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

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
August 16, 2026
Luke 18:9-14
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
C.S. Lewis once wrote in his book Mere Christianity, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
 
This quote brilliantly captures what pride does to the heart of man, how pride leads man to believe he is superior to others, even idolizing himself and making himself into a god. Which of course, distracts one from having faith in the one true God. 
 
Well, the Gospel today is about pride and humility. Jesus teaches a simple lesson through contrasting figures, and if you want to know the meaning of the Gospel, just go to the last verse, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
 
But to begin to understand the entire text, let’s start at the beginning of the Gospel reading as we heard,
 
Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
 
The Gospel began with Jesus telling a parable. A parable is a short, simple story that typically teaches a moral, spiritual, or religious lesson. It uses everyday situations and human characters to explain a deeper, harder-to-understand truth by placing a familiar idea side by side with a new concept.
 
When Jesus tells a parable, He does so to teach truths about the kingdom of heaven.
 
This parable teaches that the holier-than-thou attitudes of the Pharisees won’t lead them to heaven. Instead, their trust in themselves, belief that they are more righteous than anyone else, and despising others will prevent the Pharisee from being brought into heaven. 
 
For the Pharisee, this high view of themselves is how they see the world around them. It’s a worldview that sees others as worse off and, in many ways, is built into who they are, prompting them to look down on others with disregard. 
 
Alright, so who is being compared to the Pharisee in today’s Gospel? Jesus went on to say, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (Luke 18:10)
 
In this verse, Jesus now presents the identities of both men; besides the Pharisee, we have a tax collector. Remember, tax collectors were not seen as good men. They were Jewish men who worked for the Roman Empire and were therefore viewed as traitors. It was often believed they skimmed money from the top for themselves. 
 
But here we are with two men coming to the temple of God. The temple is an important location throughout Scripture. At the beginning of Luke’s gospel, Jesus was brought to the pinnacle of the temple, where Satan tempted Him to throw Himself down. But the temple is also mentioned near the end, when Jesus is crucified. The temple is where God’s presence resides.
 
When Jesus came to the temple in last week’s gospel and cleansed it by throwing out those who treated the place as a den of thieves, He was foreshadowing what was to happen through His crucifixion and resurrection. Not only would the temple now become obsolete, but the kingdom of heaven, of peace, forgiveness, and eternal life, would reside in Him, the true temple of God.
 
So now the question might be, how does one approach and enter the presence of the temple of God?
 
In verses 11-12, the Gospel said,
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’  Luke 18:11-12)
 
Alright, both men have come into the presence of God in the temple, and now we hear the Pharisee’s prayer, which isn’t odd because prayers were often spoken aloud. Speaking prayers aloud can be a good thing, too. This exercise can provide additional focus to your prayers and ensure your mind doesn’t wander during prayers.
 
We don’t pray like this because, for one, we’re afraid others will hear our prayers. We also don’t want people to think we’re weird for praying aloud or in public, so we allow our faith to be completely silenced and just don’t pray at all. 
 
Which is wrong.
 
But back to the Pharisee, he’s praying aloud for all to hear what a good guy he is; maybe he’s trying to impress those around him. The image you see is a man who believes he’s better than others and is an elitist.
 
With all the “I’s” he says, he’s sure happy to not be like the others, and he sure gives thanks to God for himself. What a guy!
 
The Pharisee is very thankful to not be like the extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. He does his good works by fasting twice a week and giving tithes of all he receives.
 
What a guy!
 
It’s almost as if the Pharisee is justifying himself. If this were a court case or trial, he’d be presenting the evidence to the judge and saying, please look at me; look how good a guy I am. 
 
Again, let’s hear the quote from C.S. Lewis, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
 
You can see the pride of the Pharisee’s heart. He has set the stage for everyone to look up to him as he looks down on everyone else. There is no humility or humbleness in the Pharisee’s heart.
 
