Redeemer Lutheran Church, DeSoto, MO

Our June 7 Sunday worship service is available on video through Facebook. You may view it without being a member of Facebook. This is the first service held in the sanctuary with the congregation present since the COVID-19 restrictions started.

After you click on the picture above, you may get a screen asking you to join Facebook. Click the small link that reads, “Not Now” or on a small “X” on the upper right of that message to continue.

Click on the triangle icon or photo of the church to play. After the video starts, click on the “outward facing arrows” video icon to make the video larger on desktop screens. You may have to click on the speaker icon in the video to enable sound.

The June 14 worship service to be held in our sanctuary with members and friends in attendance is scheduled to be streamed live on the DeSoto Redeemer Facebook page. We will post a direct link to the recording here as soon as it is possible after the service.

Sermon, The Holy Trinity
Genesis 1:1-2:4a – Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13 – Matthew 28:16-20

Holy Trinity Sunday, it is the only Sunday of the Church year which we dedicate to a doctrine, a teaching, of the Church: The Holy Trinity. It is the day in which we celebrate the Triune God, three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Well, to clarify, we actually celebrate the Triune God everyday, but today in particular. We worship the Triune God, we don’t worship the Trinity (some people haven’t figured that out yet). The Trinity is only the doctrine which describes the Triune God, and the relationship between the three members, or Persons of the Godhead. It is also the purpose of the different Christian Creeds. They were written to describe how God is revealed to us.

Father, the Creator: the Genesis text speaks of God’s creation of everything. Creation/Creator is, and must be the foundation of our faith. The God who created us…

How did God create? By the power of His Word. That is all that the text says. God said it, and it happened. This is echoed in the first chapter of John’s Gospel. That is all that the Bible describes. Next, it does not say that God stopped creating. Those that say that creation occurred in six days, haven’t figured out that one. God rested on the seventh day, and went right back creating on the eighth. Continuing to create, and sustaining that which has already been created. He creates us anew everyday (we hold that in our understanding of baptism) and the rest of creation. And it is very good.
And, Genesis says, God creates humanity with a special purpose. We are created in God’s image. Therefore, somehow, God’s image is reflected in us! Of all of the creatures in the world, we are special because of that. And, God gives to humanity instructions, “to be fruitful and multiply, to have dominion over the earth (By the way, God did not say, not beat it to death nor into submission!).” We are created to be stewards of the earth (Genesis 2 implies the same thing). Frankly, we are to help sustain creation. In that sense, humanity may be seen as God’s assistants.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Redeemer: where we put our emphasis. Look to the three ecumenical creeds that is why they were written. They all speak of the virgin birth. But describes is in the sense of creation; The Holy Spirit overshadows Mary. Christ is a “new creation” that is what Paul is talking about. Christ’s ministry of teaching and healing. Christ’s passion; his suffering and death, for our sakes and the sins of the world. It continues with his Resurrection, by which He destroys the power of sin and death, and rises victorious over them, and in that we have our hope, and place our faith. And they his Ascension; Christ returns to his place in heaven with the Father, and the right hand of God. Again it implies work in creation (see John 1 again).

The Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. This face or aspect of God is the hardest to get a hold of. The Spirit is the active agent of God, if you will, of creation. The creeds describe her work. First, Holy catholic Church, the Spirit holds the Church together in proclamation and faith (see last week’s sermon). Then the communion of saints, in the Latin of the Apostles’ Creed (its original language), it means the sharing of holy things, all holy things, and the believers sharing holy things. The forgiveness of sins, it is the Spirit which bestows that power, in Christ’s name. And the Resurrection of the body, the Spirit performs the actual resurrection, we say by the glory of the Father, but it is the Spirit’s act (the active agent of creation again – but this time aimed at the end of time). Many good Christians miss that part. And, thus the Holy Spirit bestows life everlasting to all who believe.

The Trinity, the Triune God, the Three Persons in all facets and works: that is who we worship. That is the message we share in the telling of the Gospel. That is in whose name we baptize. We do so today, in particular, with special emphasis, but really, always and eternally. To Who’s glory be all praise and honor, now and forever!
Pastor Rose

Our May 31 outdoor Sunday worship service is available on video through Facebook. You may view it without being a member of Facebook.

