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

The Sixth Sunday after Trinity | Matthew 5:17-26 | Jesus Doesn't End the Law, He Fulfills it

July 12, 2026   The readings today really provide a nice little sermon for us to ponder.   The Old Testament gives us the Law, including the Ten Commandments. The Epistle explains how we should be dead to sin and alive to God. Finally, the Gospel shows how Jesus fulfilled the Law.    For this sermon, we will start with the Old Testament reading from Exodus. These words from God remind Israel of how He rescued them from Egyptian slavery, highlighting His greatness as a God and Father. They also present the Ten Commandments, which show what service in God’s kingdom should look like, both to Him and to others.    However, as we know, we do not always follow the law as we should. We fail to act morally; often, our actions can’t be justified. Our words lack decency and grace.    Reflect on the commandments. Do you avoid adultery in thought, word, or deed? What would your phone or computer search history reveal?   Do you use the Lord’s name in vain? Let’s listen to your child’s speech and find out.   What does someone’s church attendance reveal about remembering and observing the Sabbath Day?   How are your parents? Do you listen to and obey them, children? What about you older children, do you still call your parents and help them as you should?    Have you coveted or stolen a neighbor’s property? Should we check out your garage?   Or what about murder? Have your words spoken in the darkness, the gossip of your lips, slain your neighbor?   The Law is meant to show you how to live as a child of God. However, because you can’t do this perfectly, the Law exposes your sin and the ways you’ve fallen short of keeping the commandments.    You don’t like this, and I understand. None of us usually enjoy being told we’ve failed, and none of us appreciate the disappointment in a parent’s look.    Sometimes, you encounter folks who I want to believe are well-meaning, saying that the Ten Commandments don’t apply to us today. They claim the commandments were strictly part of the Old Testament, and after Jesus came, they no longer matter.    We call these people antinomians — anti-law. They downplay the law so you can live guilt-free.   However, does Jesus say that the law doesn’t matter?   No, in the Gospel today, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) Even more, Jesus says, Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)   Alright, so the law, the Ten Commandments, still matter to us today.   But they are not what the Scribes and Pharisees thought, something to be achieved. You can’t achieve the Ten Commandments or live a perfect life.   Jesus will emphasize this through His teaching on anger.   You see, those who believe you can achieve or fulfill the Law often see it narrowly as only the outward acts of man. But Jesus wants the Scribes, Pharisees, and you to understand that transgressions not only include but also begin within the heart, as He said.     ‘You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, “Raca!’ (or insults his brother) shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)   Murder starts in the heart and mind, with your thoughts before it turns into gossiping words, and God forbid the physical taking of a life.    And so you don’t become a hypocrite in the temple or congregation of the Lord, Jesus says, Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. (Matthew 5:23-25)   To oversimplify these words: You cannot rightly approach God’s altar to offer Him praise or receive His peace if you have not first reconciled with those you have trouble with, those you are at odds with.    Often, we believe the false idea that if we simply don’t say something or avoid reconciliation, time will heal all wounds. However, without reconciliation, not only is the sin still very present, but you also cannot properly approach God’s presence, and you should fear His punishment.    However, it’s often our inability to stay silent and refrain from speaking that not only gets us into trouble but also leads to the spiritual harm of our neighbors through gossip. In many ways, what drives gossiping? Jealousy, insecurity, fear, anger?    If this is the case, then there is a great need for confession, for all of us, including myself. Because this way of life and these actions reveal hearts caught in sin. This is why the Law, the Ten Commandments, are still necessary to show us our sin and lead us to confess the sins of the heart before God and our neighbors alike.    If only there were a place where we could meet our neighbor to confess our sins, receive their forgiveness, and be reminded of how we have been united with them in the death and resurrection of Jesus.     Oh wait, this is what the Epistle reading illudes to: the place where we all die to sin, because in Holy Baptism we have died with Christ, so that we may be raised to new life through the forgiveness of Christ, the forgiveness that makes us new creations—new men and women, able to reconcile with one another.    This image represents the Christian life because in Holy Baptism, you are united with Christ. If you refuse to forgive, you deny Christ and your Baptism, and you act as if God’s Law, the Ten Commandments, do not matter. This is a very bad idea.   Instead, revisit and relearn the Ten Commandments. See how they guide your way of living, how they aim to steer you away from sin, and how they reveal the sins you need to confess before your neighbor and before God.    Confess these sins, then look to the cross and see how your Father in heaven loved you. Man, did He love you. He sent His only Son to die for you, to forgive you, and to enable you to forgive one another.   And finally, you’ve heard it a million times, and you’ll hear it another million. But as you walk past the font, remember your baptism—recall that you have died to sin and risen to new life in Christ. Then live as a new creation, putting away sin and reconciling with your neighbors—because that is what it means to be a Christian. To be Christlike. +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 Fifth Sunday after Trinity | Luke 5:1-11 | The Pursuit of Happiness

