Immanuel Lutheran Church Augsburg

09/07/2026

09/06/2026

Immanuel (Augsburg) Lutheran Church
Shobonier, Illinois
Pentecost 15A - Proper 18A
September 6, 2026
Matthew 18:15-20

Brotherly Love

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17 ESV)

Dearly Beloved for whom Christ died and rose again,

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35). And how does such love express itself? Jesus tells us one way in today’s Gospel which was just read. He tells us that we should love each other enough to confront our brother, our fellow believer, with his sin so that he may turn from it and live.

You see, as members of Christ’s body, we all have a vested interest in each other. When one part of the body hurts, the whole body suffers. And nothing hurts the body more than sin, especially persistent, willful sin. Such sin destroys faith since the Holy Spirit does not abide with sin. Such sin is like a cancer that will destroy the body unless it is removed. So it is that our Lord tells us of our responsibility to warn our brother of his sin.

But before we get to the steps of *how* we are to do that, we need to hear how seriously God takes sin. I’ve heard it said that “When the pastor talks about other people’s sin, that’s Law preaching. When he talks about *my* sin, that’s meddling.” And, meddling is exactly what is needed today. Far too often you and I are among those who excuse their sin, rationalize their sin away, wink and nod at sin as though it were no big deal. We don’t mind saying “I’m a sinner,” as long as it’s understood that everyone else is a sinner too. But when we are confronted with our own, specific sin, we become very uncomfortable and defensive. We become like Adam and Eve and run for the fig leaves and hide in the bushes from God. But the truth is, whenever God's Law calls "all of us" sinners, He is looking directly at each of us individually. You and me alike.

God takes sin seriously, and He wants us to realize the seriousness of sin, especially our own. That’s why He gave us the Law to show us our sin. That’s why He tells us that if we break just one of the commandments, we are guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). Yet, He doesn’t leave it at that.

God takes sin so seriously that He did something about it. In fact, we see by what He did just how serious He really is: He gave His only Son for us, handing Him over to be crucified and killed. That's what our sin required, and out of His great love and deep compassion *that* is the price He paid - for us and for all people. That’s how the Holy Triune God deals with sinners (like us) . . . with mercy and forgiveness - and that is how we, too, as forgiven sinners, must deal with each other: taking sin seriously, to be sure, but confronting it on the basis of the Gospel of forgiveness above all else.

So it is that we do not understand our Gospel this morning correctly, if we do not understand that mercy and forgiveness (and reconciliation between Christians) is the ultimate goal and objective in these words of our Lord: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

If a fellow believer sins, it *is* against you because you are a member of the same body. Therefore, you have a responsibility to show him his sin. But notice how our Lord is concerned to protect the reputation of His children. If you witness a brother’s sin, you must go to him personally and alone to confront him with it. You are not free to tell others about it, not even the pastor. You are not free to gossip, for that too is a sin and hurts the body. You must keep it to yourself until you have talked to the offending party yourself.

And as you talk to that person, do not think more highly of yourself than you ought (Rom. 12:3). Remember that you too are a sinner, and that just as you would want a friend to tell you if you have food stuck in your teeth or that your shirt is mis-buttoned, you would want him to lovingly tell you of your sin. “Speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). When the steps our Lord outlines are applied properly we are like a pickup truck rather than a dump truck. When we point out our brother's sin, it has as its only goal the salvation of our brother. As we confront him with his sin, we don't do it to dump on him, to drive him from the church. Rather we do so in order to pick him up and restore him to the fellowship. Indeed, the best part about all this is when a brother takes the word of correction to heart and repents. We then have opportunity to announce God’s forgiveness to him and assure him of God’s love. In fact, such repentance and forgiveness makes the angels in heaven rejoice.

However, if after repeated attempts the person does not listen but remains unrepentant, Jesus says, “take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Two or three witnesses is the Old Testament requirement for upholding truth and justice. The two or three act as a jury listening to both sides and rendering judgment. If these witnesses agree that the offending party is guilty, then the offending party is once again urged to repent, confess, and receive holy absolution. If he repents, the matter is settled and the whole affair is contained within a small number of members.

Unfortunately, these matters don’t always end this way. Some people simply refuse to acknowledge their sin and repent of it. For whatever reason, a personal rebuke or even one with two or three involved, is ignored or sloughed off. So Jesus says, “But if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” If two or three witnesses cannot bring the offending party to repentance, the witnesses testify to the church and the church renders the final verdict.

Even here, the goal is the winning of the brother. Giving the accused a public warning - one last chance to repent - is an act of mercy, designed to save the person from being excluded from the community of believers, and even heaven itself.

