Tag Archives: Folly

Correction – Sermon on Proverbs 9:1-10 for the Second Sunday after Trinity

Proverbs 9:1–10

1 Wisdom has built her house; 
she has hewn her seven pillars. 
2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; 
she has also set her table. 
3 She has sent out her young women to call 
from the highest places in the town, 
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” 
To him who lacks sense she says, 
5 “Come, eat of my bread 
and drink of the wine I have mixed. 
6 Leave your simple ways, and live, 
and walk in the way of insight.” 
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, 
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; 
reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; 
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, 
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

What comes to mind when you think of a wise person? Maybe you picture an individual. Some of you see a gray-haired man with a long beard and weathered robe sitting on top of a mountain. Maybe, you think of your grandpa, dad, or a former pastor – not your current one! Maybe, when you think of a wise person, you think of characteristics and qualities. Someone who doesn’t immediately react. Someone who ponders and mulls over possibilities before responding to different questions and situations that arise.

We might think a wise person is someone very put together and successful. Someone who is well off financially and made the right career choices and investments. We build up this wise person into someone who never makes mistakes. Here’s where we need our first correction because a person who never makes mistakes is not a wise person – that’s a perfect person. Wisdom does not mean a person is always right – not even close. Instead, a wise person is someone who is good at being wrong. And what I mean by that is that a wise person is someone who listens to correction. A wise person is someone who knows they don’t know everything and is willing to be learn from their mistakes and from the experience of others.

Our text says, “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” (Pro. 9:7-8a). When we hear those lines, we might think that is advice to keep us from wasting our time and correcting someone who won’t take correction. In other words, we interpret that as a way to disdain others. “I pointed out his mistakes and how he was wrong, but he didn’t like it and lashed out at me. He must be a wicked scoffer because he didn’t listen to the wisdom I tried to give him.”

There is truth to that interpretation, but I don’t think that is how we should understand those verses. Instead, the Holy Spirit would correct us and have us understand those verses a diagnostic tool on ourselves when we are corrected. In other words, when someone corrects or reproves you, how do you respond? Do you lash out at that person? Do you offer up all sorts of excuses to defend your actions? Do you hate it when people correct you? If you do, you are the wicked scoffer.

Here’s why we should take it that way. Look again at what comes right after those verses, “Reprove,” same word used above, “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning” (Pro. 9:8b-9) A person who is truly wise welcomes correction when he is wrong. A wise person knows he doesn’t know everything and is willing to keep learning more and more. A wise person is even willing to be rebuked, “You messed up here.”

Now, receiving that kind of reproof and rebuke isn’t fun. No one likes being corrected. We all resist admitting that we made a mistake, sinned, or failed. But after the sting of being corrected wears off, we should step back, reflect, repent, and learn from those mistakes and sins so we can do better in the future. When we do that, we can be actually grateful for the person who rebuked us because that person has had a hand in making us better, smarter, and wiser.

That is the path of wisdom: Humbly receiving correction and rebuke. Pondering advice and reproof. And implementing changes to improve and progress toward being a better, more complete person.

Now, all of this is surface level stuff and is true for everything. It’s true for how to be a boss and manage employees; how to treat a patient; how to keep track of your finances; how to dribble a basketball; and how to sweep a floor, wash the dishes, and mow a lawn. Even the most experienced person can be corrected and improve at those tasks. Recognizing that other people have good advice and insight to make us better at those things is to be wise. The thing about that is that you could hear a lecture about this kind of thing from a TED talk, a self-improvement lecture, or a motivational speech. But this is a sermon, so let’s take this further.

First and most obviously, we need to take correction, instruction, and reproof from the Scriptures. What the Bible calls a sin is sin. When you do what God has forbidden or failed to do what God demands, recognize that as the sin that it is. When you are reading the Scriptures and realize that you need to repent, well, repent.

Remember how Adam, after he had eaten the forbidden fruit, had his eyes opened to realize his nakedness and shame. Then, Adam heard the sound of God walking in the Garden and tried to hide from God (Gen. 3:8). But God wasn’t coming to destroy Adam; He was coming to give Adam chance after chance to repent. I’ve taught this so often that you might be tired of hearing it, but we all need to hear this repeatedly.

