John 1:29–42 - ‘Not Andrew’s Success but Christ’s Gain’

John 1:29–42 - ‘Not Andrew’s Success but Christ’s Gain’
Yesterday I heard a fine sermon from Vicar Sergiu Trifa on the Gospel reading for the day. One line stood out regarding verses 40–42, “One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).” — that we would “focus not on Andrew’s success but Christ’s gain.”

This is absolutely correct.

For all that we can and should say about population dynamics in the area around the Sea of Galilee and the social capital of these two brothers, they only serve one end — Christ’s gain through faith into the communion of the Church. What credit could Andrew really take for bringing Peter to Jesus?

All the mission work of the Church amounts to the same. Every day is an opportunity for the church to recognize, long for, and delight in Christ’s gain. Whenever the Holy Spirit works the gift of faith so that someone who was not a disciple of Christ is now His disciple, there is the delight of the church.

For more information on the work of Sergiu Trifa on vicarage in Romania, see the first half of this video:

For the work of his father Pastor Sorin Trifa, see this article from Lutherans Engage. For more information on the Romanian diaspora in the United States, see the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, this menu from the Romanian Food Festival in Dallas/Fort Worth , and Chicago’s Romanian Community Summit.

Winter Storm Watch! (Update)

New Information: 
On Sunday, only Entrance #2 (the entrance at the side of the church in the main parking lot) will be cleared of ice and snow.  Everyone attending church and Sunday school must use that entrance. The front steps and sidewalk near the cross WILL NOT be cleared for use.

Forecasters are predicting a chance of a winter snow storm Saturday evening into Sunday. For your planning, please know that regardless of the weather outcome, Pastor and the Board of Elders will conduct worship services, Bible study and Sunday school as usual on Sunday.  Please use your discretion regarding whether or not to come to church, as only you can gauge your comfort level and local road conditions. As a reminder, the 8:00 a.m. service is live streamed on our YouTube channel: LIVE STREAMS -- and the corresponding worship bulletins are posted at “Bulletins”. Viewers can watch the service anytime from 8:00 a.m. onward.

Where Do You Fit?

Bill Bishop, chair of the Board of Elders for Zion Lutheran Church talks about how the Board of Elders might be a good fit for you.

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LCMS Stewardship Ministry Thoughts

Romans 15:5 – “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.” All of our good works are indeed granted to us from our heavenly Father. We live in complete dependence upon His grace and mercy. What do we have that we have not received as a gift from His hand? And knowing that, how can we not be thankful? 

Isaiah 35:4 – “Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” The return of our Lord at the Last Day is a cause of joy and anticipation for us believers. We know our Lord and His love, and we look forward to His Second Advent. Indeed, how we live our lives here and now flows from our certain hope of resurrection and eternal life. 

John 1:5 – “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Through all of our hardships, all of our sorrows, all of our pains and loneliness, Jesus’ light shines in the darkness, and we are not overcome. In the face of our sin, in the midst of our pettiness, against all our pride, Jesus’ light shines and illuminates our hearts and changes us, day by day, into a greater reflection of His likeness. 

Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Life was no easier for the Philippians than it is for us. They had the same sorrows, sicknesses, and disappointments as we have. And yet St. Paul tells them to rejoice in the Lord. We have an abiding joy, a peace which passes all understanding, because we know our Lord Jesus and His love for us. This gives us confidence in the face of every hardship; it gives us strength to lead lives in imitation of Jesus’ own generous love. 

-- from your Stewardship Committee (please contact Mike Kroeger, 832-651-7295 or Michael.K.Kroeger@gmail.com) if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions) 

VIDEO: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 - Complete Service

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
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Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
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Audio: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday, January 21, 2026

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of Bulletins

Joel 1:15-20 
Alas for the day!
For the day of the LORD is near,
and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
Is not the food cut off
before our eyes, 
joy and gladness 
from the house of our God? 
The seed shrivels under the clods;
the storehouses are desolate;
the granaries are torn down
because the grain has dried up.
How the beasts groan!
The herds of cattle are perplexed
because there is no pasture for them;
even the flocks of sheep suffer. 
To you, O LORD, I call.
For fire has devoured
the pastures of the wilderness,
and flame has burned
all the trees of the field.
Even the beasts of the field pant for you
because the water brooks are dried up,
and fire has devoured
the pastures of the wilderness. 

Romans 10:1-21 
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 

But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for 
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.” 
But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, 
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, 
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” 
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” 

The Lord’s Prayer - The Conclusion 
What is the Conclusion?
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. 
What does this mean? 
This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means “yes, yes, it shall be so.