Preparing Our Hearts for Worship – May 3, 2026
Dear beloved members and dear friends of Zion,
If you’ve been searching for a Conservative church in Downtown Tampa where the Word of God is taken seriously and Christ is at the center of everything, I want to personally welcome you. Here at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, a Lutheran Church near Ybor Tampa, we gather as a family-friendly church in Downtown Tampa to receive the gifts God so freely gives.
As we prepare our hearts for this coming Sunday, May 3, I want to take you back to what we heard together this past week. My prayer is that this message continues to work on your heart throughout the week ahead.
Download this week’s worship bulletin for Sunday, May 3, 2026
CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! HALLELUJAH!
ZionnewZ
April 2026
Beloved members and dear friends of Zion,
CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! HALLELUJAH!
The Word of the Lord from Exodus 14:10-14
10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.
11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?
12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, “FEAR NOT, STAND FIRM, AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
14 THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU, AND YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT.” (emphasis added)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In the verses immediately preceding this text, the Lord specifically directed Moses precisely where to lead His Chosen People. It was God’s divine plan to harden Pharaoh’s heart when Pharaoh saw where the people had wandered. Pharaoh would believe that the people were trapped with no escape route. Pharaoh, of course, would be deathly wrong!
Beloved in the Lord, is it not true that you and I have experienced on numerous occasions that God has fought for us; God has rescued us; God has protected us; God has healed us—all in convincing and miraculous ways? YET, we never seem to grow enough spiritually; our faith never seems to be strong enough that we are able to remember the part:
YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT.
At least that is the part I continue to struggle with. Come to think of it, maybe the difference is that I was simply too naïve in my faith to expect anything from the Lord—He just did these miraculous things—because that is what God does—miraculous things! When I was four, He saved me from drowning. When I was about 10, He saved me from tumbling into a river when I slipped off the side of a cliff. When I was a teenager, how many times was I speeding (aka flying) in the Pontiac on treacherous loose gravel Iowa country roads, knowing I was going way too fast but needed to get ….there? Time and space does not allow me to get into my military experiences or Viet Nam or a host of other circumstances throughout my younger life.
Why is it then, that I still have a hard time with, YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT?
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I have a deep-seated conviction that the Lord has called me to be pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and, because of that, I have a very strong desire to “get r dun!” When I read and/or recall:
“For Christ’s love compels us…” (II Cor 5.14 NIV)
I feel very, very compelled.
YET, I will do well to heed God’s loving command, YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT.
In this, then, my prayer is that the Lord will grant me the patience and wisdom to know when He needs me to take up my cross into action; when to accompany my faith by action (Cf James 2.17) and when to be silent and let God Almighty fight for me, for us, for His Bride, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church.
To God alone be all glory, honor and praise.
In Christian love and service,
Pastor Redmann
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, (or imagine) according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen
(Eph 3:20-21 KJV)
Looking Ahead to This Sunday
Dear friends, as we move toward this coming Sunday, I want you to carry this with you: the Lord is still fighting for you.
There are moments when we feel pressed in, surrounded, unsure of what to do next. And yet, the Word of the Lord remains the same—stand firm… and trust Him.
That’s not always easy. I know that personally. But it is exactly where the Lord meets us—with His promises, His presence, and His faithfulness.
Here at Zion, as a Conservative church in Downtown Tampa, we continue to gather around that Word. As a Lutheran Church near Ybor Tampa, we hold fast to the truth that Christ alone is our salvation. And as a family friendly church in Downtown Tampa, we walk together in that faith—encouraging one another, praying for one another, and growing together in Christ.
A Simple Summary to Carry With You This Week
- God is always at work, even when it feels like you are trapped with no way out
- The Lord has already fought for you in countless ways—more than we often remember
- Faith grows when we learn to trust, even in silence
- There is a time for action… and a time to let God act
- “YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT” is not weakness—it is trust in God’s power
- Christ’s love compels us, but His wisdom teaches us when to move and when to wait
Come and Worship With Us
I would love for you to join us this Sunday.
If you’ve been looking for a Conservative church in Downtown Tampa, a Lutheran Church near Ybor Tampa, or a family friendly church in Downtown Tampa, Zion is a place where you can hear God’s Word clearly and receive His gifts faithfully.
Download this week’s worship bulletin and prepare for worship with us.
Come. Be strengthened. Be reminded that the Lord fights for you.
And sometimes… you have only to be silent.