Pr. DFD

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Proper 7 Series A (Pentecost 4)

Pentecost 4

Jeremiah 20:7–13
Romans 6:12–23
Matthew 10:5a, 21–33

Delivered from Sin and Death, You Now Live before God in the Righteousness of Christ

The outcome of sin is death, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). He has set you free from the slavery of sin and has brought you “from death to life” (Romans 6:13). No longer are you under the condemnation of the Law, but you live “under grace” (Romans 6:14). Such is your courage in the face of “those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28). For though “you will be hated by all,” and maligned by the world for the name of Christ (Matthew 10:22, 25), you abide in the care of your Father in heaven, who numbers “even the hairs of your head” and values you more “than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:30–31). By the Word of Christ, you have become like Him, your Teacher and Master in whom you endure to the end, and “will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, 25). For He is with you “as a dread warrior,” who has overcome your enemies (Jeremiah 20:11). By the righteousness of faith, He delivers your heart, mind, body and life “from the hand of evildoers,” and He brings you into the land of the living (Jeremiah 20:12–13).

Matthew 10:5, 21-33

:5 Τούτους τοὺς δώδεκα ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς παραγγείλας αὐτοῖς λέγων· Εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἀπέλθητε καὶ εἰς πόλιν Σαμαριτῶν μὴ εἰσέλθητε·

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,

21 παραδώσει δὲ ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν εἰς θάνατον καὶ πατὴρ τέκνον, καὶ ἐπαναστήσονται τέκνα ἐπὶ γονεῖς καὶ θανατώσουσιν αὐτούς.

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

22 καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου· ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος οὗτος σωθήσεται.

and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23 ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν [a]ἑτέραν· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.

When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 Οὐκ ἔστιν μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον οὐδὲ δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ.

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant Or [bondservant; ]above his master.

25 ἀρκετὸν τῷ μαθητῇ ἵνα γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ δοῦλος ὡς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐπεκάλεσαν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ.

It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

Have no fear

26 Μὴ οὖν φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν κεκαλυμμένον ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, καὶ κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται.

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

27 ὃ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, εἴπατε ἐν τῷ φωτί· καὶ ὃ εἰς τὸ οὖς ἀκούετε, κηρύξατε ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων.

What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

28 καὶ μὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶμα τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι· φοβεῖσθε δὲ μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [Gehenna]

29 οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

ἀσσαρίου - Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/16 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)

30 ὑμῶν δὲ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς πᾶσαι ἠριθμημέναι εἰσίν.

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 μὴ οὖν [i]φοβεῖσθε· πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε ὑμεῖς.

Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ὁμολογήσει ἐν ἐμοὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ [j]ἐν οὐρανοῖς·

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven

33 ὅστις δ᾽ ἂν ἀρνήσηταί με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀρνήσομαι κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς.

but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

__________________

- Romans 5:6-15 “God Demonstrates His love for us”

Pentecost 3 – Proper 6
Romans 5:6-15
Martini Lutheran Church New Haven, IN
14 June 2026
God Demonstrated His Love for us.

Today is Flag Day. American citizens on this day are encouraged to fly the star-spangled banner. What does the flag stand for? For some, the flag stands for freedom.

For others, the flag reminds us that Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness remain the foundational phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence, adopted two hundred fifty years ago. The American flag may also remind us of the American premise that all men are created equal.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul addresses a predominantly Jewish audience. Jews living in Rome in the 1st Century understood that all men were not created equal.

Instead, those listening to Paul’s letter believed that there were, at any given time, three groupings of men living on planet earth. They believed that humanity was divided into three categories of class.

These three groups were made up of the “righteous ones.” (Tzadikim Nistarim) There were also a few “good men.” (Benim)Finally, living amongst us were “the sinners” or ‘evil ones.’ (Resha’im)

It was these three groups of people living together on this planet: The Righteous Ones, a few good men, and the evil ones.

The “righteous” were in a category all their own. They needed no help. They were already perfect, holy, and pure.

