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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What Makes a Man Clean?

What makes a person clean? What makes a person righteous, fit to stand in the presence of God (Psalm 24:3–4)?

There are times when we try to do this for ourselves. We invent ways to get right with God, and ways to make other people think the best of us. We want a life that other people can look at and think, “Ah, he has it figured out.” Whatever that looks like for you, sometimes it is material stuff. Other times we say, “No, no, it is not about material stuff. I want other people to see that I am at peace, that I have it together.” And so we project that image outward, while inside we are anxious and spun up about everything.

Jesus says it has to start from the inside out (Mark 7:20–23).

Jesus says He must make us clean. He must make us right.

The Problem Is Within

The Pharisees are always gathered around Him, and at different times He calls them a brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34) and whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27). He says, in effect, “You paint yourselves up on the outside. You look good. But inside you are spiritually dead to the things that actually give life” (Matthew 23:25–28; Ephesians 2:1).

And apart from Christ and His saving work, that is all our lives (John 15:5).

We cannot do this for ourselves. We wind up with lives of seeming outward cleanliness, but inward filth. And out of that heart come things that have to be painted over time and time again.

Jesus talks about them. He says there is lust, deceit, slander, pride, anger. These things get out into our lives, and they tear families apart. They ruin friendships, neighborhoods, churches. Jesus says it is the things that start in our heart and come out into our life that actually defile us. That is what sin is (Mark 7:21–23; Matthew 15:18–20).

Outward Things Cannot Save Us

Our temptation is always to make it about the things we can control.

We think, “If I set aside those foods, that makes me good.” And fasting, as the Catechism says, is fine outward training. We train our bodies so that our bellies are not the boss of us, and so that we live for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that all these things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33).

But those are outward things. Those are things we can control, boxes we can check.

And Jesus says, yes, but if this is not made right, if Jesus is not the one sitting on the throne of our hearts, then what does any of it matter (Ephesians 3:17)?

The hatred still comes out.
The words that hurt still come out.
The words that bring death to those around us still come out (Proverbs 18:21).

They come out in the breaking of the Sixth Commandment (Exodus 20:14). They come out, and marriages are torn apart, and lives are destroyed for a few moments of passion. They come out in pride that puffs us up and cuts down everyone else around us (Proverbs 16:18).

The Morning After

Then come those moments of clarity.

The morning after, when we can hear what we actually said, what seemed like the right thing in the moment, and we can hear how it would have sounded to everybody else. We can look back and think about what the night before actually cost.

And if we are dead inside, then all of that just leads to guilt and despair, to crying out, “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1). And if there is no trust that the Lord will actually help and save, then you are stuck there.

Christ Tells the Truth and Cleanses Us

But Jesus came as someone willing to tell the truth about us and about our condition (John 2:24–25). He does not pretend when He looks at us and speaks about us. Thanks be to God that He does not.

We need someone who can look at us and tell us what is actually going on.

He sees our sin, and then He goes to the cross to save us from it (1 Peter 2:24).

He sees the things that defile us, the things He talks about, the things that come out of our heart and make a mess of our life, the things that make it hard even to look one another in the eye, let alone bear the thought of having God see all of us.

Jesus takes that.

He says: You need to be washed. You need to be cleansed. You need to be sanctified. You need to be justified (1 Corinthians 6:11).

And so He goes to the cross, and He opens His side for us, and pours out from His sacred heart the water and the blood that wash us and make us clean (John 19:34; 1 John 5:6). He frees our consciences from having to try to fix it on our own (Hebrews 9:14). And He returns us to His Word, the Word that kills the sin in us and makes us alive with Him before His Father (Romans 6:11; John 6:63).

A Lenten Practice of Repentance

Now this Lent we hear His words. We hear our lives being accurately diagnosed by our Savior. But we also have a Savior who loves us, who pays for us, and who does what is necessary to cleanse us. He kills our sins and gives us our life back (Romans 6:6–11).

So make this a practice in the remaining weeks of Lent:

Go through each of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17). Walk through each one. Consider your life. Stop and think about it. Confess each one specifically.

How have I not loved God with my whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37)?
How have I not kept His name holy (Exodus 20:7; Matthew 6:9)?
How have I not remembered the Sabbath Day (Exodus 20:8)?
And so on through the list.

And see, in your heart, where those things start.

If you notice, in all the explanations to the Commandments, they begin the same way: “We should fear and love God so that…” When we find ourselves doing the things we should not do, or failing to do the things we should do, it all traces back to the heart (Mark 7:21–23).

Create in Me a Clean Heart

Go through the Ten Commandments, and then make a point of praying a Bible verse that I know for sure each of you has memorized, because we sing it every week:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Your presence,
And take not Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:10–11).

Ask God for that new heart as you confess your sins.

And then pray that with that new heart He would let you speak words that give life (Ephesians 4:29). Stop the gossip, the sarcasm, all the things that only wound. Look at your family life and say:

Lord, give me a heart that loves and honors my spouse (Ephesians 5:33).
Lord, give me a heart that does what You want me to do.
Lord, turn the hearts of fathers to their children (Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17).
Lord, turn the hearts of children to their fathers and mothers (Malachi 4:6).

