Dear Christian friends:

Deuteronomy 4:39 Know and think about this today: the Lord is God both in heaven and on earth - there is no other God."

Today we think about how good and wonderful our God is. Our God is the Three-In-One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We think about the Father who loved this sinful world so much that He gave His only Son to saves sinners like us. We look back to Christmas and remember how God let His Son be born from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. We think about the Baby lying in the manger, about the angel announcing the good news to the shepherds: "Fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!" We think about the Son, Jesus, who loved the Father and us and obeyed the Father, accepting our human nature and our sins, and dying on the cross for us and for all people. We think about Good Friday and Easter and Ascension. We think about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity. Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday and we rejoiced because Jesus kept His promise and poured out His Spirit upon the first disciples, giving them new life and power to do His work, fishing for men. We heard how we, too, can have the Spirit's power and joy and fish for men.

I have now in a few words explained about our wonderful Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What more can I say to you today? I like to say what our text says: "Know and think about this today: the Lord is God both in heaven and on earth - there is no other God."


We have a wonderful God who has shown Himself to us in the Holy Trinity. He is the only true God! "There is no other God" our text says. That means that we must have no other Gods.

We today are not tempted to bow down to idols made of wood, stone or gold as Israel was tempted. We know that idols are dumb and foolish and can't hear our prayers. But we are tempted to love and worship money and perhaps people. If we love and trust and respect money or men as we should only love and trust God, then money or a man can become our god. We say that we love and trust God, but really we often love and trust our money or friend or doctor or lawyer. Money has become our god or a man has become our god and we do not even realize it. We still go to church regularly and pray every day, but that is only a habit. We not really love and trust God to feed us and protect us. We trust our money and Social Security and Medicare and Medical. Is money bad? No! Money is good and helps our work and business or trade. Money is very handy. But the Bible says, "The love for money is the root of all evil." (1 Timothy 6:10)

Money itself is good, but when we love money and depend on it as we should love and depend on God that is bad! And when we refuse to use our money as the Bible teaches we show that money is really our god, not the Lord.

Here is another way we have another god: When you think about going to heaven or not which gives you more comfort: your good works or your faith in Jesus? Often when I ask someone, "Will you go to heaven when you die?" he or she answers, "Yes, I go to church every Sunday. I don't steal. I don't cheat." Such persons trust their good works, not God. They have another god, not the Lord, the Holy Trinity! We may not be aware of this, but all of us do this again and again.

And here is a third way we often have another god: When you have big trouble or heavy burden in your life, what do you do? Where do you seek for comfort and support: do you curse and despair or do you have "the Holy Spirit's grace, kindness, goodness, joy, the peace of Christ, a happy face?"

The Lord, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is God - there is no other! Don't let money and other things or persons deceive you and lead you away from this One, true God! Confess that you often have money and other things for your God. Trust in Him to forgive you in Jesus' name. The Lord is God - there is no other, so serve Him!

Confess that God the Father is your Maker and Keeper and that you are His servant (steward). The wisest man, King Solomon says, "Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income: Then He will fill your barns with wheat and barley and your wine vats will overflow with the finest wines." (Proverbs 3:9) Give thanks to Him and praise His name as King David did in Psalm 100: "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with singing. Know ye that the Lord is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we make ourselves, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His house with praise: thank Him and praise His name."

Confess that Jesus is your Savior, who died on the cross for your sins! Confess your wrongs and sins daily. Come to the Holy Supper often. Remember your baptism in Jesus' name! Be kind and merciful to others who sin against you and do wrong to you. Support world missions as your Lord commands in the Gospel for today. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Let the Holy Spirit lead you! Don't follow the evil desires of your sinful heart! You are no more slaves to sin and Satan! Jesus has made you free! Free to follow His Spirit. You are the dear children of God as Paul says in the Epistle lesson: "God gave you His Holy Spirit. And His Spirit doesn't make you slaves, and you should not be afraid of God. The Holy Spirit makes you God's children and He helps you cry out to God, Father, My Father." (Romans 8:15)

"Know and think about this today: the Lord is God both in heaven and on earth - there is no other God." So love Him and serve Him only!

Amen.