The world was still intact and would not spin out of control because there were, at least a few righteous men on the earth at any given time. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because the Lord could not find ten righteous men living there. (Genesis 18:16–33) Such righteous ones were men such as Abraham, Enoch, Elijah, and Job just to name a few.

Those reading Paul’s letter for the first time were serious concerning their faith. Through a strict following of the law and by holy living they remained ethical, moral, principled, “good men.” Their goal was simple. To be better.

The rest were simply worthless. They were trolls. They were “the dirties” of the world. They were beyond help. They were to be shunned.

These were “the ungodly.” They were “helpless,” “sinners.” Beyond God’s mercy. Stay clear of them, the people were warned. They were to be avoided. At all costs.

So imagine the reaction that must have happened when Paul’s audience heard these remarkable words: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

This turned their moral compass upside down! It literally rocked their world!

So how do you understand words such as love, and grace? Only by knowing Christ’s mercy are you able to show mercy. Again, this is not a natural characteristic of sinful humankind. By God’s grace, every believer not only knows these divine words but also believes them and lives them.

St. Paul explains: "When you were dead in your sins and in the un-circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins." (Colossians 2:13)

Through the message of the gospel God our heavenly Father reveals His love for us.

While we were still sinners, Christ has died for us.

I. WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS,

A. “While we were still sinners…” Paul comes straight to the point. No one can escape the effects of sin that affect all of mankind.

B. Paul explains: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Paul includes himself when he uses the word “we.” Sin also lived in him.

Sin is destructive. It renders us “powerless,” No one can save himself. “Ungodly” describes every sinful thought, word, or deed of every person regardless of status or class.

C. “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.” Remember. The righteous needed no one to take their place, while good men might find a substitute in their place. Yet, “For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:22) Here we find that great exchange, God’s mercy, and love purchased at the cost of His own Son.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Christ, who was sinless, took humanity’s sin upon Himself, so that you would be declared righteous and sinless before God our Father.

II. CHRIST HAS DIED FOR US

A. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

As fallen creatures we are rendered “powerless,” to save ourselves. Christ died not only for sinners but the “ungodly.”

B. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is the Father’s great love for all. “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!” Jesus’ blood cleanses all people from the weight and consequences of sin.

C. “For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” says St. Paul.

Those who were once enemies are now made right (reconciled) with God. When coming to terms with the unpleasant reality that we cannot change our sinful selves the Lord Jesus took matters into his own hands as He bore your sin to the cruel cross on Calvary’s hill.

Isaiah looking well into the future writes: “Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned ever one – to his own way and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of our all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

D. Paul concludes: “We have received reconciliation.” Christ’s forgiveness is full and complete.

“But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Only by the blood of Jesus is there forgiveness. This holy blood of Jesus forgives all sin; not a few, some, or many - but all sin. In this the Savior shows us his great love and care.

E. The LORD speaking through the prophet Isaiah reminds us: “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off; Do not fear, for I am with you, Do not be afraid for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my Victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9b-10)

You need not fear. Your every concern the Lord Jesus takes to Himself. Today, recognized how import Christ’s work on the cross is for you.

He suffered for your sake. And because of that, you can know that Jesus can understand when you go through challenging times and experience difficult days.

If you think you have nothing in life, behold His cross, where you will find the Father’s love for you.

When life seems difficult, turn to the Scriptures, the Lord’s promises will never change.

Whenever you experience pain or regret – hear the Gospel’s promise that Jesus forgives you.

You are restored back to the Father through the work of Jesus the Son on his glorious cross.

To this day the American flag invokes many thoughts and feelings for us as citizens. As for you, Christian, the cross of Christ stands strong while the world spins.

Today believe and rejoice in the freedom you receive from the gospel message Paul proclaim so many years ago – that God our heavenly Father has demonstrated His grace for you – And then live in that freedom which is yours in Christ Jesus your Savior.

Words – 1,435
Passive Sentences –13.2%
Readability – 77%
Reading Level - 5.5

Luther's Seal copyright Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Friday, June 12, 2026

June 13 – Saturday prior to Proper 6

John 3:16-18 – This passage is the inspiration for the hymn “God Loved the World so that He Gave” {LSB 830} Taken from a familiar verse of the Scriptures the Savior explains the motivation the Father had in sending His Son into the world. The purpose of His coming was to redeem and save us.