You want us to do these things, O Lord. Give us new hearts. Hearts washed clean from the inside out by the water and the blood (John 19:34). Give us Your life. Make us clean. Sanctify us. Justify us (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Amen.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Amen.

Jesus the Stronger Man: Hearing and Keeping the Word of God (Luke 11:14–28)

By Pastor

On March 9, 2026

In Sermons

Jesus the stronger man, who sets us free from sin, death, and the power of the devil.

God’s Word

God’s Word that serves as the foundation for our sermon this morning, is from the Gospel according to St. Luke, chapter 11 (Luke 11:14–28): Jesus casting a demon out of a mute man (Luke 11:14), Jesus teaching about the unclean spirit (Luke 11:24–26), and Jesus’ saying, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28).

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Blessed Is the Mother of Jesus

I suppose I can talk about Christmas a little bit today, because at the end of the reading someone cries out, in effect, “Blessed is Your mother. Blessed is the one who brought You into this world and sustained Your life. How blessed she must be to have a Son like You” (Luke 11:27).

And that is true.

I remember back in Advent, leading up to Christmas, we sang Savior of the Nations, Come a couple of times. One of the verses says:

“In her womb this truth was shown:
God was there upon His throne.”

There is the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16), reigning from His throne even as a tiny baby in the womb of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31; Luke 1:35).

Blessed indeed was she.

But Jesus teaches that there was an even greater blessedness in Mary before that, and along with that: she heard the Word of God and kept it (Luke 11:28). She believed the promise (Luke 1:45). And then, especially on that day of great trial, when the angel came and told her that she would bear the Son of God by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26–35), she said, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Let my life be according to Your Word, O Lord.

The Strong Man and His Palace

That brings us to the rest of the story.

After Jesus casts the demon out of the mute man (Luke 11:14), they accuse Him of driving out demons by Beelzebul (Luke 11:15). Then Jesus teaches them about Satan, the strong man fully armed who guards his own palace (Luke 11:21).

Think about what that palace is in this picture.

Jesus is talking about a demon dwelling in a man (Luke 11:14). He is talking about Satan taking up residence and claiming a palace and sitting on a throne (Luke 11:21). He is talking about the heart. He is talking about the place where God should rightly reign in our lives, and yet someone else is there.

The Many Ways Evil Afflicts

In the Gospels, sometimes it is dramatic and terrifying. A child is thrown into the fire or into the water (Mark 9:17–22). Sometimes it is wild and violent, like the man living among the tombs (Mark 5:1–5). Sometimes it is quieter, stranger, less outwardly spectacular, like this man who simply cannot speak (Luke 11:14).

There are all kinds of ways these things afflict people.

We may not often see the more dramatic forms in our own day, but something like this mute spirit is not hard to recognize. How often are there moments when thanks should be spoken to God, and yet we are silent? Moments when we should call upon Him in trouble, and we do not (Psalm 50:15)? Moments when someone near us is hurting and needs a word of truth, comfort, confession, or love, and yet we cannot seem to speak (Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 4:29)? Moments when God’s truth ought to be said in the world, and yet our mouths remain closed (Matthew 10:32; 1 Peter 3:15)?

This afflicts whole churches too. It afflicts whole communities. It harms not only us, but those around us.

Who Reigns in the Heart?

And the question Jesus’ words force upon us is this: who is reigning on that throne? Who claims this heart as a palace for his own (Luke 11:21)?

We tend to divide life up into compartments. We separate our “spiritual life” from the rest of life, as though Christ only gets one little piece of us. But St. James speaks about the mouth and says that with it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God (James 3:9). And that ought not to be (James 3:10). The tongue is a little spark, and it can set a great forest ablaze (James 3:5–6).

And it is not just the mouth.

You can ask yourself, from head to toe: how do I use this body, this life, that God has given me (Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20)? Who is the one reigning in my life?

Think about those moments of temptation. Go back afterward, when you realize what has happened, and ask: where did that begin? When that anger burst out of me, who was reigning there (Galatians 5:19–21)? When I seized up and would not say the good and true thing that needed to be said, who was reigning there (James 4:17)? What temptations lay hold of me (James 1:14–15)? What desires try to claim control (Romans 6:12)? Who is there upon the throne?

Jesus the Stronger Man Who Has Come

But here is the good news:

Jesus does not merely diagnose the problem. He comes to break the power that evil has over us (1 John 3:8). He comes to break the grip that sin and death and the devil have over our lives (Hebrews 2:14–15).

We saw that in the Old Testament reading. God sends Moses to Pharaoh and says, “Let My people go” (Exodus 5:1). And God does not wait around to see whether Pharaoh feels like obeying. He lets His people go whether Pharaoh wants to or not (Exodus 12:29–32; Exodus 12:51).

So also here.

Jesus says, in effect: there is one stronger than the strong man (Luke 11:22). There is one stronger than the devil who sits in your heart and would keep you from God. “I will come. I will break those chains. I will come and set you free” (Luke 4:18; John 8:36).

“A stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, and he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil” (Luke 11:22).

This is what Jesus has come to do.