The contrast between this Pharisee and the tax collector will be clear as we continue hearing the parable from Jesus. He says,
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ (Luke 18:13)
 
What a difference between the two men: the Tax Collector stands far off because he knows how sinful he is, and when one is sinful, they are weighed down with sorrow. Reflect on a situation in your life when you did something to cause harm to a husband or wife, a mother or father, sister or brother. When we sin against those we deeply care for, it’s hard to enter their presence, let alone to confess our sin to them, because of how unworthy we feel.
 
But the recognition of sin should create humility within us, just as it did in the Tax Collector. He can’t even raise his eyes to heaven, just as you cannot raise yours to make contact with those you’ve harmed. You can sympathize with the Tax Collector, can’t you?
 
He also beats his chest, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
 
The beating of the chest was a physical sign of unworthiness and a visible expression of contrition.
 
We don’t use physical expressions of faith as much these days. But physical expressions of contrition and faith are okay. Which of you, as a child, did not bend over in tears when you did something wrong, broke a window while playing baseball, got in a car accident, and went to your parents to ask for forgiveness? We simply don’t always recognize the ways we have expressed our contrition in the past. 
 
If one wished to beat their chest or make the sign of the cross to confess their sin and need for the Savior, that would be most appropriate and acceptable. It is not required, but it is acceptable. My guess is that over the years we’d probably become like the Pharisee, which is ironic, looking down or with difference upon another Christian who came before Jesus beating their chest or making the sign of the cross to express contrition and their need for a Savior.
 
To be sure, the physical actions of the Tax Collector do not save him or earn God’s forgiveness, but they do confess what’s occurring in his heart, namely the desire to be justified and forgiven. 
 
And in the last verse of the Gospel, Jesus says,
 
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
 
The Tax Collector, who approaches the presence of God in humility, goes away forgiven, while the holier-than-thou Pharisee continues to be caught up in the sin of pride.
 
What do we learn from this? Simply coming to the temple of the Lord and confessing sins does not automatically mean you are absolved. No, instead, one must come into the Lord’s presence with humility, as the Tax Collector did, recognizing one’s wretched state and need for a Savior. 
 
One must not look to oneself for salvation, but to Jesus for salvation. Because it was His death upon the cross that won for you justification and redemption.
 
Reflect on this for a moment. Even as Jesus was lifted up on the cross, He did not look down with begrudging eyes as He hung there for the sins of the world; He looked to His Father. He looked up and fulfilled His Father’s will.
 
As you journey throughout the days of the week, catch yourself when you begin to look down upon others, when you begin to believe you are better than someone else, repent of these sins, then come before Jesus, confess your faith in Him, shift your eyes up to His cross, beat your chest, bend a knee, and say with the sinful and wretched Tax Collector, “God, be merciful to be, a sinner!”
 
And having heard the absolution from the pastor, been fed through the flesh and blood of Jesus at this altar, go to your home, forgiven and at peace. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 
 

The Funeral of Stanley Martin Schleusener
August 10, 2026
 
Dear Marilyn, family, friends, brothers, and sisters in Christ Jesus, grace, mercy, and peace be unto you this day.
 
It’s always interesting to sit with members in their homes, you learn so much about them, you hear about their childhoods, their likes and dislikes, the jobs they had, the love they have for a spouse, their children, and grandchildren.
 
You also get to learn about their hobbies. Sometimes the hobbies can stir the most conversation, too. Before meeting Stan, I hadn’t really known anyone who had the hobby of beekeeping, nor did I know much about these pesty insects.
 
But as Stan was homebound for most of the past year or so, we really had a lot of time to visit.
 
Stan enjoyed beekeeping. It was something to see the photo of him standing next to one of his beehives; it looked like the hive was taller than he was, and he was a tall man.  
 
Truth be told, after talking with Stan, I gained a new perspective on bees and began to see their deeper purpose. Like many people, my entire view of bees was shaped by childhood encounters with being stung.
 
It’s like, “What did I do to you, bee?”
 
“Why are these bees always so angry with me?”
 
Of course, maybe the bees weren’t mad at me at all until I started swinging my hands at them.
 
