St. Michael and All Angels (Observed)

Matthew 18:1-11

As a child, I would prepare for bed, get my pajamas on, brush my teeth, and get snug under the covers, and then I would use this prayer I was taught,

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take

It’s a prayer I’m sure many of you have also prayed or taught your little ones to say. It’s a meaningful prayer, and because of its rhyme, it’s also very easy to remember.

Some believe this prayer was written by the English clergyman George Wheler and published around 1698. However, others think it was inspired by an earlier German version called “The Black Paternoster,” which simply means the “evening Our Father.” (Paternoster means “Our father” in Latin)

The Black Paternoster goes as such,

Mathew, Mark, Luke, John
Bless the bed that I lie on;
And blessed guardian angel keep
Me safe from danger while I sleep.

However, some believe that even this version of the prayer might originate from a medieval Jewish prayer that went like this,

“In the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, may Michael be at my right hand; Gabriel at my left; Uriel before me; Raphael behind me and the Shekhinah of God be above my head.”

And just so you know, Shekhinah is Hebrew for the presence of God or His dwelling place.

But if all of this is true—that the prayer we know today as “Now I lay me down to sleep” has an unusual origin tracing back to this Jewish prayer—and it has really changed a lot. 

Requests for angelic protection from danger and similar matters are no longer included, as they have become more obscure. 

It is also worth noting that these original versions of the bedtime prayers were sometimes flawed. For example, we don’t pray to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to bless our beds and watch over us.

However, all of this should make you think more carefully about your prayers, including their origin, history, and what they express.

And this leads me to wonder: why haven’t we, as Lutherans, fully embraced and used the Evening Prayer that Martin Luther provided to the Church and included in the Small Catechism as we should? 

In many ways, Luther has taken everything from the past and present versions of “Now I lay me down to sleep” and provided the Church with a prayer of great depth.

Luther’s Evening Prayer goes like this,

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Ponder the prayer with me.

First, Luther begins the prayer by thanking God, his heavenly Father, through His dear Son, Jesus. Remember, all prayers are to be made through Jesus Christ. (John 14:13-14) But then the prayer guides you to thank God your Father for keeping you throughout the day, whether it was a good or a bad day. 

However, the next part of the prayer is a crucial aspect of the Christian life that many of our prayers overlook at the end of the day. Luther’s Evening Prayer continues to say, “and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night.”

As the Psalmist writes,

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

                        for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

How can you lie down at night in peace if your sins still trouble you and there hasn’t been forgiveness? You won’t!

But know this: forgiveness is peace, and this gracious gift begins with your Savior, Jesus Christ. For this reason, every day you dwell in this world, the temptation of sin surrounds you, but you also have a Father who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for you. So, make it a habit to pray and ask your Father in heaven for this wonderful gift of peace and forgiveness. 

Alright, but now the final section of Luther’s Evening Prayer arrives, and it begins as such, 

For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.

The Christian now entrusts their bodies and souls into God’s care, trusting Him to watch over them. Consider this: who else can watch over you while you sleep? Are you not most vulnerable to the world and the attacks of evil when your body lies on the pillow? How could you fend off even a dream at this moment without God’s help?  

And for this reason, the prayer concludes, “Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

It’s a petition for God to send His messengers and guardians to be with you, watch over you, and keep you safe from the temptations of the Evil One who resides in the dark shadows of this life. 

But if you do not exercise your faith and prayers in such a way, will you even remember that God continues to care for you throughout the hours of the night, or that He sends His angels to care for you?

This is one reason for observing the festival of St. Michael and All Angels: to remember that God cares for you through His angels. But beyond today, you must also remember that God’s angels continue to care for and watch over you, even if you don’t see them. They do this not as cute cherubs shooting magical arrows of love, but as His warriors, as the Psalmist again says. 

            The angel of the LORD encamps

                        around those who fear him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)

God’s angels encamp around you to defend, protect, and deliver you from the evil and temptations of this life.

They do so because you are God’s children. Don’t get caught up in the Gospel today and only think of a child like those who make sounds during the Divine Service, infusing it with life and excitement; instead, consider yourself God’s child, because this is what the Gospel says. 

And as His child, you are in need of protection – protection from the temptation and inclination to sin.

The temptation of being led away from God.

The temptation of using your speech or actions to lead other Christians away from God into sin throughout your days.

The truth is that we sin often and greatly need God’s care and mercy. The wonderful thing is that He is gracious and eager to give it to us. However, we also need to make it a habit of asking for His care and mercy. 

For a long time, our catechisms have served as textbooks, meant for a brief period to teach the young, then placed on a shelf or tucked away in a closet. However, as God’s children, our learning is never supposed to stop; instead, we are called to keep growing, deepen our faith, and mature.  

It’s time for us to pull out our catechism, and if we don’t know where they are, to get a new one.

Because on these pages, faith is given to us, God’s dear children, in simple terms, and the prayers provided by Luther have often gone unnoticed or fallen out of use. But in these words, we are given not only an opportunity to confess our faith, our sins, our need for a Savior, but also His ongoing care through the work of His angels. 

What a gift that God doesn’t leave you to the known and unknown evils of this life, but sends His angels to serve Him by protecting you.

To God be the glory!

+INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

www.goodsheptomah.org

The Wedding of Jordan Gehrke and Raven Shirley

September 26, 2025

Text: John 4:5-26

Dear friends in Christ Jesus, it is good to be here, to be with you this day as we celebrate the union and marriage of Jordan and Raven.

You know the hymn we just sang isn’t usually sung at weddings — “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing,” at least not at the weddings I’ve officiated. What in the world does the Lamb’s High Feast have to do with weddings anyway?

Certainly, I’ve sung the hymn at Easter or even during the distribution of the Lord’s Supper, which we Lutherans believe to be a foretaste of heaven. This hymn is joyful, maybe a bit too much for a Lutheran wedding. The hymn speaks of Jesus’ victory, of heaven, and of eternity; but if we’re honest, our focus at the moment is on today, on the union of this man and this woman.

But that’s also precisely why the hymn makes perfect sense. It leads our hearts, voices, and eyes to look beyond today and to one of the great purposes and blessings of marriage.

Eternity.

You’ll have to forgive me, but the Church Father St. John Chrysostom, who died in the 5th Century, offers a quote about marriage and the purpose of its journey. It’s worth hearing it in its entirety. He writes,

Some say that marriage was ordained by God as a blessing to the human race. Others say that marriage is a necessary evil for those who cannot restrain their sexual appetites. In truth it is impossible to speak in such ways about marriage in general; we can only make judgments about particular marriages. There are some marriages which bring great blessings to the husband and the wife, to their children, and to all their neighbors. But there are other marriages which seem to bring few blessings to anyone. The difference between these two types of marriages lies in the spirit with which the bond was forged and is maintained. If a man and a woman marry to satisfy their sexual appetites, or to further the material aims of themselves or their families, then their union is unlikely to bring blessings. But if a man and a woman marry in order to be companions on the journey through earth to heaven, then their union will bring great joy to themselves and to others.

With this lens, Chrysostom saw marriage as a gift for man and woman to forge and maintain, to journey and be led through this valley of life on earth to the eternal joys of heaven, to the Lamb’s High Feast, and this changes the meaning of today, doesn’t it?

This should also alter how you, Jordan and Raven, walk out of this church today.

It should change how you celebrate the joys of life, whether it be the anniversaries of this marriage, or the birth of the children you desire…

It should affect how you engage the unknowns of life, where will employment come from in the often-turbulent field of politics…

It should influence how you encounter the disagreements that will arise and threaten to divide you…(Hawkeyes or Wolverines)

It should transform how you will approach sickness and health…

It should adjust how you approach the mundane things in life, such as doing laundry, cooking dinner, or even fulfilling the smallest requests, like bringing one another a glass of water as one of you sits wearied from the work of your day. 

For this reason, the path you set out on today will be wonderful, but it will also be a grueling and exhausting journey.

And this brings us to our Second reading from St. John; Jesus has been journeying and traveling through Samaria to Galilee, when He stops to take a break. Our reading said Jesus was “wearied,” so He stopped at Jacob’s Well for a drink of water.

The reality that Jesus was wearied and exhausted should not go unnoticed either; while subtle, it reveals how your Lord was not only God but also man. He understands the humanity of your life.

But this is where things get interesting. As Jesus sits and rests His feet, a Samaritan woman arrives to draw water from the well. Since he has nothing to draw water with, Jesus asks her to give Him a drink, but she rebuffs Him.

Now, first consider this: Samaritans and Jews do not get along; there is a deep hostility between them.

Secondly, she is also a woman, and at this time, there is a degrading view of women.

But none of this stops Jesus from engaging the Samaritan woman. In fact, Jesus says, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

The woman, of course, responded and pointed to this well’s history, asking, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” (John 4:12)

And what does Jesus say to this? He says,

Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14)

It seems that not all water is the same after all. The water in the well is meant to quench a momentary thirst; however, the water Jesus desires to give will lead and guide a person along a path, to a place, to eternal life. 

So now the Samaritan woman wants to drink this water.

However, Jesus tells her to go, get her husband, too, and bring him to the well so he may also drink.

But she responds, “I have no husband.” (John 4:17)

And this is a bit awkward to say the least, because Jesus says to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband.” (John 4:17-18)

This whole conversation is jarring, right? As an observer, you just want to back away and get out of here.

But step back for a minute and ponder this exchange with me.

The woman is in a hurry to receive this gift of water that promises eternal life, but she is also quick to conceal her guilt and sin.

She is all of us and every marriage. In a hurry to receive, but quick to conceal.

And for this reason, we should join her in asking, “Where am I to go and worship? Where will God make known His grace to sinful people as me?” (John 4:20)

Listen to Jesus as He says, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23)

The hour, which is Christ’s death and crucifixion. The hour that calls all Christians to His cross. The hour when the Bridegroom redeems His bride, you.

From now on, your marriage is to be an icon and image of the sacrificial love of Christ for His Church.

A long and exhausting journey, just as it was for Jesus, accompanied by the crosses of life.

But this is a path the two of you now take, together, as one, in Christ.

Taking to heart these words, you will soon hear, “What God has joined together, let man not put asunder.”

Meaning, let man not separate.

And so remember that just as Christ will unite you today in marriage, He also united you to Himself as His dear children in the waters of Holy Baptism – a gift of grace and mercy for poor sinners and Samaritans.

