die when that day comes, when you can be gathered with all the martyrs and confessors of the Christian faith in the resurrected life that will never end. +INJ+     Rev. Noah J. Rogness Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Tomah, WI   Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org [http://www.goodsheptomah.org] The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/ [https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/]

The Sixth Sunday of Easter | John 16:23-33 | The Church as a Mother

The Sixth Sunday of Easter May 10, 2026 John 16:23-33   Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!   As another Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself remembering my mom, who Jesus brought into His eternal presence over two years ago. It’s always interesting to me that some of the thoughts that come to mind are the things she said.   She’d say, “Oh, that’s different.”   Code word for, she didn’t like that.   Or “It’s a catch-22, if you know what I mean.”   Regrettably, she saw many situations as paradoxically no-win situations. However, you might only understand what my mother meant by these sayings if you spent enough time around her and asked clarifying questions, like, “What do you mean, Mom, by it’s a catch-22?”   In a way, my mom used figurative sayings and proverbs that only she understood.   I have wondered if this is a facet of being a mother: to speak in figures of speech, proverbs, to make a child think, to instill in them a need to ask questions. But then again, how often does a child roll their eyes, stare silently, fail to ask questions, and go on like they know all the answers?   Of course, there are many figures of speech a mother might use when speaking to a child.   “Don’t be such a scrooge,” implying the child is being miserable or ungenerous.   “He’s as cunning as a fox.” Maybe a warning to a child to be careful of the company they keep.   “You bite off more than you can chew.” The idea that the child has no idea how big, difficult, or complex the project they have decided to take on is.   Or “Put your nose to the grindstone.” Do the hard work, stay dedicated, and give 100 percent commitment.   Then of course, there are the figures of speech about mothers, too…   “Like mother, like child.”   “A face only a mother could love.”   “Mother knows best.”   These may not need explanation…   But throughout history, humans have used figures of speech and proverbs to express deeper truths. The entire book of Proverbs encourages the reader to think deeply, and if you review sections like Proverbs 31, you’ll notice there are specific proverbs written by a mother or about motherhood.    However, it seems that nobody enjoys thinking deeply anymore. Everyone just wants to “Google” it, “Hey Siri,” or ask “Alexa” for the answers to life.   And in a way, the Gospel this morning is about asking questions, asking for help, seeking clarity, and learning how to pray.   Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”   The instruction to “Ask” is in the imperative, meaning Jesus is giving the disciples an order. Like a mother telling a child to clean their room, and this same order from Jesus is for you—ask, pray, speak to Jesus, so “your joy may be full.”   Yet at the same time, one theologian suggests that Jesus is also scolding the disciples for their laziness in praying to Him, listening to His instruction, and these words are also for you: stop being lazy in your prayers.   Again, Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”   You are told to pray in Jesus’ name first because He instructs you that this is how you are to have access to His Father. But also, as St. Peter said in the book of Acts, “There is no other name given to men in which we shall be saved.” (Acts 4:12)   When a child fears the storm in the night, when a daughter experiences a breakup with a boyfriend, when a son goes off to war, who do they speak to in times of distress, who do they call out to? Most often, their mother.   Even more so, a child of God must learn to pray and seek the care of their heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.   And this is learned from Scripture as one hears from the Gospel of St. Luke, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)   Or as St. James wrote, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7)   Or finally, as God instructs in the Psalms, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15)   But the struggle to ask, seek, and pray remains.   Maybe you forget, in all the commotion and excitement of life, to pray; maybe you don’t believe Jesus wants to hear from you, or maybe you fall back on what many have said before: “I don’t need to pray, God knows what I need.”   This is a bit of a copout.   However, Jesus provides the disciples with a warning today regarding their faith in Him as He said, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.   Here, Jesus is foreshadowing His Passion, His death on the cross, when His disciples would abandon and forsake Him. In this moment of distress and tribulation, the disciples demonstrate a lack of obedience and faith in Jesus.   Yet, remember, in these times of distress and tribulation, Jesus says to His disciples, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”   Prayer is an exercise of faith and obedience in God. Today’s Gospel cannot make it any clearer: God the Father wants you to pray to Him, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Because again, as we heard from St. Peter, “There is no other name given to men in which we shall be saved.” (Acts 4:12)   While the disciples respond to Jesus in the Gospel, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!”   These words are not a riddle for you; it’s not a figure of speech, and it’s not even a proverb; it’s a directive.   Why?   Because you know what happens that first Easter morning, and you know that He wants to give you the joy and benefits of His resurrection.   What is this joy of the resurrection? It’s the peace in His Word that soothes your troubled conscience and the declaration of forgiveness He bestows upon your heart.    In a sense, as the Large Catechism states, the Church has become your mother, one that conceives and births every Christian through God’s Word. (LC 2:42)   And if the Church is your mother, then it’s here you should come, find comfort in her words, and rejoice in her unconditional love.   Now, I can’t promise you’ll understand every word of every Scripture reading from this mother, the Church. Some require more meditation and prayer than we’re used to these days. But I can tell you, the answer is always close; it’s always right in front of you—your Savior, Jesus Christ.    As these last days of life are fleeting, as tribulations and disappointments seem to overwhelm you, don’t lose sight of your Savior. Remember that you can always speak to Him, and that He has called you to speak to Him, to pray, and ask Him for help. In fact, He expects it, Jesus said, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”   Ask and pray to Jesus not only for earthly peace and joy, but for the eternal peace and joy that only He can give because He has overcome the world. +INJ+   Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!   Rev. Noah J. Rogness Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Tomah, WI   Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org [http://www.goodsheptomah.org] The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/ [https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/]