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity July 5, 2026 Luke 5:1-11   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.   Yesterday, the country paused for fireworks, picnics, and celebrations. But why? It was our nation's Independence Day. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, some 250 years ago in 1776, a document few continue to read, but many will quote these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”   So, you are promised an existence. The right to life – being alive. And you have the right to liberty, meaning you are free. But you are also given the pursuit of happiness.   Well, what does this mean?   Is the pursuit of happiness a state of being, or does the word “pursuit” mean chasing after or seeking happiness? If you ask most people today, they would say the pursuit of happiness is an effort that citizens chase. Like being an overcomer or a rags-to-riches story achieved through hard work, grit, and determination. This is how most of the world thinks and operates.    In the Gospel, there were no riches for Peter, no abundant catch of fish. What he did have in his possession were empty nets to be cleaned. Cleaning the nets would not be enjoyable; it would be downright laborious and tidiest work, yet this fishing crew worked hard with no bounty to show for it. Their pursuit of food and happiness led to the deep darkness of disappointment.   The deep darkness of disappointment remains a challenge for you as well. While you desire joy and happiness and work hard for it, you often find yourself unsatisfied in life. You grumble when others receive promotions you have worked so hard for. You are distraught over the happiness shown by other families, while you simply strive to hold onto the family you have. You grow depressed as sin enslaves you through secret addictions of the heart. Life isn't fair, and you are not always joyful.    You have developed a lack of satisfaction with your labors and vocations because they do not yield the fruit you desire or the profits you expect. Yet, you are reminded through the interactions of Peter and Jesus how all things come from God's hand, even our freedom.   Solomon was the author of Psalm 127, a Psalm that speaks to the reality that the foundation of all your labors is God the Father. Solomon writes, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (V. 1) Your protection and care are derived from the presence of God. The wisdom of God's Word is the foundation of your homes and the labors we undertake.   But the world is fallen, unsatisfied, and anxious. Solomon writes again, “It is in vain that you rise early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:2) The bread of anxious toil is the result of man’s fall into sin and recalls the Words God spoke to Adam in the garden after the fall, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.” (Genesis 3:19)   No longer would labor be enjoyable, but thorns and thistles would fill the earth and hamper the pursuits of man. They would remind man of their dependence upon their Father in heaven and bring us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”   These are the words Jesus is teaching Peter and the rest of his crew. Our daily bread and the needs for life, family, and country all come through His gracious hand. In the miraculous catch, Jesus reveals His authority over heaven and earth. He shows Himself as the God-Man.   Peter’s confession then is our confession – “Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.” It’s a confession of awareness, unworthiness, and sinfulness. But, Peter was wrong in one aspect when he said, “Depart from me.” In reality, he should have said, "Lord, come to me because I am a sinful man."   To you as to Peter, Christ says, “Do not fear.” Do not fear because, through His death and resurrection, your confession of sin is met with an announcement of absolution and forgiveness.   Through your baptism, you were plunged into the depths and darkness of Christ's death and raised to the glories of new life through His resurrection.    Our English translations always fail to provide a clear understanding of Jesus’ words near the end of the Gospel, as they often say, "Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men." Instead, the correct translation should be, "From now on, you will catch men alive."   To catch men alive takes us back to the beginning of our text, where crowds gathered upon Christ to “hear the Word of God.”   Here is why pastors are sent into the world to proclaim God's Word to you and those who are in despair from the toils and arduous labors of life. To proclaim forgiveness in Christ's name so that you are no longer slaves to sin but to Christ Himself.   It’s through the Word of God that you seek to hear this day; you are brought into the boat, the ark of the Church, to be kept safe throughout the deep and dark days of this life. You are no longer dead but made alive.   Alive and able to stand beside your neighbor who received a promotion before you with joy, support, and love for them. Or by having the Word of God upon your lips—speak it with gentleness so it may bring calm and peace to a family tired and frayed. Or if it is you who has been pursued by addiction, see the image of Peter this day and join in His Confession - "Lord, come to me because I am a sinful man."   Our pursuits of happiness are often met with tears and disappointment, but one who seeks the Word of God is led to the giver of every good and needful thing.   Seek Christ this day. Permit Him to be the builder of your home and the foundation for your labors in this life, the keeper of the nations. Hold onto the truth of His Word so that it will guide and keep you in the one true faith and bring us into the eternal joys of heaven. +INJ+   The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.   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 Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul | Matthew 16:13-19 | Being Lead to Christ through the Saints

The Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul June 29, 2026 Matthew 16:13-19   +INJ+   As we celebrate the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, maybe you are wondering, why?   Why would we observe this date in the Church’s calendar? Do we need to? No.   Is observing this day worthwhile? Absolutely.   But why?   Well, if you were to open your hymnals to the roman numeral page xii, you’d read, Our churches teach that the remembrance of the saints is to be commended in order that we may imitate their faith and good works according to our calling. (Augsburg Confession 21)   These words come from the Augsburg Confession, the main document of the Reformation I mentioned last week, and, as you can see, this short statement explains three reasons why we should remember the saints, such as St. Peter and St. Paul.  First, to thank God for giving faithful servants to His Church. Second, through such remembrance, our faith is strengthened as we see the mercy that God extended to His saints of old. Third, these saints are examples by which we may imitate both their faith and their holy living according to our calling in life.   But pastor, that’s Catholic.   Again, what I just read is from the foundational documents of the Lutheran Church, dating back to the Reformation.   So, let me ask you this: how many of you have the date a loved one who died marked on your calendar? How many of you have these dates programmed into your digital calendars to remind you annually, this is the day my mother, father, sister, brother, husband, or wife died?    Honestly, many of us don’t need reminders; we just recognize these dreaded dates when they come around each year. But what do you do when these anniversaries of your loved one’s death draw near?   Do you tell stories? Do you find yourself talking to a loved one as if they’re still sitting across from you? Does the smell of food or the taste of drink bring you back to a specific moment in time, a cherished memory?   These situations happen to all of us, and when they do, they become opportunities to reminisce and thank God for placing faithful Christians in His Church and in our lives. To remember through these memories the many ways God extended His mercy and love to these dear saints in our lives, even through trials and tribulations. Or finally, to see the lives of the saints who now dwell in heavenly glory as examples for us to follow as we journey through life as husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends.    You see, in many different ways, you are already remembering the saints in your lives as you remember those you love and who are now with Jesus.    So why is this different for the Church today? Why wouldn’t we remember the saints of old, those whose names are written in the Scriptures? Those whom we can certainly relate to, such as St. Peter and St. Paul?   St. Peter, the one who said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” only to deny Jesus when times became difficult. (Matthew 16:16)   Haven’t you denied Jesus with your words and heart when you deny your faith in front of others, such as when you're asked if you go to church or believe in Jesus Christ?    What about St. Paul, who persecuted Christians and is believed to have hurled stones at St. Stephen as he was dying.    Haven’t you persecuted others for their faith? Maybe you’ve mocked each other's beliefs or used your words as weapons against someone because of how they pray or confess their Christian faith.   Still, even while St. Peter and St. Paul had their immense failings, they also heard the voice of Jesus, followed Him, confessed their sins of denial and persecution to Him, and received the forgiveness Jesus won for them and for you upon the cross.   These men are examples for all of us.   No, we shouldn’t follow their example of godlessness, but rather their faithfulness. We should be encouraged in our faith by seeing how Jesus extended His mercy and forgiveness to such sinners. We should imitate the faith, holy living, and zeal with which St. Peter and St. Paul went on to preach and proclaim their faith in Jesus to the four corners of the world.    But do we?   Probably not as we ought. We’re a timid people. We often don’t believe other people share in our experiences. We don’t see our lives in other people.   But this is exactly why we should remember days like today, why we ought to see our lives in St. Peter and St. Paul, just as we see our lives in our sainted fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and friends.   All of God’s saints are precious gifts for us, meant to be remembered.   Why, because their lives all point us to Jesus.   So, let me ask you this: Is it wrong to be directed through the lives of others to Jesus?   No, not at all.   Instead, it’s a good reminder that we should not only be thankful for the lives of the faithful but also pray that we too would be so faithful as to be brought into the eternal presence of God when our last day on earth arrives.   As the feasts and festivals of saints appear in the church calendar, we should observe them because they continue to tell the story of Jesus and how He uses His children on earth for the good of His kingdom. When the anniversary of a loved one’s death appears on the calendar, you should also remember them for the faith God granted them and the way their life continues to point you to Christ and His cross.   Because in the end, this is what we all desire: to die a saint. A holy child of God.   As the Psalmist wrote, Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)   +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 Third Sunday after Trinity | Luke 15:1-10 | Missing the Mark

