Good morning and a blessed Thursday morning to you.

Today of course is a rich day in the life of the congregation… Maundy Thursday. In fact, this entire week of Holy Week… Maundy Thursday service tonight at 7 p.m.  And then Good Friday at 700 p.m. And then this coming Sunday the crown of Sundays, Easter Sunday 8:45 and 11:00. It truly is a wonderful time in the life of the church.  For as we walk through this week together, as we literally follow in the footsteps biblically of our Lord, the Lord uses these opportunities for worship to strengthen our faith. As the Word goes forth, the Lord uses that Word and he kindles faith. He strengthens faith. And so I commend these opportunities for worship tonight, Friday night and then of course on Sunday morning on, Easter Sunday, as the Lord comes to us and strengthens our faith. 

I want to talk with you a little bit today about three components of faith. As we see faith involves knowledge. There’s something in which we believe. Faith also involves assent, where we say, “Yes that's true.” And faith also involves a third component: trust.

John 4:46-53 

46Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” 50Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. 51As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. 52So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” 53The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household. 

Knowledge, assent, and also trust: components of faith.

This reminded of the old story of the man who strung the tight rope across the Niagara Falls. And he turned to the crowd, who was very intrigued with what he was doing, and he said, “Do you believe that I can walk across Niagara Falls on his tight rope?” And the crowd said. “Oh yes. Yes! Do it. Do it.”  And he said, “Do you believe that I can walk across this tight rope over Niagara Falls pushing a wheelbarrow?” The crowd said, “Yes that would be fantastic! Do it. Do it.”  And then he said, “Who would like to get into the wheel barrow?” 

See, that's trust. Isn’t it? Trust in God comes to us through Word and through Sacrament. He births faith, strengthens faith. He grows us in our faith. He's going to be doing that tonight, and Friday, and this coming Sunday. In fact, every time as We gather the Lord is at work through Word and Sacrament, as that gospel goes forth of Christ who died and rose for us. As that gospel goes forth, that our sins are forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ, and that the tomb is empty… death has been overcome, God will be at work kindling, strengthening, growing our faith knowledge, assent, trust… Faith, all gifts of God. 

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the richness of this week, for the opportunity of worship tonight, and Friday, and then again on Sunday. We praise you Lord for the gift of faith and how you use Word and Sacrament to birth and to strengthen faith. And so Lord, use these services to your glory. May you be praised. Thank you Lord that you come… that you are at work. We praise you for your goodness. We praise you for the gospel. We praise you for Christ crucified and risen. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God bless you today and the rest of this Holy Week. Encourage someone.

Pastor Eibel