Pilot Knob Lutheran Church - Forest City, IA

06/10/2026

Pilot K**b Lutheran Church Communique

Three in One, Does it Matter? June 10, 2026

When discussing the trinity with someone who doesn’t believe it or is confused, I learned from experience that it does not help to use ‘trinitarian texts’ such as the great commission in Matthew 28 where it mentions the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What follows is simple and clear showing Jesus is equal with the Father and not a God independent of the Father. Let’s jump in:

2 Peter 1:16-17 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Here we have mentioned the Father and it says He has a Son. Can it be shown that the Son is equal to the Father, Jehovah God? Hebrews 1:6 when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him. Angels are commanded to worship Him, the Son. Luke 4:6-8 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. The Word worship is the same one used in Hebrews 1:6: proskuneo = ‘to fall down and worship.’ Satan is rebuked.

Man’s worship? John 20:25-29 the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Notice Jesus does not rebuke Thomas as He did Satan in Luke 4. Instead, Jesus received his worship and the name Jehovah God based on His earlier statement of only Jehovah God being worthy of worship in Luke 4. It is important to note that John 20:28 is not in the ‘vocative voice’ which would express: ‘Oh my God!!’ This would be blasphemy.

Here we see a second person, the Son who is called Jehovah God by the act of worship.
Revelation 1:7-8 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Jehovah God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Revelation 21:5-7 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Jehovah God is Alphe and Omega, Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:12-13, 16 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last is identified in verse 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Some one may object and say that is an angel speaking, not Jesus. The answer is in Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Who is coming quickly? Jesus! Therefor the ‘I’ of verse 16 is Jesus.

If this isn’t enough to show Jesus is equal to Jehovah God then turn to Revelation 1:13-18 among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. The Father never died, the Holy Spirit can’t die, therefore, it must be Jesus.

Lastly: Isaiah 44:6 “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
Jehovah God is the First and the Last, there is either two First and Lasts which is a contradiction or the texts are speaking of the same being; Jesus is second person of the trinity equal with Jehovah God. He is not a secondary God nor inferior to God.

Tip: When sharing a series of passages with someone write at the top of the page in your bible the previous passage and at the bottom of the page your next passage. This way if you need to go back you have it listed on the page you are reading. Also, it’s not on a piece of paper that can get lost.
I realize this is lengthy but very important and one rarely taught or talked about.
There could be more but this is enough for us to absorb.

Pr. Bob Snitzer
By the Way:
Sunday 14, 9:00 Morning worship. Sermon: Miracles and Criticisms. Matthew 9:27-38

June 16, 2:00 Tuesdays Bible study will be at Deb Delzer’s house. Just outside Forest City off Hwy 9. 35111 210th Ave.

Past communiques and sermons can be read and heard on our website: www.pilotknob.org and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilotK**bLutheran
Our service also airs on: KGLO 1300 AM at 10:00 AM, and KIOW 107.3 FM at 7:00 AM. Spread the word.

Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Worship God and proclaim His Word so people will experience salvation in Jesus,
mature in the faith and equip all to serve in the church and world.

06/07/2026

05/27/2026

Pilot K**b Lutheran Church Communique

Dry and Parched May 27, 2026

Over the years many churches focus on the person and role of the Holy Spirit once a year at Pentecost; maybe. The Holy Spirit is not less than the Father or Jesus, he is equally God who has been given to the church to carry out God’s purposes and will.

The disciples were finally convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and rose from the dead. Why couldn’t they, in their enthusiasm tell others about Jesus? The reason is, they were not to operate under their own power and wisdom, for they would surely fail. Jesus said, wait in Jerusalem until you receive the power of the Holy Spirit, then tell others and begin a ministry of helping others and proclaiming the Good News.

The Holy Spirit is also the dispenser of truth. After receiving the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them and in addition to speaking about the Kingdom of God for forty days after the resurrection, the disciples still asked, “Lord will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:3, 6. During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” After Pentecost with the Spirit’s guidance into truth, never again did the disciples refer to the Kingdom of God as Israel being restored. The Kingdom of God was understood as a spiritual realm that anyone may enter by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

We too have the Holy Spirit who desires to guide us into truth and ultimately into the Kingdom of God. Pray that God would fill you with the Spirit’s power for whatever He calls you to do or place you are sent or people you are to see.

Pr. Bob Snitzer
By the Way:

Leland Pederson’s funeral will be this Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. Visitation will be Friday evening from 5-7:00 at the Schott Funeral Home.

May 31, 9:00 Morning worship. Sermon: News.

