Christ Lutheran Church

05/26/2026

We invite you to memorize Colossians 3:12 with us this week.

Memorizing Scripture is a valuable practice for Christians, even in a digital age. Join us each week as we hide God's Word in our hearts.

Learn more at lcms.org/memoryverse.

05/24/2026

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+
The Day of Pentecost
May 24, 2026

OLD TESTAMENT
Numbers 11:24–30

Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

SECOND READING
Acts 2:1–21

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and v***r of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

GOSPEL
John 7:37–39

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

05/16/2026

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+
The Ascension of Our Lord
May 14, 2026

FIRST READING
Acts 1:1–11

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

COLLECT OF THE DAY
Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

04/30/2026

We invite you to memorize John 17:17 with us this week.

Memorizing Scripture is a valuable practice for Christians, even in a digital age. Join us each week as we hide God's Word in our hearts.

Learn more at lcms.org/memoryverse.

04/29/2026

210 likes, 8 comments. "How Does Baptism Justify? | Life Together Digest"

04/29/2026

We invite you to pray for the candidates receiving calls tonight at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.

For all pastors and those studying to be pastors, all deaconesses, missionaries and those who work to bring God's Word to His people, that their labors may be fruitful and their hearts faithful, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

04/25/2026

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2026

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For steadfast faith to hear the voice of our great Shepherd, that passing through the valley of the shadow of death we may receive our portion in His abundant life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all pastors, that God would bestow Christ’s wisdom and tenderness upon those called to shepherd the souls of His people, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all believers, that they would receive their pastors as gifts from the Lord, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all Christian homes, that by good deeds the ignorance of foolish people may be put to silence before God’s divine institution; for all married couples, that God would preserve them in love and faithfulness; for all parents, that God would strengthen them as teachers of the faith; and for the unmarried, that God would uphold them honorable and unashamed in their station, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those who would govern the people of the Church, that they would be held accountable and honor the purpose of the Good Shepherd as they protect His people and serve the cause of justice and liberty, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the Church and for the world, that God would work by His mercy for good now and eternally; for readiness to intercede for one another since we have been gathered together in the fellowship of Christ and His apostolic Word; and for the proclamation of the Gospel, that God would be pleased to add to our number those who are being saved, until He brings us all rest eternally in His safekeeping, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those who eat of Christ’s body and blood this day, given and shed for the forgiveness of our sins, that even amid sin, death and the devil, the Lord’s goodness and mercy would follow us all the days of our lives and we would dwell in His house forever, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the Holy Spirit in rich measure, that hearing and following Christ, our Shepherd, we would pass through every tribulation to our eternal heavenly home, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

04/20/2026

We, like Paul — so far as God’s Law is concerned — are “dead while we live.”

But Paul continues: “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:24–25).

Our plight requires much more than self-revelation, self-consciousness or self-determination to go a different route. It requires a resurrection. It requires two resurrections, Christ’s and ours. We need more than a healing. We need life’s rescue from the grip of death. We need Christ and His life. We need Jesus speaking to us sinners who are bound and dead in a tomb of sin, the ultimate “curved in on ourselves”: “Lazarus, come out!”

This life, the only true life, is completely oriented outside ourselves: Christ justifies. Christ forgives. Christ frees. Christ lives for me and makes me alive. Christ lives outside Himself for me. Christ empowers and invites me to live outside myself in praise to God and out of love for my neighbor. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4–5).