This is the victory He wins. He tramples the serpent’s head for our sake (Genesis 3:15). He goes to the cross to pay for your sin (1 Peter 2:24; Colossians 2:13–14). He cries out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and that is your victory. That is your salvation (Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57).

An Empty House Is Not Enough

Jesus also teaches us, though, that as long as we live in this world, the struggle remains. The devil still prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The unclean spirit may go out for a time, and if the house is empty, that is a dangerous thing (Luke 11:24–26).

We all know what it is like to find things in our lives that we do not like about ourselves. We know something is wrong (Romans 7:15–20). We know it hurts us and it hurts others. And sometimes that realization gets us a little ways. We try to put things in order.

That is why every January we all make our little lists. “I do not want this in my life anymore. I want this to be better.” And sometimes we do improve a little, for a little while.

But how far does that get us?

How many weeks does that motivation last?

By February, so often it is gone. And sometimes things come back even worse than before (Luke 11:26; 2 Peter 2:20). We say, “I am not going to do this anymore,” but sheer willpower is a weak defense. An empty house is no safety (Luke 11:24–26). If it is only us trying to tidy ourselves up a bit, the old enemy returns and finds an easy place to dwell (Luke 11:25–26).

So we need more than self-improvement.

We need Christ.

We need Him to dwell with us every day (John 15:4–5; Ephesians 3:17).

Blessed Are Those Who Hear the Word

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28).

That is the answer. “In her womb this truth was shown: God was there upon His throne.” And now the Lord would be upon the throne of your heart also (Ephesians 3:17).

What is it to hear the Word of God and keep it (Luke 11:28)?

It is to be in God’s house to hear His Word (Romans 10:17; Psalm 122:1). It is to let your ears be open and your eyes attentive to His kingdom (Matthew 13:16). It is not to let your ears and eyes and heart remain empty, but to let them be filled with His Word (Colossians 3:16). Even the parts that are hard. Even the parts that make you uncomfortable (Hebrews 4:12). Because the things that make you uncomfortable are often the very things you most need to hear (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

He is the King (Psalm 47:7–8). His Word is good (Psalm 19:7–11).

So hear that Word. Believe that Word. Keep that Word (Luke 11:28; James 1:22).

Christ Reigns for You

Because the One who loves you does not come to you in disgust. He did not die for you because He hated you. He did not suffer in your place because He wanted to cast you away. No, the Father loved you (John 3:16). The Son loved you (Galatians 2:20). He loved you so much that He would not leave you in darkness (John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9).

He sees the good for which God created you (Ephesians 2:10). He desires your life in the light of His presence forever (Revelation 22:3–5). And He is willing to suffer all things to bring you into that life (Hebrews 12:2).

So do not shut Him out (Hebrews 3:15).

He loves you.

And He wants what is best for you (Romans 8:32).

May He sit upon the throne of your heart (Ephesians 3:17). May He guard you and keep you all your days, making you His own (2 Timothy 1:12; Jude 24).

Amen.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Amen.

How can God’s Word shape our lives this week?

Changes Happening

By Pastor

On June 1, 2024

In Getting Ready for Church

Beginning June 2^nd, Pastor Sherman will be filling the Pastoral Vacancy at Our Savior’s in Chadron. Since Pastor can’t be in two places at once, we will have to make some changes to our Sunday schedule.

Divine Service:

Grace, Gordon will have the early service, at 8:30am
Our Savior’s, Chadron will have the late service, at 11am

Bible Class

Our Savior’s will have adult Bible Class following the Divine Service
Grace will have adult Bible class Monday evenings at 6pm

The Dual Parish committees from both congregations are working on the details of a partnership agreement between Grace and Our Savior’s. Please pray for our churches and for Pastor Sherman. We know that there will be changes, and they won’t always be our first choices. Please be patient. We are trying to make decisions that will be for the good of both churches. We desire Christ’s lambs to be fed, disciples to be made, souls to be baptized, the forgiveness of sins to be proclaimed, and all that Christ has commanded to be taught.

As the committees meet, there will be more information to share. If you have questions, please ask an elder or Pastor Sherman. When you speak about this issue with others in the church or in the community, please speak only what you know to be true, and use your words for the upbuilding of our church and her people.

Ash Wednesday

By Pastor

On February 14, 2024

In Devotions, Getting Ready for Church

Service Tonight at 6pm

Lent is here again. We begin our forty-day journey that will take us to the cross where our Lord Jesus paid for our sins and the empty tomb where we see death defeated and life immortal open to us.

This season begins on Ash Wednesday. It is a day that reminds us that death is the wages of sin. Our Creator looks sadly upon the people He has made, and has to tell us what we have done to ourselves “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Yet, our Lord does not abandon us to the grave and to hell beyond it. He promises His own Son as our Savior. During Lent we follow the Lamb of God who takes away the Sin of the World. We let Him take our sin and kill it. We let Him take our hearts of stone and make them living Christian hearts. We follow Him as He conquers the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature so that we may live with Him.

Lenten Devotions

Here is the devotional book we will be using this Lent. We will have some copies to pick up here at church, but you can also download them from this link or purchase as a Kindle book.

