The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Make Selfless Sacrifices

“What’s in it for me?” It is easy to look at life through the lens of that question… to make decisions based on perceived personal benefit. Perhaps at times we look at Christianity through that lens, wondering what we will gain from following Christ. “What’s in it for me?” Jesus’ first disciples asked that question. They hoped following Christ meant they would gain prestige and honor. They assumed following Christ would make life in this world easier. But it doesn’t work like that. Because followers of Christ are called to sacrifice for the well-being of others.

“What’s in it for me?” Everything! Because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, followers of Christ have the peace of his forgiveness. Followers of Christ have the joy of meaningful purpose. Followers of Christ look forward to an eternity of glory in Christ’s heavenly Kingdom. In Spirit-wrought gratitude, followers of Christ make selfless sacrifices with joy.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Maintain Proper Priorities

People think that establishing priorities is about ranking things in order of importance. However, it is more than that. We do not have unlimited time and energy. So, establishing priorities enables us to say “no” to things which might be good, yet are not truly important. Without proper priorities, one inevitably will run after that which is nice while completely ignoring that which is needed.

Throughout Scripture, believers are urged to prioritize. It is the heart of the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Jesus calls for prioritization when he says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33). Good news: followers of Christ maintain proper priorities. Even better news: followers of Christ receive his forgiveness for all the times their priorities are improper.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Know How to Love Their Family

Love can cause harm. Consider the wife whose husband wants little to do with church. She loves him and does not want to upset him. So, when her husband wants her and the children to stay home Sunday morning, she complies without protest. That wife’s love for her husband hurts him, her children, and herself. Or consider the father who loves his child so much, he gives the child everything that child asks for. That father’s love is toxic. It is shaping that child to be a selfish, entitled adult.

In our families, it is not enough that there’s love. We need to rightly love… to love in a way that leads to the blessing of those we claim to love. This illustrates the need for followership. In Jesus, we see perfect, self-sacrificial love. Jesus loves us as we are. He also loved us too much to leave us as we are. So, in love, he gave his life up so that we might be holy and blameless. His love for us shapes the way we love our spouse, our children, our parents. Today we see that followers of Christ know how to love their family.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Have Powerful Allies

Green Berets. Rangers. SEALs. Delta Force. These are some of the special forces groups that are part of the United States military. They are elite: highly trained with unique skill sets. Many of their important missions are carried out in total secrecy.

Two weeks ago, we acknowledged that we are in the middle of a massive spiritual war. Today, we thank our God that we fight this war with the protection of special forces. Since the fifth Century, in late September, Christians have observed the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels. We commemorate that God has sent Michael, one of the great archangels described in Scripture, and countless of his fellow angels to protect and serve mankind. Let us rejoice that followers of Christ have powerful allies!

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Are Humble Servants

Humility and pride are polar opposites. Pride exalts self at the expense of God and others. Humility exalts God and others at the expense of self. Pride is the essential vice, for it increases one’s hunger for all other sins. Humility increases one’s hunger for the forgiveness and healing found in Christ. The one who is proud demands to be served. The one who is humble is not content unless serving others. St. Augustine described it this way: “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”

As we see all Christ did to serve us, our hearts melt. Within us grows a Christ-like obsession to serve others, without counting the cost, without any desire to be repaid. Those who are in positions of Christian leadership understand that their leadership can only be achieved through service. For followers of Christ are humble servants.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Are Armed for the Battle

What is the worst war in human history? One might point to World War II, which has the highest death toll of at least 90 million people. Or consider the Three Kingdoms War, which not only resulted in over 40 million deaths but also lasted for most of the third century. There is no end to the sad list of nominations: the Thirty Years War, the Taiping Rebellion, the American Civil War, World War I.

None of those is the correct answer. The worst war in human history began when the first shot was fired in Eden. It has been raging since. It is a war against “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). This is not a war over land or resources. It is a war for souls. The reality is that there are demonic forces that want to do more than kill you; they want to claim you for all eternity. The good news: Christ has already called you his own and equipped you for this war. Followers of Christ are armed for the battle.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ See the True Purpose of His Power

Power is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. Fire is powerful. The chef uses fire to create meals. But the arsonist uses fire to destroy homes. Nuclear fission is a powerful force. The engineer harnesses it, producing abundant electricity. The tyrant harnesses it, threating others with his nuclear missiles. What matters is the purpose of the one who has the power.

