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by Pastor Kyle Wangelin And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. -Acts 2:38
Our theme verse comes from Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, and Peter shared some rather strong words with them. He told them rather plainly that they killed Jesus. A harsh reality to confront, but words that they needed to hear. The text tells us that they were cut to the heart. There are moments where we feel cut to the heart. Confronted in a very real way with the ramifications of our sin. Yet, even still, Jesus offers forgiveness. They respond to Peter, asking how they can fix this. Typically, when someone is wrongfully put to death, you might expect Peter to respond by saying something like, “this cannot be fixed.” But now the Son of God Himself has been put death! We’re not getting out of this, are we? Jesus can. Jesus can fix this. Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. For the very people that crucified Him, and for the very people that sin day in and day out, Jesus offers the forgiveness of sins. Jesus died for the sake of the very people that put Him on the cross. An unfathomable love demonstrated by an all-powerful God for the sake of His people. Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the unfathomable act of love that you have done for us by dying on the cross. We give you thanks that by your blood shed on the cross, all of our sins have been forgiven. May we always be blessed in faith to see how great your love is for us. In Your name we pray, Amen.
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by Lisa Kalscheur Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. -James 4:8
The faith journey can be a bit brutal looking backward. Continued discernment is a gift, however once God decides he wants to give more, it can be painful realizing the ways that I have been faithless. I have a handful of friends that I have had for almost 20 years now. We were all comrades back in the day, and even though the frequency in how much we see each other has been less than it used to be, we still manage to make time when we can. We’ve all seen each other get married, have children, struggle and have success. However, over the last few years, I have changed drastically. My perspective has undergone an extreme shift, and God has not let up on showing me how the things I used to think were completely normal are nowhere near what He desires for our lives. My friends carry on with their conversations but the words that I say are different now. I carry something that they have never seen in me before. Sometimes it’s hard, but drawing nearer to God in these moments has brought a tremendous amount of strength and courage that I could never possess on my own accord. It can be uncomfortable at times, and the ache in my heart is a combination of things. It pains me to know that I wasn’t listening to God in so many moments along the way. The truth of our sin hurts, and there will still be times in the future where I will fail to put God first. In addition to this, there is also an ache of gratitude for what He has done for me, despite how much I have pushed him aside. As I am drawn deeper in relationship with Christ, remorse follows. Yet I am so grateful for the experience of being refined. If we are truly putting God first, many times it will be uncomfortable. There is no way we could ever perfect this, because of our sinful nature. Humans naturally want to serve themselves and their prerogatives first. As uncomfortable as it can be to buck what comes natural, it is also the most wonderful ebb and flow of growth in Christ. The grace that He has for us is astounding compared to our ability to honor Him. Prayer: Lord, sometimes it is painful being a Christian. The world looks so much worse by the day. Please guide us to keep our eyes on You, Jesus. Help us to not get caught up in what the world says about us, and stay focused on Your Word. Lord, you are a loving God of grace and mercy. Give us the strength and wisdom to understand our sinful nature more and more as we turn to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. by Hillary Krahn Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. -Luke 15:7
My daughter is a big fan of the animated movie series The Trolls which is a series of brightly colored trolls (based on the good luck troll toys that were popular in the 1960s) who sing and dance and go on wild adventures. In the movies, there’s an ogre-like creature called the Bergens who are set on capturing trolls for food. It’s because of the Bergens that we see the trolls going on their first adventure, running and hiding, and building a new town where the Bergens can’t find them. The king troll, King Peppy, is tasked with making sure all the trolls make it through a safe passage to escape the ogres. In the movie his famous line is, “No troll left behind!” Which leads to some very imaginative ways of him helping all the trolls to safety. When we look at our reading from Luke, the first thing that came to my mind was not the usual parable of the shepherd leaving behind the 99 sheep to rescue the 1 lost one, but it was King Peppy shouting, “No troll left behind!” Isn’t that the way we are to be as Christians? Leaving no one person behind on the path to heaven? We know our shepherd, we’re on our path to salvation, making a clean escape, not being eaten up by the sinfulness of the world. We come to church, we repent, and we take part in the