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Calvary Lutheran Church, 3705 Austin Drive, Bedford, IN (2026)

06/05/2026

We have another wonderful service planned! If you are unable to join us in person, consider watching along online!

Second Sunday after Pentecost
June 7 @ 10:30am

Link is posted in the comments below.

06/03/2026

Hosea 5:15-6:6; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The people that come to church can be some of the worst people. At least, that’s how society views us. We’re all just a bunch of hypocrites, they say. We act all holy and righteous, but then are found to be just as terrible a person as the rest of society. So, what’s the deal? Why do we allow such terrible people into our midst?

This has long been the greatest misunderstanding about the church. The church is expected to be a place for the holy and righteous to gather, those who supposedly have their lives all together. This is why it shocks the world to find out the opposite. So many in our world are shocked and astounded to find such “hypocrites” within the church walls, who talk all about holiness and righteousness, but are anything but!

Consider our Gospel lesson for this week. Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee when he sees a particular tax collector, Matthew. Jesus tells him to follow, so Matthew does! Matthew then goes and prepares a feast for Jesus and invites many of his friends. It’s then that the Pharisees arrive and are astounded by what they find. “And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:11. These tax collectors were considered the lowest of Jews because they had “betrayed” their people to serve Rome.

Just as it would be wrong to assume a hospital is full of the healthy, so is the church. The Church is not a gathering for righteous, but a safe haven for the sinner. As Paul would later write, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23. In the church are those who are sick and in need of a savior. As Jesus also says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick,” Matthew 9:12. Those who enter a hospital are those who know they are ill. In the same way, those who enter the church are those who know they are anything but perfect.

Jesus has invited you to follow him, just as he has Matthew. In following Jesus, we will learn what Jesus means. “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners,” Matthew 9:13. It is astounding that Jesus would have mercy on any of us. But he desires it because he desires you! Jesus has come to call sinners to repentance that they may be wrapped in his righteousness within the Church. To fully show his mercy, Jesus offers the perfect sacrifice by offering up himself upon the cross. By the mercy of God, sinners are “healed”. They are forgiven so that we may live a new, healthy, and redeemed life in Christ!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:
Almighty and most merciful God, You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to seek and to save the lost. Graciously open our ears and our hearts to hear His call and to follow Him by faith that we may feast with Him forever in His kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

05/29/2026

We have another wonderful service planned! If you are unable to join us in person, consider watching along online!

Holy Trinity Sunday
May 31 @ 10:30am

Link is posted in the comments below.

05/27/2026

Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Acts 2:22-36; Matthew 28:16-20

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I’ve never claimed to understand it. And if we’re being honest, no Christian ever has. When we talk about God, the things we say are incomplete, or unfinished because we don’t know everything about God. It’s like trying to put a square peg into a round hole. It doesn’t work. For God isn’t limited by our understanding. Or rather, as some have said, if we could fully understand God, then he’s too small of a god to be God.

Don’t take this as saying we know nothing about God, though. We can speak almost endlessly about what God isn’t or how God is greater than anything we can imagine. For instance, we know that we’re not deists. We don’t believe in just “some” god who made everything and then walked away. God is more personal than that. For what we know is solely because God has revealed himself to us.

This week, we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday as we contemplate again the doctrine of God. For we hear of God’s work of creation in Genesis. We hear of Christ’s redemption in Acts. But we also hear the Great Commission in Matthew. For all of these are important for us to comprehend the uniqueness of God as Trinity. As Jesus tells us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19. What does Trinity mean? It is this. It’s one name with which we are baptized, yet three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The holy Three-in-One. Just as God works for us in baptism, so has he acted throughout history.

For it’s not enough to say that we believe in God. We must know which God we worship. Worship of another “god” is no different than failing to worship the true God through unbelief. Nor should we be ignorant of God’s revelations of himself. To ignore the way in which God chooses to be known is to ignore God himself.

What we learn this week is that one of the best ways to talk about God is by talking about what he does for us. We talk about God through his actions among us which is how we come to know him. Our Father continues among us creating new life. Jesus, the eternal Son, is Lord of our salvation. The Holy Spirit breaths faith into God’s people through His Word being preached and read among us. For we go back to the words of Jesus, as he says, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age,” Matthew 28:20. We know who God is and what he does because God dwells with us. By the death of Jesus, by his glorious resurrection, by the sending of the Holy Spirit, God has come to dwell among us so we may know him as our Lord and Savior!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:
Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen!

05/22/2026

We have another wonderful service planned! If you are unable to join us in person, consider watching along online!

Day of Pentecost
May 24 @ 10:30am

Link is posted in the comments below.

05/20/2026

Numbers 11:24-30; Acts 2:1-21; John 7:37-39

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

There’s a big birthday coming up this week. It’s not mine or anyone else’s. Pentecost is often referred to as the Church’s birthday. Pentecost is when the Church was given birth by the sending of the Spirit and made into what it is today. So, from Pentecost onward our attention shifts away from the big festivals. The rest of our Church year will focus on the work of the Spirit and the growth and daily life of the Church.

Pentecost is a strange festival of the Church. It’s the only Sunday where we spend any time at all discussing the work of the Spirit. Even on Pentecost, we can’t help but mention Jesus and the Father. The work of the Holy Spirit has always been mysterious to us because He likes to stay in the background. Yet, it is just as important to recognize the gift of the Spirit and his role in our faith.

Pentecost shows us how the Church is sustained. We have our festivities, like a birthday party, but it’s not in flashy shows of power that gave birth to the Church. The Church is sustained by preaching, by prophecy! “In those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy,” Acts 2:18. The Spirit coming on Pentecost led to the “prophesy” of holy Scripture. Prophesy is simply this, speaking God’s word.