Jesus has limitless power, as the numerous accounts of his miracles demonstrate. Those who witnessed those miracles understood that Jesus used his power for good. That doesn’t mean they all understood Jesus’ true purpose. Some thought Jesus’ purpose was to make this temporal life better. And while Jesus did that at times, his ultimate purpose was to save us from sin and give us the gift of eternal life. Followers of Christ see the true purpose of his power.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followship:
Followers of Christ Obey His Law from the Heart

A loving father gives his son and daughter a list of rules and regulations. Chores, curfews, civilities, dress code – the father makes his will about all of it clearly known. The son strives to follow the rules for two reasons. 1) He wants to get his allowance. 2) He is afraid that if he breaks the rules, the father will punish him. The daughter strives to follow the rules, also for two reasons. 1) She believes her father established those rules, not to control her, but for her safety and blessing. 2) She wants to demonstrate how much she loves and trusts her father. Those two children’s actions might look almost identical. Their hearts are very different!

Likewise, following Christ is not simply a matter of outward observance of laws. It is a matter of the heart. The Law was given so we could see God’s heart and demonstrate where his heart has affected our own. The followership Christ seeks flow from hearts that have been radically transformed by God’s law and gospel. Christ wants his followers to be less like the son described above, and more like the daughter. This week we see that followers of Christ obey his law from the heart.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

The Need for Followership

“We need better leadership!” Have you ever said that? Perhaps you were frustrated with the direction being taken by some elected official or by management at your workplace or by the coach of your favorite team. You were frustrated, because you know that no matter how many resources an organization has, it will flounder if leaders do not lead well: providing direction, training, motivation, coordination, encouragement, and even grace. Leadership is extremely important. And so, there are times we lament, “We need better leadership!”

Jesus Christ is the leader of our congregation, our home, our lives. And his leadership is perfect in every way. Therefore, when things are amiss in any of those arenas, what is needed is not better leadership, but better followership. In this series, we ask Christ to empower us with his Spirit so that we might better follow his lead. May we better reflect the beauty of his life… better make his priorities our own… better serve our God and neighbor.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Join Us for Food, Fun, and Games!

Join your fellow Trinity members and other members of our Waukesha community for an evening of board gaming. We will have all sorts of games available to play from classic board games to newer strategy games. Everyone is welcome to attend, from children all the way up through adults. Bring your own favorite game, or play one of ours!

We'll start with a brief devotion at 6:00 PM and will begin gaming at 6:15 PM. In order to help our organizers plan snacks for the event, please consider helping us by RSVP-ing by following the link found below.

I Am The Bread of Life:
The Only Food We Really Need

As Jesus concluded his bread of life discourse, many said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” and walked away. Read carefully. He did not say the teaching was hard to understand. That was simple. Jesus was teaching that the only chance to enjoy eternity in heaven was through a close, intimate connection to him. He is the only bread that gives eternal life. That isn’t hard to understand but, but it is hard to accept. Eating this bread means reordering our lives so that Jesus is by far our highest priority. It means loving the Blesser infinitely more than his earthly blessings. It means realizing that Jesus is the only thing we really need; that if we had nothing but him, we would not be lacking anything.

Jesus watches the multitudes walking away from him. He turns to the Twelve… he turns to us this week… and he whispers, “You do not want to leave me too, do you?” May the Spirit give us the wisdom to answer, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”  

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

I Am The Bread of Life:
The Bread that Gives Wisdom and Life

There are many different theories about the healthiest way to eat. There’s the old food pyramid, built on a foundation of whole grains. There’s the Mediterranean diet, the Adkins diet, the Paleo diet, and many others. We can debate which is best, but everyone agrees that whatever diet you eat, you are going to die. Perhaps a vegetarian diet is indeed easier on your heart; still, your heart is going to stop eventually. But in his Bread of Life discourse, Jesus offers us a food that enables you to live forever.

