Audio: Readings & Sermon for Sunday, January 25, 2026

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Old Testament Reading -- Isaiah 9:1–4 
There will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder, 
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian. 

Epistle Reading – 1 Corinthians 1:10–18 
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fourth chapter
When [Jesus] heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.” 

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 

And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. 

Youth Group Event: Sunday, January 18th

We will have youth group Sunday, January 18th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. here at Zion Lutheran Church. We’ll continue our “Spiritual Conversations” Bible Study from Lutheran Hour Ministries, eat, and play Jackbox games.
Please bring a phone or tablet to join in the games! 

Bulletin: Sunday, January 18, 2026 + This Week at Zion

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THIS WEEK AT ZION

Saturday, January 17
No Events Scheduled

Sunday, January 18
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
6:00 p.m. - Youth Group Event
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Monday, January 19
6:00 p.m. - 1st Year Confirmation Class
7:00 p.m. - 2nd Year Confirmation Class

Tuesday, January 20
6:15 p.m. - Bell Choir
7:15 p.m. - Adult Choir

Wednesday, January 21
2:00 p.m. - Mid-Week Worship Service
2:30 p.m. - Bible Study
Reminder, we’re back to a single, afternoon service - no evening service
(Service streamed on our YouTube channel)

Thursday, January 22
7:00 p.m. - LWML Meeting

Friday, January 23
No Events Scheduled

Saturday, January 24
No Events Scheduled

Sunday, January 25
8:00 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
9:15 a.m. — Adult/Teen Bible Study & Sunday School
10:30 a.m. — Worship Service with Communion
(The 8:00 a.m. service streamed on our YouTube channel)

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LWML Winter 2026 Newsletter

The LWML Winter 2026 Newsletter
We’re proud to present the LWML Newsletter. 13 pages of compelling information, including a registration form for the upcoming LWML 41st Biennial Convention in Lancaster, PA on June 12-14, 2026.

DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER: Winter 2026
Download the Registration Form for the 41st Biennial LWML Convention
Download a flyer for the LWML Convention

View an archive of recent LWML Newsletters

What About … Christian Stewardship

What About … Christian Stewardship
I have a suspicion Christian stewardship is one of those areas to which we really do not give adequate attention. Unfortunately, at times when stewardship is discussed it is done from the perspective of the Law, not the Gospel. In fact, it may well be that a number of people think that stewardship is only about raising funds for the church’s budget. That is genuinely unfortunate, for, as we shall see, Christian stewardship is much more than this.

To fully appreciate the privilege we have of being Christian stewards, we need to return to those bedrock truths of the Christian faith so that we will continually live in appreciation of the glorious truths of God’s Word, truths that set us free for lives of Christian stewardship.

Why are we here?
The age-old question is this,“Why am I here?” We need to admit that sometimes our answer goes something like this,“I am here in order to accumulate as many things as I possibly can in order to have a successful life. I work to earn money to buy more things.”

But the real answer to that question is found in the first book of the Bible,“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27). We are here because we are God’s creation.

There was perfect and complete harmony between human beings and God. He created mankind to be in perfect fellow-ship with Him, reflecting His glory. He wanted this perfect relationship to continue forever.

What went wrong?
When Adam and Eve fell into sin, the beautiful relation-ship God intended them to have with Him was destroyed through their sinful rebellion against Him. “In Adam all die”(1Cor. 15:22). To this very day and hour this fall impacts all areas of life.

From the moment of our conception we are sinful (Ps.51:5). By nature, every thought and imagination of human beings from their childhood is evil continually (Gen. 8:21). Human beings, as they come into this world, are at war with God (Rom. 8:7), and “alienated from the life of God” through the ignorant blindness of their sinful condition (Eph. 4:18).

That is the most fundamental challenge and problem we face in regard to Christian stewardship. Ever since the fall into sin, human beings are always turned in upon themselves, with lives that revolve around what they want, what they need, and what they are concerned about.

Believers are constantly fighting against the old sinful flesh that wants to pull them back into these old patterns of thought and action.

How did God deal with our greatest need?
God promised to send a Savior when Adam and Eve fell(Gen. 3:15). When the time had come, God sent His Son into our world, to live perfectly under His Law, and to be the perfect atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (Gal. 4:4, 5). By His innocent suffering and bitter death, our Lord Jesus Christ opened to us the gates of paradise.

By the shedding of His holy, precious blood, Jesus has cleansed you from all of your sin—all of it, not just some of it—all of it. You are forgiven. Your debt is paid. In Christ, you have become a new creation. He has opened all the doors that sin had closed (Is. 59:2).

He has pulled us out of destruction and made us new creatures to live under Him in His kingdom, serving Him in ever-lasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness. We are saved from eternal damnation and saved for an eternity of life with God that begins right here and now.

The source and strength of Christian stewardship is the blood-bought salvation that is so richly and daily given us in Christ. We are given a new purpose in life and a new hope. We are given new hearts and renewed minds. We are set on a new path of life. We are freed from our former slavery to sinful patterns of thought and action.

Having been saved redeemed and forgiven by our good and gracious God, we now live in the reality of that salvation. We realize that life is not just about us, but about God’s will for us. We live now in the awareness that all things belong to God. We are called to be stewards of those things God has entrusted to us.

