Gospel

November 1st, 2026 – The Feast of All Saints

Raymond Hulett Leave a comment

Sermon for 11/1/26:

Our Gospel reading for this Sunday is from the 5th chapter of St. Matthew’s account: The Beatitudes. The passage is a beautiful blend of Law and Gospel centered upon the reconciling work of Christ. We must keep this as our guiding light to understand what Jesus is saying. Unfortunately, many groups that deny many of the central tenants of the Faith–the atonement, the resurrection, the sinfulness of humanity, the uniqueness of Christ, etc.–incorrectly apply these according to the “bare meaning” of the words and universalize them to encompass all mankind. Sadly, this robs them of their salvific message: Jesus is speaking of sinners who share St. Peter’s confessions, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and, “There is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved.” As we remember the saints who died in Christ before us, that’s the last thing we want to surrender..

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 5th chapter:

Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Maarten van Heemskerck (1498-1574), Kristus som sejrherre over synd og doed, 1513-1574
Subscribe to our Sermons at St. Mark’s podcast!
How to Listen to a Sermon

Announcements:


*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!

*Next Sunday, 11/8, is our Voters’ Assembly. Please make every effort to attend as we will be approving the budget and electing officers for the next year.

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. We will wrap up chapter two and begin chapter three next Sunday.

*Divine Service at 10:30 AM on Sundays: November 8th, 2026 is the 23rd Sunday after Trinity. Our Gospel reading is Matthew 22:15-22.

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.

October 25th, 2026 – Festival of the Reformation

Raymond Hulett Leave a comment

Sermon for 10/25/26:

Observation of the Festival of the Reformation (10/31): Our Gospel reading for this Sunday is from the 11th chapter of St. Matthew’s account. I love this passage because of the poetic way the Lord describes the stubbornness and resistance of the Jews who refused to believe not only His testimony of Himself but also John the Baptist’s. We can feel His frustration, a frustration we often feel ourselves as we encounter the same stubbornness and resistance from those in our own lives. Nevertheless, this also should comfort and encourage us to endure..

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 21st chapter:

[Jesus said], “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Subscribe to our Sermons at St. Mark’s podcast!
How to Listen to a Sermon

Announcements:


*Pastor will be at the Monster Mash on Main St. in Ferndale on Wednesday, October 28th, from 5-8PM for Trunk-or-Treat. In addition to treats for the kids, there will be information for St. Mark’s and material for people to take if they are interested. Pray that we might catch a few eyes and perhaps have some visitors in the near future!

*Next Sunday, 11/1, is All Saints’ Day in which we will have the remembrance of those who have died in Christ during the prayers of the Church. If there is anyone you would like us to remember, please send them via the Prayer Request form.

*Next Sunday, 11/1, is also the end of DST. Be sure to set those clocks that need it back an hour!

*Next Sunday, 11/1, we will also be receiving the Gomersall into membership by Profession of Faith. Please commit them to your prayers, and join us to welcome them into our fellowship officially!

*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: November 1st, 2026 is All Saints’ Day. Our Gospel reading is Matthew 5:1-12.

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.