Also, on Ash Wednesday, our Lord calls us to habits of life that help us to fight against the forces of death. The following are suggestions for bringing our Lord’s Words into our lives.

Hearing and Reading God’s Word

God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword. Hearing and reading it brings the strength of God’s right arm right into our hearts. This Bible-reading plan can help. Forty days on this plan will be a good start to a lifetime habit of growing in Christ through His Word. Also, make sure to join us to receive the Lord’s gifts of Word and Sacrament each Sunday, and at our Wednesday midweek service which will be at 6pm.

Repentance

On our own, we are but dust, deserving of the death that is the wages of our sin. That is the broad easy road that leads to hell. We are called to consider our places in life according to the Ten Commandments. This is a helpful guide to see where sin has taken hold of our lives, and to see the shape that a life in Christ must take as we follow our Lord on the narrow road that leads to our heavenly home. Confess to the Lord where you have fallen short of His Holy law (either in prayer, or by scheduling a time for confession and absolution with pastor). If you have sinned against another person, go and confess your sin to them as well. If someone confesses that they have sinned against you, draw strength from the wounds of our Lord and the cross and forgive them.

Prayer

In Prayer we call on God just as dear children call on their dear father. When it comes to our battles against the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, with might of ours can naught be done, but in prayer, we ask for the help of the valiant one whom God Himself elected, Jesus Christ our Lord. Here is a guide to prayer for each day of the week that is formed by God’s Word, and fitted to the specific places where we live and work.

Fasting

Our Lord reminds us that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. A quick look at our world, and in fact our own lives show us how much of our lives are devoted to the fleeting desires of the body. We feels these urges like an itch to be scratched. But after that, what do we have? How many lives are ruined for the fleeting pleasures of a moment. Fasting is a weapon the Lord urges us in order to keep our bodies in check. We have some freedom in how we practice this. Some limit the total amount of food they eat (perhaps by skipping breakfast and eating a light lunch). Others abstain from something that they strongly desire (sweets, soda, alcohol, etc.). In the past few years some have done things like “fast” from television or social media or screens altogether. Choose something that seems appropriate for your situation, and try it for Easter. It does not “earn” salvation, but it is useful for training your body for the righteous life to which your Lord calls you. Also, even during Lent, Sundays are a feast day upon which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, so the fast is set aside on Sundays.

Almsgiving

Jesus says “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our money is God’s, and He gives it to us to manage well to care for our families, our church, and to bless our neighbors (especially those in need). Lent may be a time for you to look over the state of your financial life and see where your heart is. If you are not already doing it, during the next 40 days consider giving 10% of all the money you bring in as an offering to the Lord before you spend anything else. If after doing that, you find you still have margin (or if you are already tithing), set aside money so that when you see a neighbor in need or a worthy charity you can help.

May God bless us on this 40 day journey, as we learn to take up our cross, follow Jesus, die to sin, and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity.

In Christ, Pastor Sherman

Getting Ready for Church: Jubilate

By Pastor

On April 29, 2023

In Getting Ready for Church

Dear friends in Christ,

Sunday is Jubilate Sunday, or the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Jubilate (Ju·bi·la·te) is a Latin word that means “Shout for joy!” It comes from Psalm 66:1 “Shout for joy to God, all the earth.” After a week like we have had in our church and community, this might seem a bit jarring (“what do we have to sing for joy about?”); but the joy our Lord gives to us is real joy. Our Lord walked this earth. He wept as his friends graves. He is acquainted with our sorrows. He suffered for us on the cross, and rose again, He is the resurrection and the life, and so we too shall live with Him. And so this week we hear His promises: “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29); “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3); and “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” (John 16:22). Our Lord gives us just what we need at the proper time.

What does joy mean? Here is a list of some of the places that Word shows up in the New Testament. You can look these verses up in your Bible and begin to get a fuller picture of the joy Jesus wants to give you through the Holy Spirit.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord”
Psalm 122:1

Scripture Readings For the Week:

Prayers of the Day:

Almighty God, You show those in error the light of Your truth so that they may return to the way of righteousness. Grant faithfulness to all who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Church that they may avoid whatever is contrary to their confession and follow all such things as are pleasing to You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymns

814 O Bless the Lord, My Soul
483 With High Delight Let Us Unite
155 This Is the Feast
490 Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won
476 Who Are You Who Walk in Sorrow
464 The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done
A Spotify Playlist of Our Easter Hymns

Bach Cantata for the Week

BWV 12, Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen

(Video | Translation)

Cross and crown are joined together,
Gem and conflict are made one.

Christians must at every hour
Have their torment and their foe,
But Christ’s wounds shall be their comfort.
J.S. Bach BWV 12

Our mission offerings for April

will go towards the newly forming Luther Classical College in Casper. The mission of the college is this:
“Imagine a college where students learn:

to value marriage and family over career and money.
that men are men and women are women, with God-given and beautiful differences and roles.
that to be a father is greater than being the president and to be a mother is greater than being a queen.
that the Bible is the wisdom of God far surpassing all the wisdom of men.
that the Lutheran Church has the greatest theology, the best hymns, the most excellent music in the history of the world.
that Bible, hymns, prayer, devotion, and talking about God belong in our homes every day.
that children are a heritage from the Lord, the only thing in all the earth we can take to heaven with us.
that piety is better than wealth and virtue is better than fame.
that the Western tradition, with its literature, philosophy, music, scientific discovery, and Christian theology, is by far the greatest tradition the world has ever seen.
that socialism is theft and wokism is bullying.
that Christian culture grows through supporting faithful churches and leading pious homes.

