Christ Lutheran Church Lakeland - LCMS

06/11/2026

THE EPISTLE READING FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

ROMANS 5:6–15
6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

06/11/2026

June 11 is the Feast Day for Saint Barnabas, Apostle.

READINGS FOR THE DAY
Isaiah 42:5–12
Acts 11:19–30, 13:1–3
Mark 6:7–13

St. Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus who sold some land and gave the proceeds to the early Christian community in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37). St. Paul informs us that he was a cousin of John Mark (Colossians 4:10). Barnabas was sent by the Jerusalem Church to oversee the young Church in Antioch (Acts 11:22). While there, he went to Tarsus and brought Paul back to Antioch to help him (Acts 11:25-26). It was this Church in Antioch that commissioned and sent Barnabas and Paul on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:2-3). When it was time for the second missionary journey, however, Barnabas and Paul disagreed about taking along John Mark. Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus; Paul took Silas and headed north through Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:36-41). Nothing more is known of the activities of Barnabas, except that he was apparently known to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:6). Tradition relates that Barnabas died a martyr's death in Cyprus by being stoned. (from the "Treasury of Daily Prayer")

COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Almighty God, Your faithful servant Barnabas sought not his own renown but gave generously of his life and substance for the encouragement of the apostles and their ministry. Grant that we may follow his example in lives given to charity and the proclamation of the Gospel; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

06/11/2026

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

EXODUS 19:2–8
2[The people of Israel] set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

7So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

06/11/2026

Christ Lutheran Church (LCMS)
2715 Lakeland Hills Blvd
Lakeland, FL 33805

06/10/2026

This is small-c catholic, as we pray in the Athanasian Creed, meaning the universal Church.

The Christian faith is full of great paradoxes, and so is the Church Year with its many feasts, festivals and holy days. On one hand, these days are deeply local — Christians throughout the world mark them in distinct ways. Days are remembered differently depending on the culture, time of year, place of their commemoration, and even the foods that accompany them. On the other hand, these days are profoundly universal — throughout the world you’ll find that the same feasts and fasts are part of the liturgical cycle, the same prayers and readings are proclaimed, and the same Christ is confessed and received. These days bind Christians together across centuries and continents and form a shared Christian life that is far richer and broader than any one place or people.

This is what Christians mean when they speak of the catholicity of the Church Year, and it echoes the Nicene Creed, where we confess that we believe in “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” The Church Year is a place where unity and variety meet. The church confesses “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5), and yet that faith takes root in a multitude of places. The beauty of catholicity is that unity does not result in a flattening uniformity. Instead, those differences evince a unified church with a rich variety of practices.

Link in comments.

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

LOOKING AHEAD
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Divine Service celebrated on Saturdays at 5:30pm (English), Sundays at 10am (English and ASL), and beginning June 21, Sundays at 5pm (en español).

The Lord Our God Saves Us in Love and Cares for Us by the Ministry of His Gospel

The holy Triune God “shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,” ungodly and at enmity with Him, “Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). The incarnate Son has justified us by His blood and reconciled us to His God and Father (Rom. 5:9–10). Whereas sin and death originated with Adam, forgiveness and life abound for all his children through “that one man Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:12–17). As the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, so does He bring us to Himself by the Gospel and make of us “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6) by our Baptism into Christ. For “all that the LORD has spoken” (Ex. 19:8), Christ has done for us. As He has gone up to God by His cross and resurrection, so does He bring us to the Father in Himself (Ex. 19:3–4). Nor does He leave us “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36), but He sends men with authority “to heal every disease and every affliction” by His forgiveness of sins (Matt. 10:1). In their proclamation, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7).

+++Lectionary Summary//Three-Year Series A//courtesy of the LCMS+++

06/09/2026

Our reception for Pastor Wilfredo Ramirez, following his ordination and installation. We are so grateful for all who attended -- clergy, CLC members, and all guests!

We would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Marcos Fernandez and his team at Nineteen61 for catering our dinner. The food was outstanding! Marcos, we thank you for going above and beyond in putting together a sumptuous feast for our time of fellowship and celebration.

06/08/2026

Yesterday, we were so blessed to witness the Holy Spirit in action by means of the Ordination and Installation of Pastor Wilfredo Ramirez. The Word continues to go out, and men continue to answer the call to shepherd the Lord's flock. As Pastor Miguel Sanabria reminded us in his sermon, this is not about what Pastor Ramirez can do. This is about what God does. And He does it, not only through just one man, or even through only the Pastors who came alongside Pastor Ramirez yesterday, but it is what each of us does as Christ's Church, as well. As the priesthood of all believers, we care for, serve, share the Gospel, and support one another, which includes each and every one of these called and ordained servants of the Word. Remember them in your prayers and be willing to answer in whatever ways you are able to support them in the ministry.

+++Soli Deo Gloria+++

06/08/2026

Storing up the Word of God in our hearts with this week's memory verse.

The church confesses to Christ, “You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). The church is encouraged to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ...” (Col. 3:16). Psalm 1 teaches us to meditate on God’s Word day and night. It is our great opportunity and joy to read and study God’s Word. One beneficial practice is to memorize the Scriptures and, in so doing, to meditate on it.