Drammen Lutheran Church

Drammen Lutheran Church Mission Statement:

Called by God's grace and equipped by the Holy Spirit, we nurture and challenge each other to grow in proclaiming the good news of Christ Jesus through celebrating worship, studying God's word, and showing hospitality by serving our neighbors both here and around the world.

 

Thank you for visiting our website!

Here you will find information concerning our church and its ministries. We want you to feel comfortable and at liberty to call on us for anything you need. Feel free to browse through the various areas of our website and learn about our fellowship.

If you are considering a new place of worship or a relocation to our area, we would love to have you be our guest.

When you visit our church, you will find:

• A caring congregation that will gladly welcome you
• Preaching/teaching that is centered on the Word of God
• Activities for the whole family

 

We welcome you to worship with us each Sunday morning at 9:00am. Coffee and fellowship follow worship.

 

August 16, 2026  

Dear friends in Christ grace and peace to you. The message for this week comes from 
Isaiah 56:1-8.

In this week’s reading from Isaiah the focus is on honoring the Sabbath. For Jewish people as well as some other religions the Sabbath is Saturday. For most others, the Sabbath is Sunday.
Last year in Lay School one of our presenters focused on the importance of honoring the Sabbath. He made a point to stress the importance of taking time for a day of rest and worship. He also made the point that in the world we live in honoring the Sabbath on the Sabbath is not always possible. But that it was still important to take the time to honor the Sabbath. The day wasn’t as important as making the time to disconnect from our busy lives and to honor the time of rest that our creator put in place for us. If we don’t take time for God how can we expect God to take time for us?

I find it interesting that Isaiah begins this passage with the words from the Lord, Maintain justice and do what is right. Isaiah makes it known that the Lord accepts into his kingdom all who honor the Sabbath, even the eunuchs and the foreigners. In other words, no one who honors the Lord and worships him will be kept from God’s presence regardless of what those of us who think we are on the inside might think. Maintain justice and do what is right? What does that look like? Jesus set the example for us to follow. In Matthew 22: 37-40, “ He said to him,‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus was drawn to the outcasts, those who were looked down on by the rest of society. Jesus was drawn to the poor and the needy. Jesus was drawn to those who had no voice and held no sway in society. Jesus didn’t look to see how much money one had or how much one could help him politically. Jesus looked at the person with love and tenderness, saw their needs and helped them. Isaiah reminds us that God says he will gather to himself all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who keep their end of the promise that God has made to his people. God will make room for all who honor his day of rest and take the time to worship him. God doesn’t want our money or our possessions; he wants us; he wants our hearts. And our reward for putting God first and others needs before our own will be eternal life in a paradise of blessed rest. 

May the peace of God be with all of you as you make time in your lives to honor the Sabbath in worship to the one who created us and gives us life.

Michael Isaacson