“Get away from me…”
 
Because of Stan’s love of bees, I had to see how often they are mentioned throughout Scripture.
 
Four times.
 
Three of those instances describe how these winged insects became angry (Psalm 118:12), chased after God’s people (Deuteronomy 1:44), served as a symbol of conflict among nations (Isaiah 7:22), and stung. 
 
Only once are bees mentioned in the Scriptures in connection with honey, which is interesting since one of the only reasons we care about bees is the sweet and sticky fluid they make, honey. This occurs in the book of Judges when Samson sees a swarm of bees in the carcass of a lion, and he scoops up some honey to eat. (Judges 14:8-9)
 
Although beekeeping has existed since ancient times, the honey from bees mentioned in the Old Testament was often seen as a sign of good land. But the land of milk and honey also often refers to uncultivated land, an area we might consider wild. This might seem strange at first, but it makes sense because this type of land is suitable for sheep and goats to graze freely and for making milk, while the many flowers attract wild honeybees. 
 
No human hands have gone into these meadows or forests to change their environment.
 
If you look back to the environment of the Garden of Eden before the fall, it had not been altered by human hands either. It was created and brought into existence through the Word of God. It was a perfect meadow in every way. Until man got involved.
 
Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, changing the environment; the very soil of the earth would be cursed, where thorns and thistles would grow, work would be difficult, and there was a promise that all men would return to the ground from which man was first created and eventually return to dust. 
 
However, God would make a new promise to Adam and Eve: a child from their lineage would be born to redeem this fallen world and decaying creation.
 
From this point on, the story of the Old Testament is about Adam and Eve’s children, the children of Israel, being first led into slavery, and then, through the hand of God, being rescued, taught to trust in Him, and being guided to the Promised Land, an uncultivated land flowing with milk and honey. 
 
Yet, this land is not the eternal land of milk and honey; no, that will only come through another child of Adam and Eve.
 
This child, of course, is Jesus.
 
He was born of Mary in the little town of Bethlehem to lead the children of Israel, not to an earthly land of plenteousness, but a heavenly home.  
 
A homeland that is beyond comparing in this world, bought and secured for you through the death of Jesus upon the cross.
 
It’s the pain and suffering of Jesus upon the cross that secured for you a way home to the land of milk and honey.
 
However, your journey, like Stan’s, continues to take place in a fallen creation where thorns and thistles grow both from the earth and from your hearts, impacting relationships that still need tending through the confession of sins and receiving the forgiveness Christ Jesus won for you. 
 
Yet there are still difficult days throughout this life, and we can grow angry and frustrated when we can no longer do the things we once enjoyed. When we lose control. When we have to start relying on others for help. These are difficult situations.
 
Like so many, Stan struggled not being able to mow the lawn, do yard work, or tend the bees. It wouldn’t shock me if it frustrated him from time to time to not be able to do the things he loved.
 
Could your life reflect Stan’s if you lost your freedoms?
 
Might you become as irritable and angry as bees when you lose control? You might be the ones buzzing around others, which of course distracts you from faith and the purpose of the bee (at least the good bees)—to produce sweet nectar that delights the taste buds and reminds you of the sweetness of your eternal home waiting for all of you. 
 
When these days come, the struggle to remain faithful and loving is tested.
 
When you struggle or forget to remain faithful and loving, it’s because you’ve forgotten to confess your Savior, Jesus Christ, who died upon the cross for your sins and the sins of the world.
 
Stan’s Confirmation verse was from the tenth chapter of St. Matthew, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10: 32)
 
When you confess your sins, you confess not only your need for a Savior, but you also confess your Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
Confession is the evidence of what is in the heart.
 
Jesus then promises that for those who make this confession, He will confess them before His Father in heaven on the last day, saying, “This one, this child is mine.”
 