When God calls out to Adam, “Where are you?” He is giving Adam an opportunity to repent. When God asks, “Who told you were naked? Did you eat from the tree I commanded you not to eat?” God is giving Adam a second and third opportunity to repent. Adam does finally admit his sin, but when he does, he blames God, “The woman whom You gave me, she gave me the fruit and I ate” (Gen. 3:9-12). Even though Adam barely admits his sin and even accuses God for his transgression, God still responds in mercy promising to send the Seed of the Woman who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15).

Let me be clear, this doesn’t mean you should be like Adam. Instead, learn from his example and do better than he did. When the God says, “You are a sinner,” say, “Yes. I’m a sinner. I need Your forgiveness.” And know that God is a better forgiver than you are a sinner.

Secondly, learn from the example of the people in Scripture when they sin and are reproved. In 1 Cor. 10:1-12, Paul talks about all the things God had done for His people when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt, baptizing them as they passed through the Red Sea, and nourishing their bodies with food and water. But they still sinned. They made the golden calf, they repeatedly grumbled, and rebelled. They were judged, bitten by poisonous serpents, and destroyed by their enemies. Paul’s conclusion to all of that is, “These things happened to them as an example, but they were written for our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11; Ro. 15:4).

Wisdom includes learning from their experiences. So, know your Bible. Learn from Abraham’s folly in trying to make God’s promises come early (Gen. 16). Be instructed by sinners like David and Peter who repented of their great sin and failures and were restored. One of the reasons Scripture records the failures of the heroes of the faith is so we would not fail, fall, and sin in the ways they did. Another reason is so we can see how God extends His abounding mercy to them, even in the midst of their failures.

Where do we get this wisdom? Our text tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Here is where we need another correction. Fear comes up a lot in Scripture, but is fear a good thing or a bad thing? In many places in Scripture, fear is the thing from which Christ came to rescue us. “Fear not,” is the most common command in the Bible. You heard it in last week’s Epistle reading, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 Jn. 4:18). Yet at the same time, Scripture says about God, “With You there is forgiveness that you may be feared” (Ps. 130:4). The Bible calls us to fear, and strangely we are to fear God. This can leave us confused. On one hand, we are told Jesus frees us from fear. And on the other hand, we are told to fear God. Why would God want us to fear Him?

There are two types of fear in Scripture. One is a sinful fear that runs away from God like Adam did. James talks about that kind of fear when he says that the demons believe in God and shudder (Jam. 2:19). But the right fear of God is completely different. This right fear of God is not being afraid of God. The right fear of God is spoken of in Isaiah 8:12-14 which says, “Do not call conspiracy what this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, Him you shall honor as holy. Let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He will become a sanctuary.”

A right understanding of the fear and love of God that Scripture talks about recognizes the two are not opposites. It’s not like the fear of the Lord is cold water that extinguishes your love for Him. No. When you fear the One who gives you His mercy, grace, and forgiveness, you are corrected and realize that there is nothing left to be afraid of. He is in control of all the other things that might cause you fear. When you rightly fear the Lord of hosts, then you will not fear what others fear because He can and will deliver you from whatever other dreadful things might come your way. Again, with your God there is forgiveness, that He may be feared (Ps. 130:4).

Finally, dear saints, God, who is Wisdom itself, calls you to come to His feast. We might think such a banquet is only for the wise and that we have to attain wisdom on our own before attending this feast. But if that is what you think, you need one more correction. God, who is Wisdom itself, calls and invites you who are simple and lack sense. God calls all of us simpletons, “Come, eat of My bread and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and live, and walk in the way of insight.” Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Roadblock – Sermon on Proverbs 4:10-23 for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

Proverbs 4:10–23

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, 
that the years of your life may be many. 
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; 
I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble. 
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; 
guard her, for she is your life. 
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, 
and do not walk in the way of the evil. 
15 Avoid it; do not go on it; 
turn away from it and pass on. 
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; 
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness 
and drink the wine of violence. 
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, 
which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; 
they do not know over what they stumble. 

20 My son, be attentive to my words; 
incline your ear to my sayings. 
21 Let them not escape from your sight; 
keep them within your heart. 
22 For they are life to those who find them, 
and healing to all their flesh. 
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, 
for from it flow the springs of life.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

In 2019, the AFLC’s Annual Conference was held near Scranton, PA. To save our congregations a bit of money, four other pastors and I decided to travel together. We rented a vehicle in Minneapolis which ended up being a brand new, black GMC Yukon with tinted windows and all the bells and whistles. Our first day of travel together was from Minneapolis to a hotel in Toledo, OH which is just under 700 miles and would take about 10 hours. We had Google Maps plot our course to avoid toll roads, made our way through Wisconsin, and started to enter the Chicago metro. As we got deeper into Chicago, Google kindly told us that our current course had congested traffic and that there was an alternate route which would save us 45 minutes. That’s what you call a no brainer. Reroute.