What is the steward’s highest priority?
Luke 19:11–27 is the parable of the talents. I would encourage you to take a few moments to read this parable. Here our Lord clearly indicates how He wishes us to be stewards of His precious Gospel, the good news of salvation that is ours in Christ. Jesus told this parable as He was on His way to Jerusalem for the final time in His earthly life. He knew that soon He would no longer be present visibly with His disciples.

God has given us the soul-saving and life-changing Gospel through Word and Sacraments. These Gospel-treasures are to be guarded, defended and preserved, as Jude 3 makes clear. We are not, however, simply to bury these treasures, instead we are to make good use of them!

Christian stewards use the treasure of the Gospel in their own lives by faithfully gathering every Sunday around the Word and Sacraments. There they receive the life and strength and hope and power that makes Christian stewardship possible. We gather regularly with other Christians to study the Bible so we can grow in our understanding and knowledge about God’s Holy Word. And having so gathered around Word and Sacraments, we then are ready to “invest” these treasures.

Stewards don’t just bury this treasure, they put it to work!This is our sacred trust and responsibility. Christ wants us to share the saving Gospel He has committed to our trust, so that with it and through it, others may be won for Him for all eternity (Mark 5:19–20). He died for all (2 Cor. 5:15) and it is His will that none should perish, but that all should be brought to repentance and faith (2 Peter 3:9).

As Christian stewards joyfully use the greatest gift of all—the Gospel given through Word and Sacrament—they will find that priorities in their life change and take on a new perspective. No longer do they find themselves living only for themselves. Rather, they recognize they are part of the most dramatic, exciting and wonderful life possible—life with God and life in service to Him for the sake of others.

St. Paul puts it so beautifully when he writes in Galatians2:20,“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.”

How do Christian stewards use their material blessings?
The money that we have and all the things that we own—all of them are God’s possessions. Everything in this life that we have is a sacred trust from our heavenly Father (Hag. 2:8; Lev. 25:23; Ps. 50:10ff ). Everything belongs to God. He allows us to use His creation and intends it for our good.

The Apostle Paul puts matters quite clearly when he writes,“We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out” (1 Tim. 6:7). Because this is true, we need to realize that those things we have are not ours to use in any way we choose.

When we talk about Christian stewardship then, we are talking about a “big picture” view of how we manage and use all that our good and gracious God has given to us, and that certainly includes money. Some have more, some have less, but all have the privilege, duty and responsibility to give sacrificially for the work of the Kingdom. Clearly then, it is our joyful privilege and sacred duty to support the work of the church through our financial offerings. We give too of our time and our talents in the work of the church, giving as we have received and sharing as we have been blessed.

We do this in order that the message of Christ and the truth of His Word is spread abroad, through our own personal efforts, and through the efforts of our congregation and our district, and our Synod, as together we join hands to reach out boldly with the Gospel—telling the good news of Jesus.

Conclusion
When we catch the vision of Christian stewardship that flows from a Christ-centered and Gospel-centered under-standing of God’s Word, we are able to put issues of our wealth and possessions in proper perspective. They are not “ends” but“means.” They are the means by which our Lord provides for our needs and the means by which He permits us to join hands with fellow believers in supporting generously the work of the church in reaching out with the message of forgiveness,life and salvation in Christ.

How much can we give? How much are we to give? We do not live under law, but under grace. Each of us needs prayer-fully to determine what is most appropriate for their own situation. Many Christians have found giving a fixed percent of their income to be the best way to be regular in their giving.

Because of what Christ has done, we are called to lives of Christian stewardship—lives that reflect the glory of God. Christian stewards are privileged by God to live their lives in grateful praise and thanksgiving to God, reflecting this marvelous truth from God’s almighty Spirit-filled Word:“

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).—

Dr. A.L. Barry
President (1992-2001)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

We Mourn the Loss of Carol Schrag

We Mourn the Loss of Carol Schrag
It has pleased the Lord to call unto Himself our sister in Christ, Carol Schrag. Please include Bill and the rest of their family in your prayers. May God comfort them with the promise of eternal life in Him. Pastor will conduct a private funeral for family members at the funeral home.

Experience Symposia Virtually from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne

If you can’t make it to the Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana campus for our Symposia Series January 20–23, purchase a ticket to access our Symposia Live channel, where you can livestream this year’s Symposia presentations. For registration information and a schedule of livestreamed presentations, visit ctsfw.edu/symposia-live. After registration, save the email with your login link, which acts as your ticket to the Symposia Live channel. You are also encouraged to livestream our Symposia music events free of charge. These events take place at 5:00 p.m. ET on January 20–22, and are livestreamed using the links below.

Symposia Vespers and Organ Recital — January 20, 5:00 p.m. ET
Attend Vespers in Kramer Chapel, followed by a 30-minute organ recital by Dr. Craig Sproat of Concordia University Wisconsin.
For more information, visit ctsfw.edu/sym-vespers.

 Symposia Hymn Festival — January 21, 5:00 p.m. ET
The Seminary Schola Cantorum will lead music for a hymn festival in Kramer Chapel. For more information, visit ctsfw.com/sym-hymn-festival.

Symposia Epiphany Evening Prayer with the Kantorei — January 22, 5:00 p.m. ET
Join the Seminary Kantorei for the conclusion of their tour as they lead music for Epiphany Evening Prayer in Kramer Chapel. For more information, visit ctsfw.edu/sym-evening-prayer.

DOWNLOAD SYMPOSIA BROCHURE

All music events will be livestreamed at ctsfw.edu/daily-chapel, on Facebook, and on YouTube.
We hope you are able to join us either virtually or in person for Symposia this year!