I Corinthians 9 What Can You Do to Reach More?

October 24, 2021 -- The Twenty-Second Sunday after the Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

I Corinthians 9:7-12, 19-23

If we measure ourselves against Paul we can at least see one who took Jesus’ words about ambition seriously. See what good it did, what a blessing it was and still is for the church! He not only served everyone he could; he served by putting himself in their place, seeing himself as one of them, so that he could apply all the truth of God’s Word to their particular situation and circumstance.

7What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat some of its fruit? Or who takes care of a flock and does not drink milk from the flock? 8Am I saying this just from a human point of view? Doesn’t the law also say this? 9Yes, it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain.” Is God really concerned about oxen, 10or does he say this entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher ought to thresh in hope of getting a share. 11If we sowed spiritual seed for your good, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? 12If others have some right to make this claim on you, don’t we even more? But we did not use this right. Instead, we endure everything so as not to cause any hindrance for the gospel of Christ. 19In fact, although I am free from all, I enslaved myself to all so that I might gain many more. 20To the Jews, I became like a Jew so that I might gain Jews. To those who are under the law, I became like a person under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those who are under the law. 21To those who are without the law, I became like a person without the law (though I am not without God’s law but am within the law of Christ) so that I might gain those who are without the law. 22To the weak, I became weak so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all people so that I may save at least some. 23And I do everything for the sake of the gospel so that I may share in it along with others.

Romans 10 Called to Share

October 17, 2021 -- Mission Festival

Pastor Ben Enstad

Romans 10:11-17

There is only one name by which we can be saved, the name of Jesus Christ. There is only one way for people to come to Jesus, through his gospel. There is only one people called to proclaim it – we who already believe it.

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Ephesians 5 Imitate Christ In Your Marriage

October 10, 2021 -- The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Ephesians 5:21-6:4

Christ himself sets the example in his marriage to us. He did everything he did not for his own benefit but for ours. We, as the bride of Christ, gladly submit to such a head, not least in the way we conduct ourselves in our family life.

21… and by submitting to one another in reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he himself is the Savior. 24Moreover, as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, in the same way as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, by cleansing her with the washing of water in connection with the Word. 27He did this so that he could present her to himself as a glorious church, having no stain or wrinkle or any such thing, but so that she would be holy and blameless. 28In the same way, husbands have an obligation to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29To be sure, no one has ever hated his own body, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30because we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.” 32This is a great mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33In any case, each one of you also is to love his wife as himself, and each wife is to respect her husband. 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: 3“that it may go well with you and that you may live a long life on the earth.” 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Numbers 11 Rejoice In The Gifts of Others

October 3, 2021 -- The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Numbers 11:16, 24-29

The point here is again the humility of Moses. He rejoiced in the gifts that God gave to his people and desired that those gifts be even more abundant to the glory of God and the benefit of God’s children.

16So the Lord said to Moses, “Gather seventy men from the elders of Israel for me, men whom you know to be elders and officers for the people. Take them to the Tent of Meeting and make them stand there with you.” 24Moses went out and told the people the Lord’s words. He gathered seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand all around the tent. 25The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him. He took from the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do it again. 26Two men, however, remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the tent. The Spirit rested on them, and they prophesied back in the camp. 27A young man ran and reported this to Moses. He said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” 28Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide from his youth, answered, “My lord Moses, stop them!” 29Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? If only all of the Lord’s people were prophets so that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

James 2 Show Your Faith With Your Works

September 26, 2021 -- The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

James 2:1-5, 8-10, 14-18

Christians suffer as they bear the cross. That’s Jesus’ promise. But we should not be the ones who inflict suffering on our brothers and sisters or make what they suffer more painful than it already is.

1My brothers, have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism. 2For example, suppose a man enters your worship assembly wearing gold rings and fine clothing, and a poor man also enters wearing filthy clothing. 3If you look with favor on the man wearing fine clothing and say, “Sit here in this good place,” but you tell the poor man, “Stand over there” or “Sit down here at my feet,” 4have you not made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil opinions? 5Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him? 8However, if you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9But if you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, since you are convicted by this law as transgressors. 10In fact, whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point has become guilty of breaking all of it.

14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but has no works? Such “faith” cannot save him, can it? 15If a brother or sister needs clothes and lacks daily food 16and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but does not give them what their body needs, what good is it? 17So also, such “faith,” if it is alone and has no works, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Mark 9 Be Humble

September 19, 2021 -- The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Mark 9:30-37

Jesus uses a little child as an example of the kind of humility he wants from those who follow him.

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Isaiah 35 Our Troubles are Blessings from God

September 12, 2021 -- The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Isaiah 35:4-7

This reading depicts our spiritual needs in physical terms. Physical weakness and trouble mirror the absolute need in which we were born. Troubles, fears, weaknesses of every sort are often God’s rich blessings; for they drive us to despair of our own strength and understanding and to be more ready to receive from his Word ears that hear and eyes that see.