Now, I love that this church has a font at the back of the sanctuary, with running water—no less, I mean living water. Because the font is where your life in Christ began, and it’s the living water that continues to flow and lead you throughout this life to the altar where the Lamb comes to feed you a foretaste of His heavenly banquet that awaits us all. 

But now, the two of you will walk this Baptismal path and life from the font to the eternal and heavenly feast together, and in this way, as Chrysostom said earlier, your marriage is to be forged and maintained in the gift of God’s grace.

It’s a life that puts away the carnal and material distractions of this world; it’s the way of confessing your sin to each other and forgiving one another; it’s the continual journey to the cross of Christ.

And for this journey, Christ Jesus has made you companions to be a blessing to one another, for the children you desire, and for all your neighbors. But most of all, for the mutual and great joy of being led together to the Lamb’s wonderful and glorious High Feast. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

Text: Provers 4:10-23

Our Old Testament reading is from the book of Proverbs. In some circles, Proverbs is a book that is not meditated on as it should be, and yet, it remains incredibly relevant today, especially as Christians navigate this chaotic world of evil and wickedness. 

An evil and wickedness that has been on full display these past few weeks as young adults have taken the lives of other human beings. Whether it is the life of an innocent girl on a subway, children praying, or Charlie Kirk being assassinated.

And as we discussed last week, we all have to take stock and examine the ways our words and actions contribute to this downfall in humanity. In our homes, our communities, and schools.

One aspect that cannot go unnoticed in our society today is the breakdown of the family unit, especially the failure of fathers to lead their families. As of 2023, one in four children did not have a father physically present in the home.

But you have to also ask, how many children live with a father who is physically present but emotionally and spiritually absent? A father who does not lead the home and family with wisdom—wisdom that transcends society and this world—and that leads to peace in Christ.

For this reason, today’s reading remains valuable and significant as Solomon shows fatherly love for his sons by teaching them the way of godly wisdom. 

A noble task, entrusted to the head of the household. The teaching of Godly wisdom is a father’s job. (Just think of how Luther begins each section of the Small Catechism, “As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.”)

So, Solomon portrays life as a journey and describes the father as the one who must guide the young person in the way of wisdom. The child’s role here is to listen to the instruction given by the father, and this becomes an ongoing conversation throughout life. However, the father also needs to be aware of where he is leading the child.

Solomon wrote,

            I have taught you the way of wisdom;

                        I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

            When you walk, your step will not be hampered,

                        and if you run, you will not stumble.

            Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;

                        guard her, for she is your life. (Proverbs 4:11-13)

The father is to teach and lead his children to wisdom, and wisdom is to understand God’s will, the truth revealed in His word.

Where is this will of God found?

Don’t overthink it, begin with the Ten Commandments.

Begin with the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods.”

“You shall fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

When someone has this anchor throughout their life, they will start to walk and run in the paths of righteousness, the path, the way of eternal life.

This is where the words of the Epistle come into focus as St. Paul wrote,

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

He goes on to say,

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:17)

So, what are these works of the flesh?

The works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. (Galatians 5:19-21)

These works of the flesh are also the path of the wicked, where Solomon says sleep is robbed, where the diet of man is to eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of this world’s violence. (Proverbs 4:17)

In other words, the evil you consume with your lips and your ears will enslave you, not to do good, but to do evil. To attack your very heart and the seat of faith.

So, what are you and your families consuming?

To figure this out, think about where you spend your time. Whether it's online, in front of the TV, talking with others at the dinner table, or reading books.  

We all have to make this examination of our lives.

As Jesus said to the Jews and says to us still today,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:34-36)

This is a struggle, even for a parent, to be enslaved to sin.

To have “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

So how are we supposed to lead the children of God if we, too, have fallen short or found ourselves on the path of wickedness? Show them and guide them on the way back by first confessing your own sins to them and God, the ways you’ve allowed yourself to succumb to the works of the flesh, and how you have stumbled into darkness and evil. Show them that you’ve permitted the sin of leprosy to consume you and say with them, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13)

I am no different. When the path of wickedness appears for me, I too must go to my children, repent of my sin, and turn away from the darkness that assaults me. I, too, must say, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13) So that they, like me, might be led back to the way of wisdom and the path of righteousness. To the place where the light shines in the darkness, to the place where Jesus is present with His forgiveness and eternal life for poor sinners like us.

As Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 812)

And this light of Christ enables man to go in the way of the Spirit, to have,

The fruit of the Spirit [that] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24)

Because this is the way of Christ: to confess and immerse the sins of Adam in the font of Holy Baptism, to go to the cross and die in Christ, and to rise again to new life. 

And the children entrusted to our care, or those who see and observe us, only learn this way of life if we, too, are living it. 

As we observe this corrupt and often vile world, parents, especially fathers, have a vital role in guiding their children—to keep them from falling into wickedness and to lead them toward the eternal light of Christ.

Listen to Solomon's voice, hear your Father in heaven, and follow His words, for they are your life and healing balm for your soul. They will guide you and your descendants to eternal life. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

The Sermons of Pastor Rogness can we found at www.RognessOnTap.com

Learn more about Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at www.goodsheptomah.org

Holy Cross Day

Text: John 12:32

Surely, you’ve all been there—sitting on the curb or in a comfy chair on the side of the main street through town, waiting for the festivities to begin. As the clock ticks by, and for the millionth time, a child asks, “When is it going to begin?” You tell them, “Soon,” and in the distance, you see it. You tell the child to stand up, place your hand upon your heart, son. “I see the flag coming now.”

This is how our parades start in America, showing love and respect for our country and for those who gave their lives in the fight for freedom. And whether you realize it or not, this is a type of procession. 

There is a beauty to this pageantry in America; it unites us under the banner of Old Glory - the Red, White, and Blue.

If you take a step back, life is full of processions, and they either unite us as a country, a community, a family, or the Church, or they divide us from one another.

Life is full of processions.

There’s the parade that unites the community. Or the wedding march that brings a man and woman together in marriage. Each morning, you awake, go through your routines, and join the morning commute as you journey to work. As the night comes, children process one by one to the bathroom to wash up, brush teeth, and prepare for sleep.

Yet, there are other processions in life, such as protests or demonstrations through city streets, which are often signs of disagreement. Sadly, there are marches to war and armed conflict by the armies of opposing nations and views. And there is the journey to the grave. 

Yes, life is full of processions.

But these are not new to us; they have been part of man’s story since the beginning of time. After Adam and Eve brought sin to mankind, they were sent and led out of paradise. Barred from entering the garden.

In reality, from this moment forward, the only choice for Adam, Eve, and their descendants is forward, to the cross, where Jesus, the long-awaited Seed of woman, promised by the Creator, will redeem man from sin and death.

And so, the whole accounting of the Old Testament documents one great procession of God’s people marching to the cross.

In fact, this is what Jesus is speaking of in today’s Gospel as He said,

But for this purpose I have come to this hour. … Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:27b, 31-32)

Think about this, Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem to the crowds clamoring for Him and chanting, Hosanna – “Save us now.”

Could there be a better procession than this?

Look at all the people who have gathered around and come to Him for rescue.

However, this is not how Jesus says He will draw and gather all people to Himself; He says this occurs when He is lifted up from the earth upon the tree of the holy cross. The hour when the crowds scattered from Jesus. The time when His disciples dispersed and ran away from His presence. The instance when it seemed all hope was lost. 

This is one of the confusing aspects of the cross.

Jesus’ journey to Calvary is one entire act of humiliation, starting from the moment He was conceived by the Virgin Mary and became man. The God-man took on and shared in your flesh, feelings, struggles, sadness, loss, and even your temptations. 

As Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians,

And being found in human form, [Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

The cross now becomes the transformational place of Jesus’ enthronement and the beginning of His exaltation as He now descends into the depths of hell to proclaim His victory over sin, death, and the Devil - to those imprisoned in hades.

As St. Paul writes to the Corinthians,

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)

And for this reason, the cross is now an instrument and symbol of Jesus Christ that gathers and leads God’s children.

The tired, the poor in spirit, the masses yearning for hope.

For this, Jesus said,

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

What a beautiful symbol.

Unfortunately, the flag of the United States, the old red, white, and blue, has ceased to be the banner that calls, rallies, and gathers its citizens in a united voice and spirit. The events of the past weeks and months reveal a very deeply divided country.

A vicious stabbing death on a train, bullets aimed at school children while they pray, the violent assassination of a brother in Christ in the public square.

These horrific scenes show a deeply divided nation, where brother is turned against brother. Sister against sister.

And as a people, we must wrestle with these truths that have become self-evident.  

How have we come to this point?

How do our words and interactions contribute to such evil? Have we become a people who can no longer converse and debate in healthy ways that further our nation, our communities, our homes, and our relationships? Have we forgotten where our lives and relationships come from?

The Declaration of Independence might help us, it says,

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.

“Endowed by their Creator.”

Isn’t that something, the founders of this nation led with the understanding that truth and our rights come from God our Father, as we confess in the Creed, the Creator of heaven and earth.

Sadly, it seems like we are no longer gathered and united under the fabric of the nation’s flag; we are no longer a nation, a society, or a people of God.  

Which should raise the question, where are we going?

Who is leading us? Who is leading you? Your words? Your actions?

And this brings us to why the observance of Holy Cross Day is so important in this moment in history.

We as a people must remember that it is Christ Jesus who leads us through the valleys and darknesses of this troubled life. This is why the Church has long used processions into and out of the Divine Service each and every week.

As a guidon, this procession of the cross dates back to the Fourth Century. Its purpose is not so much to lead me, the pastor, in its shadows to the altar, but to focus us as a congregation and people on the horrors of Jesus’ crucifixion and death. To follow Him and be led by Him to where His forgiveness is now present for you in the Holy Supper of this altar.

This is why we stand and line the aisle of this church as those gathered that first Palm Sunday, with voices raised high in song, and humble hearts bowed low to our Lord and Savior. Confessing our sins with our words to Him and saying with all of Christendom, “Save us now.”

But then the cross also leads you out, past the font of Holy Baptism, where you became God’s child. It leads you into your daily lives, not only as a bulwark against this fallen world, but as a lamp upon your path.

A path that is guaranteed to have difficulties, trials, and darkness.

But, my friends, do not be afraid when these days come.

Don’t be afraid, because with the cross of Christ leading you, you already know and have the assurance that you have been drawn into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You already have His forgiveness and His eternal life.

This is true freedom.