Trinity 3 June 20, 2021 Luke 15:1-10   This past week, I was at Fort McCoy for a promotion ceremony, and it reminded me of the days I traveled to the base for military training.   One of the basic skills a soldier must learn early in their military training is land navigation. Technology is great, but if you can't find your way with a compass and a map, you might be in serious trouble when the batteries die or GPS goes dark.    Almost every school I’ve attended for my military career has included a land navigation course. It always pained me to see a fellow student just one degree off the mark and fail to find their way to the target destination. You see, being just one degree off with your compass is all it takes to lead you astray and off course. The 1 in 60 rule states that for every degree you are off course, you will miss your target or destination by a mile to the east or west for every 60 miles traveled. That's not good and shows how quickly someone can get lost.   Sin affects us in similar ways. To sin is to miss the mark. It's to miss the target or destination you are meant to reach. It means not acting according to the commandments or living in accordance with God's will.   When someone misses the mark or sins, they begin to drift away from their Father in heaven. It may be a small sin, or it may be the complete denial of wrongdoing. Still, when this happens, the Christian starts wandering away from the Church, becoming lost, much like a soldier or sheep in the wilderness of life.    Today, the Gospel begins by saying the “tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus].” This builds on the end of the previous chapter, when Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” So, who comes to listen to Jesus? It’s, as you heard in last week’s Gospel, “the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.” (14:21).   So, it's you and everyone else who suffers from the original sin of Adam and Eve. Still, the Pharisees and the scribes are recorded as grumbling that “this Man” would receive these sinners.    Hearing the grumbling, Jesus turns and tells the Pharisees and Scribes the parable of the lost sheep.   Hear how He speaks to the Pharisees and Scribes: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” (v.14)   In our world and in the Church, we might be tempted to view the problem mathematically and say, they only lost one of one hundred sheep - not too bad, that’s a 99% success rate. But the shepherd in the parable still departs - in search of the one sheep, going against our instincts and measures of success to bring the lost one home.    One must be careful to notice throughout the dialogue that Jesus is speaking directly to the Scribes and Pharisees. He is saying to them, “It is you who have lost the sheep.” Now, He is calling on them to hear His words and imitate His love toward sinners—those who have wandered away from the God of Israel.   This coming Thursday (June 25th), the Lutheran Church observes the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession. In essence, the Augsburg Confession is the main and foundational document of the Lutheran Church. Among the articles presented about 496 years ago are Articles Four on justification and Five on the office of Holy Ministry. Justification is the truth and teaching that our forgiveness rests solely on the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and nothing else. The ministry or the preaching office is based on the command of Christ Jesus Himself to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments as He has established for His Church on earth.    An interesting nuance in the layout of the articles of the Augsburg Confession is that they always begin with, "Our churches teach that…," except in one place, between articles four and five. Article five starts by saying, "So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted." Why the change? Because of the establishment of the office of Holy Ministry, the office of shepherding God's flock was created to administer justification (the forgiveness) to God’s people. The two articles are closely connected.    What does any of this have to do with the Gospel today? The Pharisees cared more about their own wellbeing than for their neighbors or the people they were leading. They were not journeying, seeking, rescuing, or restoring the lost sheep of Israel. Instead, they were grumbling that Jesus would accept sinners.   But Jesus does accept sinners, “the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind,” you and me. And for our justification, the forgiveness of sins, He died on the cross and now sends His under-shepherds (the pastors) to care for you by administering the sacraments and preaching His Word of law that should lead you to repentance, but then, announces the joyful news of absolution to you.    Over the years, as I have raised my children, I often reflect on how I have taught them to confess their sins and receive forgiveness immediately. Parents don’t allow time to pass after a child's transgression; instead, repentance and forgiveness are swift and decisive. This pattern we promote in children is beneficial, and it aligns with the Proverb, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old, he will not depart from it.    