Bethlehem Lutheran Church River Grove, IL

In grateful response to God's grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities and the world. 

St. Peter and St. Paul – “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” So confessed St. Peter. And Christ promised to build His Church on it by the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 16:16–19). He does this so we don’t try to build the Church ourselves, on this or that person, or by any human means. Let no one boast in men, whether Paul or Cephas, for all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1 Cor. 3:21–23). The same Lord who worked through Peter’s ministry worked also through Paul’s and is still at work in His Gospel and Sacraments (Gal. 2:7–8). The Church of every age must be recalled to hear the Word of this Gospel—the free forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake apart from the Law—and believe. The Holy Spirit makes no distinction among men, but cleanses hearts by faith alone. So will we be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:7–11). Both were imprisoned (Acts 12:1–11), both wrote Scripture (2 Pet. 3:15–16), both opposed the world—and sometimes each other (Gal. 2:11–16)—but all that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for us.

June 29 is the Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul.  One of the oldest of the festivals commemorating the lives of two saints, it was widely celebrated by the fourth century, but some scholars date it to 258 AD. Some traditions hold that they were both martyred on June 29 in 67 AD. More likely, it was on June 29, 258 AD that their remains were moved to the catacombs which established this feast.  (BTW it is also the 39th anniversary of my ordination at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Joliet.)

This Sunday - THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

1 Kings 19:9b–21

Galatians 5:1, 13–25

Luke 9:51–62

Christ’s Messengers Proclaim His Kingdom

When the prophet Elijah became discouraged and despaired of his life, “the word of the Lord came to him” (1 Kings 19:9b) and stood him “on the mount before the Lord” (1 Kings 19:11). The Lord made Himself known to the prophet — not in the impressive power of gale force winds, or in an earthquake, or in the fire, but in “the sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12). Today God reveals Himself to us through the frail preaching of the Gospel. The Son of Man sends “messengers ahead of him ... to make preparations for him” (Luke 9:52). Putting their hand to that plow of preaching, they “go and proclaim the kingdom of God,” and they do not look back (Luke 9:60, 62). What they preach is not the power of the Law with its “yoke of slavery,” but the power of God unto salvation through the Gospel of forgiveness, by which “Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1).

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and opened the gates of heaven to all who trust in him.

God accepts all who believe in Jesus even though there is no merit or worthiness in us.

So that we might believe in Jesus, God has given us the ministry, which is the preaching of Christ and the

Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Through these, God also gives us the forgiveness of sins.

When God brings people to faith, He also produces many good works in our lives. These are done, not to earn

grace, but to do God’s will and please him. We love him because he first loved us.

God has given every man, woman and child a calling in life. Within that calling He directs us, and through

His Word, strengthens us to live for Him.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. The Bible is free from all error and contradiction in all that it says.

The Word of God brings us to Jesus our Lord.