“Joyful Noise in Christ Alone” Psalm 98, Ex. 14.21–31 Jan. ’26 Natl Lutheran Schools

 

 

1.        Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The message from God’s Word today as we celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week is taken from Psalm 98 and Exodus 14:21-31, it’s entitled, “Joyful Noise in Christ Alone,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.         The Middle of the Journey. In our reading from Exodus, the people of Israel were on a journey that did not unfold the way they expected. After over 400 years of slavery under Pharaoh, God acted powerfully. He led His people out of Egypt, brought them to the Red Sea, and opened a way through the waters. Israel walked through on dry ground — rescued, redeemed, and free.

3.        But, that moment at the Red Sea was not the end of the journey. It was only the beginning. The road ahead would still include long days, uncertainty, and times when joy would be tested. That sounds familiar to us, because we are not at the beginning of the school year anymore. We are in the middle. The excitement of new supplies and fresh routines has faded. The work is steady. Expectations are clear. Energy can be low. Joy can feel quieter. And yet, just as God was faithful to Israel not only at the beginning but also in the middle of their journey, so He remains faithful to us.

4.        Remembering What God Has Done. After Israel crossed the Red Sea, they stopped and remembered. They sang. They praised. They rejoiced. Their joyful noise was not rooted in what lay ahead, but in what God had already done. Psalm 98 captures that same response: “Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things! His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.” Joy in Scripture always begins with remembrance. God’s people look back to see His saving work, and that remembrance shapes how they move forward.

5.        In the middle of the school year, we need that reminder. When lessons feel repetitive or challenges feel heavy, God invites us to remember: He has done marvelous things. He has claimed us as His own children through water and the power of God’s Word in Baptism. He has forgiven us through the cross of Christ. God continues to be present among us through His Word and Sacraments.

6.        Joyful Noise in Learning and Teaching. National Lutheran Schools Week gives us the opportunity to pause and give thanks for the gift of Lutheran education. Our schools are not simply buildings where information is transferred. They are places where faith is nurtured, where Christ is proclaimed, and where students are formed in mind and heart.

7.        Every day, learning continues. Math teaches problem-solving and perseverance. Science reveals the beauty and order of God’s creation. History tells the story of God’s people and His faithfulness across generations. Literature helps us understand others and tell meaningful stories. And through it all, God’s Word remains central — reminding us of His grace and love in Christ. This is joyful work. It is also demanding work. Teachers serve faithfully, often in ways that go unseen. Students grow not only in knowledge, but in character and faith. These daily sounds — questions, laughter, learning, even struggle — are part of the joyful noise lifted to God. Our schools truly are amazing incubators for faithful witness, where teachers and students alike proclaim Christ through words and actions.

8.        Joyful Noise in Worship. Psalm 98 calls all creation to praise the Lord, and worship remains at the heart of our life together. Worship begins with God’s mercy toward us. He speaks. He forgives. He feeds. And then we respond. In chapel and church, we lift our voices in hymns like “Sing Praise to God the Highest Good,” or “Joy to the World.” These hymns remind us that joy is rooted not in circumstances, but in salvation. Even in the middle of the year, even when energy is low, God invites us to worship — not because He needs it, but because we need it. Worship re-centers us. It reminds us who God is and who we are in Him.

9.        Joyful Noise in Service. Joyful noise is not only heard in songs. It is also seen in service. Scripture reminds us that each of us has received gifts, not for ourselves alone, but to serve one another. In the middle of the year, service can feel harder. Patience is tested. Kindness requires effort. But every act of service — helping a classmate, encouraging a friend, offering support, teaching faithfully — reflects Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). When we serve in love, we echo the Gospel. Our actions become a quiet but powerful joyful noise to God.

10.     Joyful Noise in Community. God did not lead Israel alone. He led them as a people. And He has placed us into community as well — families, classrooms, schools, and the Church. Philippians 2 reminds us that joy grows when we live in harmony, with the same love and purpose. Community is a gift, but it also requires grace. In the middle of the year, frustrations can arise. Differences can feel sharper. But Christ calls us to forgive, include, and care for one another. When we live together in love, our unity itself becomes a joyful noise that points to Christ.

