How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God’s commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality.

This is who you are in Christ.

On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God’s Law.

Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours.

His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him.

This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own.

And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God’s commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality.

This is who you are in Christ.

On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God’s Law.

Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours.

His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him.

This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own.

And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

How can your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees when you, like them, break God’s commandments every day in thought, word, and deed? How can it exceed theirs when Jesus also says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”? By that standard, no one stands. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

And yet Jesus looks at His disciples and says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” He does not say, “Try harder to become this.” He does not give a new set of spiritual goals. He makes a declaration. These are not imperatives. They are indicatives. Not commands to obey, but statements of reality.

This is who you are in Christ.

On your own, you have no righteousness that can stand before God. But Jesus gives you His. You are clothed with His obedience. You are salted with the salt of His perfect life. You are covered with the righteousness that fulfills every commandment and satisfies every demand of God’s Law.

Christ alone is perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. His life is the righteousness that exceeds all others. His obedience is complete. His sacrifice is sufficient. And through His Word, His Name, and His very Body and Blood, He makes that righteousness yours.

His light shines into your darkness. His forgiveness scatters your guilt. His life overcomes your death. You do not become salt and light by trying harder. You are salt and light because you belong to Him.

This is not a call to self-improvement. It is a proclamation of grace. In Christ, you already have what God requires. You already stand forgiven. You already shine with a borrowed light. You already live by a righteousness not your own.

And that righteousness will never fail. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them.

The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not.

In this way, the Beatitudes function as God’s Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection.

And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God’s favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ’s righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross.

This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord’s Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift.

Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them.

The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not.

In this way, the Beatitudes function as God’s Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection.

And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God’s favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ’s righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross.

This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord’s Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift.

Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

In the Beatitudes, Jesus radically redefines what it means to be blessed. The world teaches us that blessing looks like success, strength, health, and having life under control. But when Jesus looks out over the crowd on the mountain, He sees the poor, the grieving, the weary, and the broken. And He calls them blessed. Not because their lives are working, but because the kingdom of heaven has come near to them.

The Beatitudes sound wrong to us because they expose our hearts. By nature, we do not want to be poor in spirit, meek, or mourning. We want to justify ourselves, manage appearances, and prove our worth before God and others. As the prophet Micah reminds us, we often assume God wants religious performance. But the Lord desires humility, a people who walk honestly before Him, knowing who He is and who we are not.

In this way, the Beatitudes function as God’s Law. They reveal our spiritual poverty and collapse every attempt at self-made righteousness. They leave us with empty hands. Yet they also lead us directly to the Gospel. Jesus is the truly blessed One. He is poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He fulfills every Beatitude in His own life, death, and resurrection.

And what He fulfills, He freely gives. The Beatitudes are not instructions for how to earn God’s favor. They are promises describing what is already true for those who are in Christ. Even now, believers possess the kingdom of heaven. Even now, they are comforted with forgiveness and filled with Christ’s righteousness, often hidden under weakness and the cross.

This blessing becomes especially concrete at the Lord’s Table. There, the poor in spirit come with nothing to offer and receive everything. Christ gives His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Holy Communion is the Beatitudes made tangible, mercy placed on the tongue and peace given as a gift.

Finally, the Beatitudes lift our eyes toward heaven, where all that is hidden will be revealed. Mourning will turn to joy. Hunger will give way to fullness. Suffering will be transformed into glory. Until that day, Christ continues to gather His Church, not to reward the strong, but to bless the needy with this sure promise. Yours is the kingdom of heaven. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

The early church father Augustine offered a simple but profound insight. Evil exists only where good should be. Cold has no life of its own. It is the absence of heat. Darkness is not a thing in itself. It is the absence of light. Heat and light exist independently. Cold and darkness do not. They depend on what is missing in order to appear. Evil works the same way. It is not a created substance with its own power. It emerges where goodness is absent.

Scripture tells us that only God is good. And Jesus is God in the flesh. When He steps into Galilee and begins His ministry, something decisive happens. The people dwelling in darkness see a great light. Those living in the region and shadow of death find that a light has dawned. This is not a poetic exaggeration. It is a declaration of reality. Where Jesus is present, darkness cannot remain.

The light that dawns is the Gospel itself. Jesus does not merely speak about goodness. He is goodness. He does not simply point toward the light. He is the Light of the world. His preaching, His healing, His calling of fishermen and sinners, all announce the same truth. God has come near. The darkness that once ruled has been confronted by the One who alone is good.

This light does not shine only for a moment in history. It continues to shine wherever Christ is preached. Wherever sins are forgiven. Wherever the sick are healed and the broken are restored. The shadow of death is real, but it is no longer final. The light has dawned, and the darkness cannot overcome it. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService

The early church father Augustine offered a simple but profound insight. Evil exists only where good should be. Cold has no life of its own. It is the absence of heat. Darkness is not a thing in itself. It is the absence of light. Heat and light exist independently. Cold and darkness do not. They depend on what is missing in order to appear. Evil works the same way. It is not a created substance with its own power. It emerges where goodness is absent.

Scripture tells us that only God is good. And Jesus is God in the flesh. When He steps into Galilee and begins His ministry, something decisive happens. The people dwelling in darkness see a great light. Those living in the region and shadow of death find that a light has dawned. This is not a poetic exaggeration. It is a declaration of reality. Where Jesus is present, darkness cannot remain.

The light that dawns is the Gospel itself. Jesus does not merely speak about goodness. He is goodness. He does not simply point toward the light. He is the Light of the world. His preaching, His healing, His calling of fishermen and sinners, all announce the same truth. God has come near. The darkness that once ruled has been confronted by the One who alone is good.

This light does not shine only for a moment in history. It continues to shine wherever Christ is preached. Wherever sins are forgiven. Wherever the sick are healed and the broken are restored. The shadow of death is real, but it is no longer final. The light has dawned, and the darkness cannot overcome it. ----- Worship Times Sunday – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Monday – 6:30 p.m.

https://trinitysheboygan.org https://facebook.com/trinitysheboygan

We are a congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Join us as we proclaim Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins. --- Trinity Lutheran Church, School and Child Care have been "Making Known the Love of Christ" in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and throughout the world since 1853 as a congregation gathering around God's Word and Sacraments to receive forgiveness and life everlasting. Trinity is located in downtown Sheboygan, only one block from the Mead Public Library and the Weill Center for the Performing Arts. We invite you to visit us in person!

Trinity Lutheran Sheboygan is a proud member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit their website: https://www.lcms.org/​​​​

Music for this production was obtained through a licensing agreement with One License, LLC. The copyright permission to reprint, podcast, and record hymns and songs is acquired through ID Number: 730195-A

#LCMS #Lutheran #DivineService