This is the mission of Luther Classical College. Proudly and unapologetically Lutheran in liturgy, theology, and culture. Lutheran. Conservative. Classical. A college for Lutherans.”

So far the college has raised over $1 million in support from individuals and over 100 Lutheran congregations. LCC has hired an Academic Dean who will begin work in August of this year. Construction has begun on a library for the college and books are being acquired. LCC is hosting the Christian Culture Confernce June 6th and 7th with the topic of “The Bright Future of the Lutheran Church in America.” You can click any of these links to find out much more.

(In May we will be collecting for the Military Bible Stick Program

See everyone tomorrow on the Lord’s Day!

In Christ,

Pastor Sherman

In Memorium: +Rick Burleigh+ (Nov. 19, 1962-April 24, 2023)

By Pastor

On April 28, 2023

In Funerals

Scripture Readings

Hymns

Amazing Grace
On Eagles’ Wings

Obituary

Ricky Leroy Burleigh was given life by his creator and was born on November 19th, 1962 to Barbara and Jerry Burleigh. He was baptized as a child of God on Dec. 23, 1963. On April 3, 1977, he was confirmed in the Christian faith and fed the life-giving body and blood of Jesus. He was united in holy marriage to Joanie on August 1, 1984 and God blessed them with 38 years of life together. God also blessed them with three children, Jessica and her husband Kaleb and their three children: Kylie, Adlee, and Kayden; Nicole and her husband Justin and new baby on the way, and Allison and her husband Mac and their children Karter, and brand new baby Raylee Grace.

Rick graduated from Gordon High School, then went on to get an Associate of AG degree and a Bachelor of Science in AG Economics degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Rick married Joanie Hull on September 1, 1984, Gordon, NE. They lived for a short time in Gordon, before moving to Lincoln. In 1997 they moved back to Gordon where they raised three daughters, Jessica, Nicole, and Allison.

He worked for Security First Bank as the president for over 20 years. He was a dedicated member of the Gordon Volunteer Fire Department. He served on the Rotary Club, the City of Gordon Planning Commission and on the Gordon Memorial Hospital Board. He was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church.

Rick enjoyed hunting, fishing, spending time with his children and grandchildren, riding his motorcycle, lifting weights and he loved being a fireman.

On April 24, 2023, God called Rick home to rest in the peace of heaven with Jesus Christ his Savior. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
He is survived by his mother Barbara Burleigh of Gordon; his wife Joanie of Gordon, NE; his daughter Jessica (Kaleb) Metzger and their children Kylie, Adlee and Kayden of Bennington, NE, daughter Nicole (Justin) Lanum of Gretna, NE and daughter Allison (Mac) Madsen and child Karter of Hanna, WY; two siblings Debra (Larry) Coleman of Beatrice, NE, and Steve (Mary) Burleigh of Colby, KS; his mother-in-law Kelly Hull of Gordon, NE; two brothers-in-law Mike (Paula) Hull of Kearney, NE and Tim (Carolyn) Hull of Estes Park, CO; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Sermon

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

I know when you go to someone else’s church service the responses and readings feel like something to be gotten through, and you’re thinking, just get to the point. But today, of all days I want you to pay attention to them. They are not my words. They are not made-up by men of my church. They are holy promises and blessed assurances from the mouth of the living God.

“If we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.”

“Your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

“This slight momentary affliction is preparing us for a weight of glory beyond all comparison.”

“He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

“I am the resurrection and the life,” says the Lord, “he who believes in Me will live, even though he dies”
Romans 6; Psalm 23; Colossians 3; 2 corinthians 4; John 3; John 11

These are promises that God made to Rick. These are promises that God kept to Rick through Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus said He was going away to prepare a place for Rick in the Father’s house and now He has said “welcome home.” Rick has felt the strong grip of the right hand of Jesus that knew the work of the shop and our now forever marked where He offered Himself as a sacrifice. Rick has looked into the holy face that was spat upon and now shines in glory, he has seen the noble head that wore the crown of thorns, seen the side where our Lord was pierced for our transgressions, out of which the blood and water of our healing and life flowed. Rick’s life began with a baptism into the life of Christ. Now his life is hidden forever with Christ in God.

Our community has lost a pillar. A husband and father and grandfather. A son. A brother. A neighbor. A friend. Someone you worked beside. Someone who helped when you needed it most. Everyone lost something a little different. It is a testament to God to see the blessings he poured out through the life and love and service of Rick. Fire-safety week will be different this year without “firefighter Rick” laughing from under his helmet, watching the kids do their best to stand up under the weight of a grown man’s heavy jacket.