A freedom to love your neighbor as yourself. A freedom to pray for those who persecute you. A freedom to demonstrate the same sacrificial love for one another as Christ Jesus showed, by dying on the cross for you.

So, look to the cross of Jesus, focus your eyes on Him, because He is your Savior and redeemer. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Checkout the Podcast

Recently, my congregation began podcasting sermons and other conversations around the church. I’d like to share this information with you and invite you to take a listen if it would interest you. Sermons can be heard on your favorite podcast app, so check out the “Shepherd’s Voice” and take a listen!

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The Twelfth Sunday After Trinity

Mark 7:31-37

Being deaf and mute would be a harsh sentence in life. It would make the man brought to Jesus unable to communicate with anyone. While sign language is a great tool for many deaf people today, this form of communication did not develop until the 16th century. 

No, to be deaf and mute would lead to a life of isolation.

Research today also reveals that being deaf and mute can lead to psychological and social difficulties. A higher risk of dementia, depression, loneliness, limited education and employment opportunities, and just downright difficulties with everyday communication.

Have you ever been deaf and mute in this life?

For some, you might feel as if you were deaf and mute if you travel to a foreign country. While you hear the sounds of another language all around you, you have no comprehension of what they are saying.

For others, they might be born with hearing challenges that affect their ability to speak and their temperament. This is especially common in children who, through modern medicine, can have small tubes inserted into their ears to open the ear canal, allowing them to hear clearly for the first time. 

But I wonder if there are other ways, you might become deaf and mute throughout your lives. To be clear, I’m not talking about being born with this impediment, but rather, developing situations where your minds and bodies seize up. Where you no longer hear or understand the world around you. Where your voices go silent.

This might be the child who just started a new school year. Sure, the palms of your hands are sweaty as you walk into your new classroom. Butterflies in your tummies. Maybe you even have a new teacher or school. But what do you do when the teacher calls on you for the first time? Do you hear their voice? Do you think to yourself, “I wish I could just run away…” Do you answer the teacher’s question with conviction or confidence?

Is this you, the deaf and mute man from today’s Gospel?

Or for those of you who have recently had the unfortunate experience of more doctor’s appointments, when the doctor began to give your diagnosis, were you or those with you able to communicate with the doctor? Or did you find yourself feeling numb, at a loss for words, in a darkness where you could no longer hear the conversation around you?

Surely you were physically present, and words were being exchanged. But it’s during moments like these that a more profound silence of the ears and lips begins to emerge. It’s times like these when you leave your appointment and don’t remember anything the doctor said or the questions you asked. 

When this occurred, did you become the deaf and mute man from today’s Gospel?

A challenge in all the ways you become deaf and mute throughout life, whether it be a traumatic event, experience, or ailments you are born with, they also can lead to psychological and social difficulties, such as loneliness, isolation, and struggles with everyday communication. 

When you get down to it, because you are already internalizing things in moments such as these, you are unable to communicate effectively. It’s difficult to come up with the words to express your needs, and it can be even harder to hear the words of concern and comfort from those around you.

Those who love you and simply want to help you, as the friends of the deaf and mute man, who brought him to Jesus for healing.

For this reason, the Christian must ask themselves, when these situations arise, what am I to do?

Begin with your Baptism. Go back to where Christ Jesus says to you, “Ephphatha, that is, ‘Be opened.’”

And take heart that He continues to say this to you each and every time you remember your Baptism, confess your sin, and receive the absolution for your sin.

As Isaiah wrote in the Old Testament reading today,

       In that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book,
       and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see. (Isaiah 29:18)

What day? The day of Jesus Christ. The day of grace and mercy. The day of forgiveness and eternal life. Today.

Too often, the difficulties of life lead us to cocoon. We don’t know what to do, we don’t know what to say, so we recoil into the silence of our hearts.

But remember that Christ has already taken you aside at the font and opened your ears and heart to Him, so that He might give you the words to say. Words to confess your sins. Words to confess your needs to Him in prayer. Words to ask God for friends who care for you, like those of the deaf and mute man in the Gospel (of course, you have to be willing to accept their help, too), words to confess how Jesus died for you on the cross and rose again on the third day.

Why?

Because in your baptism, you died and all of your sins, ailments, and troubles of life were drowned with Christ Jesus on the cross, then were raised to new life in His resurrection. For this reason, you can read and hear His Word—the Word of eternal life—and see Him as your Savior. 

My friends, as difficult and challenging moments arise in life, such as returning to school, the fear that accompanies unexpected illnesses and diagnoses, sins that cling to your hearts, or whatever you may be facing today, remember who you are in Christ Jesus. Remember to turn to Him, who opens your ears, comforts your heart with His Word of peace and forgiveness, and provides you with the words to pray. 

Words that place your faith in Him who will bring you out of the darkness of this life and into His eternal glory and life everlasting. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Trinity 11

August 31, 2025

Luke 18:9-14

Pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Inspired by Saint Augustine, Martin Luther viewed pride as the mother of sin.

Pride curves man inwards; it forms the love of self, of man’s own excellence. It’s the epitome of self-centeredness. It’s the Pharisee in today’s Gospel who says, “God, I thank you I am not like other men…” It’s you when you go through life alone, when you refuse the help of others, when you reject the help God desires to give to you.  

This is the difference between the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the parable Jesus tells today. For the Pharisee, it’s all about what he does for God, the idea that he can save himself by his external works.

Whereas the Tax Collector comes to the same temple, bowing his eyes to the ground, beats his chest, and says, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Pride is an inward focus on the self, while humility possesses not only an outward focus but also a sense of dependence on others.

Which one are you?

It’s not always easy to tell, is it?

If you take a step back, you’ll notice that both men in the parable today go to the temple. Both men are in the temple to pray to God.

Honestly, suppose you were to judge these books by their covers. In that case, you’d probably say the Pharisee is the better person, listen to all his self-proclamations, “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.”

This Pharisee sounds like a good guy, like he’s checking all the boxes. It’s almost like he’s still alive today, isn’t it? You can hear him being interviewed on the television, “So Mr. Pharisee, what makes you such a good person?”

But being a tax collector at this time would make you a despised person in a hated occupation. And because we likewise do not always enjoy paying taxes or becoming frustrated with the government, this man becomes an easy target to hate.

So, how can you honestly tell the difference been the two men standing before God?

Their words…the words spoken from their hearts.

Saint Augustine said, “[The Pharisee] had no mind to pray to God, but to laud himself.”

The Pharisee lauds what he believes to be a list of good qualities, achievements, and works to show him as the better man. 

It’s the same for you; you enjoy listing your good deeds and perceived qualities, the ways you might “pay it forward,” the hours you work in a week, your salaries, your grades in school, your number of friends, or friends you think you have online. The idea that when life gets tough, you can do it on your own. 

That really hits the mark for the Pharisee; he thinks he can do it on his own, that his works will save him and lead him into heaven.

But as it is written in the book of Proverbs,

         Pride goes before destruction,

                  and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

Pride blinds you, so you do not see its destructive force in your lives and the lives of those who love you.

Pride is a destructive cancer that grows and pumps within a man’s heart. It has been present since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden, as they turned away from God’s word and sought to be like Him in the eating of the forbidden fruit.

The challenge is realizing that you will never be Him, no matter the lies the Devil and this world whisper into your attentive ears.

So stop and say with the poor Tax Collector, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

These are the words of a humble heart. A man convicted of his sin. A man who knows he cannot save himself.

So again, the Tax Collector comes to God as a child before their parent, head hung low with his eyes to the ground in shame. He beats his chest and confesses, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Are you so humble?

Now, you might ask, “What does beating your chest have to do with anything?” The action of beating one’s chest was an outward sign of unworthiness and humility. There’s only one other place throughout the Gospels where we read “They beat their breasts,” and that’s at the cross.

St. Luke writes, “And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place (that Jesus had died), returned home, beating their breasts.” (Luke 23:48)

The death of Jesus on the cross brings the crowds, once calling for Jesus’ death, to contrition and repentance.

The death and resurrection of Jesus do this, don’t they?

It humbles you to look at the cross and see how Jesus was willing to take your place, to suffer and die for you, so that you could receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 

We call this justification.

Justification is God’s action of making you righteous, forgiven, saved, and acceptable to enter His presence. 

None of your works or self-love proclamations will save you.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you aren’t called to do good, love your neighbors as yourself, to do well in your callings; you are. This is simply living out your Christian faith in the callings and vocations God has given you. 

But if you want to enter the eternal presence of God, then you must practice and exercise the same kind of humble faith as the Tax Collector today, no matter how much the world might despise you.

And this humility begins here in the Divine Service as you enter with your heads and hearts bowed before your Father in heaven.

While you may not beat your chests, you can, if you choose, take a gentler approach by making the sign of the cross as we start “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Remembering the tree in which Christ died for you, where forgiveness was won for you, so that as you confess your sins, you confess your dependence on Him by saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

And what happens next? His Word declares you forgiven, and just like today, you are then sent home with all the other Tax collectors and sinners, justified by the blood of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Glory be to Jesus. Amen. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

St. Bartholomew

August 24, 2025

John 1:43-51

Remembering a saint like Bartholomew may strike you as odd, but if we take a step back, do we ever bat an eye when we hear the pastor say, “as St. John wrote…” or “St. Paul once said…”

I’m not even sure we think about their titles; we know they are children of God, witnesses of Jesus Christ, sent to proclaim His Word throughout the world.

So, why do we get so uneasy with talk surrounding the “Saints?”

My guess is that it has something to do with the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and its views on Sainthood. The idea that sainthood is reserved for those who, if they did not die a martyr’s death, have performed verifiable miracles. Yet, how does one verify a miracle on this side of heaven without Jesus?

Nonetheless, even if a miracle is attributed to a person, they still aren’t guaranteed sainthood.

And for all of this, we do need to step back and ask, does the Roman Catholic Church have a proper view of sainthood, of who is considered to be a “Saint?”

Martin Luther did not believe so; he came to the belief that the Roman Catholic Church had taken the name of “Saint” and misapplied it to fit their needs and teachings.

And so, Luther wrote,

Scripture calls us holy while we still live on earth - if we believe. But this name the papist have taken from us; They say that we are not to be considered holy, that the Saints in heaven alone are holy. Therefore, we are compelled to reclaim the noble name. Holy, you must be, but you must also guard against imagining that you are holy of yourself or by your own merit. You are holy because you have God’s word, because heaven is yours, because you are truly pious and made holy by Christ. This must be your confession if you would be a Christian. For it would be the greatest disgrace and blasphemy of the name of Christ if we did not concede to Christ’s blood the glory that it washes away our sins, or if we did not believe that this blood sanctifies us.