But if the person continues to be unrepentant, refuses to turn from his sin, the church must find him guilty and declare that the person’s sins are bound to him and that he is no longer considered a Christian, but an outsider. Yet, even this drastic action has as its goal the proclamation of the free forgiveness of sins. For if the person realizes the seriousness of his sin and takes it to heart and repents, the Church can and must announce that forgiveness. And she will do so with great eagerness and joy.

In the end, even dealing with the unrepentant sinner as though he or she were a "pagan" or a "tax collector" does not mean writing them off forever. It does mean excommunication, to be sure - they are bound in their sin and thus excluded from the Holy Communion of the Church. But this means, also, that they are once again part of that great mission field of those outside the Church.

Thus, even after the painful process of excommunication has taken place (as a preaching of the Law in all its dreadful seriousness), the Church continues to deal with the sinner from the ultimate perspective of mercy and forgiveness (the Gospel of Christ and His Cross). The driving objective of the entire process, from start to finish, it that the sinner repent, turn from his sin, and receive the full and free forgiveness of Christ.

Sad to say, what our Lord teaches in Matthew 18 is probably some of the most forgotten and ignored in all of Scripture. Look how often we deal with each other very differently, in ways that ought to make us ashamed. We add sin upon sin, bring shame to the Name of Christ, and drive wedges into His Church, by our disobedience and by our stubborn refusal to admonish and forgive.

The fact is, that we shall never be able to deal with each other as we should, except in so far as we are in Christ and He is in us. He alone will melt our hearts of stone into compassionate hearts of mercy like His own.

The psalmist says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Ps. 133:1). And St. Paul writes, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing through strife or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:1-4).

Indeed, showing such brotherly love to one another is based on the love and forgiveness shown and given to us by Christ. By His Cross and Passion, He has reconciled you (and all the world) to God His Father. By His washing of water with the Word in Holy Baptism, He has welcomed you into His Church, has given you His Holy Spirit, and has granted you the right to be called a child of God. Now by His Gospel and the holy Sacrament of the Altar, He holds out to you and gives to you the fruits of His Cross: His forgiveness, His Life, and His Salvation.

So, in spite of our constant failure to deal with sin (and with each other) in the way of Christ, our heavenly Father - for the sake of His Son - continues to come among us with His healing mercy, grace, and forgiveness. God grant that we so know His love in Christ that we treat one another with brotherly love. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

08/30/2026

Immanuel (Augsburg) Lutheran Church
Shobonier, Illinois
Pentecost 14A - Proper 17A
August 30, 2026
Romans 12:9-21

Genuine Love

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. . . . 16 Live in harmony with one another. . . . 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. . . . 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-10, 16, 18, 21 ESV)

In the Name of Jesus, the only Savior of the world.

Last week we heard, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2). And it is God’s will that “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Rom. 12:5).

Today, we hear how that plays out in our lives. Hear again some of what St. Paul writes: “Let love be genuine. [or, Love is genuine.]” “Love one another with brotherly affection.” “Contribute to the needs of the saints.” “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.” And so on. This is how the apostle Paul wanted, and expected, the Christians in Rome to think and to act and to live with one another. And these same exhortations and instructions apply to us, too.

We are no different than the church in Rome. We have the same Lord, the same gospel, the same sacraments, the same Spirit living within us. Thus, we take God’s Word to heart and it guides our lives.

And as God’s Word has its way with us, we will see the church enabled to be a refreshing oasis from the coldness and impersonal-ness of the world. When you look at what’s going on in the world these days, what do you see? Hatred and conflict of all sorts. Rage and distrust. Confusion in abundance. Fear and isolation. People afraid of catching a disease. People upset over government intrusion in their lives. Tensions mounting as we head toward elections in November.

So the church is where people battered and bruised by the world can come and find care and compassion. Here is where the lonely can find a family. In the gospels, Jesus says that those who give up brothers or sisters or mother or father to come and follow Him will receive—now, in this life–a hundred times as many brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. And that’s because you’re coming into the church, the worldwide family that God has established. This is where we love one another and care for one another in very practical terms. The church stands as a shelter, a haven, that also puts love into action.

So, this Epistle reading applies directly to us. It has to do with our everyday lives and our everyday life together as church. “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. . . . Outdo one another in showing honor. . . . Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. . . Live in harmony with one another. . . . If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” That all sounds good, but what about our enemies, those who persecute us? Well, we are to bless them, not repay evil with evil, not avenge ourselves, but leave it to God to deal with. That’s also what we learn from Jeremiah today (Jer. 15:15-21).