Get to Know Josh and Nicole

On this episode of the Shepherd's Voice, we get to know soon to be married, Josh and Nicole!

The Fifth Sunday of Easter | John 16:5-15 | Being Led into the Song of Truth

The Fifth Sunday of Easter May 3, 2026 John 16:5-15   Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!   What comfort this sweet sentence gives, what joy it is to sing! This is your song of victory, your song of hope, your song of truth. Although it is a short song, it tells a bigger story. Much of music is used to tell stories. It is used to express happiness and to comfort in sadness. As you grow older, songs that were sung as a child have a way of sticking with you. Others are passed down from generation to generation.   Many children, cradled in their mothers’ arms, have heard, “You are my sunshine.” There is so much joy in seeing a sleeping or giggling child, and comfort in knowing a child is safe in a parent’s or grandparent’s arms. But the song also acknowledges that life isn’t always peaches and cream; there are gray skies and storms of life. Women who never hold a child, mothers who reject motherhood, mothers who bury their own, or mothers who see their children grow old and drift away from faith can attest to these storms.   These are storms Christ died for.    Once protected within the unpenetrating arms of mother or father, children are thrust into a world full of unknowns as they grow and mature. Naturally, independence begins to emerge among young adults. Using the old saying, they spread their wings to fly away from the nest. Parents pray for their safety, that they will make wise decisions, and that they remember the one divine and eternal truth: that Jesus Christ entered this world as a child, died for their sins, your sins, and mine, defeated Satan, rose again, and ascended to the Father.    But children are curious, and no matter the age, we all ask at some point, “What is truth?” Seek an answer to the question, “What is truth?” outside of the Church and outside of the protective arms of God, and the world will send you on a wild goose chase.   Well-meaning friends, neighbors, and peers tempt us to seek truth in this world, as if searching for water in a desert without water. The repeated message from the false priests and priestesses of our time claims that there is no objective truth. Instead, they suggest living simply, relying on yourself, and following the way of subjective or personal belief, where gods, goddesses, angels, and demons all act according to personal wills and desires.    Without a doubt, you’ve heard it said or said it yourself, “I can’t believe in a God who would…. (Pick your disaster, let a child die, Alzheimer’s diagnosis, or judge someone based on their sexual orientation.)” However, with words like these, our god becomes our pronouncements; god becomes what we decide. God is no longer the creator; rather, He is the one being created in your image. Divine truth is lost — the truth that was given to you in the waters of your Baptism, the truth you were created in, is gone.    Having lost the clear confession of truth, churches often resort or are tempted to try gimmicks in the hopes of being relevant and enjoyable to the seekers of this world. However, in this quest, objective truth becomes secondary or dismissible.   What if you had a surgery scheduled this week and the doctor told you it would be an enjoyable experience? You might think twice about choosing this particular doctor and drive to Madison, Milwaukee, or even the Twin Cities. The doctor’s job isn’t to bring you immediate enjoyment but to provide lasting healing. Today, worship has become a matter of lifestyle, light on substance, and not a matter of life and death. Instead, it’s something of the here and now, not of the eternal and forever.   The words of Jesus in the Gospel, however, state that there is an objective truth.   These words explain how we will recognize this truth and how the Holy Spirit will guide us in the way of truth. For this reason, Jesus must go to the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of truth.” It is He, Jesus says, who will guide the disciples and you.   