According to Luther, we need to base our definition of a “Saint” according to Scripture, and according to Scripture, a “Saint” is someone who has been set aside and made holy solely through the forgiveness of sins, won for you by the merit and death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Listen here to all the ways Scripture describes a “Saint…”

The Psalmist writes,

As for the saints who are on the earth,

            “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” (Psalm 16:3)

            Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,

                        and give thanks to his holy name. (Psalm 30:4)

Or as Saint Paul wrote,

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)

Or in the letter to the Ephesians,

And [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Or going back to the Psalms, one of the most comforting passages,

            Precious in the sight of the LORD

                        is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

Precious in the sight of the Lord are you, O faithful child of God.

This is what Saint Bartholomew was: a faithful child of God who was forgiven and redeemed through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross.

Bartholomew was originally known as Nathaniel from the Gospel reading today. Somewhere along the way, he became known as Bartholomew; it may have been a surname. We don’t know for sure. But what we do know is that he was a witness to the life and ministry of Jesus, His death, and resurrection. On that first Pentecost, Bartholomew received the Holy Spirit and was led into foreign lands, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus, even willing to suffer death rather than risk falling away from his Savior.

His death was a vicious one, too. The three knives on the cover of today’s bulletin reflect how he died, being flayed alive for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Are you so bold?

Obviously, we pray the Lord would spare us from such an evil death. But remember the words of the confession you made on the day of your Confirmation, you were asked by the pastor, “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”

Your response, “I do, by the grace of God.”

“I do, by the grace of God.” – Remember, God’s grace is what makes you a “Saint” in this life and the next.

So, coming full circle, why are we remembering saints like Batholomew today?

Well, as it states in our Lutheran Confessions,

“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)

We remember saints such as Saint Bartholomew so we can give thanks to God for giving His Church such faithful servants. This extends to our loved ones who have died in Christ, too.

Secondly, through this remembrance, our faith is to be strengthened as we see the mercy God extended to them throughout this life, His Word, His Baptism, His flesh and blood for the forgiveness of sin.

Lastly, the saints are examples for us; we are called to imitate their faith and good works throughout our lives. We are called to boldly confess Jesus in our daily lives through sickness and health, in times of peace or persecution.

Why?

Because you are God’s saints, even now. You, my fellow redeemed in Christ, are His holy ones, set apart from this corrupt and dying world to live in Him, Christ the crucified.

And when the road of life becomes difficult, remember those who have gone before you, remember Saint Bartholomew, Saint John, Saint Paul, and all your loved ones who have finished the race and received eternal life. When their lives were difficult, where did they turn for help?

To Christ…

May we follow this example to run the race that is set before us, no matter how challenging it may be, being led by the cross of Jesus to be numbered among His saints in heaven. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Trinity 9

Trinity 9

August 17, 2025

1 Corinthians 10:6-13

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

These are the words spoken from a mother to a child full of tears, having endured another day of bullying on the playground.

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

Spoke to the husband and father who has lost his job, now wondering how he will pay the bills and provide food, shelter, and clothing for his family.

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

Your children repeat the old saying once given to them as you now endure the trials of chemotherapy, the loss of hair, and the need to force yourself to eat.

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

Whispered into the ear of a mother who must bury her husband’s lifeless body into the earth as she looks to the children she now has to raise alone. 

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

Maybe you rejoice in these words, perhaps they inspire you, or do they make you murmur and curse God under your breath?

“God only gives you what you can handle…”

Well-meaning words, often spoken out of care, maybe awkward silence, or simply because you’ve heard them so many times, they seem like the right thing to say.

But are they?

First, who is the focus of these words? God or you?

Honestly, it’s you, what you can do, what you can achieve, what you can endure, what you can handle.

But secondly, are these words truly from the voice of God?

No, they are not, but some do see them as an inspired manipulation of the last verse of our epistle today, as the Apostle Paul wrote,

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

What Paul says here is that life will have temptations. Everyone will experience temptations. There will even be temptations that you cannot bear. There will be temptations you cannot handle.

You can even see this in the beginning verses of our epistle today, how Israel was also tempted, faced hardships, and, like you, turned from God to depend upon themselves, and this self-dependence then led them into sin.

First, they complained and longed to return to the foods of their slavery in Egypt. Then they fell into idolatry and built for themselves the Golden Calf; God was no longer enough for them. Third, the temptation of sexual sin and fornication arose, sins against their own bodies, their own flesh. Finally, they tempted God, became impatient, quarreled, and spoke against Him, grumbling against their Redeemer and Savior.  

You, too, are impatient, but do you even grumble or murmur under your breath against God anymore? Do you even open your lips to Him? Or have you fallen in love with these words, “God only gives you what you can handle…”

As one church father wrote,

Paul implies that there must be temptations [meaning difficulties and challenges] which we cannot bear. What are these? Well, all of them in effect. For the ability to bear them comes from God’s grace, which we obtain by asking for it. God gives us patience and brings us speedy deliverance. In this way, the temptation becomes bearable. (Chrysostom)

What can be lost during times of temptation and increasing difficulty—such as bullying, family conflicts, unemployment, illness, or death—is the importance of remembering how to ask God for His grace and mercy to face and endure these trials patiently, and to seek God’s help.

In a way, this should take us back to the fundamentals of the Christian faith and the prayer our Lord taught us to pray. In the Sixth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Lead us not into temptation…”

Martin Luther wrote in the Large Catechism,

This, then, is what “lead us not into temptation” means. It refers to times when God gives us power and strength to resist the temptation [1 Corinthians 10:13]. However, the temptation is not taken away or removed. While we live in the flesh and have the devil around us, no one can escape his temptation and lures. It can only mean that we must endure trials—indeed, be engulfed in them [2 Timothy 2:3]. But we say this prayer so that we may not fall and be drowned in them.

One of the things the devil has always wanted since the first encounter with Adam and Eve in the Garden is for all humans, including you, to turn away from God and rely on themselves.

But the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to call out to our Father in heaven for our needs in this life: for the temptations that oppress us, for the afflictions of everyday life, and for the times we feel as if we’re drowning in sorrow. 

We pray, “Lead us not into temptation…” so we would not be caught consenting to the voice of the Old Adam within us that says, “You can do it.” But instead, in this prayer, we say, “God, you do it.”

And so we pray…

You, Father, give me your mercy and grace to withstand the temptations and trials that overwhelm me in this life.

You, Father, give me the strength to turn the other cheek as bullies throw insults my way.

You, Father, give me rightful dependence on you to see how you provide for my family, our clothing and shoes, our shelter, and your promise to care for us.

You, Father, remind me with Your Word how Your Son, Jesus Christ, was born of our flesh in the Virgin Mary, endured the temptations of the devil in the wilderness, and allowed His body to suffer the torment and beatings of that first Good Friday.

You, Father, send Your Spirit upon me as I stand at the entrance of the grave, to guide me in seeing through my tears Your Son’s death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day. So that I may not lose focus, because Christ lives, so will this body in the ground be raised again in glory.

These are not merely kind words, my friends; they are the ways your Father in heaven already provides for you to withstand the tribulations and temptations of life today.

Turn to Him in your hour of need. Turn to Him when life is overwhelming. Turn to Him when you are in need of escape, seeing the peace which surpasses all understanding in His only Son, Jesus Christ.

He is with you. He is with you now. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Trinity 8

Trinity 8

Matthew 7:15-23

August 10, 2025

What an ending to the Gospel reading today, Jesus said, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:23)

This isn’t the Jesus you know; not the one you’ve imagined in your mind. That Jesus is an encourager, a cheerleader, a teddy bear, maybe a therapist on a stormy night, or a moral teacher, but not this…no, not this, it just seems so unkind.

But why does Jesus speak these stern words, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)

Because he’s speaking in regards to false prophets, those preachers who come to you in the image and likeness of the serpent in the Garden of Eden who came to Adam and Eve with half-truths—words that, while they may sound good, do not truly reflect the words of Jesus. 

The serpent, the devil, continues to tempt you today through his followers, people, and preachers who do not rely on God’s Word. Those who tell you to work harder for life's rewards. Those who tell you to choose happiness over marriage. Those who say that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Or remember, God only gives you what you can handle. 

However, in all these ways, you are being led to look internally for strength, redemption, and peace throughout this life.

What happens when you do this? You become a god all to yourself. The tree of faith that should be growing and flourishing within you is no longer healthy; instead, it's rotting and dying from the inside out, and the fruit, which are your good works to serve and love your neighbor, are no longer present, just the thorns that pierce and hurt one another as a bramble from a berry bush.  

And this is why Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-16)

Beware of wolves who come in sheep’s clothing, who portray themselves as pastors and shepherds of Jesus Christ, those who turn out to be disciples of the Devil.

Saint John Chrysostom wrote,

The movements of wolves are hidden in shadows. Hence, [Jesus] commanded that one should… continuously and carefully look out for wolves because one cannot see them the moment they attack. For this reason, he says, “Watch out!” to make his hearers more careful in distinguishing deception from truth.10

So, how do you discern the truth? How do you tell the difference between a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a true shepherd of Jesus Christ?

Look to the words they speak…. Knowing that the old Adam, the sinfulness that dwells within you, might not enjoy or appreciate these words either…

You see, you have a responsibility to make sure I don’t preach false doctrine to you, that I have not done so, nor do I knowingly lead you to believe half-truths or leave you caught up in sin. Instead, I am called to direct you to Jesus and to preach to you the “words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

And for this reason, you are called to be in God’s Word, study it, listen to it, and grapple with it.

Pastors are not sent to simply be an encourager to you, a cheerleader, a teddy bear, a therapist on the stormy nights, or a moral teacher; they’re sent to point you to the great Shepherd of the flock, your Savior, Jesus Christ.

This isn’t always easy either. Because a true pastor and apostle of Jesus Christ sometimes has to use the stern word of God to call you to repentance, to use the shepherd’s crook to rescue you from the half-truths of the devil that lead you to pride and arrogance, that put yourself before your marriage, your family, or friends, to point you to Jesus for refuge and help when medical and mental challenges arise, realizing you cannot handle any of this on your own, let alone grant yourself forgiveness.