I knew when he called or sent me a text something important was happening. The best were when called to ask if I would be able to baptize a new grandchild. He called when his father was dying, and when you all found out about the cancer. He wanted to hear the simple promises of Jesus for the people he loved. He wanted prayers to be made to the One Who loved us and gave Himself up for us.

What do we do now? It’s dark and where do you turn? Which way do you go? There is a weight that’s been put on your shoulders and its pressing you into the ground and there is that feeling in your body and heart and mind all at once and you don’t know how you can ever get up. There is a weight that has to be lifted, but it feels like it’s stapled to the floor and your grip is slipping. Turn to Jesus, who strengthens you so that you can do all things. To Christ who guides you through the darkness with His rod, His staff, His cross. To Him who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble.

Don’t let the blessings God gave through Rick stop now. His grandchildren up on your shoulder are the Little Lambs of Jesus. When you deal in money and land do it as those helping to distribute God’s gifts. When go into trouble to help those in need, go in the confidence of Christ who stood with the men in the fiery furnace. The same Lord who blessed you in your home all these years is the Lord who will help you still.

And continue in this until your end. None of us knows when that will be. Don’t wait. Be ready now. Get others ready. Because in Christ, even though we die yet shall we live, and believing in Him we will never die. If you miss Rick, follow your Good Shepherd, who will lead you home to where he is, and were He has a place for you as well. Make sure those grandkids make it there to rejoice with grandpa and see the face of their Savior together. Raylee won’t get to see grandpa smile on this earth, even though Rick surely rejoiced with the angels at her birth and will rejoice even more at her baptism; make sure she sees his face shining with the reflected glory of Christ, smiling to welcome her to God’s house. Place your lives in Jesus’ nail-scarred hands. See His light that shines in the darkness. Do the work He prepares for you. Walk in His steps. You make it home, too. Amen.

Getting Ready for Church – Misericordias Domini

By Pastor

On April 23, 2023

In Getting Ready for Church

Sunday is Misericordias Domini, or the Second Sunday after Easter. Misericordias Domini is Latin for “The steadfast love of the Lord,” (Psalm 33:5). In that Psalm we see that our God rules all things. He makes all things by His Word (v.6). He brings the plans of all the nations to nothing, but His will is done forever; if a nation desires His blessing, it must live under Him (vv. 10-12). The Lord is our shield and our help, we rejoice, trust, and hope in Him (vv. 20-21).

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord”
Psalm 122:1

Scripture Readings For the Week:

Prayers of the Day:

O God, through the humiliation of Your Son You raised up the fallen world. Grant to Your faithful people, rescued from the peril of everlasting death, perpetual gladness and eternal joys; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymns

It would be worth your time to read this article by Anthony Esolen about what our hymn of the day “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” is all about. It will help you appreciate more fully what we are singing!

487 Come You Faithful Raise the Strain
709 The King of Love My Shepherd Is
155 This Is the Feast
633 At The Lamb’s High Feast
711 Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us
740 I Am Jesus Little Lamb
A Spotify Playlist of Our Easter Hymns

Bach Cantata for the Week

BWV 104, Du Hirte Israel, höre

(Video | Translation)

The highest shepherd cares for me,
What use is all my sorrow?
Appear will every morning
The shepherd’s kindness new.
My heart, compose thyself,
For God is true.
BWV 104

On Sunday, we will have the nursing home service at 2:30. And Don’t forget, at 5pm is our youth banquet for our confirmands and graduates! Make a plan to join us pretty much all day on Sunday!

Our mission offerings for April

will go towards the newly forming Luther Classical College in Casper. The mission of the college is this:
“Imagine a college where students learn:

to value marriage and family over career and money.
that men are men and women are women, with God-given and beautiful differences and roles.
that to be a father is greater than being the president and to be a mother is greater than being a queen.
that the Bible is the wisdom of God far surpassing all the wisdom of men.
that the Lutheran Church has the greatest theology, the best hymns, the most excellent music in the history of the world.
that Bible, hymns, prayer, devotion, and talking about God belong in our homes every day.
that children are a heritage from the Lord, the only thing in all the earth we can take to heaven with us.
that piety is better than wealth and virtue is better than fame.
that the Western tradition, with its literature, philosophy, music, scientific discovery, and Christian theology, is by far the greatest tradition the world has ever seen.
that socialism is theft and wokism is bullying.
that Christian culture grows through supporting faithful churches and leading pious homes.

This is the mission of Luther Classical College. Proudly and unapologetically Lutheran in liturgy, theology, and culture. Lutheran. Conservative. Classical. A college for Lutherans.”

See everyone on the Lord’s Day!

In Christ,

Pastor Sherman

Getting Ready for Church: Quasimodo Geniti

By Pastor

On April 15, 2023

In Getting Ready for Church

Dear friends in Christ,

Tomorrow is Quasimodo Geniti (the Second Sunday of Easter). The name is Latin and comes from 1 Peter 2:2 “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word. Christ was crucified and we have died with Him. He is Risen! And we rise with Him. This is a promise for the Last Day and the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting. It is also a promise for today and tomorrow and each day. Daily we die to sin. Daily we rise to new life. If you find sin in your life, if you find a heart that grumbles when the hymn is more than three verses, if you find a heart that holds old grudges against a sister in Christ, if you find a heart that chafes against the sixth commandment, if you find any sin, bring it to the Lord so He can kill it. He will raise you to new life. He will feed you with pure milk just like He does newborn infants. Your pure milk is His Word. Turn to it and see the new life you have in Christ, and be strengthened for the good work you were created in Christ to do.

