Second Sunday in Lent March 1, 2026

Prayer of the Day
O God, our leader and guide, in the waters of baptism you bring us to new birth to live as your children. Strengthen our faith in your promises, that by your Spirit we may lift up your life to all the world through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

GOSPEL Reading: John 3:1-17
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

SERMON
Poor Marge Griffith… trying to teach us long division and one toe headed, tall-for-his-age kid just isn’t catching on—she begins rhythmically thumping her head against the chalkboard, quietly muttering, “no, no, no”.

Even those who didn’t get long division, pour out prayers of lament for the world that sound a bit accusatory—“when will we learn?”

War in Ukraine grinds into its fifth year—according the the bishop in Jerusalem and the Holy Lands, it’s possible that Palestinian people will be extinct in ten years. This from the guy whose own mother was detained as she was on her way to his ordination; despite having had been granted special advance permission.

In Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, Nigeria and the the world over, we keep killing each other. The world’s wealthy have their riches compounded by the minute while the poorest have nothing. The so-called middle class appears to be shrinking away.

I wonder how often God—however you might imagine God—bumps a divine forehead against a dented chalkboard, muttering , “no, no no”.

It’s not that God hasn’t intervened before—or laid out the ancient and always curriculum that Jesus calls “the kingdom of God”.

Many rabbis teach that if humanity was to get anywhere, it had to be birthed out of the womb-y paradise of Eden into a world with actual people in it.

When Cain tries to justify his lethal violence, his snarky sounding question to God is whether he is his sibling’s keeper. God’s answer reverberates through the whole of scripture, “Why yes, as a matter of fact you are.”

Umpteen generations later, God’s Spirit endows Moses with a heap of gumption and enslaved people are liberated from Pharaoh’s oppression. So begins a long birthing process happens among a rag tag group of slaves as they become a nation. The wilderness gestation is also schooling—Moses imparts God’s teachable moment to the generations that follow— ‘Remember what it’s like to be a slave on the run? Remember what it’ like being a refugee and a stranger? Keep that in mind when refugees and strangers cross your land.

Pr. Daniel Erlander writes that the manna people eat is both dinner and an object lesson. We experience God’s mercy and learn the obligation to be merciful. Umpteen generations after that, a settled, conquered, and then resettled people don’t quite get the memo and God’s forehead continues to smite the cosmic chalkboard. Spirit inspires prophets to repeat the “kingdom of God curriculum” of justice, mercy and devotion to God.

Jesus recites God’s ancient and always curriculum when Nicodemus visits by night for that conversation on the sly. Some preachers like me are guilty of bashing Nicodemus for being obtuse. The master preacher and teacher of other preachers Anna Carter Florence reminds us that Nicodemus eventually comes around. Not at first. Certainly not in the conversation we’ve read this morning. Maybe he’s getting there when a group of his co-religionists fears that Jesus’ activity could get picked up by the Roman radar, then they all would be targets. Nicodemus doesn’t defend Jesus exactly-he points to their own process reminding them that the accused have the right to face their accusers. In the end, Nicodemus gets it—he and another wealthy person named Joseph risk their public standing and possibly their own necks when they arrange for Jesus’ internment after he’s executed.

Professor Carter Florence says Nicodemus’ long learning curve is exactly what John’s Gospel wants us to pay attention to. Nicodemus comes around. Eventually. He learns when he learns, as my educator friend Jolene says. Not incidentally, she said those words to me when I was acting a bit know-ier-than-thou wondering why people can be so clueless.

Ultimately, the Gospel truth for us is that we’ll learn when we learn—albeit slowly. Meanwhile, Spirit of God relentlessly loves us and teaches us that God has already birthed us into the Kingdom of God—or as Moses and his people call it; The restoration of all things.

Quoted from the History of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church book (link below)

150th Anniversary Service and Luncheon Photos – February 22, 2026

Attendance today -> 42  Last year -> 22

Sermon 🔉 (audio only)

Transcript of Gospel and Sermon

Worship Guide

FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT February 22, 2026

Prayer of the Day
Lord God, our strength, the struggle between good and evil rages within and around us, and the devil and all the forces that defy you tempt us with empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your word, and when we fall, raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11
1 Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

SERMON
Over the last two weeks, many of us have sat nestled into our recliners and couches thrilling at the sight of Olympians putting their bodies through seemingly superhuman feats.

From these same couches and recliners, we watch in real time as big and heavily armed bodies, and rich influential bodies subjugate weaker bodies, children’s bodies, black and brown bodies, poor bodies, and gender diverse bodies. And since always we’ve been told, “that’s just the way it is.”

Well… God isn’t having it. Jesus embodies God’s response right there in the wilderness and in everything that follows.

You might be seeing this year’s Lenten devotions curated by Lutherans Connect— we post links on the church’s facebook page. Deacon Sherry Coman focuses her reflections upon bodies: our bodies, other people’s bodies and Jesus’ body. Such a provocative perspective gives us another way to enter into the account of Jesus facing temptation in the wilderness.