Yet, we so often fail to live such a life because we are sinners. To be sure, we are new persons in Christ, and we have been given the Holy Spirit. But even as Christians, we are still sinners. We don’t always do what we’re supposed to do. Like St. Paul, we have this internal conflict going on inside us, our whole life long, between the new man, alive in the Spirit, and the old Adam, who thinks only of himself. It’s a struggle. It’s a battle. We can only confess, “God have mercy on me, a sinner!”

And the good news is, He does have mercy on you. God loves and forgives you because of His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is your brother who came down from heaven, who took on our flesh, and who lived the life of love we so often fail at. And what mercy and compassion and love Jesus showed! Healing the sick and the oppressed. Forgiving sinners troubled in their conscience. Lifting up the downtrodden. Comforting the brokenhearted. If you want to see what genuine love looks like, look at Jesus. And especially look at Him going to the cross for you. There is love at its greatest, at its most profound. A love so great that the heavenly Father spared not His own Son but gave Him up for us all. Christ willingly gave Himself into death on the cross for your forgiveness and your salvation. This sacrificial love of Christ is not only our example, it is our source of love. God’s love for us in Christ is a never-failing wellspring of love that wells up inside us and flows out to others.

This is the life God planted inside you when He baptized you. There you became His child and took on His character. God’s children share in the family traits of love and mercy, compassion and forgiveness. In your baptism, God gave you the Holy Spirit, who calls you every day to put to death the old man of selfishness and sin and to put on instead the new man of love and service. This is what it means to be clothed with Christ, for this is how Christ is, and you are His Christians.

What’s more, today once again you are being nourished in the new life of love and forgiveness, as you partake of the Lord’s Supper. And at the conclusion of the Supper, we pray that God would strengthen us through the same, in faith toward Him and in fervent love toward one another. God intends for us to live as His children in His family.

Indeed, Christian love is very practical. “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18). That’s why it’s so important that we gather with our family as often as we can. First of all to receive God’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. And then as we catch up with one another, we can rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep as we learn their joys and their sorrows.

And that will lead us to concrete expressions of care and concern. When a need is known, you’ll find ways to help as you are able. God will put people in your path. Besides, as the body of Christ, everybody has a part to play. Use your imagination. Take the initiative. Offer your service. For we are in this life of faith together. We all share in the same Spirit, we all have the same Lord and Savior, and we all belong to the same Christian church family.

Therefore, “love one another with brotherly affection.” In one sense, this message is very simple. But it also can be very difficult to do, to put into action. Indeed, it is impossible to do this on our own. Our sinful flesh gets in the way. It wars against this. This is why we always need God’s forgiveness. And God gives us that forgiveness, for Christ’s sake, here in the church – in Holy Absolution, in the preaching of the gospel, in the blessed Sacrament of Christ’s body and blood. And when we stumble, when we fail, we need God to pick us up and get us going again. He gives you the help you need to be the loving person you are in Christ. He promises to do so.

Indeed, we are not in this life of faith alone. God has given us one another. So, we need one another. We forgive one another. We worship together and grow in Christ together. God grant that we so love one another through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

08/27/2026

September, 2026

Dearly Beloved,

On September 29, the Church observes the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. It’s a day in which we remember the gift of the holy angels whom God sends to help us in our battle against the devil. And who would deny that we are at war with and under attack by the devil? Here’s a hymn that praises God for the gift of angels:

522 Lord God, to Thee We Give All Praise

1 Lord God, to Thee we give all praise,
With grateful hearts our voices raise,
That angel hosts Thou didst create
Around Thy glorious throne to wait.

2 They shine with light and heav’nly grace
And constantly behold Thy face;
They heed Thy voice, they know it well,
In godly wisdom they excel.

3 They never rest nor sleep as we;
Their whole delight is but to be
With Thee, Lord Jesus, and to keep
Thy little flock, Thy lambs and sheep.

4 The ancient dragon is their foe;
His envy and his wrath they know.
It always is his aim and pride
Thy Christian people to divide.

5 As he of old deceived the world
And into sin and death has hurled,
So now he subtly lies in wait
To undermine both Church and state.

6 A roaring lion, round he goes,
No halt nor rest he ever knows;
He seeks the Christians to devour
And slay them by his dreadful pow’r.

7 But watchful is the angel band
That follows Christ on ev’ry hand
To guard His people where they go
And break the counsel of the foe.

8 For this, now and in days to be,
Our praise shall rise, O Lord, to Thee,
Whom all the angel hosts adore
With grateful songs forevermore.

