Trinity Families,
Here is your WELS Devotion
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:21,22
Forgiving Again and Again
The apostle Peter asked Jesus an important question—one that many of us would like to ask—namely, “How many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? Up to seven times?” From what we know about that time, about that culture, it seems as if it was culturally appropriate to forgive a person three times if they’d committed the same sin. So, when Peter suggested “seven times,” he likely thought that he was being very generous.
Jesus’ answer unmasked him. “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus’ point was clear; we aren’t to count how many times we forgive. Instead, we are to just keep on forgiving.
Why? Because God doesn’t count how many times he’s forgiven you and me. As much as I’ve messed it up—and badly—God keeps on forgiving me! Jesus’ death won forgiveness for all of it, no matter how “big” or “small” the sin was.
And no, that doesn’t lead me to say, “Ok. I can go out and sin again.” Rather, it leads me to say, “Wow! Thank you, God, for your gracious, forgiving love, which is never-ending.” And then?
And then it empowers us to forgive others. Not three times. Not seven times. Instead, we’ll forgive as many times as is necessary . . . just as God has forgiven us.
Prayer:
Lord, remind me that you have forgiven me over and over and over again, that I might be motivated to forgive others, too. Amen.
God bless,
Lynn
Here’s Sunday’s service: https://youtu.be/yVF6jlHi3Mg
Or you can watch it from our website: https://trinitymarinette.com/sermon-archive/the-church-forgives/
Or you can watch is on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TrinityEvLutheranChurchWisSynod/
Come to worship! You can sign up here: https://trinitymarinette.com/events/communion-worship-services/ or call Pastor or call the church office to let us know which service you prefer.
Here is this week’s bulletin:
2020-09-27 The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
2020-09-27 Announcements The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
We Need Your Input!
With everything up in the air due to COVID, our evangelism plans are uncertain. Your feedback will help us decide if this is a way we want to reach out to our community.
Please take these 3 short surveys:
We’re Starting Bible Classes! The first Sunday in October (the 4th), we will hold a half hour Bible class downstairs in church after each of our services. You are welcome and encouraged to attend. We will observe whatever the current mandates are and we are going to ask you to clean surfaces at the end of class.
Politics is driving me crazy! This election season is as chaotic as any that we can remember. Talk and drama about the upcoming presidential election are hot. Social media tensions are rising, loved ones are dividing along party lines, and candidates are slinging mud at their opponents. In response, frustrated Christians often wonder what’s happening to America and where God is in the confusion. We’re going to find a calm, biblical approach to politics. Starting Sunday, October 4, we’ll look at how God has set up the government as his instrument of order and how we’re supposed to relate to it. We’ll look at the two kingdoms, the separation between church and state, and our messy political world. It’s going to be great! We’ll meet in the church basement after both Sunday morning services.
We depend on your support to do the Lord’s work. If you would like to support the Lord’s work at Trinity, you may contribute at trinitymarinette.com/giving/ or you can mail it to
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
1501 Thomas St.
Marinette, WI 54143