No, the true pastors and apostles of Jesus come to you with His Word of Law and Gospel and point you to His cross, where He suffered the weight of the law and died for you, so that you might receive the good news of His forgiveness, His peace within your lives, and His eternal life.

Pastors do this because they’ve been called to keep watch over your soul, because on the last day, they (me) will have to give an account for how they cared and shepherded you to eternal life – through the good days and the bad. (Hebrews 13:17) 

Because in the end, the chief responsibility of the pastor is to preach God’s Word so that you will know Jesus and be known by Him. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Trinity 7

Mark 8:1-9

In our Old Testament reading, we hear that God made man from dust. But man wasn’t just created to stand like a statue; he was created to have feelings, emotions, and physical needs—to eat and drink. Man was created to breathe and to live. However, when the day comes that man no longer eats or drinks, his body will return to the ground to await the coming of Christ on the final day. This is the journey you have been given. This is the journey God gives you a pastor for—to shepherd you towards green pastures and still waters.

God provides pastors as shepherds to preach God’s Law and His Gospel to you, so that you can face the last day with confidence and certainty. Faithfully looking toward the paradise of heaven, where you will one day eat and drink in the courts of the Lord forever.

Yet, death breeds fear in your life. The simplest thoughts of not tasting sweet corn again from the harvest soon to come, or the sweetness of strawberries fresh off the vine, might bring you sadness. There is so much in this life you have grown to love, from the tastes of food and drink to the comfort of friendships and family. The warm embrace of a loved one or the comfort a familiar voice brings to you. For this reason alone, you cannot bear the thought of death.

The reality of life is that our bodies break down, our ability to enjoy food and drink diminishes as we age, emotional wounds between friends and family can run deep, and relationships are often torn apart. In many ways, this pain makes you feel exposed to the elements of the world. To the harshness of the wilderness called life. You no longer see peace in this life. As a result, you follow preachers of the world who promise peace but can never deliver. You see, their words often lead you to look to yourself for compassion and redemption instead of following Jesus.

By following television or YouTube preachers around the world, the talking heads on your TV, and self-help books that leave you still hungry and empty, Jesus is no longer the focus, the object of your faith. Jesus no longer has a place in your life. He is not the focus of your healing and peace among family members, friends, or coworkers. We want peace in this life, but too often, peace is sought on our own terms and in our own ways. 

But look at this crowd following Jesus today in the Gospel. They aren’t exactly in an oasis. They lack the food or water needed for the journey they’ve embarked on. They have no shelter from the earthly elements to protect themselves. Still, there are no complaints from the crowd. Just peace.

You might wonder what the crowd has been doing these past three days while they follow Jesus. Well, they've been listening—that’s what they’ve been doing—listening to every word that comes from Jesus's mouth. They heard how man was created from the dust of the ground in Adam, how the fall barred man from paradise, and how Israel was led to safety and the Promised Land. He taught them that they are still subject to the Law and that the wages of sin are death. Yet, He also taught them that the Father has compassion on His creation and sent Him, the only Son of the Father, to deliver these faithful followers from their sin. Jesus would be the great Shepherd who has come to die upon the cross of Calvary and lead them to paradise—a place where they will live forever with their heavenly Father, no longer worrying, suffering from hunger or thirst, but instead enjoying the constant provisions of the Lord.  

Still, three days without food or drink is a tough pill to swallow when you’re in a wilderness wasteland, as they were. We don’t hear about their complaints, and maybe there’s a reason for that. Perhaps there’s a lesson here—to trust in the Word of God above all, and not to take life into our own hands. You see, these followers of Jesus aren’t the first to face such a situation as described in the Gospel, nor are you. Think back to the Jews who escaped from Pharaoh and wandered into the wilderness. They doubted, they complained, and they wanted to return to the bonds of slavery.

However, today, these followers of Jesus do nothing of the sort. They don’t complain, but rather, they do exactly what Jesus commands when He tells them to sit down. They sit and listen. They sit and wait. They wait for Christ to speak. This is the Gospel. We listen to Jesus’ command and we sit down to hear His Word. It’s passive. It doesn’t depend on us, but on Jesus. We wait on Jesus, even when it’s difficult. 

You see, the people who doubt in today’s Gospel are those closest to Jesus—His disciples. We are more like them than the followers in the Gospel. We doubt that God is really God; we doubt He will provide and care for this body and life. We doubt that He will send faithful shepherds to watch over us as we journey from the font of Baptism to the day we join all the saints, angels, and archangels in the company of heaven. 

In many ways, our doubts lead us to believe that everything is impossible, even while the Scriptures say otherwise. We forget that God created the world, the animals, and all that occupies the earth. We forget that God formed man out of dust. That He created each and every one of us.

Yes, we also find ourselves more like the disciples than the faithful followers of Jesus. We’ve heard the story of Jesus’ life countless times, from Christmas to Easter. Like the disciples, we know Jesus fed the 5,000. And today, we hear how He fed the 4,000, yet we doubt He can do it again just as the disciples did, but He does. In just a few minutes, He will feed you too, and He will continue to nourish you with His flesh and His blood for the forgiveness of all your sins every time you gather. It’s here at the rail He says to you, “Take, eat. This is my body.” “Take drink, this is my blood.”

Jesus knew the crowd that followed Him was suffering in this wilderness. So, He had compassion on them and fed them. His compassion still remains today for you. It comes to you at this altar. He feeds you here to save you from your sins, to grant you forgiveness and eternal life. He comes to give you a foretaste of the feast that is to come, the life that is to come when our time on earth, our journey in this wilderness, ends and we enter the joy of heaven.

That is what compassion looks like. Jesus standing before you, speaking words of comfort into your ears. Feeding you with His flesh and His blood. The world changes; one wilderness ends and another begins. The church changes: births happen, funerals happen, pastors come and go. Yet, Jesus remains. Jesus remains and cares for you. 

This life is a journey. It’s best to see it this way because it shows there is a destination we are heading toward. Your Lord and Savior will one day call each of us to be with Him in heaven forever. But for now, you are vulnerable to the world, and you may hunger and thirst in this life. However, learn from followers of Jesus today who hunger and thirst for the Words of Christ. These words and promises give you His righteousness and His forgiveness. For this, you can rejoice, even in the wilderness of life. 

God created man in His image. You were created to have feelings and emotions. You were created to be His child. So, thirst and hunger for Him. Don’t fear this life, but rejoice in the life Jesus speaks into your ears. Rejoice in the nourishment He now provides you. In this way, your Savior cares for you. In this way, you are led into the eternal joy of heaven. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Trinity 6

Matthew: 5:17-26

Whenever the Gospel reading for this morning comes up, I’m always reminded of these words of C.F.W. Walther, the first president of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, “This Gospel [today] is not like the gentle dew which trickles softly upon languishing hearts. It is glorious like a torrential rain, which comes amid the flashing of lightning and the roll of thunder.” (Walther’s Works, Volume 2, Page 54)

How so, you might ask?

Because Jesus states there is no wiggle room when it comes to obeying the Law or the Commandments of His Father. You have to keep it all. In fact, when it comes to the Fifth Commandment, He says that even the emotion or feeling of anger toward another person leads you to murder them. 

Anger in your heart equals the breaking of the Fifth Commandment, “You Shall not murder.”

This is huge!

But this is what Jesus says in the Gospel, “Whoever therefore [loosens] one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

The idea of using the word “loosens” implies the person is not concerned with abolishing God's law but rather with downplaying the law’s Importance.

When this occurs, you don’t always see the torrential rain, the lightning, and thunder that approach due to your downplaying of God’s Law.

So how do you loosen or downplay the commandments, especially the Fifth Commandment?

You say, “When God said, you shall not murder, He didn’t mean it like that…” Or those “rules, those commandments,” they were for another time in history. Or they’re for other people, the really bad people. Not me or you.

And why do we say things like this? Because we need to justify our behavior, our thoughts, our words, and our actions.

We do this for self-preservation and self-justification.

However, you also need to recognize that your actions or inactions can be concerning; how you respond to a situation—whether it’s something you hear, something someone says, or something they don’t say—serves as a lesson for any child, grandchild, or adult watching and observing you. Your representation of the Christian faith, or lack thereof, has a powerful influence on those in your circle of trust and how they see Jesus in you.

Surely, you’ve all heard, and many of you live by the saying of Thumper from the classic movie Bambi, “If you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say nothing at all.” However, the problem with this statement is that the anger in your heart still exists. No fake smiles and pierced lips will hide your true feelings from your Father in heaven.

So, how do you handle these conundrums we’ve created for ourselves? The desire to be God's child and the sin of anger percolating from your hearts?

First, remember who you are – you are a baptized child of God.

As we heard in our epistle today,

How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

If you have been baptized, then the old self is to be put to death, and the new man in Christ is to be raised from the dead. This happens every time you confess your sins and hear the words of absolution from the pastor as from God Himself. 

You see, to confess or repent of your sins is to turn away from sin and turn to Christ Jesus. This is what the word repent means. To turn away from evil and go in a new direction, away from the things corrupting your heart. 

And then, you should pray the words of our collect today, that God would graft into your hearts the love of His Son and the desire to be Christ-like - to be as the Psalmist writes, “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8b)

This love is not for ourselves either; it’s for us to extend to one another. So, how do you exercise and demonstrate love for the neighbor you’ve sinned against or have anger towards? Do as Jesus instructs this morning, He 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.

We don’t get to approach the altar of the Lord without first reconciling with one another. Too often, we live by the code, whether we realize it or not, fake it to make it. But if this is our motto, then we are bound up in sin, and we are not children of the all-knowing Father in heaven.

This morning’s Gospel is a gut check for every Christian’s heart. Have you received the gentle dew of Christ’s forgiveness, won for you upon the cross of Calvary? Or is your heart a storm of despair?  

If you’ve found yourself struggling as of late with a family member, a friend, a brother or sister at church, or even me, I want to encourage you to go, seek reconciliation with that person, seek their forgiveness. Run to them as if your eternal life depends upon it, because it does.

And as you go, remember these words from the letter to the Ephesians, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

For our heavenly Father rejoices when His children dwell in unity and love with one another. (Psalm 133:1) He rejoices over you! +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

The Installation of Rev. Brian Beardsley

July 20, 2025

John 10:1-18

Today is an answer to prayer.

But when you prayed for a pastor, what were the qualities or characteristics you asked God for in your new pastor?

Where does one even start?