11.     Joy in Christ Alone. Above all, our joy is anchored in Christ alone. The whole life of Jesus was a journey for us — from heaven to earth, from the manger to the cross, from death to resurrection. Jesus carried our sins, our failures, and our weariness. He conquered the grave. And because He lives, joy never runs out. Romans 15:13 promises: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” That joy sustains us — not just at the beginning or the end, but especially in the middle.

12.     Conclusion: Keep Making Joyful Noise. As we continue through this school year and celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week, Psalm 98 remains our theme: “Make a joyful noise to the LORD.” Not because every day is easy. Not because we never get tired. But because God is faithful. Jesus has saved us. He walks with us. He will carry us through the rest of the journey. So keep singing. Keep learning. Keep serving. Keep trusting. Your joy is secure — in Christ alone.

13.     Prayer. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in every season of this school year. Renew our joy, strengthen our faith, and keep our hearts fixed on Your Son, Jesus Christ, who has freed us from all our sins. Let our words, our work, and our lives continue to make a joyful noise in praise of You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.

 

 

 

“We Are Brothers and Sisters in Christ” 1 Cor. 1.10-18, Eph. 3A, Jan. ’26

 

1.              Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word today is taken from 1 Cor. 1:10-18 and is entitled, “We Are Brothers and Sisters in Christ.” 

2.              Let’s face it: there are some people out there who are never going to be our best friends. Maybe the first time you met you just got off on the wrong foot. Maybe you value, stand for, believe in very different things. Maybe it’s just personalities—oil and water that don’t mix. Or maybe you run with a different crowd—you’re really close with somebody; they’re really close with somebody else; you each follow a different leader, and that keeps you apart. You’re just never going to be friends. He or she is never really going to like you much, and the feeling is pretty mutual. You live with it. It happens.

3.              It even happens here, in church, in this very congregation, probably in this very sanctuary today. Your never-going-to-be-friend may be sitting not too many pews away, but after church, you’ll go in opposite directions, sometimes intentionally.

4.              In our text today, St. Paul says that was happening in the Church at Corinth. We don’t know all the causes, but here’s how it played out: some said, “I follow Paul,” others said, “I follow Apollos,” others, “I follow Cephas,” and still others, “I follow Christ” (v 12). There were divisions, quarrels, among the members of the Church at Corinth. They weren’t friends. It happens.

5.              We do understand why some people just won’t be our friends, don’t we!  All the usual human dynamics were no doubt in play in the Church at Corinth.  In 1 Corinthians 1:10-12 St. Paul says, “¹⁰I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. ¹¹For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. ¹²What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”   In the Corinthians Church there were substantial disagreements about doctrine and practice (v 10)—sexual immorality, lawsuits, marriage, giving offense, the Lord’s Supper, women’s roles, worship, the resurrection.  The church was dividing into “parties” (vv 11–12)—even though the “leaders” of those parties had no intention of being pitted one against another. There were personality issues too—in a city and congregation that brought together people with very diverse backgrounds.

6.       We recognize all those problems!  Disagreements about decisions in the congregation that really matter.  In the church there may be disagreements about how preaching should be done, worship—contemporary or liturgical, or on the distribution of the Lord’s Supper.  Cliques can also form within the church around those people we are most comfortable with unfortunately leaving some people left out.  There can be individual conflicts among members, such as poor first impressions, strong personalities clashing, and so on.  It happens. St. Paul says it was happening in the Church at Corinth. And that, Paul says . . . is unacceptable! Sinful! Totally out of place in the Church of God!  St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:13, “13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

7.              Let me tell you a story about two men who were just never going to be friends.  Sosthenes . . . synagogue ruler in Corinth . . . zealous for the law . . . used to being in charge.  St. Paul . . . comes along with new teachings . . . equally zealous . . . winning converts away from the synagogue (even the previous leader)  Two men off on the wrong foot . . . strong personalities . . . following the God of Abraham or Jesus Christ? . . . zealous for the law or for salvation by faith apart from works? . . . one drags the other into court . . . not going to be friends!  But . . . Sosthenes beaten . . . abandoned . . . perhaps befriended by Paul . . . more than friends: brothers in Christ in 1 Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:1 & Acts 18:17)!

8.              How can this be, then, that people who were never going to be friends can be even more than friends?  Did seeing Sosthenes, this zealous Jew, lying on the street remind Paul of his own encounter with the pavement once on a road to Damascus?  Jesus hadn’t abandoned Saul, despite their so badly getting off on the wrong foot.  And Jesus forgiving Paul changed everything for him! No longer could Paul see anyone as a hopelessly never-to-be friend.