During my recent visits with Stan, we talked about bees more often. He shared how special he felt because both Pastor Thompson and I visited him on the same day. During the last visit, though, he continued to confess his sins, as every Christian is called to do. He wanted to receive Christ’s forgiveness and be ready for His Good Shepherd to lead him through his remaining hours of this valley and shadow of death to where all the faithful dwell with the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)
 
Isn’t it incredible that one of the last things our brother in Christ did was to confess His sins and, in turn, confess his Savior? 
 
In this way, Stan took his Confirmation verse to heart, lived it, and confessed it.
 
That is a gift.
 
One of the last things I learned about regarding beekeeping (actually, this was from Marilyn) was the use of the white suit. It was always peculiar to me that beekeepers wore all white when they dealt with the bees; I never understood it.
 
But I do now (or at least kinda). The white is said to keep the bees calm and prevent them from stinging. The white also helps the keeper spot strays that might be buzzing around. The white suit not only signals that the oddly dressed person is a beekeeper but also reflects their identity. 
 
Likewise, just as the urn is covered with a white pall, it reminds us that Stan was baptized into the name of Jesus. He received the sign of the Holy cross both upon his forehead and his heart to mark him one redeemed by Christ the crucified. Stan was a forgiven child of God, a child now dwelling where the sting of sin has ended.
 
You, my friends, are also God’s baptized children, clothed in the white robes of righteousness. These garments give you peace and prevent you from stinging one another, help you identify the evils of this life that wish to distract and anger you, and reflect who you are in Christ, your identity as a redeemed child of God.
 
As we will journey to the grave to place the urn into the ground, remember who you are in Christ, be at peace, and as we go to the grave, join Stan in singing the song of heavenly joy, confessing your Savior as you also await the day when you will be brought into the heavenly land of milk and honey, of eternal life. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 
 
 

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity
August 4, 2024
Text: Luke 19:41-48
 
Whenever this Gospel is mentioned, I always think it’s important to reflect on the time when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. 
 
Armies had surrounded the city on each side, and the walls were torn down; no stone was left unturned. The inhabitants were slaughtered, crucified, and dismembered as blood filled the streets, and the utter destruction of a civilization was at hand.
 
As food and water grow scarce, daughters turn against their mothers and fathers against their sons. It’s every man, woman, and child for themselves.
 
We live in relative peace compared to the days when Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in A.D. 70 under the Roman General Titus.
 
Despite Jerusalem, literally meaning “City of Peace,” there would be no peace in this place. Even today, not only military, but intense religious friction remains throughout Jerusalem and Israel.
 
Imagine this: over 2000 years ago, Jesus wept for Jerusalem, a city still conflicted, as He entered it to begin His journey to the cross. He wept and said, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:42)
 
Are we different from those who lived in Jerusalem? Do we understand what brings peace?
 
Are we any different from those whom Jesus tossed from the temple?
 
In the Old Testament reading, God came to Jeremiah and said to Judah, “Amend your ways and deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” (Jeremiah 7:3-4)
 
First, when God calls people to amend their ways, He is instructing them to repent and turn away from their sins. But He also lets them know that He can see through their words. Simply saying that this is the temple of the Lord does not make it so; one cannot rely solely on outward appearances or superficial views when it comes to being in the temple of the Lord or being a member of it. 
 
These words from Jeremiah call on the people to abandon superficial faith and grave sins that lack true fear, love, and trust in God; sins that only lead to destruction rather than salvation. 
 
So, what were the sins of Judah? God speaks through Jeremiah,
“Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, and make offerings to other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered! – only to go on doing all these abominations’” (Jeremiah 7:9-10)
 
Things did not change from the days of Jeremiah to the day of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem; the people still “stole, murdered, committed adultery, swore falsely, and made offerings to other gods that they did not know, and then come and then stood before God in His house… and said, ‘We are delivered! – only to go on doing all these abominations.’” (Jeremiah 7:9-10)
 
And here is a serious question for us today: are we any different from those whom Jesus tossed from the temple?
 
You can interpret these words from Jeremiah in a few different ways. First, during the first Holy Week, those in the Jerusalem temple had become corrupted by greed, turning it into a den of thieves. 
 