Text: Public domain

This hymn was written by Philipp Melanchthon, Luther’s colleague at Wittenberg. Since the fall, we have been at war with the devil because he will stop at nothing to drag us away from faith in Christ, and lead us into “false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice.”

Yet, this hymn does not praise the angels, but God. After all He created them. Thus, “the hymn extols God’s protection afforded by these angelic beings who, assembled in the light of their Creator’s throne, are listening to His Word. . . . Melanchthon describes the angels’ watchfulness, calling attention to the fact that they, like God, never slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4) so that they can be waging constant battle against the enemies of God’s people.

“Melanchthon’s deep convictions concerning the eschatological battle between God’s truth and Satan’s deception provide the focus of the hymn, as Melachthon uses biblical images of the ancient dragon (Revelation 12) and the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8) to dramatize the real threat to believers from Satan and his forces. . . .

“Melanchthon’s confidence in God’s providing protection for His faithful is highlighted in stanza 7: the angel troop stands guard and thwarts the devil’s plans against us. Lost in the English translation are references to the saving efforts of the angels on behalf of Lot in S***m and of Daniel in the lions’ den. . . .

“At the end of this rehearsal of God’s use of the angels to watch over and defend His people, Melanchthon returns to praising God, joining the human voices of those singing the hymn with the songs of gratitude and praise sung by the angels.” (LSB Companion to the Hymns, vol. 1, pp. 489-490).

The Lord bless you and be with you always.
Pastor Landskroener

P.S. I’m planning to ride Bike MS on September 26-27. Thank you to those who have donated. If you would like to donate in support of my ride, it would be greatly appreciated. Checks (to: National MS Society) and cash are gladly accepted as well as donating online: https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participants/Timothy_Landskroener

Here are the readings for the upcoming Divine Services:

September 6 Pentecost 15A Proper 18A
Ezek. 33:7-9
Rom. 13:1-10
Matt. 18:1-20

September 13 Pentecost 16A Proper 19A
Gen. 50:15-21
Rom. 14:1-12
Matt. 18:21-35

September 20 Pentecost 17A Proper 20A
Is. 55:6-9
Phil. 1:12-14, 19-30
Matt. 20:1-16

September 27 Pentecost 18A Proper 21A
Ezek. 18:1-4, 25-32
Phil. 2:1-4 (5-13) 14-18
Matt. 21:23-27 (28-32)

I’m participating in Bike MS: Gateway Getaway 2026 to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Nearly one million people in the US are living with the challenges and uncertainty of MS. With more than $1 billion invested in MS research, the Society has categorically transformed the ...

08/23/2026

Immanuel (Augsburg) Lutheran Church
Shobonier, Illinois
Pentecost 13A - Proper 16A
August 23, 2026
Romans 11:33–12:8

Living Sacrifices

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! . . . 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 11:33, 12:1-2 ESV)

In the Name of Jesus, the only Savior of the world,

I once heard, and have often repeated, that “everyone wants to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.” In other words, we all want to tell God what to do. Especially when things are hard. Consider Moses. He was sent to lead Israel out of bo***ge in Egypt. More often than not, the people complained against him. It was so bad, that at one point, he essentially told God, “Just kill me!” (Num. 11:15). Job too complained about his suffering. He wished he had never been born. God’s people cry, “How long, O Lord?” And we too may join in with our complaints when things are not as we wish.

Yet, St. Paul declares, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Indeed, God's ways are not our ways and God's thoughts are not our thoughts (Is. 55:8). And that's a good thing. For if God's ways were like our ways and God's thought's were like our thoughts we would be in a world of trouble. There would be only wrath and punishment and no forgiveness. There would be only vengeance and animosity and no reconciliation.

But thanks be to God that He doesn't think like we do and that He didn't, and doesn’t, ask us for advice. Praise God that He didn't ask us what He should do about sin or anything else. For He has done great and marvelous things for us. He has effected our salvation and freely offers it to us by His grace. We certainly haven't done anything to God or for God that He owes us anything good. And we can't! Rather, He has given us everything good for which we owe Him everything we are and have. We stand before God as beggars, always dependent on His judgment and love. We can only receive from Him what He loves to give us.

So it is that Paul sings, "For of him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." From God came the world in which we live. From God came the salvation of the world. From God came Jesus Christ who died for us while we were still sinners. From God came the cross before which we bow in gratitude and reverence for the sacrifice that He made there. From God came the faith to receive His marvelous gifts.

So, what are we to do? Paul appeals to our understanding of the greatness of the gift God has given us to urge us to live lives pleasing to God.