Did you pray for a pastor who was handsome or a little more outdoorsy with a beard? A real lumberjack of a man. Or maybe you prayed for a young whippersnapper to motivate the younger population around Adams? Did you hope for a pastor who is good at organizing events? Someone to take the lead at planning potlucks? Or did you pray for a man who would be a little more rigid, a teacher of the Law, or a shepherd who is always encouraging and comforting with the Gospel upon his lips?

Or did you pray, “Heavenly Father, you know best, just send us a pastor according to your will?”

That’s a dangerous prayer… But a good prayer.

Shortly, Pastor Beardsley’s fellow pastors will gather around him to read aloud the responsibilities and characteristics a pastor should have. This reading serves as a reminder for both the pastor and the congregation of what a pastor is Called to do. 

One passage that will not be read, but is aptly appropriate, comes from St. Peter as he writes,

I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

This text calls pastors to be shepherds to the flock God entrusts to their care. Peter adds that this should be done joyfully and eagerly, too, not out of selfishness. In fact, Peter also says that a pastor is to be an example to the flock they shepherd so that when the chief Shepherd appears, they’ll receive a crown of glory.

So, who is the example for these pastors and shepherds? It’s the chief Shepherd, it’s Jesus Christ.

It’s for this reason that pastors are often called undershepherds; they serve under the chief Shepherd, and for this reason, they are to encapsulate all the qualities and characteristics of the chief Shepherd. They are to be an image and icon of Jesus.

In our second reading today, we heard the Gospel of the Good Shepherd.

This Shepherd is the gatekeeper, one who guards the entrance to the sheep pen. Likewise, the pastor is called to keep watch over you, the lambs of Christ.

It said the sheep know the Shepherd’s voice, and He leads them out. This is an interesting statement because shepherds usually tend their flocks from behind their sheep. But this Shepherd is different; He instead will lead the sheep by His voice into all truth.

And this is what the undershepherd is called to do: to lead the flock entrusted to his care into the ways of all truth. To preach the Word of God in and out of season. (2 Timothy 4:2) To speak the words of the Chief Shepherd with boldness and purity so that you will know His voice, the voice of Jesus Christ.

But here’s why your prayer for a new pastor could have been dangerous.

A pastor can either be a true undershepherd or a hired hand. The hired hand will not come to you with God’s Word or call you out of the thicket of sin you have befriended. A hired hand will not tell you to come to church when you have gone absent. A hired hand will not journey with you to the grave. The hired hand thinks of himself before and above anything else.

But a true undershepherd embodies Christ and enters the thicket of your transgression so that you might be led out of this darkness through the confession of your sin. The undershepherd will come to your home with the Word of God when you have strayed to invite and lead you back to the flock of St. John’s, back to the gates of heaven before this altar. The undershepherd will walk with you even to the grave, for this is the ultimate desire of all God’s sheep, to hear the Good Shepherd’s voice as they are led into His eternal presence.

The undershepherd of Christ does this out of love for you, the sheep that have been entrusted to his care. 

So, what kind of pastor did you pray for?

This man, an ordinary man sent by God, to serve as a humble image and icon of the Great and Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

He has been sent to you to be the Lord’s undershepherd, to proclaim the Word of your Savior so that you might hear His voice, know it, and be guided by the crook of His cross unto life everlasting.

Let us then rejoice and pray for the man God has sent you. +INJ+ 

Trinity 5

Luke 5:1-11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

You can imagine the feeling of failure that Simon Peter and the others are experiencing as they clean their nets in the Gospel this morning. After another night out on the waters with nothing to show for their effort, these men are exhausted; without fish, there is no money, and without money, their families will struggle to pay bills and even eat.  

Peter, James, and John undoubtedly have difficult jobs.  

Maybe you can relate to these men.

Have you ever had a job where your earnings depend directly on your sales performance? What if you’ve been unemployed? You have skills and a strong work ethic, but your abilities are not being used or exercised properly.

Or perhaps you’re a farmer, where your livelihood, much like a fisherman’s, depends on how well your crops grow. There are challenges here, aren’t there? You can’t control the weather or whether it will rain too little or too much. Still, your machinery and tools need care just as Peter's nets do. 

Like Peter and the others, your families rely on the success of your vocations.

But what is a vocation anyway?

We often view vocation narrowly, as what we do for a living or our career. This is a rather limited understanding, as vocation is actually much broader than that. 

As one writer noted, Martin Luther saw vocation as how God acts through people in everyday roles to fulfill their calling to care for God’s creation. 

Are you a husband or wife? A mother or father? A daughter or son? What about a grandfather or grandmother? A brother or sister? Are you a soldier or airman? A student or teacher? A doctor or nurse? A farmer or clerk? 

In all these ways and more, lie your many vocations. Or as Luther says, “The masks of God.”

And why are these called the masks of God? Because God should be within them as you go about your day.

When a mother changes her newborn's diaper, she demonstrates God’s love to her child. When a child cares for their aging parent, God’s love is active through the child for their parent. 

Likewise, when a teacher strives to teach their students well and the students read and study as they should, they all demonstrate love and respect as God would want them to.

When farmers or fishermen have a good harvest, it’s not just their families who are cared for, but ours as well, since food can be brought to our tables. 

You see, the purpose of vocation or the mask of God is to love and serve your neighbor.

However, using this lens shows that our vocations also change over time. You adults were all students at one point, but that's no longer true. You have graduated. So, it would be incorrect to call you students in the formal sense. (I, however, have returned to being a student)

Maybe you were once a farm hand, but now you’re running the farm – your role changed because you must now give directions and care for others.

Maybe you were in the Army and served as a soldier, but you’ve since retired. While you can’t report for duty in your uniform on Monday morning, you can support soldiers and their families in other ways who continue to serve. 

However, the challenge with all these changes throughout life is knowing where to place our trust through the ups, downs, and twists and turns.

Sometimes, okay, often, we tend to be more like Peter in our vocations. We tell God we know what we’re doing. When we do this, we demonstrate a lack of trust in God to work through us to care for those neighbors He brings into our presence.

You see, while we don’t know everything about Simon Peter, we do know from the Scriptures that he had a mother-in-law, which means he had a wife, and for that reason, he was wearing more than one mask – he had more than one vocation as a husband and son-in-law. These women, along with the others fishing with him, depended on him and his ability to catch fish and provide for them.

And thanks be to God for Peter’s example for us. He listened to Jesus’ Word, lowered his nets, and found fulfillment where he least expected—in the deep, dark waters of the mornings rising sun.   

But Peter does not revel in the success of his catch; instead, he drops to his knees and says to Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

Peter confesses two things here: his own sin and that Jesus is Lord.

That is where your life as a Christian begins by confessing your sin and that Jesus is Lord.

This is the pattern of the Divine Service each Sunday: we confess our sins, our lack of trust and faith in Jesus, then we hear about Jesus, our Lord, and confess Him. And then we carry this confession into our daily lives as husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, soldiers and airmen, students and teachers, doctors and nurses, farmers and clerks.

You see, the presence and word of Jesus changed Peter, and it’s for this reason the Gospel concludes by saying, “And when they had brought their boats to land, ‘they left everything and followed [Jesus].’”

Peter, James, and John received new masks to wear and new vocations as students and followers of Jesus Christ. 

They were still fishermen, but the boat they fished from and the fish they sought had changed because they became fishers of men.

However, this translation is not entirely accurate; the Greek states, “from now on you will be catching men alive.”

This subtle difference changes things: “Catching men alive!”

The net they would now use was Jesus’ word, a word that gives life to those who have not heard the voice of Jesus or those of us who have turned away. And the boat is nothing other than His kingdom—a kingdom of grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

You see, you have also been brought into this kingdom through the font of Holy Baptism, where you were pulled out of the water by the net of Jesus’ life-giving word and brought into this boat of His Church. You are also fed and nourished at this rail with His flesh and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. And through these means, you are anchored in the love of Christ Jesus.

This is extremely important because it reminds you that your identity isn’t based on what you do for a living, but on who you are as God’s children. When you are in Christ, your station or job in life doesn’t matter; it can change many times, and then some. What matters most is that Christ is living in you and you in Him. 

Because when this happens, you get to use your many vocations throughout life, even as they may change, to serve your neighbor, love them, teach them, and most importantly, forgive them. Because where there is forgiveness, there is life and salvation with Jesus; a people being led safely to everlasting life in the ark of Christ’s church. +INJ+

Trinity 4

Genesis 50:15-21 & Luke 6:36-42

Jesus said in our Gospel, “Be merciful.”

Easier said than done, right?

You wouldn’t blame Joseph in our first reading from Genesis today if he were resentful towards his brothers, would you? After all, Joseph’s brothers hated him when they were younger; they saw him as their father’s favorite. So, they stripped Joseph of the precious robe he received from their father. Threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery, telling their father he was killed in the fields by a wild beast. As time went on, Joseph would be locked behind the bars of an Egyptian prison because he wouldn’t sleep with another man’s wife.

In our minds, Joseph would have every right to be vengeful, full of anger, and resentment towards his brothers.

His brothers know this, too, which is why they send a message to Joseph after their father’s death, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’” And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” (Genesis 50:16-17a)

Did you notice how the brothers corresponded with Joseph in this instance? They “sent this message” to him. They used a messenger because they were afraid to approach Joseph and were filled with guilt.

You can relate to these brothers, can’t you? When you sin against one another, whether it’s caused by your actions or words, it creates a divide between you and a sibling, a family member, or a friend. There is a fear that fills your heart and keeps you from approaching them and seeking forgiveness, isn’t there?

But after everything Joseph went through—the turmoil, grief, and sadness that filled his family—our reading said, “Joseph wept when they spoke to him.” (Genesis 50:17b)

He says to his dear brothers,

“Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50: 19b-21)

What a remarkable story and image of forgiveness and mercy.

But is it your story?

Jesus says, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

But you cannot be as merciful as your Father in Heaven. You think too highly of yourself. You’re right when everyone else is wrong. You are quick to defend yourself. You are jealous. You are angry. You are resentful. You think only of yourself.

And yet, you expect others to admit their wrongs. You want your family members to treat you with the kindness you’ve lacked, not hold grudges, consider your feelings, and look past your shortcomings. 

This mirror isn’t pleasant to look into, is it?

It calls you to remove the log within your own eye rather than obsessing over the speck and dust of sin in your neighbor’s eye.

But how can you remove this log from your eye, a cause and reason for such a bitter darkness in your life?

You must repent and confess your sin–your jealousy, your dishonesty, your betrayal.

