This Past Sunday at St. Thomas: Fourth Sunday after Trinity
Believers of St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church,
This past Sunday was...
+ The Fourth Sunday after Trinity +
The Sunday About the Mercy We Receive and Give
Join us this Sunday for the Divine Service at 9:00am and Family Catechesis at 10:30am
If you couldn’t be with us this past Sunday, click here for a recording of Divine Service from another congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
RESOURCES FOR HOUSEHOLD PRAYERS THIS WEEK
Our Around the Word Devotions and Family Catechesis Sheet are always available during Family Catechesis. Digital copies of these as well as more notes from Family Catechesis can be found by clicking here!
The Readings for this past Sunday: Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 8:18-23; Luke 6:36-42
Our Hymn of the Day for this past Sunday: O God, My Faithful God, LSB 696
Christ’s Mercy Is Ours to Show to Others
“Be merciful, even as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36–42). The old Adam in us wants to condemn and seek vengeance. But the Lord says, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom. 12:14–21). To condemn, to avenge yourself, is to put yourself in the place of God. It is to fail to trust that He is just. Ultimately, it is to disbelieve that Jesus suffered the full vengeance for all wrongs. Only Christ is merciful as the Father is merciful. He is the one who overcame all evil with the good of His cross, forgiving even His executioners. Jesus is our Joseph, who comforts us with words of pardon and reconciliation (Gen. 50:15–21). He is the One who does not condemn but gives life that runs over. Only through faith in Christ are we sons of the Father—being merciful, forgiving, doing good to our enemies. For in Christ we know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:8–13).
STEWARDSHIP THOUGHTS | From LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Romans 8:18 – “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” It is very easy to get caught up in the present and lose track of our ultimate destiny in the Kingdom of God. St. Paul encourages us to keep eternity in mind. This certainly has an application to our support for the Gospel. If we keep our focus on “the glory to be revealed,” we will see our tithes and offerings in a new light.
LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT SUNDAY
Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity: 1 Kings 19:11-21; 1 Peter 3:8-15; Luke 5:1-11
Hymns for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity: 578, 688, 622, 685, 731, 730
Jesus Makes Fishers of Men
The Lord called fishermen to be fishers of men (Luke 5:1–11). The net they would use is the message of the cross, which is foolishness and a stumbling block to the world (1 Cor. 1:18–25). The power of God to save is not in spectacular signs like wind and fire and earthquakes (1 Kings 19:11–21), nor is it to be found in human intelligence and wisdom. The power of God to save comes in the still, small voice of the preaching of Christ crucified. In worldly darkness the disciples could catch nothing. But in the light of Christ, whose Word was attached to the water, the boats were filled with fish. So it is that in Baptism you have been drawn in to the ship of the Church. Though the nets are breaking and some who hear the Word do not believe, pastors continue to cast the net of the Gospel and the Sacraments, that Christians may abide in the boat of the Church and that we may be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:8–15).
ANNOUNCEMENTS
TEXAS CONFESSIONAL LUTHERANS MEETING The quarterly meeting of the Texas Confessional Lutherans discussion group is scheduled for July 24 at 10:30 am at Grace Lutheran Church in Brenham. All are invited to attend! If you’d like to join TCL’s email list to be alerted of upcoming events, please email the chairman, Pastor Kory Boster at kbos567@outlook.com.
BIBLE STUDY SERIES Join us during the 10:30 am Family Catechesis hour for our current Bible study series on St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
BREAKFAST TACOS will be offered on the first and third Sundays of the month during the summer. Tacos are $2 each, with proceeds going to our youth’s Higher Things trip. Thank you for all your support!
NEW WEBSITE Check out our new/updated website: www.stthomastx.church Pastor Lacey posts there once or twice weekly, including the sermon and other information from the previous Sunday. Please remember to share our Facebook and Instagram posts to help get the word out about St. Thomas!
EVENTS
ST. THOMAS AT THE BEACH Join us at Surfside Beach on Sunday, July 20! We will head down there immediately following the Divine Service (Family Catechesis will be canceled for that Sunday). If you plan to join us, please sign up on the sheet at the back of the chapel so we can make sure we find everyone once we get there. Bring food and snacks to share, and BYOB.
AUGUST POOL PARTY On Saturday, August 9th we will bid farewell to summer with a final pool party at the Winoske’s home in Tomball. A food theme will be announced soon! Save the date and enjoy fellowship with the St. Thomas tribe!
Blessings,
Pastor Lacey
For more about who we are and what we believe, visit the St. Thomas homepage.