sacraments. However, there are those out in the world who do not. They do not repent of their sins, they don’t rest in the safeness of the fold, they’re lost! They’re the troll that’s left behind! Luke tells us that when that one sinner comes to repentance there will be greater joy in heaven than over the 99. Imagine that, we’ve found that last lost soul. Hallelujah!! That leads me to the question, what should we do about it? Our king, King Jesus, has it covered right? Well, yes, but with our help. We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us, a light that shines in the dark place. We are to go out into the world, sharing the message of salvation with those who don’t know Christ, who haven’t come to repentance. We are to make sure there’s no one left behind when that last day comes! Together, as a church, as the 99, we can help find the one! Prayer: Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the safety you provide us as our shepherd. You have saved us! Help us to continue to approach your altar with repentance. Help us, Lord, to go out with you to find the lost. Use your Spirit to guide us in sharing the Good News of your salvation. Use us to rescue the last lost soul so that we with heaven may rejoice. In Jesus name, Amen. by Pastor Kyle Wangelin “Bear fruit, in keeping with repentance.” - Matthew 3:8
There comes a time when the student becomes the teacher. Such is the natural cycle of life. But every now and again, the teacher is surprised by how quickly the tables are turned! Such has been the case for me as there have been many moments when a Confirmation student asks a question that is so profound and well thought out, that it opens the door for a discussion that I had never thought of. Or this example, where a student wrote a line in her statement of faith that really struck a chord with me. She had written a paragraph on Confession and Absolution and at the end of the paragraph she talked about how confession is not just for ourselves, but also for the good of our neighbor. And that is such a beautiful way to put it. When we repent and turn from our sins, yes, that is good for us, but to also recognize that our turning from sin means the wake of our sin will no longer impact those around us is such a profound truth. It takes what is often a very individual concept and speaks to how God designed it not just for the individual, but all. As we go through the season of Lent, may we see how God has turned us from our sin to see Jesus, but also to see our neighbor as well. Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have designed all people to serve one another. May we always seek opportunities to love, just as Jesus has loved us. In His name, Amen. by Hillary Krahn And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Exodus 32:21-23
Our verse for today takes place when Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the newly formed tablets containing the Ten Commandments written by God himself. He’s been up the mountain awhile talking to God and when he comes down, he’s found that Aaron succumbed to the Israelites wishes for a gold calf and helped them make one to worship. They had grown restless while waiting for Moses, not trusting that God had a plan and Moses would return to them. A few verses before this in v19 we see that Moses' anger “burned hot” and he broke the first edition of the Ten Commandments out of anger. If you think Moses was angry, I can only imagine how God felt. The Israelites were a people wandering in the desert, constantly sinning and repenting on a continuous cycle. They never quite understood God’s plan for them. We are oftentimes like the Israelites, forgetting the goodness of God, forgetting to look to the cross, to go to the Word, to go to prayer. Things aren’t happening like we want or as fast as we want. Perhaps we have a faith partner who we lean on and when they’re out of sight we fear they’ll never be back! However, our story is a little different from that of the Israelites. There’s one really important factor missing from their journey. That factor is Jesus. We have a different hope than the Israelites did. They knew a Messiah would come, but they didn’t know when, and they quickly lost sight of that. We know that a Messiah HAS come and will come again, forgiving our sins and quenching that burning hot anger that we would face from God. When we’re in that desert of sin we can remember to kneel at the feet of Jesus, repenting of whatever our golden calf is, and we will receive forgiveness. The Israelites faced death and being removed from God’s book for what they did. We don’t face that punishment, Jesus has bore that consequence for us! Prayer: Dear Jesus, send the Holy Spirit to guide me and make wise decisions in my life so that I don’t fall into hopelessness and sin like the Israelites. Help me to repent of my ways when I become impatient with your plan. Thank you for the salvation you have given me that has saved me from death and condemnation. In your name I pray, Amen. by Jenny Garceau If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