We got off the freeway and quickly found ourselves driving through the neighborhoods of Chicago. Sure, there were stoplights and stop signs, but we kept moving. Now, one of the other pastors had grown up near Chicago, but he had been asleep in the third-row seat when we decided to reroute. I’m not exactly sure what woke him up, but he looked out the window and asked, “Where are we?” We told him that we were still in Chicago and that we had left the freeway to avoid traffic. He looked at a couple of street signs and said in the most serious voice I had ever heard him use. “We need to get out of here. Now!”

We had been redirected to the south side of Chicago, not only that, but a neighborhood notorious for stray bullets and carjackings. Apparently, Google Maps can help you avoid tolls and traffic jams, but it isn’t able to assist five, slightly overweight, mostly Scandinavian pastors avoid being robbed at gunpoint. We did make it out safely with the rented Yukon.

The point is this: it is easy to quickly and unintentionally end up on the wrong path. For us five pastors, the address of our destination didn’t even change, but we were deeply down the wrong path.

Now, there is a temptation for us to hear about the two paths described in these verses and lull ourselves into a false sense of security. We can wrongly think, “I’ve been taught the Bible which is the Word of Life. I’m not overly influenced by all that bad stuff ‘out there.’ I’ll just set the cruise control on my mostly moral life, make sure the lane departure warning system is enabled so I keep being virtuous, and everything will be just fine and dandy.”

Dear saints, beware of that attitude sneaking up on you because when it does, you are already several steps down the dark path of wickedness. The fork in the road between the path of life and the path of the wicked isn’t just ‘out there’ and clearly marked with signs. No. The exit down road of evil is always in the heart of each of us sinners and you can start down it without realizing that your destination has changed. Repent.

Go back for just a minute to that picture of the wicked being unable to rest or sleep unless they have done wrong or made someone stumble. If it weren’t so haunting, it would almost be comical. Imagine the wicked getting ready for bed. They put on their pajamas, brush their teeth, go to the bathroom, fluff their pillow, snuggle up under the covers, but toss and turn because they realize they haven’t gotten someone else to sin. It sounds so ridiculous, but, if you’re honest, you’ve probably experienced that restlessness and sleeplessness when you realize you haven’t caused someone else to stumble.

Stick with me on this. The most natural reaction we sinners have to our sin is, sadly, not to repent, not to get off the dark, evil path of the wicked. Instead, our natural reaction is to recruit other sinners by trying one of two things:

First, we try to recruit other sinners when we play the comparison game. We compare our sin to the sin of others. We search high and low for people who have fallen into sin and think that God will look more kindly on us because there are others who fell harder or further than we did. In our opinion – which, frankly, doesn’t matter – our sin isn’t as grievous as those other people’s. That comparing our sin to the sin of others brings us to a place where we celebrate the sin and downfall of others. We hope to find others stumbling.

But the second way we recruit others to sin is more dangerous and, I think, more common. We recruit other sinners when we try to defend ourselves and make excuses for our sin. When we make excuses for our sin, we are foolishly trying to rig a jury that has no jurisdiction over our case. We figure if we can get enough people to understand why we did that sinful thing, whatever it was, then they will be ‘on our side.’ We lose sleep thinking of ways to convince others that our sin was justified. We want them to make us comfortable with our unrepented sin.

Adam tried to pull this asinine trick when he ate the forbidden fruit. He tried to excuse his sin by convincing God that the reason he ate the fruit was the fault of God Himself. Adam basically says, “Listen God, the only reason I ate the fruit was that this woman, whom You gave to be with me, gave me that fruit. You’re responsible and culpable for my sin” (Gen. 3:12).

When we make excuses for our sin, what we are actually doing is we are trying to get others to fall into their own sin. We want them to lie by calling the evil, sinful thing we did ‘good’ or ‘ok’ or, at least, ‘neutral.’ But Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe,” in other words, ‘damned,’ “are those who call evil good and good evil.” When we try to excuse our sin before others, we are trying to get them to call something evil we have done ‘good.’ Again, repent.

