I recognize the danger of death. I am tempted to wonder whether my life was worth it if I do not leave a legacy or live on in the memories of my loved ones after I die. When my soul separates from my body, will I also be eternally separated from God in hell? Jesus promises much better. He promises life. One day I will be reunited with my believing loved ones, both soul and body. I will live with Jesus forever in eternity. Jesus raised people from the dead to prove his power over death. That’s exactly the power I need.

I recognize that I am spiritually blind when I don’t know Jesus. I cannot see the world as it really is. I am tempted to see what is harmful as good, and what is good as meaningless. I cannot see the danger that lurks behind every temptation. I realize that Jesus gave physical sight to the blind. But he also gives me spiritual vision. He said, “I am the light of the world.” He comes to shine his light into my darkened eyes so that I see him and live.

I recognize my deep spiritual thirst. I long for a good relationship with God and for everlasting life. I am tempted to satisfy that deep thirst with worldly things, a strategy doomed to failure. I realize that my thirst is satisfied only by the one who said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”Jesus meets my greatest need.

I recognize my inability to defend myself against spiritual enemies. The world is against me, but I look for ways to imitate it. I try to master my own sinful flesh, but I recognize desires in myself that war against my soul. And when it comes to the devil, I fall into temptation again and again. My impending death proves that I have sinned.

I realize that what I really need is a champion. God the Father realized it too. He sent his Son to be my Savior. Through the obedience of the Son of God, I have victory over my enemies.

I recognize my inability to defend myself against spiritual enemies. The world is against me, but I look for ways to imitate it. I try to master my own sinful flesh, but I recognize desires in myself that war against my soul. And when it comes to the devil, I fall into temptation again and again. My impending death proves that I have sinned.

I realize that what I really need is a champion. God the Father realized it too. He sent his Son to be my Savior. Through the obedience of the Son of God, I have victory over my enemies.

The events of Palm Sunday might not seem pivotal to our salvation. Christ sheds no blood on this day. However, Palm Sunday sets the tone for all of Holy Week. It perfectly illustrates that Jesus came to be kind of king this world will never understand: one who conquers his enemies by surrendering to them, one who crushes his opposition by himself being crushed, one whose path to kingly exaltation begins with humiliation. This is the kind of King we have marching into battle as one of us and for all of us this week. As a result, we are drawn to him in faith rather than driven away in fear. This humble King is our only hope.

"Holiday" is simply short for "holy day." Throughout the course of a year, there are certain days we set apart as special: to commemorate extraordinary events, to celebrate influential individuals. While there are many holy days, there is but one holy week. The final week of Lent marks the most pivotal week in human history. In the four gospels— biographies of Jesus Christ's thirty-three-year life—this single week consumes nearly a third of the ink. The Holy

Spirit considered the events of this week that important.

On a holy day, the relentless march of time slows down. We set aside our usual routines to call attention to whatever or whoever makes that day special. Likewise, believers slow down this entire week to ponder all that Christ did for them, from his humble entrance into Jerusalem... to his sacrificial death on the cross... to the victory of Easter morning.

People often look to the judgment of experts. The opinion of experts can greatly influence the general population. That poses a problem when it comes to Christ. The world's experts and culturally elite generally see little value in Christ and his Word. Thankfully, Christ tells us to expect this. He also reminds us that when it comes to judgments about him and his kingdom, only one opinion matters. God the Father would render the final verdict about Christ and his work when he raised his Son from the dead. This week, we learn to evaluate the world's experts properly. They might see heaven's greatest treasure as trash. Fine. That treasure remains ours for the taking!

We assume people get what they deserve. We assume what goes around comes around. We assume God helps those who helps themselves. And all those assumptions must be crushed. Got does not operate on the principle of merit but of grace. Like gravity, grace is a constant force at work in how God deals with us and how he wants us to deal with others. No one is beyond the reach of God's grace. God never turns it off. When the weight of our sin makes us fearful of God's condemnation, he reveals his grace yet again.