The second question might hit closer to home for us: Are you stealing, murdering, committing adultery, giving false testimony, worshiping other gods, going to church, saying, “I’m forgiven!” but then leaving and continuing to do all these things without changing your ways?
 
But thirdly, is there a spiritual warfare at play here as well?
 
If the Church is the Bride of Christ, then how does the Bride respond to the love of the Bridegroom?
 
Does the Bride, the Church, allow itself to be filled with greed and focus on making a budget rather than staying faithful to His Word? Does the church become a place of bearing false witness, gossip, and breaking the 8th commandment? Does the Bride allow other gods and teachings to enter the Bridegroom’s sanctuary? In other words, does the church cheat on their Lord and Savior to avoid offending anyone?
 
Over the years, churches have done these things, but in doing so, they have lost God’s true and abiding word.
 
And when the time comes for the Church in these situations to amend her ways and repent of her sins, it remains very difficult because they have turned away and wandered so far from where God’s Word, the food and drink of His altar, is not near or even found. 
 
Just as it was when Jerusalem was ransacked in A.D. 70, when food and water grow scarce, especially the heavenly food and drink, daughters turn against their mothers and fathers against their sons. All one sees is every man, woman, and child for themselves.
 
This remains an image of the Church today when God’s Word is not the center of everything we do as a gathering of God’s saints on earth.
 
The Word of Jesus must gather, strengthen faith, and guide us in all our ways; otherwise, the Church risks becoming a den of thieves, a superficial club of programs and activities, or just another non-profit.  
 
If these things should occur, you can be sure that Jesus still weeps for us and says, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:42)
 
When the church stops focusing on Christ and Him crucified, we become just like Jerusalem that was destroyed.
 
The church’s walls will crumble and collapse on themselves; people will grow frustrated and short-tempered with one another, risking love, community, and eternity, and faithful generations could be lost. 
 
All because of our departure from God’s Word, allowing sin to take root and spread among the people, fostering the belief that the Church endures because of the people.
 
But the Church endures because of its foundation, which is Christ Jesus, who went to the cross and died for His Bridegroom, for you.
 
This is pretty amazing because, despite life’s challenges, changes that sweep through a church, and the gathering of God’s saints, the Church endures because it’s built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word. 
 
The fourth stanza of today’s sermon hymn, The Church’s One Foundation, helps put all of this into perspective for us as well. We sang,
Through toil and tribulation    And tumult of her warShe waits the consummation    Of peace forevermoreTill with the vision glorious    Her longing eyes are blest,And the great Church victorious    Shall be the Church at rest.
                                                ~LSB 644:4
 
Certainly, there will be ups and downs throughout life, and toils and tribulations within the Church. Some may be spiritual, others emotional, some worldly, and still others relational. Yet, everything the Church does aims to lead her people, you, and your brothers and sisters in Christ to become the victorious Church and the Church at rest. 
 
The Church that is at peace.
 
To be this Church, we must sincerely gather, confess our sins, and seek to amend our ways so we can receive God’s absolution and forgiveness. In turn, this allows us to grow in faith and holiness, strengthen the foundations of God’s Church on earth, and teaches us to love not only the Lord with all our heart but also our neighbors as ourselves.
 
Because, in the end, the goal of every Christian is to be brought into the eternal presence of God. For this sanctuary and church to be a reflection and image of the heavenly Jerusalem, the place of eternal peace and rest. 
 
Think about that, this sanctuary and church are to be a reflection and image of the heavenly Jerusalem.
 
This, my friends, should change how we live, how we gather here in this place, how we approach each service, and how we depart into our daily lives.
 
Because the sole purpose of this sanctuary and church is to prepare and lead you to Jesus.
 
So come, gather, and cling to every word of Christ. +INJ+
 
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity
August 2, 2026
Luke 16:1-13
 
This past week, we finished another year of family night. The theme of our Family Nights was stewardship. Coincidentally, the Gospel reading today is called the “Parable of the Unjust Steward.”
 