And the words from the rite of Private Confession and Absolution (found in the Lutheran Service Book) are incredibly helpful as we are invited to confess before our Father in heaven,

I have lived as if God did not matter and as if I mattered most.

My Lord’s name I have not honored as I should;

     my worship and prayers have faltered.

I have not let His love have its way with me,

     and so my love for others has failed.

There are those whom I have hurt, and those whom I have failed to help.

My thoughts and desires have been soiled with sin.

The confession ends with the individual admitting their sin, saying, “I am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. I want to do better.”

And we should all desire to do better, but that must begin with grace and mercy.

It begins with the grace and mercy of your heavenly Father, who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into our world to take on our poisoned flesh. He walks the battered path of life, endures insults, is stripped of His clothes, and is deserted by His brothers as He hangs upon the wood of the cross. He is then placed into the pit of the grave, only to rise again.

He does all this so that the plank in your eye and the sin within your heart may be removed on account of His death and resurrection - the mercy of His Father for you. 

You see, too often, we find ourselves at odds with one another. When this occurs, we refuse to humble ourselves, to forgive one another, and to dwell in unity.

But St. Luke writes just a few verses before our Gospel today, “As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. (Luke 6:31b)

If the shoe were on the other foot between Joseph and his brothers, do you think he’d earnestly desire their forgiveness and mercy?

Of course, “As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. (Luke 6:31b)

As we journey through this life, we must remember we are not in the place of our God and Father in heaven. We do not stand in the position to judge our neighbors; we do not get to withhold forgiveness. No, instead, just as you come to this rail to receive the mercy of God in the flesh and blood of your Savior Jesus Christ, you are comforted as Jesus speaks kindly and tenderly with you, saying, “Take and eat…take and drink for the forgiveness of your sin.”

And then, just as Christ now dwells within you, you get to be a little Christ to your neighbor, speaking kindly and tenderly to them, forgiving them with the same grace and mercy you've received from your heavenly Father. 

Think about that…you get to forgive your neighbors, to have unity and peace, to be merciful, all because your Father in heaven has had mercy on you. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

Trinity 3

First Peter 5:6-11

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Surely you have heard the fireworks this past week, celebrating our nation’s Independence Day, and soon there will be many celebrations to honor the 250th birthday of the United States of America.

However, since July 4th, 1776, our nation has seen many battles and wars, many lives lost, and much bloodshed to defend this country and the ideals declared on that first Independence Day.

This brings to mind the words of Jesus from the Gospel of John, “Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his friends.” (John 15:13) This is, in a way, what a soldier commits to doing when they first take the oath of enlistment – they say;

"I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Did you hear the part regarding the enemies? The soldier swears to defend the nation “against all enemies foreign and domestic.” Foreign enemies are often easier to identify, but domestic ones are a different matter.

At the root of the word domestic is the word house, so to speak of a domestic enemy is to talk about an enemy of your house. Or we may say an enemy of nearness, like a neighbor. A significant challenge is that you may not recognize this enemy until it's too late and they've already seduced and overtaken you.

Still, in our epistle today, Peter is not speaking of a domesticated and tame cat that lives within your home, but rather one in constant motion - moving about to devour you – to swallow you up.

Peter says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

“Be sober-minded” – be free of passion, rashness, or confusion. Instead, be reasonable and self-controlled. But, of course, this is easier said than done…

Have you been “Sober-minded” over the past week? Or has your mind rushed to judgment? Has the silent roar of the lion enflamed life's passions, causing you to act rashly toward your brother or sister in Christ, jumping to sinful conclusions while failing to act in love and charity?

If so, then repent. Confess this sin before God, that you may be freed from these transgressions that bind you. Jesus says in the Gospel, “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

However, the devil is consistently and quietly prowling, learning, and studying your weaknesses to silently lead you away from the Good Shepherd who seeks you.

C.F.W. Walther wrote:

“Satan deludes the senses of the children of unbelief, so they do not see the clearness of Christ in the bright light of the Gospel. We therefore do not have to struggle against flesh and blood, but with princes and powers, namely the lords who rule in the darkness of the world, the evil spirits under heaven.” (God Grant It, Page 250)

The devil is not as easily detected as a foreign enemy of the state; instead, he has found residence within the comfort of your heart.

He deludes your senses as one who stalks, deceives, and misleads you, his prey, away from the Gospel of Christ Jesus so that it is no longer living and active within your heart. So that it no longer affects your words and conduct in love toward God and neighbor alike.

And while you may be quick to say, “Not me, pastor.” Reflect on St. Peter's great confession as he speaks to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” only to cower and deny Jesus when questioned, and the battle became real on Good Friday. (Matthew 15:15-16)

Still, the words of Jesus remain true for Peter and for you, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Even as your weak hearts falter to love your neighbor as yourself, Jesus laid down His life for you upon the cross – He laid down His life that the jaws of the lion may never devour you.

Do you remember the words from the end of the oath of enlistment I read earlier?

They were, “So help me God."

While these words are meant to assure your oaths within life as true and faithful – this statement also recognizes and ascribes genuine fear and faith in God. He is your only help in times of trouble, when you are under assault from all that is evil within this world - the war of cultures, the war of words, the war within your heart.

But you are not alone in this battle of life. Christ continues to seek you, His little lamb, to bring you back into His flock, back into His fold. He wants to rejoice with you not only now but in His Father's eternal kingdom. So, He gives you a foretaste in this Supper as sustenance to refresh you and strengthen your faith. To defend you from becoming indifferent and impatient in this life. He says come unto me, and I will take your burdens upon myself.

This is all cause for great rejoicing.

My friends, you are called in this life to be, first and foremost, faithful to God. Like your country, you will all experience trials and conflict throughout the days of your earthly life. But you have a Savior who is Christ the Lord. He died for your sins upon the cross. He feeds and grants you strength in this Supper and desires to rejoice with you eternally in His Father's House.

So cling to His Word and permit it to dwell within your heart. Put away your quick words of judgment, but be reasonable and self-controlled. Live in harmony with one another, willing to love one another as He has already loved you by laying down His life for you. +INJ+

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

The Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul

Matthew 16:13-19

+INJ+

The Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul is one of the oldest in the Church’s history, dating back to A.D. 250. These two Apostles share this date due to the tradition that they were both martyred and died by the order of the Roman Emperor Nero on this day in A.D. 68. St. Peter was famously killed by crucifixion on an upside-down cross, as he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as Christ. St. Paul experienced a quicker death by beheading because he was a Roman citizen. 

No matter the method of their deaths, the cause or reason they were put to death was their confession of faith in Jesus Christ.

As St. Peter said clearly in our Gospel reading today, when questioned by Jesus, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Peter eventually responds, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Would you be so bold as to make this statement?

Honestly, are you so bold?

Surely you want to say yes, but how often do you ponder and reflect on what it means to confess Jesus Christ in the world, in your homes, and in your lives?

Do you think about how you speak in conversations, the words you choose, or the actions you take when a spouse or sibling makes you upset? What about the banter you exchange with friends? Do they reflect and show that you are a child of God, a disciple, and a follower of Jesus Christ? 

I’d say that too often we don’t realize how our words and actions in our daily lives reveal our beliefs and faith to those people God brings into our contact. Unfortunately, we’ve become conditioned to be reactive, not taking the time to pause or think about what we should say or do; we just act.  

We see this with Peter later in the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus now foretells how the disciples will all scatter and abandon Him, but Peter said, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33)

We all want to be as bold and confident as St. Peter, don’t we?

But we know what happened to Peter: when Jesus was arrested on that first Maundy Thursday and brought before the high priest, Peter was asked three times by people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest whether he was with this man named Jesus. Each time, Peter reacted quickly, saying, “I do not know the man.” After the third instance of Peter’s denial, the rooster crows, and he weeps bitterly. (Matthew 26:74-75)

This bitter weeping of Peter now reveals a genuine confession of his sin – the sin of denying that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world.

So, again, reflect and ponder: Do you confess Jesus with the words that fill your conversations or through your actions with one another? Or are you quick to respond with words that hurt others or with actions driven by a vengeful heart?

Why are your words and actions so important?

As we see with Peter, they either confess Jesus or deny Him.

This morning, Ezra was asked in the Rite of Confirmation,

“Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?

His answer was, “I do by the grace of God.”

What an incredible, comforting, and bold response to the question, “I do by the grace of God.”

A response that confesses that one cannot truly believe and make the great confession of Jesus Christ on their own without God's help, the forgiveness won through Christ, and the Holy Spirit that enlivens faith and sustains us in the one true Church. This response reveals a heart that trusts in God for salvation.

Yet, like Peter, we do falter and stumble in confessing Jesus as we should. Your words and actions may struggle even before you reach the door of your vehicle to drive home this morning. 

But when this happens, follow the bitter tears of your heart to sincerely confess your sins as if your life depends on it, because in confessing your sin and need for forgiveness, you are also confessing Christ and the grace and mercy He has for you and all who will believe in Him.

And you know what? When you confess your sins and your need for Jesus and His forgiveness, you are as bold as St. Peter and St. Paul, demonstrating a faith that’s even willing to suffer death.

In fact, as St. Paul wrote to the Romans, you already have died, so remember these words with Ezra, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)

What comforting and reassuring words to hear today.

So, go ahead and walk past the font today, dip your finger in it, make the sign of the cross, and remember that you have been marked by Christ the crucified; you are a child of God.

Then go forth and walk in the new life you’ve been given today, boldly confessing Jesus in your thoughts, words, and deeds.

+INJ+

Dobbs decision a pro-life win, but there's more work to do – Rev. Noah Rogness

Three years ago, when the Dobbs decision was heard at the U.S. Supreme Court and again when it was overturned, I stood on the sidewalk outside the Court. I heard the impassioned rallying cries on both sides.

At the time I was a pastor at a Lutheran church in Northern Virginia, just a stone’s throw from the nation’s highest court. Leading up to Roe’s overturn in 2022, I had walked many times in the March for Life advocating for the overturn of the 1973 Court decision that gave abortion access nationwide.

My wife, Becky, and I are standing in front of the Supreme Court of the United States just moments after the Dobbs decision was announced.

The pro-life movement was forged out of a common unity set on overturning Roe v Wade. But in those years that followed Roe, the pro-life movement saw the concurrent need for establishing pregnancy centers and passing human dignity laws.