Let’s be honest, we feel nervous when talking about the Holy Spirit. Some churches speak in tongues and claim to possess the Holy Spirit, but we don’t want to be associated with them. However, in these situations, we can rely on our confirmation instruction and recall what is taught in the small catechism, especially the third article of the Apostle’s Creed. More importantly, we should understand its meaning: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified, and kept me in the true faith.” These are the ways the Holy Spirit works—not something mysterious, but the concrete means of grace, the forgiveness of sins.    So, what is the truth the Holy Spirit will guide you into, to know and confess? Jesus said in John 14, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   Truth is not just an idea; it’s a person—it’s Jesus Christ. It doesn’t end with simply knowing who He is, but it’s found in Him, who brings you into a relationship with God through daily surrender of the Old Adam, dying to sin and being raised to new life. It’s found in the forgiveness of sins, rescuing you from death and hell, and restoring you as image-bearers of God.    Truth is found in Jesus. He’s not an emotion or idea. He’s not an invisible friend or make-believe relationship. He’s the child born of Mary, the Son sent by God the Father, whose heroic course brought Him back to the Father’s right hand, granting you access to your Father in heaven and always sending the Holy Spirit.   But the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, also comes to convict the world of sin. Of what sin? Unbelief. Not just the disbelief that Jesus exists or existed, but it reveals your unbelief and rejection of Him as Savior.   The Holy Spirit also comes to convict the world of righteousness. Christ is not referring to worldly righteousness or justice, where people give others what is owed. “The Holy Spirit convicts those who do not hold onto Jesus or receive Him because they try to justify themselves with their own poor and miserable works and merits.” Instead, it is Jesus’ blood that is the sacrifice. His ascension to the Father demonstrates His righteousness and brings us into the presence of the Father.    The Holy Spirit comes to convict the world of judgment. Not our judgment, but the judgment of this world’s prince, the devil. He is the father of lies, and like your first parents, he desires to tempt you and lead you to reject the Truth found in Jesus Christ. He wants you to believe you can be God, and you are inclined to act as if you are — just as your first parents did in the Garden of Eden.   In a world full of schedules and commitments, everything today seems to be compartmentalized. Like food on a plate, nothing is allowed to touch; our church lives occupy one corner of the plate, and the rest of our lives take up the remaining portions. Sunday is reserved for God and church, while the rest of the week is for worldly things. Our lives are conducted from Monday through Saturday, as if one life doesn’t inform the other. Sunday is the day of resurrection, and Monday begins everything else for the week.    Everything throughout the week feels like a struggle, a fight. Even though this world has been judged through Christ’s victory on the cross, we live as if we must fight for ourselves. We must succeed in this world and make a name for ourselves. Yet, despite the many changes in this world, we always pray that our eyes may be fixed where true joy is found.    Near the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus says the Holy Spirit will guide you in all truth and take everything that is His to declare it to you. What is declared to you is something greater than anything you have in this life. It’s Him making you a child of His heavenly Father; it’s you being placed in His protective arms. The lullaby He gives you is yours to sing in the liturgy of the Church. It’s this song that you carry with you into the busyness of the week and the chaos of each day. When the days of sunshine fade, and gray skies appear, this song gives you the words to call on your heavenly Father with boldness and confidence. Trust that He hears you, live as His child, and know that He will carry you through this life and bring you to Himself in heaven. +INJ+     Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!   Rev. Noah J. Rogness Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Tomah, WI   Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org [http://www.goodsheptomah.org] The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/ [https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/]