The purpose of Family Nights this year was to teach children how to be stewards in many areas of daily life, to care for their families through food, home, and resources, while reminding adults where true stewardship begins and comes from.
 
But to accomplish this, we need to understand what stewardship means.
 
The Greek word for steward is “οἰκονόμος.” The root of “οἰκονόμος” is actually two words, “οἶκος,” meaning house, home, or estate, and “νόμος,” which denotes law, rule, and authority. A steward is someone who is given or placed in authority to manage or oversee a home, estate, or even, in modern times, a business. 
 
Another ancient definition of the word, “οἰκονόμος” or “οἰκονόμia,” is economy. Perhaps this is why we often associate stewardship mainly with money, because of how we perceive and understand the word, economy today.
 
Today, we view the economy as a free market where we trade money and stocks, buy food, cars, and homes. Many believe that the economy depends on who is in power, who is leading the government, interest rates, and so on.
 
However, like many things we have come to accept as true, is this the best understanding of the word economy? Has this worldly definition misled us as Christians?
 
How many of you would describe your home as an economy?
 
Yet, in many ways, the home is the foundation of a Christian economy and a Christian understanding of stewardship.
 
Over the past month, we’ve learned that stewardship starts in the Garden of Eden, where God created man in His image, placed Adam in the garden, and trusted him with caring for all living things. God put Adam in the Garden to tend and keep it, making him its steward. 
 
The creation account shows that Adam was not meant to be lazy; he was a worker made in God's image. 
 
Adam’s perfect stewardship ended when he allowed his wife, Eve, to take from the tree they were forbidden to eat from. The devil led them to idolize something that wasn’t theirs to have—the knowledge of good and evil.
 
Like these two in the Garden of Eden, the stewardship of our homes and lives fails when we allow idols to take hold of our hearts.
 
What has turned into an idol in your heart?
 
Sure, we could list money, cars, sports, guns, school activities, clubs, and so on, but there might be a deeper question being asked here…
 
Where has God placed you—the home, church, and your community? What vocations and tasks has God entrusted to you in these settings? 
 
Remember, God created Adam, then placed him in the Garden, and entrusted him with caring for everything within that space and time. 
 
So, where has God placed you, and what has He entrusted to your care in these areas of life?
 
When you reflect on these questions and use these perspectives, you then realize how you have squandered and wasted the master’s goods.
 
Look around your home — sure, you see siding you haven’t repaired and a vehicle that still needs an oil change, but what about the child you’ve committed to and entrusted with raising in the Christian faith? Think about the scriptures you promised to read, the pledge you made to come, confess your sins, and receive the flesh and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of all your sins. 
 
What about these things? God’s Word, His Sacraments, His forgiveness?
 
Have you wasted or misused these gifts?
 
Are you wasting or squandering these gifts by not gathering around them, inviting others, and bringing those within your household to receive them?
 
You know, it’s easy for a church to lose its way, become idolatrous, and squander the gifts entrusted to it. Of course, we want more people to join us. The devil tries to tempt us into comparing ourselves to churches nearby. We complain when budgets aren’t met. We get distracted by small things like the color of the paint on the walls or the carpet on the floor.
 
Meeting the budget, gaining a hundred members a year, being one hundred percent in agreement on paint colors, or having the raddest youth group doesn’t define the church, nor does it, at the most basic level, mean that we are good stewards of the things and people entrusted to our care.
 
No, again, good stewardship starts with the Gospel, the good news of Jesus and the forgiveness of sin.
 
Reflect on Adam and Eve’s fall into sin. They failed in the stewardship entrusted to them, but the Creator also promised to provide a cure for this failure. He promised to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to be born of the flesh, born of Mary, to bear the sins of man, including mismanagement and especially the disregard we have for the relationships and people entrusted to us, upon the cross. 
 
It is through this death on the cross that humanity is redeemed and made new. As St. Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
 
Every time you confess your sins and receive your Father’s forgiveness in heaven, you are made into a new creation and a renewed steward of God. 
 
