Welcome to Christ Lutheran Church
Divine Service 10:30 am
We provide a traditional LCMS service using the Lutheran Service Book (LSB) every Sunday morning at 10:30am central time, preceded by Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:00am. If you are uncomfortable or unable to attend in person due to Covid-19, or other reasons, please join us online via Facebook Live. (Facebook account required.)
Activities
Click on the heading to see the full post
- December 15 and other news
Greetings in the name of our coming Lord Jesus. In this busy season of the year, set aside time to hear the words of Jesus and receive his gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation distributed at the church.
This coming Wednesday 12/18 at 6:30 will be the last midweek service of this Advent Season.
Christmas Eve Service will be Tuesday January 24 beginning at 6:30 pm. There won’t be any Christmas Day service here.
Sunday December 15 is the third Sunday in Advent. We will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Four beginning on page 203 in the LSB hymnal. Hymns chosen for the day are #341 Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates; #338 Come Thou Long Expected Jesus; #349 Hark the Glad Sound; #627 Jesus Christ Our Blessed Savior; and #509 Christ is Surely Coming.
Scriptures assigned for the day are Psalm 85:1-9; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Philippians 4: 4-7; and Luke 7:18-28. As you read through these texts you will recognize a repeated theme of rejoicing and celebration. In the midst of the troubles of this world God promises restoration of the world. The gloom, the broken relationships, the diseases and disorders all caused by sin in the world will be overcome and reversed. The restoration will be complete when Jesus returns—the old will be gone for the new has come. And that process has already begun.
Also, the third Sunday of Advent is historically called Gaudete Sunday, after a Latin translation of the word ’Rejoice’ connected to an antiphonal response from Philippians 4:4—’Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.’ A visible reminder of this rejoicing, this Sunday we will be lighting the pink advent candle. When John the Baptist is thrown in prison, he has a crisis of faith. He asks if Jesus is the One that God had promised. Jesus tells him to look at the miracles being perfomed. They were visual confirmation that Jesu spoke the truth. And the blind were having their sight restored, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf could hear, the dead were raised up, and good news of rescue and life in god’s kingdom was being preached to the needy. All theses actions were things we could celebrate. Thank God, there is physical and spiritual healing going on.
In the midst of troubles God has given you something to celebrate- Our Savior has come, and He is coming again.
COLLECT: Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly implore You to continue to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by the visitation of Your Holy Spirit; for You live and reign with the Father and the Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about the Scripture lessons. God bless you. Pastor Boster
- December 8 service and other news
Brothers and sisters, a blessed advent season to you. Let us gather together to celebrate our Savior’s gifts even as we await His return. To assist with advent preparations, take advantage of our mid-week services on the 11th and 18th at 6:30pm.
I begin by reminding you of the voters’ meeting scheduled to follow Sunday’s service. Pastor would also like to hear from you if you would like to join in caroling to shut-ins on the 15th, from 2 to about 5.
If you would like to contribute toys or food (or money) to a charity for Christmas, please consider helping with what our congregation’s LWML group is doing. They have gathered information on two local families who are in need. You likely received an email with a summary of that information. Check with Sally Boyd if you have any questions or concerns about this effort.
The hymns chosen for Sunday are 332 Savior of the Nations Come; 338 Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus; 345 Hark A Thrilling Voice is Sounding; 610 Lord Jesus Think On Me; and 513 The Clouds of Judgment Gather.
The Scripture texts for the 2nd Sunday in Advent are Psalm 66:1-9; Malachi 3:1-7; Philippians 1:2-11; and Luke 3:1-4.
Throughout the history of ancient Israel, God sent prophets as messengers to call His people to repentance and to return to His Word and following Him. The message conveyed through the generations included promises of a Messiah who would reconcile them and restore the peace and relationships broken by sin. John the Baptizer could be considered the last of the prophets. He prepared the way for the Messiah, introducing Jesus as the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world. This Jesus purified us from our spiritual uncleanliness, not with soap or water, but with His blood. Because of Jesus sacrificial death for you, you will not be destroyed on the day of judgment, but will have eternal life. That promise should motivate, comfort, encourage, and direct each of us as we anticipate His arrival.