In the first eleven chapters of Romans Paul lays out for us the magnificent doctrines of sin and grace. And as he does he has given us some of the most beautiful passages in Scripture.

There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Rom. 3:22-24)

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom.5:8)

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Rom. 8:1 NKJV)

I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9)

Truly Paul proclaimed the depth of our sinfulness and our inability to do anything about it. But more importantly, He proclaimed God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ. Paul continually directs our attention to Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins. He continually keeps before us the Gospel theme “Jesus died for you.”

So we see that Paul's appeal to the Romans and to us is based totally on what God has done for us in Christ. God sent His Son to live the perfect life that we are unable to live. His Son willingly allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross to bear the punishment for all our sins so we wouldn't have to bear the punishment we deserve. And God accepted that sacrifice as full atonement for all our sins.

Thus, Paul appeals to us on the basis of God's grace and mercy. He knows that true believers can't help but be thankful for the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. But we don’t always know how to show our thanks to God. So Paul implores us to offer our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.”

In the Old Testament, people dedicated or sacrificed many things to God – animals, grain and offerings. Many times these things were set on fire and burned up before the Lord. Sometimes, they were eaten. In all cases, they were consumed. But we are to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices." Instead of merely offering things, our response to God's mercy is our body, our whole being, all that we have and are, offered for the Lord’s purpose. In other words, we sacrifice ourselves to God for His use.

Many times, however, we may sacrifice a little time and money to the Lord, sometimes even our mind and spirit in worship. But we are hesitant to present our bodies as living sacrifices. We tend to hold back from God. In all areas of our lives, we want to retain control over ourselves and all that is ours. We don't want to submit everything to God's control, forgetting that it’s all His anyway.

But because of all that God has done and continues to do for “us and for our salvation,” we can offer ourselves as “living sacrifices [that are] holy and acceptable to God.” And as we do that, Paul encourages us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” As God's children, we are in this world but we are not to be of this world. Paul encourages us to let God’s Word to work on our mind and heart. Indeed, as we truly listen to God's Word written and spoken, as we truly receive His gift of forgiveness, we are transformed. We undergo a metamorphosis. Our mind is changed. Our attitude is adjusted. We think in different ways as we have our mind focused on what is pleasing to God.

If we are reluctant to present our bodies as living sacrifices, if we balk at having our minds transformed and renewed, then we need to realize that we are in danger of returning to the dark valleys of selfishness and sin. We need to understand that when we are in control we misuse and abuse our bodies. Only God can take our bodies, which are presented to Him as living sacrifices, and use them for high and holy purposes, for work that brings Him all the honor and glory.

And when we are in such danger of falling into selfishness and sin, our gracious Lord brings His gifts before us and invites us to “take and eat; take and drink.” He invites us to receive and enjoy His precious gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

And as we receive His gifts by faith, our minds are transformed by the grace of God and our bodies can be a tremendous sacrifice to the Lord. What was once the seat of sin now brings honor and glory to God. What once followed the world and Satan now serves its Creator. We are living proof that God abides in us, that His mercy has moved us to become His living sacrifices.

And as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, we realize that we are not alone. Others also are so blessed and offer their bodies as living sacrifices. So it is that Paul encourages cooperation among the “living sacrifices” in the body of Christ. And that cooperation has a two-fold look: “sober judgment” and faithful participation.

As to “sober judgment,” we are not alone in our faith. My life of faith is not just between me and God. Rather, it involves many others. We aren't only members of our Lord's Kingdom, but we are also members joined to one another. And when we get together, it's only natural that we compare ourselves to one another, especially in light of what we do for the Lord and have received from the Lord in the nature of spiritual gifts.

Hence this word of caution: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” This Word of God urges us to evaluate accurately what we can do for the Lord. That means we neither overrate our gifts and abilities nor underrate them. Gifts and abilities come as a result of God's mercy for us to receive and use in faith. Whatever our gift, we praise God, for it enables us to serve Him and bring glory to His name.

As we cooperate with the other members of the body, we practice faithful participation. Paul tells us that each member of the body has different gifts for different functions. And as we are each living sacrifices, God uses us in various specific ways and as He intends. As each one of us uses his or her gifts for the benefit of all as God intends, then the church moves as a graceful body of living stones, or living sacrifices to the Lord.

So use the gifts God has given you so all believers can benefit by your faithful participation. That is God's intention for His living sacrifices within the body of Christ, and it is what He makes happen because He has chosen us to be His own, redeemed us by the blood of His Son, and given us the power of His Spirit in Baptism and His Word. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.