Laetare, The Fourth Sunday in Lent, 2026

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

10 AM Central

Pastor Gregory Jackson

Click here for Your Tube for this day.

The Hymn #263       O Little Flock Fear Not Thy Foe
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her:  all ye that love her.

Rejoice for joy with her: all ye that mourn for her.

Psalm. I was glad when they said unto me: 

Let us go into the house of the Lord.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual 

The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #316    O Living Bread from Heaven 

 Seek And Expect from Him Nourishment for the Soul

KJV John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

This passage from the Fourth Gospel first teaches us about miracles and God's ability to provide for us. The vast crowd  was convinced - for the moment - about Jesus' miracles and willingness to serve them. However, the disciples expressed a lack of faith about what Jesus could do.

I will repeat a story I have told before, because it shows how fear can turn into faith during stress. My boss asked me to have lunch with another insurance agent. He was stricken with anguish about whether he could succeed and provide for his family. I asked him about his faith, whether he trusted in God, Creation, the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and His miracles. And he said he did. I asked, "You believe in God, Creation, the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, His miracles, dying for our sins and rising from death? You are telling me that you believe all these things but do not trust that God will take of you and your family?" He smiled and cried at the same time. A perfectionist, he was stuck in WRONG! 

We all go through times of terrible stress, which stirs up fear in our hearts. The opposite of fear is not money, popularity, or prosperity - it is faith in God's wisdom and care for each and every one of us. "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

People followed Jesus because the miracles gave them faith in the Savior. But that faith was shallow and easily attacked. The disciples knew many examples of what He could do, but they doubted.

John 6:3-5   3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

Jesus used the view to challenge what they could see from an elevated place, as a huge group moved toward them. The crowd was walking along the sea. Jesus said to Philip, "How can we buy bread, so they can eat."

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

Jesus was testing His disciples' faith, because He already knew what He was going to do. Philip figured the cost, and said there was not enough to take care of them. So that was a great contradiction, even before the crowd arrived. They had just seen a number of miracles, but the wonder did not care over to this crowd streaming toward them.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Andrew is the chairman of the finance committee. There is one is every congregation. I called the committee the Puddleglums in one congregation and only a few people thought it was funny. "What are five small barley loves and two small fish?" That is the definite mark of not trusting in what God can do. With the disciples stymied, Jesus created some order, having the men sit down in a grassy area (fresh water was nearby). There were about five thousand men, so the entire crowd was very large with women and children.

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Jesus gave thanks (as we always should) and passed them to the disciples, who gave them to all who sat down, the fish as much as they wanted. Those who deny miracles cannot fathom how God can do such a thing, and yet every day scientists marvel that so many plants and animals have incredible abilities to do what we could never imagine ourselves. And we are the pinnacle of creation evolution (they think). Yesterday I learned that blueberries are not blue. They only pretend. A thin layer of wax scatters light so they look blue.

"That nothing be lost" is a command not to be wasteful, which applies in so many different ways. Those who are frugal can give a purpose to many different things, often through sharing. I have to point out that pruning roses for their beauty is also a way to make them more productive, because with plants nothing much grows after forming the seed pod. The plants we call "weeds" are named for their ability to flourish being left alone, crowding out the more delicate.

So this very special food from God was to be treated as unique and not to scattered like trash. This was a meal to remember.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

In teaching people about pastoral counseling, I remind them of the dangers of trying to do everything all the time. Now I have three named examples of Jesus deliberately alone, in Mark 1, Luke 5, and here in John 6:15. 

Jesus was fulfilling His assigned duty when people wanted to make him the King and He withdrew. Most people want to work, because it is satisfying and healthy. Others make it an obsession and leave what is genuinely valuable behind. God ordained the Sabbath, which Christians changed to Sunday, to listen to God's Word and to enjoy peaceful time with family and others.