For this is what the Spirit was sent to do. He was sent so that we may know and speak God’s word to all people. This isn’t something restricted to a select few. It’s for all God’s people. Yet, how often, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells remain silent. By the Spirits testimony, we’re meant to speak about the sinfulness and fallen nature of man. We’re meant to speak about God’s coming judgment upon the evil of the world. We’re meant to speak about the great and terrible wrath of God poured out against the world. Because it’s through these words that the Spirit works.

Of course, that wasn’t the only message which Peter (or the Spirit) had on that first Pentecost. For the Spirit never speaks of himself. He speaks of Jesus and the Father. He speaks of the great works which Jesus did to win our salvation! Just as Peter says, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Acts 2:21. God poured out his Spirit on Pentecost so that all on whom the Spirit rested and now dwells would speak, would prophesy concerning Jesus! So shall we do as Christians. We’re not to mute the Spirit, but where and when the Spirit gives us “utterance”, we’re to speak of the great and mighty salvation of God through Jesus Christ!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:
O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

05/15/2026

We have another wonderful service planned! If you are unable to join us in person, consider watching along online!

Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 17 @ 10:30am

Link is posted in the comments below.

05/13/2026

Acts 1:12-26; 1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I always keep something longer if it was given to me by someone else. When people take the time to handwrite a note for me, I’m more inclined to hang onto it even after I’ve read it. As a parent and pastor, I also get pictures drawn for me by children that I’m compelled to hang onto just because of who gave it to me. I save them on a board in my office (pictured).When people give you something that they made specifically for you, I find I look at it more as a caretaker than as an owner of it.

We should see the same thing with the Church. As Christians, we’ve been given the church as caretakers of the great mysteries of God. It’s not exactly mine to do whatever I want with it, nor is it my sole responsibility to take care of it. Even more so, our own lives were given to us by God so that we should be more of caretakers than feel entitled as owners.

As Jesus departs the world in his ascension, he prays for his disciples and his church (i.e. us!). He tells us this simple truth that we belonged to the Father, and that the Father is the one who “gave us” to Jesus. As Jesus says, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word,” John 17:6. Indeed, Jesus has valued us in his time among us on earth. He has cared for God’s people as the Eternal Son, even completing his work among us (John 17:4).

For this is one area where we need not fret or worry ourselves unnecessarily. As Christians, we rightly care for the health and wellbeing of the Church and for the salvation of all people. When we see churches empty, buildings crumbling, doors closing permanently, we worry. The problem, however, is that people now believe we must “reinvent” the church to fix this issue. But the Church doesn’t belong to us. It is God’s and God’s alone. We are but caretakers.

There’s no doubt that Jesus knew these challenges and struggles we would face in our world. It’s literally why he prayed. “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours,” John 17:9. The world is full of temptations and dangers that seek to destroy Christ’s Church, to pull faith from your heart. This is why Christ’s ultimate care has been you. He went to the cross to die for you. He laid in the grave for three days for you. He rose from the dead in order to give you his victory! And he prays for you. He prays because he wants you to remain in his care. This is why he sends out the Apostles. This is why God continues calling pastors to serve his church. This is why the ministry of God’s word still echoes throughout the world! You were bought with the blood of Jesus. You belong to God… and he will not discard you now or evermore!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father; for You live and reign with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

05/09/2026

We have another wonderful service planned! If you are unable to join us in person, consider watching along online!

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 10 @ 10:30am

Link is posted in the comments below.

05/06/2026

Acts 17:16-31; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

What would you be willing to do for money? This is often the basis of many game shows. The alure of quick wealth will make people do strange and unusual things. Eat bugs. Be covered in spiders. Talk with complete strangers in a manner different than normal. When the motivation is right, people will indeed do things that they otherwise wouldn’t.

But there are far stronger motivators than money. The reason why we listen to others will vary based on the circumstances, however, we’re willing to do far more for some than others because of our motivation. For instance, many will help a friend far quicker than a complete stranger. Parents will go to great lengths for the care of their children. Yes, fear and love are often the strongest motivations we have.

Jesus tells us just as much when it comes to our faith. As Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” John 14:15. It’s because of our love for God, for Jesus that we listen to him, that we hold his word as precious in our hearts. Or vice versa, we keep Jesus’ commandments because we love him. We’re willing to do what he tells us, even if it isn’t our first desire, because we’re motivated by love.

Of course, we know that we don’t always listen to our Lord, or other authorities for that matter. When we stop listening, we show by our actions that we do not love them. We do not care for them. We show that our motivation is rather one of selfishness and sin. As Jesus says, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me,” John 14:21. If we have his commandments, yet do not keep them, we show that we do not love nor believe in Jesus.

It’s for this reason that Jesus departs to return to his Father. He knows that we are incapable of keeping his commandments, of loving him perfectly as he desires. Thus, we have the promise of the Helper, or Paraclete. This is the “Spirit of truth” who will come from the Father and Son to aid us in this life. “You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you,” John 14:17. The Spirit will come to dwell within us, so that by the power of Jesus death and resurrection, he may fill our heart with faith and love for God. It’s the Spirit who motivates and animates the Christian in their walk of faith to love God and love their neighbor. It’s the Spirit who leads us into all truth so that we can know the very love of God for us. For by God’s love, we shall be moved to love one another!

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:
O God, the giver of all that is good, by Your holy inspiration grant that we may think those things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

Calvary Lutheran Church

06/05/2026

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