The goal of finally overturning Roe was accomplished through the Dobbs Decision on June 24, 2022. And in the last three years, we’ve seen necessary shifts in the pro-life movement.

Policy battles are now waged at the state level rather than in Washington. State laws vary from state to state and they keep changing.

But the critical needs of women and children are not changing. Their dignity is not changing. So while policy work is still important, we do our best when we start local and care for those God has placed around us.

The day after the Dobbs decision, our family picked up boxes of diapers for families in need; because the overturn of Roe didn’t mean the pro-life movement was over, but rather our work became more defined.

It’s this kind of focus on locally caring for our neighbors that will change hearts and minds, and save lives.

Even in states where abortion is banned or limited, abortions still occur. Wisconsin might only have five licensed abortion facilities, but abortion proponents are all too eager to make access to abortion pills easy and convenient — ultimately turning any dorm or family bathroom into an abortion facility. Two-thirds of abortion procedures are done through pills.

These days I pastor in Tomah, where I’ve been encouraged by the local resources that I’ve discovered upon moving here and that continue to emerge in southwest Wisconsin. The pro-life movement isn’t letting up.

In our area of the state, both New Lisbon and La Crosse have seen brand new pregnancy centers open their doors to serving women, babies and families. Interest in Monroe County Right to Life hasn’t waned as their membership continues to grow.

Over in Reedsburg, Wisconsin’s first Safe Haven Baby Box was installed in case a new parent needs to use Wisconsin’s Safe Haven law to legally surrender a newborn he or she can’t care for.

At my church, we seek to embrace pregnancy and children, seeing these as blessings not burdens, even if the circumstances are difficult. This means we welcome the children’s noise in service and we prepare meals for new parents so they have one less thing to worry about as they adjust to middle-of-the-night wakeups and dirty diapers. And as we put our pro-life ethos into practice, my parishioners know I’m willing to lead a Christian burial for any baby lost before they can take their first breath.

No matter where we find ourselves in our vocations, we all can use the Dobbs anniversary as an occasion to look for ways to serve our neighbors and all those we come into contact with. Opportunities abound to empower families and lend a helping hand to a mother in trying circumstances.

Christ’s words in Matthew compel us to seek opportunities to serve others as he tells us, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

***This column was originally published in the La Crosse Tribune, June 24, 2025***

Trinity 1

Luke 16:19-31

Everyone loves Baskin-Robbins because of their thirty-one flavors of ice cream. Numerous options allow everyone to find something that brings them happiness. Sugar cone or waffle cone? Or maybe a sundae?

Americans love choices: Are you a Ford fan, a Dodge fan, or a Chevy fan?

Or go into a Walmart… do you want organic or non-organic fruits and vegetables?

Whatever you do, don’t get me started on your choices of milk…or nut liquid posing as milk.

We love choices, don’t we?

Does this idea of freedom to choose ever enter the Church?  

Surely, a Sunday morning drive to Good Shepherd often leads you past many churches. If you were brave enough to turn on the television this morning, you would see a large number of televangelists promising you a better life if you do a, b, or c. After all, happiness and success are the true marks of a Christian, right? But have you ever noticed how they all seem to suggest that you need to do something to receive something? That’s called the law. 

But the Gospel this morning reveals a very different story. It’s not about options or decisions; it ultimately comes down to two paths or two religions. One is the religion of the law, which aims for man to reconcile himself to God; it’s all about the actions man does. While the other is the religion of the Gospel, where faith in Christ Jesus grants His forgiveness and life. 

On this first Sunday after Trinity, the Gospel always begins with the reading of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. The Gospel presents two distinct images: one is painted with vibrant colors that catch our eyes, depicting success, wealth, and social status in the Rich Man, who is recognized throughout the community. He has the choice of which social gatherings to attend, where one might gain an advantage over others.

In contrast, the portrayal of Lazarus’ life is painted with the darkest colors of grief and loneliness, a life dominated by physical pain, illness, and torment that seem to be his only realities.  

Which painting would you choose?

Most of us would choose the life of the Rich Man; no one likes to suffer. Additionally, everyone is drawn to shiny objects.

But make no mistake, this is also the way of the law. Everything the Rich Man does is for his own benefit, pride, and fame. Truthfully, he doesn’t even feel a need for God. 

How often do we see everything we do as our own achievements and successes? Every ribbon, medal, and trophy of life that adorns a child’s wall or shelf can become an idol if not kept in perspective.

Now, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work hard or that children should not aspire to do well in individual and team sports; they should, as they teach us to work with others, to have dedication, and use the talents God gives to us. However, we need to maintain a sense of perspective throughout our lives.

The Christian faith is not about what we do or achieve, but about Jesus and what He has done for you. It’s about hearing and receiving God’s Word into our ears, where the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith. It’s about following Jesus to His cross.

And this is why we do not like the painting of Lazarus this morning; we don’t like it when there are no choices in life, only crosses.

This painting is clearest during trials and tribulations, when a child is bullied for their personality, or picked on for not being the best athlete, or not invited to classmates’ birthday parties – they didn’t choose to be excluded. Or when someone develops cancer and must endure the countless waves of doctors’ appointments and treatments, they didn’t choose cancer. Or when our loved ones die, they didn’t choose to die and leave us with the feelings of loneliness and filled with the sores of grief and sorrow. 

However, when life resembles the plight of Lazarus and choices seem absent, we often gain a clearer vision of the cross of Jesus and His care for us, not just through the assisting hands of fellow Christians and neighbors, but also through the comfort of His Word and the Sacraments. 

These are the instances when we realize there is nothing I can do to save myself; all I can do is rely on my Savior, Jesus Christ, and receive His forgiveness and His life.

And for this reason, we must reject any teaching that speaks contrary to this.

You know, when you narrow the Christian faith down to these two paintings or paths, everything starts to become much clearer.

You can live as if everything depends upon you and what you do, or you can live with the faith and trust that everything within your life depends upon Jesus and what He has done for you by dying on the cross.

This is, after all, why we are gathered here this morning—to bring the sorrows and griefs of life to the gates of this altar, the gates of heaven—where Christ comes to you and satisfies you with the gifts of His flesh and blood for the forgiveness of your sin and the foretaste of eternal life. 

As the Psalmist wrote,

[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted

         And binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

It’s Christ Jesus who binds up your wounds and gives the balm of His peace to your heart. So don’t become distracted by all the choices of this world; instead, look to Him, hear His Word, and receive His grace and forgiveness, and remember His Words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

My friends, no matter where you are led in this life, follow Jesus, through glory and shame, grief and gladness, peaks and valleys, and He will give to you eternal life. +INJ+

The Festival of the Holy Trinity

John 3:1-17

Have you ever been asked a question by a child that you didn’t know the answer to?

For instance, you know that if you plant seeds in good soil, you water, weed, and take care of the seed, it will sprout and grow into a wonderful pumpkin, tomato, or carrot.

But could you explain the process in detail of how the seed germinates and how the water works with the warmth of the sun to grow the seed into produce you and your family can enjoy?

This is my problem: I enjoy having a garden, growing fruits and vegetables, and teaching my children how to live off the land. But as my children follow me around the yard with their many, many questions about how the water or the sun helps the plant grow, I don’t always have an answer for them.

“It just does,” I often repeat.

I wonder how many fathers have shared in this response.

In today’s Gospel, Nicodemus, a wise and learned man, approached Jesus to say, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” (John 3:2)

Nicodemus comes to Jesus believing Him to be from God the Father, but he does not fully understand how Jesus is from God or who He truly is.

This is reflected not only in Jesus’ response, but also in the follow-up question by Nicodemus. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:3-4)

Nicodemus embodies Israel perfectly. The people of Israel were aware of God’s plan of salvation, as foretold by the words of God the Father, delivered through the prophets, yet they did not fully grasp how this plan would come to fruition. 

They did not understand how Jesus would need to enter the flesh of man, to go to the cross and die and rise again, nor did they understand how His death and resurrection would be for the salvation of all people, even the Gentiles (nonbelievers – those outside of Israel).

Do you struggle with understanding this great and glorious truth, too?

Are you like Nicodemus, petitioning your heavenly Father for guidance? Do you find yourself struggling to understand your faith or to articulate the Christian faith to your children or grandchildren? Or perhaps to a family member or neighbor? 

You are not alone.

But just as the answer to Nicodemus’ questions was right in front of him, so are the answers to your questions of the faith – they reside in the Words and testimony of Jesus.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that to see and know the kingdom of God, one must first be born from above, through the work of the Spirit, where they are united with Christ and made children of their heavenly Father; they must be baptized. You must hear and receive my Word and testimony from above, He says.

But then, Jesus points Nicodemus back to the prophetic words of Numbers as He said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:13-14)

Jesus answers Nicodemus by saying, you must believe in me.

In me, the Son of Man, who will be lifted up and placed upon the cursed tree, in me you will receive eternal life.

But how do you explain this mystery to a child? How do you answer and explain this to someone inquiring about the faith that is within you?

How do you explain to another how the Son of God took on your human flesh and became a man?

How do you explain how the Son of God grew up as a child, growing in wisdom and knowledge?

How do you explain the greatest news of how the Son of God died on the cross for your sins and the sins of the whole world and then rose again?

How do you explain that even as Jesus ascended into the heavens, but still remains with us today?

Sometimes we get caught up in answering other people’s questions, attempting to rationalize our answers, that we forget the answers to the faith are to be confessed from God’s Word and the Creeds handed down throughout the ages, as we just recited the words of the Nicene Creed a few moments ago.

“I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth…”

“And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God…who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate…And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven…”

“And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life…”

The faith of the Christian Church is succinctly explained and confessed with these words of the creed that we speak every week as we gather here in the sanctuary of the Lord. Think about that, every time you confess the creed, you are being catechized and prepared to confess and give an answer for the faith within you.

What a wonderful gift for you. You don’t have to rationalize or support your faith in worldly or scientific ways; your only need is to confess what God has done, to look to the cross and rejoice that you have a Father who loved you by sending His Son to die for you on the wretched cross so that you might live.

As we celebrate the festival of Holy Trinity today, let us remember that this is not a time for us to investigate or rationalize the Trinity. Instead, it is a time for us, the children of God, to petition our Father in heaven to grant us the fruit of faith so that we may confess what we hold to be true: that it is the Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us upon the cross, and the Holy Spirit who continues to keep us in the faith of this true church on earth so that we might be plucked from the soil of this earth on the last day when we shall see our God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, face to face. 

+In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit+