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The Shepherd’s Voice – Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tomah, WI

The Shepherd’s Voice – Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tomah, WI

著者： Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - Tomah WI
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Welcome to The Shepherd’s Voice, the podcast ministry of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Tomah, Wisconsin. Each episode shares Christ-centered preaching, Bible teaching, and encouragement for your walk of faith. Rooted in the historic Lutheran confession, we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins.

Whether you’re a lifelong Lutheran, exploring the Christian faith, or seeking hope in daily life, The Shepherd’s Voice offers clear Law and Gospel preaching, devotionals, and reflections grounded in God’s Word.

Join us as we lift high the cross of Christ and connect listeners to the Shepherd who knows His sheep by name.

Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. キリスト教 スピリチュアリティ 聖職・福音主義
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  • The First Sunday after Trinity | Luke 16:19-31 | Preparing for the Chasms of Life

    The First Sunday after Trinity | Luke 16:19-31 | Preparing for the Chasms of Life
    2026/06/07
    The First Sunday after Trinity June 7, 2026 Luke 16:19-31 The Trinity season begins in earnest today with the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man. This is a familiar Gospel, today, that draws the lines between falling in love with earthly glory and heavenly glory. The Rich Man depicts many people of the world who see glory in what you wear, what you consume, who you keep company with, while Lazarus depicts those who, on the surface, appear poor and lowly, who bear the weight of many crosses of this life. As the parable illustrates, both men die, and we learn that earthly glory has an end, while heavenly glory begins for those who have faith in Christ Jesus. At life’s end, the Rich Man is taken to Hades, meaning hell, when he dies. Lazarus, the poor man who bore many crosses in life, being poor in health and wealth, was brought into God’s eternal presence. Which one do you wish to be? It’s also interesting to note that while Lazarus could be seen and heard asking for mercy throughout his earthly life, the Rich Man didn’t raise his voice for mercy until the reality of eternal damnation began. Now, none of us imagine being the Rich Man, nor do any of us picture sitting at the city limits of Tomah begging for help. However, as my family just returned from vacation, we traveled many miles across this country and saw quite the divide and chasm in life, between those who see themselves as rich and those who see themselves as poor. Sure, in some cases, these scenes occur on a street corner where one person begs for help, while another drives by in a Tesla or Mercedes. It might also be seen as homes in different neighborhoods with shingles falling off the roof and graffiti on the front, whereas other neighborhoods feature well-maintained lawns and inviting walkways. It’s fascinating to see how significant the divide can be within a single community or even an entire country. In a way, these divides often keep the wealthy unaware of the struggles that surround and threaten them, while those in need continually strive for the perceived riches of their neighbors across the railroad tracks, maybe even the ones behind the wheel of a Tesla or a Mercedes. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with having earthly wealth, just as there is nothing wrong with lacking wealth. A key question to ask today is this: where do you place your faith and trust in this life, no matter your status, wealth, or place in this life? Do you place your trust in status and the world around you? Or do you place your trust in Jesus Christ? If you place your trust in the things of this world, you might gain temporary glory today, but it is fleeting. If you trust in Jesus, it’s eternal. However, the gift of God’s love, forgiveness, and eternal life does come with a cost; it involves crosses, disappointments, and misfortune. It’s through these ways that God uses a refiner’s fire to test man’s faith. (1 Peter 1:7) Not fun, huh? But it can be necessary to cultivate a life of prayer and reliance on your Father in heaven and the only Son He sent to redeem you. Now, in the life of Good Shepherd, today, we have some children receiving Bibles to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God, and to receive faith through the words of Jesus. But we are also celebrating the graduation of one of the congregation’s sons as he prepares to go off to college. These children receiving Bibles today will still need a parent to guide them in reading the Scriptures and support them through challenges, and for this, God has given these young children parents to point them to Jesus. In another sense, if any of you were like me when I graduated from high school, I left for college believing that I not only knew everything but also no longer needed help in life. Looking back, I realize I was very impressionable, and college became one of the most challenging times of my life. Why? Because I thought I had it all—that I had achieved something simply by earning a diploma, through the completion of Confirmation, by leaving my home and my church. However, these are just some of the most dangerous days in a person’s life. Because while the pursuit of knowledge is worthwhile, the new freedoms that come in adulthood bring many dangers and risk achieving worldly glory at the expense of heavenly and eternal glory. And this is where the opening hymn for today, “Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus,” can teach and guide not only the young Christian heading to college but also those receiving their Bibles today, along with all of us, on how we should live this life. The first stanza highlights how you are to walk with Jesus by following His perfect example. Now, you won’t be able to do this; the devil, the world, the flesh, and the people around you, in and out of classes, will attempt to lure you away from Jesus and His peace through their teachings, the extracurriculars, or ...
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    11 分
  • The Seventh Sunday of Easter | John 15:26-16:4 | I Do, By the Grace of God

    The Seventh Sunday of Easter | John 15:26-16:4 | I Do, By the Grace of God
    2026/05/17
    The Seventh Sunday of Easter May 17, 2026 John 15:26-16:4 It seems to me that we hear these words of the Gospel each year, in addition to this Sunday, but in a different way. Let’s ponder them for a moment, and forgive me, but I’m going to paraphrase the Gospel here. Jesus says He’s sending the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to the disciples to show them what He has done for them by dying on the cross and rising again on the third day. But they, likewise, will then need to bear witness to the world for what Jesus has done, or as we commonly say today in the church, “Confess” Jesus, His cross and resurrection to the world. Then Jesus goes on to say that He’s telling the disciples these things because He doesn’t want them to fall away from Him – to fall away from faith in Him. Jesus is telling the disciples these things because after His death and resurrection, they will be rejected by their people, thrown out of their synagogues, and killed in the name of religion. In fact, Jesus says these people will think they are offering a sacrifice to God by killing them. Jesus says they will do these things to His disciples because they don’t actually know His Father. They don’t understand the Scriptures, nor why Jesus came in the first place, to save His people from their sins. But Jesus tells His disciples these things because when—not if—the time comes to suffer for His name, they will remember His words and know that He is with them, that they carry His divine truth, and even if believing in Jesus costs them their earthly lives, eternal life remains for those who have faith in Him. And this is exactly what happened to many of Jesus’ disciples. St. Peter, Andrew, and Philip were crucified for their witness and faith in Jesus. St. James, son of Zebedee, beheaded. St. Bartholomew, flayed alive. St. Simon the Zealot, sawn in half. St. Matthew, killed with a sword. St. Jude, also known as Thaddeus, killed with arrows or an axe. St. James the Lessor, stoned to death, as was St. Matthias. Alright, so where else do you hear this little sermon about suffering for the witness and faith in Jesus Christ? In the Rite of Confirmation, where the often young disciple of Christ is asked twice if they are willing to die rather than fall away from their witness and faith in Jesus. Just listen to the questions from the rite now. The Confirmand is asked, P Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death? R I do, by the grace of God. P Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? R I do, by the grace of God. If you happened to grow up in the time of The Lutheran Hymnal, otherwise known as TLH, these same questions were there, just with slightly older language. Twice, the Confirmation student confesses their desire to die rather than fall away from the Christian faith. Twice, they confess to remaining steadfast, even if the world or, worse, those who are supposed to be in the church with them, try to cause them to stumble in their faith. Isn’t that interesting, the danger of being led away from Christ within the Church? You see, the Greek word for “Falling away” or “Being led away” is σκανδαλίζω, meaning to scandalize. Consider this: in some cases, a person’s death may actually stem from turning away from faith out of fear of death itself, while others, even within the church, work to silence your faith. But an amazing thing, as you reflect on the deaths of the Apostles we listed earlier, is that they never fell away. After the resurrection, they didn’t turn away from Jesus, they did not turn; they stood their ground and confessed their faith, even to the point of death. How could they stand so firm in the face of death? Because the Holy Spirit remained with them, Jesus and His Father kept their promise and sent the Holy Spirit to give them faith and courage, forgive their sins, and assure them of eternal life. This is, after all, what the Confirmand confesses after they’re asked if they’ll suffer death rather than fall away from the faith, “I do, by the grace of God.” What is grace? Grace is God’s undeserved, free gift of mercy and forgiveness to sinners, by which He declares them righteous solely on account of the works and merit of Christ. Grace is the gift of God’s favor and His working within you. But how do you receive this grace and favor of God? This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Remember what you learned in Confirmation: what is the Third Article of the Creed? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What does ...
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    14 分
  • The Sixth Sunday of Easter | John 16:23-33 | The Church as a Mother

    The Sixth Sunday of Easter | John 16:23-33 | The Church as a Mother
    2026/05/10
    The Sixth Sunday of Easter May 10, 2026 John 16:23-33 Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! As another Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself remembering my mom, who Jesus brought into His eternal presence over two years ago. It’s always interesting to me that some of the thoughts that come to mind are the things she said. She’d say, “Oh, that’s different.” Code word for, she didn’t like that. Or “It’s a catch-22, if you know what I mean.” Regrettably, she saw many situations as paradoxically no-win situations. However, you might only understand what my mother meant by these sayings if you spent enough time around her and asked clarifying questions, like, “What do you mean, Mom, by it’s a catch-22?” In a way, my mom used figurative sayings and proverbs that only she understood. I have wondered if this is a facet of being a mother: to speak in figures of speech, proverbs, to make a child think, to instill in them a need to ask questions. But then again, how often does a child roll their eyes, stare silently, fail to ask questions, and go on like they know all the answers? Of course, there are many figures of speech a mother might use when speaking to a child. “Don’t be such a scrooge,” implying the child is being miserable or ungenerous. “He’s as cunning as a fox.” Maybe a warning to a child to be careful of the company they keep. “You bite off more than you can chew.” The idea that the child has no idea how big, difficult, or complex the project they have decided to take on is. Or “Put your nose to the grindstone.” Do the hard work, stay dedicated, and give 100 percent commitment. Then of course, there are the figures of speech about mothers, too… “Like mother, like child.” “A face only a mother could love.” “Mother knows best.” These may not need explanation… But throughout history, humans have used figures of speech and proverbs to express deeper truths. The entire book of Proverbs encourages the reader to think deeply, and if you review sections like Proverbs 31, you’ll notice there are specific proverbs written by a mother or about motherhood. However, it seems that nobody enjoys thinking deeply anymore. Everyone just wants to “Google” it, “Hey Siri,” or ask “Alexa” for the answers to life. And in a way, the Gospel this morning is about asking questions, asking for help, seeking clarity, and learning how to pray. Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” The instruction to “Ask” is in the imperative, meaning Jesus is giving the disciples an order. Like a mother telling a child to clean their room, and this same order from Jesus is for you—ask, pray, speak to Jesus, so “your joy may be full.” Yet at the same time, one theologian suggests that Jesus is also scolding the disciples for their laziness in praying to Him, listening to His instruction, and these words are also for you: stop being lazy in your prayers. Again, Jesus says, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” You are told to pray in Jesus’ name first because He instructs you that this is how you are to have access to His Father. But also, as St. Peter said in the book of Acts, “There is no other name given to men in which we shall be saved.” (Acts 4:12) When a child fears the storm in the night, when a daughter experiences a breakup with a boyfriend, when a son goes off to war, who do they speak to in times of distress, who do they call out to? Most often, their mother. Even more so, a child of God must learn to pray and seek the care of their heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. And this is learned from Scripture as one hears from the Gospel of St. Luke, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) Or as St. James wrote, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:6-7) Or finally, as God instructs in the Psalms, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15) But the struggle to ask, seek, and pray remains. Maybe you forget, in all the commotion and excitement of life, to pray; maybe you don’t believe Jesus wants to hear from you, or maybe you fall back on what many have said before: “I don’t need to pray, God knows what I need.” This is a bit of a copout. However, Jesus provides the disciples with a warning today regarding their faith in Him as He said, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I ...
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    11 分
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