Thursday Psalms: God Is Majestic!

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

In this psalm, David poses the great paradox, one of the most remarkable questions about our human existence and relationship with God.  As David considers all the evidence of God's glorious creation, he wonders...What do you see in us?  To use David's words:  "...what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?  What have we done to deserve being put in charge of God's created masterpiece?  

   Psalm 8    A Psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

      You have set Your glory above the heavens.

² Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

      You have established strength because of Your foes,

              to still the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

      the moon and the stars, which You have set in place,

⁴ what is man that You are mindful of him,

      and the son of man that You care for him?

⁵ Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

      and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands;

      You have put all things under his feet,

⁷ all sheep and oxen,

      and also the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

      whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

Notice how David poses this question and does not even address our sinfulness, which just amplifies this remarkable question?  Why should God be mindful of you?  Why should God care for me?  Based on how we treat God and others, why shouldn't God simply zap us off the face of the earth?  The answer is amazing, remarkable and very simple:  God loves you!  God loves every one of His created children, even those who do not love Him.  You and I are God's sons and daughters, both by our creation in His image, and also by the salvation won for us, and given to us by Jesus Christ, God's Son.  

Tonight, tomorrow, every time you confess your sins to God, you're asking this same question:  "God, who am I that you should even allow me to come into Your presence and say "I'm sorry."?"  We are totally undeserving of God's mercy, but He gladly and lovingly forgives us all the sins we sincerely confess.  What a great gift of mercy and grace God gives to us!  All of us should be singing and shouting every day these words of David:  O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

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 Sunday May 24, 20265

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Day of Pentecost

May 24, 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!  Our usual Sunday schedule starts with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 am Worship service.  

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 

     Old Testament:  Numbers 11:24–30

                  Psalm:  Psalm 25:1–15

  Second Reading:  Acts 2:1–21

                 Gospel:  John 7:37–39

THEME FOR WORSHIP

It is estimated that 60% of your body is made of water.  Since at least the fall into sin (see Genesis 3), clean water has been essential to sustain bodily life.  With only a few exceptions, God generously provides you and I with good water for drinking and the care of our bodies.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus cries out, promising to pour out living, spiritual water, His Holy Spirit on all people, giving you joyful life forever!  Of course, God kept this promise on the first Day of Pentecost, which we celebrate again today.

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: God Remembers!

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

Our ability to remember things is really a funny thing. Not ha-ha funny, but rather an odd kind of funny.  We try to remember good things, and often we can't.  We try to "remember not" the bad things in our lives, but so often we can't push those bad memories away.  Remembering the good and forgetting the bad sure sounds good, but it hardly ever works out that way for us.  In our psalm verses for today, King David prays to God about God's remembering and also about his own.

Psalm  25:1, 6-7, 11

¹ To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

⁶ Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, 

     for they have been from of old.

⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

      according to Your steadfast love remember me, 

         for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord!

¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

David certainly remembers his own bad stuff; they can't be avoided.  He remembers the sins of his youth and his recent and even on-going transgressions.  You & I also remember our own bad sins & failings.  But David also remembers the good things, and I don't mean the good, fun Memorial Day gatherings of past years!   David remembers the Lord's good promises:  His promises of steadfast love , mercy and goodness.  Because David remembers the good and bad, David prays boldly that the Lord would forgive his sins and pardon his guilt.

This is the Lord's promise to you also today.  Remember your sins long enough so you confess them to God and learn to avoid them tomorrow.  Remember what God promises you, that He loves you beyond your imagination, that He shows mercy to you always, and that His forgiveness pardons you & removes your guilt.  

This is the best of news for you:  God Remembers!

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 Sunday May 17, 2026

 

The Ascension     John Singleton Copley  (1738–1815)

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Ascension of Our Lord

May 17, 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!  Our usual Sunday schedule starts 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

  First Reading:  Acts 1:1–11

             Psalm:  Psalm 47

            Epistle:  Ephesians 1:15–23

           Gospel:  Luke 24:44–53

THEME FOR WORSHIP

The Ascended Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed to all people for the turning to, and receiving of the forgiveness of sins in His name, as Scripture reveals!

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: Ascension Day!

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

Today we commemorate The Ascension of Our Lord.  There are several themes for us on this day, as we remember Jesus' return to His throne & rule in heaven.  One theme is His triumph and victory.  Psalm 47 commemorates this blessed day, and draws our attention to these ideals.