9.       As we have learned from Paul and Sosthenes, how we relate to one another as human beings depends upon how we see ourselves as creatures created by God our Creator.  This in turn affects our everyday relationships with one another.  This is what we teach our children at Grace Lutheran School and Early Childhood Center.  Every day they are taught to show love and kindness to everyone around them because each person is created in God’s image.  At Grace Lutheran our children learn that the value of human life doesn’t depend upon what someone is able to do or not to do. God creates life. God made the first two human beings in His image (Gn 1:26–27). Even though this image was lost when sin came into the world, this original, lofty position still gives value to human life (cf Gn 9:6).

10.   All life is worthy of life, because God makes it so.  And how we relate to each other as Christians also can show this fact.  We don’t hate our neighbor, for that would be murdering our neighbor in our heart, instead we see each person as being created by God our Heavenly Father. He created life with His hands. You and every life have handmade value! God redeemed life with His outstretched hands through His Son Jesus Christ. You and every life have been bought with a price! God’s power is at work in those He calls His own. You and every child of God are instruments of His power (Jer 1:5). Thank God for the value He gives to every life!

11.   So, Paul asks us today has Christ been divided from us? We got off on the wrong foot with him by our sin—especially those sins of separating ourselves from our fellow members right here—but Christ has done everything to make us his friends again—and more than that, brothers!  2 Cor 5:17–19 says, “¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

12.   We stood for different things—Jesus for us, we for ourselves. We followed different leaders—Jesus his heavenly Father, we our sinful desires. We had totally clashing personalities—Jesus humble and serving, we “me-first” and stubborn.  But Jesus made us his own brothers by dying for all those sins of ours and then baptizing us into his cross (v 18).  And he’s done the same for everyone sitting in every other pew here this morning.  Which makes every one of us here today better than just friends.  Every Member of God’s Church Is Better than a Best Friend; He or She Is a Brother or Sister in Christ.  “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . that there be no divisions among you” (v 10). For Christ is not divided from you. Amen

 

 

“Following the Light of the World” Matt 4.18–25 ML Chapel Jan. ‘26

 

1.      Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The message from God’s Word today is taken from Matthew 4:18-25 and is entitled, “Following the Light of the World,” dear students and faculty of Martin Luther High.

2.      Whenever I hear today’s Gospel—Peter and Andrew, James and John just dropping everything to follow Jesus—I always wonder something very important: What did their parents think? I mean, imagine that conversation at home. “Mom, Dad… I’m quitting the family business.” “Oh really? Why?” “Some guy by the lake told me to follow Him.” “…Does He at least have a résumé?”

3.      Matthew doesn’t tell us what their families said. He doesn’t tell us if there was arguing, worrying, or a long group text afterward. He simply says: “Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” And honestly? It sounds a little crazy.

4.      It looks crazy to follow Jesus These fishermen weren’t bored teenagers looking for something to do. They had jobs. Businesses. Boats. Nets. Responsibilities. A future they could see and plan. And Jesus walks by and says, “Follow Me.” No explanation. No five-year plan. No safety net—except the one they just dropped into the water. From the outside, this looks reckless. Impulsive. Irresponsible.

5.      And let’s be honest—Jesus still does that today. He calls people to forgive when holding a grudge feels better. He calls you to tell the truth when lying would be easier. He calls you to care about people the world says aren’t worth your time. He calls you to trust Him with your future when you’d really rather be in control. Why would anyone leave what they know to follow someone they don’t fully understand? Well… let’s take a closer look.

6.      Maybe what they were leaving wasn’t so great after all Isaiah tells us the truth about Galilee: “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light.” That means before the light came, there was darkness. Sure, the disciples had jobs—but they also lived in a broken world. A world filled with sickness, fear, sin, and death. Matthew lists it all: diseases, pain, suffering, darkness pressing in from every side. And honestly, that hasn’t changed much.

7.      We live in a world that looks pretty comfortable on the surface—but scratch just a little deeper and you see anxiety, loneliness, pressure to perform, fear of failure, broken relationships, and the quiet worry about whether we’re enough. We chase grades, popularity, success, approval—modern idols that promise a lot and deliver very little. So maybe the question isn’t, “Why would they leave?” Maybe the real question is, “Why would they stay?”

