August 30th, 2026 (Pastor Daniel Schroeder) Romans 8:18-25; Supporting Scripture: Matthew 16:21-26
“Groaning with Hope”
Children’s Devotion: “Tough Times Now — Freedom in the End”
For the video link of the Children’s Devotion, click here or below.
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Series Focus – “Unexpected Truths”
The Declaration of Independence boldly asserts that certain truths are “self-evident”—accessible to reason and widely recognized by observation. Lutherans note, however, that the Bible’s most important truths are not self-evident at all. They often appear surprising, even contrary to human expectations. Biblical truth is revealed by God, not discovered by reason alone. What seems obvious to human judgment and what God reveals in Scripture are often quite different.
Service Focus: Cross Comes Before Crown
Some churches teach that if a person follows God, God responds by granting prosperity and peace, as would only be expected. Today we see how that is nonsense. The Bible explains that if we are part of the Church of God, we will have to bear crosses. Believers suffer in this world, sometimes just because they are believers. Why bother? We carry our crosses in gratitude for Jesus carrying his cross, one too heavy for us because it was weighted down with our sin. We carry our crosses because we know that in those moments of struggle, we are forced to turn to Christ and rely on his strength. This is the unexpected path, the one Jesus himself walked: the cross comes before the crown.
For the video link of the service, click here or below.