PSALM 47

¹ Clap your hands, all peoples!

     Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

² For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared,

     a great King over all the earth.

³ He subdued peoples under us,

     and nations under our feet.

⁴ He chose our heritage for us,

     the pride of Jacob whom He loves.

⁵ God has gone up with a shout,

     the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises!

     Sing praises to our King, sing praises!

⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;

     sing praises with a psalm!

⁸ God reigns over the nations;

     God sits on His holy throne.

⁹ The princes of the peoples gather

     as the people of the God of Abraham.

   For the shields of the earth belong to God;

     He is highly exalted!

A second theme of this day we should consider is completeness.  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and then perfectly lived His fully human life without sin, ever.  Jesus did this so He could accept ALL the punishment of sin, all of yours included.  The perfect man, the spotless sacrifice took our guilt and punishment in our place.  Jesus' salvation work is now done, once for all people of all time.  So this day, in His glorious return to heaven, reminds us of His perfect and complete forgiveness of our sins.

The third theme I'd like us to consider today comes in response to the disciples' certain feelings of being deserted and abandoned.  God always has something better coming for us, and this is also true for His disciples on the first Ascension Day!  Just like Jesus HAD to suffer and die to win their forgiveness, Jesus HAD to leave them so the Holy Spirit would be given to them.  And so today begins 10 days of anticipation, looking forward to The Day of Pentecost.  The Holy Spirit is given to us in our baptisms, and remains with us each and every day of our lives, protecting our faith and encouraging us as we walk through this valley of the shadow of death.

Thanks be to God, who reigns over the nations, who completed His salvation work and returned to His heavenly throne, and who sent His Holy Spirit, to care for you and me!

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 Sunday May 10, 2026

The Martyrdom of St. Stephen

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 10, 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!  Our usual Sunday schedule starts 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

  First Reading:  Acts 17:16-31

             Psalm:  Psalm 66:8-20

            Epistle:  1 Peter 3:13-22

            Gospel:  John 14:15-21

THEME FOR WORSHIP 

In the Epistle text today, Peter writes to several congregations who have one thing in common:  they are persecuted and struggling with how their faith is challenged by the outside world.  Despite the good which Christians may do, the world cannot tolerate righteousness.  The world constantly shows its hatred for God and His people.  So, God sends Peter to enlighten, comfort and strengthen us as we suffer, as we’re afraid and as we’re  troubled by the world’s rejection.

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: God's Steadfast Love

 

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

Today we have several verses from a beautiful psalm proclaiming God's mercy and love for you!  God is your refuge and gives you purpose!

Psalm 57 

¹  Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

      for in You my soul takes refuge;

   in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge,

      till the storms of destruction pass by.

²  I cry out to God Most High,

      to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

³  He will send from heaven and save me;

      He will put to shame him who tramples on me. 

   God will send out His steadfast love and His faithfulness!

⁹  I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;

      I will sing praises to You among the nations.

¹⁰ For Your steadfast love is great to the heavens,

      Your faithfulness to the clouds.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

      Let Your glory be over all the earth!

Look at verse three especially.  God does not always save you or me in the ways we ask Him to.  But God does save you in the most important way.  God the Father did already send from heaven His only Son, Jesus Christ to save you!  You and I deserve nothing but punishment from God for our sinfulness and our sins.  But Jesus Christ, Son of God, took your punishment on Himself and God forgives your every mistake, your every sin, your every failure!  Jesus IS God's steadfast love and faithfulness to you!

Pause for a moment and lift up a prayer of thanks to God, sing praise to God, for His steadfast love and faithfulness to you!

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 Sunday May 3, 2026

 

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 3, 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!  Our usual Sunday schedule starts 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

  First Reading:  Acts 6:1–9, 7:2a, 51–60

             Psalm:  Psalm 146

            Epistle:  1 Peter 2:2–10

            Gospel:  John 14:1–14

THEME FOR WORSHIP

The night before Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, He was with His disciples in the upper room.  They knew Jesus was leaving them, and soon.  What would their futures look like?  They could not yet see God’s bigger picture and so their hearts were troubled, full of fear and worry.

When your hearts are troubled, and you can’t see the way forward, Jesus has the cure for your troubled heart.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!  

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