Collect: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen - December 1 Advent and other news
Greetings in the name of Jesus. This Sunday December 1 we will begin the season of Advent. Advent is a time of anticipation leading up to Christmas. For many people, the next several weeks will a time for decorating, parties, and bargain shopping for the perfect gifts. We Christians put a different emphasis on Advent. We too enjoy parties and decorations and gifts. But we are anticipating something greater, the arrival of our Savior Jesus. At Christmas we worship His birth, and that is something to celebrate. But we also anticipate His promised second appearance—not as a baby who will grow up to bear our sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:28). The traditional collects (gathering prayers) for Advent urge our Lord to stir up His power and return to deliver us from sin, and to stir up our hearts that we would be ready to joyfully greet Him. Until that day, let us join in serving Him by serving one another in love.
I remind you of some upcoming events. I encourage you to make plans to attend.
-Plan now to attend the mid-week services scheduled for December 4th, 11th, and 18th, each beginning at 6:30 pm.
Members of the Houston Lutheran Chorale will have several performances– Friday December 6 @Memorial in Katy 7:30 pm 5810 3rd Street; Saturday December 7 @ St. Andrew in Houston 7:30 pm 1353 Witte Road; and Friday December 8 @Trinity downtown Houston 4 pm 800 Houston Ave.
We will make some changes to the worship during the season of Advent. We will switch to the liturgy of Divine Service Setting Four beginning on page 203 of the LSB hymnal. We will chant the psalm using “tone G” found on page xxvi in the front of the hymnal. Hymn #338 Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus will be sung in place of the Kyrie and Gloria in Excelsis after the psalm. Our gospel readings will shift from Mark’s account to Luke’s account.
Hymns chosen for the day are #334 O Lord How Shall I Meet You; #354 Arise O Christian People; #563 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness; and #351 Creator of the Stars at Night.
Scriptures being read Sunday are Psalm 25:1-10; Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; and Luke 19:28-40.
Psalm 25 is a psalm of King David. In the verses we will be chanting, David asked God for protection, for insights into God’s truth, and a request for forgiveness. These petitions are quite fitting as we begin Advent. We are reminded to continually repent, to walk the narrow path of forgiveness and faith in Jesus, and to remember God is faithful and loving to receive us sinners.
God sent Jeremiah to prophesy to the citizens of Jerusalem and Judah as their nation was about to be overrun by the Babylonian army. Many of them would be witnesses to the turmoil and destruction before being exiled in Babylon. It would be a bleak time. But God sent Jermiah with a message of renewal and hope. A descendant of David will come to bring justice and security, that God’s people would be saved. He would known by the name “The Lord is our righteousness.” This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, the One who brings us renewal and hope as well.
The epistle lesson is a portion of St. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians in northern Greece. Paul expresses his desire to revisit the Thessalonians. Until that might happen, Paul tells of his prayers for them, that they would increase in their love for one another, and remain steadfast believing in Jesus so they would be ready for His return. Two thousand years later this remains good advice to all of us as we too await Jesus’ return.
As we consider Jesus’ life, there are several key moments when He arrived among His people. Among these arrival events are His birth in Bethlehem, and His arrival at the Jordan River where He begins His public ministry. Sunday’s Gospel reading is St. Luke’s account of Jesus arrival in Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday” just days before His crucifixion and resurrection. The citizens gathered and rejoiced at Jesus’ approach to the city. We have opportunity to gather at the church to encourage one another and rejoice as Jesus is drawing nearer and nearer each day in His return to us. Similar to making plans for His entry into Jerusalem, Jesus is now making plans to meet you.
COLLECT: Stir up Your power, O Lord Jesus, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about the schedule or Sunday’s readings. God bless you. Pastor Boster
- November 24 service
Greetings in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. I encourage you to attend church services to hear His word and receive His gifts of forgiveness and eternal life.
You are invited to join us for our November 27 Thanksgiving Eve service, and midweek Advent services in December. Those services will begin at 6:30pm.
Many congregations designate this coming Sunday, November 24, as the Last Sunday of the Church Year. It may seem at times that life is cyclic, the same routines and seasons repeating over and over again. But be assured, our earthly lives are linear. We grow older moving toward the day of our passing from this world into the world that is to come. Each minute, day, and year we are moving closer to the day Jesus returns and raises the dead—believers will go to glory in heaven, while unbelievers will be sent in contempt away from God’s presence. It is time now to prepare for Jesus’ appearing. As He says in this Sunday’s Gospel reading, ‘Be on guard; Keep awake, for you do not know when the time will come.
We will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 of the LSB hymnal. We will also review the petitions 5-7 of the Lord’s Prayer and Luther’s explanation of them.