There are foods you might never have tasted without someone working hard to convince you to try it. Likewise, this spiritual food that Jesus describes is something no one finds appealing at first, but distasteful. And so today Jesus explains we need the Heavenly Father to work within us, so that we have the wisdom to see that this food gives life and the faith to find this bread most delicious.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

I Am The Bread of Life:
Spiritual Food for those Focused on the Earthly

Physical food is a blessing from our God without which we would literally wither away and die. That is why Jesus lovingly and miraculously fed thousands of followers with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Yet, while physical food is a good thing, it is far from the greatest thing God provides us. The greatest blessing God provides is spiritual food. The best thing God gives us is his Son, the bread of life. Without that spiritual food, we wither and die in a much worse way.

This week, we see the multitudes coming to Jesus looking for two things: ever more temporal blessings—full bellies, healthy bodies—and the explanation of how to earn them. Jesus explains the greater need for spiritual food. He assures us that there is nothing we do to earn it. Our Father urges us to come to him for our daily bread, asking him to provide for our temporal needs. But may we hunger most for the spiritual food that Christ freely gives.  

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

I Am The Bread of Life

“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). What happened! Jesus had recently fed many thousands of people.  Everywhere he went, he was mobbed by a multitude, looking for the hope and healing Jesus provided. In the first part of Jesus’ ministry, he was extremely popular. That changed so quickly. At “this time many” followers walked away from Christ. What had Jesus done that was so bad? He said, “I am the bread of life.” That statement seems, at worst, to be cryptic. It doesn’t seem offensive. But as the crowd grasped what Jesus was claiming, they decided they no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Bread is a staple food, something people eat every day (especially back in Jesus’ day). Scripture will sometimes refer to bread and water as all one needs to sustain physical life. In this worship series we will examine what Jesus is teaching when he calls himself “the bread of life.” We will discuss why people would abandon Jesus for making that claim. And we will wrestle with whether we would ever do the same.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Meaningful Ministry:
Fear Not, For The Lord Is With You

Shortly before he ascended, Jesus told his followers they were to engage in meaningful ministry… to work their way through the world, sharing the good news of salvation. Our loving Lord knew that was a big and often intimidating task. And so, his next words were a promise. “Surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). That promise still needs to be heard by God’s people.

For several weeks, we have been discussing the reality that the Lord of the Church has called all believers to meaningful ministry. Ministry will come with challenges. It can cause fears to arise: the fear of rejection, the fear of inadequacy, the fear of persecution. So, listen again to your Savior. “I am with you always.” We conclude our series on meaningful ministry empowered by that gracious promise.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Join Us for Food, Fun, and Games!

Join your fellow Trinity members and other members of our Waukesha community for an evening of board gaming. We will have all sorts of games available to play from classic board games to newer strategy games. Everyone is welcome to attend, from children all the way up through adults. Bring your own favorite game, or play one of ours!

We'll start with a brief devotion at 6:00 PM and will begin gaming at 6:15 PM. In order to help our organizers plan snacks for the event, please consider helping us by RSVP-ing by following the link found below.

Meaningful Ministry:
God Meets Our Need to Meet Others’ Needs

King David explains, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). That word “everything” doesn’t leave any wiggle room, does it? That word “everything” means that your home and all its furnishings, your vehicle and all that’s in the trunk, your bank account, the twenty-eight dollars in your wallet, the wallet itself, and the pocket in which you carry your wallet… It all belongs to God.  Everything you have was given to you by your good and gracious Father. We need to understand that.

But it is just as important that we understand why God provides for our physical needs. As we have seen throughout this worship series, God has called us to ministry. He asks us to reflect his love in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of others. Believers want to serve others in those ways. By providing for us, God meets our need to meet others’ needs. This week Jesus sees he will provide the resources necessary to conduct meaningful ministry.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Meaningful Ministry:
Jesus Models a Compassionate Shepherd’s Heart

In the ancient Middle East, for a shepherd to do his job well, he needed certain skillsets: knowledge of edible grasses, the ability to trim hooves, the capacity to fend off natural predators, the competency to birth lambs. However, the greatest qualification of a shepherd is much simpler. A good shepherd needed to care about his sheep. Without that, none of those other abilities would be fully utilized.