The Spirit literally launches Jesus’s body into hostile environs. Jesus’ body becomes weak and vulnerable from extreme hunger and thirst and from heat and cold. As if on cue, the tempter trots out his elevator speech aimed at inducing Jesus to sell out God’s plan to bless and save the world. “If you are who you say you are, use your power to your own advantage…Create bread from stones— not only daily bread but so much bread you could be set for life”. Life is more than daily bread, the scriptures say—God’s life giving word aims toward the restoration of all things.

True Jesus would work wonders, multiplying loaves— not to show off, but to feed bodies reeling from hunger. Later Jesus breaks bread with his followers and tells them that in the same way he will give his own body for the life of the world. And today, we receive bread along with Jesus’ words, “This is my body, given for you.”

One gambit failing him, the tempter yanks Jesus body up to the pinnacle of the Temple and tries to goad him into throwing his body off the precipice— tempter twists scripture to justify his treachery. Alas, God is not to be manipulated into doing parlour tricks for the tempter’s amusement. But God does hear the cry of the oppressed and sends liberators, prophets and redeemers.

Next, the tempter frog marches Jesus to a high mountain—there he offers him absolute power if only he would throw his body to the ground and swear allegiance to the tempter. Jesus invokes the Creator, the Most Holy as being the only one… not the Tempter, Not Rome, not Pilate… as worthy of allegiance.

From that allegiance to the one who creates and restores, Jesus climbs another mountain, and meets the crowds to spell out God’s design for the world: those who grieve find comfort, the poor are blessed, and lives of mercy, authenticity, and empathy are God-blessed lives.

Jesus’ life and even his death shouts an emphatic NO to tempter and the sort of power that keeps others down.

God’s last word is spoken when Jesus is raised from the dead—God’s last word is YES—yes to humanity, yes the planet, and yes to God’s mending of all creation.

Attendance today -> 11  Last year -> N/A

Sermon 🔉 (audio only)

Transcript of Gospel and Sermon

Worship Guide

TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD February 15, 2026

Introduction to the Day:
We have shared a season emphasizing ways Jesus is revealed to us…the season of epiphany’s name connotes clarity, enlightenment even a “shining upon”. Now we use a far from every day word, “transfiguration” to describe another way in which Jesus is revealed…and maybe we’re a bit like Peter James and John….the experience leaves us flummoxed and afraid—so we listen to what Jesus says next….

Prayer of the Day
O God, in the transfiguration of your Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the witness of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice from the bright cloud declaring Jesus your beloved Son, you foreshadowed our adoption as your children. Make us heirs with Christ of your glory, and bring us to enjoy its fullness, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

“This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him! Matthew 17:5

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Sermon:
We need to know what happened six days before Peter, James and John travel with Jesus up a mountain. Jesus has told his followers that who he is, what he stands for and all he is about will soon get him killed. The empire and some in religious circles will find common cause to end him. Maybe the followers didn’t hear the next part about him rising from the dead. Can you blame them?

Do we expect Peter, James and John’s trek up the mountain with Jesus to clarify everything? At the summit, Jesus’ appearance might have reminded them of the story of Moses shimmering with the glory of God—and as if on cue, Moses and Elijah appear! Why? For whose benefit?

We might connect the dots because we have the advantage of time, distance and centuries of reflection—Moses and Elijah are liberators. They are also people who had to run for their lives because the powers that be wanted them dead…figuring that if you kill the messenger, you kill the message.

We know the effect all this has on Peter, James and John—those who might have known Jesus best are flummoxed over how to handle what they are witnessing. In the moment, Peter for reasons still debated (even between Matthew, Luke and other Gospel writers) begins to speak of building structures to house the holiness they are encountering.

And in mid-sentence, a voice from heaven interrupts. “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him.” Perched where we are this is no surprise to us…we overhear the Gospel story when Jesus is baptized—the words reverberating from heaven are nearly identical. Not likely Peter, James or John were on hand the day Jesus was baptized and the Spirit descended like a dove. This time, the heavenly voice also says, “listen to him.”

Now the disciples go from twitter-pated to terrified! From here, the story is not one Peter, James and John are ready to tell. In the moment Jesus lays a hand on them and says, “get up and do not be afraid.” It could be that at this point in today’s Gospel reading we have the most in common with Jesus’ companions. We might think we know who Jesus is, yet we’re often confounded. We might wish he would intervene in our world on our terms. We might be afraid; not of God’s glory but of the enormity of human cruelty. We might fear for the future of the planet because those in power treat creation like a bargaining chip. We might fear for the safety and livelihoods of our children and their children.

Now the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. We call tell the story of Jesus radiant with God’s glory and standing in the company of Moses and Elijah— Each and every day we recall our baptism into the life of Christ, crucified and risen. Each day we live in anticipation of Jesus’ empowering touch and reassuring words to us and to the community of his followers in all places—“Do not be afraid. Get up. I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

St. Matthew’s invites you to a…

Fr. Rob and Pastor Bart will share in leading the service and all, from both congregations and the community, are invited.