#61 The Sinful Woman Experienced Genuine Contrition And Grief

{In Luke 7:36-50} Therefore, with a heart hungry for grace, with a thirsty soul, with the longing of faith, she hurried to Christ. She became hostile to her former sins. She experienced genuine contrition and grief. But she had a believing trust and a fervent love for Christ, as she testified with outward actions. For when she came to Christ in the Pharisee’s home, she brought a jar of oil and costly perfume and knelt down at His feet.

She was hesitant to appear before Christ’s holy sight. Until that moment, she had been turned away from God through sin, and so she now also turned away from the sight of men. She began to weep bitterly. Her heart was troubled and oppressed, causing tears to flow from her eyes, and to flow so freely that even Christ’s feet were wetted with them. Then she dried Christ’s feet with her own hair. She made her hair, with which she had formerly made herself beautiful, into a foot cloth and a wash towel. She also kissed Christ’s feet out of true humility, considering herself unworthy to kiss His hands. Finally, she anointed Christ’s feet with the costly perfume, considering herself unworthy to anoint Christ’s head with it, as was otherwise customary in the East.

(Sermon for Mary Magdalene-July 22, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 108)

Catechesis for Trinity Fifteen (St. Matthew 6:24-34) 2024

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM.

This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “Do Not Worry” (St. Matthew 6:24-34), which is the Holy Gospel for Trinity Fifteen.

In this video from September 4, 2024, we learned the hymn “Why Art Thou Thus Cast Down, My Heart?” (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #53), Small Catechism, First Article of the Apostles’ Creed and meaning, and St. Matthew 6:33.

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Service Bulletin:  Catechesis-Trinity-15-9-4-2024.pdf
Insert for Hymn: Trinity-Fifteen-Insert-09-17-2023-ASBH.pdf
Suffrages:  Suffrages-for-Catechesis-2024-Online.pdf

 

Prayer for Tuesday.

  1. Hear, O Lord, the prayers of all who call upon Thee, according to the benediction of Aaron (Num. 6), upon Thy people, that all who dwell in the earth may acknowledge that Thou, Lord, art the everlasting God. (Sir. 36.) Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase. The Lord, our God shall bless us: the Lord shall bless us, and all the earth shall fear Him. Amen. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, I, a poor, miserable sinner, am about to rise in Thy name. Thou wast crucified and didst die for me, and with Thy precious blood didst redeem me upon the cross. Govern, sanctify, and defend me in body and soul, and strengthen me unto all good works. Be my defense against every evil, and after this life grant me the life eternal. Amen.

(Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians by William Loehe, Wartburg Publishing House, 1914, Pages 233-234)

Divine Service Trinity Fourteen – September 21, 2025

Order of Divine Service, p.7   The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal
Hymn “Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun” LW 478
Readings:  Jeremiah 17:13-14, Galatians 5:16-24, Luke 17:11-19
Hymn of the Day: “Show Pity, Lord! O Lord, Forgive!”   (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #52)
Sermon
Offertory: “Create in Me…”         p.18
General Prayer………                    p.19-20
Hymn: “O Living Bread from Heaven” LW 244, TLH 316
Exhortation                                    p.21
Communion Service, p.144 (Lutheran Worship)
Communion Hymns:
Hymn “From God Can Nothing Move Me” LW 409, TLH 73
“The Law of God Is Good and Wise” LW 329
“Now Thank We All Our God” LW 443, TLH 36

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Trinity-Fourteen-Cover-09-21-2025-Online.pdf

Picture:  Ottheinrich Bible 1430 (VII:25), Lepers Cleansed in Luke 17:11-19

Bible Class #53 Keeping the Law, Part Two – September 21, 2025

Today, we will address Part II of the study “Keeping the Law” according to the application of Law and Gospel in the Scriptures and the Book of Concord.
With this foundation laid, we will return to better understand Moses’ Third Address of Blessings and Curses.
Overhead 1: Law-and-Gospel-Needed-for-Justification-and-Sanctification.pdf
Overhead 2: Law-and-Gospel-Needed-for-Keeping-the-Law.pdf
Overhead 3: Faith-and-Works-b.pdf

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Matins St. Matthew, Apostle, September 21, 2025

Order of Matins, p.208  Lutheran Worship
Psalmody:  Psalm 119 XVI, 37 II & III, 119 V
Hymn “By All Your Saints in Warfare” LW 194, st. 18
Readings:  Ezekiel 1:4-14, Proverbs 3:1-6, Ephesians 4:7-16, Matthew 9:9-13
Sermon

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: September-21-St-Matthew-Apostle-and-Evangelist-2025-online.pdf

#60 Although All Men Are Sinners, Not All Sins Are Equal And Alike

{In Luke 7:36-50} A Pharisee by the name of Simon had invited the Lord Jesus to eat with him. This invitation was not issued from a true and upright heart or with good intentions, but in order to find something to criticize (Psa. 41:7). But Christ triumphed by His patience with His enemies’ evil intent, and by His wisdom He shattered their cunning. So He gladly engages with this hostile host and sits down at his table.

