Sermon for 10/18/26:
20th Sunday after Trinity: Our Gospel reading for this Sunday is from the 21st chapter of St. Matthew’s account where our Lord warns the Pharisees with a most ridiculous parable: Workers in a vineyard actually think that they can receive the inheritance due the son of the owner by killing the son! But that’s not how an inheritance works, and the Pharisees rightly answer Jesus that the owner will destroy those wicked workers and hand things over to faithful ones. Yet the do not see how this relates to the promises of the Messiah their Lord had entrusted to them.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 21st chapter:
“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Announcements:
*Pastor and his family will be set up for “Trunk or Treat” on Halloween and are hoping to get a spot at the Monster Mash on Main St. on Wednesday, October 28th as well. More details as we get closer, but come by and see us if you can!
*Advent is fast approaching with “soup suppers” at 6 PM and an evening service at 7 PM starting Wednesday, December 2nd. Come and share a warm meal with us and feed your soul with the Word of God!
This Week’s Sign
This resource is not intended to discourage anyone from gathering in person around God’s Word and Sacraments. Matthew 18:20 and Hebrews 10:25 make it clear that God’s Divine Service is meant to be experienced physically with other Christians. To that end we invite you to join us for our current offerings of fellowship, study, and worship, and to stay tuned for additional opportunities:
*Family Bible Study at 9:00 AM on Sundays: We continue in our study of Titus chapter two as we consider how it is that we are able to do any good works, what motivates or prompts us to do good works, and what are the good works that we are to do?
*Divine Service at 10:30 AM on Sundays: October 25th, 2026 is the observance of Reformation Day. Our Gospel reading is Matthew 11:12-19.
If you’re not within driving distance of Ferndale CA, we encourage you to use the Church Locator at LCMS.org to find a church near you so you can gather in person with the communion of saints in your area.