(And yes, the name is like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In the book, Quasimodo is a deformed infant found by the priest on the doorstep of the cathedral. He is given the name because he was found on the Second Sunday of Easter.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1)

Scripture Readings For the Week:

Prayers of the Day:

Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymns

469 Christ the Lord is Risen Today
470 O Sons and Daughters of the King
458 Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
155 This Is the Feast
203 Morning Breaks Upon the Tomb
478 The Day of Resurrection

Bach Cantata for the Week

BWV 67, Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ

(Video | Translation)

Peace be unto you!
O Joy! Jesus helps us battle
And the foes’ great rage to dampen
Hell and Satan, yield!
Peace be unto you!
Jesus summons us to peace
And restores in us so weary
Soul and flesh alike.
Peace be unto you!
O Lord, help us as we endeavor
E’en through death to press our journey
To thy glorious realm!
Peace be unto you!

Our mission offerings for April

will go towards the newly forming Luther Classical College in Casper. The mission of the college is this:
“Imagine a college where students learn:

to value marriage and family over career and money.
that men are men and women are women, with God-given and beautiful differences and roles.
that to be a father is greater than being the president and to be a mother is greater than being a queen.
that the Bible is the wisdom of God far surpassing all the wisdom of men.
that the Lutheran Church has the greatest theology, the best hymns, the most excellent music in the history of the world.
that Bible, hymns, prayer, devotion, and talking about God belong in our homes every day.
that children are a heritage from the Lord, the only thing in all the earth we can take to heaven with us.
that piety is better than wealth and virtue is better than fame.
that the Western tradition, with its literature, philosophy, music, scientific discovery, and Christian theology, is by far the greatest tradition the world has ever seen.
that socialism is theft and wokism is bullying.
that Christian culture grows through supporting faithful churches and leading pious homes.

This is the mission of Luther Classical College. Proudly and unapologetically Lutheran in liturgy, theology, and culture. Lutheran. Conservative. Classical. A college for Lutherans.”

See everyone tomorrow on the Lord’s Day!

In Christ,

Pastor Sherman

Getting Ready for Church: Palm Sunday

By Pastor

On April 1, 2023

In Getting Ready for Church

Dear friends in Christ,

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. We follow our Lord from the shouts of Hosanna and the waving of Palms through to the empty tomb and His victory over death. In between we receive the gifts of His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins; His dying on the cross in our place, our Lord receiving what our sins deserve; and His rest in the tomb, hallowing our graves and opening to us the way of everlasting life. We are doing more than recalling history. Through hearing the Gospel and receiving the Sacrament, through prayer and singing the praises of Jesus who died for us, we are participating in these events.

It can be tempting to think that if we have gone to church once a week, then we have met our church quota and we don’t need anymore. But if you have never been to all the services of Holy Week (or even if you have), make sure that not only are you here the next three Sundays, you set aside Thurs Apr 6, Fri Apr 7, and Sat Apr 8 at 6pm each night for our special services. The Good News of Easter morning means so much more when you have heard, prayed, sang, and meditated on everything that led upt to the Empty Tomb.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1)

Scripture Readings For the Week:

Our Palm Sunday service will begin in the fellowship hall (Little Lambs). Our Service will begin there with the blessing of the palm branches and hearing the gospel reading of Jesus’ triumphal entry on Palm Sunday. We will process in with our palm branches while singing “All Glory Laud and Honor.” Please gather in the fellowship hall a little before 10am. In this service, we will also hear the account of Jesus’ crucifixion from Matt 27. Pastor will sing this like he usually does. This service will be slightly longer than a normal Sunday service. That’s okay. Our Lord endured the agonies of the cross for us. We can take time to hear and contemplate what the Scripture says about our Savior’s dying love for us, call on Him in prayer, and praise Him with our songs. Just as He entered Jerusalem to glad shouts of joy, may our hearts be open and receive Him with joy in this most Holy of weeks.

Prayers of the Day:

Most merciful God, as the people of Jerusalem, with palms in their hands, gathered to greet Your dearly beloved Son when He came into His Holy City, grant that we may ever hail Him as our King and, when He comes again, may go forth to meet Him with trusting and steadfast hearts and follow Him in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, You sent Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross. Mercifully grant that we may follow the example of His great humility and patience and be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymns

442 All Glory, Laud, and Honor
438 A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth
634 The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord
450 O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
420 Christ, the Life of All the Living
A Spotify Playlist of Our Lenten Hymns

Bach Cantata for the Week

BWV 182, Himmelskönig, sei willkommen(Video | Translation)

Strong compassion,
Which, O mighty Son of God,
From the throne
Of thy majesty did drive thee!
Strong compassion,
That thou didst to heal the world
As a victim give thyself,
That thyself with blood didst sentence.
BWV 182