-I John 1:9 Last year was a difficult time in my life. I experienced loss in the form of a miscarriage & it still beats on me on a regular basis. Sometimes we take a look around us and there doesn't seem to be much to be thankful for. There is so much hurt, so much sickness, so much anxiety, so much pain in this life. We are called to give thanks in all things...so how can we give thanks, and what can we give thanks for when things just seem so hard and life feels like it's just too much? We can give thanks, even in difficult times, because we are forgiven and redeemed. In 1 JOHN 1:9 it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Let us not take this for granted or lose sight of the power of these gifts. This alone should be enough to squash our worries and hurt and refocus our lives. A wise woman and friend recently told me that during these times we are to lean into our faith. Just lean in. Something seemingly so easy but simultaneously difficult. We can give thanks, even in difficult times, because we can hand Him the pieces of our broken hearts, broken lives, and broken relationships. We can give it all to Him because He wants to take care of all of that for us. He is the God who makes beauty from ashes, strength from tears, and turns mourning to dancing. Prayer: Holy Father, We give our burdens to you. We pray for hurting friends, we pray that they find rest in the fullness of Jesus and lean in. We pray they can rest in the completed work of Christ and lean in. Simply lean in! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen by Hillary Krahn “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” -Luke 24:45-47 The passage for today comes just moments after Jesus revealed himself to his disciples for
the first time after his resurrection. The disciples had gathered together because Simon told them that he saw Jesus, and suddenly, there he was in their midst! They were startled for sure, but Jesus had great things to tell them, and prepare them for, before he ascended into heaven. It tells us that he opened their minds to understand what his death and resurrection meant for forgiveness of sins, including that one word, repentance. He gives these instructions to the disciples in a specific order, repentance then forgiveness. You must repent, then be forgiven. When we confess our sins during divine service setting 3 in worship, we say, “But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them.” But do we mean it? Are we repentant in our hearts? Or are we going through the motions of “repenting” only to continue the sin for which we say we’re sorry? If only Jesus could appear and open our minds as well. I see this type of repentance with my children. We might call it “quick” repentance. One child decides to take their sibling's toy outside and then manages to lose it in the sandbox. You tell the child to apologize to the sibling for losing their toy and they come through with a really quick and insincere apology. “Sorry.” Then I have to say, “But, do you mean it?” Most of the time they don’t, and the next day they again err against their sibling. It can be the same situation from the other sibling’s side as well. When you ask them if they forgive their sibling for what happened, they’ll say it’s okay, but are they really forgiving in their heart? When we go before our heavenly Father, are we being the kid with “quick” repentance, or are we looking in our heart for true repentance? It’s with this true repentance that we know we are forgiven. We never have to worry about the Father’s forgiveness not being sincere, He means it all the way, so much so that He sacrificed His son. In this season of Lent, as we look at the cross, let’s reflect upon what truly being repentant means. Dig deep in your heart as you stand before the Lord, He will forgive you. Prayer: Heavenly Father, during this season of Lent we confess to you that we are poor miserable sinners in need of forgiveness. Help us to repent wholeheartedly and turn away from the sins which we confess. Send your Holy Spirit to guide us on the difficult path of repentance that we may receive the forgiveness that your Son has given to us. Amen. by Andy Krahn “For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” -Psalm 57:10 Have you ever had a day when you can’t seem to do anything right? You burn your
toast; can’t find your keys and you drop your coffee as you head out the door! You wonder, “what’s wrong with me!” Hopefully you turn to the Lord for help, and He grants you peace! When I think of God’s Steadfast Love, my thoughts turn to the Psalms of King David. They read on like a rollercoaster of praising the Lord for all that he has done for him and lamenting the attacks of his enemies. Many of the Psalms were written during the time when David had to flee from Saul. Psalm 57 begins as a plea to the Lord for mercy to grant him relief from his enemies. But by verse 7 we see that David has trust in God's steadfast love to deliver him. He begins to praise the Lord, “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.” Sometimes we are like David. We find ourselves wallowing in our own problems until we realize that God is with us. During Lent we focus a lot on the trial and burden of sin. We see Christ's death as the price of our sins. But we rejoice on Easter when we see the fulfillment of God’s steadfast love in Christ's resurrection. Whether our trials in life are self-inflicted, from sin or from an evil force, we can stand firm in God’s steadfast love to be there with us. His steadfast love will keep us strong. Prayer: Dear God, forgive me when I don’t see your steadfast love and don’t trust in your deliverance. Strengthen me and allow me to praise you in all things. In Jesus name, Amen. by Lisa Kalscheur "Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;” -Isaiah 30:1 I work at school, and my desk sits in the conference room where the staff refrigerator resides.