Where is God? This is one of human beings' most frequently-asked and incorrectly-answered questions. We are tempted to believe that evidence of God's presence is found in outward circumstances. We equate good fortune with God's favor and bad fortune with his judgment. So, as long as nothing terrible is happening, God must not be too angry with us, right? We are free to go on sinning. Such foolish assumptions must be crushed. Therefore, God must constantly remind us where he intends to be found—in the gospel. He makes himself present in Word and sacraments. Because he is always present, we realize the urgent need to turn away from the sin he despises. Because his presence is graciously hidden, we are drawn to him for forgiveness rather than driven away from him in fear.

Last week we talked about temptation. This week we see what is at the center of every temption: a promise of a shortcut to glory. Even in a world as sharply divided as ours, there is near universal agreement that the preferred path to glory is the shortest and easiest. To walk the path our Savior puts us on, one on which the cross comes before the crown, puts us out of step with the world. Thankfully, the determination required to walk this path starts with our Savior and not with us. Because of his determination, we are offered a glory far superior to anything the world can offer.

It was a custom known as "battle by champion." Two opposing armies would each send out their best warrior to fight each other. That is what we see this week. The demons send their champion: Satan. Humanity's best warrior, Jesus Christ, steps forward to meet him. In this fight he does not use his divine power. He uses the same weapon we have, God's Word. Because Christ fought the battle against Satan as one of us, he won that battle for all of us. Jesus is our perfect substitute. Even as the devil still seethes in rage against us, we can face him and his temptations unafraid, confident that our champion has already won the victory.

When someone is devastated or defeated or despondent we speak of him being "crushed." It could be due to some agonizing loss or unrealized dreams. It could be due to carrying a crushingly heavy load of guilt over some past mistake. In a broken world, it is simply a matter of time before we feel crushed. This is why we need Lent. The word Lent comes from an Old English word for Spring: "lengten," when the days grow longer. For 1400 years the Church has set aside the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter as a time of repentance and renewal. Believers humbly acknowledge that sin is the ultimate source of all the crushing moments in life. Our sin even crushed Christ. Yet, on Easter Sunday, Jesus took up his life again. Our Savior crushed both death and the serpent's head. Yes, Lent is a solemn season. But it is also a season of great hope. With the psalmist we say, "The Lord saves those who are crushed in spirit."

"Advent" is a Latin word that means "coming." The season of Advent is the four week period before Christmas that the Church uses to connect the two "comings" of Christ. The first time the Lord came into our world it was as a tiny, helpless baby, born in a manger in Bethlehem. However, when Jesus comes again, it will be in all his power and glory with his angelic army behind him. He will be coming as judge at the end of time. Let us use these four weeks to see how the events of Jesus' first coming remove all our fears about his second coming. We can hold our heads high when the Lord comes near.

“Every why hath a wherefore.” That was Shakespeare’s poetic way of saying that very little happens by chance. Generally there is an agent behind an action. There is cause and effect. And to navigate life well, it is vital we understand both. If you want to enjoy the physical effects of a healthy heart, you need to know the causes of heart disease. Before a major purchase causes you to go into debt, you need to think about the effect that will have on your budget. If you want the peace of being close to God, you need to know what causes that effect.  Again, to navigate life well, it is vital we understand cause and effect.

We are nearing the end of the Church Year. This past year, we have reviewed Jesus’ life and teaching. The Scripture readings in these final weeks recall some of the major themes that are woven throughout the Church Year. In this final series we will be looking at those themes with the understanding that “every why hath a wherefore.” We conclude the year by talking about cause and effect in God’s Kingdom.

What is the Kingdom of God? People often use that phrase as a synonym for heaven. Scripture does indeed refer to “the kingdom of heaven.” Yet, the Kingdom of God is way more than that. When we talk about a “kingdom,” we are referring to all the territory that is under the authority and care of the king. And so, when Jesus would heal the sick or drive out evil spirits, he would sometimes say, “The kingdom of God has come near you.” King Jesus was proving that disease and demons are under his authority. Likewise, when Jesus taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come,” he wasn’t simply encouraging us to ask for heaven. In that prayer, we are asking King Jesus to reign within us.

Near the end of Trinity’s mission statement, we express our desire to “build God’s Kingdom.” As we conclude this worship series, we explore what that fully means. It is not just that Trinity would grow statistically so more people might enjoy heaven. We pray that Jesus would sit on the throne of our heart and rule over our lives with his grace. 