4Tell those who have a fearful heart: Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God’s own retribution, he will come and save you. 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. 6The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. 7The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water.

James 1 Use the Word to Clean the Mirror of Your Life

September 5, 2021 -- The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

James 1:17-27

The Word clears the clutter from life and the temptation to hypocrisy from the heart by showing us the first and best gifts, the gifts of salvation and adoption. Therefore, listen to the Word; be honest with God in confession; get on with the life that reflects the good and perfect gifts of God. For his gifts are given to us as a reflection of his goodness, so that we can reflect his goodness in our use of those gifts.

17Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, who does not change or shift like a shadow. 18Just as he planned, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creations. 19Remember this, my dear brothers: Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. 20Certainly, a man’s anger does not bring about what is right before God. 21So after getting rid of all moral filthiness and overflowing wickedness, receive with humility the word planted in you. It is able to save your souls. 22Be people who do what the word says, not people who only hear it. Such people are deceiving themselves. 23In fact, if anyone hears the word and does not do what it says, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own natural face in a mirror. 24Indeed, he carefully looks at himself; then, he goes away and immediately forgets what he looked like. 25But the one who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues to do so—since he does not hear and forget but actually does what it says—that person will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone considers himself to be religious but deceives his own heart because he does not bridle his tongue, this person’s religion is worthless. 27Religion that is pure and undefiled in the sight of God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

John 6 Make Your Answer The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

August 29, 2021 -- The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

John 6:60-69

The stumbling block thrown in his path by the rationalism of many in the crowd does not move Jesus to soften the message. Instead he repeats it with emphasis. Through their own fault many of the hearers, yes, even one of the Twelve, refuse to bend their thinking to his Word.

60When they heard it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching! Who can listen to it?” 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this cause you to stumble in your faith? 62What if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63The Spirit is the one who gives life. The flesh does not help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray him. 65He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.” 66After this, many of his disciples turned back and were not walking with him anymore. 67So Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6 Trust Against Human Wisdom

August 22, 2021 -- The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

John 6:51-58

The wisdom of God is not merely more clever than the wisdom of the philosopher or anyone else in this world. It is altogether other and unique. It is powerful, so powerful that it overcomes the death of unbelief and the arrogance of fallen reason.

51“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the Last Day. 55For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. 56The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like your fathers ate and died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

1 Kings 19 Don’t Underestimate God’s Unseen Gifts

August 15, 2021 -- The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Caleb Rothfuss
1 Kings 19:3-8

The flight of Elijah takes place just after his greatest success on the mountain of sacrifice, but even Elijah soon forgot the proof of God’s presence with him in that demonstration of power. What can restore his confidence? Only the Word!

3Elijah was afraid, and he ran for his life. He went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. There he sat down under a broom tree, where he prayed that he would die. He said, “I’ve had enough, Lord. Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5Then he lay down and went to sleep under the broom tree. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6Then he looked around, and near his head there was a loaf of bread baking on coals and a jar of water, so he ate and drank, and then he lay down again. 7Then the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, because the journey is too much for you.” 8So he got up and ate and drank. Then, with the strength gained from that food he walked for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

1 Corinthians 10 Testing = Love?

August 8, 2021 -- The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

1 Corinthians 10:1-5, 11-13

We should not only delight in the visible ways God shows his love to us, but even in the hard times, God is there.

1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and 1all passed through the sea, 2and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them—and that rock was Christ! 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness. 11All these things that were happening to them had meaning as examples, and they were written down to warn us, to whom the end of the ages has come. 12So let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall. 13No testing has overtaken you except ordinary testing. But God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will also bring about the outcome that you are able to bear it.

Ephesians 4 Be the Body Part God Needs You to Be

August 1, 2021 -- The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Ephesians 4

Are you unsure of how you may help? Here is a wonderful list, not of acts but of attitudes that cheer and encourage those around us.

1As a prisoner in the Lord, therefore, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. 2Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in the one hope of your calling. 5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. 7But to each one of us grace was given, according to the measure of the gift from Christ. 11He himself gave the apostles, as well as the prophets, as well as the evangelists, as well as the pastors and teachers, 12for the purpose of training the saints for the work of serving, in order to build up the body of Christ. 13This is to continue until we all reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, resulting in a mature man with a stature reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ. 14The goal is that we would no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, when people use tricks and invent clever ways to lead us astray. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we would in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16From him the whole body, being joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows in accordance with Christ’s activity when he measured out each individual part. He causes the growth of the body so that it builds itself up in love.

Mark 6 No Rest For the Weary

July 25, 2021 -- The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Caleb Rothfuss

Mark 6:30-34

Jesus’s disciples, back from their journeys, try and get some rest while an eager crowd follows them to see and hear Jesus.

30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” For there were so many people coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. 32They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33But many people saw them leave and knew where they were going. They ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. His heart went out to them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them many things.