Thursday Psalms: The LORD has loosed your bonds!

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

Today is Holy or Maundy Thursday of the holiest week of the year. The two main themes of this holy day are pretty well known. First, after Jesus served His disciples by washing their feet, He gave a new commandment [mandatum in Latin, from which we get the name Maundy Thursday] to love one another as God loves us. Later, Jesus instituted the new Passover, His holy Supper, and commanded us "This do in remembrance of Me." Today I'd like to focus on the psalmist's question in verse 12.

Psalm 116: 12-19

12 What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord,

14 I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

16 O Lord, I am Your servant;

I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant.

You have loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all His people,

19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

God gives you all things, even the things which are difficult, the situations in which you struggle. All God's gifts are given so our attention, love and honor are always on Him. But what can we give or render back to God? God gives many suggestions in this psalm. Call on His name, in prayer, every day. Pay your vows of thanksgiving as you worship God in every way possible. Serve God by following His will for your life, and reflect God's love you've received by serving others.

Why do we render or give back to God? Most certainly NOT to earn His favor or move us closer to salvation or heaven in any way. Give of yourself back to God, because God has loosed your bonds. God has saved you by forgiving your sins and giving you faith, life and salvation! There are no other gifts you will ever receive which can even come close to these! So naturally, we respond to God with lives of thanksgiving, praise and service!

Live today in the freedom and joy God gives to you! The Lord has loosed your bonds! The Lord forgives your sins!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Palm Sunday March 29, 2026

 

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

Palm Sunday

March 29, 2026

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  We've returned to our regular Sunday schedule, starting with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 am Worship service.  Afterward, we gathered for food and conversations, while the children enjoyed Sunday School.  These classes are full of activities and teaching, so the children learn how much God loves them!

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS

  Procession Gospel:  John 12:12-19

 Old Testament:  Isaiah 50:4-9a

              Psalm:  Psalm 31:9-16

             Epistle:  Philippians 2:5-11

            Gospel:  John 12:20-43

THEME FOR WORSHIP

Today is the beginning of Holy Week, two mountain peaks of joyful celebration, separated by the dark valley where Jesus Christ will clash with the sinfulness of fallen humanity.  “Hosanna!”, God’s people sing, which pleads “save us, now”.  Save us now, we cry, fully needing a Savior.  Save us now, we cry to Jesus, who rides into town on a donkey.    

For Jesus, now is the time, for which He left His throne in heaven and came to this earth.  

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: I Trust in You, O LORD!

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

During this penitential season of Lent, we're drawn to consider our distress, grief, sorrow, sighing and failing strength.  Our enemies & adversaries attack us and weigh us down.  We often feel forgotten like one who is dead.  

Psalm 31:9-16

⁹ Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

      my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.

¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing;

      my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.

¹¹ Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,

      especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

            those who see me in the street flee from me.

¹² I have been forgotten like one who is dead;

      I have become like a broken vessel.

¹³ For I hear the whispering of many—terror on every side!—

      as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in You, O Lord;

      I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times are in Your hand;

      rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

¹⁶ Make Your face shine on your servant;

      save me in Your steadfast love! 

The second section of Psalm 31 is more somber than the first.  David begins with a short plea to God, then his focus changes onto himself and his suffering.  But his misery cannot last, and neither should yours!  Near the end of this section David turns back to his God, who he trusts and whose love for him is steadfast!  

And so it is also with us!  As we are attacked by so many things, we're in distress.  Terrors surround us on every side.  In spite of all our suffering, we can join David and say "But I trust in You, O  Lord!  You are my God!"

O heavenly Father, in spite of my fear and worry and suffering, make Your face shine on me, and comfort me in Your steadfast love!   Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9