Sadly, as we grow older, we become absorbed in the politics and happenings of our careers and lives, missing the mark through our transgressions against neighbors and before God. Consequently, we rarely practice the immediacy of repentance and absolution that we have so lovingly instilled in children, or that we had implanted in our hearts and ears when we were young.   Instead, as we become aware of our words that slander and harm, or our desires to scheme and manipulate behind the backs of neighbors or co-workers, we should confess and repent immediately. Unfortunately, the longer we delay confession, the more our hearts grow callous, and we drift further away from the flock of God’s true Church.    We all know it doesn't take much to miss the mark; a small mistake can send you far off course (like missing an offramp and having to drive another 20 minutes to find the next one). But, for the Christian, for you, missing the mark separates you from Christ Jesus and His Church – the flock you were all baptized into with the same water and the same Word.    Being an under-shepherd of Christ Jesus is both a challenge and a joy. As a pastor, it involves entering the uncomfortable wilderness of this life and world to call wandering and lost sheep back home.    But, do you know what brings me comfort? It's not my Word that seeks you, but the Words of Christ Jesus, our Great Shepherd.   It is His death and life that unite us. It is His Word that calls us. It is Him who restores and justifies you. All this is cause for rejoicing—because your heavenly Father sent His only begotten Son into this world and wilderness to restore you and bring you with your brothers and sisters in Christ into the eternal joy of heaven.   Let us put aside the old Adam and repent before God the Father. Let us consider our brothers and sisters in Christ as members of the same body, quickly reconciling with one another. Then, let us rejoice together and with heaven over the Good News we have heard – words spoken by the pastor to affirm and ensure you are safely brought into the eternal presence of your heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. +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 Second Sunday after Trinity | Proverbs 9:1-10 & Luke 14:15-24 | Scripture is Always Leading to the Feast

The Second Sunday after Trinity June 14, 2026 Proverbs 9:1-10 & Luke 14:15-24   The first reading this morning came from the book of Proverbs. In many ways, the book of Proverbs can be difficult to understand. A reason for this is that a proverb often requires the reader to meditate on it to grasp its deep meaning and truth.    You see, proverbs are usually short sayings that express deep, universal truths regarding life.   So how might one begin to understand this proverb?   Well, throughout the generations, the Church has confessed that Scripture interprets Scripture. Meaning, the key to understanding a verse, passage, or book of the Bible often resides in another verse, passage, or book of the Bible.   Alright, so how are we to understand this morning’s Old Testament reading from the Book of Proverbs? By using today’s Gospel reading.   The reading from Proverbs began, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars.”   To begin, what has Proverbs already said about wisdom? For this, we go to the concluding verse today, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”   This fear that produces wisdom is nothing other than the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods.”   What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.   So, who builds the house? It is God who constructs the house of wisdom and knowledge. The seven pillars symbolize the house, and the Lord’s tabernacle built by Moses and Solomon, the place where God came to be with His people, Israel.   In the second verse, the Proverb says, “She (Wisdom) has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.”   In other words, the meal has been prepared for the guests.   And here, you should hear the words of today’s Gospel as Jesus said, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.”   Both the Old Testament reading and the Gospel begin with the preparation of a great banquet, as if they are mirroring one another.   Just as Jesus said, many were invited, and the servants went out to tell those who were invited to come to the feast, the Proverb said,             She (Wisdom) has sent out her young women to call                         from the highest places in the town,             “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”                         To him who lacks sense she says,             “Come, eat of my bread                         and drink of the wine I have mixed.             Leave your simple ways, and live,                         and walk in the way of insight.”   It’s interesting that in the original Hebrew, the word for “Whoever is simple” is “Gullible.” So, “Whoever is gullible, let him turn in here! To him who lacks sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.’”   Being “gullible” or “lacking sense” in this case means being foolish or vulnerable to deception.    In a way, these people sound like those who were invited to the same banquet Jesus was speaking about in the Gospel, when the servant said, “Come, for everything is now ready.”   The first person responded to the servant, saying, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.”   Or the second guest who said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.”   