The American novelist William S. Burroughs coined the phrase, “When you stop growing you start dying.” Burroughs was referring to personal development. When individuals stop acquiring knowledge or developing skills, they may become stagnant, lose motivation, and feel unfulfilled. However, that phrase can be applied to our spiritual lives too. Believers will seek to grow in their relationship with God and their understanding of his Word. If they don’t… if believers stop growing spiritually… that can lead to diminished joy and a weakened ability to serve and witness.

Scripture drives this point home when it frequently compares believers to trees. Apart from the life-giving water of the Word, the believer’s faith starts to wither and perhaps even die. But fed by the Word, our faith grows. Our love for Christ grows. Our ability to apply God’s Word to life grows. Our desire to serve God and our neighbor grows. That is Trinity’s next mission objective. Through Trinity’s gospel mission, we pray he would lead our faith to blossom, bearing abundant fruit.

Connection. Identity. Validation. Survival. Purpose. Social psychologists will explain those are the top reasons that people seek to belong to a group. Connection: belonging to a group allows us to form relationships which are essential for our emotional and mental well-being. Identity: belonging to a group gives us a sense of who we are and what we are all about. Validation: belonging provides affirmation of our beliefs and values, as we see others in our group that share them. Survival: belonging to a group provides protection, shared resources, and mutual support. Purpose: belonging to a group provides the opportunity to help and serve others, as well as take part in a collective mission.

So, the next of Trinity’s mission objectives is “belong.” We not only want people to join Trinity, but we want our church to be a close-knit community. Our prayer is that through the gospel, the Spirit would lead us to actually think of our church as family to whom we belong, for connection, identity, validation, survival, and purpose.

“We believe and therefore speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13). Scripture repeatedly connects one’s heart and mouth. If you have sincere faith in Christ, you will tell others about him. Scripture does not say “you might tell others about Christ” nor “You should tell others about Christ.” It says, if you believe, you will tell others. You cannot help it, precisely because you sincerely believe Christ is the only way into heaven. It is the rhythm of the Church. Believers share the gospel with those that God brings into their life. Through the gospel, the Holy Spirit creates new believers. Those new believers share the gospel with others, and the Spirit creates yet more believers. And God’s salvation rolls on and on and on.

As we begin this worship series on Trinity’s mission, let us realize this fundamental truth. Because we believe in Christ, we gladly take up that mission – to boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ – so that others might come to believe in Christ. And on and on and on.

A mission statement summarizes an organization’s raison d'etre, it’s “reason to be.” Thus, it defines the justification for the organization’s existence. So, let us consider Trinity’s mission statement.

The members of Trinity Lutheran boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ to the Waukesha community and its neighbors that all might believe in Christ, belong to our spiritual family, blossom in faith, and build God’s Kingdom.

Note the subject: “members of Trinity.” This mission is not one that belongs only to Trinity’s pastors and teachers. If you are a member of Trinity, this is your personal mission.

Note the verb: “proclaim the gospel.” It doesn’t say “preach” or “teach.” The verb “proclaim” stresses that Trinity’s mission is accomplished, not only in a pulpit or classroom, but anywhere and anytime we have the opportunity to good news of Jesus: talking with a neighbor, having dinner with a friend, etc.

Note the object: “the Waukesha community and its neighbors.” We want to serve everyone in our community—all ages, all ethnicities—with the gospel. 

A good mission statement also contains objectives—what we hope happens as a result of our mission efforts. Trinity has four objectives. The Spirit empowers people to believe in Jesus Christ. They chose to belong to our Christian community. They blossom in their faith, growing in knowledge of the Word and service of others. In this way, we build God’s Kingdom!

In this next worship series, we ask the Spirit to empower and embolden us to take up that noble mission and accomplish those objectives.

There are more than 2,300 Bible passages that speak about money. Why? Money is a master Satan frequently tempts us to serve. In fact, out of all the masters competing for our service besides God, money is probably at the top of the list. Money provides us with a false comfort and sense of security. Money serves as a source of pride. This week, Jesus’ sharp words identify the impossibility of serving more than one master. More, Jesus teaches that if we dedicate our lives in service to money, money will always let us down. In contrast, God has proven that he is a master worth serving. When we serve God, money is put in its proper place. Instead of it being a master to serve, it becomes a tool in our service of our true Master.