And this is what the pastor is sent and entrusted with: the stewardship of the Gospel, of announcing the forgiveness of sins to those who confess their transgressions. As St. Paul says, pastors are to be “Stewards of the mysteries of God.” (1 Corinthians 4:1)
 
If this stewardship of grace is lost, then the church is also lost.
 
Alright, so how does the church move forward with this frame of mind and spirit of the heart?
 
We come to understand that we cannot serve two masters; there can only be one, and that is Him, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for you.
 
If you have failed in your stewardship of the things and people entrusted to your care, you need to repent. The Collect of the Day begins and guides us as we pray: “Let Your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Your humble servants.” Humble yourself and confess how you’ve squandered God’s gifts: the people, the community you’ve been placed in, your finances, and possessions that have been entrusted to you.
 
Surely, you’ve all acted like this unjust steward in the parable today, but consider how the Master treated him; the Master was merciful.
 
He is merciful to you as well. He loves you, forgives you, and the amazing thing is that He keeps trusting you with the gifts of His Kingdom, especially the forgiveness of sins. 
 
As you leave here today, remember this and be as merciful to your neighbor as your Lord and Master is merciful to you. See the people in your lives as the gifts they are, given and entrusted to you. See the Church not just as your institution to manage but as the fertile garden where God’s Word can be nourished, care for you, and bring others to faith. Because this is how true stewardship begins, with the word and grace of God planted into your ears and heart.
 
This word and grace then sustain you throughout this life as the Great Steward, prepares you to receive a heavenly reward, prepared by Him through His death and resurrection.
 
This changes everything…
 
So go ahead and be a new creation and image of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Great Steward of man, forgiving, loving, and caring for all those who dwell within your house, church, community, and presence, supporting each other through these dark and latter days as you journey together toward the new heaven and new earth that await us all. +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

Mark 10:35-45
 
 
We all have questions, but are we willing to ask them?
 
What keeps you from asking questions? Are you afraid that the other person might think your question is too simple or silly? Are you worried about how they might respond? What if you already know the answer? Or, of course, maybe the person you’re asking doesn’t know the answer, or doesn’t have the authority or permission to answer your question, or provide what you want.
 
But we all have questions, don’t we?
 
James and John seem to have a straightforward question for Jesus in today’s Gospel: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in glory.”
 
Have you ever noticed that some questions can also appear selfish, cause a stir, or create division among people?
 
The Gospel said the other ten Disciples were not so happy with the question posed by James and John. Why do they get to sit closest to Jesus?
 
But Jesus didn’t respond with matching anger, honestly, he wasn’t rude, He simply said, “You do not know what you are asking.”
 
People often don’t appreciate this type of response.
 
Why don’t they know what they’re asking?
 
For one, because the Passion and death of Jesus are hidden in these words, hidden from their understanding.
 
But also, to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus is not His to give; that rests with His Father.
 
So again, sometimes a person can’t answer a question because they lack the authority and permission to do so.
 
James and John not only asked for something Jesus could not grant, but for something they did not fully comprehend. To sit at His left and right hands.
 
Jesus’ response to these two brothers continued,
“You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
 
These words of Jesus look forward to His cross. The cup symbolizes the wrath and punishment for mankind’s sin. The baptism is that of His blood shed on the cross, His death.
 
In ancient times, the term “baptism of blood” referred to a martyr’s death.
 
Jesus asked James and John, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?” In other words, are you able to suffer my Passion?
 
Or are you able to be baptized with the baptism I am to undergo? “Are you able to die in a similar manner as me?”
 
A death like that of Jesus on the cross.
 
Will you die in my name?
 
All of you said as much in the confession you gave on the day of your confirmation, but remember, martyrdom is not sought; it is received.
 
But what has Jesus taught His disciples about prayer, about petitioning the Father, asking questions, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)
 
Then why won’t Jesus just give these two what they ask for?
 
Because it is important to understand that our questions and prayers are answered according to the Father’s will.
 