Or even the third who responded, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”   The things that are causing those who have been invited to the feast to be vulnerable or fall for deception are the things of this world, the people and things of this life.   Take a moment and consider for yourself how you have been gullible, how you’ve permitted yourself to be led to lack sense, the ways you have not heard the call of God, the call of Wisdom to come to the house and temple of God, where He has prepared a banquet for you.   Have you been gullible to the voice of the world, have you acted without sense like those who have been invited to the great banquet that has been prepared?   Surely you have, as the Psalmist wrote, you were conceived and born in sin. (Psalm 51:5)   For this, you must repent, hear God’s call, and return. But if a servant of God approaches you, often a pastor or sometimes a brother or sister in Christ, to invite you or a loved one back to the banquet of God, how do you think this conversation usually unfolds? What do you believe a person’s demeanor and attitude are during such an exchange?    Well, this depends on the Christian’s maturity in the Christian faith.   And I believe this story plays out with these verses from the Proverb,             Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,                         and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.             Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;                         reprove a wise man, and he will love you.   A person who gets distracted by worldly things and falls in love with them will react defensively when invited to turn away from their sin; they will respond to God’s servant with spite, ignoring the love and care with which the servant of Christ has been sent to them.   However, the wise man, the one who truly has faith, will receive the servant of the Lord’s words with love and charity. They will return to the banquet and begin to walk the road of godly wisdom and understanding, the way of faith in Jesus Christ and eternal life.    Which is, after all, where both of these readings today are leading us—like last week—to the division of eternal separation from God and the eternal presence of God.    For those who do not heed the call of God to be in His house, the source of wisdom and life, they will be left in the pits of Hades and never taste the banquet of heaven, while those who heed the call will receive eternal life.    Now, fast-forward to today, these truths remain difficult for us because some of those who ignore God’s call, who have become gullible and lacking sense, are our friends, family members, and members of the Church.   We desire our friends, family, and every individual who has their name on the church’s rolls to not only gather with us around this altar to receive a taste of the heavenly banquet, but we desire them to be with us eternally.   But when they cease to hear God’s word or His invitation, we must do a difficult thing; it’s difficult because we’re human and always wanting to fix things. We must entrust these people to God and pray for the Holy Spirit to work faith within them.   This serves as a good reminder that none of this is our work, but it is God who sends out the messengers with His Word and creates faith.   Alright, so what should we learn from these readings today?   First, we must study the Scriptures; we need to read them daily because Scripture interprets Scripture. When someone begins to understand the Scriptures, they start to grasp and interpret the more difficult parts and see the many connections, as in our reading from the Old Testament and the Gospel today.    But also, through the study of God’s Word, you are equipped to be God’s messengers, to carry His Word into your daily lives and invite your friends, family, and delinquent members of the Church to return to His holy house, built with and through His Word.   Secondly, if a friend, family member, or church member ignores God’s invitation to the feast, remember that this city, country, and world are filled with poor, crippled, blind, and lame people who need God’s word and invitation. Often, these individuals are hidden in plain sight; they are right in front of you, concealing their struggles behind a mask to appear strong, but, like you, they need help.   So why not invite them to join us here, to hear God’s invitation, to gather around His altar as cripples and beggars, in need of His wisdom and healing?   Ultimately, this is the point of the Proverb: God has prepared a feast for everyone to enjoy, inviting you and all willing to come and receive, especially those who are sinful and in need. However, one must humbly accept this invitation with charity and love, turning away from the callings of this world, because you will only grow in wisdom and faith and receive forgiveness and eternal life when you gather around the Wisdom of the Lord.    And while the world may ridicule or reject you for this faith as heard in our readings today, don’t forget that God’s wisdom doesn’t always appear in the same ways as earthly wisdom, for St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)   The cross of Jesus is the power of God; it’s where Jesus secured salvation for you, taking upon Himself the sins that have made you poor, crippled, and lame. The cross is where forgiveness and eternal life are obtained for you. The cross is the lens that reveals the Scriptures to you, that reveals the Wisdom of God. The cross is the key to understanding your heavenly Father’s great love for you and His desire for you and your neighbor to be gathered into His eternal feast. So, hear His call and invitation, bring the crosses of your life to Him, and be led to the banquet of eternal life. +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/]