...What was Martin Luther’s evaluation of the Reformation that he started?

If you consider appearances, what do you see here in Wittenberg that is precious? You see nothing magnificent about the church. Truly, the town is built of clay. Yet it is an “ivory palace” of Christ. Likewise, the most insignificant village in which a pastor and some believers dwell is also a palace of ivory. But to see this you need others eyes than the eyes of the flesh; for this preciousness is estimated, not by appearances or by the verdict of the five senses and of reason or by laws or the arts or philosophy, but by the Word of God. (What Luther Says, p. 1188)

I look forward to seeing you in the “ivory palace” in West Allis this weekend. It reminds me of a school gym. And yet, there Christ will be worshiped and proclaimed, and the glory and beauty of the gospel will be on full display for God’s people! Lord willing, we will renovate that space in the near future. But even now, we see the beauty of God’s love when we gather together for worship. There is nothing more glorious than that!

Psalm 27:4 (NIV) "One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple."

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

The treasure of Christ is found in us! That is amazing, since we are “jars of clay” – that is, not worthy to hold such riches.

This is true for each individual Christian and for us as a congregation. It is the grace of God that makes us what we are. God has purified us by the sacrifice of Jesus and made us to be holy and worthy vessels of Christ.

We have a huge task before us. The renovation project is no easy thing. The resources of time and money that are needed are immense. The logical reasons to quit or reasons why we will fail are easy to see – after all, we are a group of clay jars.

And yet, we are boldly striving to do something for the glory of the Savior. We want to establish a place where Jesus will be worshiped for generations to come. We know the power of the gospel as it is proclaimed and so we trust God to bless our efforts.

It is the power of God that allows us to accomplish anything for his kingdom. Pray that he blesses our efforts so that Living Hope would be and remain a place where jars of clay find the lasting strength that comes through faith in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV) "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

Martin Luther’s reminder in the Small Catechism is important: “We should fear and love God that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.” God’s Word gives true life by connecting us to our Savior. God’s Word shines truth in our sinful world of lies and deception. Make hearing God’s Word an important part of your life. Listen to God’s Word in worship and you will find continual reasons to make/keep weekly worship a highlight of your routine.

In Psalm 19:7–11 (NIV) we read:
"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward."

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 (NIV)

Jesus’ words in this verse were directed at unbelieving people who were persecuting him for healing a man on the Sabbath Day. This people knew the Bible – “you diligently study the Scriptures” – but they completely missed the point! They thought the Bible was about what they would do to receive eternal life.

No! “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” The foundation of the Bible is that God has saved us. The Word of God first and foremost directs us to see that Jesus took away our sins and the destroyed death by his own death and resurrection. When Jesus’ work was complete, our salvation was complete; our sins are removed!

While we rightly use the Bible to hear God’s will and to learn to do what pleases him, that is not possible until we are focused on Jesus. We constantly need the renewal of his forgiveness so that we have a proper view of ourselves and the proper motive for doing God’s will.

Read your Bible and look for Jesus! Listen to the promises of God’s love for you and the assurance of your salvation through Christ.

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise

 spring up before all nations." Isaiah 61:10–11 (NIV)

The first part of Isaiah 61 is a beautiful promise about the coming of the Savior. In fact, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19) and said that he was the fulfilment of those verses.

In the verses above, the prophet speaks for all believers about how we respond to knowing the Savior.

While it remains true that we live in a sinful world and experience the troubles that result from sin, Isaiah reflects a view of life that is driven by faith in the Savior. Because of Jesus, you live each moment in the certainty of God’s love and the confidence that God is working in your life based on that love. Jesus’ death and resurrection, which assure you of eternal life, also assure you of God’s unending love for those who believe in him. For this reason, Isaiah found joy in knowing God. You can too! The Lord Jesus has declared you to be a member of his eternal kingdom. Even as you face the trials of life, you can live in the joy of knowing God’s love for you is real and will never end.

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling