Sixth Sunday of Easter Joplin Missouri — On May 10, 2026 — Mother’s Day — the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church gathered for the Sixth Sunday of Easter to hear God’s Word on what it means to live as baptized Christians in a world that doesn’t always welcome the name of Jesus. Pastor Christopher Ramstad preached on 1 Peter 3:13–22, naming what many Christians feel: we are “profoundly blessed and sometimes profoundly stressed.” DCE Jason Glaskey connected Noah’s ark to Holy Baptism in a children’s talk that reminded God’s people — young and old — that we are never alone.
Sixth Sunday of Easter in Joplin Missouri: Profoundly Blessed, Sometimes Profoundly Stressed
On Sunday, May 10, the congregation at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri celebrated the Sixth Sunday of Easter at our 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM worship services. Pastor Christopher Ramstad preached on 1 Peter 3:13–22, and DCE Jason Glaskey connected Noah’s ark to baptism in a children’s talk that reminded God’s people — young and old — that we are never alone. This was also a joyful celebration of mothers and all who hold this vocation among us.
Pastor Ramstad named what many Christians feel: we are vocationally blessed by God with callings as parents, workers, neighbors, and church members, yet sometimes profoundly stressed when living out those callings meets resistance. Peter wrote to scattered Christians facing the same tension and gave them this direction: always be prepared to make a defense of the hope that is in you — yet do it with gentleness and respect. As Pastor Ramstad put it, “God calls us with the gift of your tongue, with the gift of your words, to share the hope that we have with your neighbor.”
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
1 Peter 3:15–16, ESV
Scripture Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
The readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter carried a common thread: God does not leave His people alone. In Acts 17:16–31, Paul stood before the philosophers in Athens and proclaimed the God they worshiped as unknown — the God who made the world, gives life and breath to all, and raised Jesus from the dead. In John 14:15–21, Jesus promised His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.” And in 1 Peter 3:13–22, Peter pointed God’s scattered people back to their baptism as the anchor that holds through suffering and slander alike.
Theological Reflection: Defending the Faith with Gentleness
Pastor Ramstad unpacked the word “apologetics” from the Greek — apo (from) and logos (word). A defense of the faith is literally “from words.” God calls His people to speak Christ to their neighbors, not with hostility, but with gentleness, respect, and a good conscience. The sermon connected this directly to the Eighth Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Luther’s explanation calls us not only to avoid hurting our neighbor’s reputation, but to defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.
When our own name is slandered for Christ’s sake — and Peter says when, not if — the temptation is to attack back. But that is not the way of our Lord. Instead, Peter pointed to baptism: “Baptism now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21, ESV). We are united with Christ in His death and resurrection.
The children’s talk brought the same truth to life with a Fisher-Price Noah’s ark. Just as God saved Noah and his family through the water of the flood, He saves us through the water of baptism with the same promise: “I am with you. I love you. And I’m not going to let you be destroyed.” After the flood, God gave the rainbow. After our baptism, God gives the Holy Spirit — the Helper Jesus promised in John 14. As the congregation sang in LSB 594, “God’s own child, I gladly say it. I am baptized into Christ.”
“God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He, because I could not pay it, gave my full redemption price.”
“God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It,” LSB 594, st. 1
About Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri
Immanuel Lutheran Church is a member of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod located at 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804. We gather for worship every Sunday at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Martin Luther School serves children from preschool through 8th grade, and Curiosity Camps runs all summer. Sunday School and Youth Group meet weekly for all ages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sixth Sunday of Easter?
The Sixth Sunday of Easter falls in the Easter season, the fifty days between Easter Sunday and Pentecost. The Church continues to celebrate Christ’s resurrection and prepares to receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
What does “apologetics” mean in the Bible?
The Greek word apologia in 1 Peter 3:15 means “defense” — from apo (from) and logos (word). It does not mean apologizing. Christians are called to give a reasoned defense of their faith in Jesus with gentleness and respect.
What does 1 Peter 3:21 mean by “baptism now saves you”?
Peter connects baptism to Noah’s ark — just as God saved Noah’s family through water, He saves us through the water of baptism, not as a physical washing, but through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lutherans confess that baptism delivers forgiveness, life, and salvation.
How does the Eighth Commandment apply to daily life?
Luther’s Small Catechism teaches that the Eighth Commandment calls us not only to avoid lying about our neighbor, but to defend his reputation, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way. This applies to gossip, social media, and how we talk about others.
Where is Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri?
Immanuel Lutheran Church is located at 2616 S Connecticut Ave, Joplin, MO 64804. Sunday worship is at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. All are welcome.