Jesus Gives You Rest
July 5, 2026 – Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Walter Maier III

Our bodies need rest. Of greater importance is rest for our souls. Only one Person can give this, who says to us, “Come to Me, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Sermon Text: Matthew 11:28-30
Readings: Psalm 145:1-9; Zechariah 9:9-10; Matthew 11:28-30

Featured Choirs: Holy Cross Sanctuary Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Indiana LWML District Choir
Featured Art and Architecture: Welcome Home Soldier Monument, Albia, Iowa

Now What?
July 12, 2026 – Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer

You have heard — or read — God’s Word. Now what? The question isn’t “How do we make the Word more life changing?” Instead, how does this life-changing Word shape and guide our lives as we live in response to it?

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:23
Readings: Psalm 65:9-13; Isaiah 55:10-13; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Featured Choirs: Indiana LWML District Choir
Featured Art and Architecture: St. John Lutheran Church, Sherwood, Ohio

Weeds Among Wheat
July 19, 2026 – Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Shayne Jonker

Christians must always contend with false teaching and false Christians. Jesus said so. There is nothing wrong with the good seed that Christ sows. The pure Gospel rightly proclaimed produces faithful Christians, but the devil deliberately sows bad seed where the good seed has been sown.

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:24-25
Readings: Psalm 119:57-64, 89; Isaiah 44:6-8; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Featured Choirs: Holy Cross Sanctuary Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.; St. Paul’s Choristers, Fort Wayne, Ind.; St. Paul Preble Adult Choir , Decatur, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: Zion (Cicero) Lutheran Church, Edgerton, Ohio

Priorities
July 26, 2026 – Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Paul Shoemaker

What is your priority in life? Jesus’ priority was to do the will of His Father. That means that His priority was you. His priority was to pay in full the penalty of your sins so you could be in heaven forever.

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:44-52
Readings: Psalm 125; Romans 8:28-39; Matthew 13:44-52

Featured Choir: Valley Lutheran High School Golden Voice Choir, Saginaw, Mich.
Featured Art and Architecture: Lake George Lutheran Chapel, Fremont, Ind.

Come and Get It!
August 2, 2026 – Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. William Mueller

Through the prophet Isaiah, our Lord issues such a gracious invitation to an exquisite banquet. There is no cover cost for admission to this banquet. God Himself has supplied everything and charges nothing! So, why spend our time and energies on things that do not last? Hear the invitation and “Come and Get It!”

Sermon Text: Isaiah 55:1-5
Readings: Psalm 136:1-9; Isaiah 55:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21

Featured Choirs: St. Paul’s Choristers, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Holy Cross Men’s Chorus, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Paul Lutheran Church (Frankenlust), Bay City, Mich.

Eyes on Jesus!
August 9, 2026 – Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Scott Zeckzer

Things happen in life, and we ask ourselves, “I do not remember signing up for this!” What can you do when “curveballs” are thrown at you? Jesus says, “Keep your eyes on me!”

Sermon Text: Matthew 14:27
Readings: Psalm 18:1-6; Job 38:4-18; Matthew 14:22-33

Featured Choirs: Holy Cross Men’s Chorus, Fort Wayne, Ind.; St. Paul’s Choristers, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Holy Cross Treble Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Three Rivers, Mich.

Are You Hearing Me, God?
August 16, 2026 – Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Walter Maier III

As believers, we pray to the Lord, but despite our prayers, things do not change, or we do not get what we prayed for. We wonder, “Is God hearing me?” The account of Jesus and the Canaanite woman answers that question.

Sermon Text: Matthew 15:21-28
Readings: Psalm 67; Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Matthew 15:21-28

Featured Choir: Indiana LWML District Choir
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Elizabeth, Ill.

Is That Your Final Answer?
August 23, 2026 – Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Thomas Ahlersmeyer

The host of a popular television game show was known for asking contestants, “Is that your final answer?” Jesus asks us the same question – and the stakes are so much higher! The answer? Jesus is the Christ!

Sermon Text: Matthew 16:15-16
Readings: Psalm 138; Romans 11:33–12:8; Matthew 16:13-20

Featured Choir: Holy Cross Sanctuary Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Evansville, Ind.

Dying to Live
August 30, 2026 – Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Shayne Jonker

What can you give in exchange for your life? The answer is nothing. But here’s the glory of the cross: Jesus gave His life in exchange for your life. In fact, He gave His life in exchange for the life of the world. So, take up the cross that Jesus gives you. In Jesus, embrace your death to sin. You have nothing to lose and a whole life to gain.

Sermon Text: Matthew 16:24
Readings: Psalm 26; Jeremiah 15:15-21; Matthew 16:21-28

Featured Choirs: Holy Cross Treble Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.; St. Paul Jubilate, Munster, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Munster, Ind.

A Word from His Mouth
September 6, 2026 – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Paul Shoemaker

God’s Word is of love, forgiveness, and restoration. It is also a Word of correction and discipline. Ezekiel, the prophet, spoke this Word of God to Israel. God entrusts His Word to us so that we, too, may share His Word so all may know His love and forgiveness and that we are restored to Him for all eternity.

Sermon Text: Ezekiel 33:7-9
Readings: Psalm 32:1-7; Ezekiel 33:7-9; Matthew 18:1-20

Featured Choir: St. Paul’s Choristers, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Forgiveness Cancels Paybacks
September 13, 2026 – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. William Mueller

The account of Joseph forgiving his brothers appears to be so nice and neat. We read it and marvel at the grace Joseph extends to his (at one time) ruthless brothers. But then we are confronted with the truth that we are also called to forgive like Joseph. How can we? We begin to discover the answer when we examine the “payback.”

Sermon Text: Genesis 50:15-21
Readings: Psalm 103:1-12; Genesis 50:15-21; Matthew 18:21-35

Featured Choir: Holy Cross Treble Choir, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Ind.

God Is Not Fair!
September 20, 2026 – Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Scott Zeckzer

We want things to be fair. I want what I deserve, but God does not work that way. Thanks be to God that He is not fair but generous.

Sermon Text: Matthew 20:15
Readings: Psalm 116:12-13, 15-17; Isaiah 55:6-9; Matthew 20:1-16

Featured Choirs: Valley Lutheran High School, Saginaw, Mich.; Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia, Ill.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill.

The Sins of Our Youth
September 27, 2026 – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Dr. Walter Maier III

The sins of our youth and all of our past sins can rise up to haunt us. But the Good News of Jesus our Savior gives us comfort, reassurance, and the strength to move forward in life as mature Christians.

Sermon Text: Psalm 25:7
Readings: Psalm 25:1-10; Ezekiel 18:25-32; Matthew 21:23-27

Featured Choir: St. Paul Preble Adult Choir, Decatur, Ind.
Featured Art and Architecture: St. Peter Lutheran Church, North Judson, Ind.