A new season is upon us. The Christian year consists of two cycles: preparing, celebrating, and then living into our discipleship to Jesus Christ. The first of these is Advent through the Season after Easter. The second is the Season after Pentecost.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He gave your life meaning and worth. For His resurrection announces that your every dissatisfaction with church, school, work, family, life, yourself, it's all buried forever. Instead, you are righteous in God's sight and an inheritor of eternal life.

So that you would hear and believe these glorious new realities which are yours by Jesus' blood and merit, He gathered His church back together again and gave them one command, one singular task, "Preach this Gospel."

The Season after Pentecost begins and ends with what we might call “bookend Sundays.” These Sundays provide the frame for what comes between them.

Trinity Sunday is the first of these. Christ the King, functions as the second.

Trinity Sunday launches us into our life’s vocations after Pentecost with a celebration of the Triune God in whom all our lives and activities are grounded.

Christ the King, this season’s other bookend, point us to our final destination in the culmination of the reign of the one who makes us and all things new. All the readings are related to one another and are focused on the gospel lesson appointed for each Sunday.

Collect for Pentecost 2–O God, whose never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth, put away from us, we entrust you, all hurtful things, and give us those things that are profitable for us; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘Crucifixion’© WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

Thursday, June 11, 2026

June 12 – Friday prior to Proper 6

Psalm 100– This Psalm is suggested for next Sunday. The key verses is verse 3c “We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture” In light of our lessons we rejoice that we have this new found connection with the Savior, a connection caused by the Savior’s amazing grace and favor.

Psalms 93; 95-99 proclaim “The Lord reigns,” Psalm 100 is the thankful doxology. The reader is encourage to proclaim, “O be joyful.” Philip Melanchthon a contemporary of Luther wrote concerning this psalm, “ We are not born by accident, nor do we live…by our own thoughts and powers, but we live with God, who give4s us life and preserves us.”

Psalm 100 is certainly one of the most familiar psalms of the entire book of psalms finishing only second in familiarity to Psalm 23, the shepherd psalm.

The common Doxology (Lutheran Service Book 805) sung to the tune, Old Hundreth, finds its inspiration from this psalm. Forever joined together are the Church’s much loved song of praise and the psalm that calls for such praise. How unfortunate when we fail to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Yet, even then we know He is good. In fact, He gave His Good Shepherd Jesus, to make one day particularly good. We call it Good Friday.

We are the sheep of your hand, O Lord. Fill us with joyful praise as we seek to serve You. Amen

1 All people that on earth do dwell,

sing to the Lord with cheerful voice:

Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell,

come ye before him and rejoice.

2 The Lord ye know is God indeed,

without our aid he did us make;

We are his flock, he doth us feed,

and for his sheep he doth us take.

3 O enter then his gates with praise,

approach with joy his courts unto;

Praise, laud, and bless his Name always,

for it is seemly so to do.

4 For why? the Lord our God is good,

his mercy is for ever sure;

His truth at all times firmly stood,

and shall from age to age endure

Collect for Proper 6 – Almighty, eternal God, in the Word of Your apostles and prophets You have proclaimed to us Your saving will. Grant us faith to believe Your promises that we may receive eternal salvation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

__________________

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

June 11 –Thursday prior to Proper 6

Matthew 9:35-10:8 – Through the ministry of the Word Jesus calls disciples and sends them out to preach.

Jesus calls twelve disciples and sends them out to preach and heal. After teaching, preaching, and healing in various villages and cities, Jesus is impressed by the condition of the people — harassed, helpless, and lost. Their condition moves him to have compassion on them. To meet the need, he appoints the twelve and sends them only to the Jews to preach and heal. As they received the gospel free of charge, they are to give the gospel free of charge.

Jesus’ ministry was a total ministry to the total person. It consisted of teaching, preaching, and healing: a ministry to the mind through teaching, to the heart (soul) through preaching, and to the body through healing. Since we are an inseparable unit of body, mind, and spirit, the church’s ministry today needs to include this threefold ministry.

The Savior said, “As you go, preach this message: ‘the kingdom of heaven is near.’ What they were to say was a simple and yet a direct message: “The kingdom of God is at hand.”