After you click on the picture above, you may get a screen asking you to join Facebook. Click the small link that reads, “Not Now” or on a small “X” on the upper right of that message to continue.

Click on the triangle icon or photo of the church to play. After the video starts, click on the “outward facing arrows” video icon to make the video larger on desktop screens. You may have to click on the speaker icon in the video to enable sound.

The June 7 worship service to be held in our sanctuary with members and friends in attendance is scheduled to be streamed live on the DeSoto Redeemer Facebook page. We will post a direct link to the recording here as soon as it is possible after the service.

Sermon for The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:1-21 | Psalm 104:25-35, 37
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 | John 20:19-23

The Day of Pentecost: Fifty days after Easter, and the Resurrection of Christ: a time this year, when most of us were “Sheltering at Home,” similar to the disciples hiding in the locked room. It is a good time now to come out into the open for a bit.

It is the day when the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples. The promised Advocate and Comforter/Counselor whom Christ had promised to send to them prior to his Ascension. This is the Spirit which is to empower the disciples, and the Church, in their proclamation and witness to Christ.
It is also, technically, the birthday of the Church, and the Church’s task, namely mission, evangelism, spreading the Gospel, Good News.
It is that which brings us to the Second Chapter of Acts. The Holy Spirit descends, and the disciples begin proclaiming about “God’s deeds of power”…in the languages of those who are gathered in Jerusalem; so that all may hear, and understand, this proclamation. The Spirit is poured out upon all the believers. This is something which we hold about baptism. It is there, that we all receive the Holy Spirit, just as Christ breathed it upon the apostles. It may manifest itself in various ways.

St. Paul in 1 Corinthians lists some of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We are fairly certain that Paul did not give a full list of all of the gifts. This is a list, probably, to inform the Church at Corinth of some of the ways in which the Spirit works among us, “varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” He also lists “activities.” But all are given “the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” This is important, the common good, the building up of the Church on earth. That is something which people seem to have forgotten recently, the common good. Some are screaming about how the Covid 19 restrictions may be infringing upon their individual rights, forgetting that they are given for the common good during this crisis. Let’s look at what the Spirit gives to us for the common good.

Wisdom, knowledge (teachers and helpers), faith (it is a gift of the Spirit), healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues (the original gift of Acts 2), and the interpretation of tongues.

Gift of the Spirit: wisdom, knowledge (and their conveyors). To hear the Word of God is one thing, but to understand the Word of God is another. The proclamation and education must always go together. Both come from the Spirit. Faith: now, there is an interesting one. We too often forget that faith itself is a gift of the Spirit. Some people try to convert others (forgetting that it is God who gives the faith). Healing, that includes medicine. God is the giver of life, but also its sustainer, that includes healing. It is important to remember that during this time of plague. Plus the working of miracles (they do occur, you just have to look for them), prophecy, discernment of spirits. All still gifts, just not as seen, or interpreted as such.

All of these, plus so many more which Paul does not list, are gifts which God gives to the members of the Church, to serve God, and to carry out the task of the upbuilding of the Church. All believers have some gift – but almost all will say that they don’t (shows you how wrong you can be). Some are afraid to use their gifts, or too humble to believe that God has given them one?
One gift often grows into another gift. At as it does, the Church is again built up. God has given to each of us, some gift, talent, ability, to carry out His will on earth. That is part of the celebration of Pentecost. We are each given the Holy Spirit, and receive some manifestation of her presence (the Holy Spirit is traditionally seen as feminine.). What are our Gifts? For each of us have a task to do in God’s kingdom, and the Holy Spirit will manifest itself and guide us forth in our words and deeds, all for the greater glory of God. But, we must put those gifts to use. What gifts are manifested here? How may each of us serve God, this congregation, our neighbors and this community? What gifts have God given to you? And, how are you going to put that gift to the use which God intended? That too is a gift of God’s grace.
Pastor Rose