From the temple as a symbol to the church of Christ: God’s presence, the Apostles, and unity are its identifying features—and these are the themes of the Sunday services in August.
The Sunday sermons in August are organised into two theme series. The first three Sundays focus on the church of Christ, while the last two Sundays explore two of the Ten Commandments.
Christ rules His church
The first Sunday service in August will focus on the holiness of the church. In the old covenant, the temple was a sign of God’s presence, and in the Christian tradition it is a symbol of the invisible church of Christ. This church is not the creation of the human beings at work within it but is the work of Jesus Christ. It is founded on the incarnation of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, and His resurrection.
Christ continues to work visibly in His church through the Apostles to this day: through the proclamation of the gospel, the administration of the sacraments, and the preparation of the believers for the return of Christ. Despite the shortcomings of this visible church, we must not overlook all the good that comes from Jesus and all the good that people do within it.
Apostles as Christ’s ambassadors
The second Sunday explores the apostolicity of the church, one of the distinguishing features of the church of Christ. Jesus sent out the first Apostles to spread the gospel throughout the world and make it accessible to all people —a mission that continues to this day.
The activity of today’s Apostles is characterised by the faithful proclamation of Jesus’ message, reconciliation with God, as well as the proper administration of the sacraments for both the living and the dead. The sermon will also focus on the return of Christ. All those who follow Jesus and His Apostles have a mission: to help the people around them come closer to Christ.
Oneness, the most important thing
On the third Sunday in August, the focus turns to another identifying characteristic of the church of Christ: the call to oneness. In His intercessory prayer before the crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His disciples, but also for all those who would come to believe in Him through the disciples’ teaching. It was important that they would be one.
Whether in everyday life, in the congregation, or throughout the invisible church of Christ, the unity of all who believe in Jesus is a binding obligation. It bears witness to the world and is an identifying feature of the one church of Christ. At the same time, this unity is a gift from God—one that must be preserved and nurtured.
Jesus’ love and care are the standard
The divine service on the fourth Sunday in August examines the Fourth Commandment. “Honour your father and your mother.” This is God’s commandment calling us to treat our parents with respect, appreciation, and gratitude. Yet if parents demand something unjust, God’s will takes precedence.
Jesus is our example and teaches us the importance of love, responsibility, and care for one another. At His crucifixion, for example, He entrusted His mother to John’s care. Parents, too, have a duty to treat their children in a manner pleasing to God. Only then can children truly fulfil the Fourth Commandment.
Protect, nurture, and develop life
On the last Sunday of the month, the sermon focuses on the protection of life. The sermon will be based on the Fifth Commandment: “You shall not murder.” God is the Creator of life, and He alone has the right to decide on its beginning and end. Not only actions but also inner attitudes such as anger and hatred are the roots of violence and thus constitute a violation of this commandment.
The mission, then, is to protect life and to help it flourish. This also involves standing up against physical and psychological violence and being life-affirming witnesses to Christ.
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