Grace Lutheran Church - WELS - Norman OK

09/02/2026

1 Corinthians 9:27 “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

1 Corinthians 9:27 “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Our country is becoming a more casual place. Etiqu…

08/31/2026

Dear friends in Christ,

Nepal is facing a devastating disaster following catastrophic flash flooding in the country’s northern Himalayan region. A sudden surge of water and debris swept through communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, destroying homes, roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. Hundreds of people have been killed, and many more remain missing as search-and-rescue efforts continue. The full extent of the damage and loss is still being determined.

I am in touch with our contacts in Nepal to learn more about the situation on the ground and to see how WELS Christian Aid and Relief might be able to help those who have been affected. As we learn more, we will provide additional updates.

Please join us in praying: Lord God, be with the people of Nepal in this time of great suffering. Comfort those who have lost loved ones, protect those who are still in danger, and strengthen those who are searching for and helping the missing and injured. Provide for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Give wisdom and strength to all who are responding, and according to your will, open opportunities for us to show Christ’s love and mercy to those in need. Through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

In Christ, our compassionate Savior,
Pastor Dan Sims
Director, WELS Christian Aid and Relief

Note: The photo is from my visit to Nepal a few years ago.

08/31/2026

James 2:12-13 “Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

James 2:12-13 “Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Favoritism misrepr…

08/28/2026

James 2:10-11 “Whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you are a lawbreaker.”

James 2:10-11 “Whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all. For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit …

08/26/2026

James 2:8-9 “Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

James 2:8-9 “Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by …

08/24/2026

+ The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost +
23 August 2026. Pastor John Vieths

Today, August 23, is the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost. On Pentecost day, Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to the disciples to empower them for love and service. In these Sundays after Pentecost, we continue to see how Jesus models love and moves us to love each other. Some of these truths are unexpected. One unexpected truth we learn about Jesus himself is

The Son of Man is God.

People want to include all kinds of requirements to receive God's salvation, and exclusions of various sorts. Paul makes it clear that salvation belongs to everyone who believes in Jesus. That's it.

We pray: Almighty God, knowing uni is everlasting life. Grant us to know your Son, Jesus, ro be the way the truth an the life that we may boldly confess him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk inn the way that leads to life eternal; thought your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lies and reigns with you an the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

+ The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost +
Romans 10:9-13 (CSB)

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

People want to include all kinds of requirements to receive God's s...

08/24/2026

Luke 13:28-30 “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. They will come from east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet in the kingdom of God. Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

Luke 13:28-30 “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. They will come fr…

08/21/2026

Luke 13:24-27 “ ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand outside and knock on the door saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from me, all you evildoers!’”

Luke 13:24-27 “ ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand …

08/19/2026

Luke 13:23-25 “ ‘Lord,’ someone asked him, ‘are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door.’”

Luke 13:23-25 “ ‘Lord,’ someone asked him, ‘are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to ente…

08/18/2026

“If you don’t have a cat at home, you can’t be my friend.”
“If you don’t share your snack with me, you can’t ride on the swings.”
“If you don’t bring me something on my wish list, you can’t come to my birthday party.”

How silly these statements sound! How foolish it is to choose your friends based on something they do or do not own. How selfish to only include someone based on what they do for you. These statements are obviously self-centered, and any faith-fostering teacher or parent would correct their child. Parents can support their child’s spiritual and emotional growth by teaching the child to consider the needs and feelings of someone in order to be a good friend, rather than to get something in return.

“I won’t include “so and so” in my Bible study because she’s living with her boyfriend.”
“I won’t invite that couple to come to church because they are homosexual.”
“I don’t think we want “such and such” family at VBS because their kids aren’t well-behaved.”

Do these statements sound just as silly? They should. The church is not made up of perfect people. The church is filled with sinners. Unfortunately, we fall into the trap of self-righteously looking down on certain people. Jesus did not avoid sinners. Instead, he sought them out, preached love to them, and told them to turn from their sin.

When we make the decision to keep someone from hearing God’s Word, we are deciding that that person is not worthy of God’s love. Who are we to tell God whom he should or shouldn’t love? Who are we to decide who deserves to go to heaven or hell? Rather, we are to welcome sinners into God’s house, urge repentance, preach God’s forgiveness, and encourage godly living.

Is there a time when you decided not to offer a chance to hear God’s Word to someone whom you thought didn’t deserve it? Perhaps your have a friend whom you haven’t invited to church because their lifestyle goes against God’s Word. Maybe you look down on another member of your church because they parent a bit differently than you do.

Remind yourself why you go to church – because you are a sinner and need Jesus’ forgiveness. If only sinless people could go to church, the building would sit empty. For “here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

When we sit next to fellow sinners in church, we have the joy and confidence to know that we all “are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”