What’s America’s favorite pastime? If I ask you that question, we might argue. I’d tell you it most certainly is baseball; you might say it’s football, or more specifically, Pittsburgh Steelers football. I’d tell you that’s incorrect; the Steelers might be Pennsylvania’s favorite pastime, but not America’s – but you wouldn’t have to believe me. . . .

Why is it so hard to say “Thank you?” I know it’s hard. Our kids get something and go without a word. It was one of the hardest things for my mother to teach me. I took forever to get around to writing thank you notes after Christmas or my birthday. I had to be constantly reminded to say “thank you” when people gave me stuff too. Mom’s training got me to the point that I now almost always write a note within a day of receiving a gift. Then I hope I remembered it all. Why is it so hard to say? . . .

It’s still summer. The first day of fall is still about 4 weeks away. But Labor Day is next weekend and school’s back in session. Your summer activities are coming to a close. It’s about time to close up camp, say goodbye to the lake, and get ready for winter. Summer’s over. . . .

School starts in 3 days. That means many different things for many different people. For some it means high school football or soccer. For others it means homework. For others it means 1 more year until college. But for the office staff it also means this: the beginning of the parade of children who don’t feel well and calls from homes that children are sick. They don’t like to be sick. They’re sad they can’t go out and play with their friends. It’s not good because they’ll have to play a valiant game of “catch-up” to get where they need to be in their studies. Besides, nobody likes to be miserable, especially a child! . . .

What do you think when you come to church? What goes through your mind? “Where will I sit today?” No, we normally sit in the same spots, so it’s more likely, “Will somebody be in my spot today?” Normally you don’t have to worry about that, except maybe Christmas Eve. You have your spot. Maybe it’s where your family has sat for the 38 years we’ve been up here. Maybe you chose it a couple years ago. But you have your spot, and you know the old joke that Lutherans like to sit in the back. . . .

We like to celebrate things when they happened. We celebrated Independence Day a month ago because that’s when our 13 colonies declared independence from Britain. When we celebrate Veterans Day in a few months we’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Armistice ending World War I. You celebrate birthdays and anniversaries because you want to remember the day you or others were born or got married. . . .

Everybody cares about it. Everybody wants it. Everybody needs it. No one can avoid it. We used to pay in goods like wheat and oil. Then we paid in gold and silver. Then along came paper. Now we tend to pay with cards or just by clicking an online button. You never even see your paycheck if your employer uses direct deposit. But no matter how we pay or get paid, we can’t avoid money. . . .

It’s definitely summer. Grass and weeds are growing. The kids want to be outside, whether they should be or not. We probably rather be outside too, not working inside. The green of the grass that stains their knees surrounds us in church too. They’re growing bigger, stronger, and smarter, but they aren’t the only ones growing. We all are to be growing, not in size and stature, but in faith and good works. . . .

Sanctification is a big word. You don’t use it every day, do you? You don’t ask your husband or wife or kids, let alone your friends or coworkers, each night: “Were you sanctified today?” It comes from the Latin word meaning “holy,” which is that word Sanctus – you see it in the hymnal for the great hymn we sing before the Lord’s Prayer. So sanctification has to do with your holiness. The word teaches us that the Holy Spirit, the one Who makes us holy, is working to make us holy, and we ought not get in the way. . . .

A new part of the Trinity season starts today. Over the last few weeks, each Sunday has taught us how the Lord creates His Church. He sent His Spirit to His Apostles on Pentecost and they preached. They’ve been preaching to us through the Holy Scriptures ever since. They’ve been inviting you and all people to hear and believe God’s Word. They’ve been calling on us sinners to confess our sins and beg God for forgiveness. They’ve been begging us to join them in following Jesus. . . .