Dear saints, constantly be on the alert for the path of the wicked knowing that you are always inclined to reroute yourself to it. See the roadblock that this passage puts in front of that wicked path. “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on” (v. 14-15). Don’t be like a foolish child and blow through that roadblock.

Dear saints, stay on the righteous path. Hold fast to the Words of Scripture. Notice how the opening verses also call this righteous path the way of wisdom. This wise, righteous path is clear of obstacles. When you walk on this path, you will not be hampered, and if you run (I’m so glad that the text leaves that as optional by saying, ‘if’) if you run on this path, you will not stumble. This path is life – it is full of life, and it grants life.

To follow this path means that when Scripture points out your sin, be wise. Confess that sin. Receive God’s mercy and forgiveness freely given to you because it has been bought and paid for by Jesus’ holy and precious blood. Confess that sin and be filled with Christ’s righteousness.

And know that this path is like the light of dawn. You who are righteous through faith in Christ, you don’t walk in the light of the full day – not yet. But you do walk in the light of the dawn which is always growing brighter and brighter so you see the righteous way more clearly as the day of your Savior’s return draws ever nearer. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Know-It-All Jesus – Sermon on Luke 5:1-11 for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Luke 5:1-11

1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

How many miracles do you see in this text? Obviously, the huge catch of fish is one. Peter, James, and John leaving everything to follow Jesus is probably a second. But some of you might see a third miracle. How often does a man get told to go fishing and doesn’t jump at the opportunity? It’s a miracle!

One thing we need to understand when considering this text is that this is not Jesus and Peter’s first encounter – not even close. Somehow, we have gotten a view of the disciples that they just jump right on the Jesus bandwagon and follow Him wherever He goes from the start. But actually, this is the third time Jesus calls Peter to follow Him. We have to consider the other Gospels to realize this. Back in John 1, John the Baptizer sees Jesus and proclaims Him to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). Peter’s brother, Andrew, had been one of John’s disciples, but after John says this Andrew starts following Jesus. Andrew went and found Peter and said, “We have found the Messiah” (Jn. 1:41), so Peter also started following Jesus. The second call comes at the beginning of Mark’s Gospel where Jesus is walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and says to Andrew and Peter, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk. 1:17).

Now, when we come to this text, we see another different scene. Crowds are pressing in on Jesus to hear Him preach. Jesus asks Peter to help Him get a little space for preaching. (Maybe, this is the precedence for Lutherans sitting in the back rows. Give the preacher enough room to preach!) Peter stops cleaning his nets and puts the boat out a little from the land so Jesus can preach while sitting on the boat and not get trampled by the crowds.

When Jesus’ sermon is over, He tells Peter to grab his freshly cleaned nets, put the boat out into the deep waters, and have a catch. But Peter isn’t too keen on the idea. That previous night of fishing had been frustrating. All his work had led to zero fish, and now this Son of a carpenter is telling him to go out in the middle of the day and have a catch. No! Peter knows fishing. He thinks Jesus should stick to making tables and chairs and preaching. Daytime is not the time to fish, and the deep waters aren’t where you find fish. But Peter relents; he does as Jesus says almost like he is humoring this know-it-all Jesus.

Peter and Andrew row out into the deep, drop the nets, and enclose such a large number of fish that the nets begin to break. Even though this text is just twelve verses, we have to understand that it would have taken a long time of tugging and pulling and grunting to load up their boat with all these fish, and there still isn’t enough room. So, Peter and Andrew signal to their partners, James and John, to bring their boat out into the deep water and fill that second boat up until both boats begin to sink because there are so many fish.

Again, this is clearly a miracle which, you would think, would excite Peter and have him try to sign Jesus to a contract as a full partner in his fishing business. But that isn’t Peter’s reaction. He says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Now, Peter had seen Jesus do miracles before this. We know that Peter had been at the wedding in Cana when Jesus turned water into wine in Jn. 2:1-11. That text tells us that when Peter and the other disciples saw the miracle they believed in Jesus. And, if you look back to Luke 4, you see that Jesus had done several other miracles. It is very possible that Peter was in the synagogue when Jesus cast out a demon (Lk. 4:31-37). After that, Jesus goes to Peter’s house and healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever (Lk. 4:38-39). Peter would have been there for that miracle. It’s likely that Peter was with Jesus later that same evening while Jesus healed all sorts of people who were sick (Lk. 4:40-41). Never after any of those miracles does Peter ask Jesus to leave. So, why does Peter ask Jesus to go away after this catch of fish?