In Scripture, meaningful ministry is often pictured as a compassionate shepherd caring for his sheep: Jesus’ care for us; a spiritual leader’s care for his “flock.” Certainly, gospel ministry requires certain skills: the ability to actively listen to people, the capability of applying the gospel to someone’s situation, etc. But ultimately, meaningful ministry requires a compassionate heart… a profound care for others. An individual might know God’s Word backwards and forwards.  If they lack compassion, they will not perform meaningful ministry. Today, we ask the Spirit to see how Jesus models a compassionate shepherd’s heart, that we might be filled with that same compassion. 

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Meaningful Ministry:
Sent with God’s Own Authority

When a child asks a sibling to do something there isn’t much certainty as to the results. The sibling might simply ignore the request. However, if that same child goes to their brother or sister with a “Dad said so,” it’s a very different story! Now the father’s authority is behind the child’s request.

As believers carry out gospel ministry, encouraging others to turn to Christ in repentance, people might push back. “What gives you the right?” Maybe we ask that question ourselves. “I’m far from perfect. So, what gives me the right to talk about things like sin?” This week we are given the answer to that question. “Dad said so.” When our God calls us to do ministry, he also gives us authority. In calling us to ministry, God isn’t asking us to share our advice or our opinion or even our values. We are sharing God’s own authoritative Word. Gospel ministry is conducted by believers but with God’s own authority behind the effort.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Join Us for Food, Fun, and Games!

Join your fellow Trinity members and other members of our Waukesha community for an evening of board gaming. We will have all sorts of games available to play from classic board games to newer strategy games. Everyone is welcome to attend, from children all the way up through adults. Bring your own favorite game, or play one of ours!

We'll start with a brief devotion at 6:00 PM and will begin gaming at 6:15 PM. In order to help our organizers plan snacks for the event, please consider helping us by RSVP-ing by following the link found below.

Meaningful Ministry:
Not Glee and Gratitude But Rejection and Resentment

If ministry involves serving others with love and compassion, you would think people would respond only with with glee and gratitude for whatever help they received. Sometimes, but not always. If you offer to help a family member who is having trouble paying his bills there is the possibility that he will be offended, believing that you are implying he is not a good provider. Likewise, if you try and share the gospel with someone, he might resent the message that he is a sinner in need of salvation. You are trying to minister to this man’s greatest need. Your intentions are loving. Yet, he responds with rejection and resentment.

When our ministry efforts are met, not with glee and gratitude but rejection and resentment, we are in good company. The prophets, apostles, and even Jesus himself all had those who responded negatively to their ministries. When that happens to us, it doesn’t mean our ministry is no longer meaningful. For if others do not appreciate our efforts to serve them, God still appreciates our efforts to serve him.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

Meaningful Ministry

“Ministry” is one of those churchy words that is often used, yet perhaps not fully understood. Ministry comes from the Latin word for “service.” Ministry involves serving others with love, compassion, and empathy. Helping someone with physical needs is sometimes called “compassion ministry.” Helping someone with their spiritual needs, sharing the good news of Christ, is generally called “gospel ministry.” We misunderstand ministry if we think of it as something only ministers do. While pastors are called to perform gospel ministry on behalf of others, ultimately every believer is called by God to reflect Christ-like love and share the message of salvation as God provides those opportunities.

In this worship series, we will see that as we attempt to meet the needs of those God brings into our sphere of influence, we are engaging in meaningful ministry. For in our service, those people see God’s love, and God sees our faith.  Our worship follows this pattern.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am

A Top-Down Faith:
The Living Lord Completely Changes Our View of Death

Most people fear death to some degree. Some fear death because they assume it is the end. Others fear death because they assume it isn’t the end at all, but that there is some sort of reckoning after death which might not go well for them. And have you seen what happens to dead body? It is far from pretty. So, it is understandable that most people would fear death.

Not those to whom God has given a top-down faith. Christianity teaches that for God’s children, death is not discipline but deliverance. The living Lord gives Christians such a radically different view of death that they are not even afraid to face death in their effort to give Christ glory. They understand that death does not cut us down, but only raises us up. Finally, the Christian has been given the top-down faith that believes Jesus can wake us from death as easily as we can wake a sleeping child from his nap.

Services are on Saturday at 5:00pm; Sunday at 8:00am and 10:30am