Past communiques and sermons can be read and heard on our website: www.pilotknob.org and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilotK**bLutheran
Our service also airs on: KGLO 1300 AM at 10:00 AM, and KIOW 107.3 FM at 7:00 AM. Spread the word.

Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Worship God and proclaim His Word so people will experience salvation in Jesus,
mature in the faith and equip all to serve in the church and world.

05/24/2026

5-24-26 "Dry & Parched"

05/20/2026

Pilot K**b Lutheran Church Communique

A Prayer for Transition May 20, 2026

We don’t naturally consider the crucifixion as a means of being glorified. It was a means of maximizing pain, suffering, humiliation and the one crucified was considered damned by God.

Yet Jesus says in John 17:1 Jesus …. looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. As horrible as it was in addition to all the suffering and abuse prior, the crucifixion was the death of Satan’s power, sin’s control and eternal separation from God. It showed the world Jesus is the Messiah, the only Son of God and that the Father approved of His sacrifice by raising Him from the dead. Satan is a totally defeated enemy and will be for all eternity.

Jesus also glorified the Father by being obedient to all He commanded. John 17:4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Notice, Jesus said; completed the work. There is absolutely nothing we can do to add to God’s means of salvation. Jesus cried out: “It is finished,” complete and done!!

What was next for Jesus after the resurrection? 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. He would be restored to His divine place in the Kingdom of God as He was prior to creation. In other words; He is eternal just as the Father and the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:6-11 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,�to the glory of God the Father. Jesus was and is fully God, but didn’t retain His high position and divine glory. Being fully man, He lived for thirty-three years like us depending on God to work through Him. At His ascension He would receive His position of glory once again.

What does all this mean for us? 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. It is the gospel promise lived out that we may be united as Christians and know Jesus and the Holy Spirit live and work in each of us. We too bring glory to God by being obedient to God under pressure.

Pr. Bob Snitzer

By the Way:
May 24, 9:00 Morning worship. Sermon: Dry and Parched. John 7:37-44

Past communiques and sermons can be read and heard on our website: www.pilotknob.org and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilotK**bLutheran
Our service also airs on: KGLO 1300 AM at 10:00 AM, and KIOW 107.3 FM at 7:00 AM. Spread the word.

Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Worship God and proclaim His Word so people will experience salvation in Jesus,
mature in the faith and equip all to serve in the church and world.

05/13/2026

Pilot K**b Lutheran Church Communique

No Orphans May 13, 2026

Kids become orphans by various means. Abandoned by their parent(s), death of parents or guardian, or simply being unwanted. A number of them may be separated from their siblings and even be moved from one foster family to another. Not all foster families provide a healthy environment. At the same time many have wonderful experiences, keeping siblings together and some come to discover the love of their spiritual Father who will never leave or abandon them.

I can’t imagine the pain and heart ache of losing a parent and worse being abandoned by one or both. The disciples grew so close to one another and Jesus that they became like family. Hearing the news of His impending death would be devastating and fearful; like that of losing a parent.

Jesus never intended for His followers to walk alone in this world much less face the powers of darkness alone. He had to leave so He could return and be with all of us all the time. In His physical existence He was limited in what He could do. By sending the Holy Spirit we have Jesus with us every moment no matter what we face or where we go. He is the author of truth and will never lie or trick us into harm’s way.

Another thing the Holy Spirit does: He brings to memory the Word of God (truth) that we have either memorized or have become familiar with. John 14:26 … the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. We all know we can’t remember everything we’ve learned or read in scripture. Praying for the Holy Spirit to bring to memory His truth and Word, to guide our thoughts and understanding truth and its application is tapping into a power beyond ourselves that will produce life and peace.

As followers of Jesus Christ know that God Himself is in you fostering a life sustaining relationship with Him that ends up with us in heaven. Until then may we pray for greater influence and power from the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost.

Pr. Bob Snitzer

By the Way:

May 17, 9:00 Morning worship. Sermon: A Prayer of Transition. John 17:1-19
Also, we want to recognize our two seniors on graduation day: congratulations to: Jenna Dontje and Carter Benson.

If you haven’t signed up for food after church, please consider a Sunday.

Past communiques and sermons can be read and heard on our website: www.pilotknob.org and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilotK**bLutheran
Our service also airs on: KGLO 1300 AM at 10:00 AM, and KIOW 107.3 FM at 7:00 AM. Spread the word.

Isaiah 55:10-11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Worship God and proclaim His Word so people will experience salvation in Jesus,
mature in the faith and equip all to serve in the church and world.