Likewise, for you in whatever station of life you find yourself – simply share Christ. How do you do this? Consider Luther’s explanation to the 2^nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed.

Who – I believe that Jesus Christ, true God begotten of the Father from eternity and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary is my Lord.

What - Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil.

How -Not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.

Why - That I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Jesus as He is risen from the dead lives and reigns to all eternity.

The movement of the Christian is both in and out, coming and going. As you have received the gospel free of charge, give the gospel free of charge to those the Lord has placed in your life.

God, our maker and redeemer, You have made us a new company of priests to bear witness to the gospel. Enable us to be faithful to our calling to make known Your promises to all the world

A Prayer for purity– Almighty God unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, from whom no secrets are hidden, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy name.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

June 10– Wednesday prior to Proper 6

Romans 5:6-15 – Through the cross of Christ God’s love is seen as Christ dies for the sinner. God’s love is seen in Christ’s dying for sinners. It is not likely that anyone would die for a good person. How much less would one die for a bad person?

In his letter to the Romans, Paul addresses a predominantly Jewish audience. Jews living in Rome in the 1^st Century understood life with the thought that there were, at any given time, three groupings of men living on planet earth. They believed that humanity was divided into three categories of class;

Ø There were a few; they were, “The Righteous.” (Tzadikim Nistarim)

Ø Next, came, “Good men.” (Benim)

Ø And finally, there were; ‘The sinners’ or ‘Evil-ones.’ (Resha’im)

The “righteous” were in a category all their own. They needed no help from God. They were already perfect, holy and pure. The world was still intact and would not spin out of control because there were at least a few righteous men on the earth at any given time.

Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed because the Lord could not find any righteous men living there. Such righteous ones were men such as Abraham, Enoch, Elijah, and Job just to name a few.

Those reading Paul’s letter for the first time were very serious concerning their faith. Through ritual, a strict following of the law and by holy living they remained ethical, moral, principled, “good men.” Their goal was simple. Become even better.

The rest were simply good for nothing. They were trolls. They were “the dirties” of the world. They were beyond help. They were to be shunned. They were “the ungodly.” They were “helpless, sinners.” Beyond God’s mercy.

Stay clear of them, the good men were warned. Evil ones were to be avoided. At all costs.

So imagine the reaction that must have happened when Paul’s audience heard these remarkable words.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

This turned their moral compass upside down! It literally rocked their world!

So how do you understand words such as love, mercy, and grace? God’s love for us reveals true love. Only by knowing Christ’s mercy are you able to show mercy. Again, this is not a natural characteristic of sinful humankind. By God’s grace, every believer not only knows these divine words but also believes them and lives them.

"When you were dead in your sins and in the un-circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins." – Colossians 2:13

God reveals His love for us in the person of His Son Jesus. As you have received mercy; be merciful.

“God be merciful to me, a sinner.” – Luke 18:13

Monday, June 8, 2026

June 09 – Tuesday prior to Proper 6

[1]

Exodus 19:2-8 – Through obedience to the covenant the people at Sinai are reminded by the Lord that they are His people. God tells Moses that if the people will keep the covenant, they shall be his people. We do not know who we are until we know whose we are. If we belong to God, we understand who we are — children, sons, and servants of God.

The children of Israel are described as a kingdom of priests. As the consecrated priests would stand between God and his people so the people of Israel would act as priests to the world, set aside by God for service, witness and prayer. Israel would be a priest to all the nations of the world. Today, Jesus perfectly mediates between sinners and God.[2]

Luther said, “Do not despair after sin, but lift your eyes on high to where Christ intercedes for us. He is our Advocate. He intercedes for us and says, “Father I have suffered for this person; I am looking after him.” This prayer cannot be in vain.[3]

Trust in the Lord’s promises for you today.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Psalm 119:50

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. John 17:15

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

The Church also intercedes on behalf of the world. Peter explains, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

For humility - Heavenly Father, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. Grant us true humility after the likeness of Your only Son that we may never be arrogant and prideful and thus provoke Your wrath but in all lowliness be made partakers of the gifts of Your grace.[4]