The Communion Hymn #657                    Beautiful Savior
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 50          Lord Dismiss Us 

 By Norma A. Boeckler

Prayers and Announcements

• Medical care - Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Sarah Buck, Lorie Howell, Kermit Way.  

Martin Luther Was -- Was Not

 

We have reached academic minor areas where Martin Luther has become a slightly known, seldom mentioned theologian from Europe and America.

I

First of all, Luther was the dominant teacher, preacher, and writer of the 16th century, the Pope being second fiddle.

II

Thanks to Zwingli and Calvin, both men chose to veer away from Luther while while setting up their own preferences. This led to the easier path for them and diluted the message of the Bible itself. Notice that multiplying the Bible versions also decreased clarity.

III

Therefore we now have Scriptural material - which is diluted, watered down, and confusing. Fifty years ago, my first Bible from a minister was given at an Augustana congregation, inexpensive and not King James Version. I pointed out two times that the printing itself was poorly made. It took some time to get the RSV, KJV, and other Bibles straightened out. However, many of us golden oldies are clear about the King James.

Few are the clergy who would publish this today!

The Hollowed Christendom, Forgotten Luther.Lost Third Spirit

 Lutherans now have little to say about the Reformation. The denominations are melted into one Protestant/Roman collection. For example, when I skim the Roman Catholic news, I find a mix of Mary and various Unitarians. 

Slightly different, the vague Protestants long for Rome, so they jump over the barriers and banners, complaining how dry and colorless their own people are. 

Let's go backwards! The Holy Spirit is the energy behind the hymns, liturgies, sermons, lessons, and prayers. 

Like St. Paul, Luther and Melanchthon included the Spirit's work with everything.

More to come - efficacy - the Spirit in the Word...

The Formula of Concord Confesses the Efficacy of the Visible Word

"The other eating of the body of Christ is oral or sacramental, when the true, essential body and blood of Christ are also orally received and partaken of in the Holy Supper, by all who eat and drink the consecrated bread and wine in the Supper--by the believing as a certain pledge and assurance that their sins are surely forgiven them, and Christ dwells and is efficacious in them, but by the unbelieving for the judgment and condemnation, as the words of the institution by Christ expressly declare when at the table and during the Supper He offers His disciples natural bread and natural wine, which He calls His true body and true blood, at the same time saying: Eat and drink. For in view of the circumstances this command evidently cannot be understood otherwise than of oral eating and drinking, however, not in a gross, carnal, Capernaitic, but in a supernatural, incomprehensible way; to which afterwards the other command adds still another and spiritual eating, when the Lord Christ says further: This do in remembrance of Me, where He requires faith [which is the spiritual partaking of Christ's body). "
Formula of Concord, SD, VII. #63. Holy Supper. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House 1921, p. 995. Tappert, p. 581. Heiser, p. 270.

+++

The majority sees symbolism rather than realizing efficacy.

Tom Fisher - Lent, 2026

 

Dear Pastor Jackson,

I have been seeking Bible passages that describe the will of  God the Father toward us sinners. Soon I am at the Garden of Gethsemane hearing Christ my Lord earnestly praying to God His Father saying:

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42

 As we ponder this passage we understand it is God the Father's will for His only begotten Son to bear our sins. Carefully ponder Gethsemane. Ponder the merciful will of God the Father toward you:

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. Luke 22:39-46

Isaiah 53 reveals God the Father's merciful will toward us sinners. 

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:10-12

Christ always did the will of His Father. Psalm 40 is prophecy of Christ:

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalm 40:6-7

Hebrews 10 explains that the prophecy in Psalm 40 is Christ:

 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:3-10

John 6 describes God's merciful will toward us sinners:

37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:37-40

Luther reveals that God our Heavenly Father has REMOVED us and our salvation from being under our own will, and has put us and our salvation under His own merciful will. Carefully ponder this most precious passage from Luther's Bondage Of The Will:

"As to myself, I openly confess, that I should not wish "Free-will" to be granted me, even if it could be so, nor anything else to be left in my own hands, whereby I might endeavour something towards my own salvation. And that, not merely because in so many opposing dangers, and so many assaulting devils, I could not stand and hold it fast, (in which state no man could be saved, seeing that one devil is stronger than all men;) but because, even though there were no dangers, no conflicts, no devils, I should be compelled to labor under a continual uncertainty, and to beat the air only. Nor would my conscience, even if I should live and work to all eternity, ever come to a settled certainty, how much it ought to do in order to satisfy God. For whatever work should be done, there would still remain a scrupling, whether or not it pleased God, or whether He required anything more; as is proved in the experience of all judiciaries, and as I myself learned to my bitter cost, through so many years of my own experience. 

But now, since God has put my salvation out of the way of my will, and has taken it under His own, and has promised to save me, not according to my working or manner of life, but according to His own grace and mercy, I rest fully assured and persuaded that He is faithful, and will not lie, and moreover great and powerful, so that no devils, no adversities can destroy Him, or pluck me out of His hand. "No one (saith He) shall pluck them out of my hand, because My Father which gave them me is greater than all." (John 10:27-28). Hence it is certain, that in this way, if all are not saved, yet some, yea, many shall be saved; whereas by the power of "Free-will," no one whatever could be saved, but all must perish together. And moreover, we are certain and persuaded, that in this way, we please God, not from the merit of our own works, but from the favor of His mercy promised unto us; and that, if we work less, or work badly, He does not impute it unto us, but, as a Father, pardons us and makes us better. This is the glorying which all the saints have in their God!" (Martin Luther, Bondage of The Will, Associated Publishers and Authors, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1971, pages 148-149)

If you truly believe God your Heavenly Father has put your salvation under His own will, then why would you as a true Lutheran Christian follow Protestant churches that put your salvation under your own will?  Perhaps your Protestant relatives insist you MUST 'ask Jesus into your heart', or 'make a decision for Christ', or 'receive Jesus into your heart', or 'put Christ first', or 'dedicate your life to Christ', or DECIDE to follow Jesus' or DECIDE to accept the (LCMS, WELS, ELS, ELCA) lie of universal justification PRIOR TO AND WITHOUT TRUE FAITH AND HOLY BAPTISM.  Perhaps your Baptist, Calvinists, Pentecostal, and Objective Justification Lutheran relatives need to be reminded that they have FALLEN FROM GRACE by putting their salvation under their own will.

Lent is repenting of and DESPAIRING of putting our salvation under our own will instead of leaving our salvation entirely under God's MERCIFUL WILL AND GRACE.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Romans 9:14-16

In Christ,

Tom Fisher

KJV Psalms - Excellent for Reading and Meditation

 

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

4 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

6 O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

4 Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Lost in the Narration Lent 4

 

Narration was a fad some time ago, more like a revival, an attempt to bring back "the story." We were offered narration through the use of denominational printing, but that was far more of a gimmick than the story.

Actual reading from a book was fading quickly away, and we are in the Slough of Despond for good. John Bunyan left us there, one of the great moments of Pilgrim's Progress. 

My English teacher, who spent a lot of time with British literature, shamed us for never having a thorough study of Bunyan's classic. I caught up much later than English class!

One reason for the wealth of Christian worship was the organized settings for Advent, Lent, and Easter. The most important parts are the Story of Jesus. 

Once the denominations began to remove the miraculous work and teaching of Jesus, the dwindling response became political, feminist, Marxist, and worse. Like the sparklers on the Fourth of July, they were better at burning quickly away.

This leaves me with the unparalleled richness of Lent, hymns, and the glory of the Resurrection. The wealth continues throughout the year. Once I had a lot of congregational things to do, but now I have the KJV in Large Print. 

I look forward to Psalm 91 every morning with a second speech for 91 at the end of the day. 

I look for shorter Psalms that remind me of the fantastic great poetry of that section. I aim for the shorter Psalms, and they remind me of the jewels which are  also the basis for so many hymns.,