The sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, June 19, 2016. The sermon text is based on Luke 9:18-24. The theme this week is: Followers of Christ...Expect Persecution .
Today's Focus: Is faithfulness to Christ worth the trouble it brings? The life of faith is lived in a godless world, and it is therefore certain to be met with persecution. Like our Suffering Savior, we too bear his cross in our daily interactions with the unholy trio of sin, death and the devil. The Lord, however, uses these persecutions suffered for the sake of the Gospel to refine us into the pure, precious metal of his children. Strengthened through the means of grace, we boldly confess Jesus as the Christ in the face of any persecution or trouble. The Church prays that God in his mercy would direct the affairs of this world so that the Church might have peace, but at the same time we prepare ourselves for persecution.
Sermon given by Mr Timothy Patoka. Mr Patoka is a recent graduate of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and will be ordained in July 2016.
Trinity Lutheran Church is located in Woodbridge, VA, USA and is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). If you would like more information about our congregation, please visit www.trinityofwoodbridge.org or www.facebook.com/trinityofwoodbridge.