Probably, it is because this miracle is taylor-made to teach Peter that he doesn’t know it all. Sure, Peter is a successful fisherman, but his knowledge and wisdom and expertise has its limits. And Peter is going to have to learn to simply trust Jesus’ word, especially when Peter enters the new vocation that Jesus is about to call him to.

With this miracle, Jesus is teaching Peter something very important about preaching. You might be wondering, “What does a massive catch of fish that nearly sinks two boats have to do with preaching?” Well, you notice at the end of this text Jesus says to Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” In other words, this catch of fish is a set up. It is a preview of what is going to happen when Peter begins his new calling and vocation of preaching the Gospel. From this point forward, Peter is going to learn from Jesus how to be a minister of the Word.

We heard in our Epistle lesson (1 Cor. 1:18-25) that the message that Jesus is going to have Peter preach is called “the word of the cross” and is folly to those who are perishing. That Epistle text goes on to say, “Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.” In other words, this new vocation that Jesus is calling Peter into – catching men with the preaching of the Gospel – it isn’t going to be flashy and impressive. It isn’t going to sound wise and knowledgeable. Instead, it’s going to sound as silly as trying to catch fish at the wrong time of day in the wrong spot when everything you would expect to work will fail. But the results, the results will be unimaginable.

And that’s what we see at Peter’s first opportunity to proclaim the Gospel after Jesus’ resurrection. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches a sermon that isn’t overly profound or insightful or persuasive. He simply preaches Christ crucified and risen, and 3,000 souls are saved (Act. 2:14-41). God worked through His Word on that day of Pentecost to bring in a large catch of men through the net of the Gospel, just as Jesus worked through His Word to Peter here with the catch of fish.

Dear saints, God will continue to work through that the proclamation of that Word. He has promised! While we see our country slide into greater and greater sin and unbelief, we don’t need to start figuring out how to make the Gospel more appealing to people. Again, the message of the Gospel is folly to those who are perishing. The Gospel we preach and believe is that sin separates you from God and is damnable. But God Himself has taken the punishment you deserve, and you get off scot free. And if we try to repackage the Gospel so that it doesn’t sound so foolish, it will cease being the Gospel. As a congregation, we need to do nothing more than to be faithful in proclaiming Christ crucified for sinners, and God will use that net of the Gospel (Mt. 13:47-50) to do His work.

Dear saints, you aren’t called to be like Peter in this text. I know there are a lot of sermons on this account that conclude with a challenge to leave everything behind and follow Christ. And because Peter is a towering figure in the Christian church, a lot of people have the idea that they should do as Peter does here. But honestly, the only thing Peter does in this text that all Christians should emulate is listen to Jesus – even when Jesus seems to be a know-it-all and calls you to do something that seems as ridiculous as fishing at the wrong time in the wrong place. Otherwise, there’s nothing that Peter does in this text for you to mimic.

Honestly, Peter is kind of a mess in this text. Even when he confesses his sin, he is only half right. He recognizes his sinfulness which is good, but then he asks Jesus to depart which is silly. Dear saints, when you recognize your sin, that is when you ask Jesus to come and wash away your sin.

And, no. You aren’t called to be like Peter and leave everything to follow Jesus. It is an amazing thing that Peter does this, but Jesus hasn’t called you to do that. God has put you into particular relationships where He uses you as His hands and feet to minister to the needs of your neighbor. Don’t leave those vocations and relationships. Instead, serve Jesus where you are.

Scripture is clear on this. 1 Corinthians 7:20-24 says, “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)… So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.”

Dear saints, God needs you in the stations and vocations where He has placed you. Jesus knows how He can use you best in the kingdom of God. Jesus knew what He was doing when He placed you into your family, into this congregation, in your job, in your neighborhood. He has placed you there to be a faithful husband, wife, child, employer, worker, and neighbor. You don’t need to leave that in order to serve God more faithfully. God has placed you there to serve Him by serving those neighbors He has given you. Even if you think Jesus has made a mistake by putting you there, just trust that Jesus actually does know it all. And He will use you in the way that He sees fit.

Finally, if you want to see yourself in this text, you are the fish caught up in the net of the Gospel. You have been brought safely into the boat of the holy Christian Church by Jesus who went to the cross and shed His blood so you could be forgiven and saved. And Jesus Your Savior now calls and invites you to come to this altar and receive His Body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.

So, come. Receive. The holy Son of God does know it all, and He is here for you now and forever. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.