Reflect on the words of the Lord’s Prayer as we were taught to pray to the Father, “Thy will be done.”
 
You shouldn’t get discouraged in your prayers; you should always turn to the Lord in prayer, but also understand that His plans are not your plans, and His will is not your will. 
 
If your prayer is asked rightly, in Jesus’ name and according to the Father’s will, you shouldn’t worry that it won’t be answered, because a Christian’s prayer is always not to be led into temptation and to be delivered from the evil one. 
 
This is what your Father in heaven wishes to grant you.
 
The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches us these truths. Remember that He prayed for His Father to remove the cup of wrath, placed upon Him on Calvary, but it wasn’t.
 
Why wasn’t the prayer granted? Because it wasn’t the Father’s will. Because the Father loved the Son. Because the Father loves you.
 
Reflect on that: you undoubtedly asked your parents for many things in life that you didn’t receive, and later on, you might understand why they didn’t give you what you asked for. 
 
The same is true today: the child asks for sugary cereal for breakfast, but the parent gives them oatmeal and fruit. The parent isn’t trying to satisfy the child’s immediate desire but to care for the child’s body and mind, setting them up for a good start to the day. 
 
The petition for breakfast was granted, but not in the way the child wanted. Instead, it was granted in the way that is best. They just won’t understand how this was a good answer to their request until later in life, and when we pray, health concerns caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices are kept at bay. 
 
Asking questions is important. Too often in life, we have simply stopped asking questions. Maybe we’re afraid they won’t be answered, or maybe we’re worried we won’t like the answer, but still, don’t stop asking questions. Keep asking me, your pastor, questions, no matter what, and continue going to the Lord in prayer with your petitions and laments.
 
The answer to your prayer may come immediately, but it might also raise more questions. Your question could be answered with another question. But remember that when you ask your Father in heaven in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, your plea for redemption, no matter how hard it seems, will be answered on the last day as you are welcomed into His eternal presence. 
 
But that’s what makes all of this so hard, isn’t it? Sometimes, even when you know the answer, you still have to wait on the Lord…
 
The question James and John asked Jesus could not be fulfilled at that moment. For one, they didn’t know what they were asking for. Two, Jesus could not grant what they wanted. Additionally, it wasn’t the time. 
 
In a fascinating way, if you look to the cross, you know who was given a place at the right and left hand of Jesus, don’t you?
 
Criminals!
 
Sinners like you. People who ask questions and petition your Father in heaven for help. Questions that sometimes appear to anger and frustrate others. Questions you may even already know the answer to. Questions that reveal your impatience. Questions that demonstrate your faith and great need for help.
 
That’s what a good question does, after all: it reveals humility and dependence on another. It shows that you cannot save yourself and need to be saved. It makes known that you don’t have all the answers, that you are weak, broken, and in need.
 
So do as Jesus says and take the lowest place among your peers, humble yourself, and ask the question, Father, for the sake of Your Son, Jesus, please forgive me all my sins. Bring me into your eternal presence as you brought the thief upon the cross.
 
This is really the question James and John were asking Jesus. They wanted to be in Jesus’ eternal presence. But for St. James, he would drink the cup of suffering and receive the baptism of blood in a martyr’s death for the confession of faith he proclaimed. 
 
Certainly, none of you desire a death such as this, but if you were to ask the question from the Epistle this morning, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35) You’d better be ready, as St. James, the answer to this question may involve tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or even the sword.
 
But like St. James, your confession of faith has also made you conquerors through the cross that awaited Jesus, because the cross is the answer to your prayers, where the Father’s love is revealed for you, even now.
 
How great is this?
 
When questions of your faith arise, look to the cross, see the answer to your prayers, and then pray, “Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.” (Revelation 22:20) +INJ+
 
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
 
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Website: www.goodsheptomah.org
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

 
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
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/

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
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

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
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

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
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/
 

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
The Shepherd’s Voice Podcast: https://goodsheptomah.podbean.com/