Hymns chosen for the day are #512 At the Name of Jesus; #508 The Day is Surely Drawing Near; #575 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less; and #941 We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God.
Scripture texts that will be read include Psalm 93:1-5; Isaiah 51:4-6; Jude 20-25; and Mark 13:24-37
Psalm 93 acknowledges and celebrates the ‘kingship’ of God. He reigns over all things forever, including creation and time. Water crashing against rocks will eventually erode away a sea cliff or a riverbank. But God is immovable, a constant ruler, protector, and helper. His Word endures forever. His word includes warning against sin, and it also reminds us that Jesus was sent to rescue us from the consequences of our sin. God declares you holy, that is, washed in the blood of Jesus and set apart for His purpose in the waters of baptism. In our various vocations, let us live each day as members of the eternal body of Jesus.
Isaiah was God’s prophet to the people of Judah 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah warned the people of God’s coming judgment. Their cities would be destroyed, and their families would be exiled because they had followed idols, treated their neighbors unjustly, and not given heed to God’s word. In Isaiah 51, God speaks words of comfort through the prophet, promising restoration and salvation to those who repented and listened to Him. His word was fulfilled in part when the citizens of Judah were brought back to Jerusalem from exile, and city and the temple were rebuilt. But this word of prophecy will be fulfilled in a more glorious way when Jesus returns. His justice, salvation, and righteousness will be forever. Everything else in creation will wear out and vanish like smoke for they are temporary. But the kingdom of Jesus is eternal. And the day of its full revelation is drawing ever closer. Do not be dismayed. Jesus will rescue you from the brokenness of this sinful world. Turn to Him while there is time.
Jude (sometimes named as Judas or Judah) was a brother of James, the leaders of the church in Jerusalem, and half-brother to Jesus (Mark 6:3). Like St. Peter’s letters, he is writing to people undergoing persecution, and encouraging them to remain faithful as they await the return of Jesus, and to avoid false teachers. Jude’s letter is brief, only one chapter and 25 verses in length. Jude reminds us that persecution and false teachers should be expected in this word. As they opposed and abused Jesus, they will also oppose and abuse us who follow Jesus. So Jude encourages Christians of every generation to build themselves up in faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. How does one build up in faith? St. Paul wrote that faith comes by hearing the words of Jesus. So we should study Jesus’ word, and apply His words to our life. Believe Jesus words. Turn away from the temptations to sin. Receive the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation He administers through baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Don’t limit your attention to the events of this world, but instead, look forward to the world that is to come. Tell your family and friends and neighbors too, that they would also believe in Jesus and be saved from God’s coming judgment. Jude ends his letter with a doxology, praising God and exalting Jesus, our eternal Lord.
In the Gospel account from Mark 13, Jesus continues His discourse regarding the events that will occur at the end of time. The destruction of the temple in Jerusalem He foretold was only the beginning of the tribulation. One day, cosmic events will signal the coming of Jesus and His angels as they bring about the end of the world as we know it. We do not know when these events will take place. But the signs have been shown to every generation as surely as a budding tree tells us summer is coming. So keep your eyes open. Do not be lulled into complacency by the routines and temptations of this world. Jesus has prepared the way that you may enjoy the salvation He is bringing. Jesus is surely coming with His reward for those who remain faithful to Him until the end. He is the First and Last, and our Lord. Let’s be ready to meet Him.
COLLECT: O Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit so that ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Let me know if you have any prayer requests or questions about Sunday’s Scripture readings. God bless you. Pastor Boster
- November 17 service and other news
Greetings in the name of our eternal Great High Priest, Jesus. His sacrifice has reconciled you to God. He continues to intercede on your behalf. Come, join us Sunday morning to worship Him and receive His gifts of forgiveness and eternal life.
I remind you of some upcoming events. I encourage you to make plans to attend.
Thanksgiving Eve Service is scheduled for Wednesday November 27th beginning at 6:30 pm.
Advent Season begins Sunday December 1. In preparation for the Christmas celebration we have scheduled mid-week services for December 4th, 11th, and 18th, each beginning at 6:30 pm.
On Sunday, November 10 we will follow the liturgy of Divine Service Setting One beginning on page 151 of the LSB hymnal. We will also review the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and Luther’s explanation of them.
Hymns chosen for the day are #530 No Temple Now, No Gift of Price; #337 The Night Will Soon Be Ending; #642 O Living Bread From Heaven; and #509 Christ is Surely Coming.