And look! There was a sinful woman in the city. And when she learned that He was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she went there, too. When it says that this woman was a sinful woman, it is to be understood that she had previously been living in open sin and shame and had allowed a spirit of harlotry to captivate her and lead her astray. For although all men are sinners before the Lord God, as Christ demonstrates in the parable of this Gospel, not all sins are equal and alike. This is why the Scriptures especially call them sinners who plunge themselves into outward, crass sins, from an evil intention, without any shame before God or the world, who stubbornly persist in such things and give public offense to others. Genesis 15:13, “The people of Sodom were evil and sinned greatly against the Lord.” Genesis 18:20, “The outcry in Sodom is great, and their sins are very serious.” Therefore, the tax collectors and sinners are placed side by side as wicked people (Mat. 18:17, Luke 15:1). The woman in the Gospel had also previously been just such a public, contemptible sinner. But when she heard that Christ rebuked sins so harshly and zealously, while at the same time promising grace to all the poor, miserable sinners who repented, her heart was transformed by the cooperating power of the Spirit.   (Sermon for Mary Magdalene-July 22, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 107-108)

Catechesis for Trinity Fourteen – September 17, 2025

On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church(Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00 PM.

This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “The Ten Lepers” (St. Luke 17:11-19), which is the Holy Gospel for Trinity Fourteen.

Learn-by-Heart will include “Lord God, We All to Thee Give Praise”   (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal), Small Catechism, Close of the Commandments and meaning, and Hebrews 11:6.

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).

Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Trinity-14-9-17-2025.pdf
Insert for Hymn: ASBH-103-Lord-God-We-All-to-Thee-Give-Praise.pdf
Suffrages:  Suffrages-for-Catechesis-2024-Online.pdf

Matins on Ember Wednesday – September 17, 2025

Order of Matins, p.208  Lutheran Worship
Pre-Service Hymn “As Surely as I Live, God Said” LW 235
Office Hymn “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”  (The Augustana Service Book and Hymnal #51, LW 270, TLH 347)
Psalmody:  Psalm 1, 33, 16
Readings:  Amos 9:13-15, Nehemiah 8:1-10, Mark 9:16-28
Catechism: Confession
Sermon

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: 2025-September-Ember-Wednesday-with-Psalms-Insert-9-17-2025-Online.pdf

#59 Part II: Allegory Explaining Deuteronomy 21:10ff:

Finally, she must also “mourn her father and mother,” that is, she must grieve with fervent tears that, until now, she has followed her father, the devil, and her adulterous mother, this world, into sin. This mourning should last, not only for a month, but for the whole time of her life.

On the other hand, she must now learn to love her new Bridegroom. Then Christ will marry her. For He is the one who said about Himself in Matthew 9:13 that He has come as the heavenly Physician “to call sinners to repentance.” That is, He wants to be the Physician of the sick, the Life of the dead, the Shepherd of the wanderer, the Light of the blind, the Salvation of the sinner, and yet in such a way that they do not remain in sins but get up and hasten to Christ through repentance. For this is the way in which He calls sinners to Himself. Christ is the Physician, to be sure; but the sickness must be acknowledged, and the help of the Physician must be sought. Christ is the Life, to be sure; but one must hear His voice, by which the dying are made alive (John 5:25). Christ is the Shepherd, to be sure; but the wandering sheep must allow himself to be picked up and carried to the flock (Luke 15:5). Christ is the Light, to be sure; but one must get up from the sleep of sin. Then He will enlighten us (Eph. 5:14). Christ is the Salvation, to be sure; but He must be grasped with steadfast faith (1 Tim. 1:14).

The previously read Gospel {Luke 7:36-50} pertains to this, for in it the true and earnest repentance of a poor, very sinful woman is described, along with how she thereby obtained God’s grace, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life with Christ. (Sermon for Mary Magdalene-July 22, Postilla Volume 3 by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, page 106-107)