One of the students came in and he said he was grabbing his mom’s (a fellow teacher’s) lunch for her. I was quick to commend him on his kindness and servitude, and he responded with, “There is something for me in her lunch bag so I’m grabbing it for her.” Isn’t that how it goes? Many times our well-intended efforts and good deeds fill the holes of desire, fear and unknowing in our human hearts. Repeatedly I mistake my own wants and desires for God’s will. After all, the plans we make and the dreams we conjure up have many different jobs when it comes to our human reasoning. They protect us and give us a sense of purpose. They give us value and independence. They keep our spouses and children safe. They make us feel like we are going to change the world. On paper, our plans look amazing, and they reflect the difference we want to make. We can plan ourselves right into the most perfect life we could ever imagine! With our intentions the way they are, we are like the student grabbing his mom’s lunch for her. We can be doing a good thing, but what is inside that lunch bag that we are really looking for? Even though we mean well, many times we are choosing to do something because we want something out of it. So now the scary question is in order. What if God has a different lunch bag for you to carry? In this case, the entire lunch is for you, bag, and all. The difference is, you didn’t ask for it, and everything inside it is a big mystery. It’s not even the kind of lunch bag you would ever be seen carrying, let alone claiming it as your own. Most of the time we aren’t even giving it a second glance. I’d rather starve, thank you very much! We forget so soon that the things we haphazardly try to plan and provide for ourselves, God gracefully gives. A repentant heart is also a heart of trust. Repentance is essential for our humbling, our obedience, and ultimately carrying that mysterious lunch sack assigned to you. Thankfully, by the Grace of God, our eyes continue to be opened to our sinful nature as we turn to Our Savior. This Lenten Season, may God help us to see the error of our ways. Prayer: Father God, I am repentant of the ways my selfish heart has crept in. Even in my continuous yearning to be a light for Jesus, distractions are inevitable. I pray for the continued strength and ability to know the difference of my desires from Your ultimate and perfect plan. I pray Lord, that I will trust You, and I am so sorry for the times that I allow myself to get pulled in any other direction. Lord Jesus you are the perfect example of obedience to God’s will, no matter the pain and agony, you were steadfast in your mission. Help me to live more and more like You, without distraction. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. by Pastor Kyle Wangelin From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -Matthew 4:17 What a blessing it is that God has preserved the story of salvation for us for all
eternity. That we can read the inspired words of authors of the Gospels to see how our Savior lived and loved. As the telling of the life of Jesus begins, we are first introduced to John the Baptist, and he is proclaiming one simple message. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” After Jesus is baptized by John and then is tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He begins His earthly ministry with one simple message. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Such a simple and clear message, but one that is difficult for us to hear. The call to repent is to turn from what we are currently doing. What if I am comfortable where I am? What If I enjoy what I am doing? What if I find value in what is in front of me? To repent is to admit that I have done wrong. Jesus says repent. Turn from the sin that we so often cling to. Turn from the allure of earthly materials that ultimately fade and wither. Turn from the ways of the world that are selfish and destructive. Turn to Jesus. It is a simple message with an astounding revelation, to see that what (or rather, who) we are turning to is infinitely better than what has been before us. Jesus is the Kingdom of God in the flesh. He has brought us into His fold. He has come to save His people, and has won us life everlasting. Prayer: Jesus, I know there are times when I am stubborn, refusing to turn from my sin. Yet you are the light that has broken through the darkness to bring me into your Kingdom. Thank you for forgiving my sins, and continue to walk with me, and defend me from all sin and temptation as I follow you. In Your Holy Name, Amen. |
About the AuthorsThe authors of this Lenten devotional are all staff members of Zion Lutheran Church & School of Wayside. They have answered the call to preach and teach the good news of salvation to both the young and the old of the school and congregation. This group of believers have a strong faith rooted in the Word. They are all members of the church professing the Christian faith and are excited to share their love of Jesus with you during this season. ArchivesCategories |
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