Scripture texts that will be read include Psalm 16:1-11; Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-25; and Mark 13:1-13.
The superscription preceding Psalm 16 says it is a ‘miktam’ of David. The meaning of the term ‘miktam’ is uncertain. One translator suggests it means “mystery” indicating the psalm deals with one of the mysteries of life. Another translator suggests it means a poem with a surprising end. Yet another translator suggests the term means that the psalm has something to do with atonement. All three of these meanings are evident to some degree in the psalm. My New American Standard Bible summarizes the psalm as “The Lord is the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death’. The psalmist refers to God as his preserver and refuge in times of trouble, who gives counsel and assurance. God will not abandon the psalmist at death. For these reasons, the psalmist is glad whatever his situation might be. Those who look to false gods will only find sorrow. David may have written the psalm during one of his flights, seeking cover and trying to evade the attacks of King Saul or some other enemy. He was thankful that God has his life in His hands. St. Peter in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:25) says the psalm is a prophetic reference to Jesus whom God the Father raised from the dead. In a sermon preached at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13, esp. verse 35) St. Paul makes a similar connection between the psalm and Jesus. We ought to thank God for the gifts He gives us here on earth. Even more, we ought to give God thanks for the eternal heavenly gifts He is preparing for us, made possible because of Jesus’s substitutionary, reconciling death for us and His victory over death.
Daniel was one of the members of royal families from Judah who were taken as prisoners to serve the Babylonian king around 605 BC. God used Daniel as a prophet to remind the people that God was still in control, no matter what circumstances they might be experiencing. Daniel receives and describes several mysterious, symbolic visions of a future day when God’s promised Messiah would recue them. When and how these visions are to be fulfilled remains a matter of great debate today. In the text we will read Sunday, Daniel sees Michael, one who is described as the great prince and angel/messenger who has protective charge of the Israelite people. There are arguments about who this mysterious Michael is. The name Michael means ‘who is like God’. He is often referred to as an archangel. He is described as a great warrior. In Jude he is described as contending with the devil over the body of Moses. In Revelation he fights against the dragon/devil. Michael does not protect or defeat using ordinary weapons, but with the word of God, the same weapon God has provided you to fight evil forces. In Jude 9, Michael battled Satan by saying, “The Lord rebuke you.” In Revelation 12:11 St. John hears a voice explaining that when Satan was thrown out of heaven, Michael and other angels “conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” It should be understood that the power Michael and other angels demonstrate is power that flows from Jesus’ power and authority which extends over all things in heaven and on earth.
God warns that Michael’s appearance will trigger a time of great trouble. When this will happen is not certain. It is foolish to try to predict because only God knows. But be sure of this: God also promises He will preserve His people. Those whose names are written in His book of life, whether living or buried in the dust at that time, will arise to everlasting life. Those who do not follow God will be sent away to everlasting contempt. God assures His people that nothing—including trouble and the end of earthly time—will end His care, protection, and deliverance for them. Since we do not know the day or the hour this will take place, we should continually turn to Jesus, our Savior.
As we continue to read through the Book of Hebrews, the writer continues to make the argument that Jesus is far superior to the Old Testament religious figures, including the high priest. Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice that completely fulfilled the demands of the Law, that one should die for sin. He died for all of us, the payment due for sin has been paid in full. By this blood sacrifice He has torn down the curtain that separated us sinners from holy God. So, you can now approach God with confidence, sure that He hears you. With that confidence, the writer of Hebrews encourages people to gather to worship and to encourage one another to love and good works. The writer would remind us and Christians of every generation that this worship and encouragement becomes more important as the day of Jesus return draws ever closer.
In the 11th and the 12th chapters of his gospel account, St. Mark describes Jesus’ activities and teaching in the temple during the week before His crucifixion. At the end of one day (probably Tuesday) Jesus and His disciples were leaving. The disciples stopped to admire the way the temple walls reflected the evening light. Jesus used the moment to warn them that a day was coming when the temple would be torn down. The disciples asked an obvious question, ‘when would this happen?’ Jesus doesn’t give a specific answer to their question but does describe a number of signs warning that the time is approaching. The list includes events that are common to every generation, an indication every generation should be prepared. In the near term, the temple was destroyed by the Romans during a five-month siege in 70 AD. But Jesus would warn us more trouble is coming. The one who endures to the end, believing in Jesus, will be saved.
COLLECT: Almighty and merciful God, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm trusting in Your grace until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.