8.      You have your ways of seeing the world, your comfort zone, your own settled life. Whenever Jesus calls you, in his Word, he calls you to change, to repent, to be not what you were before. Why would you ever leave behind what you know in order to be changed by him? Jesus left his hometown of Nazareth to begin his ministry out of Capernaum (Matthew 4:12–13). He would not return there except to visit, and that didn’t go well. Much more than that, Jesus left his incredibly comfortable, eternally divine home, where he had the perfect fellowship of his Father and the Spirit, when he was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary’s womb. It’s crazy!

9.      But, it isn’t crazy to follow Jesus—because He is the Light Jesus doesn’t call them into darkness. He calls them into the light. Matthew tells us Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s promise: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Grace is not hidden. Grace is revealed. Grace has a face—and His name is Jesus. Those disciples didn’t know everything yet. They didn’t see the cross coming. They didn’t understand the resurrection. Half the time they’d think Jesus was heading in the wrong direction.

10.   But even at the beginning, they could see enough light to take the next step. And you actually have an advantage they didn’t. You have the whole story. You know how the cross of Jesus ends. You know the tomb is empty. You know that forgiveness is real, death is defeated, and grace wins. You have been baptized into that light. You hear His Word. You receive His forgiveness. You are fed at His table the Lord Jesus’ body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. So no—following Jesus isn’t crazy. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

11.   Following Jesus means walking in Revealed Grace Jesus heals the sick. He restores the broken. He carries the darkness of the world straight to the cross. The light shines brightest on Good Friday—when Jesus takes sin, shame, guilt, fear, and death and says, “It is finished.” And then Easter morning proves that the darkness didn’t win. The fishermen become witnesses. Sinners become forgiven. Students become disciples. Grace is revealed—not hidden, not secret, not earned—but given freely in Christ.

12.   And following has to begin somewhere—so why not here? Galilee wasn’t perfect. Neither is your life. Neither is this world. But Jesus doesn’t wait for perfection. He comes right where you are. Here—in this school. Here—in His Word. Here—in forgiveness spoken to you. Following Jesus doesn’t mean you have everything figured out. It means trusting the One who does.

13.   Think of it like GPS. You don’t see the whole route—but you trust the voice giving directions because it knows where you’re going. That’s why some people love maps—real, old-style, paper maps. Maps will tell you the general scope of the place you hope to go; they even let you see the connection between where you are and where you hope to be. You can see the big picture, and if that map is a Google Map, you can also zoom in and see the details, how the place looks. These days, many people don’t use maps anymore; they just follow directions from their GPS. But your GPS won’t really do all that the map does. It’ll tell you what you need to know at the moment—one turn, one road, one detail at a time—but you usually don’t get the big picture. And that can be a problem if your GPS wants to lead you into a cornfield or to a dead end or off a cliff because it hasn’t been updated with the latest route.

14.   Jesus has a map of where everything, everyone, is going all the time forever, but his call to follow, to be his disciple (Mt 4:19), to know him, hear him, be loved by him, and love him, comes often one detail at a time. Fortunately, Jesus has been there before. He’s come from the home of God, and he’s returned to the Father’s right hand. His desire is that we will be where he is (Jn 14:3). As we follow the light in the darkness, he is with us at the beginning, in the middle, and all the way until he brings us to his blessed destination. So we really can follow him without knowing fully what’s further down the line.  Jesus has already been where you’re headed. And He promises: “Where I am, there you will be also.”

15.   Conclusion. During National Lutheran Schools Week, we give thanks for the gift of Lutheran education—where students are not only taught what to think, but are formed in whom to trust. Our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In a world that often walks in uncertainty and quiet darkness, Jesus calls His people to follow Him, the Light of the world. That call may look foolish by the world’s standards, yet it is the only path that leads to life. In our Lutheran schools, students hear that call daily—in God’s Word, in forgiveness spoken, in grace revealed. Here, they learn that following Jesus does not require having everything figured out, but trusting the One who does. Rooted in Christ, guided by His Word, and strengthened by His grace, our students are equipped not just for a future career, but for a life of faithful discipleship—now and forever. It is not crazy to follow Jesus. It is life. To hear Him. To be loved by Him. To live in His revealed grace. And one day, to see Him face to face as the Light that never goes out. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, until life everlasting. Amen.