Our mission offerings for April

will go towards the newly forming Luther Classical College in Casper. The mission of the college is this:
“Imagine a college where students learn:

to value marriage and family over career and money.
that men are men and women are women, with God-given and beautiful differences and roles.
that to be a father is greater than being the president and to be a mother is greater than being a queen.
that the Bible is the wisdom of God far surpassing all the wisdom of men.
that the Lutheran Church has the greatest theology, the best hymns, the most excellent music in the history of the world.
that Bible, hymns, prayer, devotion, and talking about God belong in our homes every day.
that children are a heritage from the Lord, the only thing in all the earth we can take to heaven with us.
that piety is better than wealth and virtue is better than fame.
that the Western tradition, with its literature, philosophy, music, scientific discovery, and Christian theology, is by far the greatest tradition the world has ever seen.
that socialism is theft and wokism is bullying.
that Christian culture grows through supporting faithful churches and leading pious homes.

This is the mission of Luther Classical College. Proudly and unapologetically Lutheran in liturgy, theology, and culture. Lutheran. Conservative. Classical. A college for Lutherans.”

I see that the Masons are holding a pancake feed to support the marching band. Supporting the kids in their musical endeavors is a fine thing to do, and if you want to do that, you can certainly make a donation. However, tomorrow is the Lord’s Day, not to mention Palm Sunday, and as a Christian you should not set aside the 3rd Commandment and endanger your inheritance in Christ for a short stack. It is also probably as good as time as any to remind everyone of our church’s teaching regarding the lodges:

Freemasonry as a general principle prohibits its members from bearing witness to Christ in lodge meetings. When discussing the 10th degree of the Scottish Rite, Albert Pike, a prolific Masonic author, writes: “The Mason’s creed goes further than that. No man, it holds, has any right in any way to interfere with the religious belief of another.”18 In other words, in the midst of a lodge’s religious rituals a
Christian would not be allowed to bear witness to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior lest such witness offend a fellow lodge member. By accepting a required silence regarding such witness, he is, in effect, denying Jesus before others.

Perhaps the denial of Christ in Masonry can best be summed up in the following statement from the Maundy Thursday ritual of the Rose Croix (18th degree) of the Scottish Rite: “We meet this day to commemorate the death (of Jesus), not as inspired or divine, for this is not for us to decide.”19 A Christian who subscribes to Lutheran confessional teaching believes that the Heavenly Father’s gift of eternal life in heaven can only be received through faith created by the Holy Spirit in the work of salvation completed by God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

On the basis of considerations such as the above, it is the official position of the LCMS that a member of an LCMS congregation should not hold membership in any organization whose rituals teach a salvation by works, invoke a generic Supreme Being, and deliberately omit any reference to the truth regarding the person and work of God’s Son.
LCMS CTCR “MEMBERSHIP IN CERTAIN FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS A PASTORAL APPROACH”

See everyone tomorrow on the Lord’s Day!

In Christ,

Pastor Sherman

Getting Ready for Church: Judica (Lent 5)

By Pastor

On March 25, 2023

In Getting Ready for Church

Dear friends in Christ,

This week is the last Sunday before Holy Week, Judica Sunday. Join us as we head into this two week journey towards the cross and the empty tomb. It can be tempting to think that if we have gone to church once a week, then we have met our church quota and we don’t need anymore. But if you have never been to all the services of Holy Week (or even if you have), make sure that not only are you here the next three Sundays, you set aside Thurs Apr 6, Fri Apr 7, and Sat Apr 8 at 6pm each night for our special services. The Good News of Easter morning means so much more when you have heard, prayed, sang, and meditated on everything that led upt to the Empty Tomb.

This month our offerings will be going to help people in and around East Palestine, OH after the train derailment there. One of the LCMS churches in Denver is sponsoring the fundraiser, and you can see more information here, or listen to this explanation here.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord”
Psalm 122:1

Scripture Readings For the Week:

God tested the faith of Abraham. Not to tempt Him into sin, but to test Him as one puts gold into the fire to purify it of all impurities. Abraham did not withold his only son, Isaac, whom he loved, but offered him to God, trusting that he would receive him back in the resurrection. God stopped his hand, and gave a ram in place of the boy. Christ our Lord, Abraham’s Seed has come to be the sacrifice and redemption that all the blood of beasts in the temple never could. He is the Lamb of God who dies in our place so that we, believing in Him, will not see eternal death. Hear His Word, you who are of God, and rejoice with Abraham to see the day of the Lord and the salvation of the Lamb offered up on the cross for you!

Prayer of the Day:

Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymns

425 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
945 Your Heart, O God, Is Grieved
430 My Song Is Love Unknown
439 O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken
420 Christ, the Life of All the Living
437 Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed
A Spotify Playlist of Our Lenten Hymns

Bach Cantata for the Week

St. John’s Passion (Audio-English | Video | Translation)

Lord, our ruler, whose glory
is magnificent everywhere!
Show us through your passion,
that you , the true son of God,
at all times
even in the most lowly state,
are glorified.
J.S. Bach “St. John’s Passion” BWV 245

See everyone tomorrow